Дюна

           Heheardtheslave’spanting,smelledhisownsweatandafaintodorofbloodontheair.

           Steadily,thena-Baronmovedbackward,turningtotheright,hissecondbarbready.Theslavedancedsideways.Feyd-Rauthaappearedtostumble,heardthescreamfromthegalleries.

           Again,theslavepounced.

           Gods,whatafightingman!Feyd-Rauthathoughtasheleapedaside.Onlyyouth’squicknesssavedhim,butheleftthesecondbarbburiedinthedeltoidmuscleoftheslave’srightarm.

           Shrillcheersrainedfromthegalleries.

           Theycheermenow,Feyd-Rauthathought.HeheardthewildnessinthevoicesjustasHawathadsaidhewould.They’dnevercheeredafamilyfighterthatwaybefore.AndhethoughtwithanedgeofgrimnessonathingHawathadtoldhim:“It’seasiertobeterrifiedbyanenemyyouadmire.”

           Swiftly,Feyd-Rautharetreatedtothecenterofthearenawhereallcouldseeclearly.Hedrewhislongblade,crouchedandwaitedfortheadvancingslave.

           Themantookonlythetimetolashthesecondbarbtighttohisarm,thenspedinpursuit.

           Letthefamilyseemedothisthing,Feyd-Rauthathought.Iamtheirenemy:letthemthinkofmeastheyseemenow.

           Hedrewhisshortblade.

           “Idonotfearyou,Harkonnenswine,”thegladiatorsaid.“Yourtorturescannothurtadeadman.Icanbedeadonmyownbladebeforeahandlerlaysfingertomyflesh.AndI’llhaveyoudeadbesideme!”

           Feyd-Rauthagrinned,offerednowthelongblade,theonewiththepoison.

           “Trythison,”hesaid,andfeintedwiththeshortbladeinhisotherhand.