暮色-第58部分

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vampires　that　lived　hidden　in　the　sewers　of　the　city；　only　ing　out　by　

night　to　hunt。　In　those　days；　when　monsters　were　not　just　myths　and　
legends；　that　was　the　way　many　lived。　

〃The　people　gathered　their　pitchforks　and　torches；　of　course〃　—　his　brief　
laugh　was　darker　now　—　〃and　waited　where　Carlisle　had　seen　the　monsters　
exit　into　the　street。　Eventually　one　emerged。〃　

His　voice　was　very　quiet；　I　strained　to　catch　the　words。　

〃He　must　have　been　ancient；　and　weak　with　hunger。　Carlisle　heard　him　call　
out　in　Latin　to　the　others　when　he　caught　the　scent　of　the　mob。　He　ran　
through　the　streets；　and　Carlisle　—　he　was　twentythree　and　very　fast　—　
was　in　the　lead　of　the　pursuit。　The　creature　could　have　easily　outrun　
them；　but　Carlisle　thinks　he　was　too　hungry；　so　he　turned　and　attacked。　
He　fell　on　Carlisle　first；　but　the　others　were　close　behind；　and　he　
turned　to　defend　himself。　He　killed　two　men；　and　made　off　with　a　third；　
leaving　Carlisle　bleeding　in　the　street。〃　

He　paused。　I　could　sense　he　was　editing　something；　keeping　something　from　
me。　

〃Carlisle　knew　what　his　father　would　do。　The　bodies　would　be　burned　—　
anything　infected　by　the　monster　must　be　destroyed。　Carlisle　acted　
instinctively　to　save　his　own　life。　He　crawled　away　from　the　alley　while　
the　mob　followed　the　fiend　and　his　victim。　He　hid　in　a　cellar；　buried　
himself　in　rotting　potatoes　for　three　days。　It's　a　miracle　he　was　able　to　
keep　silent；　to　stay　undiscovered。　

〃It　was　over　then；　and　he　realized　what　he　had　bee。〃　

I'm　not　sure　what　my　face　was　revealing；　but　he　suddenly　broke　off。　

〃How　are　you　feeling？〃　he　asked。　

〃I'm　fine；〃　I　assured　him。　And；　though　I　bit　my　lip　in　hesitation；　he　
must　have　seen　the　curiosity　burning　in　my　eyes。　

He　smiled。　〃I　expect　you　have　a　few　more　questions　for　me。〃　

〃A　few。〃　

His　smile　widened　over　his　brilliant　teeth。　He　started　back　down　the　
hall；　pulling　me　along　by　the　hand。　〃e　on；　then；〃　he　encouraged。　〃I'll　
show　you。〃　

===========================================================================　


16。　CARLISLE　




He　led　me　back　to　the　room　that　he'd　pointed　out　as　Carlisle's　office。　He　
paused　outside　the　door　for　an　instant。　

〃e　in；〃　Carlisle's　voice　invited。　

Edward　opened　the　door　to　a　highceilinged　room　with　tall；　westfacing　
windows。　The　walls　were　paneled　again；　in　a　darker　wood　—　where　they　were　
visible。　Most　of　the　wall　space　was　taken　up　by　towering　bookshelves　that　
reached　high　above　my　head　and　held　more　books　than　I'd　ever　seen　outside　
a　library。　

Carlisle　sat　behind　a　huge　mahogany　desk　in　a　leather　chair。　He　was　just　
placing　a　bookmark　in　the　pages　of　the　thick　volume　he　held。　The　room　was　
how　I'd　always　imagined　a　college　dean's　would　look　—　only　Carlisle　
looked　too　young　to　fit　the　part。　

〃What　can　I　do　for　you？〃　he　asked　us　pleasantly；　rising　from　his　seat。　

〃I　wanted　to　show　Bella　some　of　our　history；〃　Edward　said。　〃Well；　your　
history；　actually。〃　

〃We　didn't　mean　to　disturb　you；〃　I　apologized。　

〃Not　at　all。　Where　are　you　going　to　start？〃　

〃The　Waggoner；〃　Edward　replied；　placing　one　hand　lightly　on　my　shoulder　
and　spinning　me　around　to　look　back　toward　the　door　we'd　just　e　
through。　Every　time　he　touched　me；　in　even　the　most　casual　way；　my　heart　
had　an　audible　reaction。　It　was　more　embarrassing　with　Carlisle　there。　

The　wall　we　faced　now　was　different　from　the　others。　Instead　of　
bookshelves；　this　wall　was　crowded　with　framed　pictures　of　all　sizes；　
some　in　vibrant　colors；　others　dull　monochromes。　I　searched　for　some　
logic；　some　binding　motif　the　collection　had　in　mon；　but　I　found　
nothing　in　my　hasty　examination。　

Edward　pulled　me　toward　the　far　left　side；　standing　me　in　front　of　a　
small　square　oil　painting　in　a　plain　wooden　frame。　This　one　did　not　stand　
out　among　the　bigger　and　brighter　pieces；　painted　in　varying　tones　of　
sepia；　it　depicted　a　miniature　city　full　of　steeply　slanted　roofs；　with　
thin　spires　atop　a　few　scattered　towers。　A　wide　river　filled　the　
foreground；　crossed　by　a　bridge　covered　with　structures　that　looked　like　
tiny　cathedrals。　

