danbrown.angels&demons-第31部分

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r　from　Frankfurt　。　。　。〃
　Olivetti　seemed　to　shrink　smaller　and　smaller　after　each　name　was　read。　
　The　caller　paused；　as　though　taking　special　pleasure　in　the　final　name。　〃And　from　Italy　。　。　。　Cardinal　Baggia。〃
　The　camerlegno　loosened　like　a　tall　ship　that　had　just　run　sheets　first　into　a　dead　calm。　His　frock　billowed；　and　he　collapsed　in　his　chair。　〃I　preferiti；〃　he　whispered。　〃The　four　favorites　。　。　。　including　Baggia　。　。　。　the　most　likely　successor　as　Supreme　Pontiff　。　。　。　how　is　it　possible？〃
　Langdon　had　read　enough　about　modern　papal　elections　to　understand　the　look　of　desperation　on　the　camerlegno's　face。　Although　technically　any　cardinal　under　eighty　years　old　could　bee　Pope；　only　a　very　few　had　the　respect　necessary　to　mand　a　two…thirds　majority　in　the　ferociously　partisan　balloting　procedure。　They　were　known　as　the　preferiti。　And　they　were　all　gone。
　Sweat　dripped　from　the　camerlegno's　brow。　〃What　do　you　intend　with　these　men？〃
　〃What　do　you　think　I　intend？　I　am　a　descendant　of　the　Hassassin。〃
　Langdon　felt　a　shiver。　He　knew　the　name　well。　The　church　had　made　some　deadly　enemies　through　the　years…the　Hassassin；　the　Knights　Templar；　armies　that　had　been　either　hunted　by　the　Vatican　or　betrayed　by　them。　
　〃Let　the　cardinals　go；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　〃Isn't　threatening　to　destroy　the　City　of　God　enough？〃
　〃Forget　your　four　cardinals。　They　are　lost　to　you。　Be　assured　their　deaths　will　be　remembered　though　。　。　。　by　millions。　Every　martyr's　dream。　I　will　make　them　media　luminaries。　One　by　one。　By　midnight　the　Illuminati　will　have　everyone's　attention。　Why　change　the　world　if　the　world　is　not　watching？　Public　killings　have　an　intoxicating　horror　about　them；　don't　they？　You　proved　that　long　ago　。　。　。　the　inquisition；　the　torture　of　the　Knights　Templar；　the　Crusades。〃　He　paused。　〃And　of　course；　la　purga。〃　
　The　camerlegno　was　silent。　
　〃Do　you　not　recall　la　purga？〃　the　caller　asked。　〃Of　course　not；　you　are　a　child。　Priests　are　poor　historians；　anyway。　Perhaps　because　their　history　shames　them？〃
　〃La　purga；〃　Langdon　heard　himself　say。　〃Sixteen　sixty…eight。　The　church　branded　four　Illuminati　scientists　with　the　symbol　of　the　cross。　To　purge　their　sins。〃　
　〃Who　is　speaking？〃　the　voice　demanded；　sounding　more　intrigued　than　concerned。　〃Who　else　is　there？〃
　Langdon　felt　shaky。　〃My　name　is　not　important；〃　he　said；　trying　to　keep　his　voice　from　wavering。　Speaking　to　a　living　Illuminatus　was　disorienting　for　him　。　。　。　like　speaking　to　George　Washington。　〃I　am　an　academic　who　has　studied　the　history　of　your　brotherhood。〃
　〃Superb；〃　the　voice　replied。　〃I　am　pleased　there　are　still　those　alive　who　remember　the　crimes　against　us。〃
　〃Most　of　us　think　you　are　dead。〃
　〃A　misconception　the　brotherhood　has　worked　hard　to　promote。　What　else　do　you　know　of　la　purga？〃　
　Langdon　hesitated。　What　else　do　I　know？　That　this　whole　situation　is　insanity；　that's　what　I　know！　〃After　the　brandings；　the　scientists　were　murdered；　and　their　bodies　were　dropped　in　public　locations　around　Rome　as　a　warning　to　other　scientists　not　to　join　the　Illuminati。〃　
　〃Yes。　So　we　shall　do　the　same。　Quid　pro　quo。　Consider　it　symbolic　retribution　for　our　slain　brothers。　Your　four　cardinals　will　die；　one　every　hour　starting　at　eight。　By　midnight　the　whole　world　will　be　enthralled。〃
　Langdon　moved　toward　the　phone。　〃You　actually　intend　to　brand　and　kill　these　four　men？〃　
　〃History　repeats　itself；　does　it　not？　Of　course；　we　will　be　more　elegant　and　bold　than　the　church　was。　They　killed　privately；　dropping　bodies　when　no　one　was　looking。　It　seems　so　cowardly。〃
　〃What　are　you　saying？〃　Langdon　asked。　〃That　you　are　going　to　brand　and　kill　these　men　in　public？〃　
　〃Very　good。　Although　it　depends　what　you　consider　public。　I　realize　not　many　people　go　to　church　anymore。〃
　Langdon　did　a　double　take。　〃You're　going　to　kill　them　in　churches？〃　
　〃A　gesture　of　kindness。　Enabling　God　to　mand　their　souls　to　heaven　more　expeditiously。　It　seems　only　right。　Of　course　the　press　will　enjoy　it　too；　I　imagine。〃
　〃You're　bluffing；〃　Olivetti　said；　the　cool　back　in　his　voice。　〃You　cannot　kill　a　man　in　a　church　and　expect　to　get　away　with　it。〃
