danbrown.thedavincicode-第38部分

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ould　be　left　with　a　vacant　air　of　bewilderment…the　exact　expression　Langdon　had　seen　on　his　own　editor's　face　a　few　months　ago　after　Langdon　handed　him　a　draft　of　the　manuscript　he　was　working　on。
　〃This　manuscript　claims　what？〃　his　editor　had　choked；　setting　down　his　wineglass　and　staring　across　his　half…eaten　power　lunch。　〃You　can't　be　serious。〃
　〃Serious　enough　to　have　spent　a　year　researching　it。〃
　Prominent　New　York　editor　Jonas　Faukman　tugged　nervously　at　his　goatee。　Faukman　no　doubt　had　heard　some　wild　book　ideas　in　his　illustrious　career；　but　this　one　seemed　to　have　left　the　man　flabbergasted。
　〃Robert；〃　Faukman　finally　said；　〃don't　get　me　wrong。　I　love　your　work；　and　we've　had　a　great　run　together。　But　if　I　agree　to　publish　an　idea　like　this；　I'll　have　people　picketing　outside　my　office　for　months。　Besides；　it　will　kill　your　reputation。　You're　a　Harvard　historian；　for　God's　sake；　not　a　pop　schlockmeister　looking　for　a　quick　buck。　Where　could　you　possibly　find　enough　credible　evidence　to　support　a　theory　like　this？〃
　With　a　quiet　smile　Langdon　pulled　a　piece　of　paper　from　the　pocket　of　his　tweed　coat　and　handed　it　to　Faukman。　The　page　listed　a　bibliography　of　over　fifty　titles…books　by　well…known　historians；　some　contemporary；　some　centuries　old…many　of　them　academic　bestsellers。　All　the　book　titles　suggested　the　same　premise　Langdon　had　just　proposed。　As　Faukman　read　down　the　list；　he　looked　like　a　man　who　had　just　discovered　the　earth　was　actually　flat。　〃I　know　some　of　these　authors。　They're。。。　real　historians！〃
　Langdon　grinned。　〃As　you　can　see；　Jonas；　this　is　not　only　my　theory。　It's　been　around　for　a　long　time。　I'm　simply　building　on　it。　No　book　has　yet　explored　the　legend　of　the　Holy　Grail　from　a　symbologic　angle。　The　iconographic　evidence　I'm　finding　to　support　the　theory　is；　well；　staggeringly　persuasive。〃
　Faukman　was　still　staring　at　the　list。　〃My　God；　one　of　these　books　was　written　by　Sir　Leigh　Teabing…a　British　Royal　Historian。〃
　〃Teabing　has　spent　much　of　his　life　studying　the　Holy　Grail。　I've　met　with　him。　He　was　actually　a　big　part　of　my　inspiration。　He's　a　believer；　Jonas；　along　with　all　of　the　others　on　that　list。〃
　〃You're　telling　me　all　of　these　historians　actually　believe。。。〃　Faukman　swallowed；　apparently　unable　to　say　the　words。
　Langdon　grinned　again。　〃The　Holy　Grail　is　arguably　the　most　sought…after　treasure　in　human　history。　The　Grail　has　spawned　legends；　wars；　and　lifelong　quests。　Does　it　make　sense　that　it　is　merely　a　cup？　If　so；　then　certainly　other　relics　should　generate　similar　or　greater　interest…the　Crown　of　Thorns；　the　True　Cross　of　the　Crucifixion；　the　Titulus…and　yet；　they　do　not。　Throughout　history；　the　Holy　Grail　has　been　the　most　special。〃　Langdon　grinned。　〃Now　you　know　why。〃
　Faukman　was　still　shaking　his　head。　〃But　with　all　these　books　written　about　it；　why　isn't　this　theory　more　widely　known？〃
　〃These　books　can't　possibly　pete　with　centuries　of　established　history；　especially　when　that　history　is　endorsed　by　the　ultimate　bestseller　of　all　time。〃
　Faukman's　eyes　went　wide。　〃Don't　tell　me　Harry　Potter　is　actually　about　the　Holy　Grail。〃
　〃I　was　referring　to　the　Bible。〃
　Faukman　cringed。　〃I　knew　that。〃
　　
　〃Laissez…le！〃　Sophie's　shouts　cut　the　air　inside　the　taxi。　〃Put　it　down！〃
　Langdon　jumped　as　Sophie　leaned　forward　over　the　seat　and　yelled　at　the　taxi　driver。　Langdon　could　see　the　driver　was　clutching　his　radio　mouthpiece　and　speaking　into　it。
　Sophie　turned　now　and　plunged　her　hand　into　the　pocket　of　Langdon's　tweed　jacket。　Before　Langdon　knew　what　had　happened；　she　had　yanked　out　the　pistol；　swung　it　around；　and　was　pressing　it　to　the　back　of　the　driver's　head。　The　driver　instantly　dropped　his　radio；　raising　his　one　free　hand　overhead。
　〃Sophie！〃　Langdon　choked。　〃What　the　hell…〃
　〃Arrêtez！〃　Sophie　manded　the　driver。
　Trembling；　the　driver　obeyed；　stopping　the　car　and　putting　it　in　park。
　It　was　then　that　Langdon　heard　the　metallic　voice　of　the　taxi　pany's　dispatcher　ing　from　the　dashboard。　〃。。。qui　s'appette　Agent　Sophie　Neveu。。。〃　the　radio　crackled。　〃Et　un　Américain；　Robert　Langdon。。。〃
