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Chapter 105 Night had fallen over Rosslyn.
Robert Langdon stood alone on the porch of the fieldstone house enjoying the sounds of laughterand reunion drifting through the screened door behind him. The mug of potent Brazilian coffee inhis hand had granted him a hazy reprieve from his mounting exhaustion, and yet he sensed thereprieve would be fleeting. The fatigue in his body went to the core.
"You slipped out quietly," a voice behind him said.
He turned. Sophie's grandmother emerged, her silver hair shimmering in the night. Her name, forthe last twenty-eight years at least, was Marie Chauvel.
Langdon gave a tired smile. "I thought I'd give your family some time together." Through thewindow, he could see Sophie talking with her brother.
Marie came over and stood beside him. "Mr. Langdon, when I first heard of Jacques's murder, Iwas terrified for Sophie's safety. Seeing her standing in my doorway tonight was the greatest reliefof my life. I cannot thank you enough."Langdon had no idea how to respond. Although he had offered to give Sophie and her grandmothertime to talk in private, Marie had asked him to stay and listen. My husband obviously trusted you,Mr. Langdon, so I do as well.
And so Langdon had remained, standing beside Sophie and listening in mute astonishment whileMarie told the story of Sophie's late parents. Incredibly, both had been from Merovingianfamilies—direct descendants of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ. Sophie's parents and ancestors,for protection, had changed their family names of Plantard and Saint-Clair. Their childrenrepresented the most direct surviving royal bloodline and therefore were carefully guarded by thePriory. When Sophie's parents were killed in a car accident whose cause could not be determined,the Priory feared the identity of the royal line had been discovered.
"Your grandfather and I," Marie had explained in a voice choked with pain, "had to make a gravedecision the instant we received the phone call. Your parents' car had just been found in the river."She dabbed at the tears in her eyes. "All six of us—including you two grandchildren—weresupposed to be traveling together in that car that very night. Fortunately we changed our plans atthe last moment, and your parents were alone. Hearing of the accident, Jacques and I had no way toknow what had really happened... or if this was truly an accident." Marie looked at Sophie. "Weknew we had to protect our grandchildren, and we did what we thought was best. Jacques reportedto the police that your brother and I had been in the car... our two bodies apparently washed off inthe current. Then your brother and I went underground with the Priory. Jacques, being a man ofprominence, did not have the luxury of disappearing. It only made sense that Sophie, being theeldest, would stay in Paris to be taught and raised by Jacques, close to the heart and protection ofthe Priory." Her voice fell to a whisper. "Separating the family was the hardest thing we ever had todo. Jacques and I saw each other only very infrequently, and always in the most secret of settings...
under the protection of the Priory. There are certain ceremonies to which the brotherhood alwaysstays faithful."Langdon had sensed the story went far deeper, but he also sensed it was not for him to hear. So hehad stepped outside. Now, gazing up at the spires of Rosslyn, Langdon could not escape the hollowgnaw of Rosslyn's unsolved mystery. Is the Grail really here at Rosslyn? And if so, where are theblade and chalice that Saunière mentioned in his poem?
"I'll take that," Marie said, motioning to Langdon's hand.
"Oh, thank you." Langdon held out his empty coffee cup.
She stared at him. "I was referring to your other hand, Mr. Langdon."Langdon looked down and realized he was holding Saunière's papyrus. He had taken it from thecryptex once again in hopes of seeing something he had missed earlier. "Of course, I'm sorry."Marie looked amused as she took the paper. "I know of a man at a bank in Paris who is probablyvery eager to see the return of this rosewood box. André Vernet was a dear friend of Jacques, andJacques trusted him explicitly. André would have done anything to honor Jacques's requests for thecare of this box."Including shooting me, Langdon recalled, deciding not to mention that he had probably broken thepoor man's nose. Thinking of Paris, Langdon flashed on the three sénéchaux who had been killedthe night before. "And the Priory? What happens now?""The wheels are already in motion, Mr. Langdon. The brotherhood has endured for centuries, and itwill endure this. There are always those waiting to move up and rebuild."All evening Langdon had suspected that Sophie's grandmother was closely tied to the operations ofthe Priory. After all, the Priory had always had women members. Four Grand Masters had beenwomen. The sénéchaux were traditionally men—the guardians—and yet women held far morehonored status within the Priory and could ascend to the highest post from virtually any rank.
Langdon thought of Leigh Teabing and Westminster Abbey. It seemed a lifetime ago. "Was theChurch pressuring your husband not to release the Sangreal documents at the End of Days?""Heavens no. The End of Days is a legend of paranoid minds. There is nothing in the Priorydoctrine that identifies a date at which the Grail should be unveiled. In fact the Priory has alwaysmaintained that the Grail should never be unveiled.""Never?" Langdon was stunned.
"It is the mystery and wonderment that serve our souls, not the Grail itself. The beauty of the Graillies in her ethereal nature." Marie Chauvel gazed up at Rosslyn now. "For some, the Grail is achalice that will bring them everlasting life. For others, it is the quest for lost documents and secrethistory. And for most, I suspect the Holy Grail is simply a grand idea... a glorious unattainabletreasure that somehow, even in today's world of chaos, inspires us.""But if the Sangreal documents remain hidden, the story of Mary Magdalene will be lost forever,"Langdon said.
"Will it? Look around you. Her story is being told in art, music, and books. More so every day. Thependulum is swinging. We are starting to sense the dangers of our history... and of our destructivepaths. We are beginning to sense the need to restore the sacred feminine." She paused. "Youmentioned you are writing a manuscript about the symbols of the sacred feminine, are you not?""I am."She smiled. "Finish it, Mr. Langdon. Sing her song. The world needs modern troubadours."Langdon fell silent, feeling the weight of her message upon him. Across the open spaces, a newmoon was rising above the tree line.
Turning his eyes toward Rosslyn, Langdon felt a boyish craving to know her secrets. Don't ask, hetold himself. This is not the moment. He glanced at the papyrus in Marie's hand, and then back atRosslyn.
"Ask the question, Mr. Langdon," Marie said, looking amused. "You have earned the right."Langdon felt himself flush.
"You want to know if the Grail is here at Rosslyn.""Can you tell me?"She sighed in mock exasperation. "Why is it that men simply cannot let the Grail rest?" Shelaughed, obviously enjoying herself. "Why do you think it's here?"Langdon motioned to the papyrus in her hand. "Your husband's poem speaks specifically ofRosslyn, except it also mentions a blade and chalice watching over the Grail. I didn't see anysymbols of the blade and chalice up there.""The blade and chalice?" Marie asked. "What exactly do they look like?"Langdon sensed she was toying with him, but he played along, quickly describing the symbols.
A look of vague recollection crossed her face. "Ah, yes, of course. The blade represents all that ismasculine. I believe it is drawn like this, no?" Using her index finger, she traced a shape on herpalm.
triangle"Yes," Langdon said. Marie had drawn the less common "closed" form of the blade, althoughLangdon had seen the symbol portrayed both ways.
"And the inverse," she said, drawing again on her palm, "is the chalice, which represents thefeminine."reverse triangle"Correct," Langdon said.
"And you are saying that in all the hundreds of symbols we have here in Rosslyn Chapel, these twoshapes appear nowhere?""I didn't see them.""And if I show them to you, will you get some sleep?"Before Langdon could answer, Marie Chauvel had stepped off the porch and was heading towardthe chapel. Langdon hurried after her. Entering the ancient building, Marie turned on the lights andpointed to the center of the sanctuary floor. "There you are, Mr. Langdon. The blade and chalice."Langdon stared at the scuffed stone floor. It was blank. "There's nothing here...."Marie sighed and began to walk along the famous path worn into the chapel floor, the same pathLangdon had seen the visitors walking earlier this evening. As his eyes adjusted to see the giantsymbol, he still felt lost. "But that's the Star of Dav—"Langdon stopped short, mute with amazement as it dawned on him.
Star of DavidThe blade and chalice.
Fused as one.
The Star of David... the perfect union of male and female... Solomon's Seal... marking the Holy ofHolies, where the male and female deities—Yahweh and Shekinah—were thought to dwell.
Langdon needed a minute to find his words. "The verse does point here to Rosslyn. Completely.
Perfectly."Marie smiled. "Apparently."The implications chilled him. "So the Holy Grail is in the vault beneath us?"She laughed. "Only in spirit. One of the Priory's most ancient charges was one day to return theGrail to her homeland of France where she could rest for eternity. For centuries, she was draggedacross the countryside to keep her safe. Most undignified. Jacques's charge when he became GrandMaster was to restore her honor by returning her to France and building her a resting place fit for aqueen.""And he succeeded?"Now her face grew serious. "Mr. Langdon, considering what you've done for me tonight, and ascurator of the Rosslyn Trust, I can tell you for certain that the Grail is no longer here."Langdon decided to press. "But the keystone is supposed to point to the place where the Holy Grailis hidden now. Why does it point to Rosslyn?""Maybe you're misreading its meaning. Remember, the Grail can be deceptive. As could my latehusband.""But how much clearer could he be?" he asked. "We are standing over an underground vaultmarked by the blade and chalice, underneath a ceiling of stars, surrounded by the art of MasterMasons. Everything speaks of Rosslyn.""Very well, let me see this mysterious verse." She unrolled the papyrus and read the poem aloud ina deliberate tone.
The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates.
Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies.
She rests at last beneath the starry skies.
When she finished, she was still for several seconds, until a knowing smile crossed her lips. "Aah,Jacques."Langdon watched her expectantly. "You understand this?""As you have witnessed on the chapel floor, Mr. Langdon, there are many ways to see simplethings."Langdon strained to understand. Everything about Jacques Saunière seemed to have doublemeanings, and yet Langdon could see no further.
Marie gave a tired yawn. "Mr. Langdon, I will make a confession to you. I have never officiallybeen privy to the present location of the Grail. But, of course, I was married to a person ofenormous influence... and my women's intuition is strong." Langdon started to speak but Mariecontinued. "I am sorry that after all your hard work, you will be leaving Rosslyn without any realanswers. And yet, something tells me you will eventually find what you seek. One day it will dawnon you." She smiled. "And when it does, I trust that you, of all people, can keep a secret."There was a sound of someone arriving in the doorway. "Both of you disappeared," Sophie said,entering.
"I was just leaving," her grandmother replied, walking over to Sophie at the door. "Good night,princess." She kissed Sophie's forehead. "Don't keep Mr. Langdon out too late."Langdon and Sophie watched her grandmother walk back toward the fieldstone house. WhenSophie turned to him, her eyes were awash in deep emotion. "Not exactly the ending I expected."That makes two of us, he thought. Langdon could see she was overwhelmed. The news she hadreceived tonight had changed everything in her life. "Are you okay? It's a lot to take in."She smiled quietly. "I have a family. That's where I'm going to start. Who we are and where wecame from will take some time."Langdon remained silent.
"Beyond tonight, will you stay with us?" Sophie asked. "At least for a few days?"Langdon sighed, wanting nothing more. "You need some time here with your family, Sophie. I'mgoing back to Paris in the morning."She looked disappointed but seemed to know it was the right thing to do. Neither of them spoke fora long time. Finally Sophie reached over and, taking his hand, led him out of the chapel. Theywalked to a small rise on the bluff. From here, the Scottish countryside spread out before them,suffused in a pale moonlight that sifted through the departing clouds. They stood in silence,holding hands, both of them fighting the descending shroud of exhaustion.
The stars were just now appearing, but to the east, a single point of light glowed brighter than anyother. Langdon smiled when he saw it. It was Venus. The ancient Goddess shining down with hersteady and patient light.
The night was growing cooler, a crisp breeze rolling up from the lowlands. After a while, Langdonlooked over at Sophie. Her eyes were closed, her lips relaxed in a contented smile. Langdon couldfeel his own eyes growing heavy. Reluctantly, he squeezed her hand. "Sophie?"Slowly, she opened her eyes and turned to him. Her face was beautiful in the moonlight. She gavehim a sleepy smile. "Hi."Langdon felt an unexpected sadness to realize he would be returning to Paris without her. "I maybe gone before you wake up." He paused, a knot growing in his throat. "I'm sorry, I'm not verygood at—"Sophie reached out and placed her soft hand on the side of his face. Then, leaning forward, shekissed him tenderly on the cheek. "When can I see you again?"Langdon reeled momentarily, lost in her eyes. "When?" He paused, curious if she had any ideahow much he had been wondering the same thing. "Well, actually, next month I'm lecturing at aconference in Florence. I'll be there a week without much to do.""Is that an invitation?""We'd be living in luxury. They're giving me a room at the Brunelleschi."Sophie smiled playfully. "You presume a lot, Mr. Langdon."He cringed at how it had sounded. "What I meant—""I would love nothing more than to meet you in Florence, Robert. But on one condition." Her toneturned serious. "No museums, no churches, no tombs, no art, no relics.""In Florence? For a week? There's nothing else to do."Sophie leaned forward and kissed him again, now on the lips. Their bodies came together, softly atfirst, and then completely. When she pulled away, her eyes were full of promise.
"Right," Langdon managed. "It's a date."EpilogueRobert Langdon awoke with a start. He had been dreaming. The bathrobe beside his bed bore themonogram HOTEL RITZ PARIS. He saw a dim light filtering through the blinds. Is it dusk ordawn? he wondered.
Langdon's body felt warm and deeply contented. He had slept the better part of the last two days.
Sitting up slowly in bed, he now realized what had awoken him... the strangest thought. For dayshe had been trying to sort through a barrage of information, but now Langdon found himself fixedon something he'd not considered before.
Could it be?
He remained motionless a long moment.
Getting out of bed, he walked to the marble shower. Stepping inside, he let the powerful jetsmessage his shoulders. Still, the thought enthralled him.
Impossible.
Twenty minutes later, Langdon stepped out of the Hotel Ritz into Place Vend.me. Night wasfalling. The days of sleep had left him disoriented... and yet his mind felt oddly lucid. He hadpromised himself he would stop in the hotel lobby for a cafe au lait to clear his thoughts, butinstead his legs carried him directly out the front door into the gathering Paris night.
Walking east on Rue des Petits Champs, Langdon felt a growing excitement. He turned south ontoRue Richelieu, where the air grew sweet with the scent of blossoming jasmine from the statelygardens of the Palais Royal.
He continued south until he saw what he was looking for—the famous royal arcade—a glisteningexpanse of polished black marble. Moving onto it, Langdon scanned the surface beneath his feet.
Within seconds, he found what he knew was there—several bronze medallions embedded in theground in a perfectly straight line. Each disk was five inches in diameter and embossed with theletters N and S.
Nord. Sud.
He turned due south, letting his eye trace the extended line formed by the medallions. He beganmoving again, following the trail, watching the pavement as he walked. As he cut across the cornerof the Comédie-Fran.aise, another bronze medallion passed beneath his feet. Yes!
The streets of Paris, Langdon had learned years ago, were adorned with 135 of these bronzemarkers, embedded in sidewalks, courtyards, and streets, on a north-south axis across the city. Hehad once followed the line from Sacré-Coeur, north across the Seine, and finally to the ancientParis Observatory. There he discovered the significance of the sacred path it traced.
The earth's original prime meridian.
The first zero longitude of the world.
Paris's ancient Rose Line.
Now, as Langdon hurried across Rue de Rivoli, he could feel his destination within reach. Lessthan a block away.
The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The revelations were coming now in waves. Saunière's ancient spelling of Roslin... the blade andchalice... the tomb adorned with masters' art.
Is that why Saunière needed to talk with me? Had I unknowingly guessed the truth?
He broke into a jog, feeling the Rose Line beneath his feet, guiding him, pulling him toward hisdestination. As he entered the long tunnel of Passage Richelieu, the hairs on his neck began tobristle with anticipation. He knew that at the end of this tunnel stood the most mysterious ofParisian monuments—conceived and commissioned in the 1980s by the Sphinx himself, Fran.oisMitterrand, a man rumored to move in secret circles, a man whose final legacy to Paris was a placeLangdon had visited only days before.
Another lifetime.
With a final surge of energy, Langdon burst from the passageway into the familiar courtyard andcame to a stop. Breathless, he raised his eyes, slowly, disbelieving, to the glistening structure infront of him.
The Louvre Pyramid.
Gleaming in the darkness.
He admired it only a moment. He was more interested in what lay to his right. Turning, he felt hisfeet again tracing the invisible path of the ancient Rose Line, carrying him across the courtyard tothe Carrousel du Louvre—the enormous circle of grass surrounded by a perimeter of neatlytrimmed hedges—once the site of Paris's primeval nature-worshipping festivals... joyous rites tocelebrate fertility and the Goddess.
Langdon felt as if he were crossing into another world as he stepped over the bushes to the grassyarea within. This hallowed ground was now marked by one of the city's most unusual monuments.
There in the center, plunging into the earth like a crystal chasm, gaped the giant inverted pyramidof glass that he had seen a few nights ago when he entered the Louvre's subterranean entresol.
La Pyramide Inversée.
Tremulous, Langdon walked to the edge and peered down into the Louvre's sprawling undergroundcomplex, aglow with amber light. His eye was trained not just on the massive inverted pyramid,but on what lay directly beneath it. There, on the floor of the chamber below, stood the tiniest ofstructures... a structure Langdon had mentioned in his manuscript.
Langdon felt himself awaken fully now to the thrill of unthinkable possibility. Raising his eyesagain to the Louvre, he sensed the huge wings of the museum enveloping him... hallways thatburgeoned with the world's finest art.
Da Vinci... Botticelli...
Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies.
Alive with wonder, he stared once again downward through the glass at the tiny structure below.
I must go down there!
Stepping out of the circle, he hurried across the courtyard back toward the towering pyramidentrance of the Louvre. The day's last visitors were trickling out of the museum.
Pushing through the revolving door, Langdon descended the curved staircase into the pyramid. Hecould feel the air grow cooler. When he reached the bottom, he entered the long tunnel thatstretched beneath the Louvre's courtyard, back toward La Pyramide Inversée.
At the end of the tunnel, he emerged into a large chamber. Directly before him, hanging down fromabove, gleamed the inverted pyramid—a breathtaking V-shaped contour of glass.
The Chalice.
Langdon's eyes traced its narrowing form downward to its tip, suspended only six feet above thefloor. There, directly beneath it, stood the tiny structure.
A miniature pyramid. Only three feet tall. The only structure in this colossal complex that had beenbuilt on a small scale.
Langdon's manuscript, while discussing the Louvre's elaborate collection of goddess art, had madepassing note of this modest pyramid. "The miniature structure itself protrudes up through the flooras though it were the tip of an iceberg—the apex, of an enormous, pyramidical vault, submergedbelow like a hidden chamber."Illuminated in the soft lights of the deserted entresol, the two pyramids pointed at one another, theirbodies perfectly aligned, their tips almost touching.
The Chalice above. The Blade below.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates.
Langdon heard Marie Chauvel's words. One day it will dawn on you.
He was standing beneath the ancient Rose Line, surrounded by the work of masters. What betterplace for Saunière to keep watch? Now at last, he sensed he understood the true meaning of theGrand Master's verse. Raising his eyes to heaven, he gazed upward through the glass to a glorious,star-filled night.
She rests at last beneath the starry skies.
Like the murmurs of spirits in the darkness, forgotten words echoed. The quest for the Holy Grailis the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of theoutcast one.
With a sudden upwelling of reverence, Robert Langdon fell to his knees.
For a moment, he thought he heard a woman's voice... the wisdom of the ages... whispering upfrom the chasms of the earth.
深夜已经降临了罗斯林教堂。
罗伯特。兰登独自站在大卵石房子外面的走廊上，愉快地聆听着纱门后面传来的久别重逢的笑声。他手中托着一杯浓烈的巴西产的咖啡，这使他暂时消除了逐渐袭来的倦意，然而他觉得咖啡很快就会失去功效，因为疲惫已经深入到他的骨髓里。
"你怎么悄悄溜出来了？"突然背后有人在跟他说话。
他转身去看。原来是索菲的奶奶，她那银色的头发，在夜色里闪烁着微弱的白光。她原名玛丽。肖维尔，在过去的岁月里，至少有二十八年是这样。
兰登慵懒地给她一个微笑："我只想让你们单独聚一聚罢了。"他透过窗户，看到索菲在跟她的弟弟说话。
玛丽走过来，站在他的身旁。"兰登先生，我一听说索尼埃被谋杀，就特别担心索菲的安全。然而今天晚上，当我看到她站在家门口，真是再放心不过了。真的谢谢你。"兰登一时不知道该如何作答。尽管他本想让索菲和她奶奶多一点时间私下里谈谈，然而玛丽却让他留下来。"兰登先生，我丈夫显然信得过你，我也一样啊。"
兰登就这样留了下来，他站在索菲的身边。不发一言，却惊讶万分地倾听玛丽讲述索菲已故父母的故事。令人不可思议的是。他俩都来自墨洛温家族--即抹大拉的玛利亚与耶稣基督的嫡亲后裔。索菲的父母与他们的祖辈，出于安全的考虑，将他们家族的姓普兰塔得和圣。卡莱尔给改了。他们的子女是皇家血统至今仍然健在的最嫡亲的家属，因此得到了郇山隐修会的严密保护。当索菲的父母死于无法确定是什么原因造成的车祸时，郇山隐修会开始担心他们皇家血统的身份是不是被发现了。
"我和你祖父，"玛丽解释说，她痛苦到几乎要哽咽的地步："一接到电话，就不得不做出重要决定。我们是在河里找到你父母的车的。"她抹去眼中的泪水，继续说："我们六人--包括你们孙子孙女两个--原打算一块坐车出去旅行。不过，幸运的是，我们在最后时刻改变了计划，结果就你们父母两人去了。雅克和我听说出了车祸，根本不知道究竟发生了什么事情……也不知道究竟是不是真的车祸。"玛丽注视着索菲说："但我们知道，我们必须保护好孙子孙女，于是采取了自认为最可靠的办法。你祖父打电话报了警，说你弟弟和我都在车上……我们两人的尸体显然是被湍急的水流冲走了。然后我和你弟弟与郇山隐修会一道隐蔽起来。雅克是很有名望的人，所以就难得有隐姓埋名的幸运了。不过，最主要的原因还是索菲你作为家里的老大，要留在巴黎接受教育，由雅克抚养长大，这样就更靠近郇山隐修会，以便能得到他们的保护。"她转而低声地说："将一家人分开是我们做出的最艰难的选择。雅克和我很少会面，即使见面，也是在最隐蔽的场合……在郇山隐修会的保护下。这个组织的规章制度，其成员总是能严格遵守的。"兰登感到她叙述的故事越来越切入主题了，但他同时觉得，这不是讲给他听的，于是他来到了外面。此刻，他凝视着罗斯林教堂的尖塔，它身上藏着的不解之谜尚未解开，这样的事实折磨着他。圣杯果真在罗斯林教堂里吗？如果答案是肯定的，那索尼埃在诗中提到的剑刃与圣杯又在哪里呢？
"让我来拿吧。"玛丽朝兰登的手打了个手势。
"哦，谢谢。"兰登把空咖啡杯递了过去。
玛丽盯着他："兰登先生，我是指你另一只手拿着的东西呢。"
兰登低下头，这才意识到手里正拿着索尼埃留下的莎草纸。他又把它取出来，希望能找出一些以前忽略的东西。"对不起，这当然要给你。"
玛丽接过莎草纸，似乎被逗乐了。"我在巴黎时认识一个人，他可能急于想找回这个紫檀木盒子呢。安德烈。韦尔内是雅克的好朋友，雅克显然信任他。为了不负雅克的托付，保管好这个盒子，安德烈愿意做任何事情。"甚至也愿意朝我开熗。兰登回想往事，他决定还是不提他可能砸坏了那可怜家伙鼻子一事。一想起巴黎，他的脑海中就闪现出前天晚上被杀死的三名护卫长的身影。"郇山隐修会呢？现在怎么啦？"
"兰登先生，历史的巨轮已经启动了。这个组织已经忍耐了数百年，它会经受住这个考验，总会有人挺身而出，来进行重建工作。"兰登整个晚上都在怀疑，索菲的奶奶是否和郇山隐修会的运转有着千丝万缕的联系。
不管怎么说，这个组织历来都有女性的加入。在它历任的领导者当中，就有四位是女性。
护卫长传统上由男性充任--即担任保卫工作--而女人则占据了更高的地位，并可能担任最高的职务。
兰登想到了雷。提彬以及威斯敏斯特教堂。这似乎已是上辈子的事情了。"莫非是天主教会胁迫你的丈夫，叫他不要在"世界末日"来临时将《圣杯文献》泄露出去？"
"我的上帝，当然不是。所谓"世界末日"，不过是一些偏执狂臆想出来的东西罢了。在郇山隐修会的文献里，根本没有确定将圣杯公之于众的明确日期。实际上，郇山隐修会从不赞同将圣杯予以公开。""从不？"兰登目瞪口呆。
"为我们灵魂服务的不在于圣杯本身，而是它身上藏着的谜，以及令人惊叹的东西。圣杯美就美在它虚无飘渺的本质。"玛丽。肖维尔这时抬起头，凝望着罗斯林教堂，继续说道："对某些人来说，圣杯将使他们永生；而对其他人来说，它是寻找记载了一段鲜为人知的历史但却已经散失的文献的旅程。但对大多数人而言，我怀疑圣杯只是寄托了一种伟大的思想……是遥不可及的绚丽瑰宝，即使在今天这个喧嚣的世界里，它也能给我们带来某些有益的启迪。""不过，如果继续让《圣杯文献》秘而不宣的话，那么，抹大拉的玛利亚的历史不就永远消失在历史的尘埃中了吗？"兰登说。
"是吗？还是看看你身边吧。你会看到，人们正通过艺术、音乐以及著书的形式讲述她的历史。而且天天这样，日日如此。时钟的钟摆在摇摆，我们开始感到历史所面临的危险……感到我们已走上了毁灭性的道路。我们开始觉得有必要恢复神圣女性的原来面貌。"她停了片刻，"你跟我说过你在写一本有关神圣女性象征的作品是不是？"
"是的。"
她微笑着说："兰登先生，那你就把它写完，继续吟唱赞美她的歌谣，我们的世界需要当代的吟游诗人。"兰登沉默了，他感到了她话里的分量。在空旷的天那头，一轮新月正从树梢上冉冉升起。他把目光转移到罗斯林教堂，心里升腾起一股孩子般的渴望，渴望能了解蕴藏在它身上的诸多谜团。"别问了，现在还不是时候。"他这样告诉自己。他瞄了一眼玛丽手中的莎草纸，然后又望着罗斯林教堂。
"兰登先生，有什么问题你就提吧。"玛丽高兴地说："你有这样的权利。"
兰登不觉脸红了起来。
"想知道圣杯是不是在罗斯林教堂对吧？"
"那你能告诉我吗？"
玛丽假装愠怒地叹了口气："为什么人们就不能放圣杯一马呢？"她笑出声来，显然被自己逗乐了。"你凭什么认为圣杯是在这里呢？"
兰登指了指她手里的莎草纸，说："你丈夫在诗里清楚地提到了罗斯林教堂，此外他也提到守护着圣杯的剑刃与圣杯。可我在这里却没有看到什么剑刃与圣杯的标志。""剑刃与圣杯？"玛丽问道："那它们到底是什么样子呢？"
兰登知道她在戏弄他，但还是配合着将戏一路演了下去，飞快地对这些标志物描述了一番。
玛丽的脸上露出若有所思的神情："啊，是的，当然了。剑刃代表的是具有男性特征的东西，我相信画出来就是这个样子，对不对？"她用食指在手心里描画了一个图形。
△"对的。"兰登说。玛丽给他画了一个不同寻常"不为外人所知"的剑刃的图案，尽管他曾经看过别人用两种方式来描绘这个图形。
"而倒过来，"她说着，又在手心里画起来："就是圣杯了，它所代表的是女性。"
▽"你说得没错。"兰登说。
"可你却说在我们罗斯林教堂成百上千的符号里，竟然看不到这两种形状的东西。"
"我是没见过。"
"那如果我告诉你，你就会安心睡个稳觉吧？"
兰登还来不及回答，玛丽。肖维尔已经离开走廊，向教堂走去。兰登急忙跟在她的后面，进入了那座古老的建筑物。玛丽拧亮灯，指着礼拜堂的中心地面。"兰登先生，你快过来看看你要找的剑刃与圣杯。"兰登注视着那被磨损了的石板地面，却是空空如也。"这里什么东西也没有啊……"
