“Carlisle? Are you all right?” Edward gasped frantically.
“卡莱尔？你还好吗？”爱德华急促的喘息着。
“Yes. Why?”
“是的，怎么了？”
I smiled grimly at him. “I am all over this.”
我笑着看了他一眼。“我无处不在。”
Edward lurched away from me suddenly, his hand reaching out toward Carlisle. At the same time, I felt a much sharper jab against the shield where it wrapped protectively around Carlisle’s light. It wasn’t painful, but it wasn’t pleasant, either.
爱德华毫无征兆的从我身边掠走，他的手臂伸向卡莱尔的方向。与此同时，我感觉到一个狡猾的攻击落在原本保护着卡莱尔防护层上。这没有造成伤害，但是也不回令人愉快。
“Chelsea is trying to break our bindings,” Edward whispered. “But she can’t find them. She can’t feel us here…” His eyes cut to me. “Are you doing that?”
“切尔西正试着冲破我们的防御，”爱德华悄悄对我说。“但是她无法发现他们。她无法获知我们在此……”他给了我一个目光。“是你阻止了她吗？”
“Jane,” Edward answered.
“简。”爱德华回答道。
The moment that he said her name, a dozen pointed attacks hit in a second, stabbing all over the elastic shield, aimed at twelve different bright spots. I flexed, making sure the shield was undamaged. It didn’t seem like Jane had been able to pierce it. I glanced around quickly; everyone was fine.
当他说出她的名字时，一打的攻击点同时向着不同的目标展开攻击，意图割裂我的弹性防护罩。我绷紧了身体，确保我的防护罩不受损坏。感觉上简并没有得逞。我环视四周，所有的人看上去都很好。
“Incredible,” Edward said.
“难以置信。”爱德华说。
“Normal procedure,” Edward answered brusquely. “They usually incapacitate those on trial so they can’t escape.”
“正常程序，”爱德华简单的说。“他们经常这样，让对手丧失抵抗能力，束手就擒。”
“Why aren’t they waiting for the decision?” Tanya hissed.
“他们为什么不耐心等待判决结果？”坦尼娅发出嘶声。
It probably wasn’t very mature. But I figured it would take Aro about half a second to guess — if he hadn’t already — that my shield was more powerful than Edward had known; I already had a big target on my forehead and there was really no point in trying to keep the extent of what I could do a secret. So I grinned a huge, smug smile right at Jane.
可能不太确切。但是我估计这会耽误阿罗半秒钟的时间去猜测——如果他还没有这样做过的话——很明显我的守护盾的能量比爱德华印象中的更强大；我的目标如此明显，因此我所做的一切很难对他们保持神秘。于是，我露出了一个大大的笑容，讥讽的看着简。
I looked across at Jane, who was staring at our group with furious disbelief. I was pretty sure that, besides me, she’d never seen anyone remain standing through her fiery assault.
我向简的方向看去，她正面带怀疑，狂怒的盯着我们这群人。我完全可以确信，除了我，她从没有见过谁能在她暴风骤雨般的袭击下仍然毫发无损。
Her eyes narrowed, and I felt another stab of pressure, this time directed at me.
她立即眯起了眼睛，马上，我感觉到新一轮更强大的攻击开始了，这次的目标正是我。
I pulled my lips wider, showing my teeth.
我扯起嘴角，露出我的牙齿。
“I told you this was our time,” Vladimir said to Stefan.
“我告诉过你这次我们会赢。”弗拉迪米尔对斯特凡。说。
Jane let out a high-pitched scream of a snarl. Everyone jumped, even the disciplined guard. Everyone but the ancients, who didn’t so much as look up from their conference. Her twin caught her arm as she crouched to spring.
简发出尖利的咆哮。所有的人都惊跳起来，包括那些训练有素的守卫。但是那些长老们不在其中，他们仍在专心致志的投票表决。简的孪生兄弟抓住了她的胳膊，阻止她弓下身子起跳。
The Romanians started chuckling with dark anticipation.
我们的罗马尼亚同伴发出预料中的轻笑。
“Just look at the witch’s face,” Stefan chortled.
“看看那个巫婆的脸，”斯特凡哈哈大笑。
Edward nodded. “His gift is slower than Jane’s. It creeps. It will touch us in a few seconds.”
爱德华点点头。“他的进攻比较缓慢，正在匍匐前进，几秒钟后就会到达。”
I saw it then, when I had a clue of what to look for.
我循着爱德华提供的线索看过去。
Alec patted his sister’s shoulder soothingly, then tucked her under his arm. He turned his face to us, perfectly smooth, completely angelic.
亚历克拍着他的妹妹的肩膀安慰她，并把她拥入怀中。他转头面对着我们，天使一般完美的脸上面无表情。
I waited for some pressure, some sign of his attack, but I felt nothing. He continued to stare in our direction, his pretty face composed. Was he attacking? Was he getting through my shield? Was I the only one who could still see him? I clutched at Edward’s hand.
我等待着他攻击的能量，但是，我什么都感觉不到。他继续盯着我们的方向，完美的脸上表情十分镇定。他攻击了吗？他穿透了我的守护盾了吗？难道我是唯一能看到他的人？我不由握紧爱德华的手。
“Are you okay?” I choked out.
“你还好吗？”我几乎窒息了。
“Yes,” he whispered.
“是的。”他低声说。
“Is Alec trying?”
“亚历克正在尝试吗？”
A strange clear haze was oozing across the snow, nearly invisible against the white. It reminded me of a mirage — a slight warping of the view, a hint of a shimmer. I pushed my shield out from Carlisle and the rest of the front line, afraid to have the slinking mist too close when it hit. What if it stole right through my intangible protection? Should we run?