　Langdon's　muscles　turned　rigid。　They　found　us　already？
　〃Descendez；〃　Sophie　demanded。
　The　trembling　driver　kept　his　arms　over　his　head　as　he　got　out　of　his　taxi　and　took　several　steps　backward。
　Sophie　had　rolled　down　her　window　and　now　aimed　the　gun　outside　at　the　bewildered　cabbie。　〃Robert；〃　she　said　quietly；　〃take　the　wheel。　You're　driving。〃
　Langdon　was　not　about　to　argue　with　a　woman　wielding　a　gun。　He　climbed　out　of　the　car　and　jumped　back　in　behind　the　wheel。　The　driver　was　yelling　curses；　his　arms　still　raised　over　his　head。
　〃Robert；〃　Sophie　said　from　the　back　seat；　〃I　trust　you've　seen　enough　of　our　magic　forest？〃
　He　nodded。　Plenty。
　〃Good。　Drive　us　out　of　here。〃
　Langdon　looked　down　at　the　car's　controls　and　hesitated。　Shit。　He　groped　for　the　stick　shift　and　clutch。　〃Sophie？　Maybe　you…〃
　〃Go！〃　she　yelled。
　Outside；　several　hookers　were　walking　over　to　see　what　was　going　on。　One　woman　was　placing　a　call　on　her　cell　phone。　Langdon　depressed　the　clutch　and　jostled　the　stick　into　what　he　hoped　was　first　gear。　He　touched　the　accelerator；　testing　the　gas。
　Langdon　popped　the　clutch。　The　tires　howled　as　the　taxi　leapt　forward；　fishtailing　wildly　and　sending　the　gathering　crowd　diving　for　cover。　The　woman　with　the　cell　phone　leapt　into　the　woods；　only　narrowly　avoiding　being　run　down。
　〃Doucement！〃　Sophie　said；　as　the　car　lurched　down　the　road。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃I　tried　to　warn　you；〃　he　shouted　over　the　sound　of　gnashing　gears。　〃I　drive　an　automatic！〃
　　
　CHAPTER　39
　
　Although　the　spartan　room　in　the　brownstone　on　Rue　La　Bruyère　had　witnessed　a　lot　of　suffering；　Silas　doubted　anything　could　match　the　anguish　now　gripping　his　pale　body。　I　was　deceived。　Everything　is　lost。
　Silas　had　been　tricked。　The　brothers　had　lied；　choosing　death　instead　of　revealing　their　true　secret。　Silas　did　not　have　the　strength　to　call　the　Teacher。　Not　only　had　Silas　killed　the　only　four　people　who　knew　where　the　keystone　was　hidden；　he　had　killed　a　nun　inside　Saint…Sulpice。　She　was　working　against　God！　She　scorned　the　work　of　Opus　Dei！
　A　crime　of　impulse；　the　woman's　death　plicated　matters　greatly。　Bishop　Aringarosa　had　placed　the　phone　call　that　got　Silas　into　Saint…Sulpice；　what　would　the　abbé　think　when　he　discovered　the　nun　was　dead？　Although　Silas　had　placed　her　back　in　her　bed；　the　wound　on　her　head　was　obvious。　Silas　had　attempted　to　replace　the　broken　tiles　in　the　floor；　but　that　damage　too　was　obvious。　They　would　know　someone　had　been　there。
　Silas　had　planned　to　hide　within　Opus　Dei　when　his　task　here　was　plete。　Bishop　Aringarosa　will　protect　me。　Silas　could　imagine　no　more　blissful　existence　than　a　life　of　meditation　and　prayer　deep　within　the　walls　of　Opus　Dei's　headquarters　in　New　York　City。　He　would　never　again　set　foot　outside。　Everything　he　needed　was　within　that　sanctuary。　Nobody　will　miss　me。　Unfortunately；　Silas　knew；　a　prominent　man　like　Bishop　Aringarosa　could　not　disappear　so　easily。
　I　have　endangered　the　bishop。　Silas　gazed　blankly　at　the　floor　and　pondered　taking　his　own　life。　After　all；　it　had　been　Aringarosa　who　gave　Silas　life　in　the　first　place。。。　in　that　small　rectory　in　Spain；　educating　him；　giving　him　purpose。
　〃My　friend；〃　Aringarosa　had　told　him；　〃you　were　born　an　albino。　Do　not　let　others　shame　you　for　this。　Do　you　not　understand　how　special　this　makes　you？　Were　you　not　aware　that　Noah　himself　was　an　albino？〃
　〃Noah　of　the　Ark？〃　Silas　had　never　heard　this。
　Aringarosa　was　smiling。　〃Indeed；　Noah　of　the　Ark。　An　albino。　Like　you；　he　had　skin　white　like　an　angel。　Consider　this。　Noah　saved　all　of　life　on　the　planet。　You　are　destined　for　great　things；　Silas。　The　Lord　has　freed　you　for　a　reason。　You　have　your　calling。　The　Lord　needs　your　help　to　do　His　work。〃
　Over　time；　Silas　learned　to　see　himself　in　a　new　light。　I　am　pure。　White。　Beautiful。　Like　an　angel。
　At　the　moment；　though；　in　his　room　at　the　residence　hall；　it　was　his　father's　disappointed　voice　that　whispered　to　him　from　the　past。
　Tu　es　un　désastre。　Un　spectre。
　Kneeling　on　the　wooden　floor；　Silas　prayed　for　forgivenes