4 breaking dawn破晓-第17部分

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〃Fine；〃　I　panted。　〃It's　just　food　poisoning。　You　don't　need　to　see　this。　Go　away。〃　

〃Not　likely；Bella。〃　

〃Go　away；〃　I　moaned　again；　struggling　to　get　up　so　I　could　rinse　my　mouth　out。　He　helped　me　gently；　
ignoring　the　weak　shoves　I　aimed　at　him。　

After　my　mouth　was　clean；　he　carried　me　to　the　bed　and　sat　me　down　carefully；　supporting　me　with　his　
arms。　

〃Food　poisoning？〃　

〃Yeah；〃　I　croaked。　〃I　made　some　chicken　last　night。　It　tasted　off；　so　I　threw　it　out。　But　I　ate　a　few　bites　
first。〃　

He　put　a　cold　hand　on　my　forehead。　It　felt　nice。　〃How　do　you　feel　now？〃　

I　thought　about　that　for　a　moment。　The　nausea　had　passed　as　suddenly　as　it　had　e；　and　I　felt　like　I　
did　any　other　morning。　〃Pretty　normal。　A　little　hungry；　actually。〃　

He　made　me　wait　an　hour　and　keep　down　a　big　glass　of　water　before　he　fried　me　some　eggs。　I　felt　
perfectly　normal；　just　a　little　tired　from　being　up　in　the　middle　of　the　night。　He　put　onN—we'd　been　
so　out　of　touch；　world　war　three　could　have　broken　out　and　we　wouldn't　have　known—and　I　lounged　
drowsily　across　his　lap。　

I　got　bored　with　the　news　and　twisted　around　to　kiss　him。　Just　like　this　morning；　a　sharp　pain　hit　my　
stomach　when　I　moved。　I　lurched　away　from　him；　my　hand　tight　over　my　mouth。　I　knew　I'd　never　make　it　
to　the　bathroom　this　time；　so　I　ran　to　the　kitchen　sink。　

He　held　my　hair　again。　

〃Maybe　we　should　go　back　to　Rio；　see　a　doctor；〃　he　suggested　anxiously　when　I　was　rinsing　my　mouth　
afterward。　

I　shook　my　head　and　edged　toward　the　hallway。　Doctors　meant　needles。　〃I'll　be　fine　right　after　I　brush　
my　teeth。〃　

When　my　mouth　tasted　better；　I　searched　through　my　suitcase　for　the　little　firstaid　kit　Alice　had　packed　
for　me；　full　of　human　things　like　bandages　and　painkillers　and—my　object　now—PeptoBismol。　Maybe　I　
could　settle　my　stomach　and　calm　Edward　down。　

But　before　I　found　the　Pepto；　I　happened　across　something　else　that　Alice　had　packed　for　me。　I　picked　
up　the　small　blue　box　and　stared　at　it　in　my　hand　for　a　long　moment；　forgetting　everything　else。　

Then　I　started　counting　in　my　head。　Once。　Twice。　Again。　

Theknock　startled　me；　the　little　box　fell　back　into　the　suitcase。　

〃Are　you　well？〃　Edward　asked　through　the　door。　〃Did　you　get　sick　again？〃　



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〃Yes　and　no；〃　I　said；　but　my　voice　sounded　strangled。　

〃Bella？　Can　I　please　e　in？〃　Worriedly　now。　

〃O。。。　kay？〃　

He　came　in　and　appraised　my　position；　sitting　crosslegged　on　the　floor　by　the　suitcase；　and　my　
expression；　blank　and　staring。　He　sat　next　to　me；　his　hand　going　to　my　forehead　at　once。　

〃What's　wrong？〃　

〃How　many　days　has　it　been　since　the　wedding？〃　I　whispered。　

〃Seventeen；〃　he　answered　automatically。　〃Bella；　what　is　it？〃　

I　was　counting　again。　I　held　up　a　finger；　cautioning　him　to　wait；　and　mouthed　the　numbers　to　myself。　I'd　
been　wrong　about　the　days　before。　We'd　been　here　longer　than　I'd　thought。　I　started　over　again。　

〃Bella！〃　he　whispered　urgently。　〃I'm　losing　my　mind　over　here。〃　

I　tried　to　swallow。　It　didn't　work。　So　I　reached　into　the　suitcase　and　fumbled　around　until　I　found　the　
little　blue　box　of　tampons　again。　I　held　them　up　silently。　

He　stared　at　me　in　confusion。　〃What？　Are　you　trying　to　pass　this　illness　off　as　PMS？〃　

〃No；〃　I　managed　to　choke　out。　〃No；　Edward。　I'm　trying　to　tell　you　that　my　period　is　five　days　late。〃　

