danbrown.angels&demons-第27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！


　carries　about　a　hundred　times　more　payload　than　a　nuclear　warhead。〃
　Olivetti　slumped。　It　was　like　watching　a　mountain　crumble。　Vittoria's　feeling　of　triumph　was　erased　by　the　look　of　horror　on　the　camerlegno's　face。　
　〃Did　you　trace　the　call？〃　Olivetti　stammered。
　〃No　luck。　Cellular　with　heavy　encryption。　The　SAT　lines　are　interfused；　so　triangulation　is　out。　The　IF　signature　suggests　he's　somewhere　in　Rome；　but　there's　really　no　way　to　trace　him。〃
　〃Did　he　make　demands？〃　Olivetti　said；　his　voice　quiet。
　〃No；　sir。　Just　warned　us　that　there　is　antimatter　hidden　inside　the　plex。　He　seemed　surprised　I　didn't　know。　Asked　me　if　I'd　seen　it　yet。　You'd　asked　me　about　antimatter；　so　I　decided　to　advise　you。〃
　〃You　did　the　right　thing；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃I'll　be　down　in　a　minute。　Alert　me　immediately　if　he　calls　back。〃
　There　was　a　moment　of　silence　on　the　walkie…talkie。　〃The　caller　is　still　on　the　line；　sir。〃
　Olivetti　looked　like　he'd　just　been　electrocuted。　〃The　line　is　open？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　We've　been　trying　to　trace　him　for　ten　minutes；　getting　nothing　but　splayed　ferreting。　He　must　know　we　can't　touch　him　because　he　refuses　to　hang　up　until　he　speaks　to　the　camerlegno。〃
　〃Patch　him　through；〃　the　camerlegno　manded。　〃Now！〃
　Olivetti　wheeled。　〃Father；　no。　A　trained　Swiss　Guard　negotiator　is　much　better　suited　to　handle　this。〃
　〃Now！〃　
　Olivetti　gave　the　order。
　A　moment　later；　the　phone　on　Camerlegno　Ventresca's　desk　began　to　ring。　The　camerlegno　rammed　his　finger　down　on　the　speaker…phone　button。　〃Who　in　the　name　of　God　do　you　think　you　are？〃
　
　41

　The　voice　emanating　from　the　camerlegno's　speaker　phone　was　metallic　and　cold；　laced　with　arrogance。　Everyone　in　the　room　listened。
　Langdon　tried　to　place　the　accent。　Middle　Eastern；　perhaps？　
　〃I　am　a　messenger　of　an　ancient　brotherhood；〃　the　voice　announced　in　an　alien　cadence。　〃A　brotherhood　you　have　wronged　for　centuries。　I　am　a　messenger　of　the　Illuminati。〃　
　Langdon　felt　his　muscles　tighten；　the　last　shreds　of　doubt　withering　away。　For　an　instant　he　felt　the　familiar　collision　of　thrill；　privilege；　and　dead　fear　that　he　had　experienced　when　he　first　saw　the　ambigram　this　morning。　
　〃What　do　you　want？〃　the　camerlegno　demanded。
　〃I　represent　men　of　science。　Men　who　like　yourselves　are　searching　for　the　answers。　Answers　to　man's　destiny；　his　purpose；　his　creator。〃
　〃Whoever　you　are；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃I…〃
　〃Silenzio。　You　will　do　better　to　listen。　For　two　millennia　your　church　has　dominated　the　quest　for　truth。　You　have　crushed　your　opposition　with　lies　and　prophesies　of　doom。　You　have　manipulated　the　truth　to　serve　your　needs；　murdering　those　whose　discoveries　did　not　serve　your　politics。　Are　you　surprised　you　are　the　target　of　enlightened　men　from　around　the　globe？〃
　〃Enlightened　men　do　not　resort　to　blackmail　to　further　their　causes。〃
　〃Blackmail？〃　The　caller　laughed。　〃This　is　not　blackmail。　We　have　no　demands。　The　abolition　of　the　Vatican　is　nonnegotiable。　We　have　waited　four　hundred　years　for　this　day。　At　midnight；　your　city　will　be　destroyed。　There　is　nothing　you　can　do。〃
