Hawat tried to swallow in a dry throat. Her command had been regal, preemptory--uttered in a tone and manner he had found completely irresistible.
His body had obeyed her before he could think about it. Nothing could have prevented his response--not logic, not passionate anger . . . nothing. To do what she had done spoke of a sensitive, intimate knowledge of the person thus commanded, a depth of control he had not dreamed possible.
"I have said to you before that we should understand each other," she said.
"I meant you should understand me. I already understand you. And I tell you now that your loyalty to the Duke is all that guarantees your safety with me."
He stared at her, wet his lips with his tongue.
"If I desired a puppet, the Duke would marry me," she said. "He might even think he did it of his own free will."
Hawat lowered his head, looked upward through his sparse lashes. Only the most rigid control kept him from calling the guard. Control . . . and the suspicion now that woman might not permit it. His skin crawled with the memory of how she had controlled him. In the moment of hesitation, she could have drawn a weapon and killed him!
Does every human have this blind spot? he wondered. Can any of us be ordered into action before he can resist? The idea staggered him. Who could stop a person with such power?
"You've glimpsed the fist within the Bene Gesserit glove," she said. "Few glimpse it and live. And what I did was a relatively simple thing for us. You've not seen my entire arsenal. Think on that,"
"Why aren't you out destroying the Duke's enemies?" he asked.
"What would you have me destroy?" she asked. "Would you have me make a weakling of our Duke, have him forever leaning on me?"
"But, with such power . . . "
"Power's a two-edged sword, Thufir," she said; "You think: 'How easy for her to shape a human tool to thrust into an enemy's vitals.' True, Thufir; even into your vitals. Yet, what would I accomplish? If enough of us Bene Gesserit did this, wouldn't it make all Bene Gesserit suspect? We don't want that, Thufir. We do not wish to destroy ourselves." She nodded. "We truly exist only to serve."
"I cannot answer you," he said. "You know I cannot answer."
"You'll say nothing about what has happened here to anyone," she said. "I know you, Thufir."
"My Lady . . . " Again the old man tried to swallow in a dry throat.
And he thought: She has great powers, yes. But would these not make her an even more formidable tool for the Harkonnens?
"The Duke could be destroyed as quickly by his friends as by his enemies,"
she said. "I trust now you'll get to the bottom of this suspicion and remove it."
"If it proves baseless," he said.
"If," she sneered.
"If," he said.
"You are tenacious," she said.
"Cautious," he said, "and aware of the error factor."
"Then I'll pose another question for you: What does it mean to you that you stand before another human, that you are bound and helpless and the other human holds a knife at your throat--yet this other human refrains from killing you, frees you from your bonds and gives you the knife to use as you will?"
She lifted herself out of the chair, turned her back on him. "You may go now, Thufir."
The old Mentat arose, hesitated, hand creeping toward the deadly weapon beneath his tunic. He was reminded of the bull ring and of the Duke's father (who'd been brave, no matter what his other failings) and one day of the corrida long ago: The fierce black beast had stood there, head bowed, immobilized and confused. The Old Duke had turned his back on the horns, cape thrown flamboyantly over one arm, while cheers rained down from the stands.
I am the bull and she the matador, Hawat thought. He withdrew his hand from the weapon, glanced at the sweat glistening in his empty palm.
And he knew that whatever the facts proved to be in the end, he would never forget this moment nor lose this sense of supreme admiration for the Lady Jessica.
Quietly, he turned and left the room.
Jessica lowered her gaze from the reflection in the windows, turned, and stared at the closed door.
"Now we'll see some proper action," she whispered.
= = = = = =
Do you wrestle with dreams?
Do you contend with shadows?
Do you move in a kind of sleep?
Time has slipped away.
Your life is stolen.
You tarried with trifles,
Victim of your folly.
