new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第63章

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antagonize　them　unless　you　
wanted　to　die；〃　I　whispered。　The　last　word　was　hard　to　choke　out。　
〃You　have　to　understand；〃　she　said；　her　voice　slower；　more　measured　now。　〃We　
Cullens　are　unique　in　
more　ways　than　you　know。　It's　abnormal　for　so　many　of　us　to　live　together　in　
peace。　It's　the　same　for　
Tanya's　family　in　the　north；　and　Carlisle　speculates　that　abstaining　makes　it　
easier　for　us　to　be　civilized；　to　
form　bonds　based　on　love　rather　than　survival　or　convenience。　Even　James's　
little　coven　of　three　was　
unusually　large—and　you　saw　how　easily　Laurent　left　them。　Our　kind　travel　
alone；　or　in　pairs；　as　a　
general　rule。　Carlisle's　family　is　the　biggest　in　existence；　as　far　as　I　know；　
with　the　one　exception。　The　
Volturi。　
〃There　were　three　of　them　originally；　Aro；　Caius；　and　Marcus。〃　
〃I've　seen　them；〃　I　mumbled。　〃In　the　picture　in　Carlisle's　study。〃　
Alice　nodded。　〃Two　females　joined　them　over　time；　and　the　five　of　them　make　up　
the　family。　I'm　not　sure；　
but　I　suspect　that　their　age　is　what　gives　them　the　ability　to　live　peacefully　
together。　They　are　well　over　
three　thousand　years　old。　Or　maybe　it's　their　gifts　that　give　them　extra　
tolerance。　Like　Edward　and　I；　Aro　
and　Marcus　are　talented。〃　
She　continued　before　I　could　ask。　〃Or　maybe　it's　just　their　love　of　power　that　
binds　them　together。　
Royalty　is　an　apt　description。〃　
〃But　if　there　are　only　five—〃　
〃Five　that　make　up　the　family；〃　she　corrected。　〃That　doesn't　include　their　
guard。〃　
I　took　a　deep　breath。　〃That　sounds　serious。〃　
〃Oh；　it　is；〃　she　assured　me。　〃There　were　nine　members　of　the　guard　that　were　
permanent；　the　last　time　we　
heard。　Others　are　more　transitory。　It　changes。　And　many　of　them　are　gifted　
as　well—with　formidable　
gifts；　gifts　that　make　what　I　can　do　look　like　a　parlor　trick。　The　Volturi　
chose　them　for　their　abilities；　
physical　or　otherwise。〃　
I　opened　my　mouth；　and　then　closed　it。　I　didn't　think　I　wanted　to　know　how　bad　
the　odds　were。　
She　nodded　again；　as　if　she　understood　exactly　what　I　was　thinking。　〃They　
don't　get　into　too　many　
confrontations。　No　one　is　stupid　enough　to　mess　with　them。　They　stay　in　their　
city；　leaving　only　as　duty　
calls。〃　
〃Duty？〃　I　wondered。　
〃Didn't　Edward　tell　you　what　they　do？〃　
〃No；〃　I　said；　feeling　the　blank　expression　on　my　face。　
Alice　looked　over　my　head　again；　toward　the　businessman；　and　put　her　wintry　
lips　back　to　my　ear。　
〃There's　a　reason　he　called　them　royalty　the　ruling　class。　Over　the　
millennia；　they　have　assumed　the　
position　of　enforcing　our　rules—which　actually　translates　to　punishing　
transgressors。　They　fulfill　that　duty　
decisively。〃　
My　eyes　popped　wide　with　shock。　〃There　are　rules？〃　I　asked　in　a　voice　that　was　
too　loud。　
〃Shh！〃　
〃Shouldn't　somebody　have　mentioned　this　to　me　earlier？〃　I　whispered　angrily。　
〃I　mean；　I　wanted　to　be　
a　to　be　one　of　you！　Shouldn't　somebody　have　explained　the　rules　to　me？〃　
Alice　chuckled　once　at　my　reaction。　〃It's　not　that　plicated；　Bella。　There's　
