4 breaking dawn破晓-第85部分

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traits　had　e　with　me　into　this　new　body。　

I　hadn't　expected　to　be　myself。　I　smiled　widely。　

Alice　tugged　my　elbow；　and　I　couldn't　stop　smiling　as　I　followed　her　into　the　purple　night。　Only　Edward　
came　with　us。　

〃There's　the　enthusiasm　I'm　looking　for；〃　Alice　murmured　approvingly。　Then　she　dropped　my　arm；　made　
two　lithe　bounds；　and　leaped　over　the　river。　

〃C'mon；　Bella；〃　she　called　from　the　other　side。　

Edward　jumped　at　the　same　time　I　did；　it　was　every　bit　as　fun　as　it　had　been　this　afternoon。　Maybe　a　
little　bit　more　fun　because　the　night　changed　everything　into　new；　rich　colors。　

Alice　took　off　with　us　on　her　heels；　heading　due　north。　It　was　easier　to　follow　the　sound　of　her　feet　
whispering　against　the　ground　and　the　fresh　path　of　her　scent　than　it　was　to　keep　my　eyes　on　her　through　
the　thick　vegetation。　

At　no　sign　I　could　see；　she　whirled　and　dashed　back　to　where　I　paused。　

〃Don't　attack　me；〃　she　warned；　and　sprang　at　me。　

〃What　are　you　doing？〃　I　demanded；　squirming　as　she　scrambled　onto　my　back　and　wrapped　her　hands　
around　my　face。　I　felt　the　urge　to　throw　her　off；　but　I　controlled　it。　

〃Making　sure　you　can't　see。〃　

〃I　could　take　care　of　that　without　the　theatrics；〃　Edward　offered。　

〃You　might　let　her　cheat。　Take　her　hand　and　lead　her　forward。〃　

〃Alice；　I—〃　

〃Don't　bother；　Bella。　We're　doing　this　my　way。〃　



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I　felt　Edward's　fingers　weave　through　mine。　〃Just　a　few　seconds　more；　Bella。　Then　she'll　go　annoy　
someone　else。〃　He　pulled　me　forward。　I　kept　up　easily。　I　wasn't　afraid　of　hitting　a　tree；　the　tree　would　be　
the　only　one　getting　hurt　in　that　scenario。　

〃You　might　be　a　little　more　appreciative；〃　Alice　chided　him。　〃This　is　as　much　for　you　as　it　is　for　her。〃　

〃True。　Thank　you　again；　Alice。〃　

〃Yeah；　yeah。　Okay。〃　Alice's　voice　suddenly　shot　up　with　excitement。　〃Stop　there。　Turn　her　just　a　little　to　
the　right。　Yes；　like　that。　Okay。　Are　you　ready？〃　she　squeaked。　

〃I'm　ready。〃　There　were　new　scents　here；　piquing　my　interest；　increasing　my　curiosity。　Scents　that　didn't　
belong　in　the　deep　woods。　Honeysuckle。　Smoke。　Roses。　Sawdust？　Something　metallic；　too。　The　richness　
of　deep　earth；　dug　up　and　exposed。　I　leaned　toward　the　mystery。　

Alice　hopped　down　from　my　back；　releasing　her　grip　on　my　eyes。　

I　stared　into　the　violet　dark。　There；　nestled　into　a　small　clearing　in　the　forest；　was　a　tiny　stone　cottage；　
lavender　gray　in　the　light　of　the　stars。　

It　belonged　here　so　absolutely　that　it　seemed　as　if　it　must　have　grown　from　the　rock；　a　natural　formation。　
Honeysuckle　climbed　up　one　wall　like　a　lattice；　winding　all　the　way　up　and　over　the　thick　wooden　
shingles。　Late　summer　roses　bloomed　in　a　handkerchiefsized　garden　under　the　dark；　deepset　windows。　
There　was　a　little　path　of　flat　stones；　amethyst　in　the　night；　that　led　up　to　the　quaint　arched　wooden　door。　

I　curled　my　hand　around　the　key　I　held；　shocked。　

〃What　do　you　think？〃　Alice's　voice　was　soft　now；　it　fit　with　the　perfect　quiet　of　the　storybook　scene。　

I　opened　my　mouth　but　said　nothing。　

〃Esme　thought　we　might　like　a　place　of　our　own　for　a　while；　but　she　didn't　want　us　too　far　away；〃　
Edward　murmured。　〃And　she　loves　any　excuse　to　renovate。　This　little　place　has　been　crumbling　away　out　
here　for　at　least　a　hundred　years。〃　

I　continued　staring；　mouth　gaping　like　a　fish。　

〃Don't　you　like　it？〃　Alice's　face　fell。　〃I　mean；　I'm　sure　we　could　fix　it　up　differently；　if　you　want。　Emmett　
was　all　for　adding　a　few　thousand　square　feet；　a　second　story；　columns；　and　a　tower；　but　Esme　thought　
you　would　like　it　best　

the　way　it　was　meant　to　look。〃　Her　voice　started　to　climb；　to　go　faster。　〃If　she　was　wrong；　we　can　get　
back　to　work。　It　won't　take　long　to—〃　

〃Shh！〃　I　managed。　

She　pressed　her　lips　together　and　waited。　It　took　me　a　few　seconds　to　recover。　

〃You're　giving　me　a　house　for　my　birthday？〃　I　whispered。　




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〃Us；〃　Edward　corrected。　〃And　it's　no　more　than　a　cottage。　I　think　the　word　house　implies　more　
legroom。〃　

