Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
—Stilgar’sprefaceto“Muad’Dib,theMan”bythePrincessIrulan
STILGAR’STROOPreturningtothesietchwithitstwostraysfromthedesertclimbedoutofthebasininthewaninglightofthefirstmoon.Therobedfigureshurriedwiththesmellofhomeintheirnostrils.Dawn’sgraylinebehindthemwasbrightestatthenotchintheirhorizon-calendarthatmarkedthemiddleofautumn,themonthofCaprock.
Wind-rakeddeadleavesstrewedthecliffbasewherethesietchchildrenhadbeengatheringthem,butthesoundsofthetroop’spassage(exceptforoccasionalblunderingsbyPaulandhismother)couldnotbedistinguishedfromthenaturalsoundsofthenight.
Paulwipedsweat-cakeddustfromhisforehead,feltatugathisarm,heardChani’svoicehissing.“DoasItoldyou:bringthefoldofyourhooddownoveryourforehead!Leaveonlytheeyesexposed.Youwastemoisture.”
Awhisperedcommandbehindthemdemandedsilence:“Thedeserthearsyou!”
Abirdchirrupedfromtherockshighabovethem.
Thetroopstopped,andPaulsensedabrupttension.
Therecameafaintthumpingfromtherocks,asoundnolouderthanmicejumpinginthesand.
Again,thebirdchirruped.
Astirpassedthroughthetroop’sranks.Andagain,themouse-thumpingpeckeditswayacrossthesand.
Oncemore,thebirdchirruped.
Thetroopresumeditsclimbupintoacrackintherocks,buttherewasastillnessofbreathabouttheFremennowthatfilledPaulwithcaution,andhenotedcovertglancestowardChani,thewaysheseemedtowithdraw,pullinginuponherself.