〃London　in　the　sixteenfifties；〃　Edward　said。　

〃The　London　of　my　youth；〃　Carlisle　added；　from　a　few　feet　behind　us。　I　
flinched；　I　hadn't　heard　him　approach。　Edward　squeezed　my　hand。　

〃Will　you　tell　the　story？〃　Edward　asked。　I　twisted　a　little　to　see　
Carlisle's　reaction。　

He　met　my　glance　and　smiled。　〃I　would；〃　he　replied。　〃But　I'm　actually　
running　a　bit　late。　The　hospital　called　this　morning　—　Dr。　Snow　is　taking　
a　sick　day。　Besides；　you　know　the　stories　as　well　as　I　do；〃　he　added；　
grinning　at　Edward　now。　

It　was　a　strange　bination　to　absorb　—　the　everyday　concerns　of　the　
town　doctor　stuck　in　the　middle　of　a　discussion　of　his　early　days　in　
seventeenthcentury　London。　

It　was　also　unsettling　to　know　that　he　spoke　aloud　only　for　my　benefit。　

After　another　warm　smile　for　me；　Carlisle　left　the　room。　

I　stared　at　the　little　picture　of　Carlisle's　hometown　for　a　long　moment。　

〃What　happened　then？〃　I　finally　asked；　staring　up　at　Edward；　who　was　
watching　me。　〃When　he　realized　what　had　happened　to　him？〃　

He　glanced　back　to　the　paintings；　and　I　looked　to　see　which　image　caught　
his　interest　now。　It　was　a　larger　landscape　in　dull　fall　colors　—　an　
empty；　shadowed　meadow　in　a　forest；　with　a　craggy　peak　in　the　distance。　

〃When　he　knew　what　he　had　bee；〃　Edward　said　quietly；　〃he　rebelled　
against　it。　He　tried　to　destroy　himself。　But　that's　not　easily　done。〃　

〃How？〃　I　didn't　mean　to　say　it　aloud；　but　the　word　broke　through　my　shock。　

〃He　jumped　from　great　heights；〃　Edward　told　me；　his　voice　impassive。　〃He　
tried　to　drown　himself　in　the　ocean…　but　he　was　young　to　the　new　life；　
and　very　strong。　It　is　amazing　that　he　was　able　to　resist…　feeding…　while　
he　was　still　so　new。　The　instinct　is　more　powerful　then；　it　takes　over　
everything。　But　he　was　so　repelled　by　himself　that　he　had　the　strength　to　
try　to　kill　himself　with　starvation。〃　

〃Is　that　possible？〃　My　voice　was　faint。　

〃No；　there　are　very　few　ways　we　can　be　killed。〃　

I　opened　my　mouth　to　ask；　but　he　spoke　before　I　could。　

〃So　he　grew　very　hungry；　and　eventually　weak。　He　strayed　as　far　as　he　
could　from　the　human　populace；　recognizing　that　his　willpower　was　
weakening；　too。　For　months　he　wandered　by　night；　seeking　the　loneliest　
places；　loathing　himself。　

〃One　night；　a　herd　of　deer　passed　his　hiding　place。　He　was　so　wild　with　
thirst　that　he　attacked　without　a　thought。　His　strength　returned　and　he　
realized　there　was　an　alternative　to　being　the　vile　monster　he　feared。　
Had　he　not　eaten　venison　in　his　former　life？　Over　the　next　months　his　new　
philosophy　was　born。　He　could　exist　without　being　a　demon。　He　found　
himself　again。　

〃He　began　to　make　better　use　of　his　time。　He'd　always　been　intelligent；　
eager　to　learn。　Now　he　had　unlimited　time　before　him。　He　studied　by　
night；　planned　by　day。　He　swam　to　France　and　—〃　

〃He　swam　to　France？〃　

〃People　swim　the　Channel　all　the　time；　Bella；〃　he　reminded　me　patiently。　

〃That's　true；　I　guess。　It　just　sounded　funny　in　that　context。　Go　on。〃　

〃Swimming　is　easy　for　us　—〃　

〃Everything　is　easy　for　you；〃　I　griped。　

He　waited；　his　expression　amused。　

〃I　won't　interrupt　again；　I　promise。〃　

He　chuckled　darkly；　and　finished　his　sentence。　〃Because；　technically；　we　
don't　need　to　breathe。〃　

〃You　—〃　

〃No；　no；　you　promised。〃　He　laughed；　putting　his　cold　finger　lightly　to　my　
lips。　〃Do　you　want　to　hear　the　story　or　not？〃　

〃You　can't　spring　something　like　that　on　me；　and　then　expect　me　not　to　
say　anything；〃　I　mumbled　against　his　finger。　

He　lifted　his　hand；　moving　it　to　rest　against　my　neck。　The　speed　of　my　
heart　reacted　to　that；　but　I　persisted。　

〃You　don't　have　to　breathe？〃　I　demanded。　

〃No；　it's　not　necessary。　Just　a　habit。〃　He　shrugged。　

〃How　long　can　you　go…　without　breathing？〃　

〃Indefinitely；　I　suppose；　I　don't　know。　It　gets　a　bit　unfortable　—　
being　without　a　sense　of　smell。〃　

〃A　bit　unfortable；〃　I　echoed。　

I　wasn't　paying　attention　to　my　own　expression；　but　something　in　it　made　
him　grow　somber。　His　h