一片奇怪的迷蒙的烟雾穿过雪地，几乎与白雪融为一体。这是我联想起海市蜃楼——有点扭曲，闪着不怀好意的暗光。我更用力的撑起我的守护盾，使它将卡莱尔和前排的其他人笼罩在内，一面担心如果这层迷雾偷偷溜进我那不可预知的防护罩该怎么办，我们要逃跑吗？
A low rumbling murmured through the ground under our feet, and a gust of wind blew the snow into sudden flurries between our position and the Volturi’s. Benjamin had seen the creeping threat, too, and now he tried to blow the mist away from us. The snow made it easy to see where he threw the wind, but the mist didn’t react in any way. It was like air blowing harmlessly through a shadow; the shadow was immune.
一阵低沉轰鸣从我们脚下的地面滚滚涌过，狂风卷起积雪，在我们和沃尔图里之间的半空中骤然落下。本杰明也发现了潜行的威胁，现在他正试着将那片薄雾驱散。飘扬的积雪使我们能够看清楚风的方向，但是那团迷雾没有受到影响。就像一阵强风吹袭影子，而影子不会受到任何伤害。
Aro and Caius watched the opening earth with wide eyes. Marcus looked in the same direction without emotion.
阿罗和卡尤斯面对撕裂的地面瞪大了眼睛。马库斯也朝同一个方向看着，但是面无表情。
The triangular formation of the ancients finally broke apart when, with a racking groan, a deep, narrow fissure opened in a long zigzag across the middle of the clearing. The earth rocked under my feet for a moment. The drifts of snow plummeted into the hole, but the mist skipped right across it, as untouched by gravity as it had been by wind.
沃尔图里长老们的讨论结束了，分散开来。伴随着一声痛苦的的抱怨，一道深而狭长的裂缝，蜿蜒着出现在空地中央。我们脚下的大地在颤动。积雪立即坠入沟中，但是那团迷雾似乎根本不会受到重力的作用，就像刚才不受风的影响一样。
They didn’t speak; they waited, too, as the mist approached us. The wind shrieked louder but didn’t change the course of the mist. Jane was smiling now.
他们没有出声，他们也在等待，等待着迷雾逼近我们。狂风怒吼，当仍然无法改变迷雾前进的方向。简开始面露微笑。
The mist curled upward, seeking a breach, a weakness. It found none. The fingers of searching haze twisted upward and around, trying to find a way in, and in the process illustrating the astonishing size of the protective screen.
迷雾向上升腾，试图寻找一个缺口，一个漏洞。但是一无所获。迷雾的触角盘旋着，企图找到一条进入的通路，而在此过程中，却失望的发现了我的守护盾有着惊人规模。
And then the mist hit a wall.
然后，那团迷雾撞在了一堵墙上。
I could taste it as soon as it touched my shield — it had a dense, sweet, cloying flavor. It made me remember dimly the numbness of Novocain on my tongue.
我立即感觉到它接触到了我的守护盾——用它浓密的，温柔的，令人发腻的气息，这让我隐约记起麻醉剂作用于我的舌头的感觉。
And then I knew that I could do this. Obviously, I would be the number-one priority, the first one to die, but as long as I held, we were on more than equal footing with the Volturi. We still had Benjamin and Zafrina; they had no supernatural help at all. As long as I held.
现在我知道我做到了。很显然，现在我是他们目标中的 No 1，第一个谋杀对象，但是只要我能够坚持下去，我们将超越和沃尔图里对等的地位。我们还本杰明有和查弗丽娜；他们还根本没有发挥他们超自然的天赋呢。只要我能够坚持下去。
“I’ll keep them off you.”
“我会替你抵挡住他们。”
My smile returned.
微笑又回到我的脸上。
“I’d go after Jane and Alec myself, but I can do more good here.”
“我自己就可以解决简和亚历克。但在这里我会做得更好。”
“Jane’s mine,” Kate hissed. “She needs a taste of her own medicine.”
“简是我的，”凯特嘶声道。“她需要喝下自己酿制的苦酒。”
Zafrina nodded solemnly. “No one will touch this young one,” she promised Edward.
查弗丽娜庄严地点点头。“没人能动她一根头发，”她向爱德华保证。
There were gasps on both sides of Benjamin’s gorge.
于是。在本杰明制造的深谷两边同时传来了倒吸一口凉气的声音。
I could see Alec’s narrowed eyes, doubt on his face for the first time as his mist swirled harmlessly around the edges of my shield.
我看到了亚历克危险的眼神，他的脸上第一次布满疑云。现在，他的迷雾正无力的盘旋在我的守护盾的边沿，完全无法下手。
“No. You have to get to Demetri. Zafrina will keep them away from me.”
“不。你必须注意德米特里。查弗丽娜会帮我的。”
“I’m going to have to concentrate,” I whispered to Edward. “When it comes to hand to hand, it’s going to be harder to keep the shield around the right people.”
“我必须集中精神了，”我低声对说。“随着它的逼近，保持守护正确的人群变得越来越难了。”
“And Alec owes me many lives, but I will settle for his,” Vladimir growled from the other side. “He’s mine.”
“亚历克欠我了几辈子的债了，但是我会找他算账的，”弗拉迪米尔在一边低声咆哮。“他是我的。”
“Well done, Bella!” Benjamin cheered in a low voice.
“干得漂亮，贝拉！”本杰明低声赞叹。
“I just want Caius,” Tanya said evenly.
