Дюна
Book Two: Muad‘dib
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“Thatremainstobeseen,”huskedtheoldwoman.Sheturnedwithsurprisingquicknessandfacedthethrong.“Tellthem,Stilgar.”
“MustI?”heasked.
“WearethepeopleofMisr,”theoldwomanrasped.“SinceourSunniancestorsfledfromNilotical-Ourouba,wehaveknownflightanddeath.Theyounggoonthatourpeopleshallnotdie.”
Stilgartookadeepbreath,steppedforwardtwopaces.
Jessicafeltthehushcomeoverthecrowdedcavern—sometwentythousandpeoplenow,standingsilently,almostwithoutmovement.Itmadeherfeelsuddenlysmallandfilledwithcaution.
“Tonightwemustleavethissietchthathasshelteredusforsolongandgosouthintothedesert,”Stilgarsaid.Hisvoiceboomedoutacrosstheupliftedfaces,reverberatingwiththeforcegivenitbytheacousticalhornbehindtheledge.
Stillthethrongremainedsilent.
“TheReverendMothertellsmeshecannotsurviveanotherhajra,”Stilgarsaid.“WehavelivedbeforewithoutaReverendMother,butitisnotgoodforpeopletoseekanewhomeinsuchstraits.”
Now,thethrongstirred,ripplingwithwhispersandcurrentsofdisquiet.
“Thatthismaynotcometopass,”Stilgarsaid,“ournewSayyadinaJessicaoftheWeirding,hasconsentedtoentertheriteatthistime.ShewillattempttopasswithinthatwenotlosethestrengthofourReverendMother.”
JessicaoftheWeirding,Jessicathought.ShesawPaulstaringather,hiseyesfilledwithquestions,buthismouthheldsilentbyallthestrangenessaroundthem.
IfIdieintheattempt,whatwillbecomeofhim?Jessicaaskedherself.
