第6部分(第1/7 頁)

〃It　frightened　me。　She　looked　it　me　with　those　piercing　eyes；　and；　for　one

instant；　I　felt　certain　that　she

knew　my　secret。　Then　the　fever　overwhelmed　her；　and　she　never　regained

consciousness。　She　died

within　an　hour　of　making　her　demand。

〃I'd　spent　decades　considering　the　idea　of　creating　a　panion　for　myself。

Just　one　other　creature　who

could　really　know　me；　rather　than　what　I　pretended　to　be。　But　I　could　never

justify　it　to　myself—doing

what　had　been　done　to　me。

〃There　Edward　lay；　dying。　It　was　clear　that　he　had　only　hours　left。　Beside

him；　his　mother；　her　face

somehow　not　yet　peaceful；　not　even　in　death。〃

Carlisle　saw　it　all　again；　his　memory　unblurred　by　the　intervening　century。　I

could　see　it　clearly；　too；　as　he

spoke—the　despair　of　the　hospital；　the　overwhelming　atmosphere　of　death。

Edward　burning　with　fever；

his　life　slipping　away　with　each　tick　of　the　clock　I　shuddered　again；　and

forced　the　picture　from　my

mind。

〃Elizabeth's　words　echoed　in　my　head。　How　could　she　guess　what　I　could　do？

Could　anyone　really　want

that　for　her　son？

〃I　looked　at　Edward。　Sick　as　he　was；　he　was　still　beautiful。　There　was

something　pure　and　good　about

his　face。　The　kind　of　face　I　would　have　wanted　my　son　to　have。

〃After　all　those　years　of　indecision；　I　simply　acted　on　a　whim。　I　wheeled　his

mother　to　the　morgue　first；

and　then　I　came　back　for　him。　No　one　noticed　that　he　was　still　breathing。

There　weren't　enough　hands；

enough　eyes；　to　keep　track　of　half　of　what　the　patients　needed。　The　morgue　was

empty—of　the　living；　at

least。　I　stole　him　out　the　back　door；　and　ca