“我只想要卡尤斯，”坦尼娅平静的说道。
Aro, staring calmly at Alec’s ineffective mist, finally spoke.
阿罗，一直盯着亚历克无功而返的迷雾，终于说话了。
I shook my head angrily. I was tired of this charade. The bloodlust was igniting in me again, and I was sorry that I would help the others more by standing still. I wanted to fight.
我愤怒的摇头。我厌倦了这种伪善。胸中再次充满了血红的欲望。但是很遗憾，我能给与其他人的最大的帮助就是原地不动。而我渴望战斗。
“Let me remind you,” Aro continued, “whatever the council’s decision, there need be no violence here.”
“必须提醒你们，”阿罗继续说道，“无论长老会做出何种裁决，你们必须保证不能使用暴力。”
The others started divvying up opponents, too, but they were quickly interrupted.
其余的人也开始选择自己的对手，但是他们很快被打断了。
“Before we vote,” he began.
“在我们表决之前，”他开始说道。
Edward snarled out a dark laugh.
爱德华爆发出一阵咆哮的笑声。
Chelsea’s attempt to sway us fluttered impotently against my shield. Aro’s gaze swept across our hard eyes, looking for any indication of hesitation. From his expression, he found none.
切尔西意图使我们动摇，举措无力地拍打着盾，阿罗的目光扫过我们坚定的眼神，希望寻找一星半点犹豫的迹象。从他的表情看来，他应该什么都没找到。
Aro stared at him sadly. “It will be a regrettable waste to our kind to lose any of you. But you especially, young Edward, and your newborn mate. The Volturi would be glad to welcome many of you into our ranks. Bella, Benjamin, Zafrina, Kate. There are many choices before you. Consider them.”
阿罗惋惜的盯着他。“失去你我们会感到很遗憾，你和你年轻的伴侣是那样特别。沃尔图里热情欢迎你们的加入。贝拉，本杰明，查弗丽娜，凯特。你们面前有更多的选择，仔细考虑一下。”
I knew he was desperate to keep Edward and me, to imprison us the way he had hoped to enslave Alice. But this fight was too big. He would not win if I lived. I was fiercely glad to be so powerful that I left him no way not to kill me.
我知道他是那样迫切地想拥有爱德华和我，就像他迫切想要禁锢爱丽丝一样。可这场战斗规模太过庞大，只要我活着他就不会赢。我很欣慰我强大到让他除了杀死我之外别无选择。
I fought back a shriek of defiance to answer his cruel smirk.
对他阴险的笑容，我用充满挑衅的尖叫作为回应。
“Let us vote, then,” he said with apparent reluctance.
“那么，我们来表决，”他的语气明显很勉强。
“I see no immediate danger. The child is safe enough for now. We can always reevaluate later. Let us leave in peace.” His voice was even fainter than his brothers’ feathery sighs.
“我看不见存在什么迫在眉睫的危险。现在这个孩子很安全。现在我们可以安静的离开了。”
Caius spoke with eager haste. “The child is an unknown quantity. There is no reason to allow such a risk to exist. It must be destroyed, along with all who protect it.” He smiled in expectation.
卡尤斯说话时带着焦急的渴望。“这个孩子的能力不可预知。没有任何理由冒任何风险让她存活下去。她和那些想要保护她的人都必须被毁灭。”他充满信心的笑了。
Marcus lifted his uncaring eyes, seeming to look through us as he voted.
马库斯抬起了他一直漠不关心的眼睛，当他发表意见时，试图看穿我们。
“I must make the deciding vote, it seems,” Aro mused.
“这么说，我必须要做出选择了，”阿罗沉思着说。
None of the guard relaxed their ready positions at his disagreeing words. Caius’s anticipatory grin did not falter. It was as if Marcus hadn’t spoken at all.
严阵以待的守卫们听到他与众不同的意见，却不为所动。卡尤斯脸上阴谋得逞的表情也没有任何改变，就像马库斯什么也没说一样。
Suddenly, Edward stiffened at my side. “Yes!” he hissed.
突然，我身边的爱德华僵住了。“是的！”他嘶声说道。
I risked a glance at him. His face glowed with an expression of triumph that I didn’t understand — it was the expression an angel of destruction might wear while the world burned. Beautiful and terrifying.
我紧张的瞥了他一眼。他的脸庞因为胜利的兴奋而燃烧。这让我无法理解——就像当地球开始燃烧，天使飘然而至。美丽而恐怖。
There was a low reaction from the guard, an uneasy murmur.
一阵不安的骚动，守卫们难以觉察的畏缩了。
“Aro?” Edward called, nearly shouted, undisguised victory in his voice.
“阿罗？”爱德华近乎大喊，声音中有着难以掩盖的胜利。
Aro hesitated for a second, assessing this new mood warily before he answered. “Yes, Edward? You have something further…?”
阿罗犹豫了一秒钟，在回答之前小心的斟酌着语气。“怎么，爱德华？你有更长远的……？”
“Perhaps,” Edward said pleasantly, controlling his unexplained excitement. “First, if I could clarify one point?”
“或许，”爱德华温和的说，尽力控制住他那令人费解的兴奋。“首先，我能阐明一点吗？”
“Certainly,” Aro said, raising his eyebrows, nothing now but polite interest in his tone. My teeth ground together; Aro was never more dangerous than when he was gracious.
“当然可以。”阿罗说着，抬起了眼皮，他的腔调中只剩下礼貌的兴趣。我咬紧牙关。阿罗在彬彬有礼的时候永远是最危险的。
“So, if we could only know for sure,” Edward suggested, “exactly what she will become… then there would be no need for a council at all?”
