《4 breaking dawn破晓》第144章

too；　like　I　was　somehow　mysteriously　good　at　all　the　other　aspects　of　being　a　vampire。　My　human　life　
had　not　prepared　me　for　things　that　came　naturally；　and　I　couldn"t　make　myself　trust　this　aptitude　to　last。　
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It　felt　like　I　had　never　wanted　anything　so　badly　before　this；　to　be　able　to　protect　what　I　loved。　
Because　I　was　so　preoccupied；　I　didn"t　notice　the　silent　exchange　going　on　between　Edward　and　Eleazar　
until　it　became　a　spoken　conversation。　
〃Can　you　think　of　even　one　exception；　though？〃　Edward　asked。　
I　looked　over　to　make　sense　of　his　ment　and　realized　that　everyone　else　was　already　staring　at　the　
two　men。　They　were　leaning　toward　each　other　intently；　Edward"s　expression　tight　with　suspicion；　
Eleazar"s　unhappy　and　reluctant。　
〃I　don"t　want　to　think　of　them　that　way；〃　Eleazar　said　through　his　teeth。　I　was　surprised　at　the　sudden　
change　in　the　atmosphere。　
〃If　you"re　right—；〃　Eleazar　began　again。　
Edward　cut　him　off。　〃The　thought　was　yours；　not　mine。〃　
〃If　I"m　right。。。　I　can"t　even　grasp　what　that　would　mean。　It　would　change　everything　about　the　world　
we"ve　created。　It　would　change　the　meaning　of　my　life。　What　I　have　been　a　part　of。〃　
〃Your　intentions　were　always　the　best；　Eleazar。〃　
〃Would　that　even　matter？　What　have　I　done？　How　many　lives　。。。〃　
Tanya　put　her　hand　on　Eleazar"s　shoulder　in　a　forting　gesture。　〃What　did　we　miss；　my　friend？　I　want　
to　know　so　that　I　can　argue　with　these　thoughts。　You"ve　never　done　anything　worth　castigating　yourself　
this　way。〃　
〃Oh；　haven"t　I？〃　Eleazar　muttered。　Then　he　shrugged　out　from　under　her　hand　and　began　his　pacing　
again；　faster　even　than　before。　
Tanya　watched　him　for　half　a　second　and　then　focused　on　Edward。　〃Explain。〃　
Edward　nodded；　his　tense　eyes　following　Eleazar　as　he　spoke。　〃He　was　trying　to　understand　why　so　
many　of　
the　Volturi　would　e　to　punish　us。　It"s　not　the　way　they　do　things。　Certainly；　we　are　the　biggest　mature　
coven　they"ve　dealt　with；　but　in　the　past　other　covens　have　joined　to　protect　themselves；　and　they　never　
presented　much　of　a　challenge　despite　their　numbers。　We　are　more　closely　bonded；　and　that"s　a　factor；　
but　not　a　huge　one。　
〃He　was　remembering　other　times　that　covens　have　been　punished；　for　one　thing　or　the　other；　and　a　
pattern　occurred　to　him。　It　was　a　pattern　that　the　rest　of　the　guard　would　never　have　noticed；　since　
Eleazar　was　the　one　passing　the　pertinent　intelligence　privately　to　Aro。　A　pattern　that　only　repeated　every　
other　century　or　so。〃　
〃What　was　this　pattern？〃　Carmen　asked；　watching　Eleazar　as　Edward　was。　
〃Aro　does　not　often　personally　attend　a　punishing　expedition；〃　Edward　said。　〃But　in　the　past；　when　Aro　
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wanted　something　in　particular；　it　was　never　long　before　evidence　turned　up　proving　that　this　coven　or　
that　coven　had　mitted　some　unpardonable　crime。　The　ancients　would　decide　to　go　along　to　watch　the　