玛丽叹了口气，开始沿那条有名的破旧的小道往教堂的地面走去。今天晚上天刚黑时，兰登看到游客们也从这同一条小道上走过。他转移了视线去看那巨大的标志物，然而还是感到茫然。"可那是大卫之星--"在心里暗暗称奇。
△▽▽△△▽"剑刃与圣杯。合二为一。"
"大卫之星……男女之间的完美结合……所罗门之印……被认为是男性之神的耶和华与女性之神的舍金纳居住的地方，至圣所的标志物。"过了一分钟，兰登才想出一句话来："这首诗确实是指罗斯林教堂，一点没错。"
玛丽微微一笑："显然是这样嘛。"
然而这些提示却让他感到心寒："这么说圣杯就在我们脚下的地下宫殿里了？"
玛丽笑起来："它只存在于我们的灵魂里。郇山隐修会肩负了一项最古老的使命，就是希望有朝一日将圣杯送回到它的故土法国，并希望它能够在那里永远得到安息。几百年来，我们为了保护它的安全，不得不带着它在乡间辗转，这样做实在有损它的尊严。雅克自担任大师以来，就一心想将它带回法国，并为它建造一处女王规格的安息之所，希望以此来恢复它的名誉。""那他成功了没有？"
玛丽的表情变得严肃起来："兰登先生，考虑到今晚你帮了我大忙，作为罗斯林监管会的会长，我可以明确地告诉你，圣杯已经不在这里了。"兰登决定穷追不舍："但拱心石所指的地方应该是圣杯藏着的地方。可它为什么偏说是罗斯林教堂呢？"
"也许你误解它的含义了。要知道，圣杯也会骗人的，就像我丈夫有时也会骗人一样。
""但他怎会说得这么清楚呢？"他问道："我们站在一座以剑刃与圣杯为标志的地下宫殿之上，雕满各种星球的天花板之下，石匠大师们创作的艺术结晶的包围之中。这一切都是在暗指罗斯林教堂哪。""那好，还是让我们来看看这首神秘的诗吧。"她展开莎草纸，并装腔作势地大声读了起来。
"圣杯在古老的罗斯林教堂下面等待。
剑刃和圣杯一道看护着她的门外。
她躺在大师们令人钟爱的杰作的怀抱里，在繁星闪烁的天底下终于得到了安息。"她读完后，怔了几秒，嘴角方露出一丝会意的微笑。"哦，雅克啊雅克。"
兰登满怀期待地望着她："你知道了？"
"兰登先生，教堂的地面你也亲眼看见了，我们看待简单的东西，可以有许多种方法。
"兰登努力想明白她的话。有关雅克。索尼埃的一切，似乎都有双重含义，然而兰登却看不出来。
玛丽倦了，她打了一个呵欠，说："兰登先生，我全跟你说了吧。圣杯现在埋藏的地方，我从未正式过问过。不过我可以肯定的是，我嫁给了一位声名显赫的男人……女人的直觉往往是很敏锐的。"兰登想开口说上几句，然而玛丽没有停。"让我难过的是，你在付出了诸多努力之后，却还得一无所获地离开罗斯林教堂。不过我知道，你最终会寻找到你要寻找的答案。有朝一日你终会明白的。"她微微笑了笑："而等你醒悟过来时，我相信所有像你这样的人。都会将它的秘密藏在心底。"这时传来有人走到门口的声音。"我说你们俩跑哪里去了哩。"索菲走了进来，说。
"我正想走呢。"她奶奶回答说，一边向站在门口的索菲走了过去。"晚安，我的公主。
"她吻了索菲的额头，嘱咐着说："别让兰登先生在外面耽搁到很晚。"兰登与索菲看着她的奶奶回到那幢大卵石房子里。随后，索菲掉头注视着他，眼里充满了深情。"我真没想到结局竟然是这样。"
不过倒是撮合了我们两个呢，兰登心想。他看得出索菲百感交集。今天晚上。她得到的消息已将她的一生都给改变了。"你还好吧？还有许多东西需要你慢慢领会呢。"
索菲恬静地笑了，"我有家了。那将是我开始的地方。我们是什么人，又是从哪里来，都需要花些时间去理解。"兰登保持着沉默。
"过了今晚，你还会和我们呆在一起吗？"她问道："你至少会跟我们住几天吧？"
兰登叹了口气，他已无所求了。"索菲，你需要花一点时间陪你的家人。早上我就回巴黎去。"她看起来有些失望，但似乎知道他说得没错。很长一段时间，两人都不说话。终于，索菲探过身子，抓住他的手，带他走出了教堂。他们来到这座悬崖峭壁上的一块小高地。
他们从这里看过去，苏格兰的乡村，正沐浴在从散开的云中泄漏出来的银色月光里。他们就这样一言不发地站着，手牵着手，共同抵御这突如其来的倦意。
这时星星也出来了，但在西方的天空里，有一颗星星发出清冷的光，比其他任何星星发出的光都要明亮。兰登看到它，默默地笑了。那是启明星--这位古老的女神，正一如既往而有耐心地散发出皎洁的光芒。
夜渐渐凉了，清爽的风，正从下面的山谷里涌了上来。过了一会，兰登才看了看索菲，她紧闭着双眼，嘴角松弛，流露出一丝满足的微笑。兰登感到眼皮逐渐沉重起来。他很不情愿地抓住了她的手："索菲？"
她缓缓地睁开眼睛，面对着他。她的脸，在银色的月光下，是那么的美。她露出疲倦的微笑。"嗯。"
想到将独自一人回巴黎，兰登突然莫名地悲哀起来。"你醒来之前我可能就走。"他停住了，喉咙像是打了一个结。"我很抱歉，我并不是很擅长--"
索菲伸出手，放在他的脸上，然后俯过身，温柔地吻了他的脸庞。"我什么时候能再见到你呢？"
兰登很快地在心里盘算起来，脸上却露出一副茫然的神态。"什么时候？"他停下来，心里很是好奇，她莫非知道他一直在考虑同样的问题？"这个嘛，实际上，下个月我要去佛罗伦萨参加一次会议。在那里有一个星期我将无所事事。""你是在邀请我吗？"
"我们将在那里过奢华的生活。他们将在布鲁内莱斯基酒店给我预订一间房间。"
索菲顽皮地笑了："兰登先生，你太自作主张了吧。"
他讨好地说："我是想--"
"罗伯特，我十二分的愿意到佛罗伦萨去见你。不过你得答应我一个条件。"她的语气变得严肃起来："你可别带我到处去看什么博物馆啦、教堂啦、坟墓啦，或者去看绘画及文物什么的。""你是说在佛罗伦萨？我们就这样打发一个星期的时间？不过我们也没其他事情可做啊。"索菲俯身向前，又吻了他，不过这次吻的是嘴唇。俩人的身子缠绕在一块，起初是轻柔地接触，最后完全贴在一起。索菲抽身走开时，她的眼里充满了憧憬。
"好啦。"兰登故作轻松地说道："我们的约会就这么定了。"
尾声罗伯特突然惊醒过来，他方才一直在做梦。床边放着一件浴衣，上面标有"巴黎丽兹酒店"的字样。他看到一束微弱的光，从百叶窗的缝隙里射进来。"是早晨还是晚上？"他疑惑地想。
他感到身体既温暖，又相当的惬意。过去两天大部分时间他一直在睡眠。他缓缓地从床上坐起，终于明白是什么东西将他惊醒--原来是萦绕在他头脑中最稀奇古怪的想法。
几天来他一直试图从林林总总的信息里理出个头绪来，然而现在，兰登发现他一心专注于他以前未曾考虑过的东西。
可能吗？
他坐着一动不动，就这样坐了良久。
他终于爬下床，向大理石淋浴器走去。他走过去，让强劲的水流摩挲着他的肩膀。然而那种想法仍然在心里缠绕着他。
那是不可能的。
二十分钟后，兰登走出了丽兹酒店，来到旺多姆广场。夜色降临了。几天来过多的睡眠使他迷失了方向感一-然而他的头脑却异常地清晰。他原本许诺自己在酒店大厅里喝上一杯牛奶咖啡，以便能忘却那些稀奇古怪的想法，然而他的双腿却不听使唤，他径直走出前门。走进了巴黎暮色渐拢的苍茫里。
兰登向东行走在碎田街上，心情越发激动起来。他掉转方向，往南面的黎塞留大道走去，正在盛开的茉莉花，从庄严肃穆的皇宫花园里散发出淡淡的清香，使一路上的空气也弥漫着无比的芬芳。
他继续朝南走去，直到看见他要寻找的那座有名的皇家拱廊。一大片被擦过的黑色大理石，闪烁着熠熠的光芒。他走上前，飞快地打量着脚下的地面。不一会，他便发现他所知道的东西就在那里--几枚铜徽章镶嵌在地上，排成了笔直的一行。每个徽章的直径有五英寸长，并突显出许多N 和S 的字母。
N 代表南，S 代表北。
他转向正南方，眼睛循着由大徽章组成的向外伸展开去的直线望去。他再次挪动了脚步，沿着大徽章留下的踪迹，他一边走，一边注视着人行道。当他抄近路经过法兰西剧院的角落时，他的双脚又踩到了另一块铜质徽章。"对了！"
许多年前，兰登就已经听说，在巴黎的大街小巷上，镶嵌了135 个这样的铜质徽章，它们散布在人行道、庭院及各条大街上，组成南北交叉的轴线，横跨了整个城市。他曾经从圣心大教堂出发，沿着这条线往北穿过塞纳河，最后来到古老的巴黎天文台。在那里，他发现了这条神圣的道路所具有的意义。
它是地球上最早的本初子午线。
是世界上第一条零度经线。
也是巴黎古老的"玫瑰线"。
此刻，当兰登匆匆地经过里沃利大道，他感到自己所要寻找的目标唾手可得，它就在还不到一个街区开外的前方。
圣杯在古老的罗斯林教堂下面等待。
这时，各种各样的启示，如索尼埃沿用Roslin 这一古老的拼法……剑刃与圣杯……
装饰了能工巧匠们的艺术结晶的坟墓，恰如潮水一般向他涌来。
那就是索尼埃之所以找我谈话的原因吗？我无意中触及到了历史的真相吗？
他突然小跑起来，觉得那条神圣的"玫瑰线"就在他的脚下，指引着他，推动他向前方的目标奔去。当他进入黎塞留路下面那条长长的隧道时，他感到脖子上的毛发因为期待而直竖起来。因为他知道，在这长长的隧道尽头，耸立着巴黎最具神秘色彩的一座纪念碑--它是20 世纪80 年代有"斯芬克司"之称的弗朗索瓦。密特朗构想并委托建造的；根据谣传，密特朗参与了秘密组织的内部活动，他给巴黎留下的最后一份遗产，就位于兰登仅仅几天前曾参观过的地方。
却似乎已是前世今生。
兰登使尽最后的力量，从过道上冲进那个熟悉的庭院，然后停了下来。他气喘吁吁，慢慢抬起双眼，有点不相信地看着竖立在他面前并闪烁着光芒的建筑物。
那是卢浮宫的金字塔。
在黑暗中闪着微弱的光。
他只是欣赏了片刻。不过，他更感兴趣的是它左边的东西。他转过身，觉得自己的脚步又开始沿着古老的"玫瑰线"这条看不见的道路移动起来，并领着他走过那间庭院，来到了卢浮宫地下购物商场--这块四周被修剪整齐的篱笆包围起来，宽阔而长满青草的圆形地带，它曾经是巴黎最古老的崇拜自然神进行节日庆祝的所在地……是为了歌颂生命力以及女神而举行欢乐仪式的所在地。
兰登走过灌木丛林，来到那片被萋萋芳草围起来的圆形地带，他觉得自己仿佛来到了另一个世界。这块圣地，如今已被这座城市最不同寻常的一座纪念碑打上了鲜明的标记。
在这块圣地的中央，一座巨大的倒立杯形金字塔，张着大口，像是在地上挖了一个水晶玻璃的深坑。在几天前的晚上，这个倒立的金字塔，他在进入卢浮宫的地下阁楼地就已经看过了。
倒立的金字塔。
兰登颤颤巍巍地走到金字塔的边缘，低头看着卢浮宫内向外延伸开去的地下建筑，它发出琥珀色的光芒。他的视线并没停留在庞大的倒立金字塔上，而是直接锁定在正处于金字塔下方的那些物体上。在它之下宫殿的地面上，矗立着一幢很小的建筑物--这是他曾在书稿里提到的一幢建筑物。
兰登觉得自己此时已完全清醒过来，一想到那种不可思议的可能性，他就激动得几乎要发抖。他再次抬头望着卢浮宫，觉得自己仿佛被博物馆巨大的双翼包围起来了……被两侧装饰了世界上最优秀的艺术作品的走廊包围起来了。
在这些著名的艺术家中，有达。芬奇……波提切利……
她躺在大师们领人钟爱的杰作的怀抱里。
他满怀疑惑，再次低下头，透过玻璃注视着下面的小型建筑物。
我得下去看看！
他走出那个圆形草地，匆匆地穿过庭院，往后撤回到卢浮宫那高耸入云的金字塔形人口。当天的最后一批游客，正稀稀拉拉地从这家博物馆里走了出来。
兰登推开旋转的门，沿着弯弯曲曲的阶梯走进了金字塔。他感到空气更加凉爽起来了。他来到金字塔的底部，进入向卢浮宫博物馆院子下面延伸的长长的地下通道，往回向倒立的金字塔走。
他来到通道的尽头，走进一间巨大的地下室。就在他的面前，倒立的金字塔闪着光芒，从上面垂下来--那是一个呈V 字形的大得惊人的玻璃杯的轮廓。
圣杯！
兰登从上而下，顺着逐渐变小的圣杯望过去，直到它的底部。圣杯离地面只有6 英尺高。就在它的下方，矗立着小型的建筑。
那是一个微型金字塔。只有3 英尺高。这座庞大的地下室里唯一的建筑物，是以很小的规模建造起来的。
兰登的书稿，在谈到卢浮宫里有关女神艺术的精致收藏品时，就顺带浮光掠影地提到了这个小小的金字塔。"这座小小的建筑物从地底下凸出来，仿佛是冰山上的一角--是一个巨大的金字塔形拱顶的顶部，其绝大部分淹没在它的下面，就像是一个隐秘的房间。"在已废弃的阁楼里微弱光线的照耀下，两个金字塔彼此相对，它们的塔身组成一条完美的直线，两者的顶部也几乎靠在了一起。
圣杯在上，剑刃在下。
剑刃和圣杯一道看护着她的门外。
这时，兰登听到了玛丽。肖维尔说过的话。"有朝一日你终会明白的。"
现在，他就站在这条古老的、四周被大师们的杰作所环绕的"玫瑰线"的下面。对索尼埃而言，还能找到比这更好的地方来保护他的秘密吗？他终于明白这位大师留下来的诗歌的确切含义。他抬头望着天空，透过那些玻璃，凝视着壮观的、星光满天的夜空。
在繁星闪烁的天底下终于得到了安息。
那些曾被遗忘的诗句，犹如黑暗中幽灵的喃喃自语，此刻在兰登的脑海里回响着。"寻找圣杯之旅，就是希望能到抹大拉的玛利亚坟墓前跪拜的探索之旅，是想在这位被放逐者脚下祈祷的探索之旅。"罗伯特陡然升起了一股敬意，他不由自主地跪了下去。
他仿佛听到了一个女人的声音……它饱含了经年的智慧……轻轻地，从地面的裂口处冉冉升起…… -
Chapter 104 Rosslyn Chapel—often called the Cathedral of Codes—stands seven miles south of Edinburgh,Scotland, on the site of an ancient Mithraic temple. Built by the Knights Templar in 1446, thechapel is engraved with a mind-boggling array of symbols from the Jewish, Christian, Egyptian,Masonic, and pagan traditions.
The chapel's geographic coordinates fall precisely on the north-south meridian that runs throughGlastonbury. This longitudinal Rose Line is the traditional marker of King Arthur's Isle of Avalonand is considered the central pillar of Britain's sacred geometry. It is from this hallowed Rose Linethat Rosslyn—originally spelled Roslin—takes its name.
Rosslyn's rugged spires were casting long evening shadows as Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveupulled their rental car into the grassy parking area at the foot of the bluff on which the chapel stood.
Their short flight from London to Edinburgh had been restful, although neither of them had sleptfor the anticipation of what lay ahead. Gazing up at the stark edifice framed against a cloud-sweptsky, Langdon felt like Alice falling headlong into the rabbit hole. This must be a dream. And yet heknew the text of Saunière's final message could not have been more specific.
The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
Langdon had fantasized that Saunière's "Grail map" would be a diagram—a drawing with an X-marks-the-spot—and yet the Priory's final secret had been unveiled in the same way Saunière hadspoken to them from the beginning. Simple verse. Four explicit lines that pointed without a doubtto this very spot. In addition to identifying Rosslyn by name, the verse made reference to several ofthe chapel's renowned architectural features.
Despite the clarity of Saunière's final revelation, Langdon had been left feeling more off balancethan enlightened. To him, Rosslyn Chapel seemed far too obvious a location. For centuries, thisstone chapel had echoed with whispers of the Holy Grail's presence. The whispers had turned toshouts in recent decades when ground-penetrating radar revealed the presence of an astonishingstructure beneath the chapel—a massive subterranean chamber. Not only did this deep vault dwarfthe chapel atop it, but it appeared to have no entrance or exit. Archaeologists petitioned to beginblasting through the bedrock to reach the mysterious chamber, but the Rosslyn Trust expresslyforbade any excavation of the sacred site. Of course, this only fueled the fires of speculation. Whatwas the Rosslyn Trust trying to hide?
Rosslyn had now become a pilgrimage site for mystery seekers. Some claimed they were drawnhere by the powerful magnetic field that emanated inexplicably from these coordinates, someclaimed they came to search the hillside for a hidden entrance to the vault, but most admitted theyhad come simply to wander the grounds and absorb the lore of the Holy Grail.
Although Langdon had never been to Rosslyn before now, he always chuckled when he heard thechapel described as the current home of the Holy Grail. Admittedly, Rosslyn once might have beenhome to the Grail, long ago... but certainly no longer. Far too much attention had been drawn toRosslyn in past decades, and sooner or later someone would find a way to break into the vault.
True Grail academics agreed that Rosslyn was a decoy—one of the devious dead ends the Priorycrafted so convincingly. Tonight, however, with the Priory's keystone offering a verse that pointeddirectly to this spot, Langdon no longer felt so smug. A perplexing question had been runningthrough his mind all day:
Why would Saunière go to such effort to guide us to so obvious a location?
There seemed only one logical answer.
There is something about Rosslyn we have yet to understand.
"Robert?" Sophie was standing outside the car, looking back at him. "Are you corning?" She washolding the rosewood box, which Captain Fache had returned to them. Inside, both cryptexes hadbeen reassembled and nested as they had been found. The papyrus verse was locked safely at itscore—minus the shattered vial of vinegar.
Making their way up the long gravel path, Langdon and Sophie passed the famous west wall of thechapel. Casual visitors assumed this oddly protruding wall was a section of the chapel that had notbeen finished. The truth, Langdon recalled, was far more intriguing.
The west wall of Solomon's Temple.
The Knights Templar had designed Rosslyn Chapel as an exact architectural blueprint ofSolomon's Temple in Jerusalem—complete with a west wall, a narrow rectangular sanctuary, and asubterranean vault like the Holy of Holies, in which the original nine knights had first unearthedtheir priceless treasure. Langdon had to admit, there existed an intriguing symmetry in the idea ofthe Templars building a modern Grail repository that echoed the Grail's original hiding place.
Rosslyn Chapel's entrance was more modest than Langdon expected. The small wooden door hadtwo iron hinges and a simple, oak sign.
ROSLINThis ancient spelling, Langdon explained to Sophie, derived from the Rose Line meridian on whichthe chapel sat; or, as Grail academics preferred to believe, from the "Line of Rose"—the ancestrallineage of Mary Magdalene.
The chapel would be closing soon, and as Langdon pulled open the door, a warm puff of airescaped, as if the ancient edifice were heaving a weary sigh at the end of a long day. Her entryarches burgeoned with carved cinquefoils.
Roses. The womb of the goddess.
Entering with Sophie, Langdon felt his eyes reaching across the famous sanctuary and taking it allin. Although he had read accounts of Rosslyn's arrestingly intricate stonework, seeing it in personwas an overwhelming encounter.
Symbology heaven, one of Langdon's colleagues had called it.
Every surface in the chapel had been carved with symbols—Christian cruciforms, Jewish stars,Masonic seals, Templar crosses, cornucopias, pyramids, astrological signs, plants, vegetables,pentacles, and roses. The Knights Templar had been master stonemasons, erecting Templarchurches all over Europe, but Rosslyn was considered their most sublime labor of love andveneration. The master masons had left no stone uncarved. Rosslyn Chapel was a shrine to allfaiths... to all traditions... and, above all, to nature and the goddess.
The sanctuary was empty except for a handful of visitors listening to a young man giving the day'slast tour. He was leading them in a single-file line along a well-known route on the floor—aninvisible pathway linking six key architectural points within the sanctuary. Generations of visitorshad walked these straight lines, connecting the points, and their countless footsteps had engravedan enormous symbol on the floor.
Star of DavidThe Star of David, Langdon thought. No coincidence there. Also known as Solomon's Seal, thishexagram had once been the secret symbol of the stargazing priests and was later adopted by theIsraelite kings—David and Solomon.
The docent had seen Langdon and Sophie enter, and although it was closing time, offered apleasant smile and motioned for them to feel free to look around.
Langdon nodded his thanks and began to move deeper into the sanctuary. Sophie, however, stoodriveted in the entryway, a puzzled look on her face.
"What is it?" Langdon asked.
Sophie stared out at the chapel. "I think... I've been here."Langdon was surprised. "But you said you hadn't even heard of Rosslyn.""I hadn't..." She scanned the sanctuary, looking uncertain. "My grandfather must have brought mehere when I was very young. I don't know. It feels familiar." As her eyes scanned the room, shebegan nodding with more certainty. "Yes." She pointed to the front of the sanctuary. "Those twopillars... I've seen them."Langdon looked at the pair of intricately sculpted columns at the far end of the sanctuary. Theirwhite lacework carvings seemed to smolder with a ruddy glow as the last of the day's sunlightstreamed in through the west window. The pillars—positioned where the altar would normallystand—were an oddly matched pair. The pillar on the left was carved with simple, vertical lines,while the pillar on the right was embellished with an ornate, flowering spiral.
Sophie was already moving toward them. Langdon hurried after her, and as they reached thepillars, Sophie was nodding with incredulity. "Yes, I'm positive I have seen these!""I don't doubt you've seen them," Langdon said, "but it wasn't necessarily here."She turned. "What do you mean?""These two pillars are the most duplicated architectural structures in history. Replicas exist all overthe world.""Replicas of Rosslyn?" She looked skeptical.
"No. Of the pillars. Do you remember earlier that I mentioned Rosslyn itself is a copy of Solomon'sTemple? Those two pillars are exact replicas of the two pillars that stood at the head of Solomon'sTemple." Langdon pointed to the pillar on the left. "That's called Boaz—or the Mason's Pillar. Theother is called Jachin—or the Apprentice Pillar." He paused. "In fact, virtually every Masonictemple in the world has two pillars like these."Langdon had already explained to her about the Templars' powerful historic ties to the modernMasonic secret societies, whose primary degrees—Apprentice Freemason, Fellowcraft Freemason,and Master Mason—harked back to early Templar days. Sophie's grandfather's final verse madedirect reference to the Master Masons who adorned Rosslyn with their carved artistic offerings. Italso noted Rosslyn's central ceiling, which was covered with carvings of stars and planets.
"I've never been in a Masonic temple," Sophie said, still eyeing the pillars. "I am almost positive Isaw these here." She turned back into the chapel, as if looking for something else to jog hermemory.
The rest of the visitors were now leaving, and the young docent made his way across the chapel tothem with a pleasant smile. He was a handsome young man in his late twenties, with a Scottishbrogue and strawberry blond hair. "I'm about to close up for the day. May I help you findanything?"How about the Holy Grail? Langdon wanted to say.
"The code," Sophie blurted, in sudden revelation. "There's a code here!"The docent looked pleased by her enthusiasm. "Yes there is, ma'am.""It's on the ceiling," she said, turning to the right-hand wall. "Somewhere over... there."He smiled. "Not your first visit to Rosslyn, I see."The code, Langdon thought. He had forgotten that little bit of lore. Among Rosslyn's numerousmysteries was a vaulted archway from which hundreds of stone blocks protruded, jutting down toform a bizarre multifaceted surface. Each block was carved with a symbol, seemingly at random,creating a cipher of unfathomable proportion. Some people believed the code revealed the entranceto the vault beneath the chapel.
Others believed it told the true Grail legend. Not that it mattered—cryptographers had been tryingfor centuries to decipher its meaning. To this day the Rosslyn Trust offered a generous reward toanyone who could unveil the secret meaning, but the code remained a mystery. "I'd be happy toshow..."The docent's voice trailed off.
My first code, Sophie thought, moving alone, in a trance, toward the encoded archway. Havinghanded the rosewood box to Langdon, she could feel herself momentarily forgetting all about theHoly Grail, the Priory of Sion, and all the mysteries of the past day. When she arrived beneath theencoded ceiling and saw the symbols above her, the memories came flooding back. She wasrecalling her first visit here, and strangely, the memories conjured an unexpected sadness.
She was a little girl... a year or so after her family's death. Her grandfather had brought her toScotland on a short vacation. They had come to see Rosslyn Chapel before going back to Paris. Itwas late evening, and the chapel was closed. But they were still inside.
"Can we go home, Grand-père?" Sophie begged, feeling tired.
"Soon, dear, very soon." His voice was melancholy. "I have one last thing I need to do here. Howabout if you wait in the car?""You're doing another big person thing?"He nodded. "I'll be fast. I promise.""Can I do the archway code again? That was fun.""I don't know. I have to step outside. You won't be frightened in here alone?""Of course not!" she said with a huff. "It's not even dark yet!"He smiled. "Very well then." He led her over to the elaborate archway he had shown her earlier.
Sophie immediately plopped down on the stone floor, lying on her back and staring up at thecollage of puzzle pieces overhead. "I'm going to break this code before you get back!""It's a race then." He bent over, kissed her forehead, and walked to the nearby side door. "I'll beright outside. I'll leave the door open. If you need me, just call." He exited into the soft eveninglight.
Sophie lay there on the floor, gazing up at the code. Her eyes felt sleepy. After a few minutes, thesymbols got fuzzy. And then they disappeared.
When Sophie awoke, the floor felt cold.
"Grand-père?"There was no answer. Standing up, she brushed herself off. The side door was still open. Theevening was getting darker. She walked outside and could see her grandfather standing on theporch of a nearby stone house directly behind the church. Her grandfather was talking quietly to aperson barely visible inside the screened door.
"Grand-père?" she called.
Her grandfather turned and waved, motioning for her to wait just a moment. Then, slowly, he saidsome final words to the person inside and blew a kiss toward the screened door. He came to herwith tearful eyes.
"Why are you crying, Grand-père?"He picked her up and held her close. "Oh, Sophie, you and I have said good-bye to a lot of peoplethis year. It's hard."Sophie thought of the accident, of saying good-bye to her mother and father, her grandmother andbaby brother. "Were you saying goodbye to another person?""To a dear friend whom I love very much," he replied, his voice heavy with emotion. "And I fear Iwill not see her again for a very long time."Standing with the docent, Langdon had been scanning the chapel walls and feeling a risingwariness that a dead end might be looming. Sophie had wandered off to look at the code and leftLangdon holding the rosewood box, which contained a Grail map that now appeared to be no helpat all. Although Saunière's poem clearly indicated Rosslyn, Langdon was not sure what to do nowthat they had arrived. The poem made reference to a "blade and chalice," which Langdon sawnowhere.
The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates.
Again Langdon sensed there remained some facet of this mystery yet to reveal itself.
"I hate to pry," the docent said, eyeing the rosewood box in Langdon's hands. "But this box... mightI ask where you got it?"Langdon gave a weary laugh. "That's an exceptionally long story."The young man hesitated, his eyes on the box again. "It's the strangest thing—my grandmother hasa box exactly like that—a jewelry box. Identical polished rosewood, same inlaid rose, even thehinges look the same."Langdon knew the young man must be mistaken. If ever a box had been one of a kind, it was thisone—the box custom-made for the Priory keystone. "The two boxes may be similar but—"The side door closed loudly, drawing both of their gazes. Sophie had exited without a word andwas now wandering down the bluff toward a fieldstone house nearby. Langdon stared after her.
Where is she going? She had been acting strangely ever since they entered the building. He turnedto the docent. "Do you know what that house is?"He nodded, also looking puzzled that Sophie was going down there. "That's the chapel rectory. Thechapel curator lives there. She also happens to be the head of the Rosslyn Trust." He paused. "Andmy grandmother.""Your grandmother heads the Rosslyn Trust?"The young man nodded. "I live with her in the rectory and help keep up the chapel and give tours."He shrugged. "I've lived here my whole life. My grandmother raised me in that house."Concerned for Sophie, Langdon moved across the chapel toward the door to call out to her. He wasonly halfway there when he stopped short. Something the young man said just registered.
My grandmother raised me.
Langdon looked out at Sophie on the bluff, then down at the rosewood box in his hand. Impossible.
Slowly, Langdon turned back to the young man. "You said your grandmother has a box like thisone?""Almost identical.""Where did she get it?""My grandfather made it for her. He died when I was a baby, but my grandmother still talks abouthim. She says he was a genius with his hands. He made all kinds of things."Langdon glimpsed an unimaginable web of connections emerging. "You said your grandmotherraised you. Do you mind my asking what happened to your parents?"The young man looked surprised. "They died when I was young." He paused. "The same day as mygrandfather."Langdon's heart pounded. "In a car accident?"The docent recoiled, a look of bewilderment in his olive-green eyes. "Yes. In a car accident. Myentire family died that day. I lost my grandfather, my parents, and..." He hesitated, glancing downat the floor. "And your sister," Langdon said.
Out on the bluff, the fieldstone house was exactly as Sophie remembered it. Night was falling now,and the house exuded a warm and inviting aura. The smell of bread wafted through the openedscreened door, and a golden light shone in the windows. As Sophie approached, she could hear thequiet sounds of sobbing from within.
Through the screened door, Sophie saw an elderly woman in the hallway. Her back was to thedoor, but Sophie could see she was crying. The woman had long, luxuriant, silver hair thatconjured an unexpected wisp of memory. Feeling herself drawn closer, Sophie stepped onto theporch stairs. The woman was clutching a framed photograph of a man and touching her fingertipsto his face with loving sadness.
It was a face Sophie knew well.
Grand-père.
The woman had obviously heard the sad news of his death last night.
A board squeaked beneath Sophie's feet, and the woman turned slowly, her sad eyes findingSophie's. Sophie wanted to run, but she stood transfixed. The woman's fervent gaze never waveredas she set down the photo and approached the screened door. An eternity seemed to pass as the twowomen stared at one another through the thin mesh. Then, like the slowly gathering swell of anocean wave, the woman's visage transformed from one of uncertainty... to disbelief... to hope... andfinally, to cresting joy.
Throwing open the door, she came out, reaching with soft hands, cradling Sophie's thunderstruckface. "Oh, dear child... look at you!"Although Sophie did not recognize her, she knew who this woman was. She tried to speak butfound she could not even breathe.
"Sophie," the woman sobbed, kissing her forehead.
Sophie's words were a choked whisper. "But... Grand-père said you were...""I know." The woman placed her tender hands on Sophie's shoulders and gazed at her with familiareyes. "Your grandfather and I were forced to say so many things. We did what we thought wasright. I'm so sorry. It was for your own safety, princess."Sophie heard her final word, and immediately thought of her grandfather, who had called herprincess for so many years. The sound of his voice seemed to echo now in the ancient stones ofRosslyn, settling through the earth and reverberating in the unknown hollows below.
The woman threw her arms around Sophie, the tears flowing faster. "Your grandfather wanted sobadly to tell you everything. But things were difficult between you two. He tried so hard. There'sso much to explain. So very much to explain." She kissed Sophie's forehead once again, thenwhispered in her ear. "No more secrets, princess. It's time you learn the truth about our family."Sophie and her grandmother were seated on the porch stairs in a tearful hug when the young docentdashed across the lawn, his eyes shining with hope and disbelief.
"Sophie?"Through her tears, Sophie nodded, standing. She did not know the young man's face, but as theyembraced, she could feel the power of the blood coursing through his veins... the blood she nowunderstood they shared.
When Langdon walked across the lawn to join them, Sophie could not imagine that only yesterdayshe had felt so alone in the world. And now, somehow, in this foreign place, in the company ofthree people she barely knew, she felt at last that she was home.
