danbrown.angels&demons-第88部分

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e　an　ining　fireball。
　Halfway　through　his　swing；　the　Hassassin　dropped　the　bar　and　screamed　in　agony。
　The　iron　bar　clattered　past　Langdon　out　into　the　night。　The　Hassassin　spun　away　from　him；　and　Langdon　saw　a　blistering　torch　burn　on　the　killer's　back。　Langdon　pulled　himself　up　to　see　Vittoria；　eyes　flaring；　now　facing　the　Hassassin。　
　Vittoria　waved　a　torch　in　front　of　her；　the　vengeance　in　her　face　resplendent　in　the　flames。　How　she　had　escaped；　Langdon　did　not　know　or　care。　He　began　scrambling　back　up　over　the　banister。
　The　battle　would　be　short。　The　Hassassin　was　a　deadly　match。　Screaming　with　rage；　the　killer　lunged　for　her。　She　tried　to　dodge；　but　the　man　was　on　her；　holding　the　torch　and　about　to　wrestle　it　away。　Langdon　did　not　wait。　Leaping　off　the　banister；　Langdon　jabbed　his　clenched　fist　into　the　blistered　burn　on　the　Hassassin's　back。　
　The　scream　seemed　to　echo　all　the　way　to　the　Vatican。　
　The　Hassassin　froze　a　moment；　his　back　arched　in　anguish。　He　let　go　of　the　torch；　and　Vittoria　thrust　it　hard　into　his　face。　There　was　a　hiss　of　flesh　as　his　left　eye　sizzled。　He　screamed　again；　raising　his　hands　to　his　face。
　〃Eye　for　an　eye；〃　Vittoria　hissed。　This　time　she　swung　the　torch　like　a　bat；　and　when　it　connected；　the　Hassassin　stumbled　back　against　the　railing。　Langdon　and　Vittoria　went　for　him　at　the　same　instant；　both　heaving　and　pushing。　The　Hassassin's　body　sailed　backward　over　the　banister　into　the　night。　There　was　no　scream。　The　only　sound　was　the　crack　of　his　spine　as　he　landed　spread…eagle　on　a　pile　of　cannonballs　far　below。
　Langdon　turned　and　stared　at　Vittoria　in　bewilderment。　Slackened　ropes　hung　off　her　midsection　and　shoulders。　Her　eyes　blazed　like　an　inferno。　
　〃Houdini　knew　yoga。〃
　
　109

　Meanwhile；　in　St。　Peter's　Square；　the　wall　of　Swiss　Guards　yelled　orders　and　fanned　outward；　trying　to　push　the　crowds　back　to　a　safer　distance。　It　was　no　use。　The　crowd　was　too　dense　and　seemed　far　more　interested　in　the　Vatican's　impending　doom　than　in　their　own　safety。　The　towering　media　screens　in　the　square　were　now　transmitting　a　live　countdown　of　the　antimatter　canister…a　direct　feed　from　the　Swiss　Guard　security　monitor…pliments　of　the　camerlegno。　Unfortunately；　the　image　of　the　canister　counting　down　was　doing　nothing　to　repel　the　crowds。　The　people　in　the　square　apparently　looked　at　the　tiny　droplet　of　liquid　suspended　in　the　canister　and　decided　it　was　not　as　menacing　as　they　had　thought。　They　could　also　see　the　countdown　clock　now…a　little　under　forty…five　minutes　until　detonation。　Plenty　of　time　to　stay　and　watch。
　Nonetheless；　the　Swiss　Guards　unanimously　agreed　that　the　camerlegno's　bold　decision　to　address　the　world　with　the　truth　and　then　provide　the　media　with　actual　visuals　of　Illuminati　treachery　had　been　a　savvy　maneuver。　The　Illuminati　had　no　doubt　expected　the　Vatican　to　be　their　usual　reticent　selves　in　the　face　of　adversity。　Not　tonight。　Camerlegno　Carlo　Ventresca　had　proven　himself　a　manding　foe。　
　
　Inside　the　Sistine　Chapel；　Cardinal　Mortati　was　getting　restless。　It　was　past　11：15　P。M。　Many　of　the　cardinals　were　continuing　to　pray；　but　others　had　clustered　around　the　exit；　clearly　unsettled　by　the　hour。　Some　of　the　cardinals　began　pounding　on　the　door　with　their　fists。
　Outside　the　door　Lieutenant　Chartrand　heard　the　pounding　and　didn't　know　what　to　do。　He　checked　his　watch。　It　was　time。　Captain　Rocher　had　given　strict　orders　that　the　cardinals　were　not　to　be　let　out　until　he　gave　the　word。　The　pounding　on　the　door　became　more　intense；　and　Chartrand　felt　uneasy。　He　wondered　if　the　captain　had　simply　forgotten。　The　captain　had　been　acting　very　erratic　since　his　mysterious　phone　call。　
　Chartrand　pulled　out　his　walkie…talkie。　〃Captain？　Chartrand　here。　It　is　past　time。　Should　I　open　the　Sistine？〃
　〃That　door　stays　shut。　I　believe　I　already　gave　you　that　order。〃
　〃Yes；　sir；　I　just…〃
　〃Our　guest　is　arriving　shortly。　Take　a　few　men　upstairs；　and　guard　the　door　of　the　Pope's　office。　The　camerlegno　is　not　to　go　anywhere。〃　
　〃I'm　sorry；　sir？〃
　〃What　is　it　that　you　don't　understand；　Lieutenant？〃
　〃Nothing；　sir。　I　am　on　my　way。〃
　
　Upstairs　in　the　Office　of　the　Pope；　the　camerlegno　stared　in　quiet　meditation　at　the　fire。　Give　me　strength；　God。　Bring　us　a　miracle。　He　poked　at　the　coals；　wondering　if　he　would　survive　the　night。
　
　110