“那么，只要我们能够确切的知道，”爱德华暗示着，“确切的知道她的未来……那么就根本没有继续讨论的必要了，对吗？”
“The danger you foresee from my daughter — this stems entirely from our inability to guess how she will develop? That is the crux of the matter?”
“你们预见我的女儿充满威胁——是基于我们完全不能控制她的发展？这是问题的关键对吗？”
“Yes, friend Edward,” Aro agreed. “If we could but be positive… be sure that, as she grows, she will be able to stay concealed from the human world — not endanger the safety of our obscurity…” He trailed off, shrugging.
“是的，我的朋友，爱德华。”阿罗表示同意。“如果我们有足够的信息——能够确认，在她成长的同时，可以与人类世界保持安全的距离——并且不会危及我们的存在……”
Even more shrill. “Of course, my young friend. Nothing would please me more.”
阿罗的声音更加刺耳。“当然，我的小朋友。没有什么比这更让我高兴的了。”
“If there was some way to be absolutely sure,” Aro agreed, his feathery voice slightly more shrill. He couldn’t see where Edward was leading him. Neither could I. “Then, yes, there would be no question to debate.”
“如果有什么渠道能够绝对肯定，”阿罗说，他羽毛般平滑的声音提高了一个音调。他无法知道爱德华正在朝何处引导他。我也一样。“那么，是的，那没有问题需要讨论了。”
Aro’s eyes narrowed. “She is absolutely unique. Her future can only be guessed at.”
阿罗的眼睛眯成了一条窄缝。“她很明显是独一无二的。她的未来只能靠推测。”
Edward chuckled exultantly. “Then I do have something more to offer.”
爱德华释然的轻声一笑。“那么，我就没什么好说的了。”
“And we would part in peace, good friends once again?” Edward asked with a hint of irony.
“那么我们可以和解了，再续友谊？”爱德华带着讽刺的暗示问道。
I fought the shock, the sudden hope springing to life, as it threatened to distract me. The sickly-looking mist still swirled around the edges of my shield. And, as I struggled to focus, I felt again the sharp, stabbing pressure against my protective hold.
我一阵惊颤，生的希望正蠢蠢欲动，这险些让我分心。那危险的迷雾仍然在我守护盾的边缘盘旋。而当我聚精会神的去阻挡它的时候，我再次感到它正猛烈地攻击我的防守底线。
“Aro, would you ask Jane to stop attacking my wife?” Edward asked courteously. “We are still discussing evidence.”
“阿罗，请让简停止攻击我的妻子好吗？”爱德华温文有礼的问道。“我们还处在论证阶段呢。”
“Not absolutely unique,” Edward disagreed. “Rare, certainly, but not one of a kind.”
“并非独一无二，”爱德华分辩道。“很罕见，但是并不是唯一。”
Aro raised one hand. “Peace, dear ones. Let us hear him out.”
阿罗抬起了一只手。“安静，亲爱的。听听他打算说什么。”
Then Alice danced into the clearing from the southwest, and I felt like the bliss of seeing her face again might knock me off my feet. Jasper was only inches behind her, his sharp eyes fierce. Close after them ran three strangers; the first was a tall, muscular female with wild dark hair — obviously Kachiri. She had the same elongated limbs and features as the other Amazons, even more pronounced in her case.
然后，爱丽丝舞动着从南边的树丛中来到空地上。再次看到她的脸庞的狂喜将我一动不动的钉在地上。贾斯帕紧跟在她身后，锐利的眼神充满杀气。
Both sides were motionless in expectation. The Volturi witnesses scowled in fresh confusion.
所有的人都安静的等待着。沃尔图里的见证者们因为新的转机出现而纷纷皱起眉头。
Relief and violent joy surged through me. It took all my will to keep the shield where it was. Alec’s mist still tested, seeking a weakness — Jane would see if I left any holes.
轻松而强烈的喜悦荡涤全身。这吸引了我支撑守护盾全部的注意力。亚历克的迷雾仍在寻找我的疏漏，而简——能看到我遗漏的任何漏洞。
“Why don’t you join us, Alice?” Edward called loudly.
“为什么不过来加入我们，爱丽丝？”爱德华大声喊道。
“Alice!” other voices murmured around me.
“爱丽丝”其余人的窃窃私语在我周围响起。
“Alice!”
“爱丽丝”
Alice, Alice, Alice!
爱丽丝，爱丽丝，爱丽丝！
The pressure disappeared. Jane bared her teeth at me; I couldn’t help grinning back at her.
压力消失了。简冲着我呲了呲牙；我强忍着没有得意的笑出来。
“Alice,” Aro breathed.
“爱丽丝”阿罗吸了一口气。
“Alice,” Esme whispered in shock.
“爱丽丝。”埃斯梅震惊的低语。
Alice!
爱丽丝！
And then I heard them running through the forest, flying, closing the distance as quickly as they could with no slowing effort at silence.
然后，我听到他们飞一般穿过森林，寂静的，飘然而至。
The next was a small olive-toned female vampire with a long braid of black hair bobbing against her back. Her deep burgundy eyes flitted nervously around the confrontation before her.
还有一个女吸血鬼跟他们在一起，她有着橄榄色的皮肤，黑色的头发编成一条麻花辫披在身后。她赭红色的眼睛敏感的扫视着眼前的对抗。
And the last was a young man… not quite as fast nor quite as fluid in his run. His skin was an impossible rich, dark brown. His wary eyes flashed across the gathering, and they were the color of warm teak. His hair was black and braided, too, like the woman’s, though not as long. He was beautiful.
