第61部分(第4/7 頁)

nature　to　shoulder　the　blame　for

everything；　but　you　really　can't

let　that　make　you　go　to　such　extremes！　It's　very　irresponsible—think　of　Esme

and　Carlisle　and—〃

I　was　on　the　edge　of　losing　it。　I　stopped　to　take　a　deep　breath；　hoping　to

calm　myself。　I　had　to　set　him

free。　I　had　to　make　sure　this　never　happened　again。

〃Isabella　Marie　Swan；〃　he　whispered；　the　strangest　expression　crossing　his

face。　He　almost　looked　mad。

〃Do　you　believe　that　I　asked　the　Volturi　to　kill　me　because　I　felt　guilty？〃

I　could　feel　the　blank　inprehension　on　my　face。　〃Didn't　you？〃

〃Feel　guilty？　Intensely　so。　More　than　you　can　prehend。〃

〃Then　what　are　you　saying？　I　don't　understand。〃

〃Bella；　I　went　to　the　Volturi　because　I　thought　you　were　dead；〃　he　said；　voice

soft；　eyes　fierce。　〃Even　if

I'd　had　no　hand　in　your　death〃—he　shuddered　as　he　whispered　the　last

word—〃even　if　it　wasn't　my

fault；　I　would　have　gone　to　Italy。　Obviously；　I　should　have　been　more　careful

—I　should　have　spoken　to

Alice　directly；　rather　than　accepting　it　secondhand　from　Rosalie。　But；　really；

what　was　I　supposed　to

think　when　the　boy　said　Charlie　was　at　the　funeral？　What　are　the　odds？

〃The　odds〃　he　muttered　then；　distracted。　His　voice　was　so　low　I　wasn't　sure

I　beard　it　right。　〃The　odds

are　always　stacked　against　us。　Mistake　after　mistake。　I'll　never　criticize

Romeo　again。〃

〃But　I　still　don't　understand；〃　I　said。　〃That's　my　whole　point。　So　what？〃

〃Excuse　me？〃

〃So　what　if　I　was　dead？〃

He　stared　at　me　dubiously　for　a　long　moment　before　answering。　〃Don't　you

remember　anything　I　told　you

before？〃

〃I　remember　every