His　facial　expression　didn't　change。　It　was　like　I　hadn't　spoken。　

〃I　don't　think　I　have　food　poisoning；〃　I　added。　

He　didn't　respond。　He　had　turned　into　a　sculpture。　

〃The　dreams；〃　I　mumbled　to　myself　in　a　flat　voice。　〃Sleeping　so　much。　The　crying。　All　that　food。　Oh。　
Oh。　Oh〃　

Edward's　stare　seemed　glassy；　as　if　he　couldn't　see　me　anymore。　

Reflexively；　almost　involuntarily；　my　hand　dropped　to　my　stomach。　

〃Oh！〃　I　squeaked　again。　

I　lurched　to　my　feet；　slipping　out　of　Edward's　unmoving　hands。　I'd　never　changed　out　of　the　little　silk　
shorts　and　camisole　I'd　worn　to　bed。　I　yanked　the　blue　fabric　out　of　the　way　and　stared　at　my　stomach。　

〃Impossible；〃　I　whispered。　

I　had　absolutely　no　experience　with　pregnancy　or　babies　or　any　part　of　that　world；　but　I　wasn't　an　idiot。　
I'd　seen　enough　movies　and　TV　shows　to　know　that　this　wasn't　how　it　worked。　I　was　only　five　days　late。　
If　I　was　pregnant；　my　body　wouldn't　even　have　registered　that　fact。　I　would　not　have　morning　sickness。　I　



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would　not　have　changed　my　eating　or　sleeping　habits。　

And　I　most　definitely　would　not　have　a　small　but　defined　bump　sticking　out　between　my　hips。　

I　twisted　my　torso　back　and　forth；　examining　it　from　every　angle；　as　if　it　would　disappear　in　exactly　the　
right　light。　I　ran　my　fingers　over　the　subtle　bulge；　surprised　by　how　rock　hard　it　felt　under　my　skin。　

〃Impossible；〃　I　said　again；　because；　bulge　or　no　bulge；　period　or　no　period　（and　there　was　definitely　no　
period；　though　I'd　never　been　late　a　day　in　my　life）；　there　was　no　way　I　could　be　pregnant　The　only　
person　I'd　ever　had　sex　with　was　a　vampire；　for　crying　out　loud。　

A　vampire　who　was　still　frozen　on　the　floor　with　no　sign　of　ever　moving　again。　

So　there　had　to　be　some　other　explanation；　then。　Something　wrong　with　me。　A　strange　South　American　
disease　with　all　the　signs　of　pregnancy；　only　accelerated。。。　

And　then　I　remembered　something—a　morning　of　inter　research　that　seemed　a　lifetime　ago　now。　
Sitting　at　the　old　desk　in　my　room　at　Charlie's　house　with　gray　light　glowing　dully　through　the　window；　
staring　at　my　ancient；　wheezing　puter；　reading　avidly　through　a　website　called　〃Vampires　AZ。〃　It　
had　been　less　than　twentyfour　hours　since　Jacob　Black；　trying　to　entertain　me　with　the　Quileute　legends　
he　didn't　believe　in　yet；　had　told　me　that　Edward　was　a　vampire。　I'd　scanned　anxiously　through　the　first　
entries　on　the　site；　which　was　dedicated　to　vampire　

myths　around　the　world。　The　Filipino　Danag；　the　Hebrew　Estrie；　the　Romanian　Varacolaci；　the　Italian　
Stregoni　benefici　（a　legend　actually　based　on　my　new　fatherinlaw's　early　exploits　with　the　Volturi；　not　
that　I'd　known　anything　about　that　at　the　time）。。。　I'd　paid　less　and　less　attention　as　the　stories　had　grown　
more　and　more　implausible。　I　only　remembered　vague　bits　of　the　later　entries。　They　mostly　seemed　like　
excuses　dreamed　up　to　explain　things　like　infant　mortality　rates—and　infidelity。　No；　honey；　I'm　not　
having　an　affair！　That　sexy　woman　you　saw　sneaking　out　of　the　house　was　an　evil　succubus。　I'm　
lucky　I　escaped　with　my　life！　（Of　course；　with　what　I　knew　now　about　Tanya　and　her　sisters；　I　
suspected　that　some　of　those　excuses　had　been　nothing　but　fact。）　There　had　been　one　for　the　ladies；　too。　
How　can　you　accuse　me　of　cheating　on　you—just　because　you've　e　home　from　a　twoyear　sea　
voyage　and　I'm　pregnant？　It　was　the　incubus。　He　hypnotized　me　with　his　mystical　vampire　
powers。。。。　

That　had　been　part　of　the　definition　of　the　incubus—the　ability　to　father　children　with　his　hapless　prey。　

I　shook　my　head；　dazed。　But。。。　

I　thought　of　Esme　and　especially　Rosalie。　Vampires　couldn't　have　children。　If　it　were　possible；　Rosalie　
would　have　found　a　way　by　now。　The　incubus　myth　was　nothing　but　a　fable。　

