Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
”
“Whatistherepaymentatfieldrates?”Jessicaasked.
“Tenforone,”Stilgarsaid.
“But—”
“It’sawiseruleasyou’llcometosee,”Stilgarsaid.
Arustlingofrobesmarkedmovementatthebackofthetroopasmenturnedtogetthewater.
Stilgarheldupahand,andtherewassilence.“AstoJamis,”hesaid,“Iorderthefullceremony.JamiswasourcompanionandbrotheroftheIchwanBedwine.Thereshallbenoturningawaywithouttherespectdueonewhoprovedourfortunebyhistahaddi-challenge.Iinvoketherite...atsunsetwhenthedarkshallcoverhim.”
Paul,hearingthesewords,realizedthathehadplungedoncemoreintotheabyss...blindtime.Therewasnopastoccupyingthefutureinhismind...except...except...hecouldstillsensethegreenandblackAtreidesbannerwaving...somewhereahead...stillseethejihad’sbloodyswordsandfanaticlegions.
Itwillnotbe,hetoldhimself.Icannotletitbe.
***
GodcreatedArrakistotrainthefaithful.
—from“TheWisdomofMuad’Dib”bythePrincessIrulan
INTHEstillnessofthecavern,Jessicaheardthescrapeofsandonrockaspeoplemoved,thedistantbirdcallsthatStilgarhadsaidwerethesignalsofhiswatchmen.
Thegreatplastichood-sealshadbeenremovedfromthecave’sopening.Shecouldseethemarchofeveningshadowsacrossthelipofrockinfrontofherandtheopenbasinbeyond.Shesensedthedaylightleavingthem,senseditinthedryheataswellastheshadows.
