3 eclipse月食-第97部分

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remember　when　it　had　been　Edward　under　Jane’s　torturing　gaze；　and　I　felt　sicker。　I　looked　at　Alice　instead；　
and　Esme　next　to　her。　Their　faces　were　as　empty　as　his。　
　Finally；　it　was　quiet。　
　“Your　name；”　Jane　said　again；　her　voice　inflectionless。　
　“Bree；”　the　girl　gasped。　
　Jane　smiled；　and　the　girl　shrieked　again。　I　held　my　breath　until　the　sound　of　her　agony　stopped。　
　“She’ll　tell　you　anything　you　want　to　know；”　Edward　said　through　his　teeth。　“You　don’t　have　to　do　that。”　
　Jane　looked　up；　sudden　humor　in　her　usually　dead　eyes。　“Oh；　I　know；”　she　said　to　Edward；　grinning　at　
him　before　she　turned　back　to　the　young　vampire；　Bree。　
　“Bree；”　Jane　said；　her　voice　cold　again。　“Is　his　story　true？　Were　there　twenty　of　you？”　
　The　girl　lay　panting；　the　side　of　her　face　pressed　against　the　earth。　She　spoke　quickly。　“Nieen　or　
twenty；　maybe　more；　I　don’t　know！”　She　cringed；　terrified　that　her　ignorance　might　bring　on　another　round　of　
torture。　“Sara　and　the　one　whose　name　I　don’t　know　got　in　a　fight　on　the　way。　。　。　。”　
　“And　this　Victoria　—　did　she　create　you？”　
　“I　don’t　know；”　she　said；　flinching　again。　“Riley　never　said　her　name。　I　didn’t　see　that　night　。　。　。　it　was　so　
dark；　and　it　hurt。　。　。　。”　Bree　shuddered。　“He　didn’t　want　us　to　be　able　to　think　of　her。　He　said　that　our　thoughts　
weren’t　safe。　。　。　。”　
　Jane’s　eyes　flickered　to　Edward；　and　then　back　to　the　girl。　
　Victoria　had　planned　this　well。　If　she　hadn’t　followed　Edward；　there　would　have　been　no　way　to　know　for　
certain　that　she　was　involved。　。　。　。　
　“Tell　me　about　Riley；”　Jane　said。　“Why　did　he　bring　you　here？”　
　“Riley　told　us　that　we　had　to　destroy　the　strange　yelloweyes　here；”　Bree　babbled　quickly　and　willingly。　
“He　said　it　would　be　easy。　He　said　that　the　city　was　theirs；　and　they　were　ing　to　get　us。　He　said　once　they　
were　gone；　all　the　blood　would　be　ours。　He　gave　us　her　scent。”　Bree　lifted　one　hand　and　stabbed　a　finger　in　
my　direction。　“He　said　we　would　know　that　we　had　the　right　coven；　because　she　would　be　with　them。　He　said　
whoever　got　to　her　first　could　have　her。”　
　I　heard　Edward’s　jaw　flex　beside　me。　
　“It　looks　like　Riley　was　wrong　about　the　easy　part；”　Jane　noted。　
　Bree　nodded；　seeming　relieved　that　the　conversation　had　taken　this　nonpainful　course。　She　sat　up　
carefully。　“I　don’t　know　what　happened。　We　split　up；　but　the　others　never　came。　And　Riley　left　us；　and　he　
didn’t　e　to　help　like　he　promised。　And　then　it　was　so　confusing；　and　everybody　was　in　pieces。”　She　
shuddered　again。　“I　was　afraid。　I　wanted　to　run　away。　That　one”　—　she　looked　at　Carlisle　—　“said　they　
wouldn’t　hurt　me　if　I　stopped　fighting。”　
　“Ah；　but　that　wasn’t　his　gift　to　offer；　young　one；”　Jane　murmured；　her　voice　oddly　gentle　now。　“Broken　
rules　demand　a　consequence。”　
　Bree　stared　at　her；　not　prehending。　
　Jane　looked　at　Carlisle。　“Are　you　sure　you　got　all　of　them？　The　other　half　that　split　off？”　
　Carlisle’s　face　was　very　smooth　as　he　nodded。　“We　split　up；　too。”　
　Jane　halfsmiled。　“I　can’t　deny　that　I’m　impressed。”　The　big　shadows　behind　her　murmured　in　agreement。　
“I’ve　never　seen　a　coven　escape　this　magnitude　of　offensive　intact。　Do　you　know　what　was　behind　it？　It　seems　
like　extreme　behavior；　considering　the　way　you　live　here。　And　why　was　the　girl　the　key？”　Her　eyes　rested　
unwilling　on　me　for　one　short　second。　
　I　shivered。　
　“Victoria　held　a　grudge　against　Bella；”　Edward　told　her；　his　voice　impassive。　

