danbrown.angels&demons-第47部分

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　59

　The　Swiss　Guard　〃staging　room〃　is　located　adjacent　to　the　Corpo　di　Vigilanza　barracks　and　is　used　primarily　for　planning　the　security　surrounding　papal　appearances　and　public　Vatican　events。　Today；　however；　it　was　being　used　for　something　else。
　The　man　addressing　the　assembled　task　force　was　the　second…in…mand　of　the　Swiss　Guard；　Captain　Elias　Rocher。　Rocher　was　a　barrel…chested　man　with　soft；　puttylike　features。　He　wore　the　traditional　blue　captain's　uniform　with　his　own　personal　flair…a　red　beret　cocked　sideways　on　his　head。　His　voice　was　surprisingly　crystalline　for　such　a　large　man；　and　when　he　spoke；　his　tone　had　the　clarity　of　a　musical　instrument。　Despite　the　precision　of　his　inflection；　Rocher's　eyes　were　cloudy　like　those　of　some　nocturnal　mammal。　His　men　called　him　〃orso〃…grizzly　bear。　They　sometimes　joked　that　Rocher　was　〃the　bear　who　walked　in　the　viper's　shadow。〃　mander　Olivetti　was　the　viper。　Rocher　was　just　as　deadly　as　the　viper；　but　at　least　you　could　see　him　ing。
　Rocher's　men　stood　at　sharp　attention；　nobody　moving　a　muscle；　although　the　information　they　had　just　received　had　increased　their　aggregate　blood　pressure　by　a　few　thousand　points。
　Rookie　Lieutenant　Chartrand　stood　in　the　back　of　the　room　wishing　he　had　been　among　the　99　percent　of　applicants　who　had　not　qualified　to　be　here。　At　twenty　years　old；　Chartrand　was　the　youngest　guard　on　the　force。　He　had　been　in　Vatican　City　only　three　months。　Like　every　man　there；　Chartrand　was　Swiss　Army　trained　and　had　endured　two　years　of　additional　ausbilding　in　Bern　before　qualifying　for　the　grueling　Vatican　prтva　held　in　a　secret　barracks　outside　of　Rome。　Nothing　in　his　training；　however；　had　prepared　him　for　a　crisis　like　this。　
　At　first　Chartrand　thought　the　briefing　was　some　sort　of　bizarre　training　exercise。　Futuristic　weapons？　Ancient　cults？　Kidnapped　cardinals？　Then　Rocher　had　shown　them　the　live　video　feed　of　the　weapon　in　question。　Apparently　this　was　no　exercise。
　〃We　will　be　killing　power　in　selected　areas；〃　Rocher　was　saying；　〃to　eradicate　extraneous　magnetic　interference。　We　will　move　in　teams　of　four。　We　will　wear　infrared　goggles　for　vision。　Reconnaissance　will　be　done　with　traditional　bug　sweepers；　recalibrated　for　sub…three…ohm　flux　fields。　Any　questions？〃
　None。
　Chartrand's　mind　was　on　overload。　〃What　if　we　don't　find　it　in　time？〃　he　asked；　immediately　wishing　he　had　not。
　The　grizzly　bear　gazed　out　at　him　from　beneath　his　red　beret。　Then　he　dismissed　the　group　with　a　somber　salute。　〃Godspeed；　men。〃
　
　60

