"The sounds I make could be imitated."

Paul remained bent over his studies.

deep training, certainly. I wonder what her precious school thinks of that?

suddenly, a stranger-place with most of its hardware already gone off to

Hawat suppressed a smile, strode across the room.

A cloud shadow passed over the skylights. Again, Hawat cleared his throat.

likely never see the place again."

quiescent, the target dummy beside it patched and padded, looking like an

Paul looked up at the grizzled old man who stopped at a corner of the table.

"Thufir, what're you thinking?" Paul asked.

door."

to a door."

"I heard you coming down the hall," Paul said. "And I heard you open the

into line.

A cloud shadow passed over the skylights. Again, Hawat cleared his throat.

Paul remained bent over his studies.

"Does that make you sad?"

"I'd know the difference."

A cloud shadow passed over the skylights. Again, Hawat cleared his throat.

Paul remained bent over his studies.

"Thufir, what're you thinking?" Paul asked.

"Thufir, what're you thinking?" Paul asked.

"I heard you coming down the hall," Paul said. "And I heard you open the

it pointedly, leaned back and studied the room. It struck him as an odd place

to a door."

Paul looked up at the grizzled old man who stopped at a corner of the table.

Hawat pulled up a chair across from Paul, sat down facing the door. He did

He might at that, Hawat thought. That witch-mother of his is giving him the

it pointedly, leaned back and studied the room. It struck him as an odd place