only　one　core　
restriction—and　if　you　think　about　it；　you　can　probably　figure　it　out　for　
yourself。〃　
I　thought　about　it。　〃Nope；　I　have　no　idea。〃　
She　shook　her　head；　disappointed。　〃Maybe　it's　too　obvious。　We　just　have　to　
keep　our　existence　a　
secret。〃　
〃Oh；〃　I　mumbled。　It　was　obvious。　
〃It　makes　sense；　and　most　of　us　don't　need　policing；〃　she　continued。　〃But；　
after　a　few　centuries；　
sometimes　one　of　us　gets　bored。　Or　crazy。　I　dor't　know。　And　then　the　Volturi　
step　in　before　it　can　
promise　them；　or　the　rest　of　us。〃　
〃So　Edward〃　
〃Is　planning　to　flout　that　in　their　own　city—the　city　they've　secretly　held　
for　three　thousand　years；　since　
the　time　of　the　Etruscans。　They　are　so　protective　of　their　city　that　they　
don't　allow　hunting　within　its　walls。　
Volterra　is　probably　the　safest　city　in　the　world—from　vampire　attack　at　the　
very　least。〃　
〃But　you　said　they　didn't　leave。　How　do　they　eat？〃　
〃They　don't　leave。　They　bring　in　their　food　from　the　outside；　from　quite　far　
away　sometimes。　It　gives　their　
guard　something　to　do　when　they're　not　out　annihilating　mavericks。　Or　
protecting　Volterra　from　
exposure〃　
〃From　situations　like　this　one；　like　Edward；〃　I　finished　her　sentence。　It　was　
amazingly　easy　to　say　his　
name　now。　I　wasn't　sure　what　the　difference　was。　Maybe　because　I　wasn't　really　
planning　on　living　much　
longer　without　seeing　him。　Or　at　all；　if　we　were　too　late。　It　was　forting　
to　know　that　I　would　have　an　
easy　out。　
〃I　doubt　they've　ever　had　a　situation　quite　like　this；〃　she　muttered；　
disgusted。　〃You　don't　get　a　lot　of　
suicidal　vampires。〃　
The　sound　that　escaped　out　of　my　mouth　was　very　quiet；　but　Alice　seemed　to　
understand　that　it　was　a　
cry　of　pain。　She　wrapped　her　thin；　strong　arm　around　my　shoulders。　
〃We'll　do　what　we　can；　Bella。　It's　not　over　yet。〃　
〃Not　yet。〃　I　let　her　fort　me；　though　I　knew　she　thought　our　chances　were　
poor。　〃And　the　Volturi　will　
get　us　if　we　mess　up。〃　
Alice　stiffened。　〃You　say　that　like　it's　a　good　thing。〃　
I　shrugged。　
〃Knock　it　off；　Bella；　or　we're　turning　around　in　New　York　and　going　back　to　
Forks。〃　
〃What？〃　
〃You　know　what。　If　we're　too　late　for　Edward；　I'm　going　to　do　my　damnedest　to　
get　you　back　to　
Charlie；　and　I　don't　want　any　trouble　from　you。　Do　you　understand　that？〃　
〃Sure；　Alice。〃　
She　pulled　back　slightly　so　that　she　could　glare　at　me。　〃No　trouble。〃　
〃Scout's　honor；〃　I　muttered。　
She　rolled　her　eyes。　
〃Let　me　concentrate；　now。　I'm　trying　to　see　what　he's　planning。〃　
She　left　her　arm　around　me；　but　let　her　head　fall　back　against　the　seat　and　
closed　her　eyes。　She　pressed　
her　free　hand　to　the　side　of　her　face；　rubbing　her　fingertips　against　her　
temple。　
I　watched　her　in　fascination　for　a　long　time。　Eventually；　she　became　utterly　
motionless；　hei　face　like　a　
stone　sculpture。　The　minutes　passed；　and　if　I　didn't　know　better；　I　would　have　
thought　she'd　fallen　asleep。　
I　didn't　dare　interrupt　her　to　ask　what　was　going　on。　
I　wished　there　was　something　safe　for　me　to　think　about。　I　couldn't　allow　
myself　to　consider　the　horrors　
