2 new+moon新月-第5章

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and　jerked　it　under　the　tape。　

〃Shoot；〃　I　muttered　when　the　paper　sliced　my　finger；　I　pulled　it　out　to　examine　the　damage。　A　single　drop　
of　blood　oozed　from　the　tiny　cut。　

It　all　happened　very　quickly　then。　

〃No！〃　Edward　roared。　

He　threw　himself　at　me；　flinging　me　back　across　the　table。　It　fell；　as　I　did；　scattering　the　cake　and　the　
presents；　the　flowers　and　the　plates。　I　landed　in　the　mess　of　shattered　crystal。　

Jasper　slammed　into　Edward；　and　the　sound　was　like　the　crash　of　boulders　in　a　rock　slide。　

There　was　another　noise；　a　grisly　snarling　that　seemed　to　be　ing　from　deep　in　Jasper's　chest。　Jasper　

tried　to　shove　past　Edward；　snapping　his　teeth　just　inches　from　Edward's　face。　

Emmett　grabbed　Jasper　from　behind　in　the　next　second；　locking　him　into　his　massive　steel　grip；　but　
Jasper　struggled　on；　his　wild；　empty　eyes　focused　only　on　me。　

Beyond　the　shock；　there　was　also　pain。　I'd　tumbled　down　to　the　floor　by　the　piano；　with　my　arms　thrown　
out　instinctively　to　catch　my　fall；　into　the　jagged　shards　of　glass。　Only　now　did　I　feel　the　searing；　stinging　
pain　that　ran　from　my　wrist　to　the　crease　inside　my　elbow。　

Dazed　and　disoriented；　I　looked　up　from　the　bright　red　blood　pulsing　out　of　my　arm—into　the　fevered　
eyes　of　the　six　suddenly　ravenous　vampires。　

2　STITCHES　




CARLISLE　WAS　NOT　THE　ONLY　ONE　WHO　STAYED　calm。　Centuries　of　experience　in　the　
emergency　room　were　evident　in　his　quiet；　authoritative　voice。　

〃Emmett；　Rose；　get　Jasper　outside。〃　

Unsmiling　for　once；　Emmett　nodded。　〃e　on；　Jasper。〃　

Jasper　struggled　against　Emmett's　unbreakable　grasp；　twisting　around；　reaching　toward　his　brother　with　
his　bared　teeth；　his　eyes　still　past　reason。　

Edward's　face　was　whiter　than　bone　as　he　wheeled　to　crouch　over　me；　taking　a　clearly　defensive　
position。　A　low　warning　growl　slid　from　between　his　clenched　teeth。　I　could　tell　that　he　wasn't　breathing。　

Rosalie；　her　divine　face　strangely　smug；　stepped　in　front　of　Jasper—keeping　a　careful　distance　from　his　
teeth—and　helped　Emmett　wrestle　him　through　the　glass　door　that　Esme　held　open；　one　hand　pressed　
over　her　mouth　and　nose。　

Esme's　heartshaped　face　was　ashamed。　〃I'm　so　sorry；　Bella；〃　she　cried　as　she　followed　the　others　into　
the　yard。　

〃Let　me　by；　Edward；〃　Carlisle　murmured。　

A　second　passed；　and　then　Edward　nodded　slowly　and　relaxed　his　stance。　

Carlisle　knelt　beside　me；　leaning　close　to　examine　my　arm。　I　could　feel　the　shock　frozen　on　my　face；　and　
I　tried　to　pose　it。　

〃Here；　Carlisle；〃　Alice　said；　handing　him　a　towel。　

He　shook　his　head。　〃Too　much　glass　in　the　wound。〃　He　reached　over　and　ripped　a　long；　thin　scrap　from　
the　bottom　of　the　white　tablecloth。　He　twisted　it　around　my　arm　above　the　elbow　to　form　a　tourniquet。　
The　smell　of　the　blood　was　making　me　dizzy。　My　ears　rang。　

〃Bella；〃　Carlisle　said　softly。　〃Do　you　want　me　to　drive　you　to　the　hospital；　or　would　you　like　me　to　take　
care　of　it　here？〃　

〃Here；　please；〃　I　whispered。　If　he　took　me　to　the　hospital；　there　would　be　no　way　to　keep　this　from　
Charlie。　

〃I'll　get　your　bag；〃　Alice　said。　

〃Let's　take　her　to　the　kitchen　table；〃　Carlisle　said　to　Edward。　

Edward　lifted　me　effortlessly；　while　Carlisle　kept　the　pressure　steady　on　my　arm。　

