"Was that a strike?" I whispered to Esme.
“那是一个好球吗？”我对艾思梅耳语道。
"If they don't hit it, it's a strike," she told me.
“如果他们不挥棒的话，这就是个好球。”她告诉我。
Jasper hurled the ball back to Alice's waiting hand. She permitted herself a brief grin. And then her hand spun out again.
贾斯帕用力把球扔回爱丽丝正等着的手里。她容许自己简短地一笑，然后她的手再次旋转起来。
This time the bat somehow made it around in time to smash into the invisible ball. The crack of impact was shattering, thunderous; it echoed off the mountains — I immediately understood the necessity of the thunderstorm.
这一次，那根球棒挥动起来，以某种方式及时击中了那个根本看不见的球。撞击的声音有如山崩，隆隆作响。这声音回荡在山峦之间——我立刻明白了雷雨天的必要性。
The ball shot like a meteor above the field, flying deep into the surrounding forest.
那球像流星一样掠过场地上空，远远地落入周围的密林之中。
"Home run," I murmured.
“全垒打。”我喃喃低语道。
"Wait," Esme cautioned, listening intently, one hand raised. Emmett was a blur around the bases, Carlisle shadowing him. I realized Edward was missing.
“再等等看，”艾思梅警告着，她专注地聆听着，一只手高高举起。艾美特风一般环绕着所有的垒跑着，卡莱尔在向他示意。我意识到，爱德华不见了。
"Out!" Esme cried in a clear voice. I stared in disbelief as Edward sprang from the fringe of the trees, ball in his upraised hand, his wide grin visible even to me.
“出局！”艾思梅用清亮的声音高喊着。我难以置信地看着爱德华从林海的边缘跃出，高举的手里攒着球，他欢畅的咧嘴大笑连我都看得清清楚楚。
"Emmett hits the hardest," Esme explained, "but Edward runs the fastest."
“艾美特的击球最有力，”艾思梅解释道。“但爱德华跑得最快。”
The inning continued before my incredulous eyes. It was impossible to keep up with the speed at which the ball flew, the rate at which their bodies raced around the field.
这一局在我充满怀疑的注视中继续着。我的目光根本跟不上那只球飞舞的速度，也跟不上他们在场地上奔跑的身影。
I learned the other reason they waited for a thunderstorm to play when Jasper, trying to avoid Edward's infallible fielding, hit a ground ball toward Carlisle. Carlisle ran into the ball, and then raced Jasper to first base. When they collided, the sound was like the crash of two massive falling boulders. I jumped up in concern, but they were somehow unscathed.
当贾斯帕试图躲开爱德华滴水不漏的外野守卫，把一只地滚球击向卡莱尔的时候，我了解到了他们需要等到雷雨天才能玩球的另一个理由。卡莱尔冲过去截住那只球，然后把贾斯帕送上了一垒。他们相撞的声音，听起来像是两块飞速落下的巨石撞击的声音。我担心地跳了起来，但他们不知怎的都毫发无损。
《暮光之城》与图书题目相得益彰的是，“暮光之城”系列别具匠心的封面设计则很好地传达出了每本书内在的深远寓意。斯蒂芬妮·梅尔指出《暮色》封面上的苹果代表“创世纪” 内善恶树上的禁果。象征贝拉和爱德华之间人类与吸血鬼禁忌的爱恋。在书的开头引用了“创世纪”217页的内容：“只是分别善恶树上的果子，你不可吃，因为你吃的日子必定死。”这同时也代表了贝拉如何分辨善恶——选择是否吃下那颗禁忌的果实，这比喻了选择跟爱德华在一起或远离他。
