4 breaking dawn破晓- 第39部分

Everything's　cool；I　thought　tiredly。　

My　eyes　quickly　caught　a　small　change　in　the　nowfamiliar　scene。　There　was　a　stack　of　lightcolored　
fabric　on　the　bottom　step　of　the　porch。　I　loped　over　to　investigate。　Holding　my　breath；　because　the　
vampire　smell　stuck　to　the　fabric　like　you　wouldn't　believe；　I　nudged　the　stack　with　my　nose。　

Someone　had　laid　out　clothes。　Huh。　Edward　must　have　caught　my　moment　of　irritation　as　I'd　bolted　out　
the　door。　Well。　That　was。。。　nice。　And　weird。　

I　took　the　clothes　gingerly　between　my　teeth—ugh—and　carried　them　back　to　the　trees。　Just　in　case　this　
was　some　joke　by　the　blond　psychopath　and　I　had　a　bunch　of　girls'　stuff　here。　Bet　she'd　love　to　see　the　
look　on　my　human　face　as　I　stood　there　naked；　holding　a　sundress。　

In　the　cover　of　the　trees；　I　dropped　the　stinking　pile　and　shifted　back　to　human。　I　shook　the　clothes　out；　
snapping　them　against　a　tree　to　beat　some　of　the　smell　from　them。　They　were　definitely　guy's　clothes—tan　
pants　and　a　white　buttondown　shirt。　Neither　of　them　long　enough；　but　they　looked　like　they'd　fit　around　
me。　Must　be　Emmett's。　I　rolled　the　cuffs　up　on　the　shirtsleeves；　but　there　wasn't　much　I　could　do　about　
the　pants。　Oh　well。　




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I　had　to　admit；　I　felt　better　with　some　clothes　to　my　name；　even　stinky　ones　that　didn't　quite　fit。　It　was　
hard　not　being　able　to　just　jet　back　home　and　grab　another　pair　of　old　sweatpants　when　I　needed　them。　
The　homeless　thing　again—not　having　anyplace　to　go　back　to。　No　possessions；　either；　which　wasn't　
bothering　me　too　bad　now；　but　would　probably　get　annoying　soon。　

Exhausted；　I　walked　slowly　up　the　Cullens'　porch　steps　in　my　fancy　new　secondhand　clothes　but　
hesitated　when　I　got　to　the　door。　Did　I　knock？　Stupid；　when　they　knew　I　was　here。　I　wondered　why　no　
one　acknowledged　that—told　

me　either　to　e　in　or　get　lost　Whatever。　I　shrugged　and　let　myself　in。　

More　changes。　The　room　had　shifted　back　to　normal—almost—in　the　last　twenty　minutes。　The　big　
flatscreen　was　on；　low　volume；　showing　some　chick　flick　that　no　one　seemed　to　be　watching。　Carlisle　
and　Esme　stood　by　the　back　windows；　which　were　open　to　the　river　again。　Alice；　Jasper；　and　Emmett　
were　out　of　sight；　but　I　heard　them　murmuring　upstairs。　Bella　was　on　the　couch　like　yesterday；　with　just　
one　tube　still　hooked　into　her；　and　an　IV　hanging　behind　the　back　of　the　sofa。　She　was　wrapped　up　like　a　
burrito　in　a　couple　of　thick　quilts；　so　at　least　they'd　listened　to　me　before。　Rosalie　was　crosslegged　on　
the　ground　by　her　head。　Edward　sat　at　the　other　end　of　the　couch　with　Bella's　burrito'ed　feet　in　his　lap。　
He　looked　up　when　I　came　in　and　smiled　at　me—just　a　little　twitch　of　his　mouth—like　something　pleased　
him。　

Bella　didn't　hear　me。　She　only　glanced　up　when　he　did；　and　then　she　smiled；　too。　With　real　energy；　her　
whole　face　lighting　up。　I　couldn't　remember　the　last　time　she'd　looked　so　excited　to　see　me。　

What　was　with　her？　For　crying　out　loud；　she　was　married＇　Happily　married；　too—there　was　no　
question　that　she　was　in　love　with　her　vampire　past　the　boundaries　of　sanity。　And　hugely　pregnant；　to　top　
it　off。　

So　why　did　she　have　to　be　so　damn　thrilled　to　see　me？　Like　I'd　made　her　whole　freakin'　day　by　walking　
through　the　door。　

If　she　would　just　not　care。。。　Or　more　than　that—really　not　want　me　around。　It　would　be　so　much　easier　
to　stay　away。　

