《1 twilight暮色》第97章

were　in　the　southwest　corner　of　the　room。　An　aged　sectional　sofa　curved　
around　in　front　of　the　TV；　a　round　coffee　table　in　front　of　it。　
〃The　phone　goes　there；〃　I　whispered；　pointing。　
Two　pairs　of　eternal　eyes　stared　at　me。　
〃That"s　my　mother"s　house。〃　
Alice　was　already　off　the　couch；　phone　in　hand；　dialing。　I　stared　at　the　
precise　rendering　of　my　mother"s　family　room。　Uncharacteristically；　
Jasper　slid　closer　to　me。　He　lightly　touched　his　hand　to　my　shoulder；　and　
the　physical　contact　seemed　to　make　his　calming　influence　stronger。　The　
panic　stayed　dull；　unfocused。　
Alice"s　lips　were　trembling　with　the　speed　of　her　words；　the　low　buzzing　
impossible　to　decipher。　I　couldn"t　concentrate。　
〃Bella；〃　Alice　said。　I　looked　at　her　numbly。　
〃Bella；　Edward　is　ing　to　get　you。　He　and　Emmett　and　Carlisle　are　going　
to　take　you　somewhere；　to　hide　you　for　a　while。〃　
〃Edward　is　ing？〃　The　words　were　like　a　life　vest；　holding　my　head　
above　the　flood。　
〃Yes；　he"s　catching　the　first　flight　out　of　Seattle。　We"ll　meet　him　at　
the　airport；　and　you"ll　leave　with　him。〃　
〃But；　my　mother…　he　came　here　for　my　mother；　Alice！〃　Despite　Jasper；　the　
hysteria　bubbled　up　in　my　voice。　
〃Jasper　and　I　will　stay　till　she"s　safe。〃　
〃I　can"t　win；　Alice。　You　can"t　guard　everyone　I　know　forever。　Don"t　you　
see　what　he"s　doing？　He"s　not　tracking　me　at　all。　He"ll　find　someone；　
he"ll　hurt　someone　I　love…　Alice；　I　can"t　—〃　
〃We"ll　catch　him；　Bella；〃　she　assured　me。　
〃And　what　if　you　get　hurt；　Alice？　Do　you　think　that"s　okay　with　me？　Do　
you　think　it"s　only　my　human　family　he　can　hurt　me　with？〃　
Alice　looked　meaningfully　at　Jasper。　A　deep；　heavy　fog　of　lethargy　washed　
over　me；　and　my　eyes　closed　without　my　permission。　My　mind　struggled　
against　the　fog；　realizing　what　was　happening。　I　forced　my　eyes　open　and　
stood　up；　stepping　away　from　Jasper"s　hand。　
〃I　don"t　want　to　go　back　to　sleep；〃　I　snapped。　
I　walked　to　my　room　and　shut　the　door；　slammed　it　really；　so　I　could　be　
free　to　go　to　pieces　privately。　This　time　Alice　didn"t　follow　me。　For　
three　and　a　half　hours　I　stared　at　the　wall；　curled　in　a　ball；　rocking。　
My　mind　went　around　in　circles；　trying　to　e　up　with　some　way　out　of　
this　nightmare。　There　was　no　escape；　no　reprieve。　I　could　see　only　one　
possible　end　looming　darkly　in　my　future。　The　only　question　was　how　many　
other　people　would　be　hurt　before　I　reached　it。　
The　only　solace；　the　only　hope　I　had　left；　was　knowing　that　I　would　see　
Edward　soon。　Maybe；　if　I　could　just　see　his　face　again；　I　would　also　be　
able　to　see　the　solution　that　eluded　me　now。　
When　the　phone　rang；　I　returned　to　the　front　room；　a　little　ashamed　of　my　
behavior。　I　hoped　I　hadn"t　offended　either　of　them；　that　they　would　know　
how　grateful　I　was　for　the　sacrifices　they　were　making　on　my　account。　
Alice　was　talking　as　rapidly　as　ever；　but　what　caught　my　attention　was　
that；　for　the　first　time；　Jasper　was　not　in　the　room。　I　looked　at　the　
clock　—　it　was　fivethirty　in　the　morning。　