而最后那个是个年轻的男人……他奔跑的速度很快，却不够无声无息。他的皮肤是深棕色的，却不可思议的充满生机。他担忧的看着面前的聚会，他的眼珠呈现出温暖的柚色。
As he neared us, a new sound sent shock waves through the watching crowd — the sound of another heartbeat, accelerated with exertion.
当他越来越接近我们，一种新的震动冲击波在观众中产生了——那是心脏因为用力而加速跳跃的声音。
Alice leaped lightly over the edges of the dissipating mist that lapped at my shield and came to a sinuous stop at Edward’s side. I reached out to touch her arm, and so did Edward, Esme, Carlisle.
爱丽丝轻轻一跃，逃过回荡在我的守护盾周围的那圈迷雾，绕到爱德华身边。我立即伸出手去，抓住了她的胳膊，爱德华，埃斯梅，卡莱尔也一样。
There wasn’t time for any other welcome. Jasper and the others followed her through the shield. All the guard watched, speculation in their eyes, as the latecomers crossed the invisible border without difficulty. The brawny ones, Felix and the others like him, focused their suddenly hopeful eyes on me.
当迟到的客人轻而易举的穿过我那条看不见的防护线时，所有的守卫都提高了警惕。强壮的费利克斯，还有其他的人都用充满期待的神情盯着我。
Long enough for Kate and Vladimir to take Jane and Alec out of the equation? That was all I could ask for.
隔着这么长的距离，凯特和弗拉迪米尔能够与简和亚历克相抗衡吗？这都是问题。
They had not been sure of what my shield repelled, but it was clear now that it would not stop a physical attack.
他们不能确定我的守护盾被打破了，但是这并不足以让他们停止攻击。
Edward, despite his absorption in the coup he was directing, stiffened furiously in response to their thoughts. He controlled himself and spoke to Aro again.
爱德华，尽管正专注的倾听进攻者的思想，但是他控制住自己，开始继续对阿罗说话。
Caius snarled. “The time for witnesses is past! Cast your vote, Aro!”
卡尤斯咆哮起来。“作证的时间已经过去了！宣布你的判决，阿罗！”
I wondered how many Zafrina would be able to blind, and how much that would slow them.
我不知道查弗丽娜在多大程度上混淆了他们的视线，以及这是否能降低他们的速度。
As soon as Aro gave the order, the blitz would ensue, me the only object.
当阿罗回到他们的行列，迅雷不及掩耳的闪电战就开始了，而我是他们唯一的目标。
Aro raised one finger to silence his brother, his eyes glued to Alice’s face.
阿罗竖起一个手指，让他的兄弟保持安静，他的眼睛注视着爱丽丝。
“Alice has been searching for her own witnesses these last weeks,” he said to the ancient. “And she does not come back empty-handed. Alice, why don’t you introduce the witnesses you’ve brought?”
“爱丽丝近几周来一直在寻找她自己的证人，”他对着那些长老们说道。“而她没有无功而返。爱丽丝，为什么介绍一下你的新证人呢？”
Hearing her voice… it was like she’d never left.
听着她的声音……她从未离开过我们。
Alice stepped forward lightly and introduced the strangers. “This is Huilen and her nephew, Nahuel.”
爱丽丝迈出一步，开始介绍这两个陌生人。“这是休伊伦，还有她的外甥，纳乌艾。”
“Speak, Huilen,” Aro commanded. “Give us the witness you were brought to bear.”
“说吧，休伊伦。”阿罗命令道。“告诉我们你所有的证词。”
The slight woman looked to Alice nervously. Alice nodded in encouragement, and Kachiri put her long hand on the little vampire’s shoulder.
这个瘦小的女人紧张的看着爱丽丝，爱丽丝点点头鼓励她，而卡叽里把手搭在了那个小吸血鬼的肩上。
She came to me one day in secret and told me of the angel that found her in the woods, that visited her by night. I warned her.” Huilen shook her head mournfully. “As if the bruises on her skin were not warning enough. I knew it was the Libishomen of our legends, but she would not listen. She was bewitched.
有一天，她悄悄的来找我，告诉我说，她在树林里遇到了一位天使，那位天使经常夜晚来访。我警告过她”休伊伦悲哀的摇头。“可是她皮肤上的可怕的伤痕并不能让她警惕。现在我知道，这是我们这个传奇般故事的前兆，但是她听不进我的话，她已经着了魔了。”
Caius’s eyes tightened as Alice named the relationship between the newcomers. The Volturi witnesses hissed amongst themselves. The vampire world was changing, and everyone could feel it.
听到爱丽丝表明新来者的关系，卡尤斯收紧了眼神。沃尔图里那边的见证人发出嘶嘶的反对声。吸血鬼的世界发生了巨大的变化，每个人都可以感觉到这种震动。
“I am Huilen,” the woman announced in clear but strangely accented English. As she continued, it was apparent she had prepared herself to tell this story, that she had practiced. It flowed like a well-known nursery rhyme. “A century and a half ago, I lived with my people, the Mapuche. My sister was Pire. Our parents named her after the snow on the mountains because of her fair skin. And she was very beautiful — too beautiful.
“我叫休伊伦，”那个女人非常清楚地说道，她的英语带着奇怪的口音。当她继续说下去的时候，可以很明显的看出她已经为讲述这个故事做好了准备。就像在幼儿园讲述一个广为人知的童话故事。“150年前，我和我的马普彻族人住在一起。我的姐姐叫皮雷，我的父母用山顶的积雪的颜色为她命名，因为她拥有光洁的皮肤。她很美——简直太美了。
“I could not save her. The child ripped his way free of her, and she died quickly, begging all the while that I would care for her Nahuel. Her dying wish — and I agreed.
