danbrown.angels&demons-第12节

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


the　Harvard　physics　department　would　say　when　he　told　them　he'd　spent　the　weekend　hanging　out　in　a　Large　Hadron　Collider　admiring　Z…particles。
　〃Vittoria；〃　Kohler　said；　as　they　approached　the　lab's　imposing　steel　door；　〃I　should　mention　that　I　came　down　here　this　morning　looking　for　your　father。〃
　Vittoria　flushed　slightly。　〃You　did？〃
　〃Yes。　And　imagine　my　surprise　when　I　discovered　he　had　replaced　CERN's　standard　keypad　security　with　something　else。〃　Kohler　motioned　to　an　intricate　electronic　device　mounted　beside　the　door。
　〃I　apologize；〃　she　said。　〃You　know　how　he　was　about　privacy。　He　didn't　want　anyone　but　the　two　of　us　to　have　access。〃
　Kohler　said；　〃Fine。　Open　the　door。〃　
　Vittoria　stood　a　long　moment。　Then；　pulling　a　deep　breath；　she　walked　to　the　mechanism　on　the　wall。　
　Langdon　was　in　no　way　prepared　for　what　happened　next。
　Vittoria　stepped　up　to　the　device　and　carefully　aligned　her　right　eye　with　a　protruding　lens　that　looked　like　a　telescope。　Then　she　pressed　a　button。　Inside　the　machine；　something　clicked。　A　shaft　of　light　oscillated　back　and　forth；　scanning　her　eyeball　like　a　copy　machine。　
　〃It's　a　retina　scan；〃　she　said。　〃Infallible　security。　Authorized　for　two　retina　patterns　only。　Mine　and　my　father's。〃
　Robert　Langdon　stood　in　horrified　revelation。　The　image　of　Leonardo　Vetra　came　back　in　grisly　detail…the　bloody　face；　the　solitary　hazel　eye　staring　back；　and　the　empty　eye　socket。　He　tried　to　reject　the　obvious　truth；　but　then　he　saw　it　。　。　。　beneath　the　scanner　on　the　white　tile　floor　。　。　。　faint　droplets　of　crimson。　Dried　blood。　
　Vittoria；　thankfully；　did　not　notice。　
　The　steel　door　slid　open　and　she　walked　through。
　Kohler　fixed　Langdon　with　an　adamant　stare。　His　message　was　clear：　As　I　told　you　。　。　。　the　missing　eye　serves　a　higher　purpose。　
　
　18

　The　woman's　hands　were　tied；　her　wrists　now　purple　and　swollen　from　chafing。　The　mahogany…skinned　Hassassin　lay　beside　her；　spent；　admiring　his　naked　prize。　He　wondered　if　her　current　slumber　was　just　a　deception；　a　pathetic　attempt　to　avoid　further　service　to　him。
　He　did　not　care。　He　had　reaped　sufficient　reward。　Sated；　he　sat　up　in　bed。　
　In　his　country　women　were　possessions。　Weak。　Tools　of　pleasure。　Chattel　to　be　traded　like　livestock。　And　they　understood　their　place。　But　here；　in　Europe；　women　feigned　a　strength　and　independence　that　both　amused　and　excited　him。　Forcing　them　into　physical　submission　was　a　gratification　he　always　enjoyed。
　Now；　despite　the　contentment　in　his　loins；　the　Hassassin　sensed　another　appetite　growing　within　him。　He　had　killed　last　night；　killed　and　mutilated；　and　for　him　killing　was　like　heroin　。　。　。　each　encounter　satisfying　only　temporarily　before　increasing　his　longing　for　more。　The　exhilaration　had　worn　off。　The　craving　had　returned。
　He　studied　the　sleeping　woman　beside　him。　Running　his　palm　across　her　neck；　he　felt　aroused　with　the　knowledge　that　he　could　end　her　life　in　an　instant。　What　would　it　matter？　She　was　subhuman；　a　vehicle　only　of　pleasure　and　service。　His　strong　fingers　encircled　her　throat；　savoring　her　delicate　pulse。　Then；　fighting　desire；　he　removed　his　hand。　There　was　work　to　do。　Service　to　a　higher　cause　than　his　own　desire。　
