5 midnigh+sun-第15节

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first　through　to　us。　　In　his　thoughts；　he　was　noting　that　I　looked　alert　and　calm。　　〃You　
okay；　kid？〃　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
63　

〃Perfect；　Brett。　　Nothing　touched　me。　　But　I'm　afraid　Bella　here　might　have　a　
concussion。　　She　really　hit　her　head　when　I　yanked　her　out　of　the　way？〃　
Brett　turned　his　attention　to　the　girl；　who　shot　me　a　fierce　look　of　betrayal。　　Oh；　
that　was　right。　　She　was　the　quiet　martyr—she'd　prefer　to　suffer　in　silence。　
She　did　not　contradict　my　story　immediately；　though；　and　this　made　me　feel　
easier。　
The　next　EMT　tried　to　insist　that　I　allow　myself　to　be　treated；　but　it　wasn't　too　
difficult　to　dissuade　him。　　I　promised　I　would　let　my　father　examine　me；　and　he　let　it　go。　
With　most　humans；　speaking　with　cool　assurance　was　all　that　was　needed。　　Most　humans；　
just　not　the　girl；　of　course。　　Did　she　fit　into　any　of　the　normal　patterns？　
As　they　put　a　neck　brace　on　her—and　her　face　flushed　scarlet　with　
embarrassment—I　used　the　moment　of　distraction　to　quietly　rearrange　the　shape　of　the　
dent　in　the　tan　car　with　the　back　of　my　foot。　　Only　my　siblings　noticed　what　I　was　doing；　
and　I　heard　Emmett's　mental　promise　to　catch　anything　I　missed。　
Grateful　for　his　help—and　more　grateful　that　Emmett；　at　least；　had　already　
forgiven　my　dangerous　choice—I　was　more　relaxed　as　I　climbed　into　the　front　seat　of　the　
ambulance　next　to　Brett。　
The　chief　of　police　arrived　before　they　had　gotten　Bella　into　the　back　of　the　
ambulance。　
Though　Bella's　father's　thoughts　were　past　words；　the　panic　and　concern　
emanating　out　of　the　man's　mind　drown　out　just　about　every　other　thought　in　the　vicinity。　
Wordless　anxiety　and　guilt；　a　great　swell　of　them；　washed　out　of　him　as　he　saw　his　only　
daughter　on　the　gurney。　
Washed　out　of　him　and　through　me；　echoing　and　growing　stronger。　　When　Alice　
had　warned　me　that　killing　Charlie　Swan's　daughter　would　kill　him；　too；　she　had　not　been　
exaggerating。　
My　head　bowed　with　that　guilt　as　I　listened　to　his　panicked　voice。　
〃Bella！〃　he　shouted。　
〃I'm　completely　fine；　Char—Dad。〃　　She　sighed。　　〃There's　nothing　wrong　with　
me。〃　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
64　

