《2 new+moon新月》第103章

around　him；　some　following；　and　some　walking　ahead　of　him　with　the　alert　manner　of　bodyguards）。　I　
couldn"t　decide　if　his　face　was　beautiful　or　not。　I　suppose　the　features　were　perfect。　But　he　was　as　
different　from　the　vampires　beside　him　as　they　were　from　me。　His　skin　was　translucently　white；　like　
onionskin；　and　it　looked　just　as　delicate—it　stood　in　shocking　contrast　to　the　long　black　hair　that　framed　
his　face。　I　felt　a　strange；　horrifying　urge　to　touch　his　cheek；　to　see　if　it　was　softer　than　Edward"s　or　
Alice"s；　or　if　it　was　powdery；　like　chalk。　His　eyes　were　red；　the　same　as　the　others　around　him；　but　the　
color　was　clouded；　milky；　I　wondered　if　his　vision　was　affected　by　the　haze。　
He　glided　to　Jane；　took　her　face　in　his　papery　hands；　kissed　her　lightly　on　her　full　lips；　and　then　floated　
back　a　step。　
〃Yes；　Master。〃　Jane　smiled；　the　expression　made　her　look　like　an　angelic　child。　〃I　brought　him　back　alive；　
just　as　you　wished。〃　
〃Ah；　Jane。〃　He　smiled；　too。　〃You　are　such　a　fort　to　me。〃　
He　turned　his　misty　eyes　toward　us；　and　the　smile　brightened—became　ecstatic。　
〃And　Alice　and　Bella；　too！〃　he　rejoiced；　clapping　his　thin　hands　together。　〃This　is　a　happy　surprise！　
Wonderful！〃　
I　stared　in　shock　as　he　called　our　names　informally；　as　if　we　were　old　friends　dropping　in　for　an　
unexpected　visit。　
He　turned　to　our　hulking　escort。　〃Felix；　be　a　dear　and　tell　my　brothers　about　our　pany。　I"m　sure　they　
wouldn"t　want　to　miss　this。〃　
〃Yes；　Master。〃　Felix　nodded　and　disappeared　back　the　way　we　had　e。　
〃You　see；　Edward？〃　The　strange　vampire　turned　and　smiled　at　Edward　like　a　fond　but　scolding　
grandfather。　〃What　did　I　tell　you？　Aren"t　you　glad　that　I　didn"t　give　you　what　you　wanted　yesterday？〃　
〃Yes；　Aro；　I　am；〃　he　agreed；　tightening　his　arm　around　my　waist。　
〃I　love　a　happy　ending。〃　Aro　sighed。　〃They　are　so　rare。　But　I　want　the　whole　story。　How　did　this　
happen？　Alice？〃　He　turned　to　gaze　at　Alice　with　curious；　misty　eyes。　〃Your　brother　seemed　to　think　you　
infallible；　but　apparently　there　was　some　mistake。〃　
〃Oh；　I"m　far　from　infallible。〃　She　flashed　a　dazzling　smile。　She　looked　perfectly　at　ease；　except　that　her　
hands　were　balled　into　tight　little　fists。　〃As　you　can　see　today；　I　cause　problems　as　often　as　I　cure　them。〃　
〃You"re　too　modest；〃　Aro　chided。　〃I"ve　seen　some　of　your　more　amazing　exploits；　and　I　must　admit　I"ve　
never　observed　anything　like　your　talent。　Wonderful！〃　
Alice　flickered　a　glance　at　Edward。　Aro　did　not　miss　it。　
〃I"m　sorry；　we　haven"t　been　introduced　properly　at　all；　have　we？　It"s　just　that　I　feel　like　I　know　you　
already；　and　I　tend　get　ahead　of　myself。　Your　brother　introduced　us　yesterday；　in　a　peculiar　way。　You　
see；　I　share　some　of　your　brother"s　talent；　only　I　am　limited　in　a　way　that　he　is　not。〃　Aro　shook　his　head；　
his　tone　was　envious。　
〃And　also　exponentially　more　powerful；〃　Edward　added　dryly。　He　looked　at　Alice　as　he　swiftly　
explained。　〃Aro　needs　physical　contact　to　hear　your　thoughts；　but　he　hears　much　more　than　I　do。　You　