“我救不了她。那个孩子耗尽了她的生命，她很快就死去了，但是弥留之际，她请求我照顾纳乌艾，我答应了。
“She told me when she was sure her dark angel’s child was growing inside her. I didn’t try to discourage her from her plan to run away — I knew even our father and mother would agree that the child must be destroyed, Pire with it. I went with her into the deepest parts of the forest. She searched for her demon angel but found nothing. I cared for her, hunted for her when her strength failed. She ate the animals raw, drinking their blood. I needed no more confirmation of what she carried in her womb. I hoped to save her life before I killed the monster.
“当那个黑夜天使的孩子已经在她的身体内生长的时候，她告诉了我。我尽量劝她不要逃走——虽然我知道我的父母肯定会建议除掉这个孩子，皮雷听从了我的劝告。我陪着她来到森林深处。她想寻找她的黑夜天使，但是没有找到他。我照顾她，在她游走在生死边缘，为她捕猎，她生吃那些动物，喝它们的血。我根本无从清楚她肚子里怀的是什么，我只希望在我杀死那个恶魔之前能够救活她。”
“He bit me, though, when I tried to lift him from her body. I crawled away into the jungle to die. I didn’t get far — the pain was too much. But he found me; the newborn child struggled through the underbrush to my side and waited for me. When the pain ended, he was curled against my side, sleeping.
“他咬了我一口，就在我把他从她的尸体边抱走的时候。我爬进雨林，等待死亡的到来。我无法走远，剧痛来得太快了。但是他发现了我，他穿过树林在我身边等候，当疼痛结束后，他正蜷缩在我的身边，已经睡着了。
“But she loved the child inside her. She called him Nahuel, after the jungle cat, when he grew strong and broke her bones — and loved him still.
“但是她爱她肚子里的那个孩子。她为他起名叫纳乌艾，即使梦靥到来，即使他强壮到撕裂了她的身体——她依然爱他。”
I felt a shudder tremble through Jacob’s body. I didn’t want to think about this yet. I would wait till the danger was past and I could concentrate.
我发觉我身边的雅各布的身体在颤抖。而我不想考虑这个。在我专心思考前我必须先等待危机结束。
“About seven years after my birth, more or less, I was full grown.”
“我出生后7年左右，不多不少，我完全发育成熟了。”
“Give or take a decade,” he answered in a clear, beautifully warm voice. His accent was barely noticeable. “We don’t keep track.”
“误差不会超过10年”他的嗓音清晰，美妙而温暖。几乎没有口音。“我们没有认真计算过。”
Aro’s lips were pursed. He stared at the dark-skinned youth.
阿罗闭紧了嘴巴，打量着这个肤色深暗的年轻人。
“And your diet?” Aro pressed, seeming interested in spite of himself.
“你的饮食？”阿罗继续追问，试图隐藏他的兴趣中的不怀好意。
Huilen bowed her head when she was finished and moved back so she was partially hidden behind Kachiri.
休伊伦讲完这个故事时，她低下头走回去，隐藏到卡叽里身后。
“And you reached maturity at what age?”
“那么你在哪个年龄停止生长的？”
“I cared for him until he was able to hunt for himself. We hunted the villages around our forest, staying to ourselves. We have never come so far from our home, but Nahuel wished to see the child here.”
“在他能独自捕猎之前，我一直照顾他。我们一直呆在我们的村庄附近捕猎，我们从未离开过家这么远，但是，纳乌艾希望见见这里的这个孩子。”
Nahuel shrugged. “Not that I’ve noticed.”
纳乌艾耸耸肩。“我没有注意到有什么变化。”
“Nahuel, you are one hundred and fifty years old?” he questioned.
“纳乌艾，你现在有150岁了吗？”他问道。
“You have not changed since then?”
“此后在没有任何改变吗？”
“Mostly blood, but some human food, too. I can survive on either.”
“主要是血，但是也包括一些人类的食物。这两样我都喜欢。”
“My sisters.” Nahuel shrugged again.
“我的姐妹们。”纳乌艾再次耸了耸肩。
A shocked murmur ran through all three groups.
人群中掠过一阵震惊的骚动。
“Yes, but none of the rest can.”
“是的，但是其余的人不能。”
Aro’s eyebrows shot up. “The rest?”
阿罗竖起了眉毛。“其余的？”
“You were able to create an immortal?” As Aro gestured to Huilen, his voice was abruptly intense. I refocused on my shield; perhaps he was seeking a new excuse.
“你能永生不死吗？”当阿罗朝休伊伦做了个手势，他的声音突然紧张起来。我重新调整我的守护盾；或许他有找到了新的借口。
Aro stared wildly for a moment before composing his face.
阿罗瞪大了眼睛，努力控制自己的表情。
Nahuel frowned.
纳乌艾皱皱眉。
“My father came looking for me a few years after my mother’s death.” His handsome face distorted slightly. “He was pleased to find me.” Nahuel’s tone suggested the feeling was not mutual. “He had two daughters, but no sons. He expected me to join him, as my sisters had.
“在我的母亲死后，我的父亲来寻找我。”他英俊的面容轻微的扭曲着。“他很高兴找到了我。”纳乌艾表情说明这种高兴不是双方都有的。“他有两个女儿，但是没有儿子。他希望我加入他的家庭，就像我的姐妹们一样。
“Perhaps you would tell us the rest of your story, for there seems to be more.”
