第59部分(第6/7 頁)

ould　see　his　face。

He　pressed　his　lips　to　the　hollow　under　my　ear。　〃Try；〃　he　encouraged。

I　shook　my　head。

He　sighed。　〃You're　still　just　as　stubborn。〃

I　was　stubborn；　I　fought　with　my　heavy　lids；　and　I　won。

The　dark　road　was　the　hardest　part；　the　bright　lights　at　the　airport　in

Florence　made　it　easier；　as　did　the

chance　to　brush　my　teeth　and　change　into　clean　clothes；　Alice　bought　Edward

new　clothes；　too；　and　he

left　the　dark　cloak　on　a　pile　of　trash　in　an　alley。　The　plane　trip　to　Rome　was

so　short　that　there　wasn't

really　a　chance　for　the　fatigue　to　drag　me　under。　I　knew　the　flight　from　Rome

to　Atlanta　would　be　another

matter　entirely；　so　I　asked　the　flight　attendant　if　she　could　bring　me　a　Coke。

〃Bella；〃　Edward　said　disapprovingly。　He　knew　my　low　tolerance　for　caffeine。

Alice　was　behind　us。　I　could　hear　her　murmuring　to　Jasper　on　the　phone。

〃I　don't　want　to　sleep；〃　I　reminded　him。　I　gave　him　an　excuse　that　was

believable　because　it　was　true。　〃If

I　close　my　eyes　now；　I'll　see　things　I　don't　want　to　see。　I'll　have

nightmares。〃

He　didn't　argue　with　me　after　that。

It　would　have　been　a　very　good　time　to　talk；　to　get　the　answers　I　needed—

needed　but　not　really　wanted；

I　was　already　despairing　at　the　thought　of　what　I　might　hear。　We　had　an

uninterrupted　block　of　tirre

ahead　of　us；　and　he　couldn't　escape　me　on　an　airplane—well；　not　easily；　at

least。　No　one　would　hear　us

except　Alice；　it　was　late；　and　most　of　the　passengers　were　turning　off　lights

and　asking　for　pillows　in

muted　voices。　Talk　would　help　me　fight　off　the　exhaustion。

But；　perversely；　I　bit　my　tongue　against