"Actually, I did know that," I informed him in a hard voice. This surprised him. "But that reputation couldn't be deserved, could it? Because the Cullens never set foot on the reservation, do they?" I could see that my less than subtle reminder of the agreement that both bound and protected his tribe pulled him up short.
“确实，我不清楚这一点，”我用一种生硬的口吻告诉他。这让他大吃一惊。“但那种评价并不值得赞同，对吗？因为卡伦一家根本从未踏入过保留区，对吧？”我能看出，我不着痕迹地暗示了那个既束缚了他的部落，也保护着他的部落的协议，顿时阻止了他。
"That's true," he acceded, his eyes guarded. "You seem… well informed about the Cullens. More informed than I expected."
“这倒是真的。”他同意道，他的眼睛充满了提防。“你似乎……很了解卡伦一家。比我意料之中的还要了解。”
I stared him down. "Maybe even better informed than you are."
我俯视着他。“也许比你更熟知内情。”
He pursed his thick lips as he considered that. "Maybe." he allowed, but his eyes were shrewd. "Is Charlie as well informed?"
他仔细地思索着，皱起他厚厚的嘴唇。“也许。”他认可道，但他的眼神很狡猾。“查理也熟知内情吗？”
He had found the weak chink in my armor.
他找到了我的盔甲上脆弱的缝隙。
"Charlie likes the Cullens a lot," I hedged. He clearly understood my evasion. His expression was unhappy, but unsurprised.
“查理很喜欢卡伦一家。”我兜着圈子答道。他无疑明白了我在逃避。他的表情很不高兴，但并不讶异。
"It's not my business," he said. "But it may be Charlie's."
“这与我无关，”他说道。“但这也许和查理有关。”
"Though it would be my business, again, whether or not I think that it's Charlie's business, right?"
“不管我是否认为这与查理有关，这始终是我自己的事，对吗？”
I wondered if he even understood my confused question as I struggled not to say anything compromising. But he seemed to. He thought about it while the rain picked up against the roof, the only sound breaking the silence.
我努力不作出任何让步，我想知道他是否理解了我令人困惑的问题。但他似乎明白了。他思索着，雨水打在屋顶上，成为打破这片沉默的唯一的声音。
"Yes," he finally surrendered. "I guess that's your business, too."
“是的。”他最终投降了。“我猜这也是你自己的事。”
I sighed with relief. "Thanks, Billy."
我如释重负地叹了口气。“谢谢，比利。”
"Just think about what you're doing, Bella," he urged.
“不过要好好想想你正在做的事，贝拉。”他极力催促道。
"Okay," I agreed quickly.
“好吧。”我飞快地赞同道。
He frowned. "What I meant to say was, don't do what you're doing."
他皱起眉。“我的意思是说，不要做你正在做的事。”
《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。
