《2 new+moon新月》第99章

sprayed　all　around　me　as　I　thrashed　my　way　across　the　pool。　Even　in　the　sun；　the　wind　was　glacial；　and　
the　wet　made　the　cold　actually　painful。　But　the　fountain　was　very　wide；　it　let　me　cross　the　center　of　the　
square　and　then　some　in　mere　seconds。　I　didn"t　pause　when　I　hit　the　far　edge—I　used　the　low　wall　as　a　
springboard；　throwing　myself　into　the　crowd。　
They　moved　more　readily　for　me　now；　avoiding　the　icy　water　that　splattered　from　my　dripping　clothes　as　
I　ran。　I　glanced　up　at　the　clock　again。　
A　deep；　booming　chime　echoed　through　the　square。　It　throbbed　in　the　stones　under　my　feet。　Children　
cried；　covering　their　ears。　And　I　started　screaming　as　I　ran。　
〃Edward！〃　I　screamed；　knowing　it　was　useless。　The　crowd　was　too　loud；　and　my　voice　was　breathless　
with　exertion。　But　I　couldn"t　stop　screaming。　
The　clock　tolled　again。　I　ran　past　a　child　in　his　mother"s　arms—his　hair　was　almost　white　in　the　dazzling　
sunlight。　A　circle　of　tall　men；　all　wearing　red　blazers；　called　out　warnings　as　I　barreled　through　them。　The　
clock　tolled　again。　
On　the　other　side　of　the　men　in　blazers；　there　was　a　break　in　the　throng；　space　between　the　sightseers　
who　milled　aimlessly　around　me。　My　eyes　searched　the　dark　narrow　passage　to　the　right　of　the　wide　
square　edifice　under　the　tower。　I　couldn"t　see　the　street　level—there　were　still　too　many　people　in　the　
way。　The　clock　tolled　again。　
It　was　hard　to　see　now。　Without　the　crowd　to　break　the　wind；　it　whipped　at　my　face　and　burned　my　
eyes。　I　couldn"t　be　sure　if　that　was　the　reason　behind　my　tears；　or　if　I　was　crying　in　defeat　as　the　clock　
tolled　again。　
A　little　family　of　four　stood　nearest　to　the　alley"s　mouth。　The　two　girls　wore　crimson　dresses；　with　
matching　ribbons　tying　their　dark　hair　back。　The　father　wasn"t　tall。　It　seemed　like　I　could　see　something　
bright　in　the　shadows；　just　over　his　shoulder。　I　hurtled　toward　them；　trying　to　see　past　the　stinging　tears。　
The　clock　tolled；　and　the　littlest　girl　clamped　her　hands　over　her　ears。　
The　older　girl；　just　waist　high　on　her　mother；　hugged　her　mother"s　leg　and　stared　into　the　shadows　behind　
them。　As　I　watched；　she　tugged　on　her　mother"s　elbow　and　pointed　toward　the　darkness。　The　clock　
tolled；　and　I　was　so　close　now。　
I　was　close　enough　to　hear　her　highpitched　voice。　Her　father　stared　at　me　in　surprise　as　I　bore　down　on　
them；　rasping　out　Edward"s　name　over　and　over　again。　
The　older　girl　giggled　and　said　something　to　her　mother；　gesturing　toward　the　shadows　again　impatiently。　
I　swerved　around　the　father—he　clutched　the　baby　out　of　my　way—and　sprinted　for　the　gloomy　breach　
behind　them　as　the　clock　tolled　over　my　head。　
〃Edward；　no！〃　I　screamed；　but　my　voice　was　lost　in　the　roar　of　the　chime。　
I　could　see　him　now。　And　I　could　see　that　he　could　not　see　me。　
It　was　really　him；　no　hallucination　this　time。　And　I　realized　that　my　delusions　were　more　flawed　than　I"d　
realized；　they"d　never　done　him　justice。　
Edward　stood；　motionless　as　a　statue；　just　a　few　feet　from　the　mouth　of　the　alley。　His　eyes　were　closed；　
