2 new+moon新月-第53章

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overstating　things。　I　don't　know…　even　with　Jacob；　now　and　then　I　see　something　in　her　eyes；　and　I　
wonder　if　I've　ever　grasped　how　much　pain　she's　really　in　It's　not　normal；　Alice；　and　it…　it　frightens　me。　
Not　normal　at　all。　Not　like　someone…　left　her；　but　like　someone　died。〃　His　voice　cracked。　

It　was　like　someone　had　died—like　I　had　died。　Because　it　had　been　more　than　just　losing　the　truest　of　
true　loves；　as　if　that　were　not　enough　to　kill　anyone。　It　was　also　losing　a　whole　future；　a　whole　
family—the　whole　life　that　I'd　chosen…　

Charlie　went　on　in　a　hopeless　tone。　〃I　don't　know　if　she's　going　to　get　over　it—I'm　not　sure　if　it's　in　her　
nature　to　heal　from　something　like　this。　She's　always　been　such　a　constant　little　thing。　She　doesn't　get　past　
things；　change　her　mind。〃　

〃She's　one　of　a　kind；〃　Alice　agreed　in　a　dry　voice。　

〃And　Alice…〃　Charlie　hesitated。　〃Now；　you　know　how　fond　I　am　of　you；　and　I　can　tell　that　she's　happy　
to　see　you；　but…　I'm　a　little　worried　about　what　your　visit　will　do　to　her。〃　

〃So　am　I；　Charlie；　so　am　I。　I　wouldn't　have　e　if　I'd　had　any　idea。　I'm　sorry。〃　

〃Don't　apologize；　honey。　Who　knows？　Maybe　it　will　be　good　for　her。〃　

〃I　hope　you're　right。〃　

There　was　a　long　break　while　forks　scraped　plates　and　Charlie　chewed。　I　wondered　where　Alice　was　
hiding　the　food。　

〃Alice；　I　have　to　ask　you　something；〃　Charlie　said　awkwardly。　

Alice　was　calm。　〃Go　ahead。〃　

〃He's　not　ing　back　to　visit；　too；　is　he？〃　I　could　hear　the　suppressed　anger　in　Charlie's　voice。　

Alice　answered　in　a　soft；　reassuring　tone。　〃He　doesn't　even　know　I'm　here。　The　last　time　I　spoke　with　
him；　he　was　in　South　America。〃　

I　stiffened　as　I　heard　this　new　information；　and　listened　harder。　

〃That's　something；　at　least。〃　Charlie　snorted。　〃Well；　I　hope　he's　enjoying　himself。〃　

For　the　first　time；　Alice's　voice　had　a　bit　of　steel　in　it。　〃I　wouldn't　make　assumptions；　Charlie。〃　I　knew　
how　her　eyes　would　flash　when　she　used　that　tone。　

A　chair　scooted　from　the　table；　scraping　loudly　across　the　floor。　I　pictured　Charlie　getting　up；　there　was　
no　way　Alice　would　make　that　kind　of　noise。　The　faucet　ran；　splashing　against　a　dish。　

It　didn't　sound　like　they　were　going　to　say　anything　more　about　Edward；　so　I　decided　it　was　time　to　
wake　up。　

I　turned　over；　bouncing　against　the　springs　to　make　them　squeak。　Then　I　yawned　loudly。　

All　was　quiet　in　the　kitchen。　

I　stretched　and　groaned。　

〃Alice？〃　I　asked　innocently；　the　soreness　rasping　in　my　throat　added　nicely　to　the　charade。　

〃I'm　in　the　kitchen；　Bella；〃　Alice　called；　no　hint　in　her　voice　that　she　suspected　my　eavesdropping。　But　she　
was　good　at　hiding　things　like　that。　

Charlie　had　to　leave　then—he　was　helping　Sue　Clearwater　with　the　funeral　arrangements。　It　would　have　
been　a　very　long　day　without　Alice。　She　never　spoke　about　leaving；　and　I　didn't　ask　her。　I　knew　it　was　
inevitable；　but　I　put　it　out　of　my　mind。　

Instead；　we　talked　about　her　family—all　but　one。　

Carlisle　was　working　nights　in　Ithaca　and　teaching　part　time　at　Cornell。　Esme　was　restoring　a　seventeenth　
century　house；　a　historical　monument；　in　the　forest　north　of　the　city。　Emmett　and　Rosalie　had　gone　to　
Europe　for　a　few　months　on　another　honeymoon；　but　they　were　back　now。　Jasper　was　at　Cornell；　too；　
studying　philosophy　this　time。　And　Alice　had　been　doing　some　personal　research；　concerning　the　
information　I'd　accidentally　uncovered　for　her　last　spring。　She'd　successfully　tracked　down　the　asylum　
where　she'd　spent　the　last　years　of　her　human　life。　The　life　she　had　no　memory　of。　