“或许你要告诉我你其余的故事，应该比我们听过的更多。”
“He was surprised I was not alone. My sisters are not venomous, but whether that’s due to gender or a random chance… who knows? I already had my family with Huilen, and I was not interested” — he twisted the word — “in making a change. I see him from time to time. I have a new sister; she reached maturity about ten years back.”
“他很吃惊我并不是一个人生活。我的姐妹们都是无毒的，也许是因为性别或者遗传的原因——谁知道呢？我早就把休伊伦视为家人了，而且我没有兴趣——”他斟酌着措辞——“改变我的生活。我偶尔见他一面。后来我又有了一个新妹妹，她大约在10年后发育成熟。”
Caius looked at me. “Your daughter, is she venomous?” he demanded harshly.
卡尤斯盯着我。“你的女儿，她有毒吗？”他严厉的问。
Aro stared into my eyes for a long, tense moment. I had no idea what he was searching for, or what he found, but after he had measured me for that moment, something in his face changed, a faint shift in the set of his mouth and eyes, and I knew that Aro had made his decision.
阿罗盯住我的双眼看了很长时间。我无从知晓他在寻找什么，或者他已经发现了什么，但是在他仔细斟酌之后，他的神情改变了，一些细不可查的变化出现在他的嘴角和眼神中，于是我知道阿罗已经下定了决心。
“Joham,” Nahuel answered. “He considers himself a scientist. He thinks he’s creating a new super-race.” He made no attempt to disguise the disgust in his tone.
“乔厄姆。”纳乌艾回答。“他认为自己是个科学家。他觉得自己正在创造一个新的物种。”他毫不掩饰自己表情中的厌恶。
Caius growled. “We take care of the aberration here, and then follow it south,” he urged Aro.
卡尤斯咆哮起来。“我们的决定是出了一点偏差，但是却没有偏离方向。”他试图说服阿罗。
“Your father’s name?” Caius asked through gritted teeth.
“你父亲的名字？”卡尤斯从牙缝中挤出一句话。
Caius looked to Aro for confirmation, but Aro was absorbed in his own thoughts. He pursed his lips and stared at Carlisle, and then Edward, and at last his eyes rested on me.
卡尤斯求证的看着阿罗，但是阿罗这时正纠结于自己的思路。他抿起嘴唇，看着卡莱尔，然后是爱德华，最后，他的目光落在我的脸上。
“No,” I responded. Nahuel’s head snapped up at Aro’s question, and his teak eyes turned to bore into my face.
“没有，”我回答道。纳乌艾的注意力猛地离开阿罗的问题，他的眼睛热切的盯住我的脸。
“Brother,” he said softly to Caius. “There appears to be no danger. This is an unusual development, but I see no threat. These half-vampire children are much like us, it appears.”
“兄弟，”他温和的对卡尤斯说。“现在看来不存在什么危险。这是一种非自然的进化，但我看不会构成威胁。很明显，这些半吸血鬼孩子更像我们一些。”
“Is that your vote?” Caius demanded.
“这就是你的判决？”卡尤斯追问。
“Perhaps we should speak with him,” Aro agreed.
“或许我们需要和他谈一谈。”阿罗表示赞成。
Caius scowled. “And this Joham? This immortal so fond of experimentation?”
卡尤斯怒气冲天。“那么这个乔厄姆呢？这个长生不死的痴迷于变态的生育实验的科学家呢？”
“It is.”
“是的。”
“Stop Joham if you will,” Nahuel said flatly. “But leave my sisters be. They are innocent.”
“如果可以，请制止乔厄姆，”纳乌艾无力的说。“但是放过我的姐妹们，她们是无罪的。”
Maybe this was another trick.
也许，这只不过是另外一次攻击而已。
Aro nodded, his expression solemn. And then he turned back to his guard with a warm smile.
阿罗点点头，表情严肃。然后，他带着热情的微笑回头面向他的守卫们。
“Dear ones,” he called. “We do not fight today.”
“亲爱的，”他召唤他们。“今天可以停战了。”
The guard nodded in unison and straightened out of their ready positions. The mist dissipated swiftly, but I held my shield in place.
守卫们纷纷点头，放松他们的戒备姿势。迷雾立即消失了，但是我将我的守护盾留在原处。
I analyzed their expressions as Aro turned back to us. His face was as benign as ever, but unlike before, I sensed a strange blankness behind the facade. As if his scheming was over. Caius was clearly incensed, but his rage was turned inward now; he was resigned. Marcus looked… bored; there really was no other word for it. The guard was impassive and disciplined again; there were no individuals among them, just the whole. They were in formation, ready to depart. The Volturi witnesses were still wary; one after another, they departed, scattering into the woods. As their numbers dwindled, the remaining sped up.
我注视着他们的一举一动。阿罗转过身来面对我们。他的表情像从前一样温和，但也不是刚才的样子，我能感觉到一种奇怪的虚无隐藏在这个面具的后面。就像是他的诡计已经终结了。卡尤斯仍然处于怒火中，但是他很好的隐藏了起来；他顺从了。而马库斯……看上去觉得更加无聊了。这一切确实让人无话可说。守卫们保持着训练有素的无动于衷的表情，没有例外，他们全体服从命令，整装待发。沃尔图里的见证人们仍然忧心忡忡，一个接一个，毫无声息的消失在树林中。
Aro held his hands out to us, almost apologetic. Behind him, the larger part of the guard, along with Caius, Marcus, and the silent, mysterious wives, were already drifting quickly away, their formation precise once again. Only the three that seemed to be his personal guardians lingered with him.
阿罗向我们伸出了手，表现出最大的诚意。在他的身后，大批的守卫正追随着卡尤斯，马库斯还有那些沉默、神秘的妻子们迅速的消失在森林深处，他们的编队仍然密不透风。只有阿罗的那三名专职守卫守候在远处。
Soon they were all gone.
