rasalvatore.attackoftheclones-第33部分

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me　passed　before　Anakin　tuned　back　in；　cued　by　the　sudden　seriousness　in　Jobal's　voice　as　she　said　to　Padme；　〃Honey；　it's　so　good　to　see　you　safe。　We　were　so　worried。〃
　
　Anakin　looked　up　just　in　time　to　see　the　intense；　disapproving　glare　that　Padme　answered　with。　Ruwee；　obviously　trying　to　dispel　the　tension　before　it　could　really　begin；　put　his　hand　on　Jobal's　arm　and　quietly　said；　〃Dear。。。〃
　〃I　know；　I　know！〃　said　the　suddenly　animated　Jobal。　〃But　I　had　to　say　it。　Now　it's　done。〃
　
　Sola　cleared　her　throat。　〃Well；　this　is　exciting；〃　she　said；　and　everyone　looked　at　her。　〃Do　you　know；　Anakin；　you're　the　first　boyfriend　my　sister　ever　brought　home？〃
　〃Sola！〃　Padme　exclaimed。　She　rolled　her　eyes。　〃He　isn't　my　boyfriend！　He's　a　Jedi　assigned　by　the　Senate　to　protect　me。〃
　〃A　bodyguard？〃　Jobal　asked　with　great　concern。　〃Oh；　Padme；　they　didn't　tell　us　it　was　that　serious！〃
　
　Padme's　sigh　was　intermixed　with　a　groan。　〃It's　not；　Mom；〃　she　said。　〃I　promise。　Anyway；　Anakin's　a　friend。　I've　known　him　for　years。　Remember　that　little　boy　who　was　with　the　Jedi　during　the　blockade　crisis？〃
　
　A　couple　of　〃ahs〃　of　recognition　came　back　in　response；　along　with　nodding　heads。　Then　Padme　smiled　at　Anakin　and　said；　with　just　enough　weight　to　make　him　recognize　that　her　previous　claims　about　his　place　here　weren't　entirely　true；　〃He's　grown　up。〃
　
　Anakin　glanced　at　Sola　and　saw　that　she　was　staring　at　him；　scrutinizing　him。　He　shifted　unfortably　in　his　seat。
　〃Honey；　when　are　you　going　to　settle　down？〃　Jobal　went　on。　〃Haven't　you　had　enough　of　that　life？　I　certainly　have！〃
　〃Mom；　I'm　not　in　any　danger；〃　Padme　insisted；　taking　Anakin's　hand　in　her　own。
　〃Is　she？〃　Ruwee　asked　Anakin。
　
　The　Padawan　stared　hard　at　Padme's　father；　recognizing　the　honest　concern。　This　man；　who　obviously　loved　his　daughter　so　much；　deserved　to　know　the　truth。　〃Yes；　I'm　afraid　she　is。〃
　
　Even　as　the　words　left　his　mouth；　Anakin　felt　Padme's　grip　tighten。　〃But　not　much；〃　she　added　quickly；　and　she　turned　to　Anakin；　smiling；　but　in　a　you'll…pay…for…that…later　kind　of　way。　〃Anakin；〃　she　said　quietly；　her　teeth　gritted；　locked　into　that　threatening　smile。
　〃The　Senate　thought　it　prudent　to　give　her　some　time　away；　and　under　the　protection　of　the　Jedi；〃　he　said；　his　tone　casual；　showing　no　reflections　of　the　pain　he　was　feeling　as　Padme's　fingernails　dug　into　his　hand。　〃My　Master；　Obi…Wan；　is　even　now　seeing　to　the　matter。　All　should　be　well　soon　enough。〃
　
　His　breath　came　easier　as　Padme　loosened　her　grip；　and　Ruwee；　and　even　Jobal；　seemed　to　relax。　Anakin　knew　that　he　had　done　well；　but　he　was　surprised　to　see　that　Sola　was　still　staring　at　him；　still　smiling　as　if　she　knew　a　secret。
　
　He　gave　her　a　quizzical　look；　but　she　only　smiled　all　the　wider。
　
　　〃Sometimes　I　wish　I'd　traveled　more；〃　Ruwee　admitted　to　Anakin　as　the　two　walked　in　the　garden　after　dinner。　〃But　I　must　say；　I'm　happy　here。〃
　〃Padme　tells　me　you　teach　at　the　university。〃
　〃Yes；　and　before　that　I　was　a　builder；〃　Ruwee　answered　with　a　nod。　〃I　also　worked　for　the　Refugee　Relief　Movement；　when　I　was　very　young。〃　Anakin　looked　at　him　curiously；　not　really　surprised。　〃You　seem　quite　interested　in　public　service；〃　he　remarked。
　〃Naboo　is　generous；〃　Ruwee　explained。　〃The　planet　itself；　I　mean。　We　have　all　that　we　want；　all　that　we　could　want。　Food　is　plentiful；　the　climate　is　fortable；　the　surroundings　are…〃
　〃Beautiful；〃　Anakin　put　in。
　〃Quite　so；〃　said　Ruwee。　〃We　are　a　very　fortunate　people；　and　we　know　it。　That　good　fortune　should　not　be　taken　for　granted；　and　so　we　try　to　share　and　try　to　help。　It　is　our　way　of　saying　that　we　wele　the　friendship　of　those　less　fortunate；　that　we　do　not　think　ourselves　entitled　to　that　which　we　have；　but　rather；　that　we　feel　blessed　beyond　what　we　deserve。　And　so　we　share；　and　so　we　work；　and　in　doing　so；　we　bee　something　larger　than　ourselves；　and　more　fulfilled　than　one　can　bee　from　idly　enjoying　good　fortune！〃　Anakin　considered　Ruwee's　words　for　a　few　moments。　〃It　is　the　same　with　the　Jedi；　I　suppose；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　been　given　great　gifts；　and　we　train　hard　to　make　the　most　of　those。　And　then　we　use　our　given　powers　to　try　to　help　the　galaxy；　to　try　to　make　everything　a　little　bit　better。〃
