《4 breaking dawn破晓》第174章

evident　in　their　expressions。　〃You　might　consider　joining　us。　If　you　think　the　Volturi　will　let　you　live　to　tell　
this　tale；　you　are　
mistaken。　We　may　all　be　destroyed〃—he　shrugged—〃but　then　again；　maybe　not。　Perhaps　we　are　on　
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more　equal　footing　than　they　know。　Perhaps　the　Volturi　have　finally　met　their　match。　I　promise　you　this；　
though—if　we　fall；　so　do　you。〃　
He　ended　his　heated　speech　by　stepping　back　to　Kate"s　side　and　then　sliding　forward　in　a　halfcrouch；　
prepared　for　the　onslaught。　
Aro　smiled。　〃Avery　pretty　speech；　my　revolutionary　friend。〃　
Garrett　remained　poised　for　attack。　〃Revolutionary？〃　he　growled。　〃Who　am　I　revolting　against；　might　I　
ask？　Are　you　my　king？　Do　you　wish　me　to　call　you　master；　too；　like　your　sycophantic　guard？〃　
〃Peace；　Garrett；〃　Aro　said　tolerantly。　〃I　meant　only　to　refer　to　your　time　of　birth。　Still　a　patriot；　I　see。〃　
Garrett　glared　back　furiously。　
〃Let　us　ask　our　witnesses；〃　Aro　suggested。　〃Let　us　hear　their　thoughts　before　we　make　our　decision。　Tell　
us；　friends〃—and　he　turned　his　back　casually　on　us；　moving　a　few　yards　toward　his　mass　of　nervous　
observers　hovering　even　closer　now　to　the　edge　of　the　forest—〃what　do　you　think　of　all　this？　I　can　
assure　you　the　child　is　not　what　we　feared。　Do　we　take　the　risk　and　let　the　child　live？　Do　we　put　our　
world　in　jeopardy　to　preserve　their　family　intact？　Or　does　earnest　Garrett　have　the　right　of　it？　Will　you　
join　them　in　a　fight　against　our　sudden　quest　for　dominion？〃　
The　witnesses　met　his　gaze　with　careful　faces。　One；　a　small　blackhaired　woman；　looked　briefly　at　the　
dark　blond　male　at　her　side。　
〃Are　those　our　only　choices？〃　she　asked　suddenly；　gaze　flashing　back　to　Aro。　〃Agree　with　you；　or　fight　
against　you？〃　
〃Of　course　not；　most　charming　Makenna；〃　Aro　said；　appearing　horrified　that　anyone　could　e　to　that　
conclusion。　〃You　may　go　in　peace；　of　course；　as　Amun　did；　even　if　you　disagree　with　the　council"s　
decision。〃　
Makenna　looked　at　her　mate"s　face　again；　and　he　nodded　minutely。　
〃We　did　not　e　here　for　a　fight。〃　She　paused；　exhaled；　then　said；　〃We　came　here　to　witness。　And　our　
witness　is　that　this　condemned　family　is　innocent。　Everything　that　Garrett　claimed　is　the　truth。〃　
〃Ah；〃　Aro　said　sadly。　〃I"m　sorry　you　see　us　in　that　way。　But　such　is　the　nature　of　our　work。〃　
〃It　is　not　what　I　see；　but　what　I　feel；〃　Makenna"s　maizehaired　mate　spoke　in　a　high；　nervous　voice。　He　
glanced　at　Garrett。　〃Garrett　said　they　have　ways　of　knowing　lies。　I；　too；　know　when　I　am　hearing　the　
truth；　and　when　I　am　not。〃　With　frightened　eyes　he　moved　closer　to　his　mate；　waiting　for　Aro"s　reaction。　
〃Do　not　fear　us；　friend　Charles。　No　doubt　the　patriot　truly　believes　what　he　says；〃　Aro　chuckled　lightly；　
and　Charles"s　eyes　narrowed。　
〃That　is　our　witness；〃　Makenna　said。　〃We"re　leaving　now。〃　
She　and　Charles　backed　away　slowly；　not　turning　before　they　were　lost　from　view　in　the　trees。　One　
