Дюна
Book One: Dune
filenumberAR-81088587)
ALLAROUNDtheLadyJessica—piledincornersoftheArrakeengreathall,moundedintheopenspaces—stoodthepackagedfreightoftheirlives:boxes,trunks,cartons,cases—somepartlyunpacked.ShecouldhearthecargohandlersfromtheGuildshuttledepositinganotherloadintheentry.
Jessicastoodinthecenterofthehall.Shemovedinaslowturn,lookingupandaroundatshadowedcarvings,cranniesanddeeplyrecessedwindows.ThisgiantanachronismofaroomremindedheroftheSisters’HallatherBeneGesseritschool.Butattheschooltheeffecthadbeenofwarmth.Here,allwasbleakstone.
Somearchitecthadreachedfarbackintohistoryforthesebuttressedwallsanddarkhangings,shethought.ThearchedceilingstoodtwostoriesaboveherwithgreatcrossbeamsshefeltsurehadbeenshippedheretoArrakisacrossspaceatmonstrouscost.Noplanetofthissystemgrewtreestomakesuchbeams—unlessthebeamswereimitationwood.
Shethoughtnot.
ThishadbeenthegovernmentmansioninthedaysoftheOldEmpire.Costshadbeenoflessimportancethen.IthadbeenbeforetheHarkonnensandtheirnewmegalopolisofCarthag—acheapandbrassyplacesometwohundredkilometersnortheastacrosstheBrokenLand.Letohadbeenwisetochoosethisplaceforhisseatofgovernment.Thename,Arrakeen,hadagoodsound,filledwithtradition.Andthiswasasmallercity,easiertosterilizeanddefend.
Againtherecametheclatterofboxesbeingunloadedintheentry.Jessicasighed.
AgainstacartontoherrightstoodthepaintingoftheDuke’sfather.
