danbrown.angels&demons-第94部分

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　on　instinct。
　He'll　die　in　here；　Langdon　thought；　sprinting　over　the　threshold　into　the　darkened　void。　〃Camerlegno！　Stop！〃
　The　wall　of　blackness　that　hit　Langdon　was　absolute。　His　pupils　were　contracted　from　the　glare　outside；　and　his　field　of　vision　now　extended　no　farther　than　a　few　feet　before　his　face。　He　skidded　to　a　stop。　Somewhere　in　the　blackness　ahead；　he　heard　the　camerlegno's　cassock　rustle　as　the　priest　ran　blindly　into　the　abyss。
　Vittoria　and　the　guards　arrived　immediately。　Flashlights　came　on；　but　the　lights　were　almost　dead　now　and　did　not　even　begin　to　probe　the　depths　of　the　basilica　before　them。　The　beams　swept　back　and　forth；　revealing　only　columns　and　bare　floor。　The　camerlegno　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　〃Camerlegno！〃　Chartrand　yelled；　fear　in　his　voice。　〃Wait！　Signore！〃
　A　motion　in　the　doorway　behind　them　caused　everyone　to　turn。　Chinita　Macri's　large　frame　lurched　through　the　entry。　Her　camera　was　shouldered；　and　the　glowing　red　light　on　top　revealed　that　it　was　still　transmitting。　Glick　was　running　behind　her；　microphone　in　hand；　yelling　for　her　to　slow　down。
　Langdon　could　not　believe　these　two。　This　is　not　the　time！　
　〃Out！〃　Chartrand　snapped。　〃This　is　not　for　your　eyes！〃　
　But　Macri　and　Glick　kept　ing。　
　〃Chinita！〃　Glick　sounded　fearful　now。　〃This　is　suicide！　I'm　not　ing！〃
　Macri　ignored　him。　She　threw　a　switch　on　her　camera。　The　spotlight　on　top　glared　to　life；　blinding　everyone。
　Langdon　shielded　his　face　and　turned　away　in　pain。　Damn　it！　When　he　looked　up；　though；　the　church　around　them　was　illuminated　for　thirty　yards。　
　At　that　moment　the　camerlegno's　voice　echoed　somewhere　in　the　distance。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church！〃
　Macri　wheeled　her　camera　toward　the　sound。　Far　off；　in　the　grayness　at　the　end　of　the　spotlight's　reach；　black　fabric　billowed；　revealing　a　familiar　form　running　down　the　main　aisle　of　the　basilica。　
　There　was　a　fleeting　instant　of　hesitation　as　everyone's　eyes　took　in　the　bizarre　image。　Then　the　dam　broke。　Chartrand　pushed　past　Langdon　and　sprinted　after　the　camerlegno。　Langdon　took　off　next。　Then　the　guards　and　Vittoria。
　Macri　brought　up　the　rear；　lighting　everyone's　way　and　transmitting　the　sepulchral　chase　to　the　world。　An　unwilling　Glick　cursed　aloud　as　he　tagged　along；　fumbling　through　a　terrified　blow…by…blow　mentary。
　
　The　main　aisle　of　St。　Peter's　Basilica；　Lieutenant　Chartrand　had　once　figured　out；　was　longer　than　an　Olympic　soccer　field。　Tonight；　however；　it　felt　like　twice　that。　As　the　guard　sprinted　after　the　camerlegno；　he　wondered　where　the　man　was　headed。　The　camerlegno　was　clearly　in　shock；　delirious　no　doubt　from　his　physical　trauma　and　bearing　witness　to　the　horrific　massacre　in　the　Pope's　office。
　Somewhere　up　ahead；　beyond　the　reach　of　the　BBC　spotlight；　the　camerlegno's　voice　rang　out　joyously。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church！〃　
　Chartrand　knew　the　man　was　shouting　Scripture…Matthew　16：18；　if　Chartrand　recalled　correctly。　Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church。　It　was　an　almost　cruelly　inapt　inspiration…the　church　was　about　to　be　destroyed。　Surely　the　camerlegno　had　gone　mad。　
　Or　had　he？　
　For　a　fleeting　instant；　Chartrand's　soul　fluttered。　Holy　visions　and　divine　messages　had　always　seemed　like　wishful　delusions　to　him…the　product　of　overzealous　minds　hearing　what　they　wanted　to　hear…God　did　not　interact　directly！　
　A　moment　later；　though；　as　if　the　Holy　Spirit　Himself　had　descended　to　persuade　Chartrand　of　His　power；　Chartrand　had　a　vision。　
　Fifty　yards　ahead；　in　the　center　of　the　church；　a　ghost　appeared　。　。　。　a　diaphanous；　glowing　outline。　The　pale　shape　was　that　of　the　half…naked　camerlegno。　The　specter　seemed　transparent；　radiating　light。　Chartrand　staggered　to　a　stop；　feeling　a　knot　tighten　in　his　chest。　The　camerlegno　is　glowing！　The　body　seemed　to　shine　brighter　now。　Then；　it　began　to　sink　。　。　。　deeper　and　deeper；　until　it　disappeared　as　if　by　magic　into　the　blackness　of　the　floor。
　
