Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
***
Thehandsmove,thelipsmove—Ideasgushfromhiswords,Andhiseyesdevour!HeisanislandofSelfdom.
—descriptionfrom“AManualofMuad’Dib”bythePrincessIrulan
PHOSPHORTUBESINthefarawayupperreachesofthecaverncastadimlightontothethrongedinterior,hintingatthegreatsizeofthisrock-enclosedspace...larger,Jessicasaw,thaneventheGatheringHallofherBeneGesseritschool.SheestimatedthereweremorethanfivethousandpeoplegatheredouttherebeneaththeledgewhereshestoodwithStilgar.
Andmorewerecoming.
Theairwasmurmurouswithpeople.
“Yoursonhasbeensummonedfromhisrest,Sayyadina,”Stilgarsaid.“Doyouwishhimtoshareinyourdecision?”
“Couldhechangemydecision?”
“Certainly,theairwithwhichyouspeakcomesfromyourownlungs,but—”
“Thedecisionstands,”shesaid.
Butshefeltmisgivings,wonderingifsheshouldusePaulasanexcuseforbackingoutofadangerouscourse.Therewasanunborndaughtertothinkofaswell.Whatendangeredthefleshofthemotherendangeredthefleshofthedaughter.
Mencamewithrolledcarpets,gruntingundertheweightofthem,stirringupdustastheloadsweredroppedontotheledge.
Stilgartookherarm,ledherbackintotheacousticalhornthatformedtherearlimitsoftheledge.Heindicatedarockbenchwithinthehorn.“TheReverendMotherwillsithere,butyoumayrestyourselfuntilshecomes.”
“Iprefertostand,”Jessicasaid.
Shewatchedthemenunrollthecarpets,coveringtheledge,lookedoutatthecrowd.
