4 breaking dawn破晓- 第17部分

〃I　was　a　bit　absorbed；〃　I　admitted；　blushing　a　deep　red。　

He　touched　my　burning　cheek　and　sighed。　〃I'm　really　going　to　miss　that。〃　

I　stared　at　his　face；　searching　for　any　signs　of　the　anger　or　remorse　I　feared。　He　gazed　back　at　me　
evenly；　his　expression　calm　but　otherwise　unreadable。　

〃How　are　you　feeling？'7　

He　laughed。　

〃What？〃　I　demanded。　

〃You　look　so　guilty—like　you've　mitted　a　crime。〃　

〃I　feel　guilty；〃　I　muttered。　

〃So　you　seduced　your　alltoowilling　husband。　That's　not　a　capital　offense。〃　

He　seemed　to　be　teasing。　

My　cheeks　got　hotter。　〃The　word　seduced　implies　a　certain　amount　of　premeditation。〃　

〃Maybe　that　was　the　wrong　word；〃　he　allowed。　

〃You're　not　angry？〃　

He　smiled　ruefully。　Tm　not　angry。〃　

〃Why　not？〃　



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〃Well。　。　。〃　He　paused。　〃I　didn't　hurt　you；　for　one　thing。　It　was　easier　this　time；　to　control　myself；　to　
channel　the　excesses。〃　His　eyes　flickered　to　the　damaged　frame　again。　〃Maybe　because　I　had　a　better　
idea　of　what　to　expect。〃　

A　hopeful　smile　started　to　spread　across　my　face。　〃I　told　you　that　it　was　all　about　practice。〃　

He　rolled　his　eyes。　

My　stomach　growled；　and　he　laughed。　〃Breakfast　time　for　the　human？〃　he　asked。　

〃Please；〃　I　said；　hopping　out　of　bed。　I　moved　too　quickly；　though；　and　had　to　stagger　drunkenly　to　regain　
my　balance。　He　caught　me　before　I　could　stumble　into　the　dresser。　

〃Are　you　all　right？〃　

〃If　I　don't　have　a　better　sense　of　equilibrium　in　my　next　life；　I'm　demanding　a　refund。〃　

I　cooked　this　morning；　frying　up　some　eggs—too　hungry　to　do　anything　more　elaborate。　Impatient；　I　
flipped　them　onto　a　plate　after　just　a　few　minutes。　

〃Since　when　do　you　eat　eggs　sunnyside　up？〃　he　asked。　

〃Since　now。〃　

〃Do　you　know　how　many　eggs　you've　gone　through　in　the　last　week？〃　He　pulled　the　trash　bin　out　from　
under　the　sink—it　was　full　of　empty　blue　cartons。　

〃Weird；〃　I　said　after　swallowing　a　scorching　bite。　〃This　place　is　messing　with　my　appetite。〃　And　my　
dreams；　and　my　already　dubious　balance。　〃But　I　like　it　here。　Well　probably　have　to　leave　soon；　though；　
won't　we；　to　make　it　to　Dartmouth　in　time？　Wow；　I　guess　we　need　to　find　a　place　to　live　and　stuff；　too。〃　

He　sat　down　next　to　me。　〃You　can　give　up　the　college　pretense　now—you've　gotten　what　you　wanted。　
And　we　didn't　agree　to　a　deal；　so　there　are　no　strings　attached。〃　

I　snorted。　〃It　wasn't　a　pretense；　Edward。　I　don't　spend　my　free　time　plotting　like　some　people　do。　What　
can　we　do　to　wear　Bella　out　today？〃　I　said　in　a　poor　impression　of　his　voice。　He　laughed；　unashamed。　
〃I　really　do　want　a　little　more　time　being　human。〃　I　leaned　over　to　run　my　hand　across　his　bare　chest。　〃I　
have　not　had　enough。〃　

He　gave　me　a　dubious　look。　〃For　this？〃　he　asked；　catching　my　hand　as　it　moved　down　his　stomach。　
〃Sex　was　the　key　all　along？〃　He　rolled　his　eyes。　〃Why　didn't　i　think　of　that？〃　he　muttered　sarcastically。　〃I　
could　have　saved　myself　a　lot　of　arguments。〃　

I　laughed。　〃Yeah；　probably。〃　

〃You　are　so　human；〃　he　said　again。　

〃I　know。〃　

A　hint　of　a　smile　pulled　at　his　lips。　〃We're　going　to　Dartmouth？　Really？〃　



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〃I'll　probably　fail　out　in　one　semester。〃　