罗斯林教堂，又被称作"密码大教堂"，它坐落在苏格兰爱丁堡市以南的七英里处，其旧址是一座崇拜密特拉神的神庙。该教堂是圣殿骑士于1446 年建造的，教堂各处，雕刻了令人叹为观止的、有着犹太教、基督教、埃及人、同济会以及异教传统的标志物。
教堂正处在南北交叉子午线经过格拉斯顿伯里的位置。这条纵向的"玫瑰线"，是传说中亚瑟王死后移葬的阿瓦隆岛的传统性标志，它被认为是英国这块神圣领域的中流砥柱。
罗斯林（Rosslyn），最早的拼法是Roslin，就是从这条被神化的"玫瑰线"得来的。
罗伯特。兰登与索菲。奈芙开着租来的轿车，驶入悬崖绝壁下面杂草丛生的停车区域。
罗斯林教堂就屹立在悬崖绝壁上。它那饱经风雨的塔尖，正投下悠长的背影。在从伦敦飞往爱丁堡的短暂旅程中，他们恢复了精力，尽管俩人谁也没有睡个好觉，因为他们对即将发生的事情充满了期待。兰登抬头凝望着那座荒凉的建筑物，它高高耸立在没有一丝云彩的天空。兰登觉得自己就像梦游仙境的爱丽丝，一头栽进了兔子洞。这一定是梦吧！然而他知道，索尼埃所给的最后提示是再具体不过了。
圣杯在古老的罗斯林教堂下面等待。
兰登本以为索尼埃的"圣杯地图"会是一张绘图，是一张用各种各样符号标明位置的地图，然而揭开郇山隐修会最终秘密的方式，竟然跟索尼埃开始说的是一样的。都是些简单的诗句。四行含义清楚的诗句，毫无疑问就是指这个地方。除了通过提到的名字可以确定是罗斯林教堂之外，诗里还提到这座教堂若干有名的建筑特征。
尽管索尼埃在他的最终暗示里已经说得很清楚。然而兰登心里还是七上八下，全然没有茅塞顿开之感。对他而言，罗斯林教堂似乎是太引人注目的地方了。几百年来，在这座石头砌就的教堂里，就一直回荡着人们私下议论圣杯就在此地的声音。最近几十年，由于人们利用探测地下的雷达技术，在教堂底下发现子一座大得惊人的地下宫殿，使得这样的低声议论逐渐汇集成震耳欲聋的一片呐喊。这个离地面极深的地下宫殿，不仅使建在其上的教堂相形见绌，而且似乎找不到什么进出口。考古学家们纷纷要求在它下层的基岩炸开一个洞，以便能进到里面去，然而罗斯林监管会明文禁止在这块神圣的土地上进行任何挖掘文物的活动。这当然只会引起人们更多无端的猜测。罗斯林监管会究竟想隐瞒什么呢？
罗斯林教堂现已成为喜欢冒险的猎奇者们朝圣的圣地。有人声称，他们是被它独特的地理位置产生的让人说不清道不明的强大磁场吸引到这里来的；有人则声称他们是为到山坡上寻找地下宫殿的人口而来的；但大多数人承认，他们到此地来转悠，不过是想来听听有关圣杯的故事，增长点见识罢了。
虽然此前兰登从未来过罗斯林教堂，但每当听人说起眼下圣杯就藏在这里时，他总是付之一笑。老实说，它或许曾经是圣杯的栖身之所，但这早已是多年前的事了；然而现在，它肯定不在那里了。在过去的几十年里，人们将过多的注意力集中在罗斯林教堂上，迟早有一天，人们会想方设法闯入这座地下宫殿的。
研究圣杯史的正统学院派，同意罗斯林教堂只是一个掩人耳目的陷阱的观点，认为它是郇山隐修会精心设计、颇具说服力而又迂回曲折的死胡同。不过今晚，由于郇山隐修会在诗中清楚指明圣杯就藏在这个地方，兰登便不再自以为是了。然而有个问题仍令他百思不得其解，并在他脑海里盘桓了一整天。
为什么索尼埃要如此煞费苦心将我们带到这么一个引人注目的地方来呢？
答案似乎只有一个。
罗斯林教堂的某些情况我们还没有充分了解。
"罗伯特？"索菲站在车外，回头对他说。"你来了没？"她手拿紫檀木盒子，这是法希上尉还给他们的。里面两个密码盒被重新放在一起，就跟当初找到它们时一样。那张写有诗文的莎草纸被稳妥地锁在里面--只是盒里被打碎的玻璃醋瓶子已不见了。
兰登和索菲沿着长长的砾石路向山上走去，他们经过教堂有名的西墙。漫不经心的游客们也许会武断地认为，这堵模样古怪、向外突出的墙壁是这座尚未竣工的教堂的一部分。兰登想，真相本身远比这种主观臆断要有趣得多。
所罗门神庙式的西墙。
圣殿骑士们当初建造罗斯林教堂时，就是完全按照位于耶路撒冷的所罗门神庙的建筑风格设计的--在它竣工之初，就有一堵西墙，一个狭长的长方形礼拜堂，还有一座与至圣所相似的地下宫殿，在这座宫殿里，最初的九位骑士首先发现了无价之宝。兰登不得不承认。这些骑士，当初在为圣杯建造与它最早藏身之所遥相呼应的储藏所时，头脑里就已存在了某些有趣的几何概念。
罗斯林教堂的人口，比兰登原先估计的要质朴得多。小小的木门上，挂着两条铰链和一个粗糙的橡木标志，上面写着：罗斯林（ROSLIN）
兰登向索菲解释说，这种古代拼法，是从这座教堂建于其上的"玫瑰"子午线演化而来的；或者如研究圣杯史的学院派宁愿相信的观点所言，是由"圣母族谱"----即抹大拉的玛利亚一脉相承的家族谱系演变而来的。
教堂马上要关门了。然而兰登推开门，一股热气迎面飘来，仿佛是这座古老建筑，在漫长的白天行将结束时，发出的一声疲惫的叹息。教堂的拱形门上，满眼都是梅花形的雕饰。
它们是玫瑰，是女神怀孕子宫的标志。
兰登与索菲走进去，望向那间赫赫有名的礼拜堂的尽头，将它尽收眼底。尽管他读过许多关于罗斯林教堂里引人人胜却又错综复杂的石雕的文章，但亲眼所见的感觉，毕竟有很大的不同。
这是象征学研究的天堂，兰登的一位同事曾做过如是的评价。
教堂各处都雕刻了各种各样的象征物，其中有基督教的十字、犹太人的星状物、同济会的印章、圣殿骑士的十字架、哺乳过宙斯的羊、金字塔、星象符号、各种植物、蔬菜瓜果、五角星形以及玫瑰等等。圣殿骑士们以前都是技术娴熟的石匠出身，他们在欧洲各地建造圣殿教堂，然而唯有罗斯林教堂被认为是他们赢得人们热爱与崇敬的顶峰之作。这些能工巧匠精雕细刻，不放过任何一块石头。罗斯林教堂是所有宗教信仰的供奉所，是沿循所有传统的供奉所，尤其是大自然与女神的供奉所。
礼拜堂里空荡荡的，只有几位游客，在聆听一位领着他们作当天最后一游的年轻人给他们讲解。他带着他们排成一行，沿着地上一条非常有名的路线行走--那是条将礼拜堂内六个主要建筑区域连在一块的无形的小道。一代又一代的游客，从这些将六个建筑区域连起来的直线上走过，而他们留下的数不清的足迹，在地面上形成一个巨大的六角星形。
△▽▽△△▽这是大卫之星，兰登心想。这里面绝不是什么巧合。这个六角星形，又被称作所罗门之印，它曾经是耽于幻想的牧师们秘密的象征物，只是后来又被以色列的国王--大卫与所罗门相继采用过。
虽然已到关门时刻，但那位年轻的导游，看到兰登与索菲进来，还是露出了令人愉悦的微笑，并示意他们可以随便到各处去转转。
兰登点头表示感谢，然后向礼拜堂的里头走去。然而索菲站在门口，仿佛被钉住了，她的脸上，写满了迷惑。
"你怎么啦？"兰登关切地问。
索菲打量着教堂外面："我想……我曾经到过这里。"
兰登有点惊奇："可你不是说，罗斯林教堂你甚至连听都没听过？！"
"我是说过的……"她扫视了礼拜堂一眼，似乎有点不敢肯定。"我祖父在我小的时候，肯定带我来过这里。我不知道事实是不是这样。但我觉得它真的非常眼熟。"她将大厅巡视了一遍，然后开始更加肯定地点头说："是的。"她指了指礼拜堂的前面，说："那两根柱子……我见过。"兰登望着礼拜堂远处两根经过精雕细刻的柱子。它们上面的白色花纹，仿佛被西边窗户里投射进来的最后一束阳光燃烧起来了，散发出通红的光芒。那两根柱子，建造在通常应该是圣坛所处的位置，因此总体上显得极不和谐。左面的柱子上，雕刻了一些简单垂直的线条，而右边的柱子上，泽装饰了华丽的螺旋型花纹。
此时索菲已经朝那两根柱子走去，兰登急忙跟在后面。当他们来到柱子前，索菲半信半疑地点点头。"是的，我敢肯定我见过这些柱子。"
"我并不怀疑你见过它们。"兰登说："但你不一定是在这里看到的啊。"
索菲转过身："你这是什么意思？"
"这两根柱子，是历史上被仿制最多的建筑物。它们的仿制品满世界都能找到。"
"你是说仿造罗斯林教堂？"索菲满腹狐疑。
"不是，我是指这两根柱子。你还记得刚才我跟你说的，罗斯林教堂是仿造所罗门神庙的话吗？这两根柱子，就是所罗门神庙前两根柱子的翻版。"兰登指了指左边的柱子，说："那根柱子被称作波阿斯--又叫石匠之柱，另外一根柱子，被称作亚钦--或称作学徒之柱。"他稍停片刻，又说："实际上，世界各地所有由同济会建造的庙宇都有两根这样的柱子。"兰登曾给她解释过，圣殿骑士们与现代同济会的秘密组织之间，存在着某种密不可分的历史联系。这些秘密组织几个最基本的等级--石工学徒、石工能手，以及石工大师--都会令人想起早期圣殿骑士的石工生涯。索菲的祖父在最后一首诗里，就直接提到以高超的雕刻技巧装扮了罗斯林教堂的石匠大师们。他在诗里还提到罗斯林教堂的中心顶篷，雕刻了各种各样的星球。
"我从未去过同济会建造的神庙。"索菲说着，眼睛却仍盯着柱子。"我几乎可以肯定，我是在这里见到这些柱子的。"她回头又朝教堂里面张望，仿佛想寻找什么能唤起她记忆的东西。
其他的参观者现在都要走了，年轻的导游一脸灿烂的微笑，从教堂对面向他们走来。
他是个相貌英俊，大约二十八九岁年纪的年轻人，操-口苏格兰口音，长着一头红褐色的头发。"教堂马上要关门了。需要我帮什么忙吗？"
那你帮我们寻找圣杯，你看怎么样？兰登很想跟他这样说。
"密码。"索菲脱口而出，突然发现什么了："这里有个密码。"
导游似乎被她的热情劲儿逗乐了："是密码呀，女士。"
"它在天花板上。"她转身面对右边的墙，说："在那边的……某个地方呢。"
导游笑了："我看得出来，你不是第一次到这里来的吧。"
是这个密码啊，兰登心想。他已把这方面的知识忘得差不多了。罗斯林教堂拥有众多神秘的东西，其中有座拱顶门，数百块石头向外凸出来，一直向下延伸，形成一个奇异的多面体。每一块石头上都雕刻了标志物，表面上看来似乎漫不经心，然而由这些标志物设置的密码却深不可测。有人相信，这个密码将为人们开启通往教堂下面的地下宫殿的大门；其他人则相信，它向人们讲述了一个真实的圣杯故事。那倒是没什么关系--几个世纪以来，密码专家们就一直在努力寻找它的含义，而且直到今天，罗斯林监管会还许诺给任何能够解释其内在含义的人以丰厚的奖赏，但这个密码，至今仍然是一个谜。
"我很乐意带你们到各处去转转--"
导游的声音逐渐变弱了。
那是我平生接触的第一个密码，索菲心想。她恍恍惚惚独自朝藏着密码的拱门走去。
她把紫檀木盒子递给兰登，很快就把圣杯、郇山隐修会，以及过去诸多难解之谜什么的统统抛在了脑后。她来到那块镶嵌着密码的天花板下面，注视着头上各种各样的符号，记忆如潮水一般涌上心来。她在回忆第一次到这里来的情景。不过奇怪的是，这些记忆却意外地令她伤心。
那时她还小--大约就是在她家人死后的一两年，祖父带着她到苏格兰去短期度假。
在回巴黎之前，他们去了罗斯林教堂。当时天色已晚，教堂都已关门。但他们还是进去了。
"祖父，我们回家去好吗？"索菲觉得累了，于是她请求道。
"快了，宝贝，快了。"他的声音听起来很忧郁。"我还有件事要在这里办完，你在车里等我怎样？"
"你又要去做大人的事情吗？"
他点了点头，说："我答应你，我很快就回来的。"
"那我可不可以再去猜一猜拱门上的密码呢？很好玩哩。"
"我不知道，我要到外面去。你一个人在这里不害怕吧？"
"当然不啦！"她很不高兴地说："天还没有黑呢！"
他微笑着说："那好。"他领着她来到先前带她看过的精雕细刻的拱门前。
索菲立刻"扑通"一声扑倒在石地板上，仰面朝天地躺着，瞪着眼睛注视头上由各种谜组成的图案。"我要在你回来前找到这个密码。"
"那咱们来比赛吧。"他弯下腰，吻了她的前额，然后朝附近的侧门走去。"我就在外面，我把门开着，有事就叫我。"随即，他走进了柔和的夜色里。
索菲躺在地上，抬头凝视着密码。很快，睡意上来了。过了一段时间，头上的符号逐渐变得模糊，然后消失了。
索菲醒过来时，觉得地面很是冰凉。
"祖父！"
然而没有回音。她站起来，拂去身上的灰尘。侧门仍然开着。夜色更暗了。她走出去，看到祖父正站在附近一栋房子的走廊上。这栋房子就在教堂的后面。她祖父正跟一个站在纱门里几乎看不清楚的人悄悄地说话。
"祖父！"她叫起来。
祖父转过身，向她挥了挥手，示意她再等一会。然后。他跟站在门里的人缓缓地说完最后几句话，并朝纱门给了一个飞吻。这才眼泪汪汪地走了过来。
"祖父，你怎么哭了？"
他把她举起来，紧紧抱住子她。"哦，索菲，今年，我和你要跟这么多人告别。我很难受啊。"索菲想到了那次车祸，想到了跟她爸爸妈妈、奶奶还有尚在襁褓中的弟弟告别的情景。"你是说又要跟另外一个人告别是吗？"
"是跟我一位挚爱的朋友。"他充满感情地回答说："我恐怕要很长时间见不到她了。"
兰登站在导游身边，眼睛一直在教堂的墙上扫视着，他越来越担心又走进了一个死胡同。索菲已走开去，留下兰登端着紫檀木盒子，里面的地图，现在看来是没啥用处了。虽然索尼埃的诗里明显提到了罗斯林教堂，并且他们也已经来到了这里，兰登还是不知道怎么办才好。诗里提到的"剑刃和圣杯"，兰登却没在哪里看到。
"圣杯在古老的罗斯林教堂下面等待。
剑刃和圣杯一道看护着她的门外。"兰登再次感到，这个谜的某些庐山真面目尚待他们去揭开。
"我并不喜欢打探别人的事情，"导游看着兰登手中的紫檀木盒子，说："但这个盒子……我可以问问是从哪里弄来的吗？"
兰登疲倦地笑了："这个嘛，说来可就话长了。"
年轻人犹豫了一下，他的眼睛又盯着盒子看。"这就怪了。我奶奶有个珠宝盒跟你的一模一样。同样光亮的紫檀木，镶嵌着同样的玫瑰，甚至连铰链都是一样。"兰登心想，这位年轻人想必是弄错了。如果有什么盒子是这种款式的话，那就是这个盒子了--这可是为了放置郇山隐修会的拱心石而特意定做的盒子。"两个盒子也许相似，可是--"突然，侧门重重地被关上了，他们两人不由自主地望过去。索菲一言不发，走了。她正沿着悬崖峭壁，朝附近的一幢大卵石砌就的房子走去。兰登的目光追随着她。她要到哪里去呢？自他们进得教堂来，她的行为就一直很古怪。他转向年轻的导游，说："你知道那房子是做什么用的吗？"
导游点点头，看着索菲朝那边走去，心里很是疑惑。"那是教堂主持的住宅。教堂的主持就住在那里。她恰好也是罗斯林监管会的会长。"他停下来又说："也是我的奶奶。""你奶奶是罗斯林监管会的会长？"
年轻人点了点头。"我跟她--起住在那栋房子里，帮她管理教堂，顺便给游客们做导游。"他耸耸肩，又说："我在这里住了大半辈子，我是奶奶一手养大的。"兰登心里惦记着索菲，他穿过教堂，向门边走去，想把她叫住。他走到半路上，猛地停住。年轻人刚才说的话提醒了他。
我是奶奶一手养大的。
兰登望着走在外面悬崖上的索菲，然后低头看着手里的紫檀木盒子。这是不可能的！
慢慢地，兰登转身面对着那位年轻人，问道："你刚才说，你奶奶也有一个同样的盒子？"
"差不多吧。"
"她是从哪里弄来的？"
"是我祖父给她做的。他死的时候，我还很小，可我奶奶至今仍经常谈到他，说他有双天才般的巧手。他经常给她做各种各样的东西。"兰登仿佛看到一张各种关系盘根错节的大网在眼前出现了。"你说你是奶奶抚养长大的。那你介不介意告诉我，你父母怎么啦？"
年轻人看来很惊讶。"我很小的时候他们就走了。"他停了停又补充说："是与我祖父同一天去世的。"兰登的心怦怦地跳了起来："是死于车祸吗？"
年轻的导游退缩了一下，他那橄榄色的眼睛闪过一丝茫然："是的，他们是死于车祸。
我全家人都死于那一天，我祖父、父母，还有--"他迟疑了片刻，低着头望着脚下的地面。
"还有你姐姐。"兰登接口说。
在外面的悬崖上，那幢大卵石房子跟索菲记忆中的毫无二致。深夜正在降临，而烤熟的面包，正从那栋房子里散发出一股温暖而又诱人的香气，正透过那开着的纱门，弥漫在无尽的夜色里。一盏金黄的灯，将窗户都照亮了。索菲走近那幢房子，这时，她听到里面传出低低的饮泣声。
透过纱门，她看到走廊里坐着一位上了年纪的女人。她背对着门，但索菲还是看到她哭了。那女人长着一头长而茂密的银发，这使她猛然想起了什么。索菲觉得自己受了什么力量的牵引，因而走得越发近了，她跨上了走廊台阶。女人将一张镶人镜框的男人相片紧紧抓在手上，不时用手指充满爱怜地触碰着他的脸，神情十分悲伤。
这是一张索菲十分熟悉的脸。
是祖父。
这女人，显然已听说他昨晚被谋杀的噩耗了。
索菲脚下的木地板"吱吱呀呀"地响起来，那女人这才慢慢转过身。她悲伤的眼神，终于注意到了索菲。索菲想跑开，但脚下似乎被什么东西钉住了，终究没有动。女人放下照片，朝纱门走来，她炽烈的眼神一刻也没移开。当两个女人隔着薄薄的纱门网眼盯着对方互相看时，那一刻似乎定格成了永远。接着，那女人的表情犹如蓄势待发冲向浪尖的海浪，她先是半信半疑……然后又难以置信……接着又充满希望……最后又惊喜异常。
她一把推开门，走了出来，伸出柔软的双手，抱住索菲被惊呆了的脸。"哦，宝贝，你看你！"索菲虽然没有立刻认出她，但却知道这女人是谁。她竭力想说什么，却发现自己快要停止了呼吸。
"索菲。"女人吻着她的前额，抽泣起来。
索菲轻声地说，似乎被噎住了："可是……祖父说你是……"
"我知道。"女人慈爱地将手搭在索菲的肩膀上，用那种熟悉的眼神把她打量。"你祖父和我被迫说了很多事。我们做了我们以为是正确的事情。我很抱歉。可那是为你的安全着想，我的小公主。"索菲听到最后一句话，马上想起了祖父，多少年来，他一直把她称作公主。此刻，他熟悉的声音似乎又在罗斯林教堂这座古老的石头房子里回荡，并侵入地下，在无名的空穴里产生回响。
女人张开双臂抱住索菲，眼泪流得更快了。"你祖父好想把一切都告诉你。可你们两人的积怨太深。他努力想缓和你们之间的关系。要跟你解释的东西实在是太多，太多了。"她再次吻了吻索菲的前额，然后在她耳边轻声地说："公主，再没有什么秘密了。现在，是该让你知道我们家中情况的时候了。"索菲和她的奶奶，就这样你抱着我，我抱着你，泪流满面地坐在走廊的台阶上。这时，那位年轻的导游从草坪对面急奔过来，眼睛里闪烁着希望，还有怀疑的光芒。
"你是索菲？"
索菲透过泪光，点点头，随即站起来。她并不认识这位年轻人，但在他们拥抱时，她分明感到血液在他血管里汹涌地扩张……她终于明白，一样的血液，在他们两个人的身上流淌。
当兰登走过草坪来到他们身边时，索菲无法想象，就在昨天晚上，她还觉得自己是那么孤单，然而现在，在这个陌生的地方，竟然有三个几乎说不上很熟悉的人相伴，她感到自己终于回到了故乡。 -
Chapter 103 It was late afternoon when the London sun broke through and the city began to dry. Bezu Fachefelt weary as he emerged from the interrogation room and hailed a cab. Sir Leigh Teabing hadvociferously proclaimed his innocence, and yet from his incoherent rantings about the Holy Grail,secret documents, and mysterious brotherhoods, Fache suspected the wily historian was setting thestage for his lawyers to plead an insanity defense.
Sure, Fache thought. Insane. Teabing had displayed ingenious precision in formulating a plan thatprotected his innocence at every turn. He had exploited both the Vatican and Opus Dei, two groupsthat turned out to be completely innocent. His dirty work had been carried out unknowingly by afanatical monk and a desperate bishop. More clever still, Teabing had situated his electroniclistening post in the one place a man with polio could not possibly reach. The actual surveillancehad been carried out by his manservant, Rémy—the lone person privy to Teabing's trueidentity—now conveniently dead of an allergic reaction.
Hardly the handiwork of someone lacking mental faculties, Fache thought.
The information coming from Collet out of Chateau Villette suggested that Teabing's cunning ranso deep that Fache himself might even learn from it. To successfully hide bugs in some of Paris'smost powerful offices, the British historian had turned to the Greeks. Trojan horses. Some ofTeabing's intended targets received lavish gifts of artwork, others unwittingly bid at auctions inwhich Teabing had placed specific lots. In Saunière's case, the curator had received a dinnerinvitation to Chateau Villette to discuss the possibility of Teabing's funding a new Da Vinci Wingat the Louvre. Saunière's invitation had contained an innocuous postscript expressing fascinationwith a robotic knight that Saunière was rumored to have built. Bring him to dinner, Teabing hadsuggested. Saunière apparently had done just that and left the knight unattended long enough forRémy Legaludec to make one inconspicuous addition.
Now, sitting in the back of the cab, Fache closed his eyes. One more thing to attend to before Ireturn to Paris.
The St. Mary's Hospital recovery room was sunny.
"You've impressed us all," the nurse said, smiling down at him. "Nothing short of miraculous."Bishop Aringarosa gave a weak smile. "I have always been blessed."The nurse finished puttering, leaving the bishop alone. The sunlight felt welcome and warm on hisface. Last night had been the darkest night of his life.
Despondently, he thought of Silas, whose body had been found in the park.
Please forgive me, my son.
Aringarosa had longed for Silas to be part of his glorious plan. Last night, however, Aringarosa hadreceived a call from Bezu Fache, questioning the bishop about his apparent connection to a nunwho had been murdered in Saint-Sulpice. Aringarosa realized the evening had taken a horrifyingturn. News of the four additional murders transformed his horror to anguish. Silas, what have youdone! Unable to reach the Teacher, the bishop knew he had been cut loose. Used. The only way tostop the horrific chain of events he had helped put in motion was to confess everything to Fache,and from that moment on, Aringarosa and Fache had been racing to catch up with Silas before theTeacher persuaded him to kill again.
Feeling bone weary, Aringarosa closed his eyes and listened to the television coverage of the arrestof a prominent British knight, Sir Leigh Teabing. The Teacher laid bare for all to see. Teabing hadcaught wind of the Vatican's plans to disassociate itself from Opus Dei. He had chosen Aringarosaas the perfect pawn in his plan. After all, who more likely to leap blindly after the Holy Grail thana man like myself with everything to lose? The Grail would have brought enormous power toanyone who possessed it.
Leigh Teabing had protected his identity shrewdly—feigning a French accent and a pious heart,and demanding as payment the one thing he did not need—money. Aringarosa had been far tooeager to be suspicious. The price tag of twenty million euro was paltry when compared with theprize of obtaining the Grail, and with the Vatican's separation payment to Opus Dei, the financeshad worked nicely. The blind see what they want to see. Teabing's ultimate insult, of course, hadbeen to demand payment in Vatican bonds, such that if anything went wrong, the investigationwould lead to Rome.
"I am glad to see you're well, My Lord."Aringarosa recognized the gruff voice in the doorway, but the face was unexpected—stern,powerful features, slicked-back hair, and a broad neck that strained against his dark suit. "CaptainFache?" Aringarosa asked. The compassion and concern the captain had shown for Aringarosa'splight last night had conjured images of a far gentler physique.
The captain approached the bed and hoisted a familiar, heavy black briefcase onto a chair. "Ibelieve this belongs to you."Aringarosa looked at the briefcase filled with bonds and immediately looked away, feeling onlyshame. "Yes... thank you." He paused while working his fingers across the seam of his bedsheet,then continued. "Captain, I have been giving this deep thought, and I need to ask a favor of you.""Of course.""The families of those in Paris who Silas..." He paused, swallowing the emotion. "I realize no sumcould possibly serve as sufficient restitution, and yet, if you could be kind enough to divide thecontents of this briefcase among them... the families of the deceased."Fache's dark eyes studied him a long moment. "A virtuous gesture, My Lord. I will see to it yourwishes are carried out."A heavy silence fell between them.
On the television, a lean French police officer was giving a press conference in front of a sprawlingmansion. Fache saw who it was and turned his attention to the screen.
"Lieutenant Collet," a BBC reporter said, her voice accusing. "Last night, your captain publiclycharged two innocent people with murder. Will Robert Langdon and Sophie Neveu be seekingaccountability from your department? Will this cost Captain Fache his job?"Lieutenant Collet's smile was tired but calm. "It is my experience that Captain Bezu Fache seldommakes mistakes. I have not yet spoken to him on this matter, but knowing how he operates, Isuspect his public manhunt for Agent Neveu and Mr. Langdon was part of a ruse to lure out thereal killer."The reporters exchanged surprised looks.
Collet continued. "Whether or not Mr. Langdon and Agent Neveu were willing participants in thesting, I do not know. Captain Fache tends to keep his more creative methods to himself. All I canconfirm at this point is that the captain has successfully arrested the man responsible, and that Mr.
Langdon and Agent Neveu are both innocent and safe."Fache had a faint smile on his lips as he turned back to Aringarosa. "A good man, that Collet."Several moments passed. Finally, Fache ran his hand over his forehead, slicking back his hair as hegazed down at Aringarosa. "My Lord, before I return to Paris, there is one final matter I'd like todiscuss—your impromptu flight to London. You bribed a pilot to change course. In doing so, youbroke a number of international laws."Aringarosa slumped. "I was desperate.""Yes. As was the pilot when my men interrogated him." Fache reached in his pocket and produceda purple amethyst ring with a familiar hand-tooled mitre-crozier appliqué.
Aringarosa felt tears welling as he accepted the ring and slipped it back on his finger. "You've beenso kind." He held out his hand and clasped Fache's. "Thank you."Fache waved off the gesture, walking to the window and gazing out at the city, his thoughtsobviously far away. When he turned, there was an uncertainty about him. "My Lord, where do yougo from here?"Aringarosa had been asked the exact same question as he left Castel Gandolfo the night before. "Isuspect my path is as uncertain as yours.""Yes." Fache paused. "I suspect I will be retiring early."Aringarosa smiled. "A little faith can do wonders, Captain. A little faith."
伦敦的太阳，直到快近黄昏时才从薄雾里探出头来，城市开始变得干燥起来了。贝祖。法希感到筋疲力尽，他从审讯室里出来，招了一辆的士。雷。提彬爵士一再咆哮着声称自己是清白的，然而从他关于圣杯、秘密文献，以及神秘团体的夸张性的描述看来，法希怀疑这位诡计多端的历史学家很可能正准备让他的律师以精神错乱为由为他进行辩护。
这是肯定无疑的，好一个精神错乱！法希心想。每逢紧要关头，提彬总能想出一些很巧妙的办法来开脱他的罪名。他曾经利用过罗马教廷和天主事工会，事实证明这两个组织完全是无辜的。他让一位狂热的修道士以及一名铤而走险的主教神不知人不觉地去从事那些见不得人的勾当。这还不算，他还把电子听音哨放在一个患有脑灰质炎的男人根本不可能接触到的地方。事实上，电子窃听器是由他的男仆雷米安放的，他是唯一知道提彬真实身份的人--不过如今这人已经因药物过敏致死，他可死得真是时候。
法希心想，人如果要干坏事，真是什么办法也想得出来。
科莱从维莱特庄园搜来的情报表明，提彬狡猾的程度甚至法希也前所未闻。这位英国历史学家成功地在巴黎一些要员的办公室里安置了窃听器，他竟然仿效希腊人，玩起"特洛伊木马"的把戏来。被提彬盯上的一些人，都会收到他慷慨赠与的艺术品，其他人则会在并不知情的情况下，参加某些经提彬做过手脚的拍卖会的竞拍活动。就拿索尼埃来说吧，这位卢浮宫艺术博物馆的馆长，就收到过提彬邀他到维莱特庄园赴宴的请柬，说是要跟他讨论为在卢浮宫开辟新的达。芬奇展览厅筹措资金的可行性。索尼埃收到的请柬里还加了一则无伤大雅的附言，表达了他对据传是索尼埃造的骑士机器人的浓厚兴趣。提彬要索尼埃赴宴时将它带来，其用意再清楚不过。显然索尼埃也依此照办了，并把那骑士机器人放在一边，这就使得雷米。莱格鲁德有足够的时间趁人不注意时偷偷做一些手脚。
此刻，法希坐在计程车后面，闭上了眼睛。在回巴黎前，我还得去办一件事情。
圣玛丽医院的诊所里一屋温暖的阳光。
"你太让人敬佩了。"护士低头微笑着说。"这简直是奇迹。"
阿林加洛沙主教勉强地笑了笑："我有上帝一直在保佑我啊。"
护士停止了唠叨，抛下主教，一个人走了。阳光照在他的脸上，温暖而舒适。昨天晚上，是他生命中最黑暗的一段时光。
他有些垂头丧气地想起了塞拉斯，他的尸体是在公园里找到的。
孩子，请你原谅我吧。
阿林加洛沙主教本想让塞拉斯参与到他的辉煌计划当中来。然而昨天，阿林加洛沙主教接到贝祖。法希的电话，他向主教询问塞拉斯与一位被杀死在圣叙尔皮斯修道院里的修女之间明显存在的关系等事宜。阿林加洛沙主教意识到，那天晚上的形势已发生了可怕的转折。新增加了四宗谋杀案的消息使他由恐惧转而痛苦到极点。塞拉斯，你看你做的好事！
由于无法跟那位教主取得联系，阿林加洛沙主教明白他已经被人抛弃，被人利用完了。要阻止这一连串他曾经起过推波助澜的可怕事件再次发生，唯一的办法就是向法希彻底坦白。而从那时起，他与法希就一心想赶在那位教主说服塞拉斯再度杀人之前将他逮住。
阿林加洛沙主教感到骨头都快散架了，他闭上眼，聆听电视上正在报导的著名的英国骑士，雷。提彬爵士被逮捕的消息。这位教主的真面目终于大白于天下了。提彬早就得到罗马教廷要与天主事工会断绝关系的风声，所以在实施计划的过程中，他选择了阿林加洛沙主教作为最佳赌注。不管怎么说，跟我这样一无所有的人比起来，还有谁更有可能会去盲目的找寻什么圣杯呢？不管是谁，一旦拥有了圣杯，他将从它那里获得巨大的力量。
雷。提彬狡猾地隐藏了他的真实身份--他操着足以以假乱真的法国口音，假装有颗虔诚的心灵，并勒索金钱--这其实是他根本不需要的东西。阿林加洛沙一向过于心急，竟没有丝毫怀疑。一旦找到了圣杯，那由此得到的奖赏，再加上罗马教廷分期还给天主事工会的款项，那么资金周转起来就灵便多了，所以两千万欧元的要价根本不值一提。盲人能看到他们想看的东西。当然，最让人感到侮辱的是，提彬竟然要求以梵蒂冈银行的无记名债券支付，这样，一旦某个环节出事，调查人员就会顺藤摸瓜追到罗马。
"我的上帝，看到你安然无恙，我真的很高兴。"
阿林加洛沙主教听出了门口那个沙哑的声音，然而那张脸看上去却让他深感意外--它神色严峻，轮廓分明，光溜的头发被拢到脑后，粗粗的脖子从黑色衣服里探出来。"你是法希上尉吧？"阿林加洛沙主教问道。从昨晚这位上尉对他的不幸遭遇表示同情与关切看来，阿林加洛沙主教还以为他是个远比眼前站着的要温和得多的人呢。
上尉走到床前，将一个熟悉的沉重的黑色公文包放到椅子上。"我想这肯定是你的吧。
"阿林加洛沙主教瞥了那个装满票券的公文包一眼，很快转移了视线，他只是感到羞辱。"是的……谢谢你！"他暂停下来，将手指伸进床单的空隙里来回绞弄着，然后继续说："上尉，我已经考虑很久了，想让你帮一个忙。"
"没问题。"
"塞拉斯在巴黎杀害的那些死者家庭……"他停顿了一下，以便能抑制住内心激动的心情。"我知道，无论多少钱也不能安抚他们受伤的心灵，然而，我还是希望你能帮我把公文包里的钱分发给他们--分发给那些死者的家庭。"法希黑色的眼睛打量了他好一阵子。"我的上帝，你真是个善良的人。我会负责帮你了却心愿的。"屋内一阵令人窒息的沉默。
电视屏幕上，一位瘦瘦的法国警官正在一幢向平面延伸的大厦前举行记者招待会。法希认出了那人是谁，于是他把注意力集中到电视屏幕上。
"科莱中尉，"英国广播公司的一位记者带着责难的语气说："据我所知，贝祖。法希上尉很少犯错误。就此事我虽没跟他谈过，但我知道他会怎样做。我怀疑他兴师动众到处追捕奈芙侦探与兰登先生的真实意图是为了引出真正的杀人凶手。"在场的记者们面面相觑，惊讶不已。
克莱继续说道："我不知道兰登先生与奈芙小姐是不是一个愿打一个愿挨的参与者。法希上尉总能够坚持他那一贯具有创造性的做法。目前我可以向各位证实的是，上尉已经成功逮捕了应该承担责任的那个人，兰登先生与奈芙小姐两人是无辜的，并且两人都没受到伤害。"法希的嘴角露出一丝淡淡的微笑，他转身对阿林加洛沙主教："科莱那家伙，真是个好人呐。"一段时间过去了。终于，法希用手摸子摸前额。他一边将光溜溜的头发理到脑后，一边低头注视着阿林加洛沙主教。"我的上帝，在回巴黎之前，我还有最后一件事情没有处理呢。我要跟你谈你突然改道伦敦的那次飞行。你贿赂了驾驶员，让他改变航线。你这样做触犯了好几条国际法律呢。"阿林加洛沙顿时有气无力地瘫倒在床上："我也是被逼急了啊。"
"我知道。我手下的人审问那个驾驶员时，他也是这么说的。"法希将手伸进口袋，摸出一枚紫石英戒指。戒指上手工雕制的教士冠，以及牧师杖嵌花，是那样的熟悉。
阿林加洛沙主教热泪盈眶，他接过戒指，戴到手指上。"你这人总是这么好。"他伸出手，紧紧抓住了法希的手，由衷地说："谢谢你。"
法希摆摆手，走到窗前，凝望着窗外这个城市，他的思绪显然已飞得很远很远。等他转过身，他流露出疑惑的神情："我的上帝，你以后有什么打算？"
就在前一天晚上，阿林加洛沙主教离开岗道尔夫堡之前，也有人问过他同样的问题。"我怀疑我以后要走的路，会和你一样捉摸不定呢。""是啊，"法希停了停："我想我很快就要退休了。"
阿林加洛沙主教微微笑了笑，说："上尉，只要你对上帝保持一点点信仰，也是能创造奇迹的，真的。"
-
Chapter 102 The mist had settled low on Kensington Gardens as Silas limped into a quiet hollow out of sight.