　〃Bluffing？　We　move　among　your　Swiss　Guard　like　ghosts；　remove　four　of　your　cardinals　from　within　your　walls；　plant　a　deadly　explosive　at　the　heart　of　your　most　sacred　shrine；　and　you　think　this　is　a　bluff？　As　the　killings　occur　and　the　victims　are　found；　the　media　will　swarm。　By　midnight　the　world　will　know　the　Illuminati　cause。〃
　〃And　if　we　stake　guards　in　every　church？〃　Olivetti　said。
　The　caller　laughed。　〃I　fear　the　prolific　nature　of　your　religion　will　make　that　a　trying　task。　Have　you　not　counted　lately？　There　are　over　four　hundred　Catholic　churches　in　Rome。　Cathedrals；　chapels；　tabernacles；　abbeys；　monasteries；　convents；　parochial　schools　。　。　。〃
　Olivetti's　face　remained　hard。
　〃In　ninety　minutes　it　begins；〃　the　caller　said　with　a　note　of　finality。　〃One　an　hour。　A　mathematical　progression　of　death。　Now　I　must　go。〃
　〃Wait！〃　Langdon　demanded。　〃Tell　me　about　the　brands　you　intend　to　use　on　these　men。〃　
　The　killer　sounded　amused。　〃I　suspect　you　know　what　the　brands　will　be　already。　Or　perhaps　you　are　a　skeptic？　You　will　see　them　soon　enough。　Proof　the　ancient　legends　are　true。〃
　Langdon　felt　light…headed。　He　knew　exactly　what　the　man　was　claiming。　Langdon　pictured　the　brand　on　Leonardo　Vetra's　chest。　Illuminati　folklore　spoke　of　five　brands　in　all。　Four　brands　are　left；　Langdon　thought；　and　four　missing　cardinals。
　〃I　am　sworn；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃to　bring　a　new　Pope　tonight。　Sworn　by　God。〃
　〃Camerlegno；〃　the　caller　said；　〃the　world　does　not　need　a　new　Pope。　After　midnight　he　will　have　nothing　to　rule　over　but　a　pile　of　rubble。　The　Catholic　Church　is　finished。　Your　run　on　earth　is　done。〃
　Silence　hung。
　The　camerlegno　looked　sincerely　sad。　〃You　are　misguided。　A　church　is　more　than　mortar　and　stone。　You　cannot　simply　erase　two　thousand　years　of　faith　。　。　。　any　faith。　You　cannot　crush　faith　simply　by　removing　its　earthly　manifestations。　The　Catholic　Church　will　continue　with　or　without　Vatican　City。〃
　〃A　noble　lie。　But　a　lie　all　the　same。　We　both　know　the　truth。　Tell　me；　why　is　Vatican　City　a　walled　citadel？〃
　〃Men　of　God　live　in　a　dangerous　world；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　
　〃How　young　are　you？　The　Vatican　is　a　fortress　because　the　Catholic　Church　holds　half　of　its　equity　inside　its　walls…rare　paintings；　sculpture；　devalued　jewels；　priceless　books　。　。　。　then　there　is　the　gold　bullion　and　the　real　estate　deeds　inside　the　Vatican　Bank　vaults。　Inside　estimates　put　the　raw　value　of　Vatican　City　at　48。5　billion　dollars。　Quite　a　nest　egg　you're　sitting　on。　Tomorrow　it　will　be　ash。　Liquidated　assets　as　it　were。　You　will　be　bankrupt。　Not　even　men　of　cloth　can　work　for　nothing。〃
　The　accuracy　of　the　statement　seemed　to　be　reflected　in　Olivetti's　and　the　camerlegno's　shell…shocked　looks。　Langdon　wasn't　sure　what　was　more　amazing；　that　the　Catholic　Church　had　that　kind　of　money；　or　that　the　Illuminati　somehow　knew　about　it。
　The　camerlegno　sighed　heavily。　〃Faith；　not　money；　is　the　backbone　of　this　church。〃
　〃More　lies；〃　the　caller　said。　〃Last　year　you　spent　183　million　dollars　trying　to　support　your　struggling　dioceses　worldwide。　Church　attendance　is　at　an　all…time　low…down　forty…six　percent　in　the　last　decade。　Donations　are　half　what　they　were　only　seven　years　ago。　Fewer　and　fewer　men　are　entering　the　seminary。　Although　you　will　not　admit　it；　your　church　is　dying。　Consider　this　a　chance　to　go　out　with　a　bang。〃
　Olivetti　stepped　forward。　He　seemed　less　bative　now；　as　if　he　now　sensed　the　reality　facing　him。　He　looked　like　a　man　searching　for　an　out。　Any　out。　〃And　what　if　some　of　that　bullion　went　to　fund　your　cause？〃
　〃Do　not　insult　us　both。〃
　〃We　have　money。〃
　〃As　do　we。　More　than　you　can　fathom。〃
　Langdon　flashed　on　the　alleged　Illuminati　fortunes；　the　ancient　wealth　of　the　Bavarian　stone　masons；　the　Rothschilds；　the　Bilderbergers；　the　legendary　Illuminati　Diamond。
　〃I　preferiti；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　changing　the　subject。　His　voice　was　pleading。　〃Spare　them。　They　are　old。　They…〃
　〃They　are　virgin　sacrifices。〃　The　caller　laughed。　〃Tell　me；　do　you　think　they　are　really　virgins？