danbrown.thedavincicode-第40部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


dered。　Sirens　howled　somewhere　in　the　distance；　and　she　felt　a　thickening　shroud　of　fatigue　settling　over　her。
　〃There！〃　Langdon　said；　feeling　excited　to　see　the　huge　plex　of　the　Roland　Garros　tennis　stadium　looming　ahead。
　Sophie　snaked　her　way　toward　the　stadium。　After　several　passes；　they　located　the　intersection　of　Rue　Haxo　and　turned　onto　it；　driving　in　the　direction　of　the　lower　numbers。　The　road　became　more　industrial；　lined　with　businesses。
　We　need　number　twenty…four；　Langdon　told　himself；　realizing　he　was　secretly　scanning　the　horizon　for　the　spires　of　a　church。　Don't　be　ridiculous。　A　forgotten　Templar　church　in　this　neighborhood？
　〃There　it　is；〃　Sophie　exclaimed；　pointing。
　Langdon's　eyes　followed　to　the　structure　ahead。
　What　in　the　world？
　The　building　was　modern。　A　squat　citadel　with　a　giant；　neon　equal…armed　cross　emblazoned　atop　its　facade。　Beneath　the　cross　were　the　words：
　DEPOSITORY　BANK　OF　ZURICH
　Langdon　was　thankful　not　to　have　shared　his　Templar　church　hopes　with　Sophie。　A　career　hazard　of　symbologists　was　a　tendency　to　extract　hidden　meaning　from　situations　that　had　none。　In　this　case；　Langdon　had　entirely　forgotten　that　the　peaceful；　equal…armed　cross　had　been　adopted　as　the　perfect　symbol　for　the　flag　of　neutral　Switzerland。
　At　least　the　mystery　was　solved。
　Sophie　and　Langdon　were　holding　the　key　to　a　Swiss　bank　deposit　box。
　　
　CHAPTER　41
　
　Outside　Castel　Gandolfo；　an　updraft　of　mountain　air　gushed　over　the　top　of　the　cliff　and　across　the　high　bluff；　sending　a　chill　through　Bishop　Aringarosa　as　he　stepped　from　the　Fiat。　I　should　have　worn　more　than　this　cassock；　he　thought；　fighting　the　reflex　to　shiver。　The　last　thing　he　needed　to　appear　tonight　was　weak　or　fearful。
　The　castle　was　dark　save　the　windows　at　the　very　top　of　the　building；　which　glowed　ominously。　The　library；　Aringarosa　thought。　They　are　awake　and　waiting。　He　ducked　his　head　against　the　wind　and　continued　on　without　so　much　as　a　glance　toward　the　observatory　domes。
　The　priest　who　greeted　him　at　the　door　looked　sleepy。　He　was　the　same　priest　who　had　greeted　Aringarosa　five　months　ago；　albeit　tonight　he　did　so　with　much　less　hospitality。　〃We　were　worried　about　you；　Bishop；〃　the　priest　said；　checking　his　watch　and　looking　more　perturbed　than　worried。
　〃My　apologies。　Airlines　are　so　unreliable　these　days。〃
　The　priest　mumbled　something　inaudible　and　then　said；　〃They　are　waiting　upstairs。　I　will　escort　you　up。〃
　The　library　was　a　vast　square　room　with　dark　wood　from　floor　to　ceiling。　On　all　sides；　towering　bookcases　burgeoned　with　volumes。　The　floor　was　amber　marble　with　black　basalt　trim；　a　handsome　reminder　that　this　building　had　once　been　a　palace。
　〃Wele；　Bishop；〃　a　man's　voice　said　from　across　the　room。
　Aringarosa　tried　to　see　who　had　spoken；　but　the　lights　were　ridiculously　low…much　lower　than　they　had　been　on　his　first　visit；　when　everything　was　ablaze。　The　night　of　stark　awakening。　Tonight；　these　men　sat　in　the　shadows；　as　if　they　were　somehow　ashamed　of　what　was　about　to　transpire。
　Aringarosa　entered　slowly；　regally　even。　He　could　see　the　shapes　of　three　men　at　a　long　table　on　the　far　side　of　the　room。　The　silhouette　of　the　man　in　the　middle　was　immediately　recognizable…the　obese　Secretariat　Vaticana；　overlord　of　all　legal　matters　within　Vatican　City。　The　other　two　were　high…ranking　Italian　cardinals。
　Aringarosa　crossed　the　library　toward　them。　〃My　humble　apologies　for　the　hour。　We're　on　different　time　zones。　You　must　be　tired。〃
　〃Not　at　all；〃　the　secretariat　said；　his　hands　folded　on　his　enormous　belly。　〃We　are　grateful　you　have　e　so　far。　The　least　we　can　do　is　be　awake　to　meet　you。　Can　we　offer　you　some　coffee　or　refreshments？〃
　〃I'd　prefer　we　don't　pretend　this　is　a　social　visit。　I　have　another　plane　to　catch。　Shall　we　get　to　business？〃
　〃Of　course；〃　the　secretariat　said。　〃You　have　acted　more　quickly　than　we　imagined。〃
　〃Have　I？〃
　〃You　still　have　a　month。〃
　〃You　made　your　concerns　known　five　months　ago；〃　Aringarosa　said。　〃Why　should　I　wait？〃
　〃Indeed。　We　are　very　pleased　with　your　expediency。〃