Kneeling on the wet grass, he could feel a warm stream of blood flowing from the bullet woundbelow his ribs. Still, he stared straight ahead.
The fog made it look like heaven here.
Raising his bloody hands to pray, he watched the raindrops caress his fingers, turning them whiteagain. As the droplets fell harder across his back and shoulders, he could feel his body disappearingbit by bit into the mist.
I am a ghost.
A breeze rustled past him, carrying the damp, earthy scent of new life. With every living cell in hisbroken body, Silas prayed. He prayed for forgiveness. He prayed for mercy. And, above all, heprayed for his mentor... Bishop Aringarosa... that the Lord would not take him before his time. Hehas so much work left to do.
The fog was swirling around him now, and Silas felt so light that he was sure the wisps wouldcarry him away. Closing his eyes, he said a final prayer.
From somewhere in the mist, the voice of Manuel Aringarosa whispered to him.
Our Lord is a good and merciful God.
Silas's pain at last began to fade, and he knew the bishop was right.
塞拉斯一瘸一拐地走进一个看不见的寂静空间里。这时薄雾已经在肯辛顿花园中弥漫开来。他跪在湿漉漉的草地上，感到有股热血正从他肋骨以下的伤口里流了出来。然而他还是坚定地望着前方。
雾，使这里似乎变成了天堂。
他举起沾满鲜血的双手祈祷，注视着雨滴抚摸着他的手指头。雨水使他的手都变白了。由于雨滴更加猛烈地落在他的后背与肩膀上，他觉得自己的身体正逐渐地融化到薄雾里去了。
我快变成鬼了！
一阵风从他身边吹过，沙沙作响，带来了潮湿的泥土的芬芳，这是孕育了新生命的芳香。塞拉斯拖着散了架的身子祈祷。他祈祷上帝能给他宽恕，祈祷上帝能给他怜悯。他尤其要为他的恩师--阿林加洛沙主教祈祷……他祈祷上帝不要过早让这位主教离开这个世界。还有许多事情，在等着他去做呢。
雾，此刻在他身边缭绕，塞拉斯感觉是那么的轻盈，以至于他相信这缕缕烟雾会把他带走。他闭上眼睛，做完了最后的祷告。
从雾中的某个地方，传来曼努埃尔。阿林加洛沙主教的低语。
我主是和蔼仁慈的上帝。
塞拉斯的痛苦终于慢慢地消失了，他知道这位主教说的是对的。
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Chapter 101 Robert Langdon stood beneath the lofty cupola of the deserted Chapter House and stared into thebarrel of Leigh Teabing's gun.
Robert, are you with me, or against me? The Royal Historian's words echoed in the silence ofLangdon's mind.
There was no viable response, Langdon knew. Answer yes, and he would be selling out Sophie.
Answer no, and Teabing would have no choice but to kill them both.
Langdon's years in the classroom had not imbued him with any skills relevant to handlingconfrontations at gunpoint, but the classroom had taught him something about answeringparadoxical questions. When a question has no correct answer, there is only one honest response.
The gray area between yes and no.
Silence.
Staring at the cryptex in his hands, Langdon chose simply to walk away.
Without ever lifting his eyes, he stepped backward, out into the room's vast empty spaces. Neutralground. He hoped his focus on the cryptex signaled Teabing that collaboration might be an option,and that his silence signaled Sophie he had not abandoned her.
All the while buying time to think.
The act of thinking, Langdon suspected, was exactly what Teabing wanted him to do. That's whyhe handed me the cryptex. So I could feel the weight of my decision. The British historian hoped thetouch of the Grand Master's cryptex would make Langdon fully grasp the magnitude of itscontents, coaxing his academic curiosity to overwhelm all else, forcing him to realize that failure tounlock the keystone would mean the loss of history itself.
With Sophie at gunpoint across the room, Langdon feared that discovering the cryptex's elusivepassword would be his only remaining hope of bartering her release. If I can free the map, Teabingwill negotiate. Forcing his mind to this critical task, Langdon moved slowly toward the farwindows... allowing his mind to fill with the numerous astronomical images on Newton's tomb.
You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb.
It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb.
Turning his back to the others, he walked toward the towering windows, searching for anyinspiration in their stained-glass mosaics. There was none.
Place yourself in Saunière's mind, he urged, gazing outward now into College Garden. What wouldhe believe is the orb that ought be on Newton's tomb? Images of stars, comets, and planetstwinkled in the falling rain, but Langdon ignored them. Saunière was not a man of science. He wasa man of humanity, of art, of history. The sacred feminine... the chalice... the Rose... the banishedMary Magdalene... the decline of the goddess... the Holy Grail.
Legend had always portrayed the Grail as a cruel mistress, dancing in the shadows just out of sight,whispering in your ear, luring you one more step and then evaporating into the mist.
Gazing out at the rustling trees of College Garden, Langdon sensed her playful presence. The signswere everywhere. Like a taunting silhouette emerging from the fog, the branches of Britain's oldestapple tree burgeoned with five-petaled blossoms, all glistening like Venus. The goddess was in thegarden now. She was dancing in the rain, singing songs of the ages, peeking out from behind thebud-filled branches as if to remind Langdon that the fruit of knowledge was growing just beyondhis reach.
Across the room, Sir Leigh Teabing watched with confidence as Langdon gazed out the window asif under a spell.
Exactly as I hoped, Teabing thought. He will come around.
For some time now, Teabing had suspected Langdon might hold the key to the Grail. It was nocoincidence that Teabing launched his plan into action on the same night Langdon was scheduledto meet Jacques Saunière. Listening in on the curator, Teabing was certain the man's eagerness tomeet privately with Langdon could mean only one thing. Langdon's mysterious manuscript hastouched a nerve with the Priory.
Langdon has stumbled onto a truth, and Saunière fears its release. Teabing felt certain the GrandMaster was summoning Langdon to silence him.
The Truth has been silenced long enough!
Teabing knew he had to act quickly. Silas's attack would accomplish two goals. It would preventSaunière from persuading Langdon to keep quiet, and it would ensure that once the keystone wasin Teabing's hands, Langdon would be in Paris for recruitment should Teabing need him.
Arranging the fatal meeting between Saunière and Silas had been almost too easy. I had insideinformation about Saunière's deepest fears. Yesterday afternoon, Silas had phoned the curator andposed as a distraught priest. "Monsieur Saunière, forgive me, I must speak to you at once. I shouldnever breach the sanctity of the confessional, but in this case, I feel I must. I just took confessionfrom a man who claimed to have murdered members of your family."Saunière's response was startled but wary. "My family died in an accident. The police report wasconclusive.""Yes, a car accident," Silas said, baiting the hook. "The man I spoke to said he forced their car offthe road into a river."Saunière fell silent.
"Monsieur Saunière, I would never have phoned you directly except this man made a commentwhich makes me now fear for your safety." He paused. "The man also mentioned yourgranddaughter, Sophie."The mention of Sophie's name had been the catalyst. The curator leapt into action. He ordered Silasto come see him immediately in the safest location Saunière knew—his Louvre office. Then hephoned Sophie to warn her she might be in danger. Drinks with Robert Langdon were instantlyabandoned.
Now, with Langdon separated from Sophie on the far side of the room, Teabing sensed he hadsuccessfully alienated the two companions from one another. Sophie Neveu remained defiant, butLangdon clearly saw the larger picture. He was trying to figure out the password. He understandsthe importance of finding the Grail and releasing her from bondage.
"He won't open it for you," Sophie said coldly. "Even if he can."Teabing was glancing at Langdon as he held the gun on Sophie. He was fairly certain now he wasgoing to have to use the weapon. Although the idea troubled him, he knew he would not hesitate ifit came to that. I have given her every opportunity to do the right thing. The Grail is bigger thanany one of us.
At that moment, Langdon turned from the window. "The tomb..." he said suddenly, facing themwith a faint glimmer of hope in his eyes. "I know where to look on Newton's tomb. Yes, I think Ican find the password!"Teabing's heart soared. "Where, Robert? Tell me!"Sophie sounded horrified. "Robert, no! You're not going to help him, are you?"Langdon approached with a resolute stride, holding the cryptex before him. "No," he said, his eyeshardening as he turned to Leigh. "Not until he lets you go."Teabing's optimism darkened. "We are so close, Robert. Don't you dare start playing games withme!""No games," Langdon said. "Let her go. Then I'll take you to Newton's tomb. We'll open thecryptex together.""I'm not going anywhere," Sophie declared, her eyes narrowing with rage. "That cryptex was givento me by my grandfather. It is not yours to open."Langdon wheeled, looking fearful. "Sophie, please! You're in danger. I'm trying to help you!""How? By unveiling the secret my grandfather died trying to protect? He trusted you, Robert. Itrusted you!"Langdon's blue eyes showed panic now, and Teabing could not help but smile to see the two ofthem working against one another. Langdon's attempts to be gallant were more pathetic thananything. On the verge of unveiling one of history's greatest secrets, and he troubles himself with awoman who has proven herself unworthy of the quest.
"Sophie," Langdon pleaded. "Please... you must leave."She shook her head. "Not unless you either hand me the cryptex or smash it on the floor.""What?" Langdon gasped.
"Robert, my grandfather would prefer his secret lost forever than see it in the hands of hismurderer." Sophie's eyes looked as if they would well with tears, but they did not. She stareddirectly back at Teabing. "Shoot me if you have to. I am not leaving my grandfather's legacy inyour hands."Very well. Teabing aimed the weapon.
"No!" Langdon shouted, raising his arm and suspending the cryptex precariously over the hardstone floor. "Leigh, if you even think about it, I will drop this."Teabing laughed. "That bluff worked on Rémy. Not on me. I know you better than that.""Do you, Leigh?"Yes I do. Your poker face needs work, my friend. It took me several seconds, but I can see now thatyou are lying. You have no idea where on Newton's tomb the answer lies. "Truly, Robert? Youknow where on the tomb to look?""I do."The falter in Langdon's eyes was fleeting but Leigh caught it. There was a lie there. A desperate,pathetic ploy to save Sophie. Teabing felt a profound disappointment in Robert Langdon.
I am a lone knight, surrounded by unworthy souls. And I will have to decipher the keystone on myown.
Langdon and Neveu were nothing but a threat to Teabing now... and to the Grail. As painful as thesolution was going to be, he knew he could carry it out with a clean conscience. The only challengewould be to persuade Langdon to set down the keystone so Teabing could safely end this charade.
"A show of faith," Teabing said, lowering the gun from Sophie. "Set down the keystone, and we'lltalk."Langdon knew his lie had failed.
He could see the dark resolve in Teabing's face and knew the moment was upon them. When I setthis down, he will kill us both. Even without looking at Sophie, he could hear her heart beseechinghim in silent desperation. Robert, this man is not worthy of the Grail. Please do not place it in hishands. No matter what the cost.
Langdon had already made his decision several minutes ago, while standing alone at the windowoverlooking College Garden.
Protect Sophie.
Protect the Grail.
Langdon had almost shouted out in desperation. But I cannot see how!
The stark moments of disillusionment had brought with them a clarity unlike any he had ever felt.
The Truth is right before your eyes, Robert. He knew not from where the epiphany came. The Grailis not mocking you, she is calling out to a worthy soul.
Now, bowing down like a subject several yards in front of Leigh Teabing, Langdon lowered thecryptex to within inches of the stone floor.
"Yes, Robert," Teabing whispered, aiming the gun at him. "Set it down."Langdon's eyes moved heavenward, up into the gaping void of the Chapter House cupola.
Crouching lower, Langdon lowered his gaze to Teabing's gun, aimed directly at him.
"I'm sorry, Leigh."In one fluid motion, Langdon leapt up, swinging his arm skyward, launching the cryptex straightup toward the dome above.
Leigh Teabing did not feel his finger pull the trigger, but the Medusa discharged with a thunderingcrash. Langdon's crouched form was now vertical, almost airborne, and the bullet exploded in thefloor near Langdon's feet. Half of Teabing's brain attempted to adjust his aim and fire again in rage,but the more powerful half dragged his eyes upward into the cupola.
The keystone!
Time seemed to freeze, morphing into a slow-motion dream as Teabing's entire world became theairborne keystone. He watched it rise to the apex of its climb... hovering for a moment in the void...
and then tumbling downward, end over end, back toward the stone floor.
All of Teabing's hopes and dreams were plummeting toward earth. It cannot strike the floor! I canreach it! Teabing's body reacted on instinct. He released the gun and heaved himself forward,dropping his crutches as he reached out with his soft, manicured hands. Stretching his arms andfingers, he snatched the keystone from midair.
Falling forward with the keystone victoriously clutched in his hand, Teabing knew he was fallingtoo fast. With nothing to break his fall, his outstretched arms hit first, and the cryptex collided hardwith the floor.
There was a sickening crunch of glass within.
For a full second, Teabing did not breathe. Lying there outstretched on the cold floor, staring thelength of his outstretched arms at the marble cylinder in his bare palms, he implored the glass vialinside to hold. Then the acrid tang of vinegar cut the air, and Teabing felt the cool liquid flowingout through the dials onto his palm.
Wild panic gripped him. NO! The vinegar was streaming now, and Teabing pictured the papyrusdissolving within. Robert, you fool! The secret is lost!
Teabing felt himself sobbing uncontrollably. The Grail is gone. Everything destroyed. Shudderingin disbelief over Langdon's actions, Teabing tried to force the cylinder apart, longing to catch afleeting glimpse of history before it dissolved forever. To his shock, as he pulled the ends of thekeystone, the cylinder separated.
He gasped and peered inside. It was empty except for shards of wet glass. No dissolving papyrus.
Teabing rolled over and looked up at Langdon. Sophie stood beside him, aiming the gun down atTeabing.
Bewildered, Teabing looked back at the keystone and saw it. The dials were no longer at random.
They spelled a five-letter word: APPLE.
"The orb from which Eve partook," Langdon said coolly, "incurring the Holy wrath of God.
Original sin. The symbol of the fall of the sacred feminine."Teabing felt the truth come crashing down on him in excruciating austerity. The orb that ought beon Newton's tomb could be none other than the Rosy apple that fell from heaven, struck Newton onthe head, and inspired his life's work. His labor's fruit! The Rosy flesh with a seeded womb!
"Robert," Teabing stammered, overwhelmed. "You opened it. Where... is the map?"Without blinking, Langdon reached into the breast pocket of his tweed coat and carefully extracteda delicate rolled papyrus. Only a few yards from where Teabing lay, Langdon unrolled the scrolland looked at it. After a long moment, a knowing smile crossed Langdon's face.
He knows! Teabing's heart craved that knowledge. His life's dream was right in front of him. "Tellme!" Teabing demanded. "Please! Oh God, please! It's not too late!"As the sound of heavy footsteps thundered down the hall toward the Chapter House, Langdonquietly rolled the papyrus and slipped it back in his pocket.
"No!" Teabing cried out, trying in vain to stand.
When the doors burst open, Bezu Fache entered like a bull into a ring, his feral eyes scanning,finding his target—Leigh Teabing—helpless on the floor. Exhaling in relief, Fache holstered hisManurhin sidearm and turned to Sophie. "Agent Neveu, I am relieved you and Mr. Langdon aresafe. You should have come in when I asked."The British police entered on Fache's heels, seizing the anguished prisoner and placing him inhandcuffs.
Sophie seemed stunned to see Fache. "How did you find us?"Fache pointed to Teabing. "He made the mistake of showing his ID when he entered the abbey.
The guards heard a police broadcast about our search for him.""It's in Langdon's pocket!" Teabing was screaming like a madman. "The map to the Holy Grail!"As they hoisted Teabing and carried him out, he threw back his head and howled. "Robert! Tell mewhere it's hidden!"As Teabing passed, Langdon looked him in the eye. "Only the worthy find the Grail, Leigh. Youtaught me that."
罗伯特。兰登立在冷冷清清的牧师会礼堂庄严肃穆的圆屋顶下，眼睛定定地看着提彬握在手中的熗。
"罗伯特，你到底是跟我呢，还是不跟我？"这位皇家学会的历史学家的话还在兰登寂静的脑海里回荡。
兰登知道，他绝不可能给出什么行得通的答案。如果他答应提彬，那无异于出卖了索菲。而如果他严辞拒绝，那提彬除了将他们杀死，将别无选择。
虽说兰登在学校里呆过多年，但他毕竟没在课堂上学过什么如何在熗口的威胁下应付冲突的技巧，不过学校倒是教会了他如何提供一些似是而非的答案。当一个问题没有正确的答案时，那就只有如实地作出反应了。
兰登徘徊在"是"与"否"之间那个灰色的区间。
他只好选择了沉默。
他盯着手中的密码盒，只是选择了走开。
他头也不抬地向后退去，进入到大厅里空旷的地带。这可是中立地带呢。他希望他对密码盒的关注能给提彬一个暗示，也许合作不失为一个理性的选择；但同时，他也希望他的沉默，会让索菲明白他并没将她抛弃。
我所做的一切都是为了多争取一点考虑的时间啊。
兰登私下里怀疑，或许花点时间考虑，也正是提彬要他做的事情呢。所以他才将密码盒给我，这样好让我感觉到做出决定的分量。这位英国皇家历史学家，希望通过让兰登实实在在地触摸到大师留下的密码盒，能让他完全领会到里面的东西对他们有多重要，从而激发他对学术的好奇心，并使他认识到：如果他不能将拱心石打开，将意味着给历史本身带来巨大的损失。
在大厅对面，索菲仍处在熗口的威胁之下。兰登担心，找到密码盒里尚未破译的密码，恐怕将是他借此解救她的唯一希望了。如果我能解读这张地图，那么提彬就愿意跟我讨价还价。兰登将整个心思都用在这项重要的任务上，他慢慢踱着步子，走到更远的窗前……任凭他的头脑塞满了牛顿墓上众多的天体形状。
你们寻找的圆球，本应在这位骑士的墓里。
它道破了玫瑰般肌肤与受孕子宫的秘密。
兰登转身背对着其他人，向那些巨大的窗户走去，他想在墙上的彩色拼花玻璃里寻找灵感的火花，然而却一无所获。
站在索尼埃的角度去想一想吧，他这样敦促自己。他把目光投向外面的学院花园。索尼埃认为应该将什么样的球形物放入牛顿爵士的坟墓里呢？纷飞的雨中闪过无数恒星、彗星以及行星的形象，然而兰登并没在意它们。索尼埃不是研究科学的学者，而是人文学家、艺术家、历史学家。神圣女性……圣餐杯……圣洁的玫瑰……被放逐的抹大拉的玛利亚……女神的衰落……以及圣杯。
传说中的圣杯，经常被描绘成一位残酷的女人，她在刚好让你看不见的黑暗中翩翩起舞，在你的耳边窃窃私语，诱惑着你再走近一步，最后消失在迷雾中。
兰登凝视着学院花园里那片沙沙作响的树林，觉得顽皮的她此刻就在身边。征兆无处不在，就像在迷雾里嘲弄似的凸显出来的轮廓。这些英国最古老的苹果树的树枝，开满了五朵花瓣的花，它们全都像金星一样，闪着微光。女神来到了花园。现在她正在雨中跳舞，唱着那经历不知多少世纪的歌曲。她从开满花朵的树枝后面偷偷地探出头，似乎在提醒兰登，知识的果实蓬勃生长，远远超越了他力所能学的范围。
在大厅的对面，雷。提彬爵士踌躇满志地望着仿佛被魔法镇住了的兰登凝视窗外。
果然不出所料，他会回心转意的。提彬心想。
一段时间以来，提彬一直怀疑兰登可能找到了开启圣杯的钥匙。就在他准备开始行动的当天晚上，兰登也安排了与雅克。索尼埃的见面，这决不是什么巧合。提彬窃听这位博物馆的馆长已有很长一段时间，他确信，这位馆长急于与兰登私下会面只能意味着一件事情--即兰登的神秘文稿触动了郇山隐修会敏感的神经，他误打误撞地触及到其中的真相，而索尼埃又害怕它被泄露出去。提彬确信这位大师把兰登叫去，就是要堵他的嘴。
真相已经隐藏得太久了！
提彬知道，他必须赶快采取行动。塞拉斯的袭击将有助于完成两个目标：一方面，它可以阻止索尼埃说服兰登保持缄默；另一方面，它也可以确保如果拱心石落人提彬的手中，一旦他需要兰登，他就会跑到巴黎随时待命。
安排索尼埃与塞拉斯的那次带来致命性灾难的会面实在是太容易了。我掌握了索尼埃最为之恐惧的内幕消息。昨天下午，塞拉斯打电话给这位馆长，把自己装扮成一位心烦意乱的牧师。他说："索尼埃先生，请你宽恕我，有些事我必须马上跟你说。我本不应该破坏忏悔室的圣洁，然而眼下这种状况，我也只好这样做了。我刚才听到有个男人在忏悔，说是他谋害了你的家人。"索尼埃惊讶万分，但还是警惕地说："我的家人死于车祸。这是警方经过调查做出的结论。""是的，他们是死于车祸。"塞拉斯抛下了诱饵："可那人跟我说，他是故意将他们的车子撞到河里去的。"索尼埃在电话的另一端没有作声。
"索尼埃先生，要不是那人说了一句让我担心你安全的话，我是不会打电话找你的。"
他停了片刻，说："那人还提到你的孙女索菲。"
索菲名字的提及，无疑起到了催化剂的作用。这位馆长立即采取行动。他让塞拉斯立刻赶到他所知道的最安全的地方--即他在卢浮宫的办公室--见他。然后又打电话给索菲，警告她可能会有危险。他原先打算与兰登喝几盅的计划也很快被取消了。
此刻，在大厅的另一头，兰登与索菲隔得远远的。提彬觉得已成功地将这对搭档分开了。索菲。奈芙依然不愿从命，但兰登的眼光明显就看得远了。他正努力地找寻密码。他深知找到圣杯，并使它得以从束缚中解脱出来的重要性。
"即使他能够找到密码，也不会帮你。"索菲冷冷地说。
提彬瞥了一眼兰登，却仍没忘记将熗对准索菲。他终于明白，他必须动用手中的武器。虽然这个想法困扰着他，但他知道，如果一旦下定了决心，他是决不会犹豫的。我已给了她许多改过自新的机会，圣杯可比我们中间的任何人都更重要啊！
就在这时，兰登从窗户边转过身来。"那坟墓--"他突然面对他们说，眼中有淡淡的希望之光在闪烁。"我知道该站在哪个角度看牛顿爵士的坟墓。是的，我想我能找到密码。
"提彬的心立即提到了喉咙口："罗伯特，在哪里？你快告诉我！"
索菲似乎被吓坏了："罗伯特，不要！你不会帮他是不是？"
兰登迈着坚定的步子，大步流星地走过来，将密码盒举到面前。"不，"他说，转身面对着雷。提彬，目光变得强硬起来。"他如果不放你走，我是不会说的。"
提彬的乐观情绪立刻黯淡下来："罗伯特，我们离得这么近。你该不是想跟我玩什么游戏吧？！""谁跟你玩游戏了？"兰登说："你放她走，然后我就带你去看牛顿墓，一起把密码盒打开。""我哪儿也不去，"索菲大声宣布，她愤怒地眯上眼睛。"密码盒是我祖父给我的，你们没资格把它打开。"兰登猛地转过身，脸色阴森可怕。"索菲，我求你了！你现在处境很危险，我是想帮你呀！""你怎么帮？你想将我祖父拼了命也要保护起来的秘密泄露出去？他相信你，罗伯特。
我以前也相信你呐。"兰登蓝色的眼睛此刻流露出一丝恐惧，提彬看到他们两人作对，不由暗暗地笑了。兰登试图向一个不值得同情的女人献殷勤，这比去做其他任何事情还要让人可怜。我们马上就要揭开历史上最大的秘密，可是他竟然还在跟一个已经证明了自己不配参与这次探索的女人纠缠不休。
"索菲，"兰登恳求道："我求你了--你必须走！"
索菲摇摇头："我不会走的，除非你把密码盒给我，或者把它砸掉。"
"你说什么？"兰登目瞪口呆。
"罗伯特，我祖父宁愿看到秘密永远消失，也不愿看到它落入凶手之手。"索菲的双眼看似充盈了泪水，其实却没有。她径直转过身，瞪着提彬，说："你想杀我就开熗吧。我是不会让我祖父的遗物落入你手中的。"很好。提彬用熗对准了她。
"别开熗！"兰登大声喊道，他举起胳膊，将密码盒悬在坚硬的石板上方，摆出摇摇欲坠的模样。"雷爵士，如果你敢开熗，我就把它丢在地上。"
提彬大声笑起来："你这样虚张声势，吓得倒雷米，可吓不倒我。我对你是再了解不过的了。""是吗？"
"是的，我了解。我的朋友，你需要活动活动你僵硬的脸庞。虽然浪费了我一点时间，但我还是看出来了，你在撒谎。你不知道密码藏在牛顿坟墓的哪个地方。""你真的知道吗，罗伯特？你知道藏在坟墓的哪个地方吗？"
"我知道。"
然而兰登游移不定的眼神还是被提彬捕捉到了。他在撒谎，是为了解救索菲铤而走险玩弄的拙劣的伎俩。提彬不由对罗伯特。兰登深感失望。
我是位孤单的骑士，身边都是一些微不足道的人。我将不得不依靠自己，去破译开启拱心石的密码。
现在，罗伯特。兰登与索菲。奈芙对提彬而言除了是威胁还是威胁……而且他们的存在，对圣杯本身也是威胁。他的内心不亚于接下来寻找密码的过程那般痛苦，他知道自己可以凭良心行事。不过眼下唯一的难题，就是如何说服兰登放下拱心石，这样，提彬就可以平安无事地结束这场游戏。
兰登知道自己撒的谎露馅了。
他看到提彬露出可怕的然而坚毅的神情，他知道这样的时刻就要来临了。如果我松手把拱心石掉在地上，他就会杀死我们。他即使不看索菲，也能够让我听到她在无言地拼命向他祈求。罗伯特，这个人是不配得到圣杯的。别让它落到他的手中，不管要付出多大的代价。
几分钟前，兰登独自站在窗前俯视学院花园的时候，就已经拿定了主意。
我要保护索菲。
也要保护圣杯。
兰登差点绝望地喊出声来。可我不知道该怎么办啊！
就在他完全绝望之时，他的思路反倒前所未有地变得清晰起来。罗伯特，真相就在你的眼前。他也不知道是从哪里领悟来的。圣杯并未嘲弄你，它只是在呼唤能够配得上它的人。
于是，他像一位顺从的臣民，在雷。提彬前面几码之外的地方弯下腰，将密码盒放到离石头地面只有几英寸的上方。
"是的，罗伯特，"提彬轻声地说，用熗对准了他。"把它放下。"
兰登眼望天空，注视着牧师会礼堂圆顶上的许多空洞。他将身子蹲得更低了，低头盯着提彬手中笔直对准了他的熗。
"雷，对不起了。"
他利索地跳起来，胳膊往天空一挥，将手中的密码盒径直朝头上的圆顶上掷去。
雷。提彬觉得自己并没有扣动扳机，但"美杜莎"手熗还是发出了震耳欲聋的响声。此刻，兰登蜷缩的身子已站了起来，差不多跟地面垂直了。子弹落在兰登脚下附近的地面上。提彬企图调整瞄准的方向，气急败坏地再次开熗，然而似乎却有一种更强大的力量，将他的目光吸引到头顶的圆形篷顶上。
我的拱心石！
时间仿佛顿时凝固了，变成了一个缓慢移动的梦。此时时刻，提彬整个的身心，都转移到空中的拱心石上去了。他注视着在空中飞行的拱心石的顶部……它在空中盘旋了一会……然后迅即跌落，翻着跟头，朝石头地板上砸了下来。
提彬所有的希望与梦想，随着拱心石骤然跌落到地上。它可不能掉下来啊！我得去接住它！提彬本能地作出了反应。他放下熗，飞身上前。他扔下拐杖，伸出他柔软的、修过指甲的手去接，舒展了胳膊和手指头，在空中一把将拱心石抓在了手里。
他以一副胜利者的姿态，紧紧地把拱心石攥在手中，向前倒了下去。但他觉得似乎倒下得太快了。由于没有什么东西能够阻止他倒下，他张开的胳膊首先碰到了地面，密码盒猛地撞到地板上，里面的玻璃瓶立刻发出令人难受的"嘎吱嘎吱"支离破碎的声音。
提彬足足有一秒钟屏住了呼吸。他张开手脚。躺在冰冷的的地板上，眼睛顺着伸展的胳膊望过去，呆呆地盯着掌心里的大理石圆筒，默默的祈祷里面的玻璃瓶子仍然完好无损。紧接着，一股刺鼻的醋的气味弥漫在空气里。提彬感到那冰凉的液体，正经过刻度盘流到他的手心里。
极度的恐惧攫住了他。不要！醋汩汩地流出来，提彬的脑海中闪过了瓶子里莎草纸在溶释的镜头。罗伯特，你这个傻瓜！完了，看来秘密是找不到了！
提彬情不自禁地抽泣起来。如果找不到圣杯，一切全完了。他真不敢相信，兰登竟会做出这样的事来。他全身颤抖着，拼命想把圆筒掰开。他强烈地希望，能赶在莎草纸永远溶释在醋里之前，飞快地将藏在它身上的历史看上一眼。然而，令他震惊的是，当他使劲拉住拱心石的两头时，圆石筒突然分开了。他喘着粗气，注视着里面。不过，里面除了玻璃的残渣碎片外，什么也没有。他并没看到有什么正在溶解的莎草纸。提彬翻了个身，抬头看着兰登。索菲站在兰登的身边，正拿熗朝下对准了他。
提彬一脸茫然，他回过头，看到了拱心石。奇怪的是，刻度盘已不再如方才那样杂乱了。它们组成了一个由五个字母组成的单词：APPLE.
