5 midnigh+sun-第32节

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room；　more　angry　than　embarrassed。　　But　certainly　quite　embarrassed。　
If　you　say　anything　I　will　hunt　you　like　a　dog。　
I　smothered　another　laugh。　
〃What's　wrong；　Rose？〃　Emmett　called　after　her。　　Rosalie　didn't　turn。　　She　
continued；　back　ramrod　straight；　to　the　garage　and　then　squirmed　under　her　car　as　if　she　
could　bury　herself　there。　
〃What's　that　about？〃　　Emmett　asked　me。　
〃I　don't　have　the　faintest　idea；〃　I　lied。　
Emmett　grumbled；　frustrated。　
〃Keep　playing；〃　Esme　urged。　　My　hands　had　paused　again。　
I　did　as　she　asked；　and　she　came　to　stand　behind　me；　putting　her　hands　on　my　
shoulders。　
The　song　was　compelling；　but　incomplete。　　I　toyed　with　a　bridge；　but　it　didn't　
seem　right　somehow。　
〃It's　charming。　　Does　it　have　a　name？〃　　Esme　asked。　
〃Not　yet。〃　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
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〃Is　there　a　story　to　it？〃　she　asked；　a　smile　in　her　voice。　　This　gave　her　very　great　
pleasure；　and　I　felt　guilty　for　having　neglected　my　music　for　so　long。　　It　had　been　selfish。　
〃It's？a　lullaby；　I　suppose。〃　　I　got　the　bridge　right　then。　　It　led　easily　to　the　next　
movement；　taking　on　a　life　of　its　own。　
〃A　lullaby；〃　she　repeated　to　herself。　
There　was　a　story　to　this　melody；　and　once　I　saw　that；　the　pieces　fell　into　place　
effortlessly。　　The　story　was　a　sleeping　girl　in　a　narrow　bed；　dark　hair　thick　and　wild　and　
twisted　like　seaweed　across　the　pillow？　
Alice　left　Jasper　to　his　own　devices　and　came　to　sit　next　to　me　on　the　bench。　　In　
her　trilling；　wind　chime　voice；　she　sketched　out　a　wordless　descant　two　octaves　above　the　
melody。　
〃I　like　it；〃　I　murmured。　　〃But　how　about　this？〃　
I　added　her　line　to　the　harmony—my　hands　were　flying　across　the　keys　now　to　
work　all　the　pieces　together—modifying　it　a　bit；　taking　it　in　a　new　direction？　
She　caught　the　mood；　and　sung　along。　
〃Yes。　　Perfect；〃　I　said。　
Esme　squeezed　my　shoulder。　
But　I　could　see　the　end　now；　with　Alice's　voice　rising　above　the　tune　and　taking　it　
to　another　place。　　I　could　see　how　the　song　must　end；　because　the　sleeping　girl　was　
perfect　just　the　way　she　was；　and　any　change　at　all　would　be　wrong；　a　sadness。　　The　song　
drifted　toward　that　realization；　slower　and　lower　now。　　Alice's　voice　lowered；　too；　and　
became　solemn；　a　tone　that　belonged　under　the　echoing　arches　of　a　candlelit　cathedral。　
I　played　the　last　note；　and　then　bowed　my　head　over　the　keys。　
Esme　stroked　my　hair。　　It's　going　to　be　fine；　Edward。　　This　is　going　to　work　out　
for　the　best。　　You　deserve　happiness；　my　son。　Fate　owes　you　that。　
〃Thanks；〃　I　whispered；　wishing　I　could　believe　it。　
Love　doesn't　always　come　in　convenient　packages。　
I　laughed　once　without　humor。　
You；　out　of　everyone　on　this　planet；　are　perhaps　best　equipped　to　deal　with　such　a　
difficult　quandary。　　You　are　the　best　and　the　brightest　of　us　all。　
I　sighed。　　Every　mother　thought　the　same　of　her　son。　
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Esme　was　still　full　of　joy　that　my　heart　had　finally　been　touched　after　all　this　time；　
