第34部分(第3/7 頁)

。

He　exhaled　heavily；　and　I　realized　he'd　been　holding　his　breath；　too。　〃I　can't

do　it；〃　he　muttered；

frustrated。

〃Do　what？〃

He　ignored　my　question。　〃Look；　Bella；　haven't　you　ever　had　a　secret　that　you

couldn't　tell　anyone？〃

He　looked　at　me　with　knowing　eyes；　and　my　thoughts　jumped　immediately　to　the

Cullens。　I　hoped　my

expression　didn't　look　guilty。

〃Something　you　felt　like　you　had　to　keep　from　Charlie；　from　your　mom　？〃　he

pressed。　〃Something　you

won't　even　talk　about　with　me？　Not　even　now？〃

I　felt　my　eyes　tighten。　I　didn't　answer　his　question；　though　I　knew　he　would

take　that　as　a　confirmation。

〃Can　you　understand　that　I　might　have　the　same　kind　of　situation？〃　He　was

struggling　again；　seeming　to

fight　for　the　right　words。　〃Sometimes；　loyalty　gets　in　the　way　of　what　you

want　to　do。　Sometimes；　it's　not

your　secret　to　tell。〃

So；　I　couldn't　argue　with　that。　He　was　exactly　right—I　had　a　secret　that

wasn't　mine　to　tell；　yet　a　secret　I

felt　bound　to　protect。　A　secret　that；　suddenly；　he　seemed　to　know　all　about。

I　still　didn't　see　how　it　applied　to　him；　or　Sam；　or　Billy。　What　was　it　to

them；　now　that　the　Cullens　were

gone？

〃I　don't　know　why　you　came　here；　Jacob；　if　you　were　just　going　to　give　me

riddles　instead　of　answers。〃

〃I'm　sorry；〃　he　whispered。　〃This　is　so　frustrating。〃

We　looked　at　each　other　for　a　long　moment　in　the　dark　room；　both　our　faces

hopeless。

〃The　part　that　kills　me；〃　he　said　abruptly；　〃is　that　you　already　know。　I

already　told　yon　everything！〃

〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃

He　sucked　in　a　startled　breath；　and　then　leaned　towar