Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
”Hestaredacrossthebasin,tuggingathismustache.“Mypeoplestayedoutoverlateworking.
Thatmeanstherearenopatrolsabout.I’llsignalthemlaterandthey’llprepareforus.”
“Yourpeopleshowgooddiscipline,”Jessicasaid.Sheloweredthebinoculars,sawthatStilgarwaslookingatthem.
“Theyobeythepreservationofthetribe,”hesaid.“Itisthewaywechooseamongusforaleader.Theleaderistheonewhoisstrongest,theonewhobringswaterandsecurity.”Heliftedhisattentiontoherface.
Shereturnedhisstare,notedthewhitelesseyes,thestainedeyepits,thedust-rimmedbeardandmustache,thelineofthecatchtubecurvingdownfromhisnostrilsintohisstillsuit.
“HaveIcompromisedyourleadershipbybestingyou,Stilgar?”sheasked.
“Youdidnotcallmeout,”hesaid.
“It’simportantthataleaderkeeptherespectofhistroop,”shesaid.
“Isn’taoneofthosesandliceIcannothandle,”Stilgarsaid.“Whenyoubestedme,youbestedusall.Now,theyhopetolearnfromyou...theweirdingway...andsomearecurioustoseeifyouintendtocallmeout.”
Sheweighedtheimplications.“Bybestingyouinformalbattle?”
Henodded.“I’dadviseyouagainstthisbecausethey’dnotfollowyou.
You’renotofthesand.Theysawthisinournight’spassage.”
“Practicalpeople,”shesaid.
“Trueenough.”Heglancedatthebasin.“Weknowourneeds.Butnotmanyarethinkingdeepthoughtsnowthisclosetohome.We’vebeenoutoverlongarrangingtodeliverourspicequotatothefreetradersforthecursedGuild...
