Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
“Doyousmashyourknifebeforeabattle?”Pauldemanded.“Isaythisasfact,notmeaningitasboastorchallenge:thereisn’tamanhere,Stilgarincluded,whocouldstandagainstmeinsinglecombat.ThisisStilgar’sownadmission.Heknowsit,sodoyouall.”
Again,theangrymuttersliftedfromthecrowd.
“Manyofyouhavebeenwithmeonthepracticefloor,”Paulsaid.“Youknowthisisn’tidleboast.Isayitbecauseit’sfactknowntousall,andI’dbefoolishnottoseeitformyself.Ibegantraininginthesewaysearlierthanyoudidandmyteachersweretougherthananyyou’veeverseen.HowelsedoyouthinkIbestedJamisatanagewhenyourboysarestillfightingonlymockbattles?”
He’susingtheVoicewell,Jessicathought,butthat’snotenoughwiththesepeople.They’vegoodinsulationagainstvocalcontrol.Hemustcatchthemalsowithlogic.
“So,”Paulsaid,“wecometothis.”Heliftedthemessagecylinder,removeditsscrapoftape.“ThiswastakenfromaHarkonnencourier.Itsauthenticityisbeyondquestion.ItisaddressedtoRabban.Ittellshimthathisrequestfornewtroopsisdenied,thathisspiceharvestisfarbelowquota,thathemustwringmorespicefromArrakiswiththepeoplehehas.”
StilgarmovedupbesidePaul.
“Howmanyofyouseewhatthismeans?”Paulasked.“Stilgarsawitimmediately.”
“They’recutoff!”someoneshouted.
Paulpushedmessageandcylinderintohissash.Fromhisneckhetookabraidedshigawirecordandremovedaringfromthecord,holdingtheringaloft.
