new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第14部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


Charlie？　That　struck　a　chord；　and　I　tried　to　pay　more　attention　to　what　he　was　
saying。　Charlie　mattered；　
if　nothing　else　did。　
The　tall　man　held　out　a　hand。　I　gazed　at　it；　not　sure　what　I　was　supposed　to　
do。　
His　black　eyes　appraised　me　for　a　second；　and　then　he　shrugged。　In　a　quick　and　
supple　notion；　he　pulled　
me　up　from　the　ground　and　into　his　arms。　
I　hung　there；　limp；　as　he　loped　swiftly　through　the　wet　forest。　Some　part　of　
me　knew　this　should　upset　
me—being　carried　away　by　a　stranger。　But　there　was　nothing　left　in　me　to　
upset。　
It　didn't　seem　like　too　much　time　passed　before　there　were　lights　and　the　deep　
babble　of　many　male　
voices。　Sam　Uley　slowed　as　he　approached　the　motion。　
〃I've　got　her！〃　he　called　in　a　booming　voice。　
The　babble　ceased；　and　then　picked　up　again　with　more　intensity。　A　confusing　
swirl　of　faces　moved　over　
me。　Sam's　voice　was　the　only　one　that　made　sense　in　the　chaos；　perhaps　because　
my　ear　was　against　his　
chest。　
〃No；　I　don't　think　she's　hurt；〃　he　told　someone。　〃She　just　keeps　saying　'He's　
gone。'　〃　
Was　I　saying　that　out　loud？　I　bit　down　on　my　lip。　
〃Bella；　honey；　are　you　all　right？〃　
That　was　one　voice　I　would　know　anywhere—even　distorted；　as　it　was　now；　with　
worry。　
〃Charlie？〃　My　voice　sounded　strange　and　small。　
〃I'm　right　here；　baby。〃　
There　was　a　shifting　under　me；　followed　by　the　leathery　smell　of　my　dad's　
sheriff　jacket。　Charlie　
staggered　under　my　weight。　
〃Maybe　I　should　hold　on　to　her；〃　Sam　Uley　suggested。　
〃I've　got　her；〃　Charlie　said；　a　little　breathless。　
He　walked　slowly；　struggling。　I　wished　I　could　tell　him　to　put　me　down　and　let　
me　walk；　but　I　couldn't　
find　my　voice。　
There　were　lights　everywhere；　held　by　the　crowd　walking　with　him。　It　felt　like　
a　parade。　Or　a　funeral　
procession。　I　closed　my　eyes。　
〃We're　almost　home　now；　honey；〃　Charlie　mumbled　now　and　then。　
I　opened　my　eyes　again　when　I　heard　the　door　unlock。　We　were　on　the　porch　of　
our　house；　and　the　tall　
dark　man　named　Sam　was　holding　the　door　for　Charlie；　one　arm　extended　toward　
us；　as　if　he　was　
preparing　to　catch　me　when　Charlie's　arms　failed。　
But　Charlie　managed　to　get　me　through　the　door　and　to　the　couch　in　the　living　
room。　
〃Dad；　I'm　all　wet；〃　I　objected　feebly。　
〃That　doesn't　matter。〃　His　voice　was　gruff。　And　then　he　was　talking　to　someone　
else。　〃Blankets　are　in　the　
cupboard　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。〃　
〃Bella？〃　a　new　voice　asked。　I　looked　at　the　gray…haired　man　leaning　over　me；　
and　recognition　came　after　
a　few　slow　seconds。　
〃Dr。　Gerandy？〃　I　mumbled。　
〃That's　right；　dear；〃　he　said。　〃Are　you　hurt；　Bella？〃　
It　took　me　a　minute　to　think　that　through。　I　was　confused　by　the　memory　of　Sam　
Uley's　similar　question　
in　the　woods。　Only　Sam　had　asked　something　else：　Have　you　been　hurt？　he'd　
said。　The　difference　
seemed　significant　somehow。　
Dr。　Gerandy　was　waiting。　One　grizzled　eyebrow　rose；　and　the　wrinkles　on　his　
forehead　deepened。　
〃I'm　not　hurt；〃　I　lied。　The　words；　were　true　enough　for　what　he'd　asked。　
His　warm　hand　touched　my　forehead；　and　his　fingers　pressed　against　the　inside　
of　my　wrist。　I　watched　his　
lips　as　he　counted　to　himself；　his　eyes　on　his　watch。　
〃What　happened　to　you？〃　he　asked　casually。　
I　froze　under　his　hand；　tasting　panic　in　the　back　of　my　throat。　
〃Did　you　get　lost　in　the　woods？〃　he　prodded。　I　was　aware　of　several　other　
people　listening。　Three　tall　
men　with　dark　faces—from　La　Push；　the　Quileute　Indian　reservation　down　on　the　
coastline；　I　
guessed—Sam　Uley　among　them；　were　standing　very　close　together　and　staring　at　
me。　Mr。　Newton　was　
there　with　Mike　and　Mr。　Weber；　Angela's　father；　they　all　were　watching　me　more　
surreptitiously　than　the　
strangers。　Other　deep　voices　rumbled　from　the　kitchen　and　outside　the　front　
door。　Half　the　town　must　
have　been　looking　for　me。　
Charlie　was　the　closest。　He　leaned　in　to　hear　my　answer。　
〃Yes；〃　I　whispered。　〃I　got　lost。〃　
The　doctor　nodded；　thoughtful；　his　fingers　probing　gently　against　the　glands　
under　my　jaw。　Charlie's　face　