no　matter　the　potential　for　tragedy。　　She'd　thought　I　would　always　be　alone？　
She'll　have　to　love　you　back；　she　thought　suddenly；　catching　me　by　surprise　with　
the　direction　of　her　thoughts。　　If　she's　a　bright　girl。　　She　smiled。　　But　I　can't　imagine　
anyone　being　so　slow　they　wouldn't　see　the　catch　you　are。　
〃Stop　it；　Mom；　you're　making　me　blush；〃　I　teased。　　Her　words；　though　
improbable；　did　cheer　me。　
Alice　laughed　and　picked　out　the　top　hand　of　〃Heart　and　Soul。〃　　I　grinned　and　
completed　the　simple　harmony　with　her。　　Then　I　favored　her　with　a　performance　of　
〃Chopsticks。〃　
She　giggled；　then　sighed。　　〃So　I　wish　you'd　tell　me　what　you　were　laughing　at　
Rose　about；〃　Alice　said。　　〃But　I　can　see　that　you　won't。〃　
〃Nope。〃　
She　flicked　my　ear　with　her　finger。　
〃Be　nice；　Alice；〃　Esme　chided。　　〃Edward　is　being　a　gentleman。〃　
〃But　I　want　to　know。〃　
I　laughed　at　the　whining　tone　she　put　on。　　Then　I　said；　〃Here；　Esme；〃　and　began　
playing　her　favorite　song；　an　unnamed　tribute　to　the　love　I'd　watched　between　her　and　
Carlisle　for　so　many　years。　
〃Thank　you；　dear。〃　　She　squeezed　my　shoulder　again。　
I　didn't　have　to　concentrate　to　play　the　familiar　piece。　　Instead　I　thought　of　
Rosalie；　still　figuratively　writhing　in　mortification　in　the　garage；　and　I　grinned　to　myself。　
Having　just　discovered　the　potency　of　jealousy　for　myself；　I　had　a　small　amount　
of　pity　for　her。　　It　was　a　wretched　way　to　feel。　　Of　course；　her　jealously　was　a　thousand　
times　more　petty　than　mine。　　Quite　the　fox　in　the　manger　scenario。　
I　wondered　how　Rosalie's　life　and　personality　would　have　been　different　if　she　
had　not　always　been　the　most　beautiful。　　Would　she　have　been　a　happier　person　if　beauty　
hadn't　at　all　times　been　her　strongest　selling　point？　　Less　egocentric？　　More　
compassionate？　　Well；　I　supposed　it　was　useless　to　wonder；　because　the　past　was　done；　
and　she　always　had　been　the　most　beautiful。　　Even　when　human；　she　had　ever　lived　in　the　
spotlight　of　her　own　loveliness。　　Not　that　she'd　minded。　　The　opposite—she'd　loved　
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admiration　above　almost　anything　else。　　That　hadn't　changed　with　the　loss　of　her　
mortality。　
It　was　no　surprise　then；　taking　this　need　as　a　given；　that　she'd　been　offended　when　
I　had　not；　from　the　beginning；　worshiped　her　beauty　the　way　she　expected　all　males　to　
worship。　　Not　that　she'd　wanted　me　in　any　way—far　from　it。　　But　it　had　aggravated　her　
that　I　did　not　want　her；　despite　that。　　She　was　used　to　being　wanted。　
It　was　different　with　Jasper　and　Carlisle—they　were　already　both　in　love。　　I　was　
completely　unattached；　and　yet　still　remained　obstinately　unmoved。　
I'd　thought　that　old　resentment　was　buried。　　That　she　was　long　passed　it。　
And　she　had　been？until　the　day　that　I　finally　found　someone　whose　beauty　
touched　me　the　way　hers　had　not。　
Rosalie　had　relied　on　the　belief　that　if　I　did　not　find　her　beauty　worth　worshiping；　
then　certainly　there　was　no　beauty　on　earth　that　would　reach　me。　　She'd　been　furious　
since　the　moment　I'd　saved　Bella's　life；　guessing；　with　her　shrewd　female　intuition；　the　
interest　that　I　was　all　but　unconscious　of　myself。　