〃My　name　was　Mary　Alice　Brandon；〃　she　told　me　quietly。　〃I　had　a　little　sister　named　Cynthia。　Her　
daughter—my　niece—is　still　alive　in　Biloxi。〃　

〃Did　you　find　out　why　they　put　you　in…　that　place？〃　What　would　drive　parents　to　that　extreme？　Even　if　
their　daughter　saw　visions　of　the　future…　

She　just　shook　her　head；　her　topaz　eyes　thoughtful。　〃I　couldn't　find　much　about　them。　I　went　through　all　
the　old　newspapers　on　microfiche。　My　family　wasn't　mentioned　often；　they　weren't　part　of　the　social　
circle　that　made　the　papers。　My　parents'　engagement　was　there；　and　Cynthia's。〃　The　name　fell　uncertainly　
from　her　tongue。　〃My　birth　was　announced…　and　my　death。　I　found　my　grave。　I　also　filched　my　
admissions　sheet　from　the　old　asylum　archives。　The　date　on　the　admission　and　the　date　on　my　tombstone　
are　the　same。〃　

I　didn't　know　what　to　say；　and；　after　a　short　pause；　Alice　moved　on　to　lighter　topics。　

The　Cullens　were　reassembled　now；　with　the　one　exception；　spending　Cornell's　spring　break　in　Denali　
with　Tanya　and　her　family。　I　listened　too　eagerly　to　even　the　most　trivial　news。　She　never　mentioned　the　
one　I　was　most　interested　in；　and　for　that　I　was　grateful。　It　was　enough　to　listen　to　the　stories　of　the　family　
I'd　once　dreamed　of　belonging　to。　

Charlie　didn't　get　back　until　after　dark；　and　he　looked　more　worn　than　he　had　the　night　before。　He　would　
be　headed　back　to　the　reservation　first　thing　in　the　morning　for　Harry's　funeral；　so　he　turned　in　early。　I　
stayed　on　the　couch　with　Alice　again。　


Charlie　was　almost　a　stranger　when　he　came　down　the　stairs　before　the　sun　was　up；　wearing　an　old　suit　
I'd　never　seen　him　in　before。　The　jacket　hung　open；　I　guessed　it　was　too　tight　to　fasten　the　buttons。　His　
tie　was　a　bit　wide　for　the　current　style。　He　tiptoed　to　the　door；　trying　not　to　wake　us　up。　I　let　him　go；　
pretending　to　sleep；　as　Alice　did　on　the　recliner。　

As　soon　as　he　was　out　the　door；　Alice　sat　up。　Under　the　quilt；　she　was　fully　dressed。　

〃So；　what　are　we　doing　today？〃　she　asked。　

〃I　don't　know—do　you　see　anything　interesting　happening？〃　

She　smiled　and　shook　her　head。　〃But　it's　still　early。〃　

All　the　time　I'd　been　spending　in　La　Push　meant　a　pile　of　things　I'd　been　neglecting　at　home；　and　I　
decided　to　catch　up　on　my　chores。　I　wanted　to　do　something；　anything　that　might　make　life　easier　for　
Charlie—maybe　it　would　make　him　feel　just　a　little　better　to　e　home　to　a　clean；　organized　house。　I　
started　with　the　bathroom—it　showed　the　most　signs　of　neglect。　

While　I　worked；　Alice　leaned　against　the　doorjamb　and　asked　nonchalant　questions　about　my；　well；　our　
high　school　friends　and　what　they　been　up　to　since　she'd　left。　Her　face　stayed　casual　and　emotionless；　but　
I　sensed　her　disapproval　when　she　realized　how　little　I　could　tell　her。　Or　maybe　I　just　had　a　guilty　
conscience　after　eavesdropping　on　her　conversation　with　Charlie　yesterday　morning。　

I　was　literally　up　to　my　elbows　in　et；　scrubbing　the　floor　of　the　bathtub；　when　the　doorbell　rang。　

I　looked　to　Alice　at　once；　and　her　expression　was　perplexed；　almost　worried；　which　was　strange；　Alice　
was　never　taken　by　surprise。　

〃Hold　on！〃　I　shouted　in　the　general　direction　of　the　front　door；　getting　up　and　hurrying　to　the　sink　to　rinse　
my　arms　off。　

