Twilight Chapter 14: Mind Over Matter Summary

How It All Goes Down

  • Edward drives Bella home, and tells her a bit about his life. He was born in 1901, and at 17, he was going to die of Spanish influenza. His doctor, Carlisle Cullen, saved him by turning him into a vampire.
  • After that, Carlisle also transformed Esme, who had fallen off a cliff and was dying. Esme became his wife. Then he saved Rosalie, who was intended to be Edward's companion, but that didn't work out.
  • Rosalie found Emmett being attacked by a bear, and carried him to Carlisle to save. Rosalie and Emmett have been together ever since.
  • Alice and Jasper joined the family later, already as vampires. They had each "developed a conscience" (14.28) on their own and didn't want to prey on humans.
  • When they arrive at Bella's house, she finds out that Edward isn't unfamiliar with the house – he's been spying on her at night.

    [Bella:] "How often did you come here?"

    "I come almost every night. [...] You're interesting when you sleep." He spoke matter-of-factly. "You talk."
    (14.66-67, 69)

  • To Bella's complete embarrassment, Edward tells her that she says his name at night. "Don't be self-conscious," he says. "If I could dream at all, it would be about you. And I'm not ashamed of it" (14.85).
  • Bella's dad comes home and Edward quickly disappears. After convincing Charlie that she's tired, Bella heads upstairs and finds Edward in her bedroom.
  • They snuggle as Bella tries to fall asleep. He feels like it's so much easier being around her now, like he's being desensitized to her smell.
  • Edward talks about how he's in love for the first time ever. How he's feeling jealousy for the first time (because of Mike), and how love is "more forceful than [he] imagined" (14.184).

    [Edward:] "For almost ninety years I've walked among my kind, and yours...all the time thinking I was complete in myself, not realizing what I was seeking. And not finding anything, because you weren't alive yet." (14.200)

  • Eventually, Edward sings a lullaby and Bella "drift[s] to sleep in his cold arms" (14.292).