danbrown.angels&demons-第29部分

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sed　instead　in　a　simple　black　cassock　that　seemed　to　amplify　the　solidity　of　his　substantial　frame。　He　looked　to　be　in　his　late…thirties；　indeed　a　child　by　Vatican　standards。　He　had　a　surprisingly　handsome　face；　a　swirl　of　coarse　brown　hair；　and　almost　radiant　green　eyes　that　shone　as　if　they　were　somehow　fueled　by　the　mysteries　of　the　universe。　As　the　man　drew　nearer；　though；　Langdon　saw　in　his　eyes　a　profound　exhaustion…like　a　soul　who　had　been　through　the　toughest　fifteen　days　of　his　life。　
　〃I　am　Carlo　Ventresca；〃　he　said；　his　English　perfect。　〃The　late　Pope's　camerlegno。〃　His　voice　was　unpretentious　and　kind；　with　only　the　slightest　hint　of　Italian　inflection。
　〃Vittoria　Vetra；〃　she　said；　stepping　forward　and　offering　her　hand。　〃Thank　you　for　seeing　us。〃
　Olivetti　twitched　as　the　camerlegno　shook　Vittoria's　hand。
　〃This　is　Robert　Langdon；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃A　religious　historian　from　Harvard　University。〃
　〃Padre；〃　Langdon　said；　in　his　best　Italian　accent。　He　bowed　his　head　as　he　extended　his　hand。　
　〃No；　no；〃　the　camerlegno　insisted；　lifting　Langdon　back　up。　〃His　Holiness's　office　does　not　make　me　holy。　I　am　merely　a　priest…a　chamberlain　serving　in　a　time　of　need。〃
　Langdon　stood　upright。　
　〃Please；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃everyone　sit。〃　He　arranged　some　chairs　around　his　desk。　Langdon　and　Vittoria　sat。　Olivetti　apparently　preferred　to　stand。　
　The　camerlegno　seated　himself　at　the　desk；　folded　his　hands；　sighed；　and　eyed　his　visitors。　
　〃Signore；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃The　woman's　attire　is　my　fault。　I…〃
　〃Her　attire　is　not　what　concerns　me；〃　the　camerlegno　replied；　sounding　too　exhausted　to　be　bothered。　〃When　the　Vatican　operator　calls　me　a　half　hour　before　I　begin　conclave　to　tell　me　a　woman　is　calling　from　your　private　office　to　warn　me　of　some　sort　of　major　security　threat　of　which　I　have　not　been　informed；　that　concerns　me。〃
　Olivetti　stood　rigid；　his　back　arched　like　a　soldier　under　intense　inspection。
　Langdon　felt　hypnotized　by　the　camerlegno's　presence。　Young　and　wearied　as　he　was；　the　priest　had　the　air　of　some　mythical　hero…radiating　charisma　and　authority。　
　〃Signore；〃　Olivetti　said；　his　tone　apologetic　but　still　unyielding。　〃You　should　not　concern　yourself　with　matters　of　security。　You　have　other　responsibilities。〃
　〃I　am　well　aware　of　my　other　responsibilities。　I　am　also　aware　that　as　direttore　intermediario；　I　have　a　responsibility　for　the　safety　and　well…being　of　everyone　at　this　conclave。　What　is　going　on　here？〃
　〃I　have　the　situation　under　control。〃
　〃Apparently　not。〃
　〃Father；〃　Langdon　interrupted；　taking　out　the　crumpled　fax　and　handing　it　to　the　camerlegno；　〃please。〃
　mander　Olivetti　stepped　forward；　trying　to　intervene。　〃Father；　please　do　not　trouble　your　thoughts　with…〃
　The　camerlegno　took　the　fax；　ignoring　Olivetti　for　a　long　moment。　He　looked　at　the　image　of　the　murdered　Leonardo　Vetra　and　drew　a　startled　breath。　〃What　is　this？〃
　〃That　is　my　father；〃　Vittoria　said；　her　voice　wavering。　〃He　was　a　priest　and　a　man　of　science。　He　was　murdered　last　night。〃　
　The　camerlegno's　face　softened　instantly。　He　looked　up　at　her。　〃My　dear　child。　I'm　so　sorry。〃　He　crossed　himself　and　looked　again　at　the　fax；　his　eyes　seeming　to　pool　with　waves　of　abhorrence。　〃Who　would　。　。　。　and　this　burn　on　his　。　。　。〃　The　camerlegno　paused；　squinting　closer　at　the　image。
　〃It　says　Illuminati；〃　Langdon　said。　〃No　doubt　you　are　familiar　with　the　name。〃
　An　odd　look　came　across　the　camerlegno's　face。　〃I　have　heard　the　name；　yes；　but　。　。　。〃　
　〃The　Illuminati　murdered　Leonardo　Vetra　so　they　could　steal　a　new　technology　he　was…〃
　〃Signore；〃　Olivetti　interjected。　〃This　is　absurd。　The　Illuminati？　This　is　clearly　some　sort　of　elaborate　hoax。〃
　The　camerlegno　seemed　to　ponder　Olivetti's　words。　Then　he　turned　and　contemplated　Langdon　so　fully　that　Langdon　felt　the　air　leave　his　lungs。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　have　spent　my　life　in　the　Catholic　Church。　I　am　familiar　with　the　Illuminati　lore　。　。　。　and　the　legend　of　the　brandings。　And　yet　I　must　warn　you；　I　am　a　man　of　the　present　tense。　Christianity　has　enough　real　enemies　without　resurrecting　ghosts。〃
