4 breaking dawn破晓- 第2部分

It　took　me　a　second　to　process　that。　〃Really？　You　want　to　take　a　picture　with　the　car？〃　

〃Sure—nobody　is　going　to　believe　me　if　I　don't　get　proof。〃　

〃Urn。　Okay。　Fine。〃　

I　swiftly　put　away　the　nozzle　and　crept　into　the　front　seat　to　hide　while　the　enthusiast　dug　a　huge　
professionallooking　camera　out　of　his　backpack。　He　and　his　friend　took　turns　posing　by　the　hood；　and　
then　they　went　to　take　pictures　at　the　back　end。　

〃I　miss　my　truck；〃　I　whimpered　to　myself。　

Very；　very　convenient—too　convenient—that　my　truck　would　wheeze　its　last　wheeze　just　weeks　after　
Edward　and　I　had　agreed　to　our　lopsided　promise；　one　detail　of　which　was　that　he　be　allowed　to　
replace　my　truck　when　it　passed　on。　Edward　swore　it　was　only　to　be　expected；　my　truck　had　lived　a　
long；　full　life　and　then　expired　of　natural　causes。　According　to　him。　And；　of　course；　I　had　no　way　to　verify　
his　story　or　to　try　to　raise　my　truck　from　the　dead　on　my　own。　My　favorite　mechanic—　

I　stopped　that　thought　cold；　refusing　to　let　it　e　to　a　conclusion。　Instead；　I　listened　to　the　men's　voices　
outside；　muted　by　the　car　walls。　

〃。。。　went　at　it　with　a　flamethrower　in　the　online　video。　Didn't　even　pucker　the　paint。〃　

〃Of　course　not。　You　could　roll　a　tank　over　this　baby。　Not　much　of　a　market　for　one　over　here。　Designed　
for　Middle　East　diplomats；　arms　dealers；　and　drug　lords　mostly。〃　

〃Think　she's　something？〃　the　short　one　asked　in　a　softer　voice。　I　ducked　my　head；　cheeks　flaming。　

〃Huh；〃　the　tall　one　said。　〃Maybe。　Can't　imagine　what　you'd　need　missileproof　glass　and　four　thousand　
pounds　of　body　armor　for　around　here。　Must　be　headed　somewhere　more　hazardous。〃　

Body　armor。　Four　thousand　pounds　of　body　armor。　And　missileproof　glass？　Nice。　What　had　
happened　to　good　oldfashioned　bulletproof？　

Well；　at　least　this　made　some　sense—if　you　had　a　twisted　sense　of　humor。　

It　wasn't　like　I　hadn't　expected　Edward　to　take　advantage　of　our　deal；　to　weight　it　on　his　side　so　that　he　



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could　give　so　much　more　than　he　would　receive。　I'd　agreed　that　he　could　replace　my　truck　when　it　
needed　replacing；　not　expecting　that　moment　to　e　quite　so　soon；　of　course。　When　I'd　been　forced　to　
admit　that　the　truck　had　bee　no　more　than　a　stilllife　tribute　to　classic　Chevys　on　my　curb；　I　knew　his　
idea　of　a　replacement　was　probably　going　to　embarrass　me。　Make　me　the　focus　of　stares　and　whispers。　
I'd　been　right　about　that　part。　But　even　in　my　darkest　imaginings　I　had　not　foreseen　that　he　would　get　me　
two　cars。　

The　〃before〃　car　and　the　〃after〃　car；　he'd　explained　when　I'd　flipped　out。　

This　was　just　the　〃before〃　car。　He'd　told　me　it　was　a　loaner　and　promised　that　he　was　returning　it　after　
the　wedding。　It　all　had　made　absolutely　no　sense　to　me。　Until　now。　

Ha　ha。　Because　I　was　so　fragilely　human；　so　accidentprone；　so　much　a　victim　to　my　own　dangerous　
bad　luck；　apparently　I　needed　a　tankresistant　car　to　keep　me　safe。　Hilarious。　I　was　sure　he　and　his　
brothers　had　enjoyed　the　

joke　quite　a　bit　behind　my　back。　

Or　maybe；　just　maybe；a　small　voice　whispered　in　my　head；　it's　not　a　joke；　silly。　Maybe　he's　really　that　
worried　about　you。　This　wouldn't　be　the　first　time　he's　gone　a　little　overboard　trying　to　protect　
you。　