　Langdon　had　seen　the　phantom　also。　For　a　moment；　he　too　thought　he　had　witnessed　a　magical　vision。　But　as　he　passed　the　stunned　Chartrand　and　ran　toward　the　spot　where　the　camerlegno　had　disappeared；　he　realized　what　had　just　happened。　The　camerlegno　had　arrived　at　the　Niche　of　the　Palliums…the　sunken　chamber　lit　by　ninety…nine　oil　lamps。　The　lamps　in　the　niche　shone　up　from　beneath；　illuminating　him　like　a　ghost。　Then；　as　the　camerlegno　descended　the　stairs　into　the　light；　he　had　seemed　to　disappear　beneath　the　floor。
　Langdon　arrived　breathless　at　the　rim　overlooking　the　sunken　room。　He　peered　down　the　stairs。　At　the　bottom；　lit　by　the　golden　glow　of　oil　lamps；　the　camerlegno　dashed　across　the　marble　chamber　toward　the　set　of　glass　doors　that　led　to　the　room　holding　the　famous　golden　box。
　What　is　he　doing？　Langdon　wondered。　Certainly　he　can't　think　the　golden　box…
　The　camerlegno　yanked　open　the　doors　and　ran　inside。　Oddly　though；　he　totally　ignored　the　golden　box；　rushing　right　past　it。　Five　feet　beyond　the　box；　he　dropped　to　his　knees　and　began　struggling　to　lift　an　iron　grate　embedded　in　the　floor。
　Langdon　watched　in　horror；　now　realizing　where　the　camerlegno　was　headed。　Good　God；　no！　He　dashed　down　the　stairs　after　him。　〃Father！　Don't！〃
　As　Langdon　opened　the　glass　doors　and　ran　toward　the　camerlegno；　he　saw　the　camerlegno　heave　on　the　grate。　The　hinged；　iron　bulkhead　fell　open　with　a　deafening　crash；　revealing　a　narrow　shaft　and　a　steep　stairway　that　dropped　into　nothingness。　As　the　camerlegno　moved　toward　the　hole；　Langdon　grabbed　his　bare　shoulders　and　pulled　him　back。　The　man's　skin　was　slippery　with　sweat；　but　Langdon　held　on。
　The　camerlegno　wheeled；　obviously　startled。　〃What　are　you　doing！〃　
　Langdon　was　surprised　when　their　eyes　met。　The　camerlegno　no　longer　had　the　glazed　look　of　a　man　in　a　trance。　His　eyes　were　keen；　glistening　with　a　lucid　determination。　The　brand　on　his　chest　looked　excruciating。
　〃Father；〃　Langdon　urged；　as　calmly　as　possible；　〃you　can't　go　down　there。　We　need　to　evacuate。〃　
　〃My　son；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　his　voice　eerily　sane。　〃I　have　just　had　a　message。　I　know…〃
　〃Camerlegno！〃　It　was　Chartrand　and　the　others。　They　came　dashing　down　the　stairs　into　the　room；　lit　by　Macri's　camera。　
　When　Chartrand　saw　the　open　grate　in　the　floor；　his　eyes　filled　with　dread。　He　crossed　himself　and　shot　Langdon　a　thankful　look　for　having　stopped　the　camerlegno。　Langdon　understood；　had　read　enough　about　Vatican　architecture　to　know　what　lay　beneath　that　grate。　It　was　the　most　sacred　place　in　all　of　Christendom。　Terra　Santa。　Holy　Ground。　Some　called　it　the　Necropolis。　Some　called　it　the　Catabs。　According　to　accounts　from　the　select　few　clergy　who　had　descended　over　the　years；　the　Necropolis　was　a　dark　maze　of　subterranean　crypts　that　could　swallow　a　visitor　whole　if　he　lost　his　way。　It　was　not　the　kind　of　place　through　which　they　wanted　to　be　chasing　the　camerlegno。　
　〃Signore；〃　Chartrand　pleaded。　〃You're　in　shock。　We　need　to　leave　this　place。　You　cannot　go　down　there。　It's　suicide。〃
　The　camerlegno　seemed　suddenly　stoic。　He　reached　out　and　put　a　quiet　hand　on　Chartrand's　shoulder。　〃Thank　you　for　your　concern　and　service。　I　cannot　tell　you　how。　I　cannot　tell　you　I　understand。　But　I　have　had　a　revelation。　I　know　where　the　antimatter　is。〃
　Everyone　stared。
　The　camerlegno　turned　to　the　group。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church。　That　was　the　message。　The　meaning　is　clear。〃
　Langdon　was　still　unable　to　prehend　the　camerlegno's　conviction　that　he　had　spoken　to　God；　much　less　that　he　had　deciphered　the　message。　Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church？　They　were　the　words　spoken　by　Jesus　when　he　chose　Peter　as　his　first　apostle。　What　did　they　have　to　do　with　anything？
　Macri　moved　in　for　a　closer　shot。　Glick　was　mute；　as　if　shell…shocked。　
　The　camerlegno　spoke　quickly　now。　〃The　Illuminati　have　placed　their　tool　of　destruction　on　the　very　cornerstone　of　this　church。　At　the　foundation。〃　He　motioned　down　the　stairs。　〃On　the　very　rock　upon　which　this　church　was　built。　And　I　know　where　that　rock　is。〃
　Langdon　was　certain　the　time　had　e　to　overpower　the　camerlegno　and　carry　him　off。　As　lucid　as　he　seemed；　the　priest　was　talking　nonsense。　A　rock？　The　cornerst