第54部分(第3/7 頁)

the　wind　was　glacial；　and

the　wet　made　the　cold　actually　painful。　But　the　fountain　was　very　wide；　it　let

me　cross　the　center　of　the

square　and　then　some　in　mere　seconds。　I　didn't　pause　when　I　hit　the　far　edge—

I　used　the　low　wall　as　a

springboard；　throwing　myself　into　the　crowd。

They　moved　more　readily　for　me　now；　avoiding　the　icy　water　that　splattered

from　my　dripping　clothes　as

I　ran。　I　glanced　up　at　the　clock　again。

A　deep；　booming　chime　echoed　through　the　square。　It　throbbed　in　the　stones

under　my　feet。　Children

cried；　covering　their　ears。　And　I　started　screaming　as　I　ran。

〃Edward！〃　I　screamed；　knowing　it　was　useless。　The　crowd　was　too　loud；　and　my

voice　was　breathless

with　exertion。　But　I　couldn't　stop　screaming。

The　clock　tolled　again。　I　ran　past　a　child　in　his　mother's　arms—his　hair　was

almost　white　in　the　dazzling

sunlight。　A　circle　of　tall　men；　all　wearing　red　blazers；　called　out　warnings

as　I　barreled　through　them。　The

clock　tolled　again。

On　the　other　side　of　the　men　in　blazers；　there　was　a　break　in　the　throng；

space　between　the　sightseers

who　milled　aimlessly　around　me。　My　eyes　searched　the　dark　narrow　passage　to

the　right　of　the　wide

square　edifice　under　the　tower。　I　couldn't　see　the　street　level—there　were

still　too　many　people　in　the

way。　The　clock　tolled　again。

It　was　hard　to　see　now。　Without　the　crowd　to　break　the　wind；　it　whipped　at　my

face　and　burned　my

eyes。　I　couldn't　be　sure　if　that　was　the　reason　behind　my　tears；　or　if　I　was

crying　in　defeat　as　the　clock

tolled　again。

A　little　family　of　four　stood　nearest　to　the　alley's　mou