〃I'll　tutor　you。〃　The　smile　was　wide　now。　〃You're　going　to　love　college。〃　

〃Do　you　think　we　can　find　an　apartment　this　late？〃　

He　grimaced；　looking　guilty。　〃Well；　we　sort　of　already　have　a　house　there。　You　know；　just　in　case。〃　

〃You　bought　a　house？〃　

〃Real　estate　is　a　good　investment。〃　

I　raised　one　eyebrow　and　then　let　it　go。　〃So　we're　ready；　then。〃　

〃I'll　have　to　see　if　we　can　keep　your　'before'　car　for　a　little　longer___〃　

〃Yes；　heaven　forbid　I　not　be　protected　from　tanks。〃　

He　grinned。　

〃How　much　longer　can　we　stay？〃　I　asked。　

〃We're　fine　on　time。　A　few　more　weeks；　if　you　want。　And　then　we　can　visit　Charlie　before　we　go　to　
New　Hampshire。　We　could　spend　Christmas　with　Renee___〃　

His　words　painted　a　very　happy　immediate　future；　one　free　of　pain　for　everyone　involved。　The　
Jacobdrawer；　all　but　forgotten；　rattled；　and　i　amended　the　thought—for　almost　everyone。　

This　wasn't　getting　any　easier。　Now　that　I'd　discovered　exactly　how　good　being　human　could　be；　it　was　
tempting　to　let　my　plans　drift。　Eighteen　or　nieen；　nieen　or　twenty。。。　Did　it　really　matter？　I　wouldn't　
change　so　much　in　a　year。　And　being　human　with　Edward。。。　The　choice　got　trickier　every　day。　

〃A　few　weeks；〃　I　agreed。　And　then；　because　there　never　seemed　to　be　enough　time；　I　added；　〃So　I　was　
thinking—you　know　what　I　was　saying　about　practice　before？〃　

He　laughed。　〃Can　you　hold　on　to　that　thought？　I　hear　a　boat。　The　cleaning　crew　must　be　here。〃　

He　wanted　me　to　hold　on　to　that　thought。　So　did　that　mean　he　was　not　going　to　give　me　any　more　
trouble　about　practicing？　I　smiled。　

〃Let　me　explain　the　mess　in　the　white　room　to　Gustavo；　and　then　we　can　go　out。　There's　a　place　in　the　
jungle　on　the　south—〃　

〃I　don't　want　to　go　out。　i　am　not　hiking　all　over　the　island　today。　I　want　to　stay　here　and　watch　a　movie。〃　

He　pursed　his　lips；　trying　not　to　laugh　at　my　disgruntled　tone。　〃All　right；　whatever　you'd　like。　Why　don't　
you　pick　one　out　while　I　get　the　door？〃　

〃I　didn't　hear　a　knock。〃　




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He　cocked　his　head　to　the　side；　listening。　A　half　second　later；　a　faint；　timid　rap　on　the　door　sounded。　He　
grinned　and　turned　for　the　hallway。　

I　wandered　over　to　the　shelves　under　the　big　TV　and　started　scanning　through　the　titles。　It　was　hard　to　
decide　where　to　begin。　They　had　more　DVDs　than　a　rental　store。　

I　could　hear　Edward's　low；　velvet　voice　as　he　came　back　down　the　hall；　conversing　fluidly　in　what　I　
assumed　was　perfect　Portuguese。　Another；　harsher；　human　voice　answered　in　the　same　tongue。　

Edward　led　them　into　the　room；　pointing　toward　the　kitchen　on　his　way。　The　two　Brazilians　looked　
incredibly　short　and　dark　next　to　him。　One　was　a　round　man；　the　other　a　slight　female；　both　their　faces　
creased　with　lines。　Edward　gestured　to　me　with　a　proud　smile；　and　I　heard　my　name　mixed　in　with　a　
flurry　of　unfamiliar　words。　I　flushed　a　little　as　I　thought　of　the　downy　mess　in　the　white　room；　which　they　
would　soon　encounter。　The　little　man　smiled　at　me　politely。　

But　the　tiny　coffeeskinned　woman　didn't　smile。　She　stared　at　me　with　a　mixture　of　shock；　worry；　and　
most　of　all；　wideeyed　fear。　Before　I　could　react；　Edward　motioned　for　them　to　follow　him　toward　the　
chicken　coop；　and　they　were　gone。　

When　he　reappeared；　he　was　alone。　He　walked　swiftly　to　my　side　and　wrapped　his　arms　around　me。　

