danbrown.angels&demons-第103部分

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　〃Actually；　he　is　too　faithful　not　to　believe。　He　is　so　faithful　that　despite　the　evidence　that　one　of　his　loyal　guards　had　betrayed　the　church；　he　refused　to　accept　it。　All　day　long　he　has　been　searching　for　another　explanation。〃
　〃So　you　gave　him　one。〃
　〃The　truth。　Shocking　as　it　was。〃
　〃If　Rocher　believed　you；　he　would　have　arrested　me。〃
　〃No。　I　wouldn't　let　him。　I　offered　him　my　silence　in　exchange　for　this　meeting。〃
　The　camerlegno　let　out　an　odd　laugh。　〃You　plan　to　blackmail　the　church　with　a　story　that　no　one　will　possibly　believe？〃
　〃I　have　no　need　of　blackmail。　I　simply　want　to　hear　the　truth　from　your　lips。　Leonardo　Vetra　was　a　friend。〃　
　The　camerlegno　said　nothing。　He　simply　stared　down　at　Kohler。
　〃Try　this；〃　Kohler　snapped。　〃About　a　month　ago；　Leonardo　Vetra　contacted　you　requesting　an　urgent　audience　with　the　Pope…an　audience　you　granted　because　the　Pope　was　an　admirer　of　Leonardo's　work　and　because　Leonardo　said　it　was　an　emergency。〃
　The　camerlegno　turned　to　the　fire。　He　said　nothing。
　〃Leonardo　came　to　the　Vatican　in　great　secrecy。　He　was　betraying　his　daughter's　confidence　by　ing　here；　a　fact　that　troubled　him　deeply；　but　he　felt　he　had　no　choice。　His　research　had　left　him　deeply　conflicted　and　in　need　of　spiritual　guidance　from　the　church。　In　a　private　meeting；　he　told　you　and　the　Pope　that　he　had　made　a　scientific　discovery　with　profound　religious　implications。　He　had　proved　Genesis　was　physically　possible；　and　that　intense　sources　of　energy…what　Vetra　called　God…could　duplicate　the　moment　of　Creation。〃
　Silence。
　〃The　Pope　was　stunned；〃　Kohler　continued。　〃He　wanted　Leonardo　to　go　public。　His　Holiness　thought　this　discovery　might　begin　to　bridge　the　gap　between　science　and　religion…one　of　the　Pope's　life　dreams。　Then　Leonardo　explained　to　you　the　downside…the　reason　he　required　the　church's　guidance。　It　seemed　his　Creation　experiment；　exactly　as　your　Bible　predicts；　produced　everything　in　pairs。　Opposites。　Light　and　dark。　Vetra　found　himself；　in　addition　to　creating　matter；　creating　antimatter。　Shall　I　go　on？〃　
　The　camerlegno　was　silent。　He　bent　down　and　stoked　the　coals。
　〃After　Leonardo　Vetra　came　here；〃　Kohler　said；　〃you　came　to　CERN　to　see　his　work。　Leonardo's　diaries　said　you　made　a　personal　trip　to　his　lab。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　up。
　Kohler　went　on。　〃The　Pope　could　not　travel　without　attracting　media　attention；　so　he　sent　you。　Leonardo　gave　you　a　secret　tour　of　his　lab。　He　showed　you　an　antimatter　annihilation…the　Big　Bang…the　power　of　Creation。　He　also　showed　you　a　large　specimen　he　kept　locked　away　as　proof　that　his　new　process　could　produce　antimatter　on　a　large　scale。　You　were　in　awe。　You　returned　to　Vatican　City　to　report　to　the　Pope　what　you　had　witnessed。〃
　The　camerlegno　sighed。　〃And　what　is　it　that　troubles　you？　That　I　would　respect　Leonardo's　confidentiality　by　pretending　before　the　world　tonight　that　I　knew　nothing　of　antimatter？〃
　〃No！　It　troubles　me　that　Leonardo　Vetra　practically　proved　the　existence　of　your　God；　and　you　had　him　murdered！〃
　The　camerlegno　turned　now；　his　face　revealing　nothing。
　The　only　sound　was　the　crackle　of　the　fire。
　Suddenly；　the　camera　jiggled；　and　Kohler's　arm　appeared　in　the　frame。　He　leaned　forward；　seeming　to　struggle　with　something　affixed　beneath　his　wheelchair。　When　he　sat　back　down；　he　held　a　pistol　out　before　him。　The　camera　angle　was　a　chilling　one　。　。　。　looking　from　behind　。　。　。　down　the　length　of　the　outstretched　gun　。　。　。　directly　at　the　camerlegno。　
　Kohler　said；　〃Confess　your　sins；　Father。　Now。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　startled。　〃You　will　never　get　out　of　here　alive。〃
　〃Death　would　be　a　wele　relief　from　the　misery　your　faith　has　put　me　through　since　I　was　a　boy。〃　Kohler　held　the　gun　with　both　hands　now。　〃I　am　giving　you　a　choice。　Confess　your　sins　。　。　。　or　die　right　now。〃
　The　camerlegno　glanced　toward　the　door。
　〃Rocher　is　outside；〃　Kohler　challenged。　〃He　too　is　prepared　to　kill　you。〃
　〃Rocher　is　a　sworn　protector　of　th…〃
　〃Rocher　let　me　in　here。　Armed。　He　is　sickened　by　your　lies。　You　have　a　single　option。　Confess　to　me。　I　have　to　hear　it　from　your　very　lips。〃　