〃How　are　you　doing；　Bella？〃　Carlisle　asked。　

〃I'm　fine。〃　My　voice　was　reasonably　steady；　which　pleased　me。　

Edward's　face　was　like　stone。　

Alice　was　there。　Carlisle's　black　bag　was　already　on　the　table；　a　small　but　brilliant　desk　light　plugged　into　
the　wall。　Edward　sat　me　gently　into　a　chair；　and　Carlisle　pulled　up　another。　He　went　to　work　at　once。　

Edward　stood　over　me；　still　protective；　still　not　breathing。　

〃Just　go；　Edward；〃　I　sighed。　

〃I　can　handle　it；〃　he　insisted。　But　his　jaw　was　rigid；　his　eyes　burned　with　the　intensity　of　the　thirst　he　
fought；　so　much　worse　for　him　than　it　was　for　the　others。　

〃You　don't　need　to　be　a　hero；〃　I　said。　〃Carlisle　can　fix　me　up　without　your　help。　Get　some　fresh　air。〃　

I　winced　as　Carlisle　did　something　to　my　arm　that　stung。　

〃I'll　stay；〃　he　said。　

〃Why　are　you　so　masochistic？〃　I　mumbled。　

Carlisle　decided　to　intercede。　〃Edward；　you　may　as　well　go　find　Jasper　before　he　gets　too　far。　I'm　sure　
he's　upset　with　himself；　and　I　doubt　he'll　listen　to　anyone　but　you　right　now。〃　

〃Yes；〃　I　eagerly　agreed。　〃Go　find　Jasper。〃　

〃You　might　as　well　do　something　useful；〃　Alice　added。　

Edward's　eyes　narrowed　as　we　ganged　up　on　him；　but；　finally；　he　nodded　once　and　sprinted　smoothly　
through　the　kitchen's　back　door。　I　was　sure　he　hadn't　taken　a　breath　since　I'd　sliced　my　finger。　

A　numb；　dead　feeling　was　spreading　through　my　arm。　

Though　it　erased　the　sting；　it　reminded　me　of　the　gash；　and　I　watched　Carlisle's　face　carefully　to　distract　
me　from　what　his　hands　were　doing。　His　hair　gleamed　gold　in　the　bright　light　as　he　bent　over　my　arm。　I　
could　feel　the　faint　stirrings　of　unease　in　the　pit　of　my　stomach；　but　I　was　determined　not　to　let　my　usual　
squeamishness　get　the　best　of　me。　There　was　no　pain　now；　just　a　gentle　tugging　sensation　that　I　tried　to　
ignore。　No　reason　to　get　sick　like　a　baby。　

If　she　hadn't　been　in　my　line　of　sight；　I　wouldn't　have　noticed　Alice　give　up　and　steal　out　of　the　room。　
With　a　tiny；　apologetic　smile　on　her　lips；　she　disappeared　through　the　kitchen　doorway。　

〃Well；　that's　everyone；〃　I　sighed。　〃I　can　clear　a　room；　at　least。〃　

〃It's　not　your　fault；〃　Carlisle　forted　me　with　a　chuckle。　〃It　could　happen　to　anyone。〃　

〃Could〃　I　repeated。　〃But　it　usually　just　happens　to　me。〃　

He　laughed　again。　

His　relaxed　calm　was　only　more　amazing　set　in　direct　contrast　with　everyone　else's　reaction。　I　couldn't　
find　any　trace　of　anxiety　in　his　face。　He　worked　with　quick；　sure　movements。　The　only　sound　besides　our　
quiet　breathing　was　the　soft　plink；　plink　as　the　tiny　fragments　of　glass　dropped　one　by　one　to　the　table。　

〃How　can　you　do　this？〃　I　demanded。　〃Even　Alice　and　Esme…〃　I　trailed　off；　shaking　my　head　in　wonder。　
Though　the　rest　of　them　had　given　up　the　traditional　diet　of　vampires　just　as　absolutely　as　Carlisle　had；　he　
was　the　only　one　who　could　bear　the　smell　of　my　blood　without　suffering　from　the　intense　temptation。　
Clearly；　this　was　much　more　difficult　than　he　made　it　seem。　

〃Years　and　years　of　practice；〃　he　told　me。　〃I　barely　notice　the　scent　anymore。〃　

〃Do　you　think　it　would　be　harder　if　you　took　a　vacation　from　the　hospital　for　a　long　time。　And　weren't　
around　any　blood？〃　

〃Maybe。〃　He　shrugged　his　shoulders；　but　his　hands　remained　steady。　〃I've　never　felt　the　need　for　an　
extended　holiday。〃　He　flashed　a　brilliant　smile　in　my　direction。　〃I　enjoy　my　work　too　much。〃　