〃They"re　just　boarding　their　plane；〃　Alice　told　me。　〃They"ll　land　at　
ninefortyfive。〃　Just　a　few　more　hours　to　keep　breathing　till　he　was　
here。　
〃Where"s　Jasper？〃　
〃He　went　to　check　out。〃　
〃You　aren"t　staying　here？〃　
〃No；　we"re　relocating　closer　to　your　mother"s　house。〃　
My　stomach　twisted　uneasily　at　her　words。　
But　the　phone　rang　again；　distracting　me。　She　looked　surprised；　but　I　was　
already　walking　forward；　reaching　hopefully　for　the　phone。　
〃Hello？〃　Alice　asked。　〃No；　she"s　right　here。〃　She　held　the　phone　out　to　
me。　Your　mother；　she　mouthed。　
〃Hello？〃　
〃Bella？　Bella？〃　It　was　my　mother"s　voice；　in　a　familiar　tone　I　had　heard　
a　thousand　times　in　my　childhood；　anytime　I"d　gotten　too　close　to　the　
edge　of　the　sidewalk　or　strayed　out　of　her　sight　in　a　crowded　place。　It　
was　the　sound　of　panic。　
I　sighed。　I"d　been　expecting　this；　though　I"d　tried　to　make　my　message　as　
unalarming　as　possible　without　lessening　the　urgency　of　it。　
〃Calm　down；　Mom；〃　I　said　in　my　most　soothing　voice；　walking　slowly　away　
from　Alice。　I　wasn"t　sure　if　I　could　lie　as　convincingly　with　her　eyes　on　
me。　〃Everything　is　fine；　okay？　Just　give　me　a　minute　and　I"ll　explain　
everything；　I　promise。〃　
I　paused；　surprised　that　she　hadn"t　interrupted　me　yet。　
〃Mom？〃　
〃Be　very　careful　not　to　say　anything　until　I　tell　you　to。〃　The　voice　I　
heard　now　was　as　unfamiliar　as　it　was　unexpected。　It　was　a　man"s　tenor　
voice；　a　very　pleasant；　generic　voice　—　the　kind　of　voice　that　you　heard　
in　the　background　of　luxury　car　mercials。　He　spoke　very　quickly。　
〃Now；　I　don"t　need　to　hurt　your　mother；　so　please　do　exactly　as　I　say；　
and　she"ll　be　fine。〃　He　paused　for　a　minute　while　I　listened　in　mute　
horror。　〃That"s　very　good；〃　he　congratulated。　〃Now　repeat　after　me；　and　
do　try　to　sound　natural。　Please　say；　"No；　Mom；　stay　where　you　are。"〃　
〃No；　Mom；　stay　where　you　are。〃　My　voice　was　barely　more　than　a　whisper。　
〃I　can　see　this　is　going　to　be　difficult。〃　The　voice　was　amused；　still　
light　and　friendly。　〃Why　don"t　you　walk　into　another　room　now　so　your　
face　doesn"t　ruin　everything？　There"s　no　reason　for　your　mother　to　
suffer。　As　you"re　walking；　please　say；　"Mom；　please　listen　to　me。"　Say　it　
now。〃　
〃Mom；　please　listen　to　me；〃　my　voice　pleaded。　I　walked　very　slowly　to　the　
bedroom；　feeling　Alice"s　worried　stare　on　my　back。　I　shut　the　door　behind　
me；　trying　to　think　clearly　through　the　terror　that　gripped　my　brain。　
〃There　now；　are　you　alone？　Just　answer　yes　or　no。〃　
〃Yes。〃　
〃But　they　can　still　hear　you；　I"m　sure。〃　
〃Yes。〃　
〃All　right；　then；〃　the　agreeable　voice　continued；　〃say；　"Mom；　trust　me。"〃　
〃Mom；　trust　me。〃　
〃This　worked　out　rather　better　than　I　expected。　I　was　prepared　to　wait；　
but　your　mother　arrived　ahead　of　schedule。　It"s　easier　this　way；　isn"t　
it？　Less　suspense；　less　anxiety　for　you。〃　
I　waited。　
〃Now　I　want　you　to　listen　very　carefully。　I"m　going　to　need　you　to　get　
away　from　your　friends；　do　you　think　you　can　do　that？　Answer　yes　or　no。〃　
〃No。〃　
〃I"m　sorry　to　hear　that。　I　was　hoping　you　would　be　a　little　more　creative　
than　that。　Do　you　t