Дюна
Book Three: The Prophet
Instead,they’dexistedfrommomenttomoment,hopingtheseasinwhichtheyswammightproduceanewhostwhentheoldonedied.
TheGuildnavigators,giftedwithlimitedprescience,hadmadethefataldecision:they’dchosenalwaystheclear,safecoursethatleadseverdownwardintostagnation.
Letthemlookcloselyattheirnewhost,Paulthought.
“There’salsoaBeneGesseritReverendMotherwhosaysshe’safriendofyourmother,”Gurneysaid.
“MymotherhasnoBeneGesseritfriends.”
Again,GurneyglancedaroundtheGreatHall,thenbentclosetoPaul’sear.
“ThufirHawat’swith‘em,m’Lord.Ihadnochancetoseehimalone,butheusedouroldhandsignstosayhe’sbeenworkingwiththeHarkonnens,thoughtyouweredead.Sayshe’stobeleftamong’em.”
“YouleftThufiramongthose—”
“Hewantedit...andIthoughtitbest.If...there’ssomethingwrong,he’swherewecancontrolhim.Ifnot—we’veanearontheotherside.”
Paulthoughtthenofprescientglimpsesintothepossibilitiesofthismoment—andonetime-linewhereThufircarriedapoisonedneedlewhichtheEmperorcommandedheuseagainst“thisupstartDuke.”
Theentranceguardssteppedaside,formedashortcorridoroflances.Therecameamurmurousswishofgarments,feetraspingthesandthathaddriftedintotheResidency.
ThePadishahEmperorShaddamIVledhispeopleintothehall.Hisburseghelmethadbeenlostandtheredhairstoodoutindisarray.Hisuniform’sleftsleevehadbeenrippedalongtheinnerseam.