we　were　headed　toward；　or；　more　horrific　yet；　the　chance　that　we　might　fail—
not　if　I　wanted　to　keep　
from　screaming　aloud。　
I　couldn't　anticipate　anything；　either。　Maybe；　if　I　were　very；　very；　very　
lucky；　I　would　somehow　be　able　
to　save　Edward。　But　I　wasn't　so　stupid　as　to　think　that　saving　him　would　mean　
that　I　could　stay　with　him。　
I　was　no　different；　no　more　special　than　I'd　been　before。　There　would　be　no　
new　reason　for　him　to　want　
me　now。　Seeing　him　and　losing　him　again　
I　fought　back　against　the　pain。　This　was　the　price　I　had　to　pay　to　save　his　
life。　I　would　pay　it。　
They　showed　a　movie；　and　my　neighbor　got　headphones。　Sometimes　I　watched　the　
figures　moving　
across　the　little　screen；　but　I　couldn't　even　tell　if　the　movie　was　supposed　
to　be　a　romance　or　a　horror　
film。　
After　an　eternity；　the　plane　began　to　descend　toward　New　York　City。　Alice　
remained　in　her　trance。　I　
dithered；　reaching　out　to　touch　her；　only　to　pull　my　hand　back　again。　This　
happened　a　dozen　times　before　
the　plane　touched　town　with　a　jarring　impact。　
〃Alice；〃　I　finally　said。　〃Alice；　we　have　to　go。〃　
I　touched　her　arm。　
Her　eyes　came　open　very　slowly。　She　shook　her　head　from　side　to　side　for　a　
moment。　
〃Anything　new？〃　I　asked　in　a　low　voice；　conscious　of　the　man　listening　on　the　
other　side　of　me。　
〃Not　exactly；〃　she　breathed　in　a　voice　I　could　barely　catch。　〃He's　getting　
closer。　He's　deciding　how　he's　
going　to　ask。〃　
We　had　to　run　for　our　connection；　but　that　was　good—better　than　having　to　
wait。　As　soon　as　the　plane　
was　in　the　air；　Alice　closed　her　eyes　and　slid　back　into　the　same　stupor　as　
before。　I　waited　as　patiently　as　
I　could。　When　it　was　dark　again；　I　opened　the　window　to　stare　out　into　the　
flat　black　that　was　no　better　
than　the　window　shade。　
I　was　grateful　that　I'd　had　so　many　months'　practice　with　controlling　my　
thoughts。　Instead　of　dwelling　on　
the　terrifying　possibilities　that；　no　matter　what　Alice　said；　I　did　not　intend　
to　survive；　I　concentrated　on　
lesser　problems。　Like；　what　I　was　going　to　say　to　Charlie　if　I　got　back：'　That　
was　a　thorny　enough　
problem　to　occupy　several　hours。　And　Jacob？　He'd　promised　to　wait　for　me；　but　
did　that　promise　still　
apply？　Would　I　end　up　home　alone　in　Forks；　with　no　one　at　all？　Maybe　I　didn't　
want　to　survive；　no　
matter　what　happened。　
It　felt　like　seconds　later　when　Alice　shook　my　shoulder—I　hadn't　realized　I'd　
fallen　asleep。　
〃Bella；〃　she　hissed；　her　voice　a　little　too　loud　in　the　darkened　cabin　full　of　
sleeping　humans。　
I　wasn't　disoriented—I　hadn't　been　out　long　enough　for　that。　
〃What's　wrong？〃　
Alice's　eyes　gleamed　in　the　dim　light　of　a　reading　lamp　in　the　row　behind　us。　
〃It's　not　wrong。〃　She　smiled　fiercely。　〃It's　right。　They're　deliberating；　but　
they've　decided　to　tell　him　no。〃　
〃The　Volturi？〃　I　muttered；　groggy。　
〃Of　course；　Bella；　keep　up。　I　can　see　what　they're　going　to　say。〃　
〃Tellme。〃　
An　attendant　tiptoed　down　the　aisle　to　us。　〃Can　I　get　you　ladies　a　pillow？〃　
His　hushed　whisper　was　a　
rebuke　to　our　paratively　loud　conversation。　
〃No；　thank　you。〃　Alice　beamed　at　up　at　him；　her　smile　shocking