Дюна
Book One: Dune
Whatapeopletowinasallies!
“Andtheworms?”Paulasked.
“What?”
“I’dliketostudymoreaboutthesandworms.”
“Ah-h-h,tobesure.I’veafilmbookonasmallspecimen,onlyonehundredandtenmeterslongandtwenty-twometersindiameter.Itwastakeninthenorthernlatitudes.Wormsofmorethanfourhundredmetersinlengthhavebeenrecordedbyreliablewitnesses,andthere’sreasontobelieveevenlargeronesexist.”
PaulglanceddownataconicalprojectionchartofthenorthernArrakeenlatitudesspreadonthetable.“Thedesertbeltandsouthpolarregionsaremarkeduninhabitable.Isittheworms?”
“Andthestorms.”
“Butanyplacecanbemadehabitable.”
“Ifit’seconomicallyfeasible,”Yuehsaid.“Arrakishasmanycostlyperils.”
Hesmoothedhisdroopingmustache.“Yourfatherwillbeheresoon.BeforeIgo,I’veagiftforyou,somethingIcameacrossinpacking.”Heputanobjectonthetablebetweenthem—black,oblong,nolargerthantheendofPaul’sthumb.
Paullookedatit.Yuehnotedhowtheboydidnotreachforit,andthought:Howcautiousheis.
“It’saveryoldOrangeCatholicBiblemadeforspacetravelers.Notafilmbook,butactuallyprintedonfilamentpaper.Ithasitsownmagnifierandelectrostaticchargesystem.”Hepickeditup,demonstrated.“Thebookisheldclosedbythecharge,whichforcesagainstspring-lockedcovers.Youpresstheedge—thus,andthepagesyou’veselectedrepeleachotherandthebookopens.”
“It’ssosmall.”
“Butithaseighteenhundredpages.Youpresstheedge—thus,andso...
