new moon(暮光之城-新月英文版)-第77章

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would　there　ever　be　an　
end？　
They　ignored　the　doors　at　the　end　of　the　hall—doors　entirely　sheathed　in　gold
—stopping　halfway　down　
the　hall　and　sliding　aside　a　piece　of　the　paneling　to　expose　a　plain　wooden　
door。　It　wasn't　locked。　Alec　
held　it　open　for　Jane。　
I　wanted　to　groan　when　Edward　pulled　me　through　to　the　other　side　of　the　door。　
It　was　the　same　ancient　
stone　as　the　square；　the　alley；　and　the　sewers。　And　it　was　dark　and　cold　
again。　
The　stone　antechamber　was　not　large。　It　opened　quickly　into　a　brighter；　
cavernous　room；　perfectly　round　
like　a　huge　castle　turret　which　was　probably　exactly　what　it　was。　
Two　stories　up；　long　window　slits　threw　thin　rectangles　of　bright　sunlight　
onto　the　stone　floor　below。　
There　were　no　artificial　lights。　The　only　furniture　in　the　room　were　several　
massive　wooden　chairs；　like　
thrones；　that　were　spaced　unevenly；　flush　with　the　curving　stone　walls。　In　the　
very　center　of　the　circle；　in　a　
slight　depression；　was　another　drain。　I　wondered　if　they　used　it　as　an　exit；　
like　the　hole　in　the　street。　
The　room　was　not　empty。　A　handful　of　people　were　convened　in　seemingly　relaxed　
conversation。　The　
murmur　of　low；　smooth　voices　was　a　gentle　hum　in　the　air。　As　I　watched；　a　pair　
of　pale　women　in　
summer　dresses　paused　in　a　patch　of　light；　and；　like　prisms；　their　skin　threw　
the　light　in　rainbow　sparkles　
against　the　sienna　walls。　
The　exquisite　faces　all　turned　toward　our　party　as　we　entered　the　room。　Most　
of　the　immortals　were　
dressed　in　inconspicuous　pants　and　shirts—things　that　wouldn't　stick　out　at　
all　on　the　streets　below。　But　
the　man　who　spoke　first　wore　one　of　the　long　robes。　It　was　pitch…black；　and　
brushed　against　the　floor。　
For　a　moment；　I　thought　his　long；　jet…black　hair　was　the　hood　of　his　cloak。　
〃Jane；　dear　one；　you've　returned！〃　he　cried　in　evident　delight。　His　voice　was　
just　a　soft　sighing。　
He　drifted　forward；　and　the　movement　flowed　with　such　surreal　grace　that　I　
gawked；　my　mouth　hangmg　
open。　Even　Alice；　whose　every　motion　looked　like　dancing；　could　not　pare。　
I　was　only　more　astonished　as　he　floated　closer　and　I　could　see　his　face。　It　
was　not　like　the　unnaturally　
attractive　faces　that　surrounded　him　（for　he　did　not　approach　us　alone；　the　
entire　group　converged　
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　
black…robed　men。　Both　
looked　very　much　like　Aro；　one　even　had　the　same　flowing　black　hair。　The　other　
had　a　shock　of　
snow…white　hair—the　same　shade　as　his　face—that　brushed　against　his　
shoulders。　Their　faces　had　
identical；　paper…thin　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　dark…haired　
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　white…haired　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　assur