"当年夏娃吃下苹果，"兰登冷静地说："触犯了上帝的圣怒，因此犯下了原罪。于是苹果就成了神圣女性堕落的象征。"提彬觉得真相突然以一种质朴得让人难受的方式朝他劈头盖脸地袭来。那个本来应该放在牛顿坟墓上的圆球竟然是从天而降，砸在牛顿头上并给他终生事业带来灵感的红艳艳的苹果。是他辛勤劳作的果实！是怀有身孕的玫瑰般肌肤。
"罗伯特，"提彬结结巴巴地说，他已被震惊的情绪所淹没了。"原来你把拱心石打开过了。地图在……在哪里？"
兰登眼皮不眨一下，将手伸进斜纹软呢大衣靠近胸部的口袋里，小心翼翼地拿出一张卷起来的似乎一碰即碎的莎草纸。兰登就在提彬躺着的几码之外，将莎草纸往地上摊开，认真地看起来。过了很长时间，才看到他脸上出一丝会心的微笑。
他知道了！提彬渴望自己也能知道。他终生的梦想此刻就在眼前。"告诉我！"提彬请求道："我求你了，上帝啊，求你告诉我。现在还不算太晚吧？"
这时，沉重的脚步声如雷鸣一般，从通往牧师会礼堂的大厅里传来，兰登平静地将莎草纸收好，塞回到口袋里。
"不要！"提彬大声喊道，他拼命想站起来，然而却是徒劳。
屋里的门"砰"的推开了，贝祖。法希像只闯进竞技场的公牛一样闯了进来，他凶狠的目光飞快扫视了一周，这才发现所要寻找的目标--正无助地躺在地上的雷。提彬爵士。他轻松地吐了一口气，将"马努汉"牌手熗放进皮套里，转而向索菲说："奈芙侦探，看到你和兰登安然无恙我就放心了。刚才我叫你们进来的时候，你们就应该进来。"英国警察紧跟在法希后面进来，他们一把捉住这只沮丧的瓮中之鳖，给他戴上了手铐。
索菲看到法希，似乎惊讶万分："你们是怎么找到我们的？"
法希指了指提彬，说："他进教堂时犯了个错误，因此泄露了了他的身份。教堂里的保卫人员听到警方寻找他的广播，便告诉了我们。"提彬像疯子一样大喊起来："寻找圣杯的地图，就在兰登的口袋里！"
警察们将提彬举起来，架了出去。他掉转头，像狼一样吼道："罗伯特，你快告诉我圣杯藏在哪里！"兰登在他经过身边时，直盯着他的眼睛："雷爵士，只有配得上的人才能找到圣杯。这还是你教我的呢。" -
Chapter 100 Bishop Manuel Aringarosa's body had endured many kinds of pain, and yet the searing heat of thebullet wound in his chest felt profoundly foreign to him. Deep and grave. Not a wound of theflesh... but closer to the soul.
He opened his eyes, trying to see, but the rain on his face blurred his vision. Where am I? He couldfeel powerful arms holding him, carrying his limp body like a rag doll, his black cassock flapping.
Lifting a weary arm, he mopped his eyes and saw the man holding him was Silas. The great albinowas struggling down a misty sidewalk, shouting for a hospital, his voice a heartrending wail ofagony. His red eyes were focused dead ahead, tears streaming down his pale, blood-spattered face.
"My son," Aringarosa whispered, "you're hurt."Silas glanced down, his visage contorted in anguish. "I am so very sorry, Father." He seemedalmost too pained to speak.
"No, Silas," Aringarosa replied. "It is I who am sorry. This is my fault." The Teacher promised methere would be no killing, and I told you to obey him fully. "I was too eager. Too fearful. You and Iwere deceived." The Teacher was never going to deliver us the Holy Grail.
Cradled in the arms of the man he had taken in all those years ago, Bishop Aringarosa felt himselfreel back in time. To Spain. To his modest beginnings, building a small Catholic church in Oviedowith Silas. And later, to New York City, where he had proclaimed the glory of God with thetowering Opus Dei Center on Lexington Avenue.
Five months ago, Aringarosa had received devastating news. His life's work was in jeopardy. Herecalled, with vivid detail, the meeting inside Castel Gandolfo that had changed his life... the newsthat had set this entire calamity into motion.
Aringarosa had entered Gandolfo's Astronomy Library with his head held high, fully expecting tobe lauded by throngs of welcoming hands, all eager to pat him on the back for his superior workrepresenting Catholicism in America.
But only three people were present.
The Vatican secretariat. Obese. Dour.
Two high-ranking Italian cardinals. Sanctimonious. Smug.
"Secretariat?" Aringarosa said, puzzled.
The rotund overseer of legal affairs shook Aringarosa's hand and motioned to the chair oppositehim. "Please, make yourself comfortable."Aringarosa sat, sensing something was wrong.
"I am not skilled in small talk, Bishop," the secretariat said, "so let me be direct about the reasonfor your visit.""Please. Speak openly." Aringarosa glanced at the two cardinals, who seemed to be measuring himwith self-righteous anticipation.
"As you are well aware," the secretariat said, "His Holiness and others in Rome have beenconcerned lately with the political fallout from Opus Dei's more controversial practices."Aringarosa felt himself bristle instantly. He already had been through this on numerous occasionswith the new pontiff, who, to Aringarosa's great dismay, had turned out to be a distressingly ferventvoice for liberal change in the Church.
"I want to assure you," the secretariat added quickly, "that His Holiness does not seek to changeanything about the way you run your ministry."I should hope not! "Then why am I here?"The enormous man sighed. "Bishop, I am not sure how to say this delicately, so I will state itdirectly. Two days ago, the Secretariat Council voted unanimously to revoke the Vatican's sanctionof Opus Dei."Aringarosa was certain he had heard incorrectly. "I beg your pardon?""Plainly stated, six months from today, Opus Dei will no longer be considered a prelature of theVatican. You will be a church unto yourself. The Holy See will be disassociating itself from you.
His Holiness agrees and we are already drawing up the legal papers.""But... that is impossible!""On the contrary, it is quite possible. And necessary. His Holiness has become uneasy with youraggressive recruiting policies and your practices of corporal mortification." He paused. "Also yourpolicies regarding women. Quite frankly, Opus Dei has become a liability and an embarrassment."Bishop Aringarosa was stupefied. "An embarrassment?""Certainly you cannot be surprised it has come to this.""Opus Dei is the only Catholic organization whose numbers are growing! We now have overeleven hundred priests!""True. A troubling issue for us all."Aringarosa shot to his feet. "Ask His Holiness if Opus Dei was an embarrassment in 1982 when wehelped the Vatican Bank!""The Vatican will always be grateful for that," the secretariat said, his tone appeasing, "and yetthere are those who still believe your financial munificence in 1982 is the only reason you weregranted prelature status in the first place.""That is not true!" The insinuation offended Aringarosa deeply.
"Whatever the case, we plan to act in good faith. We are drawing up severance terms that willinclude a reimbursement of those monies. It will be paid in five installments.""You are buying me off?" Aringarosa demanded. "Paying me to go quietly? When Opus Dei is theonly remaining voice of reason!"One of the cardinals glanced up. "I'm sorry, did you say reason?"Aringarosa leaned across the table, sharpening his tone to a point. "Do you really wonder whyCatholics are leaving the Church? Look around you, Cardinal. People have lost respect. The rigorsof faith are gone. The doctrine has become a buffet line. Abstinence, confession, communion,baptism, mass—take your pick—choose whatever combination pleases you and ignore the rest.
What kind of spiritual guidance is the Church offering?""Third-century laws," the second cardinal said, "cannot be applied to the modern followers ofChrist. The rules are not workable in today's society.""Well, they seem to be working for Opus Dei!""Bishop Aringarosa," the secretariat said, his voice conclusive. "Out of respect for yourorganization's relationship with the previous Pope, His Holiness will be giving Opus Dei sixmonths to voluntarily break away from the Vatican. I suggest you cite your differences of opinionwith the Holy See and establish yourself as your own Christian organization.""I refuse!" Aringarosa declared. "And I'll tell him that in person!""I'm afraid His Holiness no longer cares to meet with you."Aringarosa stood up. "He would not dare abolish a personal prelature established by a previousPope!""I'm sorry." The secretariat's eyes did not flinch. "The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away."Aringarosa had staggered from that meeting in bewilderment and panic. Returning to New York,he stared out at the skyline in disillusionment for days, overwhelmed with sadness for the future ofChristianity.
It was several weeks later that he received the phone call that changed all that. The caller soundedFrench and identified himself as the Teacher—a title common in the prelature. He said he knew ofthe Vatican's plans to pull support from Opus Dei.
How could he know that? Aringarosa wondered. He had hoped only a handful of Vatican powerbrokers knew of Opus Dei's impending annulment. Apparently the word was out. When it came tocontaining gossip, no walls in the world were as porous as those surrounding Vatican City.
"I have ears everywhere, Bishop," the Teacher whispered, "and with these ears I have gainedcertain knowledge. With your help, I can uncover the hiding place of a sacred relic that will bringyou enormous power... enough power to make the Vatican bow before you. Enough power to savethe Faith." He paused. "Not just for Opus Dei. But for all of us."The Lord taketh away... and the Lord giveth. Aringarosa felt a glorious ray of hope. "Tell me yourplan."Bishop Aringarosa was unconscious when the doors of St. Mary's Hospital hissed open. Silaslurched into the entryway delirious with exhaustion. Dropping to his knees on the tile floor, hecried out for help. Everyone in the reception area gaped in wonderment at the half-naked albinooffering forth a bleeding clergyman.
The doctor who helped Silas heave the delirious bishop onto a gurney looked gloomy as he feltAringarosa's pulse. "He's lost a lot of blood. I am not hopeful."Aringarosa's eyes flickered, and he returned for a moment, his gaze locating Silas. "My child..."Silas's soul thundered with remorse and rage. "Father, if it takes my lifetime, I will find the onewho deceived us, and I will kill him."Aringarosa shook his head, looking sad as they prepared to wheel him away. "Silas... if you havelearned nothing from me, please... learn this." He took Silas's hand and gave it a firm squeeze.
"Forgiveness is God's greatest gift.""But Father..."Aringarosa closed his eyes. "Silas, you must pray."
曼努阿尔。阿林加洛沙主教经受过各种各样肉体上的苦难，然而子弹射人胸膛冒出来的灼人热气，却使他产生一种非常异样的感觉。它深入肺腑，却又痛彻心扉。令人觉得这不是肉体上的伤痛，而是近乎于精神上的磨难了。
他睁开双眼，努力想看看面前有些什么，然而雨水落在他的脸上，模糊了他的视线。
我在哪里呢？他觉得有双强壮有力的胳膊托住了他，那人抱住他虚弱的身体，就像抱着一个破旧的布娃娃。他的黑色长袍，被风"呼啦啦"地吹了起来。
他抬起虚弱的胳膊，抹去脸上的雨水，终于看清了那人是塞拉斯。这位块头硕大的白化病患者，正沿着雨雾缭绕的人行道，踉踉跄跄地走着，他大声呼喊，希望有医院闻声前来搭救。声音撼人心魄，仿佛是痛苦的哀鸣。他通红的眼睛，坚定地望着远方；止不住的泪水，从他苍白的、血迹斑斑的脸上流了下来。
"孩子，"阿林加洛沙主教轻轻地说道："你受伤了。"
塞拉斯低头看看，脸上的表情由于极度痛苦而扭曲。"神父，我真的很抱歉。"他似乎快要痛苦得说不出话来。
"塞拉斯，你快别这么说，"阿林加洛沙主教赶忙回答："说对不起的应该是我。这都是我的错。"教主答应过我，说不会有人死的；而我也叫你完全听命于他。"我太急于求成，也太担惊受怕。结果我们两人都被人骗了。"教主根本就未曾打算把圣杯交给我们啊。
阿林加洛沙主教躺在这位多年前他收留的男人的怀里，觉得自己纷飞的思绪立刻又回到了从前，回到了西班牙，回到了当年他辛苦起家的地方--在奥维耶多市，他带着塞拉斯建造了一座很小的天主教堂；再后来，他的思绪又飞到了纽约，在那里，他与坐落在莱克星顿大街上的高耸入云的天主事工会中心一起演绎了上帝的辉煌。
五个月前，阿林加洛沙主教得到了颇令他气馁的消息。他终生的事业由此走到了危险的边缘。他至今还能想起那次在岗道尔夫堡会面的每一个细节，他的人生由于那次会面而彻底被改变了……那条引发这场灾难的消息，他至今依然记得。
那天，阿林加洛沙主教高昂着头颅，走进了岗道尔夫堡的天文图书馆，他满以为会有无数人前来迎接他，急不可待地走上前来，拍拍他的后背，然后他在美国为基督教作出的杰出贡献倍加赞美。
然而，使他失望的是，里面迎接他的只有三个人。
一位是是梵蒂冈罗马教廷的秘书，他身材臃肿，脸色阴沉。
还有两位意大利的高级红衣主教，洋洋得意，却假装非常的虔诚。
那名身材圆嘟嘟的罗马教廷法律事务负责人，握了握阿林加洛沙主教的手，然后示意他在对面的椅子上坐下。"请坐，不要有什么拘谨。"
阿林加洛沙主教坐到椅子上，然而他总觉得有什么地方不对劲。
这位秘书又开口了："主教，我这人不太善于唠叨家常，所以，还是让我直接挑明叫你来的原因吧。""那你就直说吧。"阿林加洛沙主教瞥了瞥两位红衣主教，他们似乎正在掂量着他，表情很是自持，却又满怀期待。
"你应该非常清楚，"秘书说道："最近教皇陛下以及罗马教廷的其他人，一直很关注天主事工会颇有争议的做法所带来的政治影响。"阿林加洛沙主教顿时气得连毛发都竖了起来。这件事，他已经不知在多少次的场合里跟这位新任的教皇交代过了，然而，令他沮丧的是，他原来还以为这位新教皇是在教会中实行民主改革的热烈拥护者呢。
"我向你保证，"那位秘书很快地补充了一句："教皇陛下对你的管理方式，并没打算作任何的改变。"
我倒不希望有什么改变呢！阿林加洛沙主教心想。"那叫我到这里来，又是什么意思？
"这位身材庞大的男人叹了一口气，说："主教，我不知道怎样说才能说得得体，所以我不妨直说了吧。两天前，我们秘书处进行无记名投票，否决了梵蒂冈颁布的针对天主事工会的法令。"阿林加洛沙主教怀疑是自己听错了。"你说什么？"
"说白了，就是从今天起以后六个月，罗马教廷将不再将天主事工会视为它麾下的一员。你的教会是你自己的教会，圣座也将与你脱离干系。教皇业已同意，我们也已经在起草相关的法律文件。""但--但那是不可能的！"
"恰恰相反，这很有可能，也是很有必要的。教皇陛下已对你咄咄逼人的招收教徒的政策以及肉体苦修的做法深感不安。"他停顿了一下。"还有，他对你们的妇女政策也非常的不满。坦率地说，天主事工会已经成了罗马教廷的负担，也使它感到难堪！"阿林加洛沙主教呆住了："使它难堪？"
"事情发展到今天这个地步，你肯定很奇怪吧？"
"但天主事工会是唯一的教徒在不断增加的天主教组织。迄今为止我们已有1100 多名牧师。""不错，但却使我们陷入了困境。"
阿林加洛沙主教忽地站了起来："你去问教皇陛下，1982 年天主事工会协助梵蒂冈银行摆脱困境时，有没有使他难堪？"
"对那件事，罗马教廷会永远感激你们的。"秘书语气平静地说："不过还是有人相信，你之所以被优先封为主教，唯一的原因就是因为1982 年你的那次慷慨的馈赠。""这不是真的。"阿林加洛沙主教觉得自己被深深地伤害了。
"不管怎样，我们确实有这个打算。我们正在起草脱离彼此关系的条款，其中也包括对那笔钱的偿还。我们将分五次付清欠款。""你们想用钱打发我吗？"阿林加洛沙质问道："你们给我钱，好让我安安静静地走开？
眼下，也就剩下天主事工会在发出理性的声音了！"其中一位红衣主教抬起头："对不起，你是说理性？"
阿林加洛沙主教俯到桌子上，声音提高了八度："你们果真不知道教徒们脱离天主教会的原因么？还是看看你周围吧，大主教。人们已经对它失去了敬重。过去恪守信仰的作风已不见了，教规也成了一纸空文。什么禁欲、忏悔、圣餐、洗礼，还有弥撒--你们挑来拣去--选择了其中的几样，然后就将其余的清规戒律抛在脑后。你说，在精神上，天主教会又能给人们指点什么样的迷津呢？"
"那都是一些3 世纪的陈规陋习了，"另外一位红衣主教说："不适用于现代的基督徒。
这些法规，在今天这个社会里已经行不通了。""是吗？不过似乎对天主事工会还有用呢！"
"阿林加洛沙主教，"秘书好像在做总结性陈词似的说道："教皇陛下出于对贵组织与前任教皇关系的尊重，将给天主事工会六个月的时间，主动与罗马教廷断绝关系。我建议你利用你与圣座之间的分歧，创立属于你自己的基督教组织。""我反对。"阿林加洛沙大声宣称："我要亲自质问教皇陛下。"
"只怕教皇陛下不想再见到你了。"
阿林加洛沙主教站了起来："谅他也不敢轻易罢免前任教皇赐封的主教职位吧。"
"对不起，"秘书的眼皮没眨一下。"上帝之所予，为上帝之所取。"
阿林加洛沙主教跌跌撞撞地走了出来，内心一阵恐惧与茫然。他回到纽约，万念俱灰，整天望着天空发呆。一想到基督教的未来，他的内心就充满了悲哀。
他是在几个星期之后，才接到那个改变了一切的电话的。打电话的人说话听起来很像是法国人，并自称是教主--这是高级教士之职中极为普通的头衔，他说他知道罗马教廷不打算再给予天主事工会任何的支持。
他怎么知道的？阿林加洛沙主教大惑不解。他原本希望只有一小撮罗马教廷的政治掮客知道天主事工会即将与罗马教廷断绝关系的消息，显然是有人走漏风声了。说到遏制流言蜚语，那么除了梵蒂冈城四周的围墙，世上还没有哪个地方的高墙能具有如此强的渗透力。
"我在各处都有耳目。"教主低声地说："通过这些耳目我总能得到某些信息。如果你愿意帮忙，我就能找到藏有神圣遗迹的地方，它将给你带来巨大的影响，你将获得足够的力量，使罗马教廷对你俯首称臣；你也将获得足够的力量，来拯救我们的信仰。"他略微停了停："这不仅对天主事工会有利，也是为我们大家着想。"
为上帝之所取……上帝之所予。阿林加洛沙主教仿佛看到了希望的曙光。"那你给我说说，你有什么打算。"圣玛丽医院的门"吱呀"一声打开了，此时，阿林加洛沙主教已经失去了知觉。塞拉斯筋疲力尽，一下子扑倒在进门的通道上。他双膝跪地，大声地呼救。接待室里的所有人，看到这位半裸着身子的白化病患者怀抱着一位满身是血的牧师，都吓得目瞪口呆。
那名来帮塞拉斯将昏迷不醒的主教抬上轮床的大夫，在给阿林加洛沙把脉时，脸上的神情很是令人沮丧。"他失血过多，我看没有多少生还的希望。"
阿林加洛沙主教的眼睛忽然闪动了一下，他又清醒了片刻，眼睛直勾勾的看着塞拉斯："孩子--"
懊悔与愤怒，如闪电般将塞拉斯淹没。"神父，我就是花上一辈子的时间，也要找到那个欺骗我们的人，亲手宰了他。"
阿林加洛沙主教摇了摇头，神情很是悲伤，这时医院的人过来准备把他推走。"塞拉斯……如果你没从我这里学到什么，那请你--请你看看这个吧。"他抓住塞拉斯的手，用力掐了一下："记住，宽恕是上帝此给我们的最好礼物。"
"可是神父--"
阿林加洛沙主教闭上眼睛，说："塞拉斯，你应该做祷告了。"
-
Chapter 99 Sir Leigh Teabing felt rueful as he gazed out over the barrel of his Medusa revolver at RobertLangdon and Sophie Neveu. "My friends," he said, "since the moment you walked into my homelast night, I have done everything in my power to keep you out of harm's way. But your persistencehas now put me in a difficult position."He could see the expressions of shock and betrayal on Sophie's and Langdon's faces, and yet hewas confident that soon they would both understand the chain of events that had guided the three ofthem to this unlikely crossroads.
There is so much I have to tell you both... so much you do not yet understand.
"Please believe," Teabing said, "I never had any intention of your being involved. You came to myhome. You came searching for me.""Leigh?" Langdon finally managed. "What the hell are you doing? We thought you were in trouble.
We came here to help you!""As I trusted you would," he said. "We have much to discuss."Langdon and Sophie seemed unable to tear their stunned gazes from the revolver aimed at them.
"It is simply to ensure your full attention," Teabing said. "If I had wanted to harm you, you wouldbe dead by now. When you walked into my home last night, I risked everything to spare your lives.
I am a man of honor, and I vowed in my deepest conscience only to sacrifice those who hadbetrayed the Sangreal.""What are you talking about?" Langdon said. "Betrayed the Sangreal?""I discovered a terrible truth," Teabing said, sighing. "I learned why the Sangreal documents werenever revealed to the world. I learned that the Priory had decided not to release the truth after all.
That's why the millennium passed without any revelation, why nothing happened as we entered theEnd of Days."Langdon drew a breath, about to protest.
"The Priory," Teabing continued, "was given a sacred charge to share the truth. To release theSangreal documents when the End of Days arrived. For centuries, men like Da Vinci, Botticelli,and Newton risked everything to protect the documents and carry out that charge. And now, at theultimate moment of truth, Jacques Saunière changed his mind. The man honored with the greatestresponsibility in Christian history eschewed his duty. He decided the time was not right." Teabingturned to Sophie. "He failed the Grail. He failed the Priory. And he failed the memory of all thegenerations that had worked to make that moment possible.""You?" Sophie declared, glancing up now, her green eyes boring into him with rage andrealization. "You are the one responsible for my grandfather's murder?"Teabing scoffed. "Your grandfather and his sénéchaux were traitors to the Grail."Sophie felt a fury rising from deep within. He's lying!
Teabing's voice was relentless. "Your grandfather sold out to the Church. It is obvious theypressured him to keep the truth quiet."Sophie shook her head. "The Church had no influence on my grandfather!"Teabing laughed coldly. "My dear, the Church has two thousand years of experience pressuringthose who threaten to unveil its lies. Since the days of Constantine, the Church has successfullyhidden the truth about Mary Magdalene and Jesus. We should not be surprised that now, onceagain, they have found a way to keep the world in the dark. The Church may no longer employcrusaders to slaughter non-believers, but their influence is no less persuasive. No less insidious."He paused, as if to punctuate his next point. "Miss Neveu, for some time now your grandfather haswanted to tell you the truth about your family."Sophie was stunned. "How could you know that?""My methods are immaterial. The important thing for you to grasp right now is this." He took adeep breath. "The deaths of your mother, father, grandmother, and brother were not accidental."The words sent Sophie's emotions reeling. She opened her mouth to speak but was unable.
Langdon shook his head. "What are you saying?""Robert, it explains everything. All the pieces fit. History repeats itself. The Church has aprecedent of murder when it comes to silencing the Sangreal. With the End of Days imminent,killing the Grand Master's loved ones sent a very clear message. Be quiet, or you and Sophie arenext.""It was a car accident," Sophie stammered, feeling the childhood pain welling inside her. "Anaccident!""Bedtime stories to protect your innocence," Teabing said. "Consider that only two familymembers went untouched—the Priory's Grand Master and his lone granddaughter—the perfect pairto provide the Church with control over the brotherhood. I can only imagine the terror the Churchwielded over your grandfather these past years, threatening to kill you if he dared release theSangreal secret, threatening to finish the job they started unless Saunière influenced the Priory toreconsider its ancient vow.""Leigh," Langdon argued, now visibly riled, "certainly you have no proof that the Church hadanything to do with those deaths, or that it influenced the Priory's decision to remain silent.""Proof?" Teabing fired back. "You want proof the Priory was influenced? The new millennium hasarrived, and yet the world remains ignorant! Is that not proof enough?"In the echoes of Teabing's words, Sophie heard another voice speaking. Sophie, I must tell you thetruth about your family. She realized she was trembling. Could this possibly be that truth hergrandfather had wanted to tell her? That her family had been murdered? What did she truly knowabout the crash that took her family? Only sketchy details. Even the stories in the newspaper hadbeen vague. An accident? Bedtime stories? Sophie flashed suddenly on her grandfather'soverprotectiveness, how he never liked to leave her alone when she was young. Even when Sophiewas grown and away at university, she had the sense her grandfather was watching over. Shewondered if there had been Priory members in the shadows throughout her entire life, looking afterher.
"You suspected he was being manipulated," Langdon said, glaring with disbelief at Teabing. "Soyou murdered him?""I did not pull the trigger," Teabing said. "Saunière was dead years ago, when the Church stole hisfamily from him. He was compromised. Now he is free of that pain, released from the shamecaused by his inability to carry out his sacred duty. Consider the alternative. Something had to bedone. Shall the world be ignorant forever? Shall the Church be allowed to cement its lies into ourhistory books for all eternity? Shall the Church be permitted to influence indefinitely with murderand extortion? No, something needed to be done! And now we are poised to carry out Saunière'slegacy and right a terrible wrong." He paused. "The three of us. Together."Sophie felt only incredulity. "How could you possibly believe that we would help you?""Because, my dear, you are the reason the Priory failed to release the documents. Yourgrandfather's love for you prevented him from challenging the Church. His fear of reprisal againsthis only remaining family crippled him. He never had a chance to explain the truth because yourejected him, tying his hands, making him wait. Now you owe the world the truth. You owe it tothe memory of your grandfather."Robert Langdon had given up trying to get his bearings. Despite the torrent of questions runningthrough his mind, he knew only one thing mattered now—getting Sophie out of here alive. All theguilt Langdon had mistakenly felt earlier for involving Teabing had now been transferred toSophie.
I took her to Chateau Villette. I am responsible.
Langdon could not fathom that Leigh Teabing would be capable of killing them in cold blood herein the Chapter House, and yet Teabing certainly had been involved in killing others during hismisguided quest. Langdon had the uneasy feeling that gunshots in this secluded, thick-walledchamber would go unheard, especially in this rain. And Leigh just admitted his guilt to us.
Langdon glanced at Sophie, who looked shaken. The Church murdered Sophie's family to silencethe Priory? Langdon felt certain the modern Church did not murder people. There had to be someother explanation.
"Let Sophie leave," Langdon declared, staring at Leigh. "You and I should discuss this alone."Teabing gave an unnatural laugh. "I'm afraid that is one show of faith I cannot afford. I can,however, offer you this." He propped himself fully on his crutches, gracelessly keeping the gunaimed at Sophie, and removed the keystone from his pocket. He swayed a bit as he held it out forLangdon. "A token of trust, Robert."Robert felt wary and didn't move. Leigh is giving the keystone back to us?
"Take it," Teabing said, thrusting it awkwardly toward Langdon.
Langdon could imagine only one reason Teabing would give it back. "You opened it already. Youremoved the map."Teabing was shaking his head. "Robert, if I had solved the keystone, I would have disappeared tofind the Grail myself and kept you uninvolved. No, I do not know the answer. And I can admit thatfreely. A true knight learns humility in the face of the Grail. He learns to obey the signs placedbefore him. When I saw you enter the abbey, I understood. You were here for a reason. To help. Iam not looking for singular glory here. I serve a far greater master than my own pride. The Truth.
Mankind deserves to know that truth. The Grail found us all, and now she is begging to berevealed. We must work together."Despite Teabing's pleas for cooperation and trust, his gun remained trained on Sophie as Langdonstepped forward and accepted the cold marble cylinder. The vinegar inside gurgled as Langdongrasped it and stepped backward. The dials were still in random order, and the cryptex remainedlocked.
Langdon eyed Teabing. "How do you know I won't smash it right now?"Teabing's laugh was an eerie chortle. "I should have realized your threat to break it in the TempleChurch was an empty one. Robert Langdon would never break the keystone. You are an historian,Robert. You are holding the key to two thousand years of history—the lost key to the Sangreal.
You can feel the souls of all the knights burned at the stake to protect her secret. Would you havethem die in vain? No, you will vindicate them. You will join the ranks of the great men youadmire—Da Vinci, Botticelli, Newton—each of whom would have been honored to be in yourshoes right now. The contents of the keystone are crying out to us. Longing to be set free. The timehas come. Destiny has led us to this moment.""I cannot help you, Leigh. I have no idea how to open this. I only saw Newton's tomb for amoment. And even if I knew the password..." Langdon paused, realizing he had said too much.
"You would not tell me?" Teabing sighed. "I am disappointed and surprised, Robert, that you donot appreciate the extent to which you are in my debt. My task would have been far simpler hadRémy and I eliminated you both when you walked into Chateau Villette. Instead I riskedeverything to take the nobler course.""This is noble?" Langdon demanded, eyeing the gun.
"Saunière's fault," Teabing said. "He and his sénéchaux lied to Silas. Otherwise, I would haveobtained the keystone without complication. How was I to imagine the Grand Master would go tosuch ends to deceive me and bequeath the keystone to an estranged granddaughter?" Teabinglooked at Sophie with disdain. "Someone so unqualified to hold this knowledge that she required asymbologist baby-sitter." Teabing glanced back at Langdon. "Fortunately, Robert, yourinvolvement turned out to be my saving grace. Rather than the keystone remaining locked in thedepository bank forever, you extracted it and walked into my home."Where else would I run? Langdon thought. The community of Grail historians is small, andTeabing and I have a history together.
Teabing now looked smug. "When I learned Saunière left you a dying message, I had a pretty goodidea you were holding valuable Priory information. Whether it was the keystone itself, orinformation on where to find it, I was not sure. But with the police on your heels, I had a sneakingsuspicion you might arrive on my doorstep."Langdon glared. "And if we had not?""I was formulating a plan to extend you a helping hand. One way or another, the keystone wascoming to Chateau Villette. The fact that you delivered it into my waiting hands only serves asproof that my cause is just.""What!" Langdon was appalled.
"Silas was supposed to break in and steal the keystone from you in Chateau Villette—thusremoving you from the equation without hurting you, and exonerating me from any suspicion ofcomplicity. However, when I saw the intricacy of Saunière's codes, I decided to include you both inmy quest a bit longer. I could have Silas steal the keystone later, once I knew enough to carry onalone.""The Temple Church," Sophie said, her tone awash with betrayal.