　The　camerlegno　hesitated。
　Kohler　cocked　his　gun。　〃Do　you　really　doubt　I　will　kill　you？〃
　〃No　matter　what　I　tell　you；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃a　man　like　you　will　never　understand。〃
　〃Try　me。〃
　The　camerlegno　stood　still　for　a　moment；　a　dominant　silhouette　in　the　dim　light　of　the　fire。　When　he　spoke；　his　words　echoed　with　a　dignity　more　suited　to　the　glorious　recounting　of　altruism　than　that　of　a　confession。　
　〃Since　the　beginning　of　time；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃this　church　has　fought　the　enemies　of　God。　Sometimes　with　words。　Sometimes　with　swords。　And　we　have　always　survived。〃　
　The　camerlegno　radiated　conviction。
　〃But　the　demons　of　the　past；〃　he　continued；　〃were　demons　of　fire　and　abomination　。　。　。　they　were　enemies　we　could　fight…enemies　who　inspired　fear。　Yet　Satan　is　shrewd。　As　time　passed；　he　cast　off　his　diabolical　countenance　for　a　new　face　。　。　。　the　face　of　pure　reason。　Transparent　and　insidious；　but　soulless　all　the　same。〃　The　camerlegno's　voice　flashed　sudden　anger…an　almost　maniacal　transition。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Kohler！　How　can　the　church　condemn　that　which　makes　logical　sense　to　our　minds！　How　can　we　decry　that　which　is　now　the　very　foundation　of　our　society！　Each　time　the　church　raises　its　voice　in　warning；　you　shout　back；　calling　us　ignorant。　Paranoid。　Controlling！　And　so　your　evil　grows。　Shrouded　in　a　veil　of　self…righteous　intellectualism。　It　spreads　like　a　cancer。　Sanctified　by　the　miracles　of　its　own　technology。　Deifying　itself！　Until　we　no　longer　suspect　you　are　anything　but　pure　goodness。　Science　has　e　to　save　us　from　our　sickness；　hunger；　and　pain！　Behold　science…the　new　God　of　endless　miracles；　omnipotent　and　benevolent！　Ignore　the　weapons　and　the　chaos。　Forget　the　fractured　loneliness　and　endless　peril。　Science　is　here！〃　The　camerlegno　stepped　toward　the　gun。　〃But　I　have　seen　Satan's　face　lurking　。　。　。　I　have　seen　the　peril　。　。　。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about！　Vetra's　science　practically　proved　the　existence　of　your　God！　He　was　your　ally！〃
　〃Ally？　Science　and　religion　are　not　in　this　together！　We　do　not　seek　the　same　God；　you　and　I！　Who　is　your　God？　One　of　protons；　masses；　and　particle　charges？　How　does　your　God　inspire？　How　does　your　God　reach　into　the　hearts　of　man　and　remind　him　he　is　accountable　to　a　greater　power！　Remind　him　that　he　is　accountable　to　his　fellow　man！　Vetra　was　misguided。　His　work　was　not　religious；　it　was　sacrilegious！　Man　cannot　put　God's　Creation　in　a　test　tube　and　wave　it　around　for　the　world　to　see！　This　does　not　glorify　God；　it　demeans　God！〃　The　camerlegno　was　clawing　at　his　body　now；　his　voice　manic。
　〃And　so　you　had　Leonardo　Vetra　killed！〃
　〃For　the　church！　For　all　mankind！　The　madness　of　it！　Man　is　not　ready　to　hold　the　power　of　Creation　in　his　hands。　God　in　a　test　tube？　A　droplet　of　liquid　that　can　vaporize　an　entire　city？　He　had　to　be　stopped！〃　The　camerlegno　fell　abruptly　silent。　He　looked　away；　back　toward　the　fire。　He　seemed　to　be　contemplating　his　options。
　Kohler's　hands　leveled　the　gun。　〃You　have　confessed。　You　have　no　escape。〃
　The　camerlegno　laughed　sadly。　〃Don't　you　see。　Confessing　your　sins　is　the　escape。〃　He　looked　toward　the　door。　〃When　God　is　on　your　side；　you　have　options　a　man　like　you　could　never　prehend。〃　With　his　words　still　hanging　in　the　air；　the　camerlegno　grabbed　the　neck　of　his　cassock　and　violently　tore　it　open；　revealing　his　bare　chest。　
　Kohler　jolted；　obviously　startled。　〃What　are　you　doing！〃　
　The　camerlegno　did　not　reply。　He　stepped　backward；　toward　the　fireplace；　and　removed　an　object　from　the　glowing　embers。
　〃Stop！〃　Kohler　demanded；　his　gun　still　leveled。　〃What　are　you　doing！〃
　When　the　camerlegno　turned；　he　was　holding　a　red…hot　brand。　The　Illuminati　Diamond。　The　man's　eyes　looked　wild　suddenly。　〃I　had　intended　to　do　this　all　alone。〃　His　voice　seethed　with　a　feral　intensity。　〃But　now　。　。　。　I　see　God　meant　for　you　to　be　here。　You　are　my　salvation。〃
　Before　Kohler　could　react；　the　camerlegno　closed　his　eyes；　arched　his　back；　and　rammed　the　red　hot　brand　into　the　center　of　his　own　chest。　His　flesh　hissed。　〃Mother　Mary！　Bl