danbrown.angels&demons-第61部分

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　〃What　the　hell　happened？〃　someone　demanded。　〃The　prime　minister　get　skinned　alive？〃
　The　chief　shook　his　head。　〃Better。〃　
　
　At　that　exact　instant；　somewhere　in　Rome；　the　Hassassin　enjoyed　a　fleeting　moment　of　repose　in　a　fortable　chair。　He　admired　the　legendary　chamber　around　him。　I　am　sitting　in　the　Church　of　Illumination；　he　thought。　The　Illuminati　lair。　He　could　not　believe　it　was　still　here　after　all　of　these　centuries。
　Dutifully；　he　dialed　the　BBC　reporter　to　whom　he　had　spoken　earlier。　It　was　time。　The　world　had　yet　to　hear　the　most　shocking　news　of　all。
　
　79

　Vittoria　Vetra　sipped　a　glass　of　water　and　nibbled　absently　at　some　tea　scones　just　set　out　by　one　of　the　Swiss　Guards。　She　knew　she　should　eat；　but　she　had　no　appetite。　The　Office　of　the　Pope　was　bustling　now；　echoing　with　tense　conversations。　Captain　Rocher；　mander　Olivetti；　and　half　a　dozen　guards　assessed　the　damage　and　debated　the　next　move。　
　Robert　Langdon　stood　nearby　staring　out　at　St。　Peter's　Square。　He　looked　dejected。　Vittoria　walked　over。　〃Ideas？〃
　He　shook　his　head。
　〃Scone？〃
　His　mood　seemed　to　brighten　at　the　sight　of　food。　〃Hell　yes。　Thanks。〃　He　ate　voraciously。
　The　conversation　behind　them　went　quiet　suddenly　when　two　Swiss　Guards　escorted　Camerlegno　Ventresca　through　the　door。　If　the　chamberlain　had　looked　drained　before；　Vittoria　thought；　now　he　looked　empty。　
　〃What　happened？〃　the　camerlegno　said　to　Olivetti。　From　the　look　on　the　camerlegno's　face；　he　appeared　to　have　already　been　told　the　worst　of　it。
　Olivetti's　official　update　sounded　like　a　battlefield　casualty　report。　He　gave　the　facts　with　flat　efficacy。　〃Cardinal　Ebner　was　found　dead　in　the　church　of　Santa　Maria　del　Popolo　just　after　eight　o'clock。　He　had　been　suffocated　and　branded　with　the　ambigrammatic　word　'Earth。'　Cardinal　Lamassй　was　murdered　in　St。　Peter's　Square　ten　minutes　ago。　He　died　of　perforations　to　the　chest。　He　was　branded　with　the　word　'Air；'　also　ambigrammatic。　The　killer　escaped　in　both　instances。〃
　The　camerlegno　crossed　the　room　and　sat　heavily　behind　the　Pope's　desk。　He　bowed　his　head。
　〃Cardinals　Guidera　and　Baggia；　however；　are　still　alive。〃
　The　camerlegno's　head　shot　up；　his　expression　pained。　〃This　is　our　consolation？　Two　cardinals　have　been　murdered；　mander。　And　the　other　two　will　obviously　not　be　alive　much　longer　unless　you　find　them。〃
　〃We　will　find　them；〃　Olivetti　assured。　〃I　am　encouraged。〃
　〃Encouraged？　We've　had　nothing　but　failure。〃
　〃Untrue。　We've　lost　two　battles；　signore；　but　we're　winning　the　war。　The　Illuminati　had　intended　to　turn　this　evening　into　a　media　circus。　So　far　we　have　thwarted　their　plan。　Both　cardinals'　bodies　have　been　recovered　without　incident。　In　addition；〃　Olivetti　continued；　〃Captain　Rocher　tells　me　he　is　making　excellent　headway　on　the　antimatter　search。〃　
　Captain　Rocher　stepped　forward　in　his　red　beret。　Vittoria　thought　he　looked　more　human　somehow　than　the　other　guards…stern　but　not　so　rigid。　Rocher's　voice　was　emotional　and　crystalline；　like　a　violin。　〃I　am　hopeful　we　will　have　the　canister　for　you　within　an　hour；　signore。〃
　〃Captain；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃excuse　me　if　I　seem　less　than　hopeful；　but　I　was　under　the　impression　that　a　search　of　Vatican　City　would　take　far　more　time　than　we　have。〃
　〃A　full　search；　yes。　However；　after　assessing　the　situation；　I　am　confident　the　antimatter　canister　is　located　in　one　of　our　white　zones…those　Vatican　sectors　accessible　to　public　tours…the　museums　and　St。　Peter's　Basilica；　for　example。　We　have　already　killed　power　in　those　zones　and　are　conducting　our　scan。〃
　〃You　intend　to　search　only　a　small　percentage　of　Vatican　City？〃
　〃Yes；　signore。　It　is　highly　unlikely　that　an　intruder　gained　access　to　the　inner　zones　of　Vatican　City。　The　fact　that　the　missing　security　camera　was　stolen　from　a　public　access　area…a　stairwell　in　one　of　the　museums…clearly　implies　that　the　intruder　had　limited　access。　Therefore　he　would　only　have　been　able　to　relocate　the　camera　and　antimatter　in　another　public　access　area。　It　is　these　areas　on　which　we　are　focusing　our　search。〃
