new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第32部分

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hear。　
〃She　wanted　to　save　that　part　for　herself；〃　he　went　on　blithely。　〃She's　sort　
of　put　out　with　you；　Bella。〃　
〃Me？〃　I　squeaked。　
He　shook　his　head　and　chuckled。　〃I　know；　it　seems　a　little　backward　to　me；　
too。　But　James　was　her　
mate；　and　your　Edward　killed　him。〃　
Even　here；　on　the　point　of　death；　his　name　tore　against　my　unhealed　wounds　
like　a　serrated　edge。　
Laurent　was　oblivious　to　my　reaction。　〃She　thought　it　more　appropriate　to　kill　
you　than　Edward—fair　
turnabout；　mate　for　mate。　She　asked　me　to　get　the　lay　of　the　land　for　her；　so　
to　speak。　I　didn't　imagine　
you　would　be　so　easy　to　get　to。　So　maybe　her　plan　was　flawed—apparently　it　
wouldn't　be　the　revenge　
she　imagined；　since　you　must　not　mean　very　much　to　him　if　he　left　you　here　
unprotected。〃　
Another　blow；　another　tear　through　my　chest。　
Laurent's　weight　shifted　slightly；　and　I　stumbled　another　step　back。　
He　frowned。　〃I　suppose　she'll　be　angry；　all　the　same。〃　
〃Then　why　not　wait　for　her？〃　I　choked　out。　
A　mischievous　grin　rearranged　his　features。　〃Well；　you've　caught　me　at　a　bad　
time；　Bella。　I　didn't　e　
to　this　place　on　Victoria's　mission—I　was　hunting。　I'm　quite　thirsty；　and　you　
do　smell　simply　
mouthwatering。〃　
Laurent　looked　at　me　with　approval；　as　if　he　meant　it　as　a　pliment。　
〃Threaten　him；〃　the　beautiful　delusion　ordered；　his　voice　distorted　with　
dread。　
〃He'll　know　it　was　you；〃　I　whispered　obediently。　〃You　won't　get　away　with　
this。〃　
〃And　why　not？〃　Laurent's　smile　widened。　He　gazed　around　the　small　opening　in　
the　trees。　〃The　scent　will　
wash　away　with　the　next　rain。　No　one　will　find　your　body—you'll　simply　go　
missing；　like　so　many；　many　
other　humans。　There's　no　reason　for　Edward　to　think　of　me；　if　he　cares　enough　
to　investigate。　This　is　
nothing　personal；　let　me　assure　you；　Bella。　Just　thirst。〃　
〃Beg；〃　my　hallucination　begged。　
〃Please；〃　I　gasped。　
Laurent　shook　his　head；　his　face　kind。　〃Look　at　it　this　way；　Bella。　You're　
very　lucky　I　was　the　one　to　find　
you。〃　
〃Am　I？〃　I　mouthed；　faltering　another　step　back。　
Laurent　followed；　lithe　and　graceful。　
〃Yes；〃　he　assured　me。　〃I'll　be　very　quick。　You　won't　feel　a　thing；　I　promise。　
Oh；　I'll　lie　to　Victoria　about　
that　later；　naturally；　just　to　placate　her。　But　if　you　knew　what　she　had　
planned　for　you；　Bella〃　He　shook　
his　head　with　a　slow　movement；　almost　as　if　in　disgust。　〃I　swear　you'd　be　
thanking　me　for　this。〃　
I　stared　at　him　in　horror。　
He　sniffed　at　the　breeze　that　blew　threads　of　my　hair　in　his　direction。　
〃Mouthwatering；〃　he　repeated；　
inhaling　deeply。　
I　tensed　for　the　spring；　my　eyes　squinting　as　I　cringed　away；　and　the　sound　of　
Edward's　furious　roar　
echoed　distantly　in　the　back　of　my　head。　His　name　burst　through　all　the　walls　
I'd　built　to　contain　it。　
Edward；　Edward；　Edward。　I　was　going　to　die。　It　shouldn't　matter　if　I　thought　
of　him　now。　Edward；　I　
love　you。　
Through　my　narrowed　eyes；　I　watched　as　Laurent　paused　in　the　act　of　inhaling　
and　whipped　his　head　
abruptly　to　the　left。　I　was　afraid　to　look　away　from　him；　to　follow　his　
glance；　though　he　hardly　needed　a　
distraction　or　any　other　trick　to　overpower　me。　I　was　too　amazed　to　feel　
relief　when　he　started　slowly　
backing　away　from　me。　
〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　he　said；　his　voice　so　low　that　I　barely　heard　it。　