the　rings　underneath　them　deep　purple；　his　arms　relaxed　at　his　sides；　his　palms　turned　forward。　His　
expression　was　very　peaceful；　like　he　was　dreaming　pleasant　things。　The　marble　skin　of　his　chest　was　
bare—there　was　a　small　pile　of　white　fabric　at　his　feet。　The　light　reflecting　from　the　pavement　of　the　
square　gleamed　dimly　from　his　skin。　
I"d　never　seen　anything　more　beautiful—even　as　I　ran；　gasping　and　screaming；　I　could　appreciate　that。　
And　the　last　seven　months　meant　nothing。　And　his　words　in　the　forest　meant　nothing。　And　it　did　not　
matter　if　he　did　not　want　me。　I　would　never　want　anything　but　him；　no　matter　how　long　I　lived。　
The　clock　tolled；　and　he　took　a　large　stride　toward　the　light。　
〃No！〃　I　screamed。　〃Edward；　look　at　me！〃　
He　wasn"t　listening。　He　smiled　very　slightly。　He　raised　his　foot　to　take　the　step　that　would　put　him　directly　
in　the　path　of　the　sun。　
I　slammed　into　him　so　hard　that　the　force　would　have　hurled　me　to　the　ground　if　his　arms　hadn"t　caught　
me　and　held　me　up。　It　knocked　my　breath　out　of　me　and　snapped　my　head　back。　
His　dark　eyes　opened　slowly　as　the　clock　tolled　again。　
He　looked　down　at　me　with　quiet　surprise。　
〃Amazing；〃　he　said；　his　exquisite　voice　full　of　wonder；　slightly　amused。　〃Carlisle　was　right。〃　
〃Edward；〃　I　tried　to　gasp；　but　my　voice　had　no　sound。　〃You"ve　got　to　get　back　into　the　shadows。　You　
have　to　move！〃　
He　seemed　bemused。　His　hand　brushed　softly　against　my　cheek。　He　didn"t　appear　to　notice　that　I　was　
trying　to　force　him　back。　I　could　have　been　pushing　against　the　alley　walls　for　all　the　progress　I　was　
making。　The　clock　tolled；　but　he　didn"t　react。　
It　was　very　strange；　for　I　knew　we　were　both　in　mortal　danger。　Still；　in　that　instant；　I　felt　well。　Whole。　I　
could　feel　my　heart　racing　in　my　chest；　the　blood　pulsing　hot　and　fast　through　my　veins　again。　My　lungs　
filled　deep　with　the　sweet　scent　that　came　off　his　skin。　It　was　like　there　had　never　been　any　hole　in　my　
chest。　I　was　perfect—not　healed；　but　as　if　there　had　been　no　wound　in　the　first　place。　
〃I　can"t　believe　how　quick　it　was。　I　didn"t　feel　a　thing—they"re　very　good；〃　he　mused；　closing　his　eyes　
again　and　pressing　his　lips　against　my　hair。　His　voice　was　like　honey　and　velvet。　〃Death；　that　hath　
sucked　the　honey　of　thy　breath；　hath　had　no　power　yet　upon　thy　beauty；〃　he　murmured；　and　I　
recognized　the　line　spoken　by　Romeo　in　the　tomb。　The　clock　boomed　out　its　final　chime　〃You　smell　just　
exactly　the　same　as　always；〃　he　went　on。　〃So　maybe　this　is　hell。　I　don"t　care。　I"ll　take　it。〃　
〃I"m　not　dead；〃　I　interrupted。　〃And　neither　are　you！　Please　Edward；　we　have　to　move。　They　can"t　be　far　
away！〃　
I　struggled　in　his　arms；　and　his　brow　furrowed　in　confusion。　
〃What　was　that？〃　he　asked　politely。　
〃We"re　not　dead；　not　yet！　But　we　have　to　get　out　of　here　before　the　Volturi—〃　
prehension　flickered　on　his　face　as　I　spoke。　Before　I　could　finish；　he　suddenly　yanked　me　away　
from　the　edge　of　the　shadows；　spinning　me　effortlessly　so　that　my　back　was　tight　against　the　brick　wall；　
and　his　back　was　to