4 breaking dawn破晓- 第64部分

All　the　while　I　studied　and　reacted；　her　face　was　perfectly　posed；　a　carving　of　a　goddess；　showing　
nothing　of　the　turmoil　roiling　inside　me。　And　then　her　full　lips　moved。　

〃The　eyes？〃　I　whispered；　unwilling　to　say　my　eyes。　〃How　long？　

〃They'll　darken　up　in　a　few　months；〃　Edward　said　in　a　soft；　forting　voice。　〃Animal　blood　dilutes　the　
color　more　quickly　than　a　diet　of　human　blood。　They'll　turn　amber　first；　then　gold。〃　

My　eyes　would　blaze　like　vicious　red　flames　for　months？　

〃Months？〃　My　voice　was　higher　now；　stressed。　In　the　mirror；　the　perfect　eyebrows　lifted　incredulously　
above　her　glowing　crimson　eyes—brighter　than　any　I'd　ever　seen　before。　

Jasper　took　a　step　forward；　alarmed　by　the　intensity　of　my　sudden　anxiety。　He　knew　young　vampires　
only　too　well；　did　this　emotion　presage　some　misstep　on　my　part？　

No　one　answered　my　question。　I　looked　away；　to　Edward　and　Alice。　Both　their　eyes　were　slightly　

unfocused—reacting　to　Jasper's　unease。　Listening　to　its　cause；　looking　ahead　to　the　immediate　future。　

I　took　another　deep；　unnecessary　breath。　

〃No；　I'm　fine；〃　I　promised　them。　My　eyes　flickered　to　the　stranger　in　the　mirror　and　back。　〃It's　just。。。　a　
lot　to　take　in。〃　

Jasper's　brow　furrowed；　highlighting　the　two　scars　over　his　left　eye。　

〃I　don't　know；〃　Edward　murmured。　

The　woman　in　the　mirror　frowned。　〃What　question　did　I　miss？〃　

Edward　grinned。　〃Jasper　wonders　how　you're　doing　it。〃　

〃Doing　what？〃　

〃Controlling　your　emotions；　Bella；〃　Jasper　answered。　〃I've　never　seen　a　newborn　do　that—stop　an　
emotion　in　its　tracks　that　way。　You　were　upset；　but　when　you　saw　our　concern；　you　reined　it　in；　regained　
power　over　yourself。　I　was　prepared　to　help；　but　you　didn't　need　it。〃　

〃Is　that　wrong？〃　I　asked。　My　body　automatically　froze　as　I　waited　for　his　verdict。　

〃No；〃　he　said；　but　his　voice　was　unsure。　

Edward　stroked　his　hand　down　my　arm；　as　if　encouraging　me　to　thaw。　〃It's　very　impressive；　Bella；　but　
we　don't　understand　it。　We　don't　know　how　long　it　can　hold。〃　

I　considered　that　for　a　portion　of　a　second。　At　any　moment；　would　I　snap？　Turn　into　a　monster？　

I　couldn't　feel　it　ing　on。。。。　Maybe　there　was　no　way　to　anticipate　such　a　thing。　



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〃But　what　do　you　think？〃　Alice　asked；　a　little　impatient　now；　pointing　to　the　mirror。　

〃I'm　not　sure；〃　I　hedged；　not　wanting　to　admit　how　frightened　I　really　was。　

I　stared　at　the　beautiful　woman　with　the　terrifying　eyes；　looking　for　pieces　of　me。　There　was　something　
there　in　the　shape　of　her　lips—if　you　looked　past　the　dizzying　beauty；　it　was　true　that　her　upper　lip　was　
slightly　out　of　balance；　a　bit　too　full　to　match　the　lower。　Finding　this　familiar　little　flaw　made　me　feel　a　tiny　
bit　better。　Maybe　the　rest　of　me　was　in　there；　too。　

I　raised　my　hand　experimentally；　and　the　woman　in　the　mirror　copied　the　movement；　touching　her　face；　
too。　Her　crimson　eyes　watched　me　warily。　

