new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第79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！


Edward　hesitated。　From　the　corner　of　my　eye；　I　saw　both　Felix　and　Jane　
grimace。　
Edward　seemed　to　weigh　each　word　before　he　spoke　it。　〃I'd　rather　not。〃　
〃Alice？〃　Aro　asked；　still　hopeful。　〃Would　you　perhaps　be　interested　in　joining　
with　us？〃　
〃No；　thank　you；〃　Alice　said。　
〃And　you；　Bella？〃　Aro　raised　his　eyebrows。　
Edward　hissed；　low　in　my　ears。　I　stared　at　Aro　blankly。　Was　he　joking？　Or　was　
he　really　asking　me　if　I　
wanted　to　stay　for　dinner？　
It　was　the　white…haired　Caius　who　broke　the　silence。　
〃What？〃　he　demanded　of　Aro；　his　voice；　though　no　more　than　a　whisper；　was　
flat。　
〃Caius；　surely　you　see　the　potential；〃　Aro　chided　him　affectionately。　〃I　
haven't　seen　a　prospective　talent　
so　promising　since　we　found　Jane　and　Alec。　Can　you　imagine　the　possibilities　
when　she　is　one　of　us？〃　
Caius　looked　away　with　a　caustic　expression。　Jane's　eyes　sparked　with　
indignation　at　the　parison。　
Edward　fumed　beside　me。　I　could　hear　a　rumble　in　his　chest；　building　toward　a　
growl。　I　couldn't　let　his　
temper　get　him　hurt。　
〃No；　thank　you；〃　I　spoke　up　in　barely　more　than　a　whisper；　my　voice　breaking　
in　fright。　
Aro　sighed。　〃That's　unfortunate。　Such　a　waste。〃　
Edward　hissed。　〃Join　or　die；　is　that　it？　I　suspected　as　much　when　we　were　
brought　to　this　room。　So　
much　for　your　laws。〃　
The　tone　of　his　voice　surprised　me。　He　sounded　irate；　but　there　was　something　
deliberate　about　his　
delivery—as　if　he'd　chosen　his　words　with　great　care。　
〃Of　course　not。〃　Aro　blinked；　astonished。　〃We　were　already　convened　here；　
Edward；　awaiting　Heidi's　
return。　Not　for　you。〃　
〃Aro；〃　Caius　hissed。　〃The　law　claims　them。〃　
Edward　glared　at　Caius。　〃How　so？〃　he　demanded。　He　must　have　known　what　Caius　
was　thinking；　but　he　
seemed　determined　to　make　him　speak　it　aloud。　
Caius　pointed　a　skeletal　finger　at　me。　〃She　knows　too　much。　You　have　exposed　
our　secrets。〃　His　voice　
was　papery　thin；　just　like　his　skin。　
〃There　are　a　few　humans　in　on　your　charade　here；　as　well；〃　Edward　reminded　
him；　and　I　thought　of　the　
pretty　receptionist　below。　
Caius's　face　twisted　into　a　new　expression。　Was　it　supposed　to　be　a　smiled。　
〃Yes；〃　he　agreed。　〃But　when　they　are　no　longer　useful　to　us；　they　will　serve　
to　sustain　us。　That　is　not　your　
plan　for　this　one。　If　she　betrays　our　secrets；　are　you　prepared　to　destroy　
her？　I　think　not；〃　he　scoffed。　
〃I　wouldn't—；〃　I　began；　still　whispering。　Caius　silenced　me　with　an　icy　look。　
〃Nor　do　you　intend　to　make　her　one　of　us；〃　Caius　continued。　〃Therefore；　she　is　
a　vulnerability。　Though　it　
is　true；　for　this；　only　her　life　is　forfeit。　You　may　leave　if　you　wish。〃　
Edward　bared　his　teeth。　
〃That's　what　I　thought；〃　Caius　said；　with　something　akin　to　pleasure。　Felix　
leaned　forward；　eager。　
〃Unless〃　Aro　interrupted。　He　looked　unhappy　with　the　way　the　conversation　
had　gone。　〃Unless　you　do　
intend　to　give　her　immortality？〃　
Edward　pursed　his　lips；　hesitating　for　a　moment　before　he　answered。　〃And　if　I　
do？〃　
Aro　smiled；　happy　again。　〃Why；　then　you　would　be　free　to　go　home　and　give　my　
regards　to　my　friend　
Carlisle。〃　His　expression　turned　more　hesitant。　〃But　I'm　afraid　you　would　have　
to　mean　it。〃　
Aro　raised　his　hand　in　front　of　him。　
Caius；　who　had　begun　to　scowl　furiously；　relaxed。　
Edward's　lips　tightened　into　a　fierce　line。　He　stared　into　my　eyes；　and　I　
stared　back。　
〃Mean　it；〃　I　whispered。　〃Please。〃　
Was　it　really　such　a　loathsome　idea？　Would　he　rather　die　than　change　me？　I　
felt　like　I'd　been　kicked　in　
the　stomach。　
Edward　stared　down　at　me　with　a　tortured　expression。　
And　then　Alice　stepped　away　from　us；　forward　toward　Aro。　We　turned　to　watch　
her。　Her　hand　was　
raised　like　his。　
She　didn't　say　anything；　and　Aro　waved　off　his　anxious　guard　as　they　moved　to　
block　her　approach。　Aro　
met　her　halfway；　and　took　her　hand　with　an　eager；　acquisitive　glint　in　his　
eyes。　
He　bent　his　head　over　their　touching　hands；　his　eyes　closing　as　he　
concentrated。　Alice　was　motionless；　
her　face　blank。　I　heard　Edward's　teeth　snap　together。　
