Дюна
Book One: Dune
“Doyouknowwhatthey’rethinking?”Yuehasked.
“Youprofesstoreadminds?”sheasked.
“Thoseminds,”hesaid.“Theylookatthosetreesandtheythink:‘Thereareonehundredofus.’That’swhattheythink.”
Sheturnedapuzzledfrownonhim.“Why?”
“Thosearedatepalms,”hesaid.“Onedatepalmrequiresfortylitersofwateraday.Amanrequiresbuteightliters.Apalm,then,equalsfivemen.Therearetwentypalmsoutthere—onehundredmen.”
“Butsomeofthosepeoplelookatthetreeshopefully.”
“Theybuthopesomedateswillfall,exceptit’sthewrongseason.”
“Welookatthisplacewithtoocriticalaneye,”shesaid.“There’shopeaswellasdangerhere.Thespicecouldmakeusrich.Withafattreasury,wecan
makethisworldintowhateverwewish.”
Andshelaughedsilentlyatherself:WhoamItryingtoconvince?Thelaughbrokethroughherrestraints,emergingbrittle,withouthumor.“Butyoucan’tbuysecurity,”shesaid.
Yuehturnedawaytohidehisfacefromher.Ifonlyitwerepossibletohatethesepeopleinsteadoflovethem!Inhermanner,inmanyways,JessicawaslikehisWanna.Yetthatthoughtcarrieditsownrigors,hardeninghimtohispurpose.
ThewaysoftheHarkonnencrueltyweredevious.Wannamightnotbedead.Hehadtobecertain.
“Donotworryforus,Wellington,”Jessicasaid.“Theproblem’sours,notyours.”
ShethinksIworryforher!Heblinkedbacktears.AndIdo,ofcourse.