〃Bella；〃　Alice　said　with　a　trace　of　frustration　in　her　voice；　〃I　have　a　fairly　good　guess　who　that　might　be；　
and　I　think　I'd　better　step　out。〃　

〃Guess？〃　I　echoed。　Since　when　did　Alice　have　to　guess　anything？　

〃If　this　is　a　repeat　of　my　egregious　lapse　in　foresight　yesterday；　then　it's　most　likely　Jacob　Black　or　one　of　
his…　friends。〃　

I　stared　at　her；　putting　it　together。　〃You　can't　see　werewolves？〃　

She　grimaced。　〃So　it　would　seem。〃　She　was　obviously　annoyed　by　this　fact—very　annoyed。　

The　doorbell　rang　again—buzzing　twice　quickly　and　impatiently。　

〃You　don't　have　go　anywhere；　Alice。　You　were　here　first。〃　

She　laughed　her　silvery　little　laugh—it　had　a　dark　edge。　〃Trust　me—it　wouldn't　be　a　good　idea　to　have　
me　and　Jacob　Black　in　a　room　together。〃　

She　kissed　my　cheek　swiftly　before　she　vanished　through　Charlie's　door—and　out　his　back　window；　no　
doubt。　

The　doorbell　rang　again。　

18。　THE　FUNERAL　




I　SPRINTED　DOWN　THE　STAIRS　AND　THREW　THE　DOOR　open。　

It　was　Jacob；　of　course。　Even　blind；　Alice　wasn't　slow。　

He　was　standing　about　six　feet　back　from　the　door；　his　nose　wrinkled　in　distaste；　but　his　face　otherwise　
smooth—masklike。　He　didn't　fool　me；　I　could　see　the　faint　trembling　of　his　hands。　

Hostility　rolled　off　of　him　in　waves。　It　brought　back　that　awful　afternoon　when　he'd　chosen　Sam　over　me；　
and　I　felt　my　chin　jerk　up　defensively　in　response。　

Jacob's　Rabbit　idled　by　the　curb　with　Jared　behind　the　wheel　and　Embry　in　the　passenger　seat。　I　
understood　what　this　meant：　they　were　afraid　to　let　him　e　here　alone。　It　made　me　sad；　and　a　little　
annoyed。　The　Cullens　weren't　like　that。　

〃Hey；〃　I　finally　said　when　he　didn't　speak。　

Jake　pursed　his　lips；　still　hanging　back　from　the　door。　His　eyes　flickered　across　the　front　of　the　house。　

I　ground　my　teeth。　〃She's　not　here。　Do　you　need　something？〃　

He　hesitated。　〃You're　alone？〃　

〃Yes。〃　I　sighed。　

〃Can　I　talk　to　you　a　minute？〃　

〃Of　course　you　can；　Jacob。　e　on　in。〃　

Jacob　glanced　over　his　shoulder　at　his　friends　in　the　car。　I　saw　Embry　shake　his　head　just　a　tiny　bit。　For　
some　reason；　this　bugged　me　to　no　end。　

My　teeth　clenched　together　again。　〃Chicken〃　I　mumbled　under　my　breath。　

Jake's　eyes　flashed　back　to　me；　his　thick；　black　brows　pushing　into　a　furious　angle　over　his　deepset　
eyes。　His　jaw　set；　and　he　marched—there　was　no　other　way　to　describe　the　way　he　moved—up　the　
sidewalk　and　shrugged　past　me　into　the　house。　

I　locked　gazes　with　first　Jared　and　then　Embry—I　didn't　like　the　hard　way　they　eyed　me；　did　they　really　
think　I　would　let　anything　hurt　Jacob？—before　I　shut　the　door　on　them。　

Jacob　was　in　the　hall　behind　me；　staring　at　the　mess　of　blankets　in　the　living　room。　

〃Slumber　party？〃　he　asked；　his　tone　sarcastic。　

〃Yeah；〃　I　answered　with　the　same　level　of　acid。　I　didn't　like　Jacob　when　he　acted　this　way。　〃What's　it　to　
you？〃　

He　wrinkled　his　nose　again　like　he　smelled　something　unpleasant。　〃Where's　your　'friend'？〃　I　could　hear　
the　quotation　marks　in　his　tone。　

〃She　had　some　errands　to　run。　Look；　Jacob；　what　do　you　want？〃　

Something　about　the　room　seemed　to　make　him　edgier—his　long　arms　were　quivering。　He　didn't　answer　
my　question。　Instead　he　moved　on　to　the　kitchen；　his　restless　eyes　darting　everywhere。　

I　followed　him。　He　paced