danbrown.angels&demons-第33部分

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　The　Illuminati；　like　a　serpent　from　the　forgotten　depths　of　history；　had　risen　and　wrapped　themselves　around　an　ancient　foe。　No　demands。　No　negotiation。　Just　retribution。　Demonically　simple。　Squeezing。　A　revenge　400　years　in　the　making。　It　seemed　that　after　centuries　of　persecution；　science　had　bitten　back。　
　The　camerlegno　stood　at　his　desk；　staring　blankly　at　the　phone。　Olivetti　was　the　first　to　break　the　silence。　〃Carlo；〃　he　said；　using　the　camerlegno's　first　name　and　sounding　more　like　a　weary　friend　than　an　officer。　〃For　twenty…six　years；　I　have　sworn　my　life　to　the　protection　of　this　office。　It　seems　tonight　I　am　dishonored。〃
　The　camerlegno　shook　his　head。　〃You　and　I　serve　God　in　different　capacities；　but　service　always　brings　honor。〃
　〃These　events　。　。　。　I　can't　imagine　how　。　。　。　this　situation　。　。　。〃　Olivetti　looked　overwhelmed。　
　〃You　realize　we　have　only　one　possible　course　of　action。　I　have　a　responsibility　for　the　safety　of　the　College　of　Cardinals。〃
　〃I　fear　that　responsibility　was　mine；　signore。〃
　〃Then　your　men　will　oversee　the　immediate　evacuation。〃
　〃Signore？〃
　〃Other　options　can　be　exercised　later…a　search　for　this　device；　a　manhunt　for　the　missing　cardinals　and　their　captors。　But　first　the　cardinals　must　be　taken　to　safety。　The　sanctity　of　human　life　weighs　above　all。　Those　men　are　the　foundation　of　this　church。〃
　〃You　suggest　we　cancel　conclave　right　now？〃
　〃Do　I　have　a　choice？〃
　〃What　about　your　charge　to　bring　a　new　Pope？〃
　The　young　chamberlain　sighed　and　turned　to　the　window；　his　eyes　drifting　out　onto　the　sprawl　of　Rome　below。　〃His　Holiness　once　told　me　that　a　Pope　is　a　man　torn　between　two　worlds　。　。　。　the　real　world　and　the　divine。　He　warned　that　any　church　that　ignored　reality　would　not　survive　to　enjoy　the　divine。〃　His　voice　sounded　suddenly　wise　for　its　years。　〃The　real　world　is　upon　us　tonight。　We　would　be　vain　to　ignore　it。　Pride　and　precedent　cannot　overshadow　reason。〃
　Olivetti　nodded；　looking　impressed。　〃I　have　underestimated　you；　signore。〃
　The　camerlegno　did　not　seem　to　hear。　His　gaze　was　distant　on　the　window。
　〃I　will　speak　openly；　signore。　The　real　world　is　my　world。　I　immerse　myself　in　its　ugliness　every　day　such　that　others　are　unencumbered　to　seek　something　more　pure。　Let　me　advise　you　on　the　present　situation。　It　is　what　I　am　trained　for。　Your　instincts；　though　worthy　。　。　。　could　be　disastrous。〃
　The　camerlegno　turned。
　Olivetti　sighed。　〃The　evacuation　of　the　College　of　Cardinals　from　the　Sistine　Chapel　is　the　worst　possible　thing　you　could　do　right　now。〃
　The　camerlegno　did　not　look　indignant；　only　at　a　loss。　〃What　do　you　suggest？〃
　〃Say　nothing　to　the　cardinals。　Seal　conclave。　It　will　buy　us　time　to　try　other　options。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　troubled。　〃Are　you　suggesting　I　lock　the　entire　College　of　Cardinals　on　top　of　a　time　bomb？〃
　〃Yes；　signore。　For　now。　Later；　if　need　be；　we　can　arrange　evacuation。〃
　The　camerlegno　shook　his　head。　〃Postponing　the　ceremony　before　it　starts　is　grounds　alone　for　an　inquiry；　but　after　the　doors　are　sealed　nothing　intervenes。　Conclave　procedure　obligates…〃
　〃Real　world；　signore。　You're　in　it　tonight。　Listen　closely。〃　Olivetti　spoke　now　with　the　efficient　rattle　of　a　field　officer。　〃Marching　one　hundred　sixty…five　cardinals　unprepared　and　unprotected　into　Rome　would　be　reckless。　It　would　cause　confusion　and　panic　in　some　very　old　men；　and　frankly；　one　fatal　stroke　this　month　is　enough。〃
　One　fatal　stroke。　The　mander's　words　recalled　the　headlines　Langdon　had　read　over　dinner　with　some　students　in　the　Harvard　mons：　POPE　SUFFERS　STROKE。　DIES　IN　SLEEP。
　〃In　addition；〃　Olivetti　said；　〃the　Sistine　Chapel　is　a　fortress。　Although　we　don't　advertise　the　fact；　the　structure　is　heavily　reinforced　and　can　repel　any　attack　short　of　missiles。　As　preparation　we　searched　every　inch　of　the　chapel　this　afternoon；　scanning　for　bugs　and　other　surveillance　equipment。　The　chapel　is　clean；　a　safe　haven；　and　I　am　confident　the　antimatter　is　not　inside。　There　is　no　safer　place　those　men　can　be　right　now。　We　can　always　discuss　emergency　evacuation　later　if　it　es　to　that。〃