Light begins to dawn, Teabing thought. The Temple Church was the perfect location to steal thekeystone from Robert and Sophie, and its apparent relevance to the poem made it a plausibledecoy. Rémy's orders had been clear—stay out of sight while Silas recovers the keystone.
Unfortunately, Langdon's threat to smash the keystone on the chapel floor had caused Rémy topanic. If only Rémy had not revealed himself, Teabing thought ruefully, recalling his own mockkidnapping. Rémy was the sole link to me, and he showed his face!
Fortunately, Silas remained unaware of Teabing's true identity and was easily fooled into takinghim from the church and then watching naively as Rémy pretended to tie their hostage in the backof the limousine. With the soundproof divider raised, Teabing was able to phone Silas in the frontseat, use the fake French accent of the Teacher, and direct Silas to go straight to Opus Dei. Asimple anonymous tip to the police was all it would take to remove Silas from the picture.
One loose end tied up.
The other loose end was harder. Rémy.
Teabing struggled deeply with the decision, but in the end Rémy had proven himself a liability.
Every Grail quest requires sacrifice. The cleanest solution had been staring Teabing in the facefrom the limousine's wet bar—a flask, some cognac, and a can of peanuts. The powder at thebottom of the can would be more than enough to trigger Rémy's deadly allergy. When Rémyparked the limo on Horse Guards Parade, Teabing climbed out of the back, walked to the sidepassenger door, and sat in the front next to Rémy. Minutes later, Teabing got out of the car,climbed into the rear again, cleaned up the evidence, and finally emerged to carry out the finalphase of his mission.
Westminster Abbey had been a short walk, and although Teabing's leg braces, crutches, and gunhad set off the metal detector, the rent-a-cops never knew what to do. Do we ask him to remove hisbraces and crawl through? Do we frisk his deformed body? Teabing presented the flustered guardsa far easier solution—an embossed card identifying him as Knight of the Realm. The poor fellowspractically tripped over one another ushering him in.
Now, eyeing the bewildered Langdon and Neveu, Teabing resisted the urge to reveal how he hadbrilliantly implicated Opus Dei in the plot that would soon bring about the demise of the entireChurch. That would have to wait. Right now there was work to do.
"Mes amis," Teabing declared in flawless French, "vous ne trouvez pas le Saint-Graal, c'est leSaint-Graal qui vous trouve." He smiled. "Our paths together could not be more clear. The Grailhas found us."Silence.
He spoke to them in a whisper now. "Listen. Can you hear it? The Grail is speaking to us across thecenturies. She is begging to be saved from the Priory's folly. I implore you both to recognize thisopportunity. There could not possibly be three more capable people assembled at this moment tobreak the final code and open the cryptex." Teabing paused, his eyes alight. "We need to swear anoath together. A pledge of faith to one another. A knight's allegiance to uncover the truth and makeit known."Sophie stared deep into Teabing's eyes and spoke in a steely tone. "I will never swear an oath withmy grandfather's murderer. Except an oath that I will see you go to prison."Teabing's heart turned grave, then resolute. "I am sorry you feel that way, mademoiselle." Heturned and aimed the gun at Langdon. "And you, Robert? Are you with me, or against me?"
雷。提彬爵士从他的"美杜莎"左轮手熗熗口望过去，盯着罗伯特。兰登与索菲。奈芙，觉得有些懊悔。"朋友们。"他开口说："自从昨晚你们闯进我家，我已经尽了最大的努力使你们免于受到伤害。然而现在，你们的执着已让我陷入了困境。"他看到索菲与兰登脸上露出震惊与被人出卖的无辜表情，然而他还是相信他俩很快就会明白，就是这一连串的事件，将他们三人带到了这些看似不太可能的十字路口上。
我有很多的东西要跟你们两个人说……你们不明白的事情也有很多。
"请相信我。"提彬继续说："我从没想过要把你们牵扯进来。你们跑到我家，就是来找我的吧。""是吗，雷爵士？"终于，兰登勉强接过话茬："你到底要干什么？我们还以为你目前的处境很危险呢。我们是来帮你的啊。""我相信你们会来帮我。"提彬说："有很多事情我们还需要一起讨论呢。"
兰登与索菲惊惶失措地紧盯着那把对准他们的左轮手熗，一时似乎无法将视线从它身上移开。
"我只想引起你们充分的注意。"提彬说："如果我想伤害你们，那现在你们的小命早玩完了。昨晚你们闯到我家，我拼了老命把你们救出来。我是讲信义的人，我凭良心起誓，我只会让那些出卖圣杯的人沦为牺牲品。""你在胡说什么啊？"兰登说："谁出卖圣杯了？"
"我发现了一个可怕的事实。"提彬叹了口气："我知道为什么《圣杯文献》从没公开于世人。我也知道为什么郇山隐修会决定，无论如何也决不泄露真相。所以千禧年才能平静地过去，人们没看到任何神示，"世界末日"来临时却什么事也没有发生。"兰登深吸了一口气，想要争辩几句。
"郇山隐修会。"提彬继续说下去。"接受了要将真相与世人分享的神圣任务，即在"世界末日"来临之际将《圣杯文献》公之于众。几百年来，像达。芬奇、波提切利，以及牛顿这样的人，不顾一切地保护这些文献，并执行那项神圣的任务。然而在真相即将大白的紧要关头，雅克。索尼埃却改变了主意。这位担负了基督教历史上最重大使命的人，最终逃避了自己的责任。他认定将真相公布的时间不很合理。"提彬转向索菲说："他辜负了圣杯，辜负了郇山隐修会，也辜负子曾经努力使这个时刻早日来临的无数代人。""你？"索菲大声叫道，她终于抬头瞥了他一眼，她绿色的眼睛愤怒地逼视着他，她显然意识到什么了。"是你害死了我祖父？！"
提彬冷笑道："你祖父和他的护卫长是圣杯的背叛者。"
索菲顿时觉得怒从心起。他在撒谎！
提彬的语调很是无情："你祖父投靠了天主教会，很明显是他们逼他不要泄漏真相的。"
提彬冷冷地笑了："亲爱的，教会镇压那些企图威胁揭穿谎言的人，有着两千多年的历史经验。自康斯坦丁时代以来，教会成功隐瞒了抹大拉的玛丽亚与耶稣基督的有关事实。
如果他们现在再次耍花招欺骗世人，那也用不着大惊小怪。教会也许不会再次雇佣十字军去屠杀异教徒，但它们的影响却丝毫未减，而且采用的手段也同样的阴险。"他顿了顿，仿佛是要强调接下来的观点："奈芙小姐，你祖父想把你家庭的情况告诉你，这已经有-段时间了吧。"索菲大吃一惊："你怎么知道？"
"我怎么知道的并不重要。眼下对你来说重要的是知道这个。"他深吸了一口气："你父母、你奶奶以及你的兄弟都不是死于意外的车祸。"索菲乍听此言，百感交集。她张嘴想说，却开不了口。
兰登摇了摇头："你在胡说什么呀？！"
"罗伯特，它可以解释一切。所有的细枝末节都能够说明这一点。历史往往会重复上演。教会每次在要别人对《圣杯文献》保持沉默前，都要暗杀一些人。随着"世界末日"的临近，害死大师的亲人等于向他传达了一个明确的信息，嘴巴闭紧一点，否则，接下来遭殃的就是你和你的孙女了。""可他们死于车祸。"索菲结结巴巴地说，她觉得童年时代遭受的那种痛苦又在心里蔓延开来了。"是一次意外。"
"你这是在编造晚间的催眠故事骗你自己呢！你想，一家子就剩下两个人--郇山隐修会的大师和他唯一的孙女--这一对能让教会得以控制同业公会的完美组合安然无恙。我只能想象在过去的这些年里天主教会对你祖父造成了多大的恐惧。他们威胁说，如果他胆敢将圣杯秘密透露出去，就杀死他；他们还威胁说，除非他使郇山隐修会重新考虑他们先前的誓约，否则将即刻来个了断。""雷爵士。"兰登终于明显被激怒了："你肯定没有证据，证明教会跟这些人的死有关，你也没证据证明，是它让郇山隐修会决定保持沉默。""证据？"提彬激动地反驳道："你想要郇山隐修会受到外来影响的证据？新的千禧年已经来临，而世人却依然懵懂无知！这样的证据难道还不够吗？"
索菲在提彬说话的余音里，听到了另外一个声音。索菲，我必须把你家里的情况告诉你。她意识到自己全身在发抖。这会不会就是祖父一直想告诉她的真相？会不会对她说她的家人是遭人暗算？对于那次夺走她亲人生命的车祸，她又真正了解多少呢？只是一些支离破碎的细节而已。甚至报纸上的报导也已经变得模糊起来。是车祸？抑或是晚间的催眠故事？索菲头脑里闪电一般，突然，她想起祖父一直对她严加保护。在她还小的时候，祖父从不轻易丢下她一个人。甚至在她长大成人，离家上大学期间，她也觉得祖父时时在关注着她。她不知道，在她整个的一生当中，是不是都有郇山隐修会的成员在暗中照顾着她。
"你怀疑他被人操纵了。"兰登满腹狐疑，朝提彬瞪大了眼睛："所以你就把他杀了？"
"不是我开的熗。多年以前，当天主教会夺走他的亲人时，索尼埃其实就已经死了。他终于屈服了。现在，他总算摆脱了无法完成神圣使命的耻辱给他带来的痛苦。你想，他必须在二者之间作出选择。他总得做些什么吧。难道世人愿意永远被蒙蔽下去吗？难道世人会允许教会将他们的谎言永远载人历史教科书里去吗？难道世人会允许天主教会以谋杀及巧取豪夺的手段对外施加影响吗？不，我们必须采取一些应变措施。现在，我们正准备继承索尼埃先生的遗志，将犯下的可怕错误纠正过来。"他停了片刻，又说："而这就得看我们三人是否齐心协力了。"索菲除了怀疑还是怀疑："你怎么知道我们会帮你？"
"亲爱的，因为你的缘故，郇山隐修会才没能将《圣杯文献》公之于众。你祖父对你的关爱，使他没有勇气去挑战天主教会，因为他担心教会会对他唯一的亲人进行报复，这种恐惧挫败了他。然而他从未找到机会跟你解释，因为你排斥他，从而束缚了他的手脚，让他只有耐心地等了。现在，你必须向世界澄清一个事实，以告慰你祖父的在天之灵。"罗伯特。兰登已经放弃了准备承受重担的努力。尽管在他的脑海里闪过无数的疑问，然而他知道，眼下只有一件事情对他是重要的了--那就是让索菲从这里活着出去。他所有的内疚，所有原先误以为是他连累了提彬而引发的内疚，现在统统转移到索菲的头上去了。
是我带她去维莱特庄园，我必须承担起这个责任。
兰登揣摩不透，不知道雷。提彬究竟有没有能力，将他们残忍地杀死在牧师会礼堂里。
不过，在被人误导的探索过程中，他肯定参与过杀人。一想到这间偏僻的、四周都是厚厚高墙的屋子里，即使熗声响起外面也听不到时--更糟糕的是外面还下着雨，兰登就不安起来。何况提彬的罪行他刚才向我们坦白过了。
兰登瞥了索菲一眼，她全身似乎还在发抖。难道教会杀害索菲的家人，就是为了堵上郇山隐修会的嘴吗？兰登确信现代的天主教会是不会杀人的，因此其中必定有其他的缘由。
"放索菲走。"兰登怒视着提彬，大声喝道："你我两人得就这个问题私下里谈谈。"
提彬极不自然地笑起来："这恐怕涉及到信誉问题了，这样的风险我赔不起，不过我可以把这个给你。"他将整个身子都靠在拐杖上，却仍然毫无绅士风度地拿熗对准了索菲。他从口袋里掏出拱心石，晃了晃，这才把它递给了兰登。"罗伯特，这是我信得过你的表现。"
罗伯特。兰登满怀戒心，没有伸手去接。雷。提彬打算把拱心石还给我们？
"你快拿着。"提彬说着，笨拙的把拱心石硬塞过来。
兰登只想到一个提彬愿意将拱心石还给他们的原因。"你已经把它打开过了。你把地图拿走了是吧？"
提彬摇摇头说："如果我解开了拱心石的谜，我也许早就不在这里，而是独自去寻找圣杯，不需要让你们插手了。真正的骑士在圣杯面前学会了谦卑。他学会了该如何根据出现在他面前的征兆行事。当我看到你们走进教堂，我便明白了，你们是来帮我的忙的。我并不是为了维护我的尊严，而是为真相这位更伟大的主人服务的。人类有权知道历史的真相。是圣杯找到了我们，现在它在请求我们将它向世人公开，因此我们应该携起手来。"虽然提彬一再要求合作、彼此信任，然而当兰登走上前去接过冷冰冰的拱心石时，他始终把熗对准了索菲。兰登猛地抓过拱心石，往后退去，这时瓶里的醋发出"咕咚咕咚"的响声。刻度盘依然杂乱无章，然而密码盒原封不动。
兰登看了看提彬，说："你怎么知道我现在不会把它砸碎？"
提彬发出一阵得意的怪笑："你威胁说要砸毁拱心石，还在圣殿教堂时我就已经意识到你不过是在虚张声势罢了。罗伯特。兰登怎么会砸毁拱心石呢？你是位历史学家，你手中掌握了开启两千年历史的钥匙--是一把借以找到圣杯的失而复得的钥匙。从中你能感受到为严守它的秘密而被活活烧死在火刑柱上的所有骑士的灵魂。你会让他们死得毫无价值吗？不，你不会的。相反，你会维护他们。你会加入你所崇拜的伟人，如达。芬奇、波提切利、牛顿他们的行列。他们当中的每一个人，都会对你眼下的处境感到光荣。拱心石在大声召唤着我们，它渴望得到自由。这时刻现在已经来到了。是命运，给了我们这样千载难逢的机会。""雷爵士，我不能帮你，我不知道怎么把它打开。牛顿爵士的坟墓我也只看了一会儿。
再说，就算我知道密码--"兰登停了下来，意识到自己说得太多了。
"你也不会告诉我是不是？"提彬叹了口气："罗伯特，我很失望，也很奇怪，你竟然毫不买我的账呢。要是在你们闯入维莱特庄园之前，我和雷米把你们结果了，那我现在的任务就简单多了。可我当时却不顾一切，选择了一条正道，更为光明磊落。""你这也叫光明磊落？"兰登盯着熗质问道。
"这都是索尼埃的错。"提彬继续说道："他和他的护卫长向塞拉斯撒了谎。要不然我也许会毫不费事地将拱心石弄到手。我怎么会想到这位大师竟然欺骗我，把拱心石留给他素来不合的孙女儿？"他轻蔑的看了索菲一眼："罗伯特，幸好有你参与进来，多少给了我一些补偿。你没让拱心石永远被锁在银行的保险柜里，而是将它取出，并跑到我家来。"兰登心想，我还能去哪里呢？对圣杯史有所了解的历史学家少而又少，唯有提彬和我都知道它的历史。
提彬看上去有点得意："当我得知索尼埃临死之前给你留下话时，我就清楚，你手中一定掌握了很有价值的郇山隐修会的资料。至于是不是与拱心石有关，或者与到哪里去寻找拱心石有关，我就不敢肯定了。不过，当我看到警察在后面追踪你们，我就在心里怀疑你们可能会来我家了。"兰登怒目而视："要是我们没去你家呢？"
"我当时就在想方设法向你们伸出援手，不管怎样，拱心石最后还是来到了维莱特庄园。你们把它送到我期待已久的手中，这只能证明我当初的方向是正确的。""你说什么！"兰登大惊失色。
"塞拉斯按照预先定好的计划，突然闯进维莱特庄园，从你们手中夺走了拱心石，因此一方面使你们免于受到伤害，另一方面也给我开脱了罪责，也使你们不至于怀疑我在跟塞拉斯串通一气。不过，当我看到索尼埃设置的密码有多复杂时，我决定再利用你们一会。
一旦我知道可以单独干下去时，稍后我也许就会派塞拉斯来盗走拱心石。""所以你选择在圣殿教堂下手。"索菲愤愤地说，语气里充满了被人出卖的懊恼。
曙光就要来临了，提彬心想。圣殿教堂无疑是他从罗伯特。兰登和索菲。奈芙手中夺取拱心石的最佳地点，而教堂与那首诗的明显联系又使它成为一个似是而非的陷阱。他对雷米交代得很清楚--那就是在塞拉斯夺回拱心石时躲起来。然而不幸的是，当兰登威胁着要把拱心石砸烂时，雷米吓坏了。要是雷米没有露脸，那该多好啊！提彬回想起自导自演的那场绑架游戏，不由懊悔地想。雷米是我对外的唯一联系人，可他竟然暴露了自己的身份！
幸运的是，塞拉斯还不知道提彬的真实身份，因而轻而易举地受了骗，并将他带离教堂，然后又傻乎乎地在一边看着雷米假装将人质绑在轿车的后面。隔音的屏障在他们中间一竖起来，他就可以给坐在汽车前排的塞拉斯打电话了，他模仿教主的法国口音，命令塞拉斯径直去天主事工会。然后，他只需要向警方挂个匿名电话，就可以让塞拉斯永远的从他的视线里消失。
这样，松开的一端线被绑紧了。
但更难对付的是松开的另一端线，那就是雷米。
提彬内心激烈地挣扎着，想尽快做出决定，但雷米最终证明自己是个沉重的包袱。在找寻圣杯的过程中，每次总得有人做出牺牲。早在提彬看到车中酒吧柜里的酒瓶、法国白兰地酒以及一听花生罐头时，他就想好了最妥帖的解决方法。罐子底下的药粉会更有效地触动雷米过于敏感的神经，并给他致命的一击。雷米把车停在骑兵校阅场时，提彬从后面爬了出来，走到供乘客出入的车门，然后坐到前排靠近雷米的座位。几分钟后，提彬从车里钻出来，又重新爬到车子后面。他清除掉所有可疑的痕迹，然后着手完成最后的计划。
威斯敏斯特教堂并不远。尽管提彬绑在腿上的支架、拐杖和手熗引起了金属检测器的反应，然而那些酒囊饭袋一碰到事情就不知该如何处理。我们要不要让他解下支架爬进去？要不要搜查他有残疾的身体呢？倒是提彬教给这些狼狈不堪的保卫人员一个更简便的解决方法--他拿出一张表明自己是王国骑士的印有浮凸印章的身份卡，这些可怜的家伙差点没被吓得晕倒，便手忙脚乱地将他放了进去。
此刻，提彬看着茫然不知所措的兰登和索菲，拼命抑制住内心的冲动，他本想告诉他们，他是如何巧妙地把天主事工会卷入到即将给天主教会带来灭顶之灾的阴谋中来。但他们还得等待一段时间。现在，他们还有其他事情要先去做。
"朋友们。"提彬用极纯正的法语大声说："不是你们去找圣杯，而是圣杯自动找你们来了。"他微笑了一下："现在我们只有通力合作，这是再清楚没有的了。圣杯已经找上我们的门来了。"没有人搭他的话，只有沉默。
他转而低声地说："听着，你们听到我说话吗？圣杯穿越了数个世纪，正在跟我们说话哩。它要求摆脱郇山隐修会的愚弄。我恳求你们抓住这个机会。现在，是不可能找得到三个比我们更能干的人聚在一起，破译最后的密码，来打开这个密码盒了。"他停下来，双目低垂。"我们得一起发誓。彼此之间信守诺言。我将以骑士的拳拳之心，努力揭开历史的真相，告知于世人。"索菲深深地望了提彬一眼，斩钉截铁地说："我决不会和杀害我祖父的凶手一起宣誓。
我只希望他日能在监狱里看到你。"提彬神情顿时变得凝重，然后又果断起来："女士，我对你的想法深感抱歉。"他转过身，拿熗对准了兰登："罗伯特，你怎么样？你到底是跟我呢，还是不跟我？
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Chapter 98 Langdon and Sophie moved slowly down the north aisle, keeping to the shadows behind the amplepillars that separated it from the open nave. Despite having traveled more than halfway down thenave, they still had no clear view of Newton's tomb. The sarcophagus was recessed in a niche,obscured from this oblique angle.
"At least there's nobody over there," Sophie whispered.
Langdon nodded, relieved. The entire section of the nave near Newton's tomb was deserted. "I'll goover," he whispered. "You should stay hidden just in case someone—"Sophie had already stepped from the shadows and was headed across the open floor.
"—is watching," Langdon sighed, hurrying to join her.
Crossing the massive nave on a diagonal, Langdon and Sophie remained silent as the elaboratesepulchre revealed itself in tantalizing increments... a black-marble sarcophagus... a reclining statueof Newton... two winged boys... a huge pyramid... and... an enormous orb.
"Did you know about that?" Sophie said, sounding startled.
Langdon shook his head, also surprised.
"Those look like constellations carved on it," Sophie said.
As they approached the niche, Langdon felt a slow sinking sensation. Newton's tomb was coveredwith orbs—stars, comets, planets. You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb? It could turn out tobe like trying to find a missing blade of grass on a golf course.
"Astronomical bodies," Sophie said, looking concerned. "And a lot of them."Langdon frowned. The only link between the planets and the Grail that Langdon could imaginewas the pentacle of Venus, and he had already tried the password "Venus" en route to the TempleChurch.
Sophie moved directly to the sarcophagus, but Langdon hung back a few feet, keeping an eye onthe abbey around them.
"Divinity," Sophie said, tilting her head and reading the titles of the books on which Newton wasleaning. "Chronology. Opticks. Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica?" She turned tohim. "Ring any bells?"Langdon stepped closer, considering it. "Principia Mathematica, as I remember, has something todo with the gravitation pull of planets... which admittedly are orbs, but it seems a little far-fetched.""How about the signs of the zodiac?" Sophie asked, pointing to the constellations on the orb. "Youwere talking about Pisces and Aquarius earlier, weren't you?"The End of Days, Langdon thought. "The end of Pisces and the beginning of Aquarius wasallegedly the historical marker at which the Priory planned to release the Sangreal documents to theworld." But the millennium came and went without incident, leaving historians uncertain when thetruth was coming.
"It seems possible," Sophie said, "that the Priory's plans to reveal the truth might be related to thelast line of the poem."It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb. Langdon felt a shiver of potential. He had not consideredthe line that way before.
"You told me earlier," she said, "that the timing of the Priory's plans to unveil the truth about 'theRose' and her fertile womb was linked directly to the position of planets—orbs."Langdon nodded, feeling the first faint wisps of possibility materializing. Even so, his intuition toldhim astronomy was not the key. The Grand Master's previous solutions had all possessed aneloquent, symbolic significance—the Mona Lisa, Madonna of the Rocks, SOFIA. This eloquencewas definitely lacking in the concept of planetary orbs and the zodiac. Thus far, Jacques Saunièrehad proven himself a meticulous code writer, and Langdon had to believe that his finalpassword—those five letters that unlocked the Priory's ultimate secret—would prove to be not onlysymbolically fitting but also crystal clear. If this solution were anything like the others, it would bepainfully obvious once it dawned.
"Look!" Sophie gasped, jarring his thoughts as she grabbed his arm. From the fear in her touchLangdon sensed someone must be approaching, but when he turned to her, she was staring aghastat the top of the black marble sarcophagus. "Someone was here," she whispered, pointing to a spoton the sarcophagus near Newton's outstretched right foot.
Langdon did not understand her concern. A careless tourist had left a charcoal, grave-rubbingpencil on the sarcophagus lid near Newton's foot. It's nothing. Langdon reached out to pick it up,but as he leaned toward the sarcophagus, the light shifted on the polished black-marble slab, andLangdon froze. Suddenly, he saw why Sophie was afraid.
Scrawled on the sarcophagus lid, at Newton's feet, shimmered a barely visible charcoal-pencilmessage:
I have Teabing.
Go through Chapter House,out south exit, to public garden.
Langdon read the words twice, his heart pounding wildly.
Sophie turned and scanned the nave.
Despite the pall of trepidation that settled over him upon seeing the words, Langdon told himselfthis was good news. Leigh is still alive. There was another implication here too. "They don't knowthe password either," he whispered.
Sophie nodded. Otherwise why make their presence known?
"They may want to trade Leigh for the password.""Or it's a trap."Langdon shook his head. "I don't think so. The garden is outside the abbey walls. A very publicplace." Langdon had once visited the abbey's famous College Garden—a small fruit orchard andherb garden—left over from the days when monks grew natural pharmacological remedies here.
Boasting the oldest living fruit trees in Great Britain, College Garden was a popular spot fortourists to visit without having to enter the abbey. "I think sending us outside is a show of faith. Sowe feel safe."Sophie looked dubious. "You mean outside, where there are no metal detectors?"Langdon scowled. She had a point.
Gazing back at the orb-filled tomb, Langdon wished he had some idea about the cryptexpassword... something with which to negotiate. I got Leigh involved in this, and I'll do whatever ittakes if there is a chance to help him.
"The note says to go through the Chapter House to the south exit," Sophie said. "Maybe from theexit we would have a view of the garden? That way we could assess the situation before we walkedout there and exposed ourselves to any danger?"The idea was a good one. Langdon vaguely recalled the Chapter House as a huge octagonal hallwhere the original British Parliament convened in the days before the modern Parliament buildingexisted. It had been years since he had been there, but he remembered it being out through thecloister somewhere. Taking several steps back from the tomb, Langdon peered around the choirscreen to his right, across the nave to the side opposite that which they had descended.
A gaping vaulted passageway stood nearby, with a large sign.
THIS WAY TO:
CLOISTERSDEANERYCOLLEGE HALLMUSEUMPYX CHAMBERST. FAITH'S CHAPELCHAPTER HOUSELangdon and Sophie were jogging as they passed beneath the sign, moving too quickly to noticethe small announcement apologizing that certain areas were closed for renovations.
They emerged immediately into a high-walled, open-roof courtyard through which morning rainwas falling. Above them, the wind howled across the opening with a low drone, like someoneblowing over the mouth of a bottle. Entering the narrow, low-hanging walkways that bordered thecourtyard perimeter, Langdon felt the familiar uneasiness he always felt in enclosed spaces. Thesewalkways were called cloisters, and Langdon noted with uneasiness that these particular cloisterslived up to their Latin ties to the word claustrophobic.
Focusing his mind straight ahead toward the end of the tunnel, Langdon followed the signs for theChapter House. The rain was spitting now, and the walkway was cold and damp with gusts of rainthat blew through the lone pillared wall that was the cloister's only source of light. Another couplescurried past them the other way, hurrying to get out of the worsening weather. The cloisterslooked deserted now, admittedly the abbey's least enticing section in the wind and rain.
Forty yards down the east cloister, an archway materialized on their left, giving way to anotherhallway. Although this was the entrance they were looking for, the opening was cordoned off by aswag and an official-looking sign.
CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONPYX CHAMBERST. FAITH'S CHAPELCHAPTER HOUSEThe long, deserted corridor beyond the swag was littered with scaffolding and drop cloths.
Immediately beyond the swag, Langdon could see the entrances to the Pyx Chamber and St. Faith'sChapel on the right and left. The entrance to the Chapter House, however, was much farther away,at the far end of the long hallway. Even from here, Langdon could see that its heavy wooden doorwas wide open, and the spacious octagonal interior was bathed in a grayish natural light from theroom's enormous windows that looked out on College Garden. Go through Chapter House, outsouth exit, to public garden.
"We just left the east cloister," Langdon said, "so the south exit to the garden must be through thereand to the right."Sophie was already stepping over the swag and moving forward.
As they hurried down the dark corridor, the sounds of the wind and rain from the open cloisterfaded behind them. The Chapter House was a kind of satellite structure—a freestanding annex atthe end of the long hallway to ensure the privacy of the Parliament proceedings housed there.
"It looks huge," Sophie whispered as they approached.
Langdon had forgotten just how large this room was. Even from outside the entrance, he couldgaze across the vast expanse of floor to the breathtaking windows on the far side of the octagon,which rose five stories to a vaulted ceiling. They would certainly have a clear view of the gardenfrom in here.
Crossing the threshold, both Langdon and Sophie found themselves having to squint. After thegloomy cloisters, the Chapter House felt like a solarium. They were a good ten feet into the room,searching the south wall, when they realized the door they had been promised was not there.
They were standing in an enormous dead end.
The creaking of a heavy door behind them made them turn, just as the door closed with aresounding thud and the latch fell into place.
The lone man who had been standing behind the door looked calm as he aimed a small revolver atthem. He was portly and was propped on a pair of aluminum crutches.
For a moment Langdon thought he must be dreaming.
It was Leigh Teabing.