other　stranger　began　to　retreat　the　same　way；　then　three　more　darted　after　him。　
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I　evaluated　the　thirtyseven　vampires　that　stayed。　A　few　of　them　appeared　just　too　confused　to　make　the　
decision。　But　the　majority　of　them　seemed　only　too　aware　of　the　direction　this　confrontation　had　taken。　I　
guessed　that　they　were　giving　up　a　head　start　in　favor　of　knowing　exactly　who　would　be　chasing　after　
them。　
I　was　sure　Aro　saw　the　same　thing　I　did。　He　turned　away；　walking　back　to　his　guard　with　a　measured　
pace。　He　stopped　in　front　of　them　and　addressed　them　in　a　clear　voice。　
〃We　are　outnumbered；　dearest　ones；〃　he　said。　〃We　can　expect　no　outside　help。　Should　we　leave　this　
question　undecided　to　save　ourselves？〃　
〃No；　master；〃　they　whispered　in　unison。　
〃Is　the　protection　of　our　world　worth　perhaps　the　loss　of　some　of　our　number？〃　
〃Yes；〃　they　breathed。　〃We　are　not　afraid。〃　
Aro　smiled　and　turned　to　his　blackclad　panions。　
〃Brothers；〃　Aro　said　somberly；　〃there　is　much　to　consider　here。〃　
〃Let　us　counsel；〃　Caius　said　eagerly。　
〃Let　us　counsel；〃　Marcus　repeated　in　an　uninterested　tone。　
Aro　turned　his　back　to　us　again；　facing　the　other　ancients。　They　joined　hands　to　form　a　blackshrouded　
triangle。　
As　soon　as　Aro"s　attention　was　engaged　in　the　silent　counsel；　two　more　of　their　witnesses　disappeared　
silently　into　the　forest。　I　hoped；　for　their　sakes；　that　they　were　fast。　
This　was　it。　Carefully；　I　loosened　Renesmee"s　arms　from　my　neck。　
〃You　remember　what　I　told　you？〃　
Tears　welled　in　her　eyes；　but　she　nodded。　〃I　love　you；〃　she　whispered。　
Edward　was　watching　us　now；　his　topaz　eyes　wide。　Jacob　stared　at　us　from　the　corner　of　his　big　dark　
eye。　
〃I　love　you；　too；〃　I　said；　and　then　I　touched　her　locket。　〃More　than　my　own　life。〃　I　kissed　her　forehead。　
Jacob　whined　uneasily。　
I　stretched　up　on　my　toes　and　whispered　into　his　ear。　〃Wait　until　they"re　totally　distracted；　then　run　with　
her。　Get　as　far　from　this　place　as　you　possibly　can。　When　you"ve　gone　as　far　as　you　can　on　foot；　she　has　
what　you　need　to　get　you　in　the　air。〃　
Edward"s　and　Jacob"s　faces　were　almost　identical　masks　of　horror；　despite　the　fact　that　one　of　them　was　
an　animal。　
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Renesmee　reached　for　Edward；　and　he　took　her　in　his　arms。　They　hugged　each　other　tightly。　
〃This　is　what　you　kept　from　me？〃　he　whispered　over　her　head。　
〃From　Aro；〃　I　breathed。　
〃Alice？〃　
I　nodded。　
His　face　twisted　with　understanding　and　pain。　Had　that　been　the　expression　on　my　face　when　I"d　finally　
put　together　Alice"s　clues？　
Jacob　was　growling　quietly；　a　low　rasp　that　was　as　even　and　unbroken　as　a　purr。　His　hackles　were　stiff　
and　his　
teeth　exposed。　
Edward　kissed　Renesmee"s　forehead　and　both　her　cheeks；　then　he　lifted　her　to　Jacob"s　shoulder。　She　
scrambled　agilely　onto　his　back；　pulling　herself　into　place　with　handfuls　of　his　fur；　and　fit　herself　easily　into　
the　dip　between　his　massive　shoulder