《2 new+moon新月》第97章

I　probably　should　have　watched　out　the　window　as　first　the　city　of　Florence　and　then　the　Tuscan　
landscape　flashed　past　with　blurring　speed。　This　was　my　first　trip　anywhere；　and　maybe　my　last；　too。　But　
Alice"s　driving　frightened　me；　despite　the　fact　that　I　knew　I　could　trust　her　behind　the　wheel。　And　I　was　
too　tortured　with　anxiety　to　really　see　the　hills　or　the　walled　towns　that　looked　like　castles　in　the　distance。　
〃Do　you　see　anything　more？〃　
〃There"s　something　going　on；〃　Alice　muttered。　〃Some　kind　of　festival。　The　streets　are　full　of　people　and　
red　flags。　What"s　the　date　today？〃　
I　wasn"t　entirely　sure。　〃The　nieenth；　maybe？〃　
〃Well；　that"s　ironic。　It"s　Saint　Marcus　Day。〃　
〃Which　means？〃　
She　chuckled　darkly。　〃The　city　holds　a　celebration　every　year。　As　the　legend　goes；　a　Christian　
missionary；　a　Father　Marcus—Marcus　of　the　Voltun；　in　fact—drove　all　the　vampires　from　Volterra　
fifteen　hundred　years　ago。　The　story　claims　he　was　martyred　in　Romania；　still　trying　to　drive　away　the　
vampire　scourge。　Of　course　that"s　nonsense—he"s　never　left　the　city。　But　that"s　where　some　of　the　
superstitions　about　things　like　crosses　and　garlic　e　from。　Father　Marcus　used　them　so　successfully。　
And　vampires　don"t　trouble　Volterra；　so　they　must　work。〃　Her　smile　was　sardonic。　〃It"s　bee　more　of　
a　celebration　of　the　city；　and　recognition　for　the　police　force—after　all；　Volterra　is　an　amazingly　safe　city。　
The　police　get　the　credit。〃　
I　was　realizing　what　she　meant　when　she"d　said　ironic。　〃They"re　not　going　to　be　very　happy　if　Edward　
messes　things　up　for　them　on　St。　Marcus　Day；　are　they？〃　
She　shook　her　head；　her　expression　grim。　〃No。　They"ll　act　very　quickly。〃　
I　looked　away；　fighting　against　my　teeth　as　they　tried　to　break　through　the　skin　of　my　lower　lip。　Bleeding　
was　not　the　best　idea　right　now。　
The　sun　was　terrifyingly　high　in　the　pale　blue　sky。　
〃He"s　still　planning　on　noon？〃　I　checked。　
〃Yes。　He"s　decided　to　wait。　And　they"re　waiting　for　him。〃　
〃Tell　me　what　I　have　to　do。〃　
She　kept　her　eyes　on　the　winding　road—the　needle　on　the　speedometer　was　touching　the　far　right　on　the　
dial。　
〃You　don"t　have　to　do　anything。　He　just　has　to　see　you　before　he　moves　into　the　light。　And　he　has　to　see　
you　before　he　sees　me。〃　
〃How　are　we　going　to　work　that？〃　
A　small　red　car　seemed　to　be　racing　backward　as　Alice　zoomed　around　it。　
〃I"m　going　to　get　you　as　close　as　possible；　and　then　you"re　going　to　run　in　the　direction　I　point　you。〃　
I　nodded。　
〃Try　not　to　trip；〃　she　added。　〃We　don"t　have　time　for　a　concussion　today。〃　
I　groaned。　That　would　be　just　like　me—ruin　everything；　destroy　the　world；　in　a　moment　of　klutziness。　
The　sun　continued　to　climb　in　the　sky　while　Alice　raced　against　it。　It　was　too　brigh：；　and　that　had　me　
panicking。　Maybe　he　wouldn"t　feel　the　need　to　wait　for　noon　after　all。　
〃There；〃　Alice　said　abruptly；　pointing　to　the　castle　city　atop　the　closest　hill。　
I　stared　at　it；　feeling　the　very　first　hint　of　a　new　kind　of　fear。　Every　minute　since　yesterday　morning—it　