Plink；　plink；　plink。　I　was　surprised　at　how　much　glass　there　seemed　to　be　in　my　arm。　I　was　tempted　to　
glance　at　the　growing　pile；　just　to　check　the　size；　but　I　knew　that　idea　would　not　be　helpful　to　my　
novomiting　strategy。　

〃What　is　it　that　you　enjoy？〃　I　wondered。　It　didn't　make　sense　to　me—the　years　of　struggle　and　selfdenial　
he　must　have　spent　to　get　to　the　point　where　he　could　endure　this　so　easily。　Besides；　I　wanted　to　keep　
him　talking；　the　conversation　kept　my　mind　off　the　queasy　feeling　in　my　stomach。　

His　dark　eyes　were　calm　and　thoughtful　as　he　answered。　〃Hmm。　What　I　enjoy　the　very　most　is　when　
my…　enhanced　abilities　let　me　save　someone　who　would　otherwise　have　been　lost。　It's　pleasant　knowing　
that；　thanks　to　what　I　can　do；　some　people's　lives　are　better　because　I　exist。　Even　the　sense　of　smell　is　a　
useful　diagnostic　tool　at　times。〃　One　side　of　his　mouth　pulled　up　in　half　a　smile。　

I　mulled　that　over　while　he　poked　around；　making　sure　all　the　glass　splinters　were　gone。　Then　he　
rummaged　in　his　bag　for　new　tools；　and　I　tried　not　to　picture　a　needle　and　thread。　

〃You　try　very　hard　to　make　up　for　something　that　was　never　your　fault；〃　I　suggested　while　a　new　kind　of　
tugging　started　at　the　edges　of　my　skin。　〃What　I　mean　is；　it's　not　like　you　asked　for　this。　You　didn't　
choose　this　kind　of　life；　and　yet　you　have　to　work　so　hard　to　be　good。〃　

〃I　don't　know　that　I'm　making　up　for　anything；〃　he　disagreed　lightly。　〃Like　everything　in　life；　I　just　had　to　
decide　what　to　do　with　what　I　was　given。〃　

〃That　makes　it　sound　too　easy。〃　

He　examined　my　arm　again。　〃There；〃　he　said；　snipping　a　thread。　〃All　done。〃　He　wiped　an　oversized　
Qtip；　dripping　with　some　syrupcolored　liquid；　thoroughly　across　the　operation　site。　The　smell　was　
strange；　it　made　my　head　spin。　The　syrup　stained　my　skin。　

〃In　the　beginning；　though；〃　I　pressed　while　he　taped　another　long　piece　of　gauze　securely　in　place；　sealing　
it　to　my　skin。　〃Why　did　you　even　think　to　try　a　different　way　than　the　obvious　one？〃　

His　lips　turned　up　in　a　private　smile。　〃Hasn't　Edward　told　you　this　story？〃　

〃Yes。　But　I'm　trying　to　understand　what　you　were　thinking…〃　

His　face　was　suddenly　serious　again；　and　I　wondered　if　his　thoughts　had　gone　to　the　same　place　that　mine　
had。　Wondering　what　I　would　be　thinking　when—I　refused　to　think　if—it　was　me。　

〃You　know　my　father　was　a　clergyman；〃　he　mused　as　he　cleaned　the　table　carefully；　rubbing　everything　
down　with　wet　gauze；　and　then　doing　it　again。　The　smell　of　alcohol　burned　in　my　nose。　〃He　had　a　rather　
harsh　view　of　the　world；　which　I　was　already　beginning　to　question　before　the　time　that　I　changed。〃　
Carlisle　put　all　the　dirty　gauze　and　the　glass　slivers　into　an　empty　crystal　bowl。　I　didn't　understand　what　he　
was　doing；　even　when　he　lit　the　match。　Then　he　threw　it　onto　the　alcoholsoaked　fibers；　and　the　sudden　
blaze　made　me　jump。　

〃Sorry；〃　he　apologized。　〃That　ought　to　do　it…　So　I　didn't　agree　with　my　father's　particular　brand　of　faith。　
But　never；　in　the　nearly　four　hundred　years　now　since　I　was　born；　have　I　ever　seen　anything　to　make　me　
doubt　whether　God　exists　in　some　form　or　the　other。　Not　even　the　reflection　in　the　mirror。〃　

I　pretended　to　examine　the　dressing　on　my　arm　to　hide　my　surprise　at　the　direction　our　conversation　had　
taken。　Religion　was　the　last　thing　I　expected；　all　things　considered。　My　own　life　was　fairly　devoid　of　
belief。　Charlie　considered　himself　a　Lutheran；　because　that's　what　his　parents　had　been；　but　Sundays　h