danbrown.angels&demons-第31节

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　Vittoria　sensed　she　was　starting　to　e　unhinged；　an　alien　distress　she　recalled　only　faintly　from　childhood；　the　orphanage　years；　frustration　with　no　tools　to　handle　it。　You　have　tools；　she　told　herself；　you　always　have　tools。　But　it　was　no　use。　Her　thoughts　intruded；　strangling　her。　She　was　a　researcher　and　problem　solver。　But　this　was　a　problem　with　no　solution。　What　data　do　you　require？　What　do　you　want？　She　told　herself　to　breathe　deeply；　but　for　the　first　time　in　her　life；　she　could　not。　She　was　suffocating。
　
　Langdon's　head　ached；　and　he　felt　like　he　was　skirting　the　edges　of　rationality。　He　watched　Vittoria　and　the　camerlegno；　but　his　vision　was　blurred　by　hideous　images：　explosions；　press　swarming；　cameras　rolling；　four　branded　humans。　
　Shaitan　。　。　。　Lucifer　。　。　。　Bringer　of　light　。　。　。　Satan　。　。　。　
　He　shook　the　fiendish　images　from　his　mind。　Calculated　terrorism；　he　reminded　himself；　grasping　at　reality。　Planned　chaos。　He　thought　back　to　a　Radcliffe　seminar　he　had　once　audited　while　researching　praetorian　symbolism。　He　had　never　seen　terrorists　the　same　way　since。
　〃Terrorism；〃　the　professor　had　lectured；　〃has　a　singular　goal。　What　is　it？〃
　〃Killing　innocent　people？〃　a　student　ventured。
　〃Incorrect。　Death　is　only　a　byproduct　of　terrorism。〃
　〃A　show　of　strength？〃
　〃No。　A　weaker　persuasion　does　not　exist。〃
　〃To　cause　terror？〃
　〃Concisely　put。　Quite　simply；　the　goal　of　terrorism　is　to　create　terror　and　fear。　Fear　undermines　faith　in　the　establishment。　It　weakens　the　enemy　from　within　。　。　。　causing　unrest　in　the　masses。　Write　this　down。　Terrorism　is　not　an　expression　of　rage。　Terrorism　is　a　political　weapon。　Remove　a　government's　faзade　of　infallibility；　and　you　remove　its　people's　faith。〃
　Loss　of　faith　。　。　。　
　Is　that　what　this　was　all　about？　Langdon　wondered　how　Christians　of　the　world　would　react　to　cardinals　being　laid　out　like　mutilated　dogs。　If　the　faith　of　a　canonized　priest　did　not　protect　him　from　the　evils　of　Satan；　what　hope　was　there　for　the　rest　of　us？　Langdon's　head　was　pounding　louder　now　。　。　。　tiny　voices　playing　tug　of　war。　
　Faith　does　not　protect　you。　Medicine　and　airbags　。　。　。　those　are　things　that　protect　you。　God　does　not　protect　you。　Intelligence　protects　you。　Enlightenment。　Put　your　faith　in　something　with　tangible　results。　How　long　has　it　been　since　someone　walked　on　water？　Modern　miracles　belong　to　science　。　。　。　puters；　vaccines；　space　stations　