"Frank Herbert - Dune 1 - Dune (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Herbert Brian & Frank)

"You're not infallible," Jessica said. She braved the steady stare from the old eyes.
Presently, the old woman muttered: "What's done is done."
"I vowed never to regret my decision," Jessica said.
"How noble," the Reverend Mother sneered. "No regrets. We shall see when you're a fugitive
with a price on your head and every man's hand turned against you to seek your life and the life
of your son."
Jessica paled. "Is there no alternative?"
"Alternative? A Bene Gesserit should ask that?"
"I ask only what you see in the future with your superior abilities."
"I see in the future what I've seen in the past. You well know the pattern of our affairs,
Jessica. The race knows its own mortality and fears stagnation of its heredity. It's in the
bloodstream -- the urge to mingle genetic strains without plan. The Imperium, the CHOAM Company,
all the Great Houses, they are but bits of flotsam in the path of the flood."
"CHOAM," Jessica muttered. "I suppose it's already decided how they'll redivide the spoils of
Arrakis."
"What is CHOAM but the weather vane of our times," the old woman said. "The Emperor and his
friends now command fifty-nine point six-five per cent of the CHOAM directorship's votes.
Certainly they smell profits, and likely as others smell those same profits his voting strength
will increase. This is the pattern of history, girl."
"That's certainly what I need right now," Jessica said. "A review of history."
"Don't be facetious, girl! You know as well as I do what forces surround us. We've a three-
point civilization: the Imperial Household balanced against the Federated Great Houses of the
Landsraad, and between them, the Guild with its damnable monopoly on interstellar transport. In
politics, the tripod is the most unstable of all structures. It'd be bad enough without the


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complication of a feudal trade culture which turns its back on most science."
Jessica spoke bitterly: "Chips in the path of the flood -- and this chip here, this is the
Duke Leto, and this one's his son, and this one's --"
"Oh, shut up, girl. You entered this with full knowledge of the delicate edge you walked."
" 'I am Bene Gesserit: I exist only to serve,' " Jessica quoted.
"Truth." the old woman said. "And all we can hope for now is to prevent this from erupting
into general conflagration, to salvage what we can of the key bloodlines."
Jessica closed her eyes, feeling tears press out beneath the lids. She fought down the inner
trembling, the outer trembling, the uneven breathing, the ragged pulse, the sweating of the palms.
Presently, she said, "I'll pay for my own mistake."
"And your son will pay with you."
"I'll shield him as well as I'm able."
"Shield!" the old woman snapped. "You well know the weakness there! Shield your son too much,
Jessica, and he'll not grow strong enough to fulfill any destiny."
Jessica turned away, looked out the window at the gathering darkness. "Is it really that
terrible, this planet of Arrakis?"
"Bad enough, but not all bad. The Missionaria Protectiva has been in there and softened it up
somewhat." The Reverend Mother heaved herself to her feet, straightened a fold in her gown. "Call
the boy in here. I must be leaving soon."
"Must you?"
The old woman's voice softened. "Jessica, girl, I wish I could stand in your place and take