n　evident　delight。　His　voice　was

just　a　soft　sighing。

He　drifted　forward；　and　the　movement　flowed　with　such　surreal　grace　that　I

gawked；　my　mouth　hangmg

open。　Even　Alice；　whose　every　motion　looked　like　dancing；　could　not　pare。

I　was　only　more　astonished　as　he　floated　closer　and　I　could　see　his　face。　It

was　not　like　the　unnaturally

attractive　faces　that　surrounded　him　（for　he　did　not　approach　us　alone；　the

entire　group　converged

around　him；　some　following；　and　some　walking　ahead　of　him　with　the　alert

manner　of　bodyguards）。　I

couldn't　decide　if　his　face　was　beautiful　or　not。　I　suppose　the　features　were

perfect。　But　he　was　as

different　from　the　vampires　beside　him　as　they　were　from　me。　His　skin　was

translucently　white；　like

onionskin；　and　it　looked　just　as　delicate—it　stood　in　shocking　contrast　to

the　long　black　hair　that　framed

his　face。　I　felt　a　strange；　horrifying　urge　to　touch　his　cheek；　to　see　if　it

was　softer　than　Edward's　or

Alice's；　or　if　it　was　powdery；　like　chalk。　His　eyes　were　red；　the　same　as　the

others　around　him；　but　the

color　was　clouded；　milky；　I　wondered　if　his　vision　was　affected　by　the　haze。

He　glided　to　Jane；　took　her　face　in　his　papery　hands；　kissed　her　lightly　on

her　full　lips；　and　then　floated

back　a　step。

〃Yes；　Master。〃　Jane　smiled；　the　expression　made　her　look　like　an　angelic

child。　〃I　brought　him　back　alive；

just　as　you　wished。〃

〃Ah；　Jane。〃　He　smiled；　too。　〃You　are　such　a　fort　to　me。〃

He　turned　his　misty　eyes　toward　us；　and　the　smile　brightened—became　ecstatic。

〃And　Alice　and　Bella；　too！〃　he　rejoiced；　clapping　his　thin　hands　together。