5 midnigh+sun-第36章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃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。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
146
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
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
147
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。
？ 2008 Stephenie Meyer
148
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
149
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； w