seemed　like　a　week　ago—when　Alice　had　spoken　his　name　at　the　foot　of　the　stairs；　there　had　been　only　
one　fear。　And　yet；　now；　as　I　stared　at　the　ancient　sienna　walls　and　towers　crowning　the　peak　of　the　steep　
hill；　I　felt　another；　more　selfish　kind　of　dread　thrill　through　me。　
I　supposed　the　city　was　very　beautiful。　It　absolutely　terrified　me。　
〃Volterra；〃　Alice　announced　in　a　flat；　icy　voice。　
20。　VOLTERRA　
WE　BEGAN　THE　STEEP　CLIMB；　AND　THE　ROAD　GREW　CONGESTED。　As　we　wound　higher；　
the　cars　became　too　close　together　for　Alice　to　weave　insanely　between　them　anymore。　We　slowed　to　a　
crawl　behind　a　little　tan　Peugeot。　
〃Alice；〃　I　moaned。　The　clock　on　the　dash　seemed　to　be　speeding　up。　
〃It"s　the　only　way　in；〃　she　tried　soothe　me。　But　her　voice　was　too　strained　to　fort。　
The　cars　continued　to　edge　forward；　one　car　length　at　a　time。　The　sun　beamed　down　brilliantly；　seeming　
already　overhead。　
The　cars　crept　one　by　one　toward　the　city。　As　we　got　closer；　I　could　see　cars　parked　by　the　side　of　the　
road　with　people　getting　out　to　walk　the　test　of　the　way。　At　first　I　thought　it　was　just　
impatience—something　I　could　easily　understand。　But　then　we　came　around　a　switchback；　and　I　could　
see　the　filled　parking　lot　outside　the　city　wall；　the　crowds　of　people　walking　through　the　gates。　No　one　
was　being　allowed　to　drive　through。　
〃Alice；〃　I　whispered　urgently。　
〃I　know；〃　she　said。　Her　face　was　chiseled　from　ice。　
Now　that　I　was　looking；　and　we　were　crawling　slowly　enough　to　see；　I　could　tell　that　it　was　very　windy。　
The　people　crowding　toward　the　gate　gripped　their　hats　and　tugged　their　hair　out　of　their　faces。　Their　
clothes　billowed　around　them。　I　also　noticed　that　the　color　red　was　everywhere。　Red　shirts；　red　hats；　red　
flags　dripping　like　long　ribbons　beside　the　gate；　whipping　in　the　wind—as　I　watched；　the　brilliant　crimson　
scarf　one　woman　had　tied　around　her　hair　was　caught　in　a　sudden　gust。　It　twisted　up　into　the　air　above　
her；　writhing　like　it　was　alive。　She　reached　for　it；　jumping　in　the　air；　but　it　continued　to　flutter　higher；　a　
patch　of　bloody　color　against　the　dull；　ancient　walls。　
〃Bella。〃　Alice　spoke　quickly　in　a　fierce；　low　voice。　〃I　can"t　see　what　the　guard　here　will　decide　now—if　
this　doesn"t　work；　you"re　going　to　have　to　go　in　alone。　You"re　going　to　have　to　run。　Just　keep　asking　for　
the　Palazzo　dei　Priori；　and　running　in　the　direction　they　tell　you。　Don"t　get　lost。〃　
〃Palazzo　dei　Priori；　Palazzo　dei　Priori；〃　I　repeated　the　name　over　and　over　again；　trying　to　get　it　down。　
〃Or　"the　clock　tower；"　if　they　speak　English。　I"ll　go　around　and　try　to　find　a　secluded　spot　somewhere　
behind　the　city　where　I　can　go　over　the　wall。〃　
I　nodded。　〃Palazzo　dei　Priori。〃　
〃Edward　will　be　under　the　clock　tower；　to　the　north　of　the　square。　There"s　a　narrow　alleyway　on　the　
right；　and　he"ll　be　in　the　shadow　there。　You　have　to　get　his　attention　before　he　can　move　into　the　sun。〃　
I　nodded　furiously。　
Alice　was　near　the　front　of　the　line。　A　man　in　a　navy　blue　uniform　was　directing　the　flow　of　traffic；　turning