Her　assurance　barely　soothed　his　dread。　　He　turned　at　once　to　the　closest　EMT　and　
demanded　more　information。　
I　wasn't　until　I　heard　him　speaking；　forming　perfectly　coherent　sentences　despite　
his　panic；　that　I　realized　that　his　anxiety　and　concern　were　not　wordless。　　I　just？could　
not　hear　the　exact　words。　
Hmm。　　Charlie　Swan　was　not　as　silent　as　his　daughter；　but　I　could　see　where　she　
got　it　from。　　Interesting。　
I'd　never　spent　much　time　around　the　town's　police　chief。　　I'd　always　taken　him　
for　a　man　of　slow　thought—now　I　realized　that　I　was　the　one　who　was　slow。　　His　
thoughts　were　partially　concealed；　not　absent。　　I　could　only　make　out　the　tenor；　the　tone　
of　them？　
I　wanted　to　listen　harder；　to　see　if　I　could　find　in　this　new；　lesser　puzzle　the　key　to　
the　girl's　secrets。　　But　Bella　was　loaded　into　the　back　by　then；　and　the　ambulance　was　on　
its　way。　
It　was　hard　to　tear　myself　away　from　this　possible　solution　to　the　mystery　that　had　
come　to　obsess　me。　　But　I　had　to　think　now—to　look　at　what　had　been　done　today　from　
every　angle。　　I　had　to　listen；　to　make　sure　that　I　had　not　put　us　all　in　so　much　danger　that　
we　would　have　to　leave　immediately。　　I　had　to　concentrate。　
There　was　nothing　in　the　thoughts　of　the　EMTs　to　worry　me。　　As　far　as　they　could　
tell；　there　was　nothing　seriously　wrong　with　the　girl。　　And　Bella　was　sticking　to　the　story　
I'd　provided；　thus　far。　
The　first　priority；　when　we　reached　the　hospital；　was　to　see　Carlisle。　　I　hurried　
through　the　automatic　doors；　but　I　was　unable　to　totally　forgo　watching　after　Bella；　I　kept　
an　eye　on　her　through　the　paramedics'　thoughts。　
It　was　easy　to　find　my　father's　familiar　mind。　　He　was　in　his　small　office；　all　
alone—the　second　stroke　of　luck　in　this　luckless　day。　
〃Carlisle。〃　
He'd　heard　my　approach；　and　he　was　alarmed　as　soon　as　he　saw　my　face。　　He　
jumped　to　his　feet；　his　face　paling　to　bone　white。　　He　leaned　forward　across　the　neatly　
organized　walnut　desk。　
Edward—you　didn't—　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
65　

〃No；　no；　it's　not　that。〃　
He　took　deep　breath。　　Of　course　not。　　I'm　sorry　I　entertained　the　thought。　　Your　
eyes；　of　course；　I　should　have　known？　　He　noted　my　still…golden　eyes　with　relief。　
〃She's　hurt；　though；　Carlisle；　probably　not　seriously；　but—〃　
〃What　happened？〃　
〃A　stupid　car　accident。　　She　was　in　the　wrong　place　at　the　wrong　time。　　But　I　
couldn't　just　stand　there—let　it　crush　her—〃　
Start　over；　I　don't　understand。　　How　were　you　involved？　
〃A　van　skidded　across　the　ice；〃　I　whispered。　　I　stared　at　the　wall　behind　him　while　
I　spoke。　　Instead　of　a　throng　of　framed　diplomas；　he　had　one　simple　oil　painting—a　
favorite　of　his；　an　undiscovered　Hassam。　　〃She　was　in　the　way。　　Alice　saw　it　coming；　but　
there　wasn't　time　to　do　anything　but　really　run　across　the　lot　and　shove　her　out　of　the　
way。　　No　one　noticed？except　for　her。　　I　had　to　stop　the　van；　too；　but　again；　nobody　saw　
that？besides　her。　　I'm？I'm　sorry　Carlisle。　　I　didn't　mean　to　put　us　in　danger。〃　
He　circled　the　desk　and　put　his　hand　on　my　shoulder。　
You　did　the　right　thing。　　And　it　couldn't　have　been　easy　for　you。　　I'm　proud　of　you；　
Edward。　
I　could　look　him　in　the　eye　then。　　〃She　knows　there's　something？wrong　with　
me。〃　
〃That　doesn't　matter。　　If　we　have　to　leave；　we　leave。　　What　has　she　said？〃　
I　shook　my　head；　a　little　frustrated。　　〃Nothing　yet。〃　
Yet？　
〃She　agreed　to　my　version　of　events—but　she's　expecting　an　explanation。〃　
He　frowned；　pondering　this。　
〃She　hit　her　head—well；　I　did　that；〃　I　continued　quickly。　　〃I　knocked　her　to　the　
ground　fairly　hard。　　She　seems　fine；　but？　　I　don't　think　it　will　take　much　to　discredit　her　
account。〃　
I　felt　like　a　cad　just　saying　the　words。　
Carlisle　heard　the　distaste　in　my　voice。　　Perhaps　that　won't　be　necessary。　　Let's　
see　what　happens；　shall　we？　　It　sounds　like　I　have　a　patient　to　check　on。　
〃Please；〃　I　said。　　〃I'm　so　worried　that　I　hurt　her。〃　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
66　