Edward　seemed　to　be　in　agreement　with　my　thoughts—we　were　on　the　same　wavelength　so　much　lately　
it　was　crazy。　He　was　frowning　now；　reading　her　face　while　she　beamed　at　me。　

〃They　just　wanted　to　talk；〃　I　mumbled；　my　voice　dragging　with　exhaustion。　〃No　attack　on　the　horizon。〃　

〃Yes；〃　Edward　answered。　〃I　heard　most　of　it。〃　

That　woke　me　up　a　little。　We'd　been　a　good　three　miles　out。　〃How？〃　

Tm　hearing　you　more　clearly—it's　a　matter　of　familiarity　and　concentration。　Also；　your　thoughts　are　
slightly　easier　to　pick　up　when　you're　in　your　human　form。　So　I　caught　most　of　what　passed　out　there。〃　

〃Oh。〃　It　bugged　me　a　little；　but　for　no　good　reason；　so　I　shrugged　it　off。　〃Good。　I　hate　repeating　myself。〃　

〃I'd　tell　you　to　go　get　some　sleep；〃　Bella　said；　〃but　my　guess　is　that　you're　going　to　pass　out　on　the　floor　
in　about　six　seconds；　so　there's　probably　no　point。〃　




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It　was　amazing　how　much　better　she　sounded；　how　much　stronger　she　looked。　I　smelled　fresh　blood　and　
saw　that　the　cup　was　in　her　hands　again。　How　much　blood　would　it　take　to　keep　her　going？　At　some　
point；　would　they　start　trotting　in　the　neighbors？　

I　headed　for　the　door；　counting　off　the　seconds　for　her　as　I　walked。　〃One　Mississippi。。。　two　
Mississippi。。。〃　

〃Where's　the　flood；　mutt？〃　Rosalie　muttered。　

〃You　know　how　you　drown　a　blonde；　Rosalie？〃　I　asked　without　stopping　or　turning　to　look　at　her。　〃Glue　
a　mirror　to　the　bottom　of　a　pool。〃　

I　heard　Edward　chuckle　as　I　pulled　the　door　shut。　His　mood　seemed　to　improve　in　exact　correlation　to　
Bella's　

health。　

〃I've　already　heard　that　one；'7Rosalie　called　after　me。　

I　trudged　down　the　steps；　my　only　goal　to　drag　myself　far　enough　into　the　trees　that　the　air　would　be　
pure　again。　I　planned　to　ditch　the　clothes　a　convenient　distance　from　the　house　for　future　use　rather　than　
tying　them　to　my　leg；　so　I　wouldn't　be　smelling　them；　either。　As　I　fumbled　with　the　buttons　on　the　new　
shirt；　I　thought　randomly　about　how　buttons　would　never　be　in　style　for　werewolves。　

I　heard　the　voices　while　I　slogged　across　the　lawn。　

〃Where　are　you　going？〃　Bella　asked。　

〃There　was　something　I　forgot　to　say　to　him。〃　

〃Let　Jacob　sleep—it　can　wait。〃　

Yes；　please；　let　Jacob　sleep。　

〃It　will　only　take　a　moment。〃　

I　turned　slowly。　Edward　was　already　out　the　door。　He　had　an　apology　in　his　expression　as　he　
approached　me。　

〃Jeez；　what　now？〃　

Tm　sorry；〃　he　said；　and　then　he　hesitated；　like　he　didn't　know　how　to　phrase　what　he　was　thinking。　

What's　on　your　mind；　mind　reader？　

〃When　you　were　speaking　to　Sam's　delegates　earlier；〃　he　murmured；　〃I　was　giving　a　playbyplay　for　
Carlisle　and　Esme　and　the　rest。　They　were　concerned—〃　

〃Look；　we're　not　dropping　our　guard。　You　don't　have　to　believe　Sam　like　we　do。　We're　keeping　our　
eyes　open　regardless。〃　




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〃No；　no；　Jacob。　Not　about　that。　We　trust　your　judgment。　Rather；　Esme　was　troubled　by　the　hardships　
this　is　putting　your　pack　through。　She　asked　me　to　speak　to　you　privately　about　it。〃　

That　took　me　off　guard。　〃Hardships？〃　

〃The　homeless　part；　particularly。　She's　very　upset　that　you　are　all　so。。。　bereft。〃　