　〃And　to　make　the　things　we　love　a　little　bit　safer？〃
　
　Anakin　looked　at　him；　catching　the　meaning；　and　he　smiled　and　nodded。　He　saw　respect　in　Ruwee's　eyes；　and　gratitude；　and　he　was　glad　for　both。　He　could　not　deny　the　way　Padme　looked　at　her　family；　the　love　that　seemed　to　flow　from　her　whenever　any　of　them　entered　the　room；　and　he　knew　that　if　Ruwee　or　Jobal　or　Sola　didn't　like　him；　his　relationship　with　Padme　would　be　hurt。
　
　He　was　glad；　then；　that　he　had　e　to　this　place；　not　only　as　Padme's　panion；　but　also　as　her　protector。
　
　　Back　in　the　house；　Padme；　Sola；　and　Jobal　were　working　together　to　clear　the　dishes　and　the　remaining　food。　Padme　noted　the　tension　in　her　mother's　movements；　and　she　knew　that　these　latest　events…the　assassination　attempts；　the　fights　in　the　Senate　over　an　issue　that　could　well　lead　to　war…were　weighing　heavily　on　her。
　
　She　looked　to　Sola；　too；　to　see　if　she　might　find　some　clue　as　to　how　to　help　alleviate　the　tension；　but　all　she　found　there　was　an　obvious　curiosity　that　set　her　off　her　balance　more　than　had　her　mother's　concerned　expression。
　〃Why　haven't　you　told　us　about　him？〃　Sola　asked　with　a　sly　grin。
　〃What's　there　to　talk　about？〃　Padme　replied　as　casually　as　she　could。　〃He's　just　a　boy。〃
　〃A　boy？〃　Sola　repeated　with　a　laugh。　〃Have　you　seen　the　way　he　looks　at　you？〃
　〃Sola！　Stop　it！〃
　〃It's　obvious　he　has　feelings　for　you；〃　Sola　went　on。　〃Are　you　saying；　little　baby　sister；　that　you　haven't　noticed？〃
　〃I'm　not　your　baby　sister；　Sola；〃　Padme　said　flatly；　her　tone　turning　to　true　consternation。　〃Anakin　and　I　are　friends。　Our　relationship　is　strictly　professional。〃
　
　Sola　grinned　again。
　〃Mom；　would　you　tell　her　to　stop　it？〃　Padme　burst　out　in　embarrassed　frustration。
　
　Now　Sola　began　laughing　out　loud。　〃Well；　maybe　you　haven't　noticed　the　way　he　looks　at　you。　I　think　you're　afraid　to。〃
　〃Cut　it　out！〃
　
　Jobal　stepped　between　the　two　and　gave　Sola　a　stern　look。　Then　she　turned　back　to　Padme。　〃Sola's　just　concerned；　dear；〃　she　said。　But　her　words　sounded　to　Padme　like　condescension；　as　if　her　mother　was　still　trying　to　protect　a　helpless　little　girl。
　〃Oh；　Mom；　you're　impossible；〃　she　said　with　a　sigh　of　surrender。　〃What　I'm　doing　is　important。〃
　〃You've　done　your　service；　Padme；〃　Jobal　answered。　〃It's　time　you　had　a　life　of　your　own。　You're　missing　so　much！〃
　
　Padme　tilted　her　head　back　and　closed　her　eyes；　trying　to　accept　the　words　in　the　spirit　with　which　they　were　offered。　For　a　moment；　she　regretted　ing　back　here；　to　see　the　same　old　sights　and　hear　the　same　old　advice。　For　just　a　moment；　though。　Truthfully；　when　she　considered　it　all；　Padm　had　to　admit　she　was　glad　to　have　people　who　loved　her　and　cared　about　her　so　much。
　
　She　offered　her　mother　an　appeasing　smile；　and　Jobal　nodded　and　gently　tapped　Padme's　arm。　She　turned　to　Sola　next；　and　saw　her　sister　still　grinning。　What　did　Sola　see？
　
　　〃Now　tell　me；　son；　how　serious　is　this　thing？〃　Ruwee　asked　bluntly　as　the　two　neared　the　door　that　would　take　them　back　into　the　house。　〃How　much　danger　is　my　daughter　really　in？〃
　
　Anakin　didn't　hesitate；　realizing；　as　he　had　at　dinner；　that　Padme's　father　deserved　nothing　but　honesty　from　him。　〃There　have　been　two　attempts　on　her　life。　Chances　are；　there'll　be　more。　But　I　wasn't　lying　to　you　and　wasn't　trying　to　minimize　anything。　My　Master　is　tracking　down　the　assassins。　I'm　sure　he'll　find　out　who　they　are　and　take　care　of　them。　This　situation　won't　last　long。〃
　〃I　don't　want　anything　to　happen　to　her；〃　Ruwee　said；　with　the　gravity　of　a　parent　concerned　over　a　beloved　child。
　〃I　don't　either；〃　Anakin　assured　him；　with　almost　equal　weight。
　
　　Padme　stared　at　her　older　sister　until；　at　last；　Sola　broke　down　and　asked；
　
　〃What？〃
　
　The　two　of　them　were　alone　together；　while　Jobal　and　Ruwee　entertained　Anakin　out　in　the　sitting　room。
　〃Why　do　you　keep　saying　such　things　about　me　and　Anakin？〃