　〃But　the　intruder　kidnapped　four　cardinals。　That　certainly　implies　deeper　infiltration　than　we　thought。〃
　〃Not　necessarily。　We　must　remember　that　the　cardinals　spent　much　of　today　in　the　Vatican　museums　and　St。　Peter's　Basilica；　enjoying　those　areas　without　the　crowds。　It　is　probable　that　the　missing　cardinals　were　taken　in　one　of　these　areas。〃
　〃But　how　were　they　removed　from　our　walls？〃
　〃We　are　still　assessing　that。〃
　〃I　see。〃　The　camerlegno　exhaled　and　stood　up。　He　walked　over　to　Olivetti。　〃mander；　I　would　like　to　hear　your　contingency　plan　for　evacuation。〃
　〃We　are　still　formalizing　that；　signore。　In　the　meantime；　I　am　faithful　Captain　Rocher　will　find　the　canister。〃
　Rocher　clicked　his　boots　as　if　in　appreciation　of　the　vote　of　confidence。　〃My　men　have　already　scanned　two…thirds　of　the　white　zones。　Confidence　is　high。〃
　The　camerlegno　did　not　appear　to　share　that　confidence。
　At　that　moment　the　guard　with　a　scar　beneath　one　eye　came　through　the　door　carrying　a　clipboard　and　a　map。　He　strode　toward　Langdon。　〃Mr。　Langdon？　I　have　the　information　you　requested　on　the　West　Ponente。〃　
　Langdon　swallowed　his　scone。　〃Good。　Let's　have　a　look。〃
　The　others　kept　talking　while　Vittoria　joined　Robert　and　the　guard　as　they　spread　out　the　map　on　the　Pope's　desk。　
　The　soldier　pointed　to　St。　Peter's　Square。　〃This　is　where　we　are。　The　central　line　of　West　Ponente's　breath　points　due　east；　directly　away　from　Vatican　City。〃　The　guard　traced　a　line　with　his　finger　from　St。　Peter's　Square　across　the　Tiber　River　and　up　into　the　heart　of　old　Rome。　〃As　you　can　see；　the　line　passes　through　almost　all　of　Rome。　There　are　about　twenty　Catholic　churches　that　fall　near　this　line。〃
　Langdon　slumped。　〃Twenty？〃　
　〃Maybe　more。〃
　〃Do　any　of　the　churches　fall　directly　on　the　line？〃
　〃Some　look　closer　than　others；〃　the　guard　said；　〃but　translating　the　exact　bearing　of　the　West　Ponente　onto　a　map　leaves　margin　for　error。〃
　Langdon　looked　out　at　St。　Peter's　Square　a　moment。　Then　he　scowled；　stroking　his　chin。　〃How　about　fire？　Any　of　them　have　Bernini　artwork　that　has　to　do　with　fire？〃
　Silence。
　〃How　about　obelisks？〃　he　demanded。　〃Are　any　of　the　churches　located　near　obelisks？〃
　The　guard　began　checking　the　map。
　Vittoria　saw　a　glimmer　of　hope　in　Langdon's　eyes　and　realized　what　he　was　thinking。　He's　right！　The　first　two　markers　had　been　located　on　or　near　piazzas　that　contained　obelisks！　Maybe　obelisks　were　a　theme？　Soaring　pyramids　marking　the　Illuminati　path？　The　more　Vittoria　thought　about　it；　the　more　perfect　it　seemed　。　。　。　four　towering　beacons　rising　over　Rome　to　mark　the　altars　of　science。　
　〃It's　a　long　shot；〃　Langdon　said；　〃but　I　know　that　many　of　Rome's　obelisks　were　erected　or　moved　during　Bernini's　reign。　He　was　no　doubt　involved　in　their　placement。〃
　〃Or；〃　Vittoria　added；　〃Bernini　could　have　placed　his　markers　near　existing　obelisks。〃
　Langdon　nodded。　〃True。〃
　〃Bad　news；〃　the　guard　said。　〃No　obelisks　on　the　line。〃　He　traced　his　finger　across　the　map。　〃None　even　remotely　close。　Nothing。〃
　Langdon　sighed。
　Vittoria's　shoulders　slumped。　She'd　thought　it　was　a　promising　idea。　Apparently；　this　was　not　going　to　be　as　easy　as　they'd　hoped。　She　tried　to　stay　positive。　〃Robert；　think。　You　must　know　of　a　Bernini　statue　relating　to　fire。　Anything　at　all。〃
　〃Believe　me；　I've　been　thinking。　Bernini　was　incredibly　prolific。　Hundreds　of　works。　I　was　hoping　West　Ponente　would　point　to　a　single　church。　Something　that　would　ring　a　bell。〃
　〃Fuтco；〃　she　pressed。　〃Fire。　No　Bernini　titles　jump　out？〃
　Langdon　shrugged。　〃There's　his　famous　sketches　of　Fireworks；　but　they're　not　sculpture；　and　they're　in　Leipzig；　Germany。〃
　Vittoria　frowned。　〃And　you're　sure　the　breath　is　what　indicates　the　direction？〃
　〃You　saw　the　relief；　Vittoria。　The　design　was　totally　symmetrical。　The　only　indication　of　bearing　was　the　breath。〃
　Vittoria　knew　he　was　right。　
　〃Not　to　mention；〃　he　added；　〃because　the　West　Ponente　signifies　Air；　following　the　breath　seems　symbolically　appropriate。〃
　Vittoria　nodded。　So　we　follow　the　breath。　But　where？　
　Olivetti　came　over。　〃What　have　you