guard　administer　justice。　And　then；　once　the　coven　was　all　but　destroyed；　Aro　would　grant　a　pardon　to　
one　member　whose　thoughts；　he　would　claim；　were　particularly　repentant。　Always；　it　would　turn　out　that　
this　vampire　had　the　gift　Aro　had　admired。　Always；　this　person　was　given　a　place　with　the　guard。　The　
gifted　vampire　was　won　over　quickly；　always　so　grateful　for　the　honor。　There　were　no　exceptions。〃　
〃It　must　be　a　heady　thing　to　be　chosen；〃　Kate　suggested。　
〃Ha！〃　Eleazar　snarled；　still　in　motion。　
〃There　is　one　among　the　guard；〃　Edward　said；　explaining　Eleazar"s　angry　reaction。　〃Her　name　is　Chelsea。　
She　has　influence　over　the　emotional　ties　between　people。　She　can　both　loosen　and　secure　these　ties。　She　
could　make　someone　feel　bonded　to　the　Volturi；　to　want　to　belong；　to　want　to　please　them___〃　
Eleazar　came　to　an　abrupt　halt。　〃We　all　understood　why　Chelsea　was　important。　In　a　fight；　if　we　could　
separate　allegiances　between　allied　covens；　we　could　defeat　them　that　much　more　easily。　If　we　could　
distance　the　innocent　members　of　a　coven　emotionally　from　the　guilty；　justice　could　be　done　without　
unnecessary　brutality—the　guilty　could　be　punished　without　interference；　and　the　innocent　could　be　
spared。　Otherwise；　it　was　impossible　to　keep　the　coven　from　fighting　as　a　whole。　So　Chelsea　would　
break　the　ties　that　bound　them　together。　It　seemed　a　great　kindness　to　me；　evidence　of　Aro"s　mercy。　I　
did　suspect　that　Chelsea　kept　our　own　band　more　tightly　knit；　but　that；　too；　was　a　good　thing。　It　made　us　
more　effective。　It　helped　us　coexist　more　easily。〃　
This　clarified　old　memories　for　me。　It　had　not　made　sense　to　me　before　how　the　guard　obeyed　their　
masters　so　gladly；　with　almost　loverlike　devotion。　
〃How　strong　is　her　gift？〃　Tanya　asked　with　an　edge　to　her　voice。　Her　gaze　quickly　touched　on　each　
member　of　her　family。　
Eleazar　shrugged。　〃I　was　able　to　leave　with　Carmen。〃　And　then　he　shook　his　head。　〃But　anything　weaker　
than　the　bond　between　partners　is　in　danger。　In　a　normal　coven；　at　least。　Those　are　weaker　bonds　than　
those　in　our　family；　though。　Abstaining　from　human　blood　makes　us　more　civilized—lets　us　form　true　
bonds　of　love。　I　doubt　she　could　turn　our　allegiances；　Tanya。〃　
Tanya　nodded；　seeming　reassured；　while　Eleazar　continued　with　his　analysis。　
〃I　could　only　think　that　the　reason　Aro　had　decided　to　e　himself；　to　bring　so　many　with　him；　is　
because　his　goal　is　not　punishment　but　acquisition；〃　Eleazar　said。　〃He　needs　to　be　there　to　control　the　
situation。　But　he　needs　the　entire　guard　for　protection　from　such　a　large；　gifted　coven。　On　the　other　hand；　
that　leaves　the　other　ancients　unprotected　in　Volterra。　Too　risky—someone　might　try　to　take　advantage。　
So　they　all　e　together。　How　else　could　he　be　sure　to　preserve　the　gifts　that　he　wants？　He　must　want　
them　very　badly；〃　Eleazar　mused。　
Edward"s　voice　was　low　as　a　breath。　〃From　what　I　saw　of　his　thoughts　last　spring；　Aro"s　never　wanted　
anything　more　than　he　wants　Alice。〃　
I　felt　my　mouth　fall　open；　remembering　the　nightmarish　pictures　I　had　ima