No　one　moved。　Aro　seemed　frozen　over　Alice's　hand。　The　seconds　passed　and　I　
grew　more　and　more　
stressed；　wondering　how　much　time　would　pass　before　it　was　too　much　time。　
Before　it　meant　something　
was　wrong—more　wrong　than　it　already　was。　
Another　agonizing　moment　passed；　and　then　Aro's　voice　broke　the　silence。　
〃Ha；　ha；　ha；〃　he　laughed；　his　head　still　bent　forward。　He　looked　up　slowly；　
his　eyes　bright　with　
excitement。　〃That　was　fascinating！〃　
Alice　smiled　dryly。　〃I'm　glad　you　enjoyed　it。〃　
〃To　see　the　things　you've　seen—especially　the　ones　that　haven't　happened　
yet！〃　He　shook　his　head　in　
wonder。　
〃But　that　will；〃　she　reminded　him；　voice　calm。　
〃Yes；　yes；　it's　quite　determined。　Certainly　there's　no　problem。〃　
Caius　looked　bitterly　disappointed—a　feeling　he　seemed　to　share　with　Felix　
and　Jane。　
〃Aro；〃　Caius　plained。　
〃Dear　Caius；〃　Aro　smiled。　〃Do　not　fret。　Think　of　the　possibilities！　They　do　
not　join　us　today；　but　we　can　
always　hope　for　the　future。　Imagine　the　joy　young　Alice　alone　would　bring　to　
our　little　household　
Besides；　I'm　so　terribly　curious　to　see　how　Bella　turns　out！〃　
Aro　seemed　convinced。　Did　he　not　realize　how　subjective　Alice's　visions　were。'　
That　she　could　make　up　
her　mind　to　transform　me　today；　and　then　change　it　tomorrow？　A　million　tiny　
decisions；　her　decisions　and　
so　many　others'；　too—Edward's—could　alter　her　path；　and　with　that；　the　
future。　
And　would　it　really　matter　that　Alice　was　willing；　would　it　make　any　
difference　if　I　did　bee　a　vampire；　
when　the　idea　was　so　repulsive　to　Edward？　If　death　was；　to　him；　a　better　
alternative　than　having　me　
around　forever；　an　immortal　annoyance？　Terrified　as　I　was；　I　felt　myself　
sinking　down　into　depression；　
drowning　in　it　
〃Then　we　are　free　to　go　now？〃　Edward　asked　in　an　even　voice。　
〃Yes；　yes；〃　Aro　said　pleasantly。　〃But　please　visit　again。　It's　been　absolutely　
enthralling！〃　
〃And　we　will　visit　you　as　well；〃　Caius　promised；　his　eyes　suddenly　half…closed　
like　the　heavy…lidded　gaze　
of　a　lizard。　〃To　be　sure　that　you　follow　through　on　your　side。　Were　I　you；　I　
would　not　delay　too　long。　We　
do　not　offer　second　chances。〃　
Edward's　jaw　clenched　tight；　but　he　nodded　once。　
Caius　smirked　and　drifted　back　to　where　Marcus　still　sat；　unmoving　and　
uninterested。　
Felix　groaned。　
〃Ah；　Felix。〃　Aro　smiled；　amused。　〃Heidi　will　be　here　at　any　moment。　Patience。〃　
〃Hmm。〃　Edward's　voice　had　a　new　edge　to　it。　〃In　that　case；　perhaps　we'd　better　
leave　sooner　rather　than　
later。〃　
〃Yes；〃　Aro　agreed。　〃That's　a　good　idea。　Accidents　do　happen。　Please　wait　below　
until　after　dark；　though；　
if　you　don't　mind。〃　
〃Of　course；〃　Edward　agreed；　while　I　cringed　at　the　thought　of　waiting　out　the　
day　before　we　could　
escape。　
〃And　here；〃　Aro　added；　motioning　to　Felix　with　one　finger。　Felix　came　forward　
at　once；　and　Aro　
unfastened　the　gray　cloak　the　huge　vampire　wore；　pulling　from　his　shoulders。　
He　tossed　it　to　Edward。　
〃Take　this。　You're　a　little　conspicuous。〃　
Edward　put　the　long　cloak　on；　leaving　the　hood　down。　
Aro　sighed。　〃It　suits　you。〃　
Edward　chuckled；　but　broke　off　suddenly；　glancing　over　his　shoulder。　〃Thank　
you；　Aro。　We'll　wait　
below。〃　
〃Goodbye；　young　friends；〃　Aro　said；　his　eyes　bright　as　he　stared　in　the　same　
direction。　
〃Let's　go；〃　Edward　said；　urgent　now。　
Demetri　gestured　that　we　should　follow；　and　then　set　off　the　way　we'd　e　in；　
the　only　exit　by　the　look　
of　things。　
Edward　pulled　me　swiftly　along　beside　him。　Alice　was　close　by　my　other　side；　
her　face　hard。　
〃Not　fast　enough；〃　she　muttered。　
I　stared　up　at　her；　frightened；　but　she　only　seemed　chagrined。　It　was　then　
that　I　first　heard　the　babble　of　
voices—loud；　rough　voices—ing　from　the　antechamber。　
〃Well　this　is　unusual；〃　a　man's　coarse　voice　boomed。　
〃So　medieval；〃　an　unpleasantly　shrill；　female　voice　gushed　back。　
A　large　crowd　was　ing　through　the　little　door；　filling　the　smaller　stone　
chamber。　Demetri　motioned　for　
us　to　make　room。　We　pressed　back　against　the　cold　wall　to　let　them　pass。　
The　couple　in　front；　Americans　from　the　sound　of　them；　glanced　around　
themselves　with　appraising　eyes。　
〃Wele；　guests！　Wele　to　Volterra！〃　I　could　he