I　sighed。　

I　hadn't　seen　the　〃after〃　car　yet。　It　was　hidden　under　a　sheet　in　the　deepest　corner　of　the　Cullens'　garage。　
I　knew　most　people　would　have　peeked　by　now；　but　I　really　didn't　want　to　know。　

Probably　no　body　armor　on　that　car—because　I　wouldn't　need　it　after　the　honeymoon。　Virtual　
indestructibility　was　just　one　of　the　many　perks　I　was　looking　forward　to。　The　best　parts　about　being　a　
Cullen　were　not　expensive　cars　and　impressive　credit　cards。　

〃Hey；〃　the　tall　man　called；　cupping　his　hands　to　the　glass　in　an　effort　to　peer　in。　〃We're　done　now。　
Thanks　a　lot！〃　

〃You're　wele；〃　I　called　back；　and　then　tensed　as　I　started　the　engine　and　eased　the　pedal—ever　so　
gently—down___　

No　matter　how　many　times　I　drove　down　the　familiar　road　home；　I　still　couldn't　make　the　rainfaded　
flyers　fade　into　the　background。　Each　one　of　them；　stapled　to　telephone　poles　and　taped　to　street　signs；　
was　like　a　fresh　slap　in　the　face。　A　welldeserved　slap　in　the　face。　My　mind　was　sucked　back　into　the　
thought　I'd　interrupted　so　immediately　before。　I　couldn't　avoid　it　on　this　road。　Not　with　pictures　of　my　
favorite　mechanic　flashing　past　me　at　regular　intervals。　

My　best　friend。　My　Jacob。　

Thehave　you　SEENthis　boy？　posters　were　not　Jacob's　father's　idea。　It　had　been　my　father；　Charlie；　
who'd　printed　up　the　flyers　and　spread　them　all　over　town。　And　not　just　Forks；　but　Port　Angeles　and　
Sequim　and　Hoquiam　and　Aberdeen　and　every　other　town　in　the　Olympic　Peninsula。　He'd　made　sure　
that　all　the　police　stations　in　the　state　of　Washington　had　the　same　flyer　hanging　on　the　wall；　too。　His　own　
station　had　a　whole　corkboard　dedicated　to　finding　Jacob。　A　corkboard　that　was　mostly　empty；　much　to　
his　disappointment　and　frustration。　



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My　dad　was　disappointed　with　more　than　the　lack　of　response。　He　was　most　disappointed　with　Billy；　
Jacob's　father—and　Charlie's　closest　friend。　

For　Billy's　not　being　more　involved　with　the　search　for　his　sixteenyearold　〃runaway。〃　For　Billy's　
refusing　to　put　up　the　flyers　in　La　Push；　the　reservation　on　the　coast　that　was　Jacob's　home。　For　his　
seeming　resigned　to　Jacob's　disappearance；　as　if　there　was　nothing　he　could　do。　For　his　saying；　〃Jacob's　
grown　up　now。　He'll　e　home　if　he　wants　to。〃　

And　he　was　frustrated　with　me；　for　taking　Billy's　side。　

I　wouldn't　put　up　posters；　either。　Because　both　Billy　and　I　knew　where　Jacob　was；　roughly　speaking；　
and　we　also　knew　that　no　one　had　seen　this　boy。　

The　flyers　put　the　usual　big；　fat　lump　in　my　throat；　the　usual　stinging　tears　in　my　eyes；　and　I　was　glad　
Edward　was　out　hunting　this　Saturday。　If　Edward　saw　my　reaction；　it　would　only　make　him　feel　terrible；　
too。　