　〃The　symbol　is　authentic；〃　Langdon　said；　a　little　too　defensively　he　thought。　He　reached　over　and　rotated　the　fax　for　the　camerlegno。　
　The　camerlegno　fell　silent　when　he　saw　the　symmetry。　
　〃Even　modern　puters；〃　Langdon　added；　〃have　been　unable　to　forge　a　symmetrical　ambigram　of　this　word。〃
　The　camerlegno　folded　his　hands　and　said　nothing　for　a　long　time。　〃The　Illuminati　are　dead；〃　he　finally　said。　〃Long　ago。　That　is　historical　fact。〃
　Langdon　nodded。　〃Yesterday；　I　would　have　agreed　with　you。〃
　〃Yesterday？〃
　〃Before　today's　chain　of　events。　I　believe　the　Illuminati　have　resurfaced　to　make　good　on　an　ancient　pact。〃
　〃Forgive　me。　My　history　is　rusty。　What　ancient　pact　is　this？〃
　Langdon　took　a　deep　breath。　〃The　destruction　of　Vatican　City。〃
　〃Destroy　Vatican　City？〃　The　camerlegno　looked　less　frightened　than　confused。　〃But　that　would　be　impossible。〃
　Vittoria　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　afraid　we　have　some　more　bad　news。〃
　
　40

　Is　this　true？〃　the　camerlegno　demanded；　looking　amazed　as　he　turned　from　Vittoria　to　Olivetti。
　〃Signore；〃　Olivetti　assured；　〃I'll　admit　there　is　some　sort　of　device　here。　It　is　visible　on　one　of　our　security　monitors；　but　as　for　Ms。　Vetra's　claims　as　to　the　power　of　this　substance；　I　cannot　possibly…〃
　〃Wait　a　minute；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　〃You　can　see　this　thing？〃
　〃Yes；　signore。　On　wireless　camera　#86。〃
　〃Then　why　haven't　you　recovered　it？〃　The　camerlegno's　voice　echoed　anger　now。
　〃Very　difficult；　signore。〃　Olivetti　stood　straight　as　he　explained　the　situation。
　The　camerlegno　listened；　and　Vittoria　sensed　his　growing　concern。　〃Are　you　certain　it　is　inside　Vatican　City？〃　the　camerlegno　asked。　〃Maybe　someone　took　the　camera　out　and　is　transmitting　from　somewhere　else。〃
　〃Impossible；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃Our　external　walls　are　shielded　electronically　to　protect　our　internal　munications。　This　signal　can　only　be　ing　from　the　inside　or　we　would　not　be　receiving　it。〃
　〃And　I　assume；〃　he　said；　〃that　you　are　now　looking　for　this　missing　camera　with　all　available　resources？〃
　Olivetti　shook　his　head。　〃No；　signore。　Locating　that　camera　could　take　hundreds　of　man　hours。　We　have　a　number　of　other　security　concerns　at　the　moment；　and　with　all　due　respect　to　Ms。　Vetra；　this　droplet　she　talks　about　is　very　small。　It　could　not　possibly　be　as　explosive　as　she　claims。〃
　Vittoria's　patience　evaporated。　〃That　droplet　is　enough　to　level　Vatican　City！　Did　you　even　listen　to　a　word　I　told　you？〃
　〃Ma'am；〃　Olivetti　said；　his　voice　like　steel；　〃my　experience　with　explosives　is　extensive。〃
　〃Your　experience　is　obsolete；〃　she　fired　back；　equally　tough。　〃Despite　my　attire；　which　I　realize　you　find　troublesome；　I　am　a　senior　level　physicist　at　the　world's　most　advanced　subatomic　research　facility。　I　personally　designed　the　antimatter　trap　that　is　keeping　that　sample　from　annihilating　right　now。　And　I　am　warning　you　that　unless　you　find　that　canister　in　the　next　six　hours；　your　guards　will　have　nothing　to　protect　for　the　next　century　but　a　big　hole　in　the　ground。〃
　Olivetti　wheeled　to　the　camerlegno；　his　insect　eyes　flashing　rage。　〃Signore；　I　cannot　in　good　conscience　allow　this　to　go　any　further。　Your　time　is　being　wasted　by　pranksters。　The　Illuminati？　A　droplet　that　will　destroy　us　all？〃
　〃Basta；〃　the　camerlegno　declared。　He　spoke　the　word　quietly　and　yet　it　seemed　to　echo　across　the　chamber。　Then　there　was　silence。　He　continued　in　a　whisper。　〃Dangerous　or　not；　Illuminati　or　no　Illuminati；　whatever　this　thing　is；　it　most　certainly　should　not　be　inside　Vatican　City　。　。　。　no　less　on　the　eve　of　the　conclave。　I　want　it　found　and　removed。　Organize　a　search　immediately。〃
　Olivetti　persisted。　〃Signore；　even　if　we　used　all　the　guards　to　search　the　plex；　it　could　take　days　to　find　this　camera。　Also；　after　speaking　to　Ms。　Vetra；　I　had　one　of　my　guards　consult　our　most　advanced　ballistics　guide　for　any　mention　of　this　substance　called　antimatter。　I　found　no　mention　of　it　anywhere。　Nothing。〃
　Pompous　ass；　Vittoria　thought。　A　ballistics　guide？　Did　you　try　an　encyclopedia？　Under　A！　
　Olivetti　was　still　talking。　〃Signore；　if　you