danbrown.angels&demons-第48部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


e　wondered　who　the　anonymous　Illuminati　sculptor　had　been。
　〃I'll　take　the　left　arc；〃　Vittoria　said；　indicating　the　left　half　of　the　circumference。　〃You　go　right。　See　you　in　a　hundred　and　eighty　degrees。〃
　Langdon　smiled　grimly。
　As　Vittoria　moved　off；　Langdon　felt　the　eerie　horror　of　the　situation　seeping　back　into　his　mind。　As　he　turned　and　made　his　way　to　the　right；　the　killer's　voice　seemed　to　whisper　in　the　dead　space　around　him。　Eight　o'clock。　Virgin　sacrifices　on　the　altars　of　science。　A　mathematical　progression　of　death。　Eight；　nine；　ten；　eleven　。　。　。　and　at　midnight。　Langdon　checked　his　watch：　7：52。　Eight　minutes。
　As　Langdon　moved　toward　the　first　recess；　he　passed　the　tomb　of　one　of　Italy's　Catholic　kings。　The　sarcophagus；　like　many　in　Rome；　was　askew　with　the　wall；　positioned　awkwardly。　A　group　of　visitors　seemed　confused　by　this。　Langdon　did　not　stop　to　explain。　Formal　Christian　tombs　were　often　misaligned　with　the　architecture　so　they　could　lie　facing　east。　It　was　an　ancient　superstition　that　Langdon's　Symbology　212　class　had　discussed　just　last　month。　
　〃That's　totally　incongruous！〃　a　female　student　in　the　front　had　blurted　when　Langdon　explained　the　reason　for　east…facing　tombs。　〃Why　would　Christians　want　their　tombs　to　face　the　rising　sun？　We're　talking　about　Christianity　。　。　。　not　sun　worship！〃　
　Langdon　smiled；　pacing　before　the　blackboard；　chewing　an　apple。　〃Mr。　Hitzrot！〃　he　shouted。
　A　young　man　dozing　in　back　sat　up　with　a　start。　〃What！　Me？〃　
　Langdon　pointed　to　a　Renaissance　art　poster　on　the　wall。　〃Who　is　that　man　kneeling　before　God？〃　
　〃Um　。　。　。　some　saint？〃　
　〃Brilliant。　And　how　do　you　know　he's　a　saint？〃　
　〃He's　got　a　halo？〃　
　〃Excellent；　and　does　that　golden　halo　remind　you　of　anything？〃　
　Hitzrot　broke　into　a　smile。　〃Yeah！　Those　Egyptian　things　we　studied　last　term。　Those　。　。　。　um　。　。　。　sun　disks！〃　
　〃Thank　you；　Hitzrot。　Go　back　to　sleep。〃　Langdon　turned　back　to　the　class。　〃Halos；　like　much　of　Christian　symbology；　were　borrowed　from　the　ancient　Egyptian　religion　of　sun　worship。　Christianity　is　filled　with　examples　of　sun　worship。〃　
　〃Excuse　me？〃　the　girl　in　front　said。　〃I　go　to　church　all　the　time；　and　I　don't　see　much　sun　worshiping　going　on！〃　
　〃Really？　What　do　you　celebrate　on　December　twenty…fifth？〃　
　〃Christmas。　The　birth　of　Jesus　Christ。〃　
　〃And　yet　according　to　the　Bible；　Christ　was　born　in　March；　so　what　are　we　doing　celebrating　in　late　December？〃　
　Silence。　
　Langdon　smiled。　〃December　twenty…fifth；　my　friends；　is　the　ancient　pagan　holiday　of　sol　invictus…Unconquered　Sun…coinciding　with　the　winter　solstice。　It's　that　wonderful　time　of　year　when　the　sun　returns；　and　the　days　start　getting　longer。〃
　Langdon　took　another　bite　of　apple。
　〃Conquering　religions；〃　he　continued；　〃often　adopt　existing　holidays　to　make　conversion　less　shocking。　It's　called　transmutation。　It　helps　people　acclimatize　to　the　new　faith。　Worshipers　keep　the　same　holy　dates；　pray　in　the　same　sacred　locations；　use　a　similar　symbology　。　。　。　and　they　simply　substitute　a　different　god。〃　
　Now　the　girl　in　front　looked　furious。　〃You're　implying　Christianity　is　just　some　kind　of　。　。　。　repackaged　sun　worship！〃　
　〃Not　at　all。　Christianity　did　not　borrow　only　from　sun　worship。　The　ritual　of　Christian　canonization　is　taken　from　the　ancient　'god…making'　rite　of　Euhemerus。　The　practice　of　'god…eating'…that　is；　Holy　munion…was　borrowed　from　the　Aztecs。　Even　the　concept　of　Christ　dying　for　our　sins　is　arguably　not　exclusively　Christian；　the　self…sacrifice　of　a　young　man　to　absolve　the　sins　of　his　people　appears　in　the　earliest　tradition　of　the　Quetzalcoatl。〃　
　The　girl　glared。　〃So；　is　anything　in　Christianity　original？〃　
　〃Very　little　in　any　organized　faith　is　truly　original。　Religions　are　not　born　from　scratch。　They　grow　from　one　another。　Modern　religion　is　a　collage　。　。　。　an　assimilated　historical　record　of　man's　quest　to　understand　the　divine。〃
　〃Um　。　。　。　hold　on；〃　Hitzrot　ventured；　sounding　awake　now。　〃I　know　something　Christian　that's　original。　How　about　our　image　of　God？　Christian　art　never　portrays　God　as　the　hawk　sun　god；　or　as　an　Aztec；　or　as　anything　weird。　It　always　shows　God　as　an　old　man　with　a　white　beard。　So　our　image　of　God　is　original；　right？〃　