很快，他们就全不见了。
“Leave in peace, Aro,” Carlisle said stiffly. “Please remember that we still have our anonymity to protect here, and keep your guard from hunting in this region.”
“安心离开吧，阿罗。”卡莱尔僵硬的说。“但是请记住我们这里不知名的守护者们，最好让你的守卫们远离此地。”
“Perhaps, in time, if you prove a friend to us again.”
“也许，早晚，只要你能再次证明你是我们的朋友。”
“I’m so glad this could be resolved without violence,” he said sweetly. “My friend, Carlisle — how pleased I am to call you friend again! I hope there are no hard feelings. I know you understand the strict burden that our duty places on our shoulders.”
“我真高兴能够和平解决这次的争端，”他亲切的说。“我的朋友，卡莱尔——再次称你为朋友让我真高兴！我知道让你理解这一点很困难，但是我们必须严格执行法律，我们重任在肩啊。”
Aro bowed his head, the picture of remorse, and drifted backward for a moment before he turned around. We watched in silence as the last four Volturi disappeared into the trees.
阿罗显得很懊悔的微微颔首，然后从他站立的地方向后飘去。我们安静的看着沃尔图里最后的四个吸血鬼离开，消失在树林里。
“Of course, Carlisle,” Aro assured him. “I am sorry to earn your disapproval, my dear friend. Perhaps, in time, you will forgive me.”
“当然，卡莱尔。”阿罗保证道。“我很难过赢得的是你的谴责，我的朋友。但是，早晚，你会原谅我的。”
It was very quiet. I did not drop my shield.
太安静了。我并没有放下我的守护盾。
“Is it really over?” I whispered to Edward.
“真的结束了吗？”我悄声问爱德华。
His smile was huge. “Yes. They’ve given up. Like all bullies, they’re cowards underneath the swagger.” He chuckled.
他露出一个大大的微笑。“是的，他们放弃了。在他们的自鸣得意的面具下，藏着的是一群胆小鬼。”他轻轻的笑着。
Alice laughed with him. “Seriously, people. They’re not coming back. Everybody can relax now.”
爱丽丝也笑起来。“严肃点，老兄，他们不会回来了。现在我们可以放松一下了。”
Cheers erupted. Deafening howls filled the clearing. Maggie pounded Siobhan on the back. Rosalie and Emmett kissed again — longer and more ardently than before.
欢呼声爆发出来。震耳欲聋的吼叫声回荡在空地上。麦琪一下跳到了西博汉的背上。罗莎莉和埃美特热烈的吻在一起，比以前时间更长，更热烈。
There was another beat of silence.
另外一个声音打破了静寂。
Benjamin and Tia were locked in each other’s arms, as were Carmen and Eleazar. Esme held Alice and Jasper in a tight embrace. Carlisle was warmly thanking the South American newcomers who had saved us all. Kachiri stood very close to Zafrina and Senna, their fingertips interlocked. Garrett picked Kate up off the ground and swung her around in a circle.
本杰明和蒂娅紧紧的搂在一起，卡门和以利亚撒也一样。埃斯梅把爱丽丝和贾斯帕一起拥抱在怀中。卡莱尔正在热情的感谢刚刚救了我们全体的性命的南美新朋友。Kachin紧挨着查弗丽娜和森纳站着，他们的手指紧紧的扣在一起。加勒特猛地把凯特抱起来，飞快的转着圈（这对儿成了）。
“Of all the rotten luck,” Stefan muttered. And then it hit.
“这次便宜他们了。”斯特凡低声抱怨。这引爆了一切。
Stefan spit on the snow. Vladimir ground his teeth together with a sour expression.
斯特凡朝雪地上愤愤的吐了一口痰。弗拉迪米尔酸酸的咬紧牙关。
And I half-climbed the giant russet wolf to rip my daughter off his back and then crushed her to my chest. Edward’s arms were around us in the same second.
我费了好大劲才把我的女儿从那头棕红色的巨狼背上扯下来，紧紧的抱在胸前，爱德华立即把我们拥在怀中。
“Forever,” I promised her.
“永远。”我向她保证。
Jacob laughed his big, barky laugh and poked the back of my head with his nose.
雅各布发出巨大的，粗噶的笑声，用它的鼻子轻轻的拱着我的后脑勺。
“Forever,” Edward echoed in my ear.
“永远。”爱德华在我耳边低语。
“Shut up,” I mumbled.
“闭嘴！”我佯怒的嘟囔着。
We had forever. And Nessie was going to be fine and healthy and strong. Like the half — human Nahuel, in a hundred and fifty years she would still be young. And we would all be together.
我们拥有永远。而内希会好的，她会越来越健康，越来越强壮。就像另一个半人类的纳乌艾，在未来的150年里，她会永远年轻。而且我们会永远在一起。
Happiness expanded like an explosion inside me — so extreme, so violent that I wasn’t sure I’d survive it.
幸福的感觉在我的心中急速膨胀——那么真实，那么强烈，让我几乎感觉不到自己仍然存在。
“Nessie, Nessie, Nessie,” I crooned.
“内希，内希，内希”我低声轻唤这个心爱的名字。
“I get to stay with you?” Nessie demanded.
“我能留下和你们在一起了？”内希怀疑的问。
I couldn’t speak anymore. I lifted my head and kissed him with a passion that might possibly set the forest on fire.
我一句话也说不出来。我抬起脸吻他，我的热情足以令森林燃烧起来。
I wouldn’t have noticed.
我不在乎。
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