Дюна
Book One: Dune
“It’sjustblood,”Jessicasaid.“Oldbloodatthat.Getsomehelphangingthesenow.Thebeastlythingsareheavy.”
“Didyouthinkthebloodbotheredme?”Mapesasked.“I’mofthedesertand
I’veseenbloodaplenty.”
“I...seethatyouhave,”Jessicasaid.
“Andsomeofitmyown,”Mapessaid.“More’nyoudrewwithyourpunyscratch.”
“You’dratherI’dcutdeeper?”
“Ah,no!Thebody’swaterisscantenough‘thoutgushingawastefullotofitintotheair.Youdidthethingright.”
AndJessica,notingthewordsandmanner,caughtthedeeperimplicationsinthephrase,“thebody’swater.”AgainshefeltasenseofoppressionattheimportanceofwateronArrakis.
“OnwhichsideofthedininghallshallIhangwhichoneofthesepretties,myLady?”Mapesasked.
Everthepracticalone,thisMapes,Jessicathought.Shesaid:“Useyourownjudgment,Mapes.Itmakesnorealdifference.”
“Asyousay,myLady.”Mapesstooped,beganclearingwrappingsandtwinefromthehead.“Killedanoldduke,didyou?”shecrooned.
“ShallIsummonahandlertohelpyou?”Jessicaasked.
“I’llmanage,myLady.”
Yes,she’llmanage,Jessicathought.There’sthataboutthisFremencreature:thedrivetomanage.
Jessicafeltthecoldsheathofthecrysknifebeneathherbodice,thoughtofthelongchainofBeneGesseritschemingthathadforgedanotherlinkhere.
Becauseofthatscheming,shehadsurvivedadeadlycrisis.“Itcannotbehurried,”Mapeshadsaid.YettherewasatempoofheadlongrushingtothisplacethatfilledJessicawithforeboding.
