the hunger games-饥饿游戏(英文版)-第15章

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I　realize　I　do　want　to　talk　to　someone　about　the　girl。　Someone　who　might　be　able　to　help　me　figure　out　her　story。
Gale　would　be　my　first　choice；　but　itˇs　unlikely　Iˇll　ever　see　Gale　again。　I　try　to　think　if　telling　Peeta　could　give　him　any　possible　advantage　over　me；　but　I　donˇt　see　how。　Maybe　sharing　a　confidence　will　actually　make　him　believe　I　see　him　as　a　friend。
Besides；　the　idea　of　the　girl　with　her　maimed　tongue　frightens　me。　She　has　reminded　me　why　Iˇm　here。　Not　to　model　flashy　costumes　and　eat　delicacies。　But　to　die　a　bloody　death　while　the　crowds　urge　on　my　killer。
To　tell　or　not　to　tell？　My　brain　still　feels　slow　from　the　wine。　I　stare　down　the　empty　corridor　as　if　the　decision　lies　there。
Peeta　picks　up　on　my　hesitation。　¨Have　you　been　on　the　roof　yet？〃　I　shake　my　head。　¨Cinna　showed　me。　You　can　practically　see　the　whole　city。　The　windˇs　a　bit　loud；　though。〃
I　translate　this　into　¨No　one　will　overhear　us　talking〃　in　my　head。　You　do　have　the　sense　that　we　might　be　under　surveillance　here。　¨Can　we　just　go　up？〃
¨Sure；　e　on；〃　says　Peeta。　I　follow　him　to　a　flight　of　stairs　that　lead　to　the　roof。　Thereˇs　a　small　dome…shaped　room　with　a　door　to　the　outside。　As　we　step　into　the　cool；　windy　evening　air；　I　catch　my　breath　at　the　view。　The　Capitol　twinkles　like　a　vast　field　of　fireflies。　Electricity　in　District　12　es　and　goes；　usually　we　only　have　it　a　few　hours　a　day。　Often　the　evenings　are　spent　in　candlelight。　The　only　time　you　can　count　on　it　is　when　theyˇre　airing　the　Games　or　some　important　government　message　on　television　that　itˇs　mandatory　to　watch。　But　here　there　would　be　no　shortage。　Ever。
Peeta　and　I　walk　to　a　railing　at　the　edge　of　the　roof。　I　look　straight　down　the　side　of　the　building　to　the　street；　which　is　buzzing　with　people。　You　can　hear　their　cars；　an　occasional　shout；　and　a　strange　metallic　tinkling。　In　District　12；　weˇd　all　be　thinking　about　bed　right　now。
¨I　asked　Cinna　why　they　let　us　up　here。　Werenˇt　they　worried　that　some　of　the　tributes　might　decide　to　jump　right　over　the　side？〃　says　Peeta。
¨Whatˇd　he　say？〃　I　ask。
¨You　canˇt；〃　says　Peeta。　He　holds　out　his　hand　into　seemingly　empty　space。　Thereˇs　a　sharp　zap　and　he　jerks　it　back。　¨Some　kind　of　electric　field　throws　you　back　on　the　roof。〃
¨Always　worried　about　our　safety；〃　I　say。　Even　though　Cinna　has　shown　Peeta　the　roof；　I　wonder　if　weˇre　supposed　to　be　up　here　now；　so　late　and　alone。　Iˇve　never　seen　tributes　on　the　Training　Center　roof　before。　But　that　doesnˇt　mean　weˇre　not　being　taped。　¨Do　you　think　theyˇre　watching　us　now？〃
¨Maybe；〃　he　admits。　¨e　see　the　garden。〃　On　the　other　side　of　the　dome；　theyˇve　built　a　garden　with　flower　beds　and　potted　trees。　From　the　branches　hang　hundreds　of　wind　chimes；　which　account　for　the　tinkling　I　heard。　Here　in　the　garden；　on　this　windy　night；　itˇs　enough　to　drown　out　two　people　who　are　trying　not　to　be　heard。　Peeta　looks　at　me　expectantly。
I　pretend　to　examine　a　blossom。　¨We　were　hunting　in　the　woods　one　day。　Hidden；　waiting　for　game；〃　I　whisper。
¨You　and　your　father？〃　he　whispers　back。
¨No；　my　friend　Gale。　Suddenly　all　the　birds　stopped　singing　at　once。　Except　one。　As　if　it　were　giving　a　warning　call。　And　then　we　saw　her。　Iˇm　sure　it　was　the　same　girl。　A　boy　was　with　her。　Their　clothes　were　tattered。　They　had　dark　circles　under　their　eyes　from　no　sleep。　They　were　running　as　if　their　lives　depended　on　it；〃　I　say。
For　a　moment　Iˇm　silent；　as　I　remember　how　the　sight　of　this　strange　pair；　clearly　not　from　District　12；　fleeing　through　the　woods　immobilized　us。　Later；　we　wondered　if　we　could　have　helped　them　escape。　Perhaps　we　might　have。　Concealed　them。　If　weˇd　moved　quickly。　Gale　and　I　were　taken　by　surprise；　yes；　but　weˇre　both　hunters。　We　know　how　animals　look　at　bay。　We　knew　the　pair　was　in　trouble　as　soon　as　we　saw　them。　But　we　only　watched。