　Olivetti　stormed　toward　the　speaker　phone。　〃Access　to　this　city　is　impossible！　You　could　not　possibly　have　planted　explosives　in　here！〃
　〃You　speak　with　the　ignorant　devotion　of　a　Swiss　Guard。　Perhaps　even　an　officer？　Surely　you　are　aware　that　for　centuries　the　Illuminati　have　infiltrated　elitist　organizations　across　the　globe。　Do　you　really　believe　the　Vatican　is　immune？〃
　Jesus；　Langdon　thought；　they've　got　someone　on　the　inside。　It　was　no　secret　that　infiltration　was　the　Illuminati　trademark　of　power。　They　had　infiltrated　the　Masons；　major　banking　networks；　government　bodies。　In　fact；　Churchill　had　once　told　reporters　that　if　English　spies　had　infiltrated　the　Nazis　to　the　degree　the　Illuminati　had　infiltrated　English　Parliament；　the　war　would　have　been　over　in　one　month。
　〃A　transparent　bluff；〃　Olivetti　snapped。　〃Your　influence　cannot　possibly　extend　so　far。〃
　〃Why？　Because　your　Swiss　Guards　are　vigilant？　Because　they　watch　every　corner　of　your　private　world？　How　about　the　Swiss　Guards　themselves？　Are　they　not　men？　Do　you　truly　believe　they　stake　their　lives　on　a　fable　about　a　man　who　walks　on　water？　Ask　yourself　how　else　the　canister　could　have　entered　your　city。　Or　how　four　of　your　most　precious　assets　could　have　disappeared　this　afternoon。〃
　〃Our　assets？〃　Olivetti　scowled。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃One；　two；　three；　four。　You　haven't　missed　them　by　now？〃
　〃What　the　hell　are　you　talk…〃　Olivetti　stopped　short；　his　eyes　rocketing　wide　as　though　he'd　just　been　punched　in　the　gut。
　〃Light　dawns；〃　the　caller　said。　〃Shall　I　read　their　names？〃
　〃What's　going　on？〃　the　camerlegno　said；　looking　bewildered。
　The　caller　laughed。　〃Your　officer　has　not　yet　informed　you？　How　sinful。　No　surprise。　Such　pride。　I　imagine　the　disgrace　of　telling　you　the　truth　。　。　。　that　four　cardinals　he　had　sworn　to　protect　seem　to　have　disappeared　。　。　。〃
　Olivetti　erupted。　〃Where　did　you　get　this　information！〃
　〃Camerlegno；〃　the　caller　gloated；　〃ask　your　mander　if　all　your　cardinals　are　present　in　the　Sistine　Chapel。〃　
　The　camerlegno　turned　to　Olivetti；　his　green　eyes　demanding　an　explanation。
　〃Signore；〃　Olivetti　whispered　in　the　camerlegno's　ear；　〃it　is　true　that　four　of　our　cardinals　have　not　yet　reported　to　the　Sistine　Chapel；　but　there　is　no　need　for　alarm。　Every　one　of　them　checked　into　the　residence　hall　this　morning；　so　we　know　they　are　safely　inside　Vatican　City。　You　yourself　had　tea　with　them　only　hours　ago。　They　are　simply　late　for　the　fellowship　preceding　conclave。　We　are　searching；　but　I'm　sure　they　just　lost　track　of　time　and　are　still　out　enjoying　the　grounds。〃
　〃Enjoying　the　grounds？〃　The　calm　departed　from　the　camerlegno's　voice。　〃They　were　due　in　the　chapel　over　an　hour　ago！〃
　Langdon　shot　Vittoria　a　look　of　amazement。　Missing　cardinals？　So　that's　what　they　were　looking　for　downstairs？　
　〃Our　inventory；〃　the　caller　said；　〃you　will　find　quite　convincing。　There　is　Cardinal　Lamassй　from　Paris；　Cardinal　Guidera　from　Barcelona；　Cardinal　Ebner　from　Frankfurt　。　。　。〃