I　had　to　look　then。　My　eyes　scanned　the　meadow；　searching　for　the　interruption　
that　had　extended　my　life　
by　a　few　seconds。　At　first　I　saw　nothing；　and　my　gaze　flickered　back　to　
Laurent。　He　was　retreating　more　
quickly　now；　his　eyes　boring　into　the　forest。　
Then　I　saw　it；　a　huge　black　shape　eased　out　of　the　trees；　quiet　as　a　shadow；　
and　stalked　deliberately　
toward　the　vampire。　It　was　enormous—as　tall　as　a　horse；　but　thicker；　much　
more　muscular。　The　long　
muzzle　grimaced；　revealing　a　line　of　dagger…like　incisors。　A　grisly　snarl　
rolled　out　from　between　the　teeth；　
rumbling　across　the　clearing　like　a　prolonged　crack　of　thunder。　
The　bear。　Only；　it　wasn't　a　bear　at　all。　Still；　this　gigantic　black　monster　
had　to　be　the　creature　causing　all　
the　alarm。　From　a　distance；　anyone　would　assume　it　was　a　bear。　What　else　could　
be　so　vast；　so　
powerfully　built？　
I　wished　I　were　lucky　enough　to　see　it　from　a　distance。　Instead；　it　padded　
silently　through　the　grass　a　
mere　ten　feet　from　where　I　stood。　
〃Don't　move　an　inch；〃　Edward's　voice　whispered。　
I　stared　at　the　monstrous　creature；　my　mind　boggling　as　I　tried　to　put　a　name　
to　it。　There　was　a　distinctly　
canine　cast　to　the　shape　of　it；　the　way　it　moved。　I　could　only　think　of　one　
possibility；　locked　in　horror　as　I　
was。　Yet　I'd　never　imagined　that　a　wolf　could　get　so　big。　
Another　growl　rumbled　in　its　throat；　and　I　shuddered　away　from　the　sound。　
Laurent　was　backing　toward　the　edge　of　the　trees；　and；　under　the　freezing　
terror；　confusion　swept　
through　me。　Why　was　Laurent　retreating？　Granted；　the　wolf　was　monstrous　in　
size；　but　it　was　just　an　
animal。　What　reason　would　a　vampire　have　for　fearing　an　animal？　And　Laurent　
was　afraid。　His　eyes　were　
wide　with　horror；　just　like　mine。　
As　if　in　answer　to　my　question；　suddenly　the　mammoth　wolf　was　not　alone。　
Flanking　it　on　either　side；　
another　two　gigantic　beasts　prowled　silently　into　the　meadow。　One　was　a　deep　
gray；　the　other　brown；　
neither　one　quite　as　tall　as　the　first。　The　gray　wolf　came　through　the　trees　
only　a　few　feet　from　me；　its　
eyes　locked　on　Laurent。　
Before　I　could　even　react；　two　more　wolves　followed；　lined　up　in　a　V；　like　
geese　flying　south。　Which　
meant　that　the　rusty　brown　monster　that　shrugged　through　the　brush　last　was　
close　enough　for　me　to　
touch。　
I　gave　an　involuntary　gasp　and　jumped　back—which　was　the　stupidest　thing　I　
could　have　done。　I　froze　
again；　waiting　for　the　wolves　to　turn　on　me；　the　much　weaker　of　the　available　
prey。　I　wished　briefly　that　
Laurent　would　get　on　with　it　and　crush　the　wolf　pack—it　should　be　so　simple　
for　him。　I　guessed　that；　
between　the　two　choices　before　me；　being　eaten　by　wolves　was　almost　certainly　
the　worse　option。　
The　wolf　closest　to　me；　the　reddish　brown　one；　turned　its　head　slightly　at　the　
sound　of　my　gasp。　
The　wolf's　eyes　were　dark；　nearly　black。　It　gazed　at　me　for　a　fraction　of　a　
second；　the　deep　eyes　seeming　
too　intelligent　for　a　wild　animal。　
As　it　stared　at　me；　I　suddenly　thought　of　Jacob—again；　with　gratitude。　At　
least　I'd　e　here　alone；　to　
this　fairytale　meadow　filled　with　dark　monsters。　At　least　Jacob　wasn't　going　
to　die；　too。　At　least　I　
wouldn't　have　his　death　on　my　hands。　
Then　another　low　growl　from　the　leader　caused　the　russet　wolf　to　whip　his　head　
around；　back　toward　
Laurent。　
Laurent　was　staring　at　the　pack　of　monster　wolves　with　unconcealed　shock　and　
fear。　The　first　I　could　