Rosalie　was　mortally　offended　that　I　found　some　insignificant　human　girl　more　
appealing　than　her。　
I　suppressed　the　urge　to　laugh　again。　
It　bothered　me　some；　though；　the　way　she　saw　Bella。　　Rosalie　actually　thought　the　
girl　was　plain。　　How　could　she　believe　that？　　It　seemed　incomprehensible　to　me。　　A　
product　of　the　jealousy；　no　doubt。　
〃Oh！〃　Alice　said　abruptly。　　〃Jasper；　guess　what？〃　
I　saw　what　she'd　just　seen；　and　my　hands　froze　on　the　keys。　
〃What；　Alice？〃　Jasper　asked。　
〃Peter　and　Charlotte　are　coming　to　visit　next　week！　　They're　going　to　be　in　the　
neighborhood；　isn't　that　nice？〃　
〃What's　wrong；　Edward？〃　Esme　asked；　feeling　the　tension　in　my　shoulders。　
〃Peter　and　Charlotte　are　coming　to　Forks？〃　I　hissed　at　Alice　
She　rolled　her　eyes　at　me。　　〃Calm　down；　Edward。　　It's　not　their　first　visit。〃　
My　teeth　clenched　together。　　It　was　their　first　visit　since　Bella　had　arrived；　and　her　
sweet　blood　didn't　appeal　just　to　me。　
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Alice　frowned　at　my　expression。　　〃They　never　hunt　here。　　You　know　that。〃　
But　Jasper's　brother　of　sorts　and　the　little　vampire　he　loved　were　not　like　us；　they　
hunted　the　usual　way。　　They　could　not　be　trusted　around　Bella。　
〃When？〃　I　demanded。　
She　pursed　her　lips　unhappily；　but　told　me　what　I　needed　to　know。　　Monday　
morning。　　No　one　is　going　to　hurt　Bella。　
〃No；〃　I　agreed；　and　then　turned　away　from　her。　　〃You　ready；　Emmett？〃　
〃I　thought　we　were　leaving　in　the　morning？〃　
〃We're　coming　back　by　midnight　Sunday。　　I　guess　it's　up　to　you　when　you　want　
to　leave。〃　
〃Okay；　fine。　　Let　me　say　goodbye　to　Rose　first。〃　
〃Sure。〃　　With　the　mood　Rosalie　was　in；　it　would　be　a　short　goodbye。　
You　really　have　lost　it；　Edward；　he　thought　as　he　headed　toward　the　back　door。　
〃I　suppose　I　have。〃　
〃Play　the　new　song　for　me；　one　more　time；〃　Esme　asked。　
〃If　you'd　like　that；〃　I　agreed；　though　I　was　a　little　hesitant　to　follow　the　tune　to　its　
unavoidable　end—the　end　that　had　set　me　aching　in　unfamiliar　ways。　　I　thought　for　a　
moment；　and　then　pulled　the　bottle　cap　from　my　pocket　and　set　it　on　the　empty　music　
stand。　　That　helped　a　bit—my　little　memento　of　her　yes。　
I　nodded　to　myself；　and　started　playing。　
Esme　and　Alice　exchanged　a　glance；　but　neither　one　asked。　
〃Hasn't　anyone　ever　told　you　not　to　play　with　your　food？〃　I　called　to　Emmett。　
〃Oh；　hey　Edward！〃　he　shouted　back；　grinning　and　waving　at　me。　　The　bear　took　
advantage　of　his　distraction　to　rake　its　heavy　paw　across　Emmett's　chest。　　The　sharp　
claws　shredded　through　his　shirt；　and　squealed　across　his　skin。　
The　bear　bellowed　at　the　high…pitched　noise。　
Aw　hell；　Rose　gave　me　this　shirt！　
Emmett　roared　back　at　the　enraged　animal。　
？　2008　Stephenie　Meyer　
　
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I　sighed　and　sat　down　on　a　convenient　boulder。　This　might　take　awhile。　
But　Emmett　was　almost　done。　　He　let　the　bear　try　to　take　his　head　off　with　another　
swipe　of　the　paw；　laughing　as　the　blow　bounced　off　and　sent　the　bear　staggering　back。　
The　bear　roared　and　Emmett　roared　again　through　his　laughter。　　Then　he　launched　
himself　at　the　animal；　who　stood　a　head　taller　th