Сумерки

           SoIwentoffonmyownforatime."

           "Really?"Iwasintrigued,ratherthanfrightened,asIperhapsshouldhavebeen.

           Hecouldtell.Ivaguelyrealizedthatwewereheadedupthenextflightofstairs,butIwasn’tpayingmuchattentiontomysurroundings.

           "Thatdoesn’trepulseyou?"

           "No."

           "Whynot?"

           "Iguess...itsoundsreasonable."

           Hebarkedalaugh,moreloudlythanbefore.Wewereatthetopofthestairsnow,inanotherpaneledhallway.

           "Fromthetimeofmynewbirth,"hemurmured,"Ihadtheadvantageofknowingwhateveryonearoundmewasthinking,bothhumanandnon-humanalike.That’swhyittookmetenyearstodefyCarlisle-Icouldreadhisperfectsincerity,understandexactlywhyhelivedthewayhedid.

           "IttookmeonlyafewyearstoreturntoCarlisleandrecommittohisvision.IthoughtIwouldbeexemptfromthe...depression...thataccompaniesaconscience.BecauseIknewthethoughtsofmyprey,Icouldpassovertheinnocentandpursueonlytheevil.IfIfollowedamurdererdownadarkalleywherehestalkedayounggirl-ifIsavedher,thensurelyIwasn’tsoterrible."

           Ishivered,imaginingonlytooclearlywhathedescribed-thealleyatnight,thefrightenedgirl,thedarkmanbehindher.AndEdward,Edwardashehunted,terribleandgloriousasayounggod,unstoppable.Wouldshehavebeengrateful,thatgirl,ormorefrightenedthanbefore?

           "Butastimewenton,Ibegantoseethemonsterinmyeyes.Icouldn’tescapethedebtofsomuchhumanlifetaken,nomatterhowjustified.AndIwentbacktoCarlisleandEsme.