I　snorted。　Vampire　mother　hen—bizarre。　〃We're　tough。　Tell　her　not　to　worry。〃　

〃She'd　still　like　to　do　what　she　can。　I　got　the　impression　that　Leah　prefers　not　to　eat　in　her　wolf　form？〃　

〃And？〃　I　demanded。　

〃Well；　we　do　have　normal　human　food　here；　Jacob。　Keeping　up　appearances；　and；　of　course；　for　Bella。　
Leah　is　wele　to　anything　she'd　like。　All　of　you　are。〃　

〃I'll　pass　that　along。〃　

〃Leah　hates　us。〃　

〃So？〃　

〃So　try　to　pass　it　along　in　such　a　way　as　to　make　her　consider　it；　if　you　don't　mind。〃　

〃I'll　do　what　I　can。〃　

〃And　then　there's　the　matter　of　clothes。〃　

I　glanced　down　at　the　ones　I　was　wearing。　〃Oh　yeah。　Thanks。〃　It　probably　wouldn't　be　good　manners　to　
mention　how　bad　they　reeked。　

He　smiled；　just　a　little。　〃Well；　we're　easily　able　to　help　out　with　any　needs　there。　Alice　rarely　allows　us　to　
wear　the　same　thing　twice。　We've　got　piles　of　brandnew　clothes　that　are　destined　for　Goodwill；　and　I'd　
imagine　that　Leah　is　fairly　close　to　Esme's　size___〃　

〃Not　sure　how　she'll　feel　about　bloodsucker　castoffs。　She's　not　as　practical　as　I　am。〃　

〃I　trust　that　you　can　present　the　offer　in　the　best　possible　light。　As　well　as　the　offer　for　any　other　physical　
object　you　might　need；　or　transportation；　or　anything　else　at　all。　And　showers；　too；　since　you　prefer　to　
sleep　outdoors。　Please。。。　don't　consider　yourselves　without　the　benefits　of　a　home。〃　

He　said　the　last　line　softly—not　trying　to　keep　quiet　this　time；　but　with　some　kind　of　real　emotion。　

I　stared　at　him　for　a　second；　blinking　sleepily。　〃That's；　er；　nice　of　you。　Tell　Esme　we　appreciate　the；　uh；　
thought。　But　the　perimeter　cuts　through　the　river　in　a　few　places；　so　we　stay　pretty　clean；　thanks。〃　

〃If　you　would　pass　the　offer　on；　regardless。〃　

〃Sure；　sure。〃　

〃Thank　you。〃　



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I　turned　away　from　him；　only　to　stop　cold　when　I　heard　the　low；　pained　cry　from　inside　the　house。　By　
the　time　I　looked　back；　he　was　already　gone。　

What　now？　

I　followed　after　him；　shuffling　like　a　zombie。　Using　about　the　same　number　of　brain　cells；　too。　It　didn't　
feel　like　I　had　a　choice。　Something　was　wrong。　I　would　go　see　what　it　was。　There　would　be　nothing　I　
could　do。　And　I　would　feel　worse。　

It　seemed　inevitable。　

I　let　myself　in　again。　Bella　was　panting；　curled　over　the　bulge　in　the　center　of　her　body。　Rosalie　held　her　
while　Edward；　Carlisle；　and　Esme　all　hovered。　A　flicker　of　motion　caught　my　eye；　Alice　was　at　the　top　of　
the　stairs；　staring　down　into　the　room　with　her　hands　pressed　to　her　temples。　It　was　weird—like　she　was　
barred　from　entering　somehow。　

〃Give　me　a　second；　Carlisle；〃　Bella　panted。　

〃Bella；〃　the　doctor　said　anxiously；　〃I　heard　something　crack。　I　need　to　take　a　look。〃　

〃Pretty　sure〃—pant—〃it　was　a　rib。　Ow。　Yep。　Right　here。〃　She　pointed　to　her　left　side；　careful　not　to　
touch。　

It　was　breaking　her　bones　now。　

〃I　need　to　take　an　Xray。　There　might　be　splinters。　We　don't　want　it　to　puncture　anything。〃　

Bella　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Okay。〃　

Rosalie　lifted　Bella　carefully。　Edward　seemed　like　he　was　going　to　argue；　but　Rosalie　bared　her　teeth　at　
him　and　growled；　〃I've　already　got　her。〃　

So　Bella　was　stronger　now；　but　the　thing　was；　too。　You　couldn't　starve　one　without　starving　the　other；　
and　

healing　worked　just　the　same。　No　way　to　win。　

Blondi