　Aringarosa's　eyes　traveled　the　length　of　the　long　table　to　a　large　black　briefcase。　〃Is　that　what　I　requested？〃
　〃It　is。〃　The　secretariat　sounded　uneasy。　〃Although；　I　must　admit；　we　are　concerned　with　the　request。　It　seems　quite。。。〃
　〃Dangerous；〃　one　of　the　cardinals　finished。　〃Are　you　certain　we　cannot　wire　it　to　you　somewhere？　The　sum　is　exorbitant。〃
　Freedom　is　expensive。　〃I　have　no　concerns　for　my　own　safety。　God　is　with　me。〃
　The　men　actually　looked　doubtful。
　〃The　funds　are　exactly　as　I　requested？〃
　The　secretariat　nodded。　〃Large…denomination　bearer　bonds　drawn　on　the　Vatican　Bank。　Negotiable　as　cash　anywhere　in　the　world。〃
　Aringarosa　walked　to　the　end　of　the　table　and　opened　the　briefcase。　Inside　were　two　thick　stacks　of　bonds；　each　embossed　with　the　Vatican　seal　and　the　title　PORTATORE；　making　the　bonds　redeemable　to　whoever　was　holding　them。
　The　secretariat　looked　tense。　〃I　must　say；　Bishop；　all　of　us　would　feel　less　apprehensive　if　these　funds　were　in　cash。〃
　I　could　not　lift　that　much　cash；　Aringarosa　thought；　closing　the　case。　〃Bonds　are　negotiable　as　cash。　You　said　so　yourself。〃
　The　cardinals　exchanged　uneasy　looks；　and　finally　one　said；　〃Yes；　but　these　bonds　are　traceable　directly　to　the　Vatican　Bank。〃
　Aringarosa　smiled　inwardly。　That　was　precisely　the　reason　the　Teacher　suggested　Aringarosa　get　the　money　in　Vatican　Bank　bonds。　It　served　as　insurance。　We　are　all　in　this　together　now。　〃This　is　a　perfectly　legal　transaction；〃　Aringarosa　defended。　〃Opus　Dei　is　a　personal　prelature　of　Vatican　City；　and　His　Holiness　can　disperse　monies　however　he　sees　fit。　No　law　has　been　broken　here。〃
　〃True；　and　yet。。。〃　The　secretariat　leaned　forward　and　his　chair　creaked　under　the　burden。　〃We　have　no　knowledge　of　what　you　intend　to　do　with　these　funds；　and　if　it　is　in　any　way　illegal。。。〃
　〃Considering　what　you　are　asking　of　me；〃　Aringarosa　countered；　〃what　I　do　with　this　money　is　not　your　concern。〃
　There　was　a　long　silence。
　They　know　I'm　right；　Aringarosa　thought。　〃Now；　I　imagine　you　have　something　for　me　to　sign？〃
　They　all　jumped；　eagerly　pushing　the　paper　toward　him；　as　if　they　wished　he　would　simply　leave。
　Aringarosa　eyed　the　sheet　before　him。　It　bore　the　papal　seal。　〃This　is　identical　to　the　copy　you　sent　me？〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　Aringarosa　was　surprised　how　little　emotion　he　felt　as　he　signed　the　document。　The　three　men　present；　however；　seemed　to　sigh　in　relief。
　〃Thank　you；　Bishop；〃　the　secretariat　said。　〃Your　service　to　the　Church　will　never　be　forgotten。〃
　Aringarosa　picked　up　the　briefcase；　sensing　promise　and　authority　in　its　weight。　The　four　men　looked　at　one　another　for　a　moment　as　if　there　were　something　more　to　say；　but　apparently　there　was　not。　Aringarosa　turned　and　headed　for　the　door。
　〃Bishop？〃　one　of　the　cardinals　called　out　as　Aringarosa　reached　the　threshold。
　Aringarosa　paused；　turning。　〃Yes？〃
　〃Where　will　you　go　from　here？〃
　Aringarosa　sensed　the　query　was　more　spiritual　than　geographical；　and　yet　he　had　no　intention　of　discussing　morality　at　this　hour。　〃Paris；〃　he　said；　and　walked　out　the　door。
　　
　CHAPTER　42
　
　The　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich　was　a　twenty…four…hour　Geldschrank　bank　offering　the　full　modern　array　of　anonymous　services　in　the　tradition　of　the　Swiss　numbered　account。　Maintaining　offices　in　Zurich；　Kuala　Lumpur；　New　York；　and　Paris；　the　bank　had　expanded　its　services　in　recent　years　to　offer　anonymous　puter　source　code　escrow　services　and　faceless　digitized　backup。
　The　bread　and　butter　of　its　operation　was　by　far　its　oldest　and　simplest　offering…the　anonyme　Lager…blind　drop　services；　otherwise　known　as　anonymous　safe…deposit　boxes。　Clients　wishing　to　store　anything　from　stock　certificates　to　valuable　paintings　could　deposit　their　belongings　anonymously；　through　a　series　of　high…tech　veils　of　privacy；　withdrawing　items　at　any　time；　also　in　total　anonymity。
　As　Sophie　pulled　the　taxi　to　a　stop　in　front　of　their　destination；　Langdon　gazed　out　at　the　building's　unpromising　architecture　and　sensed　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich　was　a　firm　with　little　sense　of　humor。　The　building　was　a　wind