Edward　sighed。　

I　turned　away　from　her　to　look　at　him；　raising　one　eyebrow。　

〃Disappointed？〃　I　asked；　my　ringing　voice　impassive。　

He　laughed。　〃Yes；〃　he　admitted。　

I　felt　the　shock　break　through　the　posed　mask　on　my　face；　followed　instantly　by　the　hurt。　

Alice　snarled。　Jasper　leaned　forward　again；　waiting　for　me　to　snap。　

But　Edward　ignored　them　and　wrapped　his　arms　tightly　around　my　newly　frozen　form；　pressing　his　lips　
against　my　cheek。　〃I　was　rather　hoping　that　I'd　be　able　to　hear　your　mind；　now　that　it　is　more　similar　to　
my　own；〃　he　murmured。　〃And　here　I　am；　as　frustrated　as　ever；　wondering　what　could　possibly　be　going　
on　inside　your　head。〃　

I　felt　better　at　once。　

〃Oh　well；〃　I　said　lightly；　relieved　that　my　thoughts　were　still　my　own。　〃I　guess　my　brain　will　never　work　
right。　At　least　I'm　pretty。〃　

It　was　being　easier　to　joke　with　him　as　I　adjusted；　to　think　in　straight　lines。　To　be　myself。　

Edward　growled　in　my　ear。　〃Bella；　you　have　never　been　merely　pretty。〃　

Then　his　face　pulled　away　from　mine；　and　he　sighed。　〃All　right；　all　right；〃　he　said　to　someone。　

〃What？〃　I　asked。　

〃You're　making　Jasper　more　edgy　by　the　second。　He　may　relax　a　little　when　you've　hunted。〃　

I　looked　at　Jasper's　worried　expression　and　nodded。　I　didn't　want　to　snap　here；　if　that　was　ing。　
Better　to　be　surrounded　by　trees　than　family。　

〃Okay。　Let's　hunt；〃　I　agreed；　a　thrill　of　nerves　and　anticipation　making　my　stomach　quiver。　I　unwrapped　
Edward's　arms　from　around　me；　keeping　one　of　his　hands；　and　turned　my　back　on　the　strange　and　
beautiful　woman　in　the　mirror。　



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21。　FIRST　HUNT　

〃The　window？〃　I　asked；　staring　two　stories　down。　

I'd　never　really　been　afraid　of　heights　per　se；　but　being　able　to　see　all　the　details　with　such　clarity　made　
the　prospect　less　appealing。　The　angles　of　the　rocks　below　were　sharper　than　I　would　have　imagined　
them。　

Edward　smiled。　〃It's　the　most　convenient　exit。　If　you're　frightened；　I　can　carry　you。〃　

〃We　have　all　eternity；　and　you're　worried　about　the　time　it　would　take　to　walk　to　the　back　door？〃　

He　frowned　slightly。　〃Renesmee　and　Jacob　are　downstairs___〃　

〃Oh。〃　

Right。　I　was　the　monster　now。　I　had　to　keep　away　from　scents　that　might　trigger　my　wild　side。　From　the　
people　that　I　loved　in　particular。　Even　the　ones　I　didn't　really　know　yet。　

〃Is　Renesmee。。。　okay。。。　with　Jacob　there？〃　I　whispered。　I　realized　belatedly　that　it　must　havebeen　
Jacob's　heart　I'd　heard　below。　I　listened　hard　again；　but　I　could　only　hear　the　one　steady　pulse。　〃He　
doesn't　like　her　much。〃　

Edward's　lips　tightened　in　an　odd　way。　〃Trust　me；　she　is　perfectly　safe。　I　know　exactly　what　Jacob　is　
thinking。〃　

〃Of　course；〃　I　murmured；　and　looked　at　the　ground　again。　

〃Stalling？〃　he　challenged。　

〃A　little。　I　don't　know　how。。。。〃　

And　I　was　very　conscious　of　my　family　behind　me；　watching　silently。　Mostly　silently。　Emmett　had　already　
chuckled　under　his　breath　once。　One　mistake；　and　he'd　be　rolling　on　the　floor。　Then　the　jokes　about　the　
world's　only　clumsy　vampire　would　start。。。。　