　Langdon　was　impressed。　Olivetti's　cold；　smart　logic　reminded　him　of　Kohler。
　〃mander；〃　Vittoria　said；　her　voice　tense；　〃there　are　other　concerns。　Nobody　has　ever　created　this　much　antimatter。　The　blast　radius；　I　can　only　estimate。　Some　of　surrounding　Rome　may　be　in　danger。　If　the　canister　is　in　one　of　your　central　buildings　or　underground；　the　effect　outside　these　walls　may　be　minimal；　but　if　the　canister　is　near　the　perimeter　。　。　。　in　this　building　for　example　。　。　。〃　She　glanced　warily　out　the　window　at　the　crowd　in　St。　Peter's　Square。
　〃I　am　well　aware　of　my　responsibilities　to　the　outside　world；〃　Olivetti　replied；　〃and　it　makes　this　situation　no　more　grave。　The　protection　of　this　sanctuary　has　been　my　sole　charge　for　over　two　decades。　I　have　no　intention　of　allowing　this　weapon　to　detonate。〃
　Camerlegno　Ventresca　looked　up。　〃You　think　you　can　find　it？〃
　〃Let　me　discuss　our　options　with　some　of　my　surveillance　specialists。　There　is　a　possibility；　if　we　kill　power　to　Vatican　City；　that　we　can　eliminate　the　background　RF　and　create　a　clean　enough　environment　to　get　a　reading　on　that　canister's　magnetic　field。〃
　Vittoria　looked　surprised；　and　then　impressed。　〃You　want　to　black　out　Vatican　City？〃　
　〃Possibly。　I　don't　yet　know　if　it's　possible；　but　it　is　one　option　I　want　to　explore。〃
　〃The　cardinals　would　certainly　wonder　what　happened；〃　Vittoria　remarked。
　Olivetti　shook　his　head。　〃Conclaves　are　held　by　candlelight。　The　cardinals　would　never　know。　After　conclave　is　sealed；　I　could　pull　all　except　a　few　of　my　perimeter　guards　and　begin　a　search。　A　hundred　men　could　cover　a　lot　of　ground　in　five　hours。〃
　〃Four　hours；〃　Vittoria　corrected。　〃I　need　to　fly　the　canister　back　to　CERN。　Detonation　is　unavoidable　without　recharging　the　batteries。〃
　〃There's　no　way　to　recharge　here？〃
　Vittoria　shook　her　head。　〃The　interface　is　plex。　I'd　have　brought　it　if　I　could。〃
　〃Four　hours　then；〃　Olivetti　said；　frowning。　〃Still　time　enough。　Panic　serves　no　one。　Signore；　you　have　ten　minutes。　Go　to　the　chapel；　seal　conclave。　Give　my　men　some　time　to　do　their　job。　As　we　get　closer　to　the　critical　hour；　we　will　make　the　critical　decisions。〃
　Langdon　wondered　how　close　to　〃the　critical　hour〃　Olivetti　would　let　things　get。
　The　camerlegno　looked　troubled。　〃But　the　college　will　ask　about　the　preferiti　。　。　。　especially　about　Baggia　。　。　。　where　they　are。〃
　〃Then　you　will　have　to　think　of　something；　signore。　Tell　them　you　served　the　four　cardinals　something　at　tea　that　disagreed　with　them。〃　
　The　camerlegno　looked　riled。　〃Stand　on　the　altar　of　the　Sistine　Chapel　and　lie　to　the　College　of　Cardinals？〃
　〃For　their　own　safety。　Una　bugia　veniale。　A　white　lie。　Your　job　will　be　to　keep　the　peace。〃　Olivetti　headed　for　the　door。　〃Now　if　you　will　excuse　me；　I　need　to　get　started。〃
　〃andante；〃　the　camerlegno　urged；　〃we　cannot　simply　turn　our　backs　on　missing　cardinals。〃
　Olivetti　stopped　in　the　doorway。　〃Baggia　and　the　others　are　currently　outside　our　sphere　of　influence。　We　must　let　them　go　。　。　。　for　the　good　of　the　whole。　The　military　calls　it　triage。〃　
　〃Don't　you　mean　abandonment？〃　
　His　voice　hardened。　〃If　there　were　any　way；　signore　。　。　。　any　way　in　heaven　to　locate　those　four　cardinals；　I　would　lay　down　my　life　to　do　it。　And　yet　。　。　。〃　He　pointed　across　the　room　at　the　window　where　the　early　evening　sun　glinted　off　an　endless　sea　of　Roman　rooftops。　〃Searching　a　city　of　five　million　is　not　within　my　power。　I　will　not　waste　precious　time　to　appease　my　conscience　in　a　futile　exercise。　I'm　sorry。〃
　Vittoria　spoke　suddenly。　〃But　if　we　caught　the　killer；　couldn't　you　make　him　talk？〃　
　Olivetti　frowned　at　her。　〃Soldiers　cannot　afford　to　be　saints；　Ms。　Vetra。　Believe　me；　I　empathize　with　your　personal　incentive　to　catch　this　man。〃
　〃It's　not　only　personal；〃　she　said。　〃The　killer　knows　where　the　antimatter　is　。　。　。　and　the　missing　cardinals。　If　we　could　somehow　find　him　。　。　。〃
　〃Play　into　their　hands？〃　Olivetti　said。　〃Believe　me；　removing　all　protection　from　Vatican　City　in　order　to　stake　out　hundreds　of　churches　is　what　the　Illuminati　hope　we　will　do　。　。　。