hardened。　
〃Do　you　feel　tired？〃　Dr。　Gerandy　asked。　
I　nodded　and　closed　my　eyes　obediently。　
〃I　don't　think　there's　anything　wrong　with　her；〃　I　heard　the　doctor　mutter　to　
Charlie　after　a　moment。　〃Just　
exhaustion。　Let　her　sleep　it　off；　and　I'll　e　check　on　her　tomorrow；〃　he　
paused。　He　must　have　looked　
at　his　watch；　because　he　added；　〃Well；　later　today　actually。〃　
There　was　a　creaking　sound　as　they　both　pushed　off　from　the　couch　to　get　to　
their　feet。　
〃Is　it　true？〃　Charlie　whispered。　Their　voices　were　farther　away　now。　I　
strained　to　hear。　〃Did　they　leave？〃　
〃Dr。　Cullen　asked　us　not　to　say　anything；〃　Dr。　Gerandy　answered。　〃The　offer　
was　very　sudden；　they　had　
to　choose　immediately。　Carlisle　didn't　want　to　make　a　big　production　out　of　
leaving。〃　
〃A　little　warning　might　have　been　nice；〃　Charlie　grumbled。　
Dr。　Gerandy　sounded　unfortable　when　he　replied。　〃Yes；　well；　in　this　
situation；　some　warning　might　
have　been　called　for。〃　
I　didn't　want　to　listen　anymore。　I　felt　around　for　the　edge　of　the　quilt　
someone　had　laid　on　top　of　me；　and　
pulled　it　over　my　ear。　
I　drifted　in　and　out　of　alertness。　I　heard　Charlie　whisper　thanks　to　the　
volunteers　as；　one　by　one；　they　left。　
I　felt　his　fingers　on　my　forehead；　and　then　the　weight　of　another　blanket。　The　
phone　rang　a　few　times；　and　
he　hurried　to　catch　it　before　it　could　wake　me。　He　muttered　reassurances　in　a　
low　voice　to　the　callers。　
〃Yeah；　we　found　her。　She's　okay。　She　got　lost。　She's　fine　now；〃　he　said　again　
and　again。　
I　heard　the　springs　in　the　armchair　groan　when　he　settled　himself　in　for　the　
night。　
A　few　minutes　later；　the　phone　rang　again。　
Charlie　moaned　as　he　struggled　to　his　feet；　and　then　he　rushed；　stumbling；　to　
the　kitchen　I　pulled　my　head　
deeper　under　the　blankets；　not　wanting　to　listen　to　the　same　conversation　
again。　
〃Yeah；〃　Charlie　said；　and　yawned。　
His　voice　changed；　it　was　much　more　alert　when　he　spoke　again。　〃Where？'〃　There　
was　a　pause。　〃You're　
sure　it's　outside　the　reservation？〃　Another　short　pause。　〃But　what　could　be　
burning　out　there？〃　He　
sounded　both　worried　and　mystified。　〃Look；　I'll　call　down　there　and　check　it　
out。〃　
I　listened　with　more　interest　as　he　punched　in　a　number。　
〃Hey；　Billy；　it's　Charlie—sorry　I'm　calling　so　early　no；　she's　fine。　She's　
sleeping　Thanks；　but　that's　
not　why　I　called。　I　just　got　a　call　from　Mrs。　Stanley；　and　she　says　that　from　
her　second…story　window　she　
can　see　fires　out　on　the　sea　cliffs；　but　I　didn't　really　Oh！〃　Suddenly　there　
was　an　edge　in　his　
voice—irritation　or　anger。　〃And　why　are　they　doing　that？　Uh　huh。　Really？〃　
He　said　it　sarcastically。　
〃Well；　don't　apologize　to　me。　Yeah；　yeah。　Just　make　sure　the　flames　don't　
spread　I　know；　I　know；　I'm　
surprised　they　got　them　lit　at　all　in　this　weather。〃　
Charlie　hesitated；　and　then　added　grudgingly。　〃Thanks　for　sending　Sam　and　the　
other　boys　up。　You　were　
right—they　do　know　the　forest　better　than　we　do。　It　was　Sam　who　found　her；　so　
I　owe　you　one　Yeah；　
I'll　talk　to　you　later；〃　he　agreed；　still　sour；　before　hanging　up。　
Charlie　muttered　something　incoherent　as　he　shuffled　back　to　the　living　room。　
〃What's　wrong？〃　I　asked。　
He　hurried　to　my　side。　
〃I'm　sorry　I　woke　you；　honey。〃　
〃Is　something　burning？〃　
〃It's　nothing；〃　he　assured　me。　〃Just　some　bonfires　out　on　the　cliffs。〃　
〃Bonfires？〃　I　asked。　My　voice　didn't　sound　curious。　It　sounded　dead。　
Charlie　frowned。　〃Some　of　the　kids　from　the　reservation　being　rowdy；〃　he　
explained。　
〃Why？〃　I　wondered　dully。　
I　could　tell　he　didn't　want　to　answer。　He　looked　at　the　floor　under　his　knees。　
〃They're　celebrating　the　
news。〃　His　tone　was　bitter。　
There　was　only　one　piece　of　news　I　could　think　of；　try　as　I　might　not　to。　And　
then　the　pieces　snapped　
together。　〃Because　the　Cullens　left；〃　I　whispered。　〃They　don't　like　the　
Cullens　in　La　Push—I'd　forgotten　
about　that。〃　
The　Quileutes　had　their　superstitions　about　the　〃cold　ones；〃　the　blood…
drinkers　that　were　enemies　to　their　
tribe；　just　like　they　had　their　legends　of　the　great　flood　and　wolf…men　
ancestors。　Just　stories；　folklore；　to　
most　of　them。　Then　there　were　the　few　that　believed。　Charlie's