〃What's　with　her？〃　I　whispered　urgently；　remembering　her　panicked　expression。　

He　shrugged；　unperturbed。　〃Kaure's　part　Ticuna　Indian。　She　was　raised　to　be　more　superstitious—or　
you　could　call　it　more　aware—than　those　who　live　in　the　modern　world。　She　suspects　what　I　am；　or　
close　enough。〃　He　still　didn't　sound　worried。　〃They　have　their　own　legends　here。　The　Libishomen—a　
blooddrinking　demon　who　preys　exclusively　on　beautiful　women。〃　He　leered　at　me。　

Beautiful　women　only？　Well；　that　was　kind　of　flattering。　

〃She　looked　terrified；〃　I　said。　

〃She　is—but　mostly　she's　worried　about　you。〃　

〃Me？〃　

〃She's　afraid　of　why　I　have　you　here；　all　alone。〃　He　chuckled　darkly　and　then　looked　toward　the　wall　of　
movies。　〃Oh　well；　why　don't　you　choose　something　for　us　to　watch？　That's　an　acceptably　human　thing　to　
do。〃　

〃Yes；　I'm　sure　a　movie　will　convince　her　that　you're　human。〃　I　laughed　and　clasped　my　arms　securely　
around　his　neck；　stretching　up　on　my　tiptoes。　He　leaned　down　so　that　I　could　kiss　him；　and　then　his　arms　
tightened　around　me；　lifting　me　off　the　floor　so　he　didn't　have　to　bend。　

〃Movie；　schmovie；〃　I　muttered　as　his　lips　moved　down　my　throat；　twisting　my　fingers　in　his　bronze　hair。　

Then　I　heard　a　gasp；　and　he　put　me　down　abruptly。　Kaure　stood　frozen　in　the　hallway；　feathers　in　her　
black　hair；　a　large　sack　of　more　feathers　in　her　arms；　an　expression　of　horror　on　her　face。　She　stared　at　
me；　her　eyes　bugging　out；　as　I　blushed　and　looked　down。　Then　she　recovered　herself　and　murmured　
something　that；　even　in　an　unfamiliar　language；　was　clearly　an　apology。　Edward　smiled　and　answered　in　a　
friendly　tone。　She　turned　her　dark　eyes　away　



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and　continued　down　the　hall。　

〃She　was　thinking　what　I　think　she　was　thinking；　wasn't　she？〃　I　muttered。　

He　laughed　at　my　convoluted　sentence。　〃Yes。〃　

〃Here；〃　I　said；　reaching　out　at　random　and　grabbing　a　movie。　〃Put　this　on　and　we　can　pretend　to　watch　
it。〃　

It　was　an　old　musical　with　smiling　faces　and　fluffy　dresses　on　the　front。　

〃Very　honeymoonish；〃　Edward　approved。　

While　actors　on　the　screen　danced　their　way　through　a　perky　introduction　song；　I　lolled　on　the　sofa；　
snuggled　into　Edward's　arms。　

〃Will　we　move　back　into　the　white　room　now？〃　I　wondered　idly。　

〃I　don't　know。。。。　I've　already　mangled　the　headboard　in　the　other　room　beyond　repair—maybe　if　we　
limit　the　destruction　to　one　area　of　the　house；　Esme　might　invite　us　back　someday。〃　

I　smiled　widely。　〃So　there　will　be　more　destruction？〃　

He　laughed　at　my　expression。　〃I　think　it　might　be　safer　if　it's　premeditated；　rather　than　if　I　wait　for　you　to　
assault　me　again。〃　

〃It　would　only　be　a　matter　of　time；〃　I　agreed　casually；　but　my　pulse　was　racing　in　my　veins。　

〃Is　there　something　the　matter　with　your　heart？〃　

〃Nope。　Healthy　as　a　horse。〃　I　paused。　〃Did　you　want　to　go　survey　the　demolition　zone　now？〃　

〃Maybe　it　would　be　more　polite　to　wait　until　we're　alone。　You　may　not　notice　me　tearing　the　furniture　
apart；　but　it　would　probably　scare　them。〃　

In　truth；　I'd　already　forgotten　the　people　in　the　other　room。　〃Right。　Drat。〃　

Gustavo　and　Kaure　moved　quietly　through　the　house　while　I　waited　impatiently　for　them　to　finish　and　
tried　to　pay　attention　to　the　happilyeverafter　on　the　screen。　I　was　starting　to　get　sleepy—though；　
according　to　Edwa