　Olivetti　seemed　to　shrink　smaller　and　smaller　after　each　name　was　read。　
　The　caller　paused；　as　though　taking　special　pleasure　in　the　final　name。　〃And　from　Italy　。　。　。　Cardinal　Baggia。〃
　The　camerlegno　loosened　like　a　tall　ship　that　had　just　run　sheets　first　into　a　dead　calm。　His　frock　billowed；　and　he　collapsed　in　his　chair。　〃I　preferiti；〃　he　whispered。　〃The　four　favorites　。　。　。　including　Baggia　。　。　。　the　most　likely　successor　as　Supreme　Pontiff　。　。　。　how　is　it　possible？〃
　Langdon　had　read　enough　about　modern　papal　elections　to　understand　the　look　of　desperation　on　the　camerlegno's　face。　Although　technically　any　cardinal　under　eighty　years　old　could　bee　Pope；　only　a　very　few　had　the　respect　necessary　to　mand　a　two…thirds　majority　in　the　ferociously　partisan　balloting　procedure。　They　were　known　as　the　preferiti。　And　they　were　all　gone。
　Sweat　dripped　from　the　camerlegno's　brow。　〃What　do　you　intend　with　these　men？〃
　〃What　do　you　think　I　intend？　I　am　a　descendant　of　the　Hassassin。〃
　Langdon　felt　a　shiver。　He　knew　the　name　well。　The　church　had　made　some　deadly　enemies　through　the　years…the　Hassassin；　the　Knights　Templar；　armies　that　had　been　either　hunted　by　the　Vatican　or　betrayed　by　them。　
　〃Let　the　cardinals　go；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　〃Isn't　threatening　to　destroy　the　City　of　God　enough？〃
　〃Forget　your　four　cardinals。　They　are　lost　to　you。　Be　assured　their　deaths　will　be　remembered　though　。　。　。　by　millions。　Every　martyr's　dream。　I　will　make　them　media　luminaries。　One　by　one。　By　midnight　the　Illuminati　will　have　everyone's　attention。　Why　change　the　world　if　the　world　is　not　watching？　Public　killings　have　an　intoxicating　horror　about　them；　don't　they？　You　proved　that　long　ago　。　。　。　the　inquisition；　the　torture　of　the　Knights　Templar；　the　Crusades。〃　He　paused。　〃And　of　course；　la　purga。〃　
　The　camerlegno　was　silent。　
　〃Do　you　not　recall　la　purga？〃　the　caller　asked。　〃Of　course　not；　you　are　a　child。　Priests　are　poor　historians；　anyway。　Perhaps　because　their　history　shames　them？〃
　〃La　purga；〃　Langdon　heard　himself　say。　〃Sixteen　sixty…eight。　The　church　branded　four　Illuminati　scientists　with　the　symbol　of　the　cross。　To　purge　their　sins。〃　
　〃Who　is　speaking？〃　the　voice　demanded；　sounding　more　intrigued　than　concerned。　〃Who　else　is　there？〃
　Langdon　felt　shaky。　〃My　name　is　not　important；〃　he　said；　trying　to　keep　his　voice　from　wavering。　Speaking　to　a　living　Illuminatus　was　disorienting　for　him　。　。　。　like　speaking　to　George　Washington。　〃I　am　an　academic　who　has　studied　the　history　of　your　brotherhood。〃
　〃Superb；〃　the　voice　replied。　〃I　am　pleased　there　are　still　those　alive　who　remember　the　crimes　against　us。〃
　〃Most　of　us　think　you　are　dead。〃
　〃A　misconception　the　brotherhood　has　worked　hard　to　promote。　What　else　do　you　know　of　la　purga？〃　
　Langdon　hesitated。　What　else　do　I　know？　That　this　whole　situation　is　insanity；　that's　what　I　know！　〃After　the　brandings；　the　scientists　were　murdered；　and　their　bodies　were　dropped　in　public　locations　around　Rome　as　a　warning　to　other　scientists　not　to　join　the　Illuminati。〃　
　〃Yes。　So　we　shall　do　the　same。　Quid　pro　quo。　Consider