　Two　blocks　from　the　Pantheon；　Langdon　and　Vittoria　approached　on　foot　past　a　line　of　taxis；　their　drivers　sleeping　in　the　front　seats。　Nap　time　was　eternal　in　the　Eternal　City…the　ubiquitous　public　dozing　a　perfected　extension　of　the　afternoon　siestas　born　of　ancient　Spain。
　Langdon　fought　to　focus　his　thoughts；　but　the　situation　was　too　bizarre　to　grasp　rationally。　Six　hours　ago　he　had　been　sound　asleep　in　Cambridge。　Now　he　was　in　Europe；　caught　up　in　a　surreal　battle　of　ancient　titans；　packing　a　semiautomatic　in　his　Harris　tweed；　and　holding　hands　with　a　woman　he　had　only　just　met。
　He　looked　at　Vittoria。　She　was　focused　straight　ahead。　There　was　a　strength　in　her　grasp…that　of　an　independent　and　determined　woman。　Her　fingers　wrapped　around　his　with　the　fort　of　innate　acceptance。　No　hesitation。　Langdon　felt　a　growing　attraction。　Get　real；　he　told　himself。　
　Vittoria　seemed　to　sense　his　uneasiness。　〃Relax；〃　she　said；　without　turning　her　head。　〃We're　supposed　to　look　like　newlyweds。〃
　〃I'm　relaxed。〃
　〃You're　crushing　my　hand。〃
　Langdon　flushed　and　loosened　up。
　〃Breathe　through　your　eyes；〃　she　said。
　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　〃It　relaxes　the　muscles。　It's　called　pranayama。〃　
　〃Piranha？〃
　〃Not　the　fish。　Pranayama。　Never　mind。〃
　As　they　rounded　the　corner　into　Piazza　della　Rotunda；　the　Pantheon　rose　before　them。　Langdon　admired　it；　as　always；　with　awe。　The　Pantheon。　Temple　to　all　gods。　Pagan　gods。　Gods　of　Nature　and　Earth。　The　structure　seemed　boxier　from　the　outside　than　he　remembered。　The　vertical　pillars　and　triangular　pronaus　all　but　obscured　the　circular　dome　behind　it。　Still；　the　bold　and　immodest　inscription　over　the　entrance　assured　him　they　were　in　the　right　spot。　M　AGRIPPA　L　F　COS　TERTIUM　FECIT。　Langdon　translated　it；　as　always；　with　amusement。　Marcus　Agrippa；　Consul　for　the　third　time；　built　this。　
　So　much　for　humility；　he　thought；　turning　his　eyes　to　the　surrounding　area。　A　scattering　of　tourists　with　video　cameras　wandered　the　area。　Others　sat　enjoying　Rome's　best　iced　coffee　at　La　Tazza　di　Oro's　outdoor　cafe。　Outside　the　entrance　to　the　Pantheon；　four　armed　Roman　policemen　stood　at　attention　just　as　Olivetti　had　predicted。
　〃Looks　pretty　quiet；〃　Vittoria　said。
　Langdon　nodded；　but　he　felt　troubled。　Now　that　he　was　standing　here　in　person；　the　whole　scenario　seemed　surreal。　Despite　Vittoria's　apparent　faith　that　he　was　right；　Langdon　realized　he　had　put　everyone　on　the　line　here。　The　Illuminati　poem　lingered。　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb　with　demon's　hole。　YES；　he　told　himself。　This　was　the　spot。　Santi's　tomb。　He　had　been　here　many　times　beneath　the　Pantheon's　oculus　and　stood　before　the　grave　of　the　great　Raphael。　
　〃What　time　is　it？〃　Vittoria　asked。
　Langdon　checked　his　watch。　〃Seven…fifty。　Ten　minutes　till　show　time。〃
　〃Hope　these　guys　are　good；〃　Vittoria　said；　eyeing　the　scattered　tourists　entering　the　Pantheon。　〃If　anything　happens　inside　that　dome；　we'll　all　be　in　the　crossfire。〃
　Langdon　exhaled　heavily　as　they　moved　toward　the　entrance。　The　gun　felt　heavy　in　his　pocket。　He　wondered　what　would　happen　if　the　policemen　frisked　him　and　found　the　weapon；　but　the　officers　did　not　give　them　a　second　look。　Apparently　the　disguise　was　convincing。
　Langdon　whispered　to　Vittoria。　〃Ever　fire　anything　other　than　a　tranquilizer　gun？〃
　〃Don't　you　trust　me？〃　
　〃Trust　you？　I　barely　know　you。〃
　Vittoria　frowned。　〃And　here　I　thought　we　were　newlyweds。〃　
　
　61

　The　air　inside　the　Pantheon　was　cool　and　damp；　heavy　with　history。　The　sprawling　ceiling　hovered　overhead　as　though　weightless…the　141…foot　unsupported　span　larger　even　than　the　cupola　at　St。　Peter's。　As　always；　Langdon　felt　a　chill　as　he　entered　the　cavernous　room。　It　was　a　remarkable　fusion　of　engineering　and　art。　Above　them　the　famous　circular　hole　in　the　roof　glowed　with　a　narrow　shaft　of　evening　sun。　The　oculus；　Langdon　thought。　The　demon's　hole。　
　They　had　arrived。
　Langdon's　eyes　traced　the　arch　of　the　ceiling　sloping　outward　to　the　columned　walls　and　finally　down　to　the　polished　marble　floor　beneath　their　feet。　The　faint　echo　of　footfalls　and　tourist　murmurs　reverberated　around　the　dome。　Langdon　scanned　the　dozen　or　so　tourists　wandering　aimlessly　in　the　shadows。　Are　you　here？　
　〃Looks　pretty　quiet；〃　Vittoria　said；　still　holding　his　hand。　
　Langdon　nodded。　
　〃Where's　Raphael's　tomb？〃
　Langdon　thought　for　a　moment；　trying　to　get　his　bearings。　He　surveyed　the　circumference　of　the　room。　Tombs。　Altars。　Pillars。　Niches。　He　motioned　to　a　particularly　ornate　funerary　across　the　dome　and　to　the　left。　〃I　think　that's　Raphael's　over　there。〃
　Vittoria　scanned　the　rest　of　the　room。　〃I　don't　see　anyone　who　looks　like　an　assassin　about　to　kill　a　cardinal。　Shall　we　look　around？〃
　Langdon　nodded。　〃There's　only　one　spot　in　here　where　anyone　could　be　hiding。　We　better　check　the　rientranze。〃　
　〃The　recesses？〃
　〃Yes。〃　Langdon　pointed。　〃The　recesses　in　the　wall。〃　
　Around　the　perimeter；　interspersed　with　the　tombs；　a　series　of　semicircular　niches　were　hewn　in　the　wall。　The　niches；　although　not　enormous；　were　big　enough　to　hide　someone　in　the　shadows。　Sadly；　Langdon　knew　they　once　contained　statues　of　the　Olympian　gods；　but　the　pagan　sculptures　had　been　destroyed　when　the　Vatican　converted　the　Pantheon　to　a　Christian　church。　He　felt　a　pang　of　frustration　to　know　he　was　standing　at　the　first　altar　of　science；　and　the　marker　was　gone。　He　wondered　which　statue　it　had　been；　and　where　it　had　pointed。　Langdon　could　imagine　no　greater　thrill　than　finding　an　Illuminati　marker…a　statue　that　surreptitiously　pointed　the　way　down　the　Path　of　Illumination。　Again　he　wondered　who　the　anonymous　Illuminati　sculptor　had　been