Except　that。。。　well；　there　was　a　difference。　Of　course　Rosalie　could　not　conceive　a　child；　because　she　
was　frozen　in　the　state　in　which　she　passed　from　human　to　inhuman。　Totally　unchanging。　And　human　
women's　bodies　had　to　change　to　bear　children。　The　constant　change　of　a　monthly　cycle　for　one　thing；　
and　then　the　bigger　changes　needed　to　acmodate　a　growing　child。　Rosalie's　body　couldn't　change。　

But　mine　could。　Mine　did。　I　touched　the　bump　on　my　stomach　that　had　not　been　there　yesterday。　

And　human　men—well；　they　pretty　much　stayed　the　same　from　puberty　to　death。　I　remembered　a　
random　bit　of　trivia；　gleaned　from　who　knows　where：　Charlie　Chaplin　was　in　his　seventies　when　he　



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fathered　his　youngest　child。　Men　had　no　such　thing　as　childbearing　years　or　cycles　of　fertility。　

Of　course；　how　would　anyone　know　if　vampire　men　could　father　children；　when　their　partners　were　not　
able？　What　vampire　on　earth　would　have　the　restraint　necessary　to　test　the　theory　with　a　human　woman？　
Or　the　inclination？　

I　could　think　of　only　one。　

Part　of　my　head　was　sorting　through　fact　and　memory　and　speculation；　while　the　other　half—the　part　
that　controlled　the　ability　to　move　even　the　smallest　muscles—was　stunned　beyond　the　capacity　for　
normal　operations。　I　couldn't　move　my　lips　to　speak；　though　I　wanted　to　ask　Edward　to　please　explain　to　
me　what　was　going　on。　I　needed　to　go　back　to　where　he　sat；　to　touch　him；　but　my　body　wouldn't　follow　
instructions。　I　could　only　stare　at　my　shocked　eyes　in　the　mirror；　my　fingers　gingerly　pressed　against　the　
swelling　on　my　torso。　

And　then；　like　in　my　vivid　nightmare　last　night；　the　scene　abruptly　transformed。　Everything　I　saw　in　the　
mirror　looked　pletely　different；　though　nothing　actually　was　different。　

What　happened　to　change　everything　was　that　a　soft　little　nudge　bumped　my　hand—from　inside　my　
body。　

In　the　same　moment；　Edward's　phone　rang；　shrill　and　demanding。　Neither　of　us　moved。　It　rang　again　and　
again。　I　tried　to　tune　it　out　while　I　pressed　my　fingers　to　my　stomach；　waiting。　In　the　mirror　my　expression　
was　no　longer　

bewildered—it　was　wondering　now。　I　barely　noticed　when　the　strange；　silent　tears　started　streaming　
down　my　cheeks。　

The　phone　kept　ringing。　I　wished　Edward　would　answer　it—I　was　having　a　moment。　Possibly　the　
biggest　of　my　life。　

Ring！　Ring！　Ring！　

Finally；　the　annoyance　broke　through　everything　else。　I　got　down　on　my　knees　next　to　Edward—I　found　
myself　moving　more　carefully；　a　thousand　times　more　aware　of　the　way　each　motion　felt—and　patted　his　
pockets　until　I　found　the　phone。　I　halfexpected　him　to　thaw　out　and　answer　it　himself；　but　he　was　
perfectly　still。　

I　recognized　the　number；　and　I　could　easily　guess　why　she　was　calling。　

〃Hi；　Alice；〃　I　said。　My　voice　wasn't　much　better　than　before。　I　cleared　my　throat。　

〃Bella？　Bella；　areyou　okay？〃　

〃Yeah。　Urn。　Is　Carlisle　there？〃　

〃He　is。　What's　the　problem？〃　

〃I'm　not。。。　one　hundred　percent。。。　sure___〃　

〃Is　Edward　all　right？〃　she　asked　warily。　She　called　Carlisle's　name　away　from　the　phone　and　then　



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demanded；　〃Why　didn't　he　pick　up　the　phone？〃　before　I　could　answer　her　first　question。　

〃I'm　not　sure。〃　

〃Bella；what's　going　on？　I　just　saw—〃　

〃What　did　you　see？〃　

There　was　a　silence。　〃Here's　Carlisle；〃　she　finally　said。　

It　felt　like　ice　water　had　been　injected　in　my　veins。　If　Alice　had　seen　a　vision　of　me　with　a　greeneyed；　
angelfaced　child　in　my　arms；　she　would　have　answered　me；　wouldn't　she？　

While　I　waited　through　the　split　second　it　took　for　Carlisle　to　speak；　the　vision　I'd　imagined　for　Alice　
danced　behind　my　lids。　A　tiny；　beautiful　little　baby；　even　more　beautiful　than　the　boy　in