"For example" — his words flowed swiftly now, I had to concentrate to catch it all — "the emotion of jealousy. I've read about it a hundred thousand times, seen actors portray it in a thousand different plays and movies. I believed I understood that one pretty clearly. But it shocked me…" He grimaced. "Do you remember the day that Mike asked you to the dance?"
“例如”——他说话变得迅速起来,我不得不集中精力去捕捉每一个字——“嫉妒的情绪。我读到过这种情绪千万次,在一千部不同的戏剧和电影里看过演员对此的演绎。我相信自己对此的理解非常透彻,但它却震撼了我……”他扮了个鬼脸。“你还记得迈克邀请你去舞会那天吗?”
I nodded, though I remembered that day for a different reason. "The day you started talking to me again."
我点了点头,不过我记得那一天却是出于一个完全不同的理由。“那天你又开始和我说话了。”
"I was surprised by the flare of resentment, almost fury, that I felt — I didn't recognize what it was at first. I was even more aggravated than usual that I couldn't know what you were thinking, why you refused him. Was it simply for your friend's sake? Was there someone else? I knew I had no right to care either way. I tried not to care.
“我被那阵一闪而过,几近狂暴的愤怒惊呆了,我所感觉到的——起初我根本分辨不出这是什么样的情绪。我不知道你在想什么,这种挫败感比平时来得还要严重,因为我不知道你为什么拒绝他。仅仅是为了你的朋友的缘故吗?还是为了某个人?我知道我没有权利去关心这些方面。我努力不让自己去关心这些。”
"And then the line started forming," he chuckled. I scowled in the darkness.
“然后排队邀请你的队伍开始形成了。”他轻笑起来。我在黑暗中把脸绷起来。
"I waited, unreasonably anxious to hear what you would say to them, to watch your expressions. I couldn't deny the relief I felt, watching the annoyance on your face. But I couldn't be sure.
“我等待着,焦虑不安得毫无理由地,想要听到你会对他们说什么,想要看见你的表情。我无法否认,当看到你脸上烦恼的神情时,我感到一阵宽慰。但我不能肯定。
"That was the first night I came here. I wrestled all night, while watching you sleep, with the chasm between what I knew was right, moral, ethical, and what I wanted.
那是我第一次晚上来这里。当我看着你的睡容时,我整夜都在挣扎着,在我知道是正确的,合乎道德的,合乎伦理的,和我想要的之间挣扎着,有如困于深谷之中。
《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。