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new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第53部分

小说: new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版) 字数: 每页4000字

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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 deep…set 
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 back and forth along the short counter。 
〃Hey;〃 I said; putting myself in his way。 He stopped pacing and stared down at 
me。 〃What's your 
problem?〃 
〃I don't like having to be here。〃 
That stung。 I winced; and his eyes tightened。 
〃Then I'm sorry you had to e;〃 I muttered。 〃Why don't you tell me what you 
need so you can leave?〃 
〃I just have to ask you a couple of questions。 It shouldn't take long。 We have 
to get back for the funeral。〃 
〃Okay。 Get it over with then。〃 I was probably overdoing it with the 
antagonism; but I didn't want him to 
see how much this hurt。 I knew I wasn't being fair。 After all; I'd picked the 
bloodsucker over him last 
night。 I'd hurt him first。 
He took a deep breath; and his trembling fingers were suddenly still。 His face 
smoothed into a serene 
mask。 
〃One of the Cullens is staying here with you;〃 he stated。 
〃Yes。 Alice Cullen。〃 
He nodded thoughtfully。 〃How long is she here for?〃 
〃As long as she wants to be。〃 The belligerence was still there in my tone。 
〃It's an open invitation。〃 
〃Do you think you could please explain to her about the other one—
Victoria?〃 
I paled。 〃I told her about that。〃 
He nodded。 〃You should know that we can only watch our own lands with a Cullen 
here。 You'll only be 
safe in La Push。 I can't protect you here anymore。〃 
〃Okay;〃 I said in a small voice。 
He looked away then; out the back windows。 He didn't continue。 
〃Is that all?〃 
He kept his eyes on the glass as he answered。 〃Just one more thing。〃 
I waited; but he didn't continue。 〃Yes?〃 I finally prompted。 
〃Are the rest of them ing back now?〃 he asked in a cool; quiet voice。 It 
reminded me of Sam's 
always calm manner。 Jacob w

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