understand。　But　I　was　stunned　when；　without　warning；　he　spun　and　disappeared　
into　the　trees。　
He　ran　away。　
The　wolves　were　after　him　in　a　second；　sprinting　across　the　open　grass　with　a　
few　powerful　bounds；　
snarling　and　snapping　so　loudly　that　my　hands　flew　up　instinctively　to　cover　
my　ears。　The　sound　faded　
with　surprising　swiftness　once　they　disappeared　into　the　woods。　
And　then　I　was　alone　again。　
My　knees　buckled　under　me；　and　I　fell　onto　my　hands；　sobs　building　in　my　
throat。　
I　knew　I　needed　to　leave；　and　leave　now。　How　long　would　the　wolves　chase　
Laurent　before　they　
doubled　back　for　me？　Or　would　Laurent　turn　on　them？　Would　he　be　the　one　that　
came　looking？　
I　couldn't　move　at　first；　though；　my　arms　and　legs　were　shaking；　and　I　didn't　
know　how　to　get　back　to　
my　feet。　
My　mind　couldn't　move　past　the　fear；　the　horror　or　the　confusion。　I　didn't　
understand　what　I'd　just　
witnessed。　
A　vampire　should　not　have　run　from　overgrown　dogs　like　that。　What　good　would　
their　teeth　be　against　
his　granite　skin？　
And　the　wolves　should　have　given　Laurent　a　wide　berth。　Even　if　their　
extraordinary　size　had　taught　them　
to　fear　nothing；　it　still　made　no　sense　that　they　would　pursue　him。　I　doubted　
his　icy　marble　skin　would　
smell　anything　like　food。　Why　would　they　pass　up　something　warmblooded　and　
weak　like　me　to　chase　
after　Laurent？　
I　couldn't　make　it　add　up。　
A　cold　breeze　whipped　through　the　meadow；　swaying　the　grass　like　something　was　
moving　through　it。　
I　scrambled　to　my　feet；　backing　away　even　though　the　wind　brushed　harmlessly　
past　me。　Stumbling　in　
panic；　I　turned　and　ran　headlong　into　the　trees。　
The　next　few　hours　were　agony。　It　took　me　three　times　as　long　to　escape　the　
trees　as　it　had　to　get　to　the　
meadow。　
At　first　I　paid　no　attention　to　where　I　was　headed；　focused　only　on　what　I　was　
running　from　By　the　time　I　
collected　myself　enough　to　remember　the　pass；　I　was　deep　in　the　unfamiliar　
and　menacing　forest。　My　
hands　were　shaking　so　violently　that　I　had　to　set　the　pass　on　the　muddy　
ground　to　be　able　to　read　it。　
Every　few　minutes　I　would　stop　to　put　the　pass　dowr　and　check　that　I　was　
still　heading　northwest；　
hearing—when　the　sounds　weren't　hidden　behind　the　frantic　squelching　of　my　
footsteps—the　quiet　
whisper　of　unseen　things　moving　in　the　leaves。　
The　call　of　a　jaybird　made　me　leap　back　and　fall　into　a　thick　stand　of　young　
spruce；　scraping　up　my　arms　
and　tangling　my　hair　with　sap。　The　sudden　rush　of　a　squirrel　up　a　hemlock　made　
me　scream　so　loud　it　
hurt　my　own　ears。　
At　last　there　was　a　break　in　the　trees　ahead。　I　came　out　onto　the　empty　road　a　
mile　or　so　south　of　where　
I'd　left　the　truck。　Exhausted　as　I　was；　I　jogged　up　the　lane　until　I　found　it。　
By　the　time　I　pulled　myself　into　
the　cab；　I　was　sobbing　again。　I　fiercely　shoved　down　both　stiff　locks　before　I　
dug　my　keys　out　of　my　
pocket。　The　roar　of　the　engine　was　forting　and　sane。　It　helped　me　control　
the　tears　as　I　sped　as　fast　
as　my　truck　would　allow　toward　the　main　highway。　
I　was　calmer；　but　still　a　mess　when　I　got　home。　Charlie's　cruiser　was　in　the　
driveway—I　hadn't　realized　
how　late　it　was。　The　sky　was　already　dusky。　
〃Bella？〃　Charlie　asked　when　I　slammed　the　front　door　behind　me　and　hastily　
turned　the　locks。　
〃Yeah；　it's　me。〃　My　voice　was　unsteady。　
〃Where　have　you　been？〃　he　thundered；　appearing　through　the　kitchen　doorway　
with　an　ominous　
expression。　
I　hesitated。　He'd　probabl