Дюна
Book One: Dune
“ThinkoftheLandsraadHousesthatlooktomeforacertainamountofleadership—theirunofficialspokesman.Thinkhowthey’dreactifIwereresponsibleforaseriousreductionintheirincome.Afterall,one’sownprofitscomefirst.TheGreatConventionbedamned!Youcan’tletsomeonepauperizeyou!”AharshsmiletwistedtheDuke’smouth.“They’dlooktheotherwaynomatterwhatwasdonetome.”
“Evenifwewereattackedwithatomics?”
“Nothingthatflagrant.NoopendefianceoftheConvention.Butalmostanythingelseshortofthat...perhapsevendustingandabitofsoilpoisoning.”
“Thenwhyarewewalkingintothis?”
“Paul!”TheDukefrownedathisson.“Knowingwherethetrapis—that’sthefirststepinevadingit.Thisislikesinglecombat,Son,onlyonalargerscale—afeintwithinafeintwithinafeint...seeminglywithoutend.Thetaskistounravelit.KnowingthattheHarkonnensstockpilemelange,weaskanotherquestion:Whoelseisstockpiling?That’sthelistofourenemies.”
“Who?”
“CertainHousesweknewwereunfriendlyandsomewe’dthoughtfriendly.
Weneednotconsiderthemforthemomentbecausethereisoneothermuchmoreimportant:ourbelovedPadishahEmperor.”
Paultriedtoswallowinathroatsuddenlydry.“Couldn’tyouconvenetheLandsraad,expose—”
“Makeourenemyawareweknowwhichhandholdstheknife?Ah,now,Paul—weseetheknife,now.Whoknowswhereitmightbeshiftednext?IfweputthisbeforetheLandsraadit’donlycreateagreatcloudofconfusion.TheEmperorwoulddenyit.