Carlisle's　expression　brightened。　　He　smoothed　his　fair　hair—just　a　few　shades　
lighter　than　his　golden　eyes—and　he　laughed。　
It's　been　an　interesting　day　for　you；　hasn't　it？　　In　his　mind；　I　could　see　the　irony；　
and　it　was　humorous；　at　least　to　him。　　Quite　the　reversal　of　roles。　　Somewhere　during　that　
short　thoughtless　second　when　I'd　sprinted　across　the　icy　lot；　I　had　transformed　from　
killer　to　protector。　
I　laughed　with　him；　remembering　how　sure　I'd　been　that　Bella　would　never　need　
protecting　from　anything　more　than　myself。　　There　was　an　edge　to　my　laugh　because；　van　
notwithstanding；　that　was　still　entirely　true。　
I　waited　alone　in　Carlisle's　office—one　of　the　longer　hours　I　had　ever　lived—listening　to　
the　hospital　full　of　thoughts。　
Tyler　Crowley；　the　van's　driver；　looked　to　be　hurt　worse　than　Bella；　and　the　
attention　shifted　to　him　while　she　waited　her　turn　to　be　X…rayed。　　Carlisle　kept　in　the　
background；　trusting　the　PA's　diagnosis　that　the　girl　was　only　slightly　injured。　　This　made　
me　anxious；　but　I　knew　he　was　right。　　One　glance　at　his　face　and　she　would　be　
immediately　reminded　of　me；　of　the　fact　that　there　was　something　not　right　about　my　
family；　and　that　might　set　her　talking。　
She　certainly　had　a　willing　enough　partner　to　converse　with。　　Tyler　was　consumed　
with　guilt　over　the　fact　that　he　had　almost　killed　her；　and　he　couldn't　seem　to　shut　up　
about　it。　　I　could　see　her　expression　through　his　eyes；　and　it　was　clear　that　she　wished　he　
would　stop。　　How　did　he　not　see　that？　
There　was　a　tense　moment　for　me　when　Tyler　asked　her　how　she'd　gotten　out　of　
the　way。　
I　waited；　not　breathing；　as　she　hesitated。　
〃Um。。。〃　he　heard　her　say。　　Then　she　paused　for　so　long　that　Tyler　wondered　if　his　
question　had　confused　her。　　Finally；　she　went　on。　　〃Edward　pulled　me　out　of　the　way。〃　
I　exhaled。　　And　then　my　breathing　accelerated。　　I'd　never　heard　her　speak　my　
name　before。　　I　like　the　way　it　sounded—even　just　hearing　it　through　Tyler's　thoughts。　　I　
wanted　to　hear　it　for　myself？　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
67　

〃Edward　Cullen；〃　she　said；　when　Tyler　didn't　realize　who　she　meant。　　I　found　
myself　at　the　door；　my　hand　on　the　knob。　　The　desire　to　see　her　was　growing　stronger。　　I　
had　to　remind　myself　of　the　need　for　caution。　
〃He　was　standing　next　to　me。〃　
〃Cullen？〃　　Huh。　　That's　weird。　　〃I　didn't　see　him。〃　　I　could　have　sworn？　〃Wow；　
it　was　all　so　fast；　I　guess。　　Is　he　okay？〃　
〃I　think　so。　　He's　here　somewhere；　but　they　didn't　make　him　use　a　stretcher。〃　
I　saw　the　thoughtful　look　on　her　face；　the　suspicious　tightening　of　her　eyes；　but　
these　little　changes　in　her　expression　were　lost　on　Tyler。　
She's　pretty；　he　was　thinking；　almost　in　surprise。　　Even　all　messed　up。　　Not　my　
usual　type；　still？　　I　should　take　her　out。　　Make　up　for　today？　
I　was　out　in　the　hall；　then；　halfway　to　the　emergency　room；　without　thinking　for　
one　second　about　what　I　was　doing。　　Luckily；　the　nurse　entered　the　room　before　I　could—　
it　was　Bella's　turn　for　X…rays。　　I　leaned　against　the　wall　in　a　dark　nook　just　around　the　
corner；　and　tried　to　get　a　grip　on