Also；　this　dress—that　Alice　must　have　put　me　in　sometime　when　I　was　too　lost　in　the　burning　to　
notice—was　not　what　I　would　have　picked　out　for　either　jumping　or　hunting。　Tightly　fitted　iceblue　silk？　
What　did　she　think　I　would　need　it　for？　Was　there　a　cocktail　party　later？　

〃Watch　me；〃　Edward　said。　And　then；　very　casually；　he　stepped　out　of　the　tall；　open　window　and　fell。　

I　watched　carefully；　analyzing　the　angle　at　which　he　bent　his　knees　to　absorb　the　impact。　The　sound　of　
his　landing　was　very　low—a　muted　thud　that　could　have　been　a　door　softly　closed；　or　a　book　gently　laid　
on　a　table。　

It　didn't　look　hard。　

Clenching　my　teeth　as　I　concentrated；　I　tried　to　copy　his　casual　step　into　empty　air。　




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Ha！　The　ground　seemed　to　move　toward　me　so　slowly　that　it　was　nothing　at　all　to　place　my　feet—what　
shoes　had　Alice　put　me　in？　Stilettos？　She'd　lost　her　mind—to　place　mysilly　shoes　exactly　right　so　that　
landing　was　no　different　than　stepping　one　foot　forward　on　a　flat　surface。　

I　absorbed　the　impact　in　the　balls　of　my　feet；　not　wanting　to　snap　off　the　thin　heels。　My　landing　seemed　
just　as　quiet　as　his。　I　grinned　at　him。　

〃Right。　Easy。〃　

He　smiled　back。　〃Bella？〃　

〃Yes？〃　

〃That　was　quite　graceful—even　for　a　vampire。〃　

I　considered　that　for　a　moment；　and　then　I　beamed。　If　he'd　just　been　saying　that；　then　Emmett　would　
have　laughed。　No　one　found　his　remark　humorous；　so　it　must　have　been　true。　It　was　the　first　time　anyone　
had　ever　applied　the　word　graceful　'to　me　in　my　entire　life。。。　or；　well；　existence　anyway。　

〃T？ancyou；〃i　told　him。　

And　then　I　hooked　the　silver　satin　shoes　off　my　feet　one　by　one　and　lobbed　them　together　back　through　
the　open　window。　A　little　too　hard；　maybe；　but　I　heard　someone　catch　them　before　they　could　damage　
the　paneling。　

Alice　grumbled；　〃Her　fashion　sense　hasn't　improved　as　much　as　her　balance。〃　

Edward　took　my　hand—I　couldn't　stop　marveling　at　the　smoothness；　the　fortable　temperature　of　his　
skin—and　darted　through　the　backyard　to　the　edge　of　the　river。　I　went　along　with　him　effortlessly。　

Everything　physical　seemed　very　simple。　

〃Are　we　swimming？〃　I　asked　him　when　we　stopped　beside　the　water。　

〃And　ruin　your　pretty　dress？　No。　We're　jumping。〃　

I　pursed　my　lips；　considering。　The　river　was　about　fifty　yards　wide　here。　

〃You　first；〃　I　said。　

He　touched　my　cheek；　took　two　quick　backward　strides；　and　then　ran　back　those　two　steps；　launching　
himself　from　a　flat　stone　firmly　embedded　in　the　riverbank。　I　studied　the　flash　of　movement　as　he　arced　
over　the　water；　finally　turning　a　somersault　just　before　he　disappeared　into　the　thick　trees　on　the　other　
side　of　the　river。　

〃Showoff；〃　I　muttered；　and　heard　his　invisible　laugh。　

I　backed　up　five　paces；　just　in　case；　and　took　a　deep　breath。　

Suddenly；　I　was　anxious　again。　Not　about　falling　or　getting　hurt—I　was　more　worried　about　the　forest　
getting　hurt。