Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
Shethoughtatfirstitmustbeapatrolvehicle,thenrealizeditwasamirage—anotherlandscapehoveringoverthedesert-sandandadistantwaveringofgreeneryandinthemiddledistancealongwormtravelingthesurfacewithwhatlookedlikeFremenrobesflutteringonitsback.
Themiragefaded.
“Itwouldbebettertoride,”Stilgarsaid,“butwecannotpermitamakerintothisbasin.Thus,wemustwalkagaintonight.”
Maker—theirwordforworm,shethought.
Shemeasuredtheimportofhiswords,thestatementthattheycouldnotpermitawormintothisbasin.Sheknewwhatshehadseeninthemirage—
Fremenridingonthebackofagiantworm.Ittookheavycontrolnottobetrayhershockattheimplications.
“Wemustbegettingbacktotheothers,”Stilgarsaid.“ElsemypeoplemaysuspectIdallywithyou.SomealreadyarejealousthatmyhandstastedyourlovelinesswhenwestruggledlastnightinTuonoBasin.”
“Thatwillbeenoughofthat!”Jessicasnapped.
“Nooffense,”Stilgarsaid,andhisvoicewasmild.“Womenamongusarenottakenagainsttheirwill...andwithyou....”Heshrugged.“...eventhatconventionisn’trequired.”
“YouwillkeepinmindthatIwasaduke’slady,”shesaid,buthervoicewascalmer.
“Asyouwish,”hesaid.“It’stimetosealoffthisopening,topermitrelaxationofstillsuitdiscipline.Mypeopleneedtorestincomfortthisday.
Theirfamilieswillgivethemlittlerestonthemorrow.”
Silencefellbetweenthem.
Jessicastaredoutintothesunlight.