　As　he　got　out　of　bed；　he　reveled　in　the　honor　of　the　job　before　him。　He　still　could　not　fathom　the　influence　of　this　man　named　Janus　and　the　ancient　brotherhood　he　manded。　Wondrously；　the　brotherhood　had　chosen　him。　Somehow　they　had　learned　of　his　loathing　。　。　。　and　of　his　skills。　How；　he　would　never　know。　Their　roots　reach　wide。
　Now　they　had　bestowed　on　him　the　ultimate　honor。　He　would　be　their　hands　and　their　voice。　Their　assassin　and　their　messenger。　The　one　his　people　knew　as　Malak　al…haq…the　Angel　of　Truth。　
　
　19

　Vetra's　lab　was　wildly　futuristic。
　Stark　white　and　bounded　on　all　sides　by　puters　and　specialized　electronic　equipment；　it　looked　like　some　sort　of　operating　room。　Langdon　wondered　what　secrets　this　place　could　possibly　hold　to　justify　cutting　out　someone's　eye　to　gain　entrance。
　Kohler　looked　uneasy　as　they　entered；　his　eyes　seeming　to　dart　about　for　signs　of　an　intruder。　But　the　lab　was　deserted。　Vittoria　moved　slowly　too　。　。　。　as　if　the　lab　felt　unknown　without　her　father　there。
　Langdon's　gaze　landed　immediately　in　the　center　of　the　room；　where　a　series　of　short　pillars　rose　from　the　floor。　Like　a　miniature　Stonehenge；　a　dozen　or　so　columns　of　polished　steel　stood　in　a　circle　in　the　middle　of　the　room。　The　pillars　were　about　three　feet　tall；　reminding　Langdon　of　museum　displays　for　valuable　gems。　These　pillars；　however；　were　clearly　not　for　precious　stones。　Each　supported　a　thick；　transparent　canister　about　the　size　of　a　tennis　ball　can。　They　appeared　empty。
　Kohler　eyed　the　canisters；　looking　puzzled。　He　apparently　decided　to　ignore　them　for　the　time　being。　He　turned　to　Vittoria。　〃Has　anything　been　stolen？〃
　〃Stolen？　How？〃　she　argued。　〃The　retina　scan　only　allows　entry　to　us。〃
　〃Just　look　around。〃
　Vittoria　sighed　and　surveyed　the　room　for　a　few　moments。　She　shrugged。　〃Everything　looks　as　my　father　always　leaves　it。　Ordered　chaos。〃
　Langdon　sensed　Kohler　weighing　his　options；　as　if　wondering　how　far　to　push　Vittoria　。　。　。　how　much　to　tell　her。　Apparently　he　decided　to　leave　it　for　the　moment。　Moving　his　wheelchair　toward　the　center　of　the　room；　he　surveyed　the　mysterious　cluster　of　seemingly　empty　canisters。　
　〃Secrets；〃　Kohler　finally　said；　〃are　a　luxury　we　can　no　longer　afford。〃
　Vittoria　nodded　in　acquiescence；　looking　suddenly　emotional；　as　if　being　here　brought　with　it　a　torrent　of　memories。
　Give　her　a　minute；　Langdon　thought。
　As　though　preparing　for　what　she　was　about　to　reveal；　Vittoria　closed　her　eyes　and　breathed。　Then　she　breathed　again。　And　again。　And　again　。　。　。　
　Langdon　watched　her；　suddenly　concerned。　Is　she　okay？　He　glanced　at　Kohler；　who　appeared　unfazed；　apparently　having　seen　this　ritual　before。　Ten　seconds　passed　before　Vittoria　opened　her　eyes。
　Langdon　could　not　believe　the　metamorphosis。　Vittoria　Vetra　had　been　transformed。　Her　full　lips　were　lax；　her　shoulders　down；　and　her　eyes　soft　and　assenting。　It　was　as　though　she　had　realigned　every　muscle　in　her　body　to　accept　the　situation。　The　resentful　fire　and　personal　anguish　had　been　quelled　somehow　beneath　a　deeper；　watery　cool。　
