Händelsen inträffade några sidor tidigare. Paul, nu officiellt en man, rider på masken och säger att de går söderut. Stilgar frågar vad som händer om han säger något annat. Paul insisterar och Stilgar tar det som en utmaning för sin myndighet. En stam kan inte ha två ledare.
You are mudir of the sandride this day,’ Stilgar said. Cold formality rang in his voice. ‘How do you use this power?’ We need time to relax, time for cool reflection, Paul thought. ‘We shall go south,’ Paul said.
‘Even if I say we shall return back to the north when this day is over?’
‘We shall go south,’ Paul repeated.
A sense of inevitable dignity enfolded Stilgar as he pulled his robe tightly around him. ‘There will be a Gathering,’ he said. ‘I will send the messages.’
Observera att denna utmaning är helt artificiell. Stilgar är i grunden vågad Paulus att ringa honom ut.
‘I am your friend, Stilgar,’ Paul said.
‘No man doubts it,’ Stilgar said. He removed his hand, shrugged. ‘It’s the way.’
Paul saw that Stilgar was too immersed in the Fremen way to consider the possibility of any other. Here a leader took the reins from the dead hands of his predecessor, or slew among the strongest of his tribe if a leader died in the desert. Stilgar had risen to be a naib in that way