〃No　knocking　my　house；〃　I　whispered　to　him。　

Alice　beamed。　〃You　like　it。〃　

I　shook　my　head。　

〃Love　it？〃　

I　nodded。　

〃I　can't　wait　totell　Esme！〃　

〃Why　didn't　she　e？〃　

Alice's　smile　faded　a　little；　twisted　just　off　what　it　hadbeen；　like　my　question　was　hard　to　answer。　〃Oh；　
you　know。。。　they　all　remember　how　you　are　about　presents。　They　didn't　want　to　put　you　under　too　much　
pressure　to　like　it。〃　

〃But　of　course　I　love　it。　How　could　I　not？〃　

〃They'll　like　that。〃　She　patted　my　arm。　〃Anyhoo；　your　closet　is　stocked。Use　it　wisely。　And。。。　I　guess　
that's　everything。〃　

〃Aren't　you　going　to　e　inside？〃　

She　strolled　casually　a　few　feet　back。　〃Edward　knows　his　way　around。　I'll　stop　by。。。　later。　Call　me　if　you　
can't　match　your　clothes　right。〃　She　threw　me　a　doubtful　look　and　then　smiled。　〃Jazz　wants　to　hunt。　See　
you。〃　

She　shot　off　into　the　trees　like　the　most　graceful　bullet。　

〃That　was　weird；〃　I　said　when　the　sound　of　her　flight　had　vanished　pletely。　〃Am　I　really　that　bad？　
They　didn't　have　to　stay　away。　Now　I　feel　guilty。　I　didn't　even　thank　her　right。　We　should　go　back；tell　
Esme—〃　

〃Bella；don't　besilly。　No　one　thinks　you're　that　unreasonable。〃　

〃Then　what—〃　

〃Alone　time　is　their　other　gift。　Alice　was　trying　to　be　subtle　about　it。〃　

〃Oh。〃　

That　was　all　it　took　to　make　the　house　disappear。　We　could　have　been　anywhere。　I　didn't　see　the　trees　
or　the　stones　or　the　stars。　It　was　just　Edward。　

〃Let　me　show　you　what　they've　done；〃　he　said；　pulling　my　hand。　Was　he　oblivious　to　the　fact　that　an　
electric　current　was　pulsing　through　my　body　like　adrenalinespiked　blood？　



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Once　again　I　felt　oddly　off　balance；　waiting　for　reactions　my　body　wasn't　capable　of　anymore。　My　heart　
should　have　been　thundering　like　a　steam　engine　about　to　hit　us。　Deafening。　My　cheeks　should　have　been　
brilliant　red。　

For　that　matter；　I　ought　to　have　been　exhausted。　This　had　been　the　longest　day　of　my　life。　

I　laughed　out　loud—just　one　quiet　little　laugh　of　shock—when　I　realized　that　this　day　would　never　end。　

〃Do　I　get　to　hear　the　joke？〃　

〃It's　not　a　very　good　one；〃　I　told　him　as　he　led　the　way　to　the　little　rounded　door。　〃I　was　just　thinking　
—today　is　the　first　and　last　day　of　forever。　It's　kind　of　hard　to　wrap　my　head　around　it。　Even　with　all　this　
extra　room　for　wrapping。〃　I　laughed　again。　

He　chuckled　with　me。　He　held　his　hand　out　toward　the　doorknob；　waiting　for　me　to　do　the　honors。　I　
stuck　the　key　in　the　lock　and　turned　it。　

〃You're　such　a　natural　at　this；　Bella；　I　forget　how　very　strange　this　all　must　be　for　you。　I　wish　I　could　
hear　it。〃　He　ducked　down　and　yanked　me　up　into　his　arms　so　fast　that　I　didn't　see　it　ing—and　that　
was　really　something。　

〃Hey！〃　

〃Thresholds　are　part　of　my　job　description；〃　he　reminded　me。　〃But　I'm　curious。　Tell　me　what　you're　
thinking　about　right　now。〃　

He　opened　the　door—it　fell　back　with　a　barely　audible　creak—and　stepped　through　into　the　little　stone　
living　room。　

〃Everything；〃　I　told　him。　〃All　at　the　same　time；　you　know。　Good　things　and　things　to　worry　about　and　
things　that　are　new。　How　I　keep　using　too　many　superlatives　in　my　head。　Right　now；　I'm　thinking　that　
Esme　is　an　artist。　It's　so　perfect！〃　

The　cottage　room　was　something　from　a　fairy　tale。　The　floor　was　a　crazy　quilt　of　smooth；　flat　stones。　The　
low　ceiling　had　long　exposed　beams　that　someone　as　tall　as　Jacob　would　surely　knock　his　head　on。　The　
walls　were　warm　wood　in　some　places；　stone　mosaics　in　others。　The　beehive　fireplace　in　the　corner　held　
the　remains　of　a　slow　flickering　fire。　It　was　driftwood　burning　there—the　low　flames　were　blue　and　green　
from　the　salt。　

It　was　furnished　in　eclectic　pieces；　not　one　of　them　matching　another；　but　harmonious　just　the　same。　One　
chair　seemed　vaguely　medieval；　while　a　low　ottoman　by　the　fire　was　more　contemporary　and　the　stocked　
bookshelf　against　the