　〃Where　to　begin　。　。　。〃　she　said；　her　accent　unruffled。
　〃At　the　beginning；〃　Kohler　said。　〃Tell　us　about　your　father's　experiment。〃
　〃Rectifying　science　with　religion　has　been　my　father's　life　dream；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃He　hoped　to　prove　that　science　and　religion　are　two　totally　patible　fields…two　different　approaches　to　finding　the　same　truth。〃　She　paused　as　if　unable　to　believe　what　she　was　about　to　say。　〃And　recently　。　。　。　he　conceived　of　a　way　to　do　that。〃
　Kohler　said　nothing。
　〃He　devised　an　experiment；　one　he　hoped　would　settle　one　of　the　most　bitter　conflicts　in　the　history　of　science　and　religion。〃
　Langdon　wondered　which　conflict　she　could　mean。　There　were　so　many。
　〃Creationism；〃　Vittoria　declared。　〃The　battle　over　how　the　universe　came　to　be。〃
　Oh；　Langdon　thought。　THE　debate。　
　〃The　Bible；　of　course；　states　that　God　created　the　universe；〃　she　explained。　〃God　said；　'Let　there　be　light；'　and　everything　we　see　appeared　out　of　a　vast　emptiness。　Unfortunately；　one　of　the　fundamental　laws　of　physics　states　that　matter　cannot　be　created　out　of　nothing。〃
　Langdon　had　read　about　this　stalemate。　The　idea　that　God　allegedly　created　〃something　from　nothing〃　was　totally　contrary　to　accepted　laws　of　modern　physics　and　therefore；　scientists　claimed；　Genesis　was　scientifically　absurd。
　〃Mr。　Langdon；〃　Vittoria　said；　turning；　〃I　assume　you　are　familiar　with　the　Big　Bang　Theory？〃
　Langdon　shrugged。　〃More　or　less。〃　The　Big　Bang；　he　knew；　was　the　scientifically　accepted　model　for　the　creation　of　the　universe。　He　didn't　really　understand　it；　but　according　to　the　theory；　a　single　point　of　intensely　focused　energy　erupted　in　a　cataclysmic　explosion；　expanding　outward　to　form　the　universe。　Or　something　like　that。
　Vittoria　continued。　〃When　the　Catholic　Church　first　proposed　the　Big　Bang　Theory　in　1927；　the…〃
　〃I'm　sorry？〃　Langdon　interrupted；　before　he　could　stop　himself。　〃You　say　the　Big　Bang　was　a　Catholic　idea？〃
　Vittoria　looked　surprised　by　his　question　〃Of　course。　Proposed　by　a　Catholic　monk；　Georges　Lemaоtre　in　1927。〃
　〃But；　I　thought　。　。　。〃　he　hesitated。　〃Wasn't　the　Big　Bang　proposed　by　Harvard　astronomer　Edwin　Hubble？〃
　Kohler　glowered。　〃Again；　American　scientific　arrogance。　Hubble　published　in　1929；　two　years　after　Lemaоtre。〃
　Langdon　scowled。　It's　called　the　Hubble　Telescope；　sir…I've　never　heard　of　any　Lemaоtre　Telescope！　
　〃Mr。　Kohler　is　right；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃the　idea　belonged　to　Lemaоtre。　Hubble　only　confirmed　it　by　gathering　the　hard　evidence　that　proved　the　Big　Bang　was　scientifically　probable。〃
　〃Oh；〃　Langdon　said；　wondering　if　the　Hubble…fanatics　in　the　Harvard　Astronomy　Department　ever　mentioned　Lemaоtre　in　their　lectures。
　〃When　Lemaоtre　first　proposed　the　Big　Bang　Theory；〃　Vittoria　continued；　〃scientists　claimed　it　was　utterly　ridiculous。　Matter；　science　said；　could　not　be　created　out　of　nothing。　So；　when　Hubble　shocked　the　world　by　scien