Of　course；　there　were　drawbacks　to　it　being　Saturday。　As　I　turned　slowly　and　carefully　onto　my　street；　I　
could　see　my　dad's　police　cruiser　in　the　driveway　of　our　home。　He'd　skipped　fishing　again　today。　Still　
sulking　about　the　

wedding。　

So　I　wouldn't　be　able　to　use　the　phone　inside。　But　I　had　to　call___　

I　parked　on　the　curb　behind　the　Chevy　sculpture　and　pulled　the　cell　phone　Edward　had　given　me　for　
emergencies　out　of　the　glove　partment。　I　dialed；　keeping　my　finger　on　the　〃end〃　button　as　the　phone　
rang。　Just　in　case。　

〃Hello？〃　Seth　Clearwater　answered；　and　I　sighed　in　relief。　I　was　way　too　chicken　to　speak　to　his　older　
sister；　Leah。　The　phrase　〃bite　my　head　off　was　not　entirely　a　figure　of　speech　when　it　came　to　Leah。　

〃Hey；　Seth；　it's　Bella。〃　

〃Oh；　hiya；　Bella！　How　are　you？〃　

Choked　up。　Desperate　for　reassurance。　〃Fine。〃　

〃Calling　for　an　update？〃　

〃You're　psychic。〃　

〃Not　hardly。　I'm　no　Alice—you're　just　predictable；〃　he　joked。　Among　the　Quileute　pack　down　at　La　
Push；　only　Seth　was　fortable　even　mentioning　the　Cullens　by　name；　let　alone　joking　about　things　like　
my　nearly　omniscient　sisterinlawtobe。　

〃I　know　I　am。〃　I　hesitated　for　a　minute。　〃How　is　he？〃　

Seth　sighed。　〃Same　as　ever。　He　won't　talk；　though　we　know　he　hears　us。　He's　trying　not　to　think　human；　
you　know。　Just　going　with　his　instincts。〃　



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〃Do　you　know　where　he　is　now？〃　

〃Somewhere　in　northern　Canada。　I　can't　tell　you　which　province。　He　doesn't　pay　much　attention　to　state　
lines。〃　

〃Any　hint　that　he　might。。。〃　

〃He's　not　ing　home；　Bella。　Sorry。〃　

I　swallowed。　〃S'okay；　Seth。　I　knew　before　I　asked。　I　just　can't　help　wishing。〃　

〃Yeah。　We　all　feel　the　same　way。〃　

〃Thanks　for　putting　up　with　me；　Seth。　I　know　the　others　must　give　you　a　hard　time。〃　

〃They're　not　your　hugest　fans；〃　he　agreed　cheerfully。　〃Kind　of　lame；　I　think。　Jacob　made　his　choices；　you　
made　yours。　Jake　doesn't　like　their　attitude　about　it。　'Course；　he　isn't　super　thrilled　that　you're　checking　
up　on　him；　either。〃　

I　gasped。　〃I　thought　he　wasn't　talking　to　you？〃　

〃He　can't　hide　everything　from　us；　hard　as　he's　trying。〃　

So　Jacob　knew　I　was　worried。　I　wasn't　sure　how　I　felt　about　that。　Well；　at　least　he　knew　I　hadn't　
skipped　off　into　the　sunset　and　forgotten　him　pletely。　He　might　have　imagined　me　capable　of　that。　

〃I　guess　I'll　see　you　at　the。。。　wedding；〃　I　said；　forcing　the　word　out　through　my　teeth。　

〃Yeah；　me　and　my　mom　will　be　there。　It　was　cool　of　you　to　ask　us。〃　

I　smiled　at　the　enthusiasm　in　his　voice。　Though　inviting　the　Clearwaters　had　been　Edward's　idea；　I　was　
glad　he'd　thought　of　it。　Having　Seth　there　would　be　nice—a　link；　however　tenuous；　to　my　missing　best　
man。　〃It　wouldn't　be　the　

same　without　you。〃　

〃Tell　Edward　I　said　hi；　'kay？〃　

〃Sure　thing。〃　

I　shook　my　head。　The　friendship　that　had　sprung　up　between　Edward　and　Seth　was　something　that　still　
boggled　my　mind。　It　was　proof；　though；　that　things　didn't　have　to　be　this　way。　That　vampires　and