　Jane　laughed　—　the　sound　was　golden；　the　bubbling　laugh　of　a　happy　child。　“This　one　seems　to　bring　out　
bizarrely　strong　reactions　in　our　kind；”　she　observed；　smiling　directly　at　me；　her　face　beatific。　
　Edward　stiffened。　I　looked　at　him　in　time　to　see　his　face　turning　away；　back　to　Jane。　
　“Would　you　please　not　do　that？”　he　asked　in　a　tight　voice。　
　Jane　laughed　again　lightly。　“Just　checking。　No　harm　done；　apparently。”　
　I　shivered；　deeply　grateful　that　the　strange　glitch　in　my　system　—　which　had　protected　me　from　Jane　the　
last　time　we’d　met　—　was　still　in　effect。　Edward’s　arm　tightened　around　me。　
　“Well；　it　appears　that　there’s　not　much　left　for　us　to　do。　Odd；”　Jane　said；　apathy　creeping　back　into　her　
voice。　“We’re　not　used　to　being　rendered　unnecessary。　It’s　too　bad　we　missed　the　fight。　It　sounds　like　it　
would　have　been　entertaining　to　watch。”　
　“Yes；”　Edward　answered　her　quickly；　his　voice　sharp。　“And　you　were　so　close。　It’s　a　shame　you　didn’t　
arrive　just　a　half　hour　earlier。　Perhaps　then　you　could　have　fulfilled　your　purpose　here。”　
　Jane　met　Edward’s　glare　with　unwavering　eyes。　“Yes。　Quite　a　pity　how　things　turned　out；　isn’t　it？”　
　Edward　nodded　once　to　himself；　his　suspicions　confirmed。　
　Jane　turned　to　look　at　the　newborn　Bree　again；　her　face　pletely　bored。　“Felix？”　she　drawled。　
　“Wait；”　Edward　interjected。　
　Jane　raised　one　eyebrow；　but　Edward　was　staring　at　Carlisle　while　he　spoke　in　an　urgent　voice。　“We　
could　explain　the　rules　to　the　young　one。　She　doesn’t　seem　unwilling　to　learn。　She　didn’t　know　what　she　was　
doing。”　
　“Of　course；”　Carlisle　answered。　“We　would　certainly　be　prepared　to　take　responsibility　for　Bree。”　
　Jane’s　expression　was　torn　between　amusement　and　disbelief。　
　“We　don’t　make　exceptions；”　she　said。　“And　we　don’t　give　second　chances。　It’s　bad　for　our　reputation。　
Which　reminds　me　。　。　。”　Suddenly；　her　eyes　were　on　me　again；　and　her　cherubic　face　dimpled。　“Caius　will　be　
so　interested　to　hear　that　you’re　still　human；　Bella。　Perhaps　he’ll　decide　to　visit。”　
　“The　date　is　set；”　Alice　told　Jane；　speaking　for　the　first　time。　“Perhaps　we’ll　e　to　visit　you　in　a　few　
months。”　
　Jane’s　smile　faded；　and　she　shrugged　indifferently；　never　looking　at　Alice。　She　turned　to　face　Carlisle。　“It　
was　nice　to　meet　you；　Carlisle　—　I’d　thought　Aro　was　exaggerating。　Well；　until　we　meet　again　。　。　。”　
　Carlisle　nodded；　his　expression　pained。　
　“Take　care　of　that；　Felix；”　Jane　said；　nodding　toward　Bree；　her　voice　dripping　boredom。　“I　want　to　go　
home。”　
　“Don’t　watch；”　Edward　whispered　in　my　ear。　
　I　was　only　too　eager　to　follow　his　instruction。　I’d　seen　more　than　enough　for　one　day　—　more　than　enough　
for　one　lifetime。　I　squeezed　my　eyes　tightly　together　and　turned　my　face　into　Edward’s　chest。　
　But　I　could　still　hear。　
　There　was　a　deep；　rumbling　growl；　and　then　a　highpitched　keen　that　was　horribly　familiar。　That　sound　cut　
off　quickly；　and　then　the　only　sound　was　a　sickening　crunching　and　snapping。　
　Edward’s　hand　rubbed　anxiously　against　my　shoulders。　
　“e；”　Jane　said；　and　I　looked　up　in　time　to　see　the　backs　of　the　tall　gray　cloaks　drifting　away　toward　
the　curling　smoke。　The　incense　smell　was　strong　again　—　fresh。　
　The　gray　cloaks　disappeared　into　the　thick　mist。　

　　　26。　ETHICS　


THE　COUNTER　IN　ALICE’S　BATHROOM　WAS　COVERED　WITH　a　thousand　different　products；　all　claiming　to　
beautify　a　person’s　surface。　Since　everyone　in　this　house　was　both　perfect　and　impermeable；　I　could　only　
assume　that　she’d　bought　most　of　these　things　with　me　in　mind。　I　read　the　labels　numbly；　struck　by　the　waste。　
　I　was　careful　never　to　look　in　the　long　mirror。　
　Alice　bed　through　my　hair　with　a　slow；　rhythmic　motion。　
　“That’s　enough；　Alice；”　I　said　tonelessly。　“I　want　to　go　back　to　La　Push。”　
　How　many　hours　had　I　waited　for　Charlie　to　finally　leave　Billy’s　house　so　that　I　could　see　Jacob？　Each　
minute；　not　knowing　if　Jacob　was　still　breathing　or　not；　had　seemed　like　ten　lifetimes。　And　then；　when　at　last　
I’d　been　allowed　to　go；　to　see　for　myself　that　Jacob　was　alive；　the　time　had　gone　so　quickly。　I　felt　like　I’d　
barely　caught　my　breath　before　Alice　was　calling　Edward；　insisting　that　I　keep　up　this　ridiculous　sleepover　
faade。　It　seemed　so　insignificant。　。　。　。　
　“Jacob’s　still　unconscious；”　Alice　answered。　“Carlisle　or　Edward　will　call　when　he’s　awake。　Anyway；　you　
need　to　go　see　Charlie。　He　was　there　at　Billy’s　house；　he　saw　that　Carlisle　and　Edward　are　back　in　from　their　
trip；　and　he’s　bound　to　be　suspicious　when　you　get　home。”　
　I　already　had　my　story　memorized　and　corroborated。　“I　don’t　care。　I　want　to　be　the