兰登与索菲沿着北边的侧廊缓缓而行，他们的身体一直隐没在将侧廊与空旷的教堂正殿分开的诸多石柱后面的阴影里。虽然他们沿着正殿已经走了大半的距离，但还是没能看到牛顿坟墓的踪影。他的石棺隐藏在壁龛里，从这里斜眼看过去，显得模糊不清。
"至少那边应该没人吧。"索菲低声地说。
兰登点点头，轻松了许多。在教堂正殿靠近牛顿坟墓的那整块地方，现在是人影全无。"我先过去看看，"他小声对索菲说："你最好还是躲起来，万一有人--"
索菲已经从石柱的阴影里走了出来，从开阔的地面向对面走去。
"--在盯梢的话。"兰登叹了口气，急忙跟上了她。
他们沿教堂正殿的斜对面走去，当他们看到那造型精致的坟墓一下子冒出来时，彼此都保持着沉默。黑色大理石的石棺、牛顿爵士斜着身子的雕像、两个长有翅膀的孩童像、巨大的金字塔……还有一只庞大的圆球。
"你知道那东西是什么吗？"索菲关切地问。
兰登摇了摇头，也有点惊讶。
"它们像是刻在上面的星球。"索菲说。
他们朝壁龛走去，这时，兰登的心逐渐下沉。牛顿的坟墓上布满了各种各样的星球--有恒星、彗星、还有行星。"你们寻找的圆球，本应在这位骑士的墓里？"这看起来有点像是在大海里捞针呐。
"星球，都是星球，"索菲满脸关切地说："有很多呢。"
兰登皱起眉头。他能想起来的行星与圣杯的唯一联系，就是金星（Venus）的五角星形，况且他在去圣殿教堂的路上已经试过"Venus"这个词。
索菲径直向石棺走去，然而兰登却在几步之后的地方畏缩不前，他将身边的教堂巡视了一遍。
"《论神性》，"索菲歪着头，读着牛顿倚靠着的那些书的名字。"《论运动》、《光学》以及《自然哲学中的数学原理》？"她转向他说："你听出什么来了吗？"
兰登走上前，仔细斟酌着。"我记得数学原理跟行星之间的引力有点关系。老实说它们也是球体，但总让人觉得有点牵强。""那黄道十二宫呢？"索菲指着圆球上的星体说。"你刚才说的是双鱼和宝瓶星座吧？"
是世界末日，兰登心想。"双鱼座的尾和宝瓶座的头据说是郇山隐修会计划将《圣杯文献》公开给世人的历史性标志。"然而新的千年来了又去了，却平安无事，让历史学家们不能确定真相何时能够大白。
"这有可能，"索菲说："郇山隐修会计划将真相泄露出去也许跟诗的最后一句有关系。
""它道破了玫瑰般肌肤与受孕子宫的秘密。"兰登不禁打了个冷战。他以前还没有这样想过呢。
"你以前告诉过我，郇山隐修会计划将"圣洁的玫瑰"以及她怀孕的实施泄露出去的时间安排与行星位置直接有联系。"兰登点了点头，表示同意，开始觉得出现了些微的可能性。虽说是这样，但直觉告诉他，天文学并不是揭开真相的一把钥匙。这位大师以前设置的解决方案，都具有说服力且具有象征性的意义---如《蒙娜丽莎》、《岩间圣母》以及SOFIA 等。这种说服力在行星以及黄道十二宫的概念中显然是缺乏的。所以，到目前为止，雅克。索尼埃证明了他是一位细心的编码者，而兰登不得不相信他最后编制的密码--那个未能揭开郇山隐修会绝对隐私的由五个字母组成的词--到头来将不仅很具有象征意义，而且也非常简单明了。假如这种解决方法跟其他一样的话，那么一旦弄清楚，它也许会浅显到令人痛苦的地步。
"快看。"索菲气喘吁吁地说，她一把抓住兰登的胳膊。将他纷飞的思绪给打断了。从她惊恐的触摸里，兰登感到肯定有人向他们走来，然而当他转身面对她时，他发现她正吃惊地瞪大着眼睛，看着黑色大理石棺的顶部。"有人刚来过这里了。"她指着牛顿爵士张开的右脚附近的一个地方，轻声地说。
兰登并不知道她在关心什么。一位粗心的游客，将摹拓碑文的炭笔忘在牛顿脚下附近的石棺盖上了。那算什么。兰登伸出了手，将它捡起来，然而当他向石棺俯过身，一束光线照射在擦拭一新的黑色大理石的石棺上，他顿时呆住了。很快，他明白了索菲害怕的根由。
有人在石棺的棺盖上，牛顿塑像的底部，用炭笔潦草地写了几行几乎难以看清的字，散发着微弱的光。
提彬在我手上。
你们穿过牧师会礼堂，出了南门，再到花园里。
兰登读了两遍，他的心剧烈地跳了起来。
索菲掉转身，迅速地将正殿扫视了一遍。
兰登看到这几行字，虽然恐惧不已，但还是努力说服自己这是一个很不错的消息。
雷。提彬还活着呢；当然其中还有另外一层含义。"他们也不知道密码。"兰登低声地说。
索菲点了点头。要不然他们怎么会让别人知道他们的行踪呢？
"他们可能要拿雷。提彬来交换密码。"
"也许是个陷阱呢。"
兰登摇摇头。"我不这样认为。花园就在教堂外面，是个很公开的地方。"他曾来过该教堂有名的学院花园一次--那是个很小的果园，也是一个种植药草的花园--它是自修道士们种植天然药材之日起留下来的。学院花园号称拥有全英国至今仍然存活的最古老的果树，它是一个极受游客欢迎的地方，不需要跑到教堂里去，在外面就可以看到。"我想把我们叫到外面去是有信用的表现，所以我们用不着担心安全。"索菲却不相信："你是说到外面去对吧？那里可没有什么金属检测器呢。"
兰登满面愁容，因为索菲说到了点子上。
他回头凝视着刻满星球的坟墓，希望能从中找出破译密码盒密码的线索……并想出了一些讨价还价的对策。是我把雷。提彬牵连了进来，如果还有机会，我一定要想方设法救他出来。
"那留言要我们穿过牧师会礼堂再到教堂的南面出口，"索菲说："或许我们从出口处就可以看到花园呢？那样的话，在从那里出去并陷入到危险处境之前，我们也许可见机行事呢。"这倒是个不错的主意。兰登隐约记得，牧师会礼堂是一个偌大的八角形大厅，那里是现代英国议会大厦建成之前最初举行议会的地方。他已经很多年没去那里了，但他记得是从某个游廊穿过去的。他往后退了几步，沿着右边的内坛巡视了一圈，又将目光投向对面他们刚才上来的教堂正殿。
一座带有许多洞眼的拱顶门就在附近，可以看到一块很大的招牌。
从这里通往：各个游廊牧师住宅教士厅博物馆圣体存放室圣费斯教堂牧师会礼堂兰登与索菲是一路小跑从那招牌下经过的，他们跑得太快了，所以没看到告示上阐明有些地方正由于内部装修而暂时关闭的道歉性文字。
他们立刻来到四面都是高墙，没有屋顶的院子里。清晨的雨正下着，风从他们的头上掠过，发出阵阵"嗡嗡"的低鸣，仿佛有人用嘴在对着瓶口吹奏。他们进入那狭窄的、稍微有点倾斜的、紧挨着院子的过道里。兰登感到每次在密闭的空间里时那种熟悉的不安又在心底升腾。这些过道，又叫做游廊。兰登也不安地注意到这些别致的游廊（cloisters）与claustrophobic（幽闭恐怖症）这个拉丁词间的某种联系。
兰登一心朝隧道的尽头走去，他按照招牌上的提示，找寻着通往牧师会礼堂的方向。
春雨霏霏，走廊上又湿又冷。一阵阵雨，从走廊光线的唯一进口--那堵孤单的柱形墙外面灌了进来。这时，有两个人从对面匆匆地跑来，急于摆脱眼下难堪的处境。游廊上现在冷冷清清，诚然，在刮风下雨的日子里，这座教堂最不吸引人的地方，恐怕就是游廊了。
他们沿着东边游廊走上四十码，在他们的左边出现了一座拱门，拱门又通向另一条走廊。尽管这是他们正要寻找的人口，但进口处却被悬挂的饰物和公告牌封闭起来了。牌子上写着：以下几处内部改造，暂停开放：圣体存放室圣费斯教堂牧师会礼堂从那幅悬挂的饰物看过去，那条漫长而又冷清的走廊，乱七八糟堆满了脚手架和废弃的衣服。兰登透过悬挂的饰物的间隙，很快看到了分别通往圣体存放室和圣费斯教堂的一左一右的两个入口。不过，牧师会礼堂的入口离这里要远得多，就在那长长的走廊尽头。
不过，即使是从这里，兰登也能看到它敞开着的厚重的木门，而它的八角形内厅，则沐浴在从巨大的窗户外面照进来的灰蒙蒙的自然光线里。这些窗户正好面对学院花园。"你们穿过牧师会礼堂，出了南门，再到花园里。""我们刚离开东边的游廊，"兰登说："所以通往花园的南面出口一定要经过那里，然后向右行。"索菲这时已经从悬挂的饰物上走过去，一路向前行。
他们沿着昏暗的走廊迈着匆匆的步子，游廊上的风雨声渐渐远去了。牧师会礼堂是一种类似于卫星般陪衬的建筑结构--它是矗立在这条长长的走廊尽头独立于其他房子的附属建筑物，这是为确保议会活动能在这里秘密举行。
"看来很大啊。"索菲边走边轻声地说。
兰登已记不清这间屋子到底有多大。因为即使站在大门外面，他也能够越过宽阔的地面看到远处这间八角形大厅对面大得惊人的窗户。这些窗户有五层楼高，一直伸展到有拱顶的天花板上，所以他们当然可从这里清楚地看到花园。
他们跨过门坎，发现自己只能眯着眼睛看了。与阴沉沉的游廊相比，牧师会礼堂就像是一间日光浴室。他们朝厅里足足走了十步，寻找南面的那堵墙，这才发现所要找的那道门并不在那里。
他们正站在偌大的死胡同里。
突然，那扇沉重的木门"吱呀"一声开了，又被重重地关上，随即门闩也被插上，惊得他俩赶忙转过身来。
那个一直站在门背后的男人神态自若，手持一把小型左轮手熗，正对准了他们。他身材粗壮，倚靠在两根铝制拐杖上。
兰登一时还以为自己是在做梦呢。
此人不是别人，正是他要找的雷。提彬。 -
Chapter 97 More than three thousand people are entombed or enshrined within Westminster Abbey. Thecolossal stone interior burgeons with the remains of kings, statesmen, scientists, poets, andmusicians. Their tombs, packed into every last niche and alcove, range in grandeur from the mostregal of mausoleums—that of Queen Elizabeth I, whose canopied sarcophagus inhabits its ownprivate, apsidal chapel—down to the most modest etched floor tiles whose inscriptions have wornaway with centuries of foot traffic, leaving it to one's imagination whose relics might lie below thetile in the undercroft.
Designed in the style of the great cathedrals of Amiens, Chartres, and Canterbury, WestminsterAbbey is considered neither cathedral nor parish church. It bears the classification of royalpeculiar, subject only to the Sovereign. Since hosting the coronation of William the Conqueror onChristmas Day in 1066, the dazzling sanctuary has witnessed an endless procession of royalceremonies and affairs of state—from the canonization of Edward the Confessor, to the marriage ofPrince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, to the funerals of Henry V, Queen Elizabeth I, and LadyDiana.
Even so, Robert Langdon currently felt no interest in any of the abbey's ancient history, save oneevent—the funeral of the British knight Sir Isaac Newton.
In London lies a knight a Pope interred.
Hurrying through the grand portico on the north transept, Langdon and Sophie were met by guardswho politely ushered them through the abbey's newest addition—a large walk-through metaldetector—now present in most historic buildings in London. They both passed through withoutsetting off the alarm and continued to the abbey entrance.
Stepping across the threshold into Westminster Abbey, Langdon felt the outside world evaporatewith a sudden hush. No rumble of traffic. No hiss of rain. Just a deafening silence, which seemed toreverberate back and forth as if the building were whispering to itself.
Langdon's and Sophie's eyes, like those of almost every visitor, shifted immediately skyward,where the abbey's great abyss seemed to explode overhead. Gray stone columns ascended likeredwoods into the shadows, arching gracefully over dizzying expanses, and then shooting backdown to the stone floor. Before them, the wide alley of the north transept stretched out like a deepcanyon, flanked by sheer cliffs of stained glass. On sunny days, the abbey floor was a prismaticpatchwork of light. Today, the rain and darkness gave this massive hollow a wraithlike aura... morelike that of the crypt it truly was.
"It's practically empty," Sophie whispered.
Langdon felt disappointed. He had hoped for a lot more people. A more public place. Their earlierexperience in the deserted Temple Church was not one Langdon wanted to repeat. He had beenanticipating a certain feeling of security in the popular tourist destination, but Langdon'srecollections of bustling throngs in a well-lit abbey had been formed during the peak summertourist season. Today was a rainy April morning. Rather than crowds and shimmering stainedglass, all Langdon saw was acres of desolate floor and shadowy, empty alcoves.
"We passed through metal detectors," Sophie reminded, apparently sensing Langdon'sapprehension. "If anyone is in here, they can't be armed."Langdon nodded but still felt circumspect. He had wanted to bring the London police with them,but Sophie's fears of who might be involved put a damper on any contact with the authorities. Weneed to recover the cryptex, Sophie had insisted. It is the key to everything.
She was right, of course.
The key to getting Leigh back alive.
The key to finding the Holy Grail.
The key to learning who is behind this.
Unfortunately, their only chance to recover the keystone seemed to be here and now... at the tombof Isaac Newton. Whoever held the cryptex would have to pay a visit to the tomb to decipher thefinal clue, and if they had not already come and gone, Sophie and Langdon intended to interceptthem.
Striding toward the left wall to get out of the open, they moved into an obscure side aisle behind arow of pilasters. Langdon couldn't shake the image of Leigh Teabing being held captive, probablytied up in the back of his own limousine. Whoever had ordered the top Priory members killedwould not hesitate to eliminate others who stood in the way. It seemed a cruel irony thatTeabing—a modern British knight—was a hostage in the search for his own countryman, Sir IsaacNewton.
"Which way is it?" Sophie asked, looking around.
The tomb. Langdon had no idea. "We should find a docent and ask."Langdon knew better than to wander aimlessly in here. Westminster Abbey was a tangled warrenof mausoleums, perimeter chambers, and walk-in burial niches. Like the Louvre's Grand Gallery, ithad a lone point of entry—the door through which they had just passed—easy to find your way in,but impossible to find your way out. A literal tourist trap, one of Langdon's befuddled colleagueshad called it. Keeping architectural tradition, the abbey was laid out in the shape of a giant crucifix.
Unlike most churches, however, it had its entrance on the side, rather than the standard rear of thechurch via the narthex at the bottom of the nave. Moreover, the abbey had a series of sprawlingcloisters attached. One false step through the wrong archway, and a visitor was lost in a labyrinthof outdoor passageways surrounded by high walls.
"Docents wear crimson robes," Langdon said, approaching the center of the church. Peeringobliquely across the towering gilded altar to the far end of the south transept, Langdon saw severalpeople crawling on their hands and knees. This prostrate pilgrimage was a common occurrence inPoets' Corner, although it was far less holy than it appeared. Tourists doing grave rubbings.
"I don't see any docents," Sophie said. "Maybe we can find the tomb on our own?"Without a word, Langdon led her another few steps to the center of the abbey and pointed to theright.
Sophie drew a startled breath as she looked down the length of the abbey's nave, the full magnitudeof the building now visible. "Aah," she said. "Let's find a docent."At that moment, a hundred yards down the nave, out of sight behind the choir screen, the statelytomb of Sir Isaac Newton had a lone visitor. The Teacher had been scrutinizing the monument forten minutes now.
Newton's tomb consisted of a massive black-marble sarcophagus on which reclined the sculptedform of Sir Isaac Newton, wearing classical costume, and leaning proudly against a stack of hisown books—Divinity, Chronology, Opticks, and Philosophiae Naturalis Principia Mathematica.
At Newton's feet stood two winged boys holding a scroll. Behind Newton's recumbent body rosean austere pyramid. Although the pyramid itself seemed an oddity, it was the giant shape mountedhalfway up the pyramid that most intrigued the Teacher.
An orb.
The Teacher pondered Saunière's beguiling riddle. You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb. Themassive orb protruding from the face of the pyramid was carved in basso-relievo and depicted allkinds of heavenly bodies—constellations, signs of the zodiac, comets, stars, and planets. Above it,the image of the Goddess of Astronomy beneath a field of stars.
Countless orbs.
The Teacher had been convinced that once he found the tomb, discerning the missing orb would beeasy. Now he was not so sure. He was gazing at a complicated map of the heavens. Was there amissing planet? Had some astronomical orb been omitted from a constellation? He had no idea.
Even so, the Teacher could not help but suspect that the solution would be ingeniously clean andsimple—"a knight a pope interred." What orb am I looking for? Certainly, an advanced knowledgeof astrophysics was not a prerequisite for finding the Holy Grail, was it?
It speaks of Rosy flesh and seeded womb.
The Teacher's concentration was broken by several approaching tourists. He slipped the cryptexback in his pocket and watched warily as the visitors went to a nearby table, left a donation in thecup, and restocked on the complimentary grave-rubbing supplies set out by the abbey. Armed withfresh charcoal pencils and large sheets of heavy paper, they headed off toward the front of theabbey, probably to the popular Poets' Corner to pay their respects to Chaucer, Tennyson, andDickens by rubbing furiously on their graves.
Alone again, he stepped closer to the tomb, scanning it from bottom to top. He began with theclawed feet beneath the sarcophagus, moved upward past Newton, past his books on science, pastthe two boys with their mathematical scroll, up the face of the pyramid to the giant orb with itsconstellations, and finally up to the niche's star-filled canopy.
What orb ought to be here... and yet is missing? He touched the cryptex in his pocket as if he couldsomehow divine the answer from Saunière's crafted marble. Only five letters separate me from theGrail.
Pacing now near the corner of the choir screen, he took a deep breath and glanced up the long navetoward the main altar in the distance. His gaze dropped from the gilded altar down to the brightcrimson robe of an abbey docent who was being waved over by two very familiar individuals.
Langdon and Neveu.
Calmly, the Teacher moved two steps back behind the choir screen. That was fast. He hadanticipated Langdon and Sophie would eventually decipher the poem's meaning and come toNewton's tomb, but this was sooner than he had imagined. Taking a deep breath, the Teacherconsidered his options. He had grown accustomed to dealing with surprises.
I am holding the cryptex.
Reaching down to his pocket, he touched the second object that gave him his confidence: theMedusa revolver. As expected, the abbey's metal detectors had blared as the Teacher passedthrough with the concealed gun. Also as expected, the guards had backed off at once when theTeacher glared indignantly and flashed his identification card. Official rank always commanded theproper respect.
Although initially the Teacher had hoped to solve the cryptex alone and avoid any furthercomplications, he now sensed that the arrival of Langdon and Neveu was actually a welcomedevelopment. Considering the lack of success he was having with the "orb" reference, he might beable to use their expertise. After all, if Langdon had deciphered the poem to find the tomb, therewas a reasonable chance he also knew something about the orb. And if Langdon knew thepassword, then it was just a matter of applying the right pressure.
Not here, of course.
Somewhere private.
The Teacher recalled a small announcement sign he had seen on his way into the abbey.
Immediately he knew the perfect place to lure them.
The only question now... what to use as bait.
迄今为止，大约有三千多人的遗体安葬在威斯敏斯特教堂里，供世人凭吊。以石头砌就的庞大内室里遍布了国王、政治要员、科学家、诗人以及音乐家们留下的遗迹。他们的坟墓，遍布在所有壁龛和洞中的凹陷处，从最具皇家气派的陵墓，伊丽莎白一世之墓--她那带有顶棚的石棺安放在私人专用的半圆室的教堂里--到外表最朴素的雕刻过的地面石砖，可谓应有尽有。这些地砖上雕刻的碑文，由于几百年来人们踩踏的关系，到现在已经破败了，让人不由浮想联翩，以为这历史的陈迹，有可能就藏在教堂地下室的地砖里。
威斯敏斯特教堂沿循了法国亚眠、沙特尔以及坎特伯雷大教堂的建筑风格，然而它既不是一般的大教堂，也不是教区里的教堂。它明显打上了皇家的烙印，直接接受国王的管理。自1066 年的圣诞日在这里为"征服者"威廉一世举行加冕仪式以来，这个光彩夺目的礼拜堂，不知亲眼目睹了多少皇家仪式在这里举行，目睹了多少国家事务在这里得到解决--从"忏悔者"爱德华的加冕礼，到安德鲁王子与莎拉。弗格森的婚礼，直到亨利五世、伊丽莎白一世以及黛安娜王妃的葬礼，无一不在此地举行。
虽然如此，罗伯特。兰登眼下对它的古代历史毫无兴趣，不过对艾撒克。牛顿爵士的葬礼除外。
"在伦敦葬了一位亚历山大。蒲柏为他主持葬礼的骑士。"
兰登与索菲急急忙忙经过教堂北面交叉通道上雄伟的门廊，很快就有保卫人员走上前来，彬彬有礼地将他们带到该教堂新增添了一台大型金属检测装置的通道前。这样的检测器。如今在伦敦许多著名的历史建筑物里都能找到。检测器没有发出警报，于是他俩平安无事的经过通道，继续向该寺的入口走去。
兰登跨过门槛，进入威斯敏斯特教堂，他感到外面喧嚣的世界顷刻安静下来。既没有过往车辆的轰鸣声，也听不到"嘀嘀嗒嗒"的雨声，有的是死一般的沉静。这幢古老的建筑，仿佛是在喃喃自语，它的沉寂，在不断发出经久不息的回声。
几乎和其他所有游客一样，兰登和索菲马上抬头张望，威斯敏斯特教堂那巨大的穹窿，仿佛就要在他们的头顶上撒下一张大网。灰色的石柱，宛如红杉一般，一根接一根地向高处延伸，直至消失在阴影里。这些石柱，在令人晕眩的高空里构成优雅的弓形，然后直落而下，嵌入地面的石头里。教堂北面的通道，在他们面前向外伸展开去，就像深不可测的峡谷，两侧都是林立的镶满彩色玻璃的高墙。晴朗的日子里，教堂的地面，会反射出七彩的光芒。然而今天，外面的大雨以及由此带来的无边的黑暗，为这个巨大的空间增添了几许鬼魅般的气氛……使人觉得更像是在真正的地下墓穴里。
"果然是空无一人。"索菲低声地说。
兰登有些失望。他倒希望这里有更多的人，希望这里是一个更热闹的场所。他不想重复在空旷的圣殿教堂里的那次经历。他一直盼望着能在旅游场所里找到某种安全感，但他知道，在光线明亮的寺庙里，游客摩肩接踵，这样的情景只有在夏季旅游高峰期间才有可能出现。而今天--何况是四月里一个下雨的早晨，兰登既没看到熙熙攘攘的人群，也没看到闪烁亮光的彩色玻璃墙，他看到的是一望无垠的空旷的地面，以及若隐若现的空荡荡的洞穴。
"我们通过了检测器的检查，"索菲提醒兰登说，她明显感觉到他的忧虑。"即使这里有人，也不可能有熗的。"兰登点了点头，但还是显得很谨慎。他本想带伦敦警察一块到这里来，但索菲担心警方的参与将会妨碍他们日后与官方的联系。我们需要重新夺回拱心石，索菲一直这样认为。因为拱心石，是可以揭开所有神秘的一把钥匙。
当然，她是对的。
它是使雷。提彬安然无恙回来的一把钥匙。
它是成功寻找到圣杯的一把钥匙。
它是找出谁是幕后操纵者的一把钥匙。
不幸的是，如果他们要夺回拱心石，眼下唯一的机会似乎就得看他们在这里--在埃撒克。牛顿爵士的坟墓旁边--的表现了。不管是谁，只要他有了密码盒，都会找到这座坟墓上来，查询最后的线索。但他们如果还没有来，兰登与索菲就打算在中途阻止他们。
他们大步流星向左面的墙壁走去，出了开阔地带，步入了一排壁龛柱后面的十条昏暗的侧廊。兰登总想起雷。提彬被人抓起来的情景，兴许他正被绑在他自己的汽车后面呢。那些曾经下令暗杀郇山隐修会高层领导人员的人，无论是谁，一旦碰到有人要挡住他们前进的步伐时，是从不会手软的。雷。提彬爵士，一位当代的英国骑士，在寻找自己的同胞艾撒克。牛顿爵士之墓时，竟然沦为别人的人质，这似乎是个有点残忍的讽刺。
"我们该往哪里走呢？"索菲四处看了看。
坟墓到底在哪个方向，兰登自己也不知道。"我们去找个讲解员来问问。"
他知道，在这里漫无目的地游荡并没有什么好处。威斯敏斯特教堂里犬牙交错地遍布着一些大型的陵墓、圆形墓室，以及许多大到能让人进去的坟墓壁龛。与卢浮宫博物馆的艺术大画廊一样，它有一个独立进口--也就是他们刚刚经过的人口--你要进去很容易，但要出来可就难了。正如兰登一位被弄得糊里糊涂的同事所言，它是一个名副其实的旅游陷阱。威斯敏斯特教堂保留了传统的建筑风貌，它的外形呈巨大的十字形。不过，它跟大多数教堂不一样的是，它的入口处设在教堂的一侧，而不是设在经过教堂正殿底部前廊的正后方。并且该教堂还附有许多迂回曲折的游廊。倘若走错一步，走错了拱门，游客就会迷失在四周被高墙围着的户外走廊形成的迷宫里。
"讲解员穿的是绛色长袍。"兰登说着，来到了教堂中央。他斜着眼睛越过那高耸的镀金圣坛，将目光投到教堂的南端，他看到几个人正佝偻着身子，慢慢地往前爬。这般五体投地的朝圣，在"诗人角"是稀松平常的现象，尽管它远没有看上去的那样神圣。都是些在摹拓坟墓碑文的游客呢。
"讲解员我一个也没看到，"索菲说："或许我们还是目己去找，你看怎么样？"
兰登不搭一言，领着她又走了几步，来到教堂的中央，指着右边给她看。
索菲顺着他指的方向，从长长的教堂正殿望过去，终于看到这座巨大的建筑物，不由得倒抽了一口气。"天哪，我么还是去找个讲解员来吧。"
就在此时，一位参观者来到离教堂正殿一百码、内坛后面看不见的地方，庄严肃穆的艾撒克。牛顿爵士的墓旁。这位教主，在这里审视墓碑已经有十分钟了。
艾撒克。牛顿爵士的坟墓，其实是一个用黑色大理石建造的庞大石棺，上面安放着他的雕像，他穿着古典服装，一脸自豪地靠在他自己的一堆作品上--如《论神性》、《论运动》、《光学》以及《自然哲学中的数学原理》等。在他的脚下，站着两个长着翅膀手拿书卷的孩童。在他斜靠的身子后面，耸立着一个肃穆的金字塔。虽然模样看上去有些古怪，但镶嵌在它半中腰的硕大的圆球却激起了教主的浓厚兴趣。
一个圆球。
他思考着索尼埃编造的蛊惑人心的谜。"你们寻找的圆球，本应在这位骑士的墓里。"
这个从金字塔表面突出来的庞大的圆球，上面布满了浮雕，以及各种形状的天体--有各种星座，黄道十二宫，也有彗星、恒星和行星。球的上面，有一位站在群星下的天文女神。
星球，无数的星球。
教主此前一直相信，一旦他找到这座坟墓，就会很容易地找到那个失踪的圆球。但现在，他却不敢那么肯定了。他凝视着一张由各种星球组成的错综复杂的地图。有没有哪个行星不见了？或者在这些星座里，有哪个星体给漏掉了呢？他无从知道。即使是这样，他还是怀疑解决这个谜的方法实既巧妙，又很简洁明了。"一位教皇为他主持葬礼的骑士。"
我在寻找什么样的星球呢？当然喽，精通天体物理学并不意味着就一定能够找到圣杯。
"它道破了玫瑰般肌肤与受孕子宫的秘密。"
教主正在聚精会神，突然走来几位游客。他急忙把密码盒放回口袋里，警惕地望着这几位游客走向附近的一张桌子，把钱投进桌上的杯子里，并重新添上一些由教堂免费赠送的专门用于摹拓墓上碑文的文具。这几位游客，手拿着新领来的炭笔和好几张又大又厚的纸，朝教堂前面走去，他们也许是去"诗人角"，到乔叟、丁尼生，以及狄更斯的墓前，兴奋地摹拓他们坟墓上的碑文，以此来表达他们的敬意。
现在又剩下他一个人，他向坟墓走近了几步，自上而下把它打量了一番。他先是观察石棺下面刻有爪子的底部，随即将视线从牛顿的雕像、他的科学论著、两名手拿数学文稿的儿童像上移了过去，他的目光从金字塔的表面移向那刻有无数星体的圆球，最后落到壁龛的刻满星星的天篷上。
什么样的圆球原本应该在这里……然而又失踪了呢？他摸了摸口袋里的密码盒，仿佛他能够从索尼埃制作精巧的大理石上预测出他要寻找的答案。只有找到那由五个字母组成的词语，才能将圣杯弄到手。
他在内坛一角附近来回地踱步，深吸了一口气，随后抬头越过那长长的正殿，将目光落到远处的主圣坛上。他把镀金圣坛打量了好一会儿，然后将视线直落到一位身穿绛色长袍的讲解员身上，他看到两个看上去很熟悉的人，正在向讲解员招手。
他想起来了，他们是罗伯特。兰登和索菲。奈芙。
教主极为镇静地往后退了两步，躲到了内坛的后面。他们未免来得太快些了吧。他早就估计到兰登与索菲最终会破解这首诗的含义，然后跑到牛顿的坟墓上来。但现在看来，这比他想象的还要快。他深吸了一口气，在心里盘算对策。他早已经习惯了如何应付突发事件。
密码盒在我手上哩。
他将手伸进口袋，摸到了另外一件能够长他志气的东西，即他随身带着的"美杜莎"牌左轮手熗。果然不出所料，当他携带这把藏在口袋里的手熗从装有金属检测器的通道经过时，检测器顿时响了起来。同样不出所料，保卫人员们一看到他愤怒地瞪着双眼，飞快地亮出证明其身份的证件，就立刻向后退去。不管怎么说，有地位的人总是让人肃然起敬的。
尽管一开始他想独自解决密码盒的问题，以避免面对更多的麻烦，然而现在，他倒是很欢迎兰登与索菲的到来。考虑到他目前缺乏成功找到失踪圆球的把握，他想也许可以把这两人的专业技能拿来为我所用。不管怎么说，如果兰登能够通过诗来找到牛顿爵士的坟墓，那他对失踪的圆球也应该略知一二。而且，如果兰登知道密码，那么剩下的问题，不过是适当地向他施加压力罢了。
当然不是在这里。
也许是在某个隐秘的地方吧。
教主想起刚才在来威斯敏斯特教堂的路上时，看到一块公告牌。他很快便想到，哪里是引诱他们上钩的最佳地点了。
剩下的问题是--拿什么做诱饵呢？
-
Chapter 96 Silas awoke with a start.
He had no idea what had awoken him or how long he had been asleep. Was I dreaming? Sitting upnow on his straw mat, he listened to the quiet breathing of the Opus Dei residence hall, the stillnesstextured only by the soft murmurs of someone praying aloud in a room below him. These werefamiliar sounds and should have comforted him.
And yet he felt a sudden and unexpected wariness.
Standing, wearing only his undergarments, Silas walked to the window. Was I followed? Thecourtyard below was deserted, exactly as he had seen it when he entered. He listened. Silence. Sowhy am I uneasy? Long ago Silas had learned to trust his intuition. Intuition had kept him alive as achild on the streets of Marseilles long before prison... long before he was born again by the hand ofBishop Aringarosa. Peering out the window, he now saw the faint outline of a car through thehedge. On the car's roof was a police siren. A floorboard creaked in the hallway. A door latchmoved.
Silas reacted on instinct, surging across the room and sliding to a stop just behind the door as itcrashed open. The first police officer stormed through, swinging his gun left then right at whatappeared an empty room. Before he realized where Silas was, Silas had thrown his shoulder intothe door, crushing a second officer as he came through. As the first officer wheeled to shoot, Silasdove for his legs. The gun went off, the bullet sailing above Silas's head, just as he connected withthe officer's shins, driving his legs out from under him, and sending the man down, his head hittingthe floor. The second officer staggered to his feet in the doorway, and Silas drove a knee into hisgroin, then went clambering over the writhing body into the hall.
Almost naked, Silas hurled his pale body down the staircase. He knew he had been betrayed, but bywhom? When he reached the foyer, more officers were surging through the front door. Silas turnedthe other way and dashed deeper into the residence hall. The women's entrance. Every Opus Deibuilding has one. Winding down narrow hallways, Silas snaked through a kitchen, past terrifiedworkers, who left to avoid the naked albino as he knocked over bowls and silverware, bursting intoa dark hallway near the boiler room. He now saw the door he sought, an exit light gleaming at theend.
Running full speed through the door out into the rain, Silas leapt off the low landing, not seeing theofficer coming the other way until it was too late. The two men collided, Silas's broad, nakedshoulder grinding into the man's sternum with crushing force. He drove the officer backward ontothe pavement, landing hard on top of him. The officer's gun clattered away. Silas could hear menrunning down the hall shouting. Rolling, he grabbed the loose gun just as the officers emerged. Ashot rang out on the stairs, and Silas felt a searing pain below his ribs. Filled with rage, he openedfire at all three officers, their blood spraying.
A dark shadow loomed behind, coming out of nowhere. The angry hands that grabbed at his bareshoulders felt as if they were infused with the power of the devil himself. The man roared in hisear. SILAS, NO!
Silas spun and fired. Their eyes met. Silas was already screaming in horror as Bishop Aringarosafell.