know　I　can　only　hear　what"s　passing　through　your　head　in　the　moment。　Aro　hears　every　thought　your　
mind　has　ever　had。〃　
Alice　raised　her　delicate　eyebrows；　and　Edward　inclined　his　head。　
Aro　didn"t　miss　that　either。　
〃But　to　be　able　to　hear　from　a　distance…〃　Aro　sighed；　gesturing　toward　the　two　of　them；　and　the　
exchange　that　had　just　taken　place。　〃That　would　be　so　convenient。〃　
Aro　looked　over　our　shoulders。　All　the　other　heads　turned　in　the　same　direction；　including　Jane；　Alec；　
and　Demetri；　who　stood　silently　beside　us。　
I　was　the　slowest　to　turn。　Felix　was　back；　and　behind　him　floated　two　more　blackrobed　men。　Both　
looked　very　much　like　Aro；　one　even　had　the　same　flowing　black　hair。　The　other　had　a　shock　of　
snowwhite　hair—the　same　shade　as　his　face—that　brushed　against　his　shoulders。　Their　faces　had　
identical；　paperthin　skin。　
The　trio　from　Carlisle"s　painting　was　plete；　unchanged　by　the　last　three　hundred　years　since　it　was　
painted。　
〃Marcus；　Caius；　look！〃　Aro　crooned。　〃Bella　is　alive　after　all；　and　Alice　is　here　with　her！　Isn"t　that　
wonderful？〃　
Neither　of　the　other　two　looked　as　if　wonderful　would　be　their　first　choice　of　words。　The　darkhaired　
man　seemed　utterly　bored；　like　he"d　seen　too　many　millennia　of　Aro"s　enthusiasm。　The　other"s　hice　was　
sour　under　the　snowy　hair。　
Their　lack　of　interest　did　not　curb　Aro"s　enjoyment。　
〃Let　us　have　the　story；〃　Aro　almost　sang　in　his　feathery　voice。　
The　whitehaired　ancient　vampire　drifted　away；　gliding　toward　one　of　the　wooden　thrones。　The　other　
paused　beside　Aro；　and　he　reached　his　hand　out；　at　first　I　thought　to　take　Aro"s　hand。　But　he　just　
touched　Aro"s　palm　briefly　and　then　dropped　his　hand　to　his　side。　Aro　raised　one　black　brow。　I　
wondered　how　his　papery　skin　did　not　crumple　in　the　effort。　
Edward　snorted　very　quietly；　and　Alice　looked　at　him；　curious。　
〃Thank　you；　Marcus；〃　Aro　said。　〃That"s　quite　interesting。〃　
I　realized；　a　second　late；　that　Marcus　was　letting　Aro　know　his　thoughts。　
Marcus　didn"t　look　interested。　He　glided　away　from　Aro　to　join　the　one　who　must　be　Caius；　seated　
against　the　wall。　Two　of　the　attending　vampires　followed　silently　behind　him—bodyguards；　like　I"d　
thought　before。　I　could　see　that　the　two　women　in　the　sundresses　had　gone　to　stand　beside　Caius　in　the　
same　manner。　The　idea　of　any　vampire　needing　a　guard　was　faintly　ridiculous　to　me；　but　maybe　the　
ancient　ones　were　as　frail　as　their　skin　suggested。　
Aro　was　shaking　his　head。　〃Amazing；〃"　he　said。　〃Absolutely　amazing。〃　
Alice"s　expression　was　frustrated。　Edward　turned　to　her　and　explained　again　in　a　swift；　low　voice。　
〃Marcus　sees　relationships。　He"s　surprised　by　the　intensity　of　ours。〃　
Aro　smiled。　〃So　convenient；〃　he　repeated　to　himself。　Then　he　spoke　to　us。　〃It　takes　quite　a　bit　to　surprise　
Marcus；　I　can　assure　you。〃　
I　looked　at　Marcus"s　dead　face；　and　I　believed　that。　
〃It"s　just　so　difficult　to　understand；　even　now；〃　Aro　mused；　staring　at　Edward"s　arm　wrapped　around　me。　
It　was　hard　for　me　to　follow　Aro"s　chaotic　train　of　thought。　I　struggled　to　keep　up。　〃How　can　you　stand　
so