第52部分(第6/7 頁)

　think　it's　all　gotten

beyond　ridiculous。　I'm　debating　whether　to　just　change　you　myself。〃

I　stared　at　her；　frozen　with　shock。　Instantly；　my　mind　resisted　her　words。　I

couldn't　afford　that　kind　of

hope　if　she　changed　her　mind。

〃Did　I　scare　you？〃　she　wondered。　〃I　thought　that's　what　you　wanted。〃

〃I　do！〃　I　gasped。　〃Oh；　Alice；　do　it　now！　I　could　help　you　so　much—and　I

wouldn't　slow　you　down。　Bite

me！〃

〃Shh；〃　she　cautioned。　The　attendant　was　looking　in　our　direction　again。　〃Try

to　be　reasonable；〃　she

whispered。　〃We　don't　have　enough　time。　We　have　to　get　into　Volterra　tomorrow。

You'd　be　writhing　in

pain　for　days。〃　She　made　a　face。　〃And　I　don't　think　the　other　passengers　would

react　well。〃

I　bit　my　lip。　〃If　you　don't　do　it　now；　you'll　change　your　mind。〃

〃No。〃　She　frowned；　her　expression　unhappy。　〃I　don't　think　I　will。　He'll　be

furious；　but　what　will　he　be　able

to　do　about　it？〃

My　heart　beat　faster。　〃Nothing　at　all。〃

She　laughed　quietly；　and　then　sighed。　〃You　have　too　much　faith　in　me；　Bella。

I'm　not　sure　that　I　can。　I'll

probably　just　end　up　killing　you。〃

〃I'll　take　my　chances。〃

〃You　are　so　bizarre；　even　for　a　human。〃

〃Thanks。〃

〃Oh　well；　this　is　purely　hypothetical　at　this　point；　anyway。　First　we　have　to

live　through　tomorrow。〃

〃Good　point。〃　But　at　least　I　had　something　to　hope　for　if　we　did。　If　Alice

made　good　on　her

promise—and　if　she　didn't　kill　me—then　Edward　could　run　after　his

distractions　all　he　wanted；　and　I

could　follow。　I　wouldn't　let　him　be　distracted。　Maybe；　when　I　was　beautiful

and　strong；　he　wouldn't　want

distractions。

〃G