　Eleven…twenty…three　P。M。　
　Vittoria　stood　trembling　on　the　balcony　of　Castle　St。　Angelo；　staring　out　across　Rome；　her　eyes　moist　with　tears。　She　wanted　badly　to　embrace　Robert　Langdon；　but　she　could　not。　Her　body　felt　anesthetized。　Readjusting。　Taking　stock。　The　man　who　had　killed　her　father　lay　far　below；　dead；　and　she　had　almost　been　a　victim　as　well。　
　When　Langdon's　hand　touched　her　shoulder；　the　infusion　of　warmth　seemed　to　magically　shatter　the　ice。　Her　body　shuddered　back　to　life。　The　fog　lifted；　and　she　turned。　Robert　looked　like　hell…wet　and　matted…he　had　obviously　been　through　purgatory　to　e　rescue　her。　
　〃Thank　you　。　。　。〃　she　whispered。
　Langdon　gave　an　exhausted　smile　and　reminded　her　that　it　was　she　who　deserved　thanks…her　ability　to　practically　dislocate　her　shoulders　had　just　saved　them　both。　Vittoria　wiped　her　eyes。　She　could　have　stood　there　forever　with　him；　but　the　reprieve　was　short…lived。　
　〃We　need　to　get　out　of　here；〃　Langdon　said。
　Vittoria's　mind　was　elsewhere。　She　was　staring　out　toward　the　Vatican。　The　world's　smallest　country　looked　unsettlingly　close；　glowing　white　under　a　barrage　of　media　lights。　To　her　shock；　much　of　St。　Peter's　Square　was　still　packed　with　people！　The　Swiss　Guard　had　apparently　been　able　to　clear　only　about　a　hundred　and　fifty　feet　back…the　area　directly　in　front　of　the　basilica…less　than　one…third　of　the　square。　The　shell　of　congestion　enpassing　the　square　was　pacted　now；　those　at　the　safer　distances　pressing　for　a　closer　look；　trapping　the　others　inside。　They　are　too　close！　Vittoria　thought。　Much　too　close！　
　〃I'm　going　back　in；〃　Langdon　said　flatly。
　Vittoria　turned；　incredulous。　〃Into　the　Vatican？〃　
　Langdon　told　her　about　the　Samaritan；　and　how　it　was　a　ploy。　The　Illuminati　leader；　a　man　named　Janus；　was　actually　ing　himself　to　brand　the　camerlegno。　A　final　Illuminati　act　of　domination。
　〃Nobody　in　Vatican　City　knows；〃　Langdon　said。　〃I　have　no　way　to　contact　them；　and　this　guy　is　arriving　any　minute。　I　have　to　warn　the　guards　before　they　let　him　in。〃
　〃But　you'll　never　get　through　the　crowd！〃
　Langdon's　voice　was　confident。　〃There's　a　way。　Trust　me。〃
　Vittoria　sensed　once　again　that　the　historian　knew　something　she　did　not。　〃I'm　ing。〃　
　〃No。　Why　risk　both…〃
　〃I　have　to　find　a　way　to　get　those　people　out　of　there！　They're　in　incredible　dange…〃
　Just　then；　the　balcony　they　were　standing　on　began　to　shake。　A　deafening　rumble　shook　the　whole　castle。　Then　a　white　light　from　the　direction　of　St。　Peter's　blinded　them。　Vittoria　had　only　one　thought。　Oh　my　God！　The　antimatter　annihilated　early！　
　But　instead　of　an　explosion；　a　huge　cheer　went　up　from　the　crowd。　Vittoria　squinted　into　the　light。　It　was　a　barrage　of　media　lights　from　the　square；　now　trained；　it　seemed；　on　them！　Everyone　was　turned　their　way；　hollering　and　pointing。　The　rumble　grew　louder。　The　air　in　the　square　seemed　suddenly　joyous。
　Langdon　looked　baffled。　〃What　the　devil…〃
　The　sky　overhead　roared。
　Emerging　from　behind　the　tower；　without　warning；　came　the　papal　helicopter。　It　thundered　fifty　feet　above　them；　on　a　beeline　for　Vatican　City。　As　it　passed　overhead；　radiant　in　the　media　lights；　the　castle　trembled。　The　lights　followed　the　helicopter　as　it　passed　by；　and　Langdon　and　Vittoria　were　suddenly　again　in　the　dark。
　Vittoria　had　the　uneasy　feeling　they　were　too　late　as　they　watched　the　mammoth　machine　slow　to　a　stop　over　St。　Peter's　Square。　Kicking　up　a　cloud　of　dust；　the　chopper　dropped　onto　the　open　portion　of　the　square　between　the　crowd　and　the　basilica；　touching　down　at　the　bottom　of　the　basilica's　staircase。
　〃Talk　about　an　entrance；〃　Vittoria　said。　Against　the　white　marble；　she　could　see　a　tiny　speck　of　a　person　emerge　from　the　Vatican　and　move　toward　the　chopper。　She　would　never　have　recognized　the　figure　except　for　the　bright　red　beret　on　his　head