Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
Thatisthemostdangerousmoment,buttheterrifiedmancanbetrustedusuallytomakeafatalmistake.Youarebeingtrainedheretodetectthesemistakesandusethem.”
Thecrowdinthecavernbegantomutter.
TheythinkPaul’stoyingwithJamis,Jessicathought.TheythinkPaul’sbeingneedlesslycruel.
Butshesensedalsotheundercurrentofcrowdexcitement,theirenjoymentofthespectacle.AndshecouldseethepressurebuildingupinJamis.ThemomentwhenitbecametoomuchforhimtocontainwasasapparenttoherasitwastoJamis...ortoPaul.
Jamisleapedhigh,feintingandstrikingdownwithhisrighthand,butthehandwasempty.Thecrysknifehadbeenshiftedtohislefthand.
Jessicagasped.
ButPaulhadbeenwarnedbyChani:“Jamisfightswitheitherhand.”Andthedepthofhistraininghadtakeninthattrickenpassant.“Keepthemindontheknifeandnotonthehandthatholdsit,”GurneyHalleckhadtoldhimtimeandagain.“Theknifeismoredangerousthanthehandandtheknifecanbeineitherhand.”
AndPaulhadseenJamis’mistake:badfootworksothatittookthemanaheartbeatlongertorecoverfromhisleap,whichhadbeenintendedtoconfusePaulandhidetheknifeshift.
Exceptforthelowyellowlightoftheglowglobesandtheinkyeyesofthestaringtroop,itwassimilartoasessiononthepracticefloor.Shieldsdidn’tcountwherethebody’sownmovementcouldbeusedagainstit.Paulshiftedhisownknifeinablurredmotion,slippedsidewaysandthrustupwardwhereJamis’chestwasdescending—thenawaytowatchthemancrumble.