　Langdon　smiled。　〃When　the　early　Christian　converts　abandoned　their　former　deities…pagan　gods；　Roman　gods；　Greek；　sun；　Mithraic；　whatever…they　asked　the　church　what　their　new　Christian　God　looked　like。　Wisely；　the　church　chose　the　most　feared；　powerful　。　。　。　and　familiar　face　in　all　of　recorded　history。〃　
　Hitzrot　looked　skeptical。　〃An　old　man　with　a　white；　flowing　beard？〃　
　Langdon　pointed　to　a　hierarchy　of　ancient　gods　on　the　wall。　At　the　top　sat　an　old　man　with　a　white；　flowing　beard。　〃Does　Zeus　look　familiar？〃　
　The　class　ended　right　on　cue。　
　
　〃Good　evening；〃　a　man's　voice　said。　
　Langdon　jumped。　He　was　back　in　the　Pantheon。　He　turned　to　face　an　elderly　man　in　a　blue　cape　with　a　red　cross　on　the　chest。　The　man　gave　him　a　gray…toothed　smile。
　〃You're　English；　right？〃　The　man's　accent　was　thick　Tuscan。
　Langdon　blinked；　confused。　〃Actually；　no。　I'm　American。〃
　The　man　looked　embarrassed。　〃Oh　heavens；　forgive　me。　You　were　so　nicely　dressed；　I　just　figured　。　。　。　my　apologies。〃
　〃Can　I　help　you？〃　Langdon　asked；　his　heart　beating　wildly。
　〃Actually　I　thought　perhaps　I　could　help　you。　I　am　the　cicerone　here。〃　The　man　pointed　proudly　to　his　city…issued　badge。　〃It　is　my　job　to　make　your　visit　to　Rome　more　interesting。〃
　More　interesting？　Langdon　was　certain　this　particular　visit　to　Rome　was　plenty　interesting。
　〃You　look　like　a　man　of　distinction；〃　the　guide　fawned；　〃no　doubt　more　interested　in　culture　than　most。　Perhaps　I　can　give　you　some　history　on　this　fascinating　building。〃
　Langdon　smiled　politely。　〃Kind　of　you；　but　I'm　actually　an　art　historian　myself；　and…〃
　〃Superb！〃　The　man's　eyes　lit　up　like　he'd　hit　the　jackpot。　〃Then　you　will　no　doubt　find　this　delightful！〃　
　〃I　think　I'd　prefer　to…〃
　〃The　Pantheon；〃　the　man　declared；　launching　into　his　memorized　spiel；　〃was　built　by　Marcus　Agrippa　in　27　B。C。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Langdon　interjected；　〃and　rebuilt　by　Hadrian　in　119　A。D。〃
　〃It　was　the　world's　largest　free…standing　dome　until　1960　when　it　was　eclipsed　by　the　Superdome　in　New　Orleans！〃
　Langdon　groaned。　The　man　was　unstoppable。
　〃And　a　fifth…century　theologian　once　called　the　Pantheon　the　House　of　the　Devil；　warning　that　the　hole　in　the　roof　was　an　entrance　for　demons！〃
　Langdon　blocked　him　out。　His　eyes　climbed　skyward　to　the　oculus；　and　the　memory　of　Vittoria's　suggested　plot　flashed　a　bone…numbing　image　in　his　mind　。　。　。　a　branded　cardinal　falling　through　the　hole　and　hitting　the　marble　floor。　Now　that　would　be　a　media　event。　Langdon　found　himself　scanning　the　Pantheon　for　reporters。　None。　He　inhaled　deeply。　It　was　an　absurd　idea。　The　logistics　of　pulling　off　a　stunt　like　that　would　be　ridiculous。　
　As　Langdon　moved　off　to　continue　his　inspection；　the　babbling　docent　followed　like　a　love…starved　puppy。　Remind　me；　Langdon　thought　to　himself；　there's　nothing　worse　than　a　gung　ho　art　historian。
　
　Across　the　room；　Vittoria　was　immersed　in　her　own　search。　Standing　all　alone　for　the　first　time　since　she　had　heard　the　news　of　her　father；　she　felt　the　stark　reality　of　the　last　eight　hours　closing　in　around　her。　Her　father　had　been　murdered…cruelly　and　abruptly。　Almost　equally　painful　was　that　her　father's　creation　had　been　corrupted…now　a　tool　of　terrorists。　Vittoria　was　plagued　with　guilt　to　think　that　it　was　her　invention　that　had　enabled　the　antimatter　to　be　transported　。　。　。　her　canister　that　was　now　counting　down　inside　the　Vatican。　In　an　effort　to　serve　her　father's　quest　for　the　simplicity　of　truth　。　。　。　she　had　bee　a　conspirator　of　chaos。
　Oddly；　the　only　thing　that　felt　right　in　her　life　at　the　moment　was　the　presence　of　a　total　stranger。　Robert　Langdon。　She　found　an　inexplicable　refuge　in　his　eyes　。　。　。　like　the　harmony　of　the　oceans　she　had　left　behind　early　that　morning。　She　was　glad　he　was　there。　Not　only　had　he　been　a　source　of　strength　and　hope　for　her；　Langdon　had　used　his　quick　mind　to　render　this　one　chance　to　catch　her　father's　killer。　
　Vittoria　breathed　deeply　as　she　c