Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
they(blank)sonofMuad’Dib....”
Again,thesignalmanshookhishead.
PaullookeduptoseeGurneystaringathim.
“Themessageisgarbled,”Gurneysaid.“Thestatic.Youdon’tknowthat
....”
“Mysonisdead,”Paulsaid,andknewashespokethatitwastrue.“Mysonisdead...andAliaisacaptive...hostage.”Hefeltemptied,ashellwithoutemotions.Everythinghetouchedbroughtdeathandgrief.Anditwaslikeadiseasethatcouldspreadacrosstheuniverse.
Hecouldfeeltheold-manwisdom,theaccumulationoutoftheexperiencesfromcountlesspossiblelives.Somethingseemedtochuckleandrubitshandswithinhim.
AndPaulthought:Howlittletheuniverseknowsaboutthenatureofrealcruelty!
***
AndMuad’Dibstoodbeforethem,andhesaid:
“Thoughwedeemthecaptivedead,yetdoesshelive.
Forherseedismyseedandhervoiceismyvoice.
Andsheseesuntothefarthestreachesofpossibility.
Yea,untothevaleoftheunknowabledoessheseebecauseofme.”
—from“ArrakisAwakening”bythePrincessIrulan
THEBARONVladimirHarkonnenstoodwitheyesdowncastintheImperialaudiencechamber,theovalselamlikwithinthePadishahEmperor’shutment.
Withcovertglances,theBaronhadstudiedthemetal-walledroomanditsoccupants—thenoukkers,thepages,theguards,thetroopofHouseSardaukardrawnuparoundthewalls,standingateasetherebeneaththebloodyandtatteredcapturedbattleflagsthatweretheroom’sonlydecoration.