塞拉斯突然被惊醒过来。
他不知道是什么东西惊醒了他，也不知道他睡了多久。我是在做梦吧？他坐起来，半躺在草席上，聆听着天主事工会活动中心大楼里熟睡的人们那平静的呼吸，以及寂静中偶尔传来的由楼下房间里大声祈祷的人们转化而来的温柔的话语声。这些熟悉的声音，本应该给他带来些许的安慰。
然而他却出乎意料地突然警惕起来。
塞拉斯站着，只穿着内衣，他走到窗前。有人在跟踪我吗？楼下的小院空无一人，一如他刚才进来所看到的情景。他仔细地倾听，却没听到什么。那我为什么会感到不安呢？
塞拉斯很早就学会了要相信自己的直觉。早在他进监狱之前--那时，他还是个成天在马赛市的街道上四处瞎逛的孩子……而且也是在阿林加洛沙主教给了他新生之前，他就已经知道要相信自己的直觉。他偷偷地看着窗外，这时，他模模糊糊的看到一辆藏在树篱深处的汽车的轮廓。在它的顶篷上，安装了一个警察应急用的报警器。这时，走廊上的地板发出"咯吱咯吱"的声音，门闩突然被拉开了。
对此，塞拉斯本能地作出了反应。还没等门被撞开，他已经冲到房间对面，飞快地溜到门边，躲在里面。第一位进来的警官如疾风骤雨般的闯了进来，他忽左忽右地晃动着手中的熗，小心翼翼地查看似乎空无一人的房间。他还没来得及弄清楚塞拉斯在哪里。塞拉斯已将胳膊藏到了门后面。第一位进来的警官转身准备开熗，塞拉斯急忙猫下腰。子弹射偏了，从他的头顶呼啸而过。塞拉斯抱住警官的胫骨，将他的双腿拖了过来，把他摁倒在地。不料自己的头却撞倒在地。紧跟着第一位进来的警官踉踉跄跄地站起来，塞拉斯照他下身就是一脚，然后跃过警官扭动的躯体，冲进大厅。
塞拉斯几乎一丝不挂，他拖着苍白的身子拾阶而下。他明白自己被出卖了，但是谁呢？他跌跌撞撞地冲到休息室：看到更多的警察从前门涌了进来。于是他立即掉过头，急速奔向大厅的里头。妇女专用通道。天主事工会修建的每幢建筑，几乎都有这样的通道。
塞拉斯冲过曲折而又狭窄的走廊，像蛇一样钻进厨房，厨房里干活的人都被吓坏了，他们赶忙躲避，以免与这位赤裸着身子的白化病患者撞在一起。塞拉斯把碗和银器餐具撞了个满地，随后一头钻进了锅炉房旁边的一条走廊。他终于看到了要找的门，在他的眼前，终于出现了一线希望。
塞拉斯以最快的速度夺门而出，跑入雨中，跳到更低一点的平地，然而等他注意到迎面赶来的警察时，一切都已经迟了。两个大男人撞在了一起，塞拉斯宽阔而裸露的肩膀狠命地顶在那人的胸脯上，令那人痛苦不已。他逼着警官退到了人行道，狠命地捶打他的头部。警官的熗走火了，"砰砰"的响个不停。塞拉斯听到许多人大喊着从大厅里跑了出来。
就在警官们出现时，他已经滚到一边，迅速捡起走火的手熗。楼梯上有人向他开熗，塞拉斯直觉得肋骨下一阵钻心的疼痛。他勃然大怒，端起熗朝着三名警察就是一阵劲射，刹那间，鲜血溅得满地都是。
这时，一个不知从哪里冒出来的黑影，在他身后若隐若现。那人愤怒地抓住塞拉斯裸露的肩膀，双手仿佛充满了魔鬼的力量。他的吼声在塞拉斯的耳边回响。"塞拉斯，别开熗！"塞拉斯回头就是几熗，他们的目光终于相遇。等他发现倒下的是阿林加洛沙主教时，他不禁失声大叫，惊恐异常。 -
Chapter 95 Langdon's eyes had not left the computer screen since the search began.
Five minutes. Only two hits. Both irrelevant.
He was starting to get worried.
Pamela Gettum was in the adjoining room, preparing hot drinks. Langdon and Sophie had inquiredunwisely if there might be some coffee brewing alongside the tea Gettum had offered, and from thesound of the microwave beeps in the next room, Langdon suspected their request was about to berewarded with instant Nescafe.
Finally, the computer pinged happily.
"Sounds like you got another," Gettum called from the next room. "What's the title?"Langdon eyed the screen.
Grail Allegory in Medieval Literature: A Treatise on Sir Gawain and the Green Knight.
"Allegory of the Green Knight," he called back.
"No good," Gettum said. "Not many mythological green giants buried in London."Langdon and Sophie sat patiently in front of the screen and waited through two more dubiousreturns. When the computer pinged again, though, the offering was unexpected.
DIE OPERN VON RICHARD WAGNER"The operas of Wagner?" Sophie asked.
Gettum peeked back in the doorway, holding a packet of instant coffee. "That seems like a strangematch. Was Wagner a knight?""No," Langdon said, feeling a sudden intrigue. "But he was a well-known Freemason." Along withMozart, Beethoven, Shakespeare, Gershwin, Houdini, and Disney. Volumes had been written aboutthe ties between the Masons and the Knights Templar, the Priory of Sion, and the Holy Grail. "Iwant to look at this one. How do I see the full text?""You don't want the full text," Gettum called. "Click on the hypertext title. The computer willdisplay your keyword hits along with mono prelogs and triple postlogs for context."Langdon had no idea what she had just said, but he clicked anyway.
A new window popped up.
...mythological knight named Parsifal who...
...metaphorical Grail quest that arguably...
...the London Philharmonic in 1855...
Rebecca Pope's opera anthology "Diva's...
...Wagner's tomb in Bayreuth, Germany...
"Wrong Pope," Langdon said, disappointed. Even so, he was amazed by the system's ease of use.
The keywords with context were enough to remind him that Wagner's opera Parsifal was a tributeto Mary Magdalene and the bloodline of Jesus Christ, told through the story of a young knight on aquest for truth.
"Just be patient," Gettum urged. "It's a numbers game. Let the machine run."Over the next few minutes, the computer returned several more Grail references, including a textabout troubadours—France's famous wandering minstrels. Langdon knew it was no coincidencethat the word minstrel and minister shared an etymological root. The troubadours were thetraveling servants or "ministers" of the Church of Mary Magdalene, using music to disseminate thestory of the sacred feminine among the common folk. To this day, the troubadours sang songsextolling the virtues of "our Lady"—a mysterious and beautiful woman to whom they pledgedthemselves forever.
Eagerly, he checked the hypertext but found nothing.
The computer pinged again.
KNIGHTS, KNAVES, POPES, AND PENTACLES: THE HISTORY OF THE HOLY GRAILTHROUGH TAROT"Not surprising," Langdon said to Sophie. "Some of our keywords have the same names asindividual cards." He reached for the mouse to click on a hyperlink. "I'm not sure if yourgrandfather ever mentioned it when you played Tarot with him, Sophie, but this game is a 'flash-card catechism' into the story of the Lost Bride and her subjugation by the evil Church."Sophie eyed him, looking incredulous. "I had no idea.""That's the point. By teaching through a metaphorical game, the followers of the Grail disguisedtheir message from the watchful eye of the Church." Langdon often wondered how many moderncard players had any clue that their four suits—spades, hearts, clubs, diamonds—were Grail-relatedsymbols that came directly from Tarot's four suits of swords, cups, scepters, and pentacles.
Spades were Swords—The blade. Male.
Hearts were Cups—The chalice. Feminine.
Clubs were Scepters—The Royal Line. The flowering staff.
Diamonds were Pentacles—The goddess. The sacred feminine.
Four minutes later, as Langdon began feeling fearful they would not find what they had come for,the computer produced another hit.
The Gravity of Genius: Biography of a Modern Knight.
"Gravity of Genius?" Langdon called out to Gettum. "Bio of a modern knight?"Gettum stuck her head around the corner. "How modern? Please don't tell me it's your Sir RudyGiuliani. Personally, I found that one a bit off the mark."Langdon had his own qualms about the newly knighted Sir Mick Jagger, but this hardly seemed themoment to debate the politics of modern British knighthood. "Let's have a look." Langdonsummoned up the hypertext keywords.
... honorable knight, Sir Isaac Newton...
... in London in 1727 and...
... his tomb in Westminster Abbey...
... Alexander Pope, friend and colleague...
"I guess 'modern' is a relative term," Sophie called to Gettum. "It's an old book. About Sir IsaacNewton."Gettum shook her head in the doorway. "No good. Newton was buried in Westminster Abbey, theseat of English Protestantism. There's no way a Catholic Pope was present. Cream and sugar?"Sophie nodded.
Gettum waited. "Robert?"Langdon's heart was hammering. He pulled his eyes from the screen and stood up. "Sir IsaacNewton is our knight."Sophie remained seated. "What are you talking about?""Newton is buried in London," Langdon said. "His labors produced new sciences that incurred thewrath of the Church. And he was a Grand Master of the Priory of Sion. What more could wewant?""What more?" Sophie pointed to the poem. "How about a knight a Pope interred? You heard Ms.
Gettum. Newton was not buried by a Catholic Pope."Langdon reached for the mouse. "Who said anything about a Catholic Pope?" He clicked on the"Pope" hyperlink, and the complete sentence appeared.
Sir Isaac Newton's burial, attended by kings and nobles, was presidedover by Alexander Pope, friend and colleague, who gave a stirringeulogy before sprinkling dirt on the tomb.
Langdon looked at Sophie. "We had the correct Pope on our second hit. Alexander." He paused.
"A. Pope."In London lies a knight A. Pope interred.
Sophie stood up, looking stunned.
Jacques Saunière, the master of double-entendres, had proven once again that he was afrighteningly clever man.
自打搜索开始，兰登就紧盯着电脑屏幕，一刻也没有离开过。
五分钟，只搜到两个数据项，并且两者无任何的关联。
他开始担心起来。
帕美拉。杰塔姆就在隔壁的一个房间，准备给他们煮上些饮料。兰登和索菲不仅喝了杰塔姆给他们泡的茶水，还极不明智地问她能否再给他们煮上一些咖啡。隔壁的微波炉传来"嘟嘟"的声音，兰登怀疑杰塔姆是在给他们煮速溶"雀巢"咖啡，以此作为对他们提出的无礼要求的奖赏。
终于，电脑欢快的响了起来。
"好像又有了。"杰塔姆在隔壁房间大声喊道。"标题是什么？"
兰登看着屏幕：中世纪文学中关于圣杯的寓言：论加文爵士和他的绿衣骑士。
"是关于绿衣骑士的寓言。"他大声地回答。
"这没用，"杰塔姆说："神话中埋在伦敦的绿衣骑士并没有几个。"
兰登和索菲坐在电脑前静静地等待，却等来了两个更加难以确信的结果。不过，当电脑再次发出声音时，它提供的信息却是很出人意料的。
瓦格纳的歌剧。
"瓦格纳的歌剧？"索菲不解地问。
杰塔姆手拿一袋速溶"雀巢"咖啡，站在门口回头看了他们一眼。"那看起来很怪啊。瓦格纳是骑士吗？"
"不是。"兰登突然来了兴趣。"但他是位著名的同济会会员。"还有莫扎特、贝多芬、莎士比亚、格什温、乌丹尼以及迪斯尼等等。讲述有关石匠们与圣殿骑士、郇山隐修会以及与圣杯之间联系的作品已是汗牛充栋。"我要看看全文，可怎么打开呀？"
"你不必看全文。"杰塔姆喊道。"你只要点击超文本标题，电脑就会显示包含关键词在内的数据，单个的前语境记录以及三倍多的后语境记录。"兰登不知道她刚才说了些什么，但还是点击了一下。
一个新的窗口马上冒了出来。
……神话中名为帕西法尔的骑士，他……
……隐喻意义上的寻找圣杯之旅，可以用来证明……
……1855 年伦敦交响乐团……
……丽贝卡。波普（Pope）的歌剧作品选，迪瓦的……
……位于德国拜罗伊特市的瓦格纳之墓……
"这里的Pope 不是指教皇。"兰登说，有些失望。不过虽然如此，他还是为计算机竟是如此的便利而感到惊奇。带有上千文的关键词给了他足够的信息，提醒他瓦格纳的歌剧《帕西法尔》是一部通过讲述年轻骑士寻找真理的故事，专门献给抹大拉的玛利亚，以及耶稣基督后裔的艺术作品。
"耐心点儿。"杰塔姆敦促道："不过是数字游戏罢了。让电脑忙去吧。"
接下来的几分钟，电脑又反馈了几个关于圣杯的信息，其中一篇是有关法国著名行吟诗人的文章。兰登知道，从词源学的角度上看，minstrel（行吟诗人）与minister（牧师，部长）具有相同词根决不是什么巧合。吟游诗人，本意是指抹大拉的玛利亚教堂里四处游走的圣职人员或者牧师，他们采用音乐的形式在普通民众中间传播有关神圣女性的故事。直到今天，他们还在唱歌赞美"我们的圣母玛利亚"的诸多美德。她是一位神秘而又美丽的女人，人们对她永远充满了敬意。
兰登急切地查看了超文本，然而一无所获。
这时，电脑又"嘟嘟"地响了起来。
骑士、纸牌里的J、教皇以及五角星形：通过占卜纸牌看圣杯的历史。
"这没什么可奇怪的，"兰登对索菲说："有些关键词与单张牌的名字是一模一样的。"
他抓过鼠标，点击了超链接。"我不敢肯定你祖父跟你玩占卜的纸牌时是否提起过它，但这种游戏，类似于对"失踪新娘以及她被邪恶教会镇压"的故事设置问题，然后再抽卡进行回答。"索菲看着他，一脸怀疑地说："我怎么不知道？"
"那就是了。圣杯的追随者们，通过一种隐喻性的游戏方式进行传授，他们将真实的信息隐藏起来，以逃过教会警惕的眼睛。"兰登常常想，玩纸牌游戏的现代人，有多少人会想到纸牌的四种花色--黑桃、红桃、梅花及方块--是与圣杯有关的符号，并且它们的前身，直接脱胎于占卜纸牌，即印有宝剑、金杯、王杖与五角星形符号的四组牌。
黑桃源自宝剑--即剑刃，它代表着男性。
红桃源自金杯--即基督的圣餐酒杯，代表着女性。
梅花源自王杖--即皇家血统，带有花饰的权杖。
方块源自五角星形--它象征着女神，即神圣女性。
四分钟后，就在兰登他们开始担心找不到要找的东西时，电脑里又蹦出了一个数据。
天才的吸引力，一位当代骑士的传记。
"天才的吸引力？"兰登冲着杰塔姆叫道："一位当代骑士的传记？"
杰塔姆从墙角探出头："怎么个当代法？请不要告诉我说这是你的鲁迪，朱利亚尼爵士哦。我看是有点跑题啦。"兰登对新近被封为骑士的米克。贾格尔爵土自有一番疑惑，但眼下似乎还不是对现代英国骑土制度进行争论的时候。"让我看看。"兰登调出了几个关键词。
……尊敬的骑士，艾撒克。牛顿爵士……
……l727 年在伦敦……
……他的墓位于威斯敏斯特教堂……
……亚历山大。蒲柏，朋友及同事……
"我看所谓的"现代"可能是个相对的概念。"索菲大声对杰塔姆说："这是本旧书，是关于艾撒克。牛顿爵士的。"杰塔姆站在门口，摇了摇头。"那也没用，牛顿葬在威斯敏斯特教堂，英国清教的所在地，所以天主教的教皇是不会到那里去的。咖啡里要不要放奶酪和糖？"
索菲点了点头。
杰塔姆等了一会："罗伯特你呢？"
兰登觉得自己的心仿佛被人用锤子敲了一下，他把视线移开电脑屏幕，站了起来。"艾撒克。牛顿爵士是我们的骑士！"索菲依旧坐在椅子上，说："你在胡说什么呀？"
"牛顿葬在伦敦，他在科学上的新发现触怒了天主教会。他还是位郇山隐修会的大师。
有这些难道还不够，我们还想指望什么？"
"你认为够了吗？"索菲指了指那首诗："那"一位教皇为他主持葬礼的骑士"你如何作出解释？杰塔姆刚才也已经说过，牛顿不是由天主教皇埋葬的。"兰登伸手去摸鼠标："我说了天主教皇什么吗？"他点击了"Pope"超链接，于是一个完整的句子冒了出来。
由王公贵族参加的艾撒克。牛顿爵士的葬礼，是由他的朋友兼同事，亚历山大。蒲柏主持的，他在往坟墓上撒土之前，朗诵了一篇感人肺腑的悼词。
兰登看着索菲："我们在第二个数据里找到了正确的Pope.亚历山大。"他停了停："亚历山大。蒲柏（A.Pope）。""在伦敦葬了一位亚历山大。蒲柏为他主持葬礼的骑士。"
索菲站了起来，大惊失色。
雅克。索尼埃，这位喜欢玩二元论游戏的大师，再次证明了他是位聪明得让人恐惧的大师。
-
Chapter 94 St. James's Park is a sea of green in the middle of London, a public park bordering the palaces ofWestminster, Buckingham, and St. James's. Once enclosed by King Henry VIII and stocked withdeer for the hunt, St. James's Park is now open to the public. On sunny afternoons, Londonerspicnic beneath the willows and feed the pond's resident pelicans, whose ancestors were a gift toCharles II from the Russian ambassador.
The Teacher saw no pelicans today. The stormy weather had brought instead seagulls from theocean. The lawns were covered with them—hundreds of white bodies all facing the same direction,patiently riding out the damp wind. Despite the morning fog, the park afforded splendid views ofthe Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Gazing across the sloping lawns, past the duck pond andthe delicate silhouettes of the weeping willows, the Teacher could see the spires of the building thathoused the knight's tomb—the real reason he had told Rémy to come to this spot.
As the Teacher approached the front passenger door of the parked limousine, Rémy leaned acrossand opened the door. The Teacher paused outside, taking a pull from the flask of cognac he wascarrying. Then, dabbing his mouth, he slid in beside Rémy and closed the door.
Rémy held up the keystone like a trophy. "It was almost lost.""You have done well," the Teacher said.
"We have done well," Rémy replied, laying the keystone in the Teacher's eager hands.
The Teacher admired it a long moment, smiling. "And the gun? You wiped it down?""Back in the glove box where I found it.""Excellent." The Teacher took another drink of cognac and handed the flask to Rémy. "Let's toastour success. The end is near."Rémy accepted the bottle gratefully. The cognac tasted salty, but Rémy didn't care. He and theTeacher were truly partners now. He could feel himself ascending to a higher station in life. I willnever be a servant again. As Rémy gazed down the embankment at the duck pond below, ChateauVillette seemed miles away.
Taking another swig from the flask, Rémy could feel the cognac warming his blood. The warmth inRémy's throat, however, mutated quickly to an uncomfortable heat. Loosening his bow tie, Rémytasted an unpleasant grittiness and handed the flask back to the Teacher. "I've probably hadenough," he managed, weakly.
Taking the flask, the Teacher said, "Rémy, as you are aware, you are the only one who knows myface. I placed enormous trust in you.""Yes," he said, feeling feverish as he loosened his tie further. "And your identity shall go with meto the grave."The Teacher was silent a long moment. "I believe you." Pocketing the flask and the keystone, theTeacher reached for the glove box and pulled out the tiny Medusa revolver. For an instant, Rémyfelt a surge of fear, but the Teacher simply slipped it in his trousers pocket.
What is he doing? Rémy felt himself sweating suddenly.
"I know I promised you freedom," the Teacher said, his voice now sounding regretful. "Butconsidering your circumstances, this is the best I can do."The swelling in Rémy's throat came on like an earthquake, and he lurched against the steeringcolumn, grabbing his throat and tasting vomit in his narrowing esophagus. He let out a muted croakof a scream, not even loud enough to be heard outside the car. The saltiness in the cognac nowregistered.
I'm being murdered!
Incredulous, Rémy turned to see the Teacher sitting calmly beside him, staring straight ahead outthe windshield. Rémy's eyesight blurred, and he gasped for breath. I made everything possible forhim! How could he do this! Whether the Teacher had intended to kill Rémy all along or whether ithad been Rémy's actions in the Temple Church that had made the Teacher lose faith, Rémy wouldnever know. Terror and rage coursed through him now. Rémy tried to lunge for the Teacher, buthis stiffening body could barely move. I trusted you with everything!
Rémy tried to lift his clenched fists to blow the horn, but instead he slipped sideways, rolling ontothe seat, lying on his side beside the Teacher, clutching at his throat. The rain fell harder now.
Rémy could no longer see, but he could sense his oxygen-deprived brain straining to cling to hislast faint shreds of lucidity. As his world slowly went black, Rémy Legaludec could have sworn heheard the sounds of the soft Riviera surf.
The Teacher stepped from the limousine, pleased to see that nobody was looking in his direction. Ihad no choice, he told himself, surprised how little remorse he felt for what he had just done. Rémysealed his own fate. The Teacher had feared all along that Rémy might need to be eliminated whenthe mission was complete, but by brazenly showing himself in the Temple Church, Rémy hadaccelerated the necessity dramatically. Robert Langdon's unexpected visit to Chateau Villette hadbrought the Teacher both a fortuitous windfall and an intricate dilemma. Langdon had delivered thekeystone directly to the heart of the operation, which was a pleasant surprise, and yet he hadbrought the police on his tail. Rémy's prints were all over Chateau Villette, as well as in the barn'slistening post, where Rémy had carried out the surveillance. The Teacher was grateful he had takenso much care in preventing any ties between Rémy's activities and his own. Nobody couldimplicate the Teacher unless Rémy talked, and that was no longer a concern.
One more loose end to tie up here, the Teacher thought, moving now toward the rear door of thelimousine. The police will have no idea what happened... and no living witness left to tell them.
Glancing around to ensure nobody was watching, he pulled open the door and climbed into thespacious rear compartment.
Minutes later, the Teacher was crossing St. James's Park. Only two people now remain. Langdonand Neveu. They were more complicated. But manageable. At the moment, however, the Teacherhad the cryptex to attend to.
Gazing triumphantly across the park, he could see his destination. In London lies a knight a Popeinterred. As soon as the Teacher had heard the poem, he had known the answer. Even so, that theothers had not figured it out was not surprising. I have an unfair advantage. Having listened toSaunière's conversations for months now, the Teacher had heard the Grand Master mention thisfamous knight on occasion, expressing esteem almost matching that he held for Da Vinci. Thepoem's reference to the knight was brutally simple once one saw it—a credit to Saunière's wit—andyet how this tomb would reveal the final password was still a mystery.
You seek the orb that ought be on his tomb.
The Teacher vaguely recalled photos of the famous tomb and, in particular, its most distinguishingfeature. A magnificent orb. The huge sphere mounted atop the tomb was almost as large as thetomb itself. The presence of the orb seemed both encouraging and troubling to the Teacher. On onehand, it felt like a signpost, and yet, according to the poem, the missing piece of the puzzle was anorb that ought to be on his tomb... not one that was already there. He was counting on his closerinspection of the tomb to unveil the answer.
The rain was getting heavier now, and he tucked the cryptex deep in his right-hand pocket toprotect it from the dampness. He kept the tiny Medusa revolver in his left, out of sight. Withinminutes, he was stepping into the quiet sanctuary of London's grandest nine-hundred-year-oldbuilding.
Just as the Teacher was stepping out of the rain, Bishop Aringarosa was stepping into it. On therainy tarmac at Biggin Hill Executive Airport, Aringarosa emerged from his cramped plane,bundling his cassock against the cold damp. He had hoped to be greeted by Captain Fache. Insteada young British police officer approached with an umbrella.
"Bishop Aringarosa? Captain Fache had to leave. He asked me to look after you. He suggested Itake you to Scotland Yard. He thought it would be safest."Safest? Aringarosa looked down at the heavy briefcase of Vatican bonds clutched in his hand. Hehad almost forgotten. "Yes, thank you."Aringarosa climbed into the police car, wondering where Silas could be. Minutes later, the policescanner crackled with the answer.
5 Orme Court.
Aringarosa recognized the address instantly.
The Opus Dei Centre in London.
He spun to the driver. "Take me there at once!"
圣詹姆斯公园坐落在伦敦的市中心，是一片绿色的海洋。它是一座毗邻威斯敏斯特教堂、白金汉宫、圣詹姆斯宫的公园。国王亨利八世曾经把它封锁起来，并在里面养鹿供打猎取乐之用。如今圣詹姆斯公园面向公众开放。天气晴朗的午后，伦敦人在柳树下野餐，给逗留在池里的鹈鹕喂食，这些鹈鹕的祖先，是俄罗斯大使赠送给查理二世的礼物。
然而今天，教主却没看到一只鹈鹕。倒是暴风雨的天气，将一些海鸥从海洋上赶了过来。这些海鸥，密密麻麻地挤满了公园的草坪，成百上千的白色躯体，都面向着同一个方向，耐心地等待这阵潮湿的狂风过去。虽然早晨有雾，但在公园里依然能够看到议会以及大笨钟等建筑的壮观景象。教主望着那倾斜的草坪，然后从鸭池边以及那影影绰绰的垂柳下走过。他看到里头藏着骑士坟墓的建筑那尖尖的塔顶--而这，才是他让雷米到这里来的真正的理由。
教主来到那辆已经停下来的豪华轿车供乘客上下的前门，雷米附过身去，给他开门。
教主在车外停了片刻，拨弄了一下手中的白兰地酒瓶，然后抹抹嘴，侧身钻进车来，坐到雷米身边，并关上门。
雷米一把将拱心石举到他的面前，似乎在炫耀一件战利品："我们差点失手了哩。"
"你干得真不赖！"教主赞许地说。
"我们都做得很不错。"雷米说着，把拱心石放到早已急不可耐的教主的手中。
那位教主把玩了很长时间，才笑着问："熗呢？你把它擦拭干净了吗？"
"我已经把它放回到手套盒里去了。"
"太好了。"教主又呷了一口白兰地酒，然后将酒瓶递给了雷米。"为我们的成功干杯吧。马上就可以了断了。"雷米接过酒瓶，充满了感激。白兰地酒有点咸，然而他并没在意。现在，他和教主成了真正的合作伙伴。他觉得自己的人生即将登上一个更高的起点。我再也不用给人家做仆人了。雷米低头看着下面鸭池的堤坝，维莱特庄园，此时己被他抛到九霄云外去了。
他又喝了一大口白兰地酒，觉得是酒精使他体内的血液沸腾起来。他发热的嗓子，很快变得燥热起来，令他非常的难受。他松开衣服上的领结，心里有种颇为不祥的痛苦滋味，他把酒瓶还给了教主。"也许是喝多了。"他强打起精神，虚弱地说。
教主接过瓶子，说："雷米，你要知道，你是唯一知道我身份的人，我给予了你莫大的信任。""是的。"他觉得热得快不行了，又把领结松开了一些。"我不会把你的身份泄露出去的，一直到死。"教主沉默了良久，才说："这我相信。"他把酒瓶和拱心石放好，将手伸进手套盒里摸索了一阵，然后拔出那把小型"美杜莎"左轮手熗。雷米马上恐惧起来，然而教主却把熗放进了裤子的口袋。
他想干什么？雷米顿时发现全身都冒汗了。
"我说过给你自由。"教主的话里有种懊悔的语调。"但考虑到你目前的状况，我只能这样做了。"雷米的喉咙肿得厉害，仿佛在他体内，发生了一场地震。他斜着身子，靠着汽车的操纵杆，用手扼住自己的喉咙，尝到了想要呕吐的味道。他嘶哑而沉闷地叫着，然而声音不大，车外的人并不能听到。白兰地酒中的药性，终于发作了。
我遭人暗算了呀。
雷米觉得难以置信，他转身看着那位教主，此时，他正平静地坐在他的身边，直视着挡风玻璃的外面。雷米的视线逐渐模糊起来，他张着嘴，大口地喘气。我为他这么卖命！他怎能如此的无情！究竟是教主有心杀他，还是因为教主对他在圣殿教堂里的种种表现早就失去了信心，他不知道，也永远不会知道。恐惧和愤怒攫住了他。他挣扎着想冲到教主身边，然而他僵硬的躯体，却再也不能向前移。枉我凡事都相信你啊！
雷米紧握着拳头，企图向汽车喇叭砸过去。然而他没有砸个正着，他一个趔趄，滚到了座位上，手紧紧地掐着自己的喉咙，侧身倒在教主的旁边。雨下得更大了，然而雷米再也看不到了。他感到大脑里的氧气逐渐枯竭，意识也越来越模糊，直至消失。在周围的世界慢慢走向混沌的时刻，雷米。莱格鲁德或许发过誓，说他听到了南欧避暑胜地维埃拉那温柔的海浪声。
教主走下车，他很高兴无人朝他的方向张望。我也是被逼得没办法啊，他安慰着自己。想到竟然对刚才做过的事情并不觉得有丝毫的懊悔，就连他自己都很吃惊。雷米完全是咎由自取。教主早就担心，一旦任务完成，要不要对雷米做出处理。然而雷米冒冒失失地闯进圣殿教堂，显然使他加强了除掉他的决心。罗伯特。兰登出乎意料地来到维莱特庄园，给教主带来了意想不到的发现，却又使他陷入不可名状的困境。兰登直接把拱心石送到了行动的中心地带，这固然给了他一个惊喜，然而他也引来了一帮警察。雷米在整个维莱特庄园，到处留下了痕迹，即便在他偷听的地方，谷仓的听音柱上，也不例外。教主很庆幸他花了那么多的心思，才使人们没将他与雷米的所作所为联系起来。没有人会将他牵扯进去，除非雷米自己说出来，而这他已经没必要再去担心了。
这里还有一端线要等我去绑紧呢，教主心里想着，便往豪华轿车的后门走去。警察将无法知道这里发生了什么……也没有目击者告诉他们什么。他环顾左右，确信没人在注意他，这才推开门，爬进汽车宽敞的后车厢。
几分钟后，教主穿过圣詹姆斯公园。如今只剩两人需要我去对付了，那就是兰登与奈芙。他们两人的情况要复杂得多，但也不是难以驾驭的。不过眼下，他所关心的只是密码盒。
他得意洋洋地环视了公园一圈，他似乎看到了朝思暮想的目的地就在前头。"在伦敦葬了一位教皇为他主持葬礼的骑士。"一听到这首诗，他就已经知道了答案。但即使是这样，其他人如果还没想出来，那也没什么好奇怪的。我有别人难以比拟的优势。他监听索尼埃已经有好几个月，听到这位大师偶然提到了这位骑士，他所流露出来的敬意几乎可以与他对达。芬奇的尊敬相匹敌。人们一旦洞察了索尼埃的良苦用心，那么此诗对这位骑士的提示就变得非常简单了，不过，这座坟墓最终将会以什么样的方式将密码告诉给他们，目前还是个难解的谜。
"你们寻找的圆球，本应在这位骑土的墓里。"
教主依稀记得那座坟墓的一些照片，他记得特别清楚，坟墓有个最显著的特征，那就是它有个外形华美的圆球，这个硕大的圆球，安放在坟墓的顶上，跟坟墓的大小差不多。
圆球的存在，对教主而言，既给了他鼓励，又增添了他的烦恼。一方面，它就像一个路标，然而据这首诗来看，这个谜的缺失项是一只本应在骑士墓里的圆球，而不是已在那里的圆球。为了解开这个谜，他准备到坟墓上去做进一步的调查。雨越下越大了，他将密码盒塞进右边口袋的深处，以防止雨水将它淋湿。他又将那把"美杜莎"小型左轮手熗藏进左边口袋里，防止让别人看见。没过几分钟，他就走进了这座全伦敦最宏伟的、具有九百年辉煌历史的建筑那静谧的礼拜堂里。
就在教主从雨中走出来的当儿，阿林加洛沙主教却奔进了雨中。飞机停泊在被雨淋湿的比金山机场，阿林加洛沙主教从狭窄的机舱里走了出来，他把身上的长袍扎紧，以抵御这寒冷的湿气。他本以为法希上尉会到机场接他，然而走上前来的却是一位打着雨伞的年轻英国警官。
"你是阿林加洛沙主教吗？法希上尉有事不在。他要我来接你，还要我把你带到苏格兰场，他认为那里是最安全的。"
最安全？阿林加洛沙主教低头看着手中装满了梵蒂冈银行证券的沉重的公文包。他差点把它忘了。"你说得没错，谢谢。"
阿林加洛沙主教爬上警车，寻思着塞拉斯可能会在哪里。没过几分钟，警车的扫描器发出尖锐的响声，紧接着就有了答案。
"奥姆宫街5 号。"
阿林加洛沙主教很快便认出了上面的地址。
伦敦天主事工会活动中心。
于是他掉头对司机说："带我去那儿，马上！"