¨The　hovercraft　appeared　out　of　nowhere；〃　I　continue　to　Peeta。　¨I　mean；　one　moment　the　sky　was　empty　and　the　next　it　was　there。　It　didnˇt　make　a　sound；　but　they　saw　it。　A　　dropped　down　on　the　girl　and　carried　her　up；　fast；　so　fast　like　the　elevator。　They　shot　some　sort　of　spear　through　the　boy。　It　was　attached　to　a　cable　and　they　hauled　him　up　as　well。　But　Iˇm　certain　he　was　dead。　We　heard　the　girl　scream　once。　The　boyˇs　name；　I　think。　Then　it　was　gone；　the　hovercraft。　Vanished　into　thin　air。　And　the　birds　began　to　sing　again；　as　if　nothing　had　happened。〃
¨Did　they　see　you？〃　Peeta　asked。
¨I　donˇt　know。　We　were　under　a　shelf　of　rock；〃　I　reply。
But　I　do　know。　There　was　a　moment；　after　the　birdcall；　but　before　the　hovercraft；　where　the　girl　had　seen　us。　Sheˇd　locked　eyes　with　me　and　called　out　for　help。　But　neither　Gale　or　I　had　responded。
¨Youˇre　shivering；〃　says　Peeta。
The　wind　and　the　story　have　blown　all　the　warmth　from　my　body。　The　girlˇs　scream。　Had　it　been　her　last？
Peeta　takes　off　his　jacket　and　wraps　it　around　my　shoulders。　I　start　to　take　a　step　back；　but　then　I　let　him；　deciding　for　a　moment　to　accept　both　his　jacket　and　his　kindness。　A　friend　would　do　that；　right？
¨They　were　from　here？〃　he　asks；　and　he　secures　a　button　at　my　neck。
I　nod。　Theyˇd　had　that　Capitol　look　about　them。　The　boy　and　the　girl。
¨Where　do　you　suppose　they　were　going？〃　he　asks。
¨I　donˇt　know　that；〃　I　say。　District　12　is　pretty　much　the　end　of　the　line。　Beyond　us；　thereˇs　only　wilderness。　If　you　donˇt　count　the　ruins　of　District　13　that　still　smolder　from　the　toxic　bombs。　They　show　it　on　television　occasionally；　just　to　remind　us。　¨Or　why　they　would　leave　here。〃　Haymitch　had　called　the　Avoxes　traitors。　Against　what？　It　could　only　be　the　Capitol。　But　they　had　everything　here。　No　cause　to　rebel。
¨Iˇd　leave　here；〃　Peeta　blurts　out。　Then　he　looks　around　nervously。　It　was　loud　enough　to　hear　above　the　chimes。　He　laughs。　¨Iˇd　go　home　now　if　they　let　me。　But　you　have　to　admit；　the　foodˇs　prime。〃
Heˇs　covered　again。　If　thatˇs　all　youˇd　heard　it　would　just　sound　like　the　words　of　a　scared　tribute；　not　someone　contemplating　the　unquestionable　goodness　of　the　Capitol。
¨Itˇs　getting　chilly。　We　better　go　in；〃　he　says。　Inside　the　dome；　itˇs　warm　and　bright。　His　tone　is　conversational。　¨Your　friend　Gale。　Heˇs　the　one　who　took　your　sister　away　at　the　reaping？〃
¨Yes。　Do　you　know　him？〃　I　ask。
¨Not　really。　I　hear　the　girls　talk　about　him　a　lot。　I　thought　he　was　your　cousin　or　something。　You　favor　each　other；〃　he　says。
¨No；　weˇre　not　related；〃　I　say。
Peeta　nods；　unreadable。　¨Did　he　e　to　say　good…bye　to　you？〃
¨Yes；〃　I　say；　observing　him　carefully。　¨So　did　your　father。　He　brought　me　cookies。〃
Peeta　raises　his　eyebrows　as　if　this　is　news。　But　after　watching　him　lie　so　smoothly；　I　donˇt　give　this　much　weight。　¨Really？　Well；　he　likes　you　and　your　sister。　I　think　he　wishes　he　had　a　daughter　instead　of　a　houseful　of　boys。〃
The　idea　that　I　might　ever　have　been　discussed；　around　the　dinner　table；　at　the　bakery　fire；　just　in　passing　in　Peetaˇs　house　gives　me　a　start。　It　must　have　been　when　the　mother　was　out　of　the　room。
¨He　knew　your　mother　when　they　were　kids；〃　says　Peeta。
Another　surprise。　But　probably　true。　¨Oh；　yes。　She　grew　up　in　town；〃　I　say。　It　seems　impolite　to　say　she　never　mentioned　the　baker　except　to　pliment　his　bread。
Weˇre　at　my　door。　I　give　back　his　jacket。　¨See　you　in　the　morning　then。〃
¨See　you；〃　he　says；　and　walks　off　down　the　hall。
When　I　open　my　door；　the　redheaded　girl　is　collecting　my　unitard　and　boots　from　where　I　left　them　on　the　floor　before　my　shower。　I　want　to　apologize　for　possibly　getting　her　in　trouble　earlier。　But　I　remember　Iˇm　not　supposed　to　speak　to　her　unless　Iˇm　giving　her　an　order。
¨Oh；　sorry；〃　I　say。　¨I　was　supposed　to　get　those　back　to　Cinna。　Iˇm　sorry。　Can　you　take　them　to　him？〃
She　avoids　my　eyes；　gives　a　small　nod；　and　heads　out　the　door。
Iˇd　set　out　to　tell　her　I　was　sorry　about　dinner。　But　I　know　that　my　apology　runs　much　deeper。　That　Iˇm　ashamed　I　never　tried　to　help　her　in　the　woods。　That　I　let　the　Capitol　kill　the　boy　and　mutilate　her　without　lifting　a　finger。
Just　like　I　was　watching　the　Games。
I　kick　off　my　shoes　and　climb　under　the　covers　in　my　clothes。　The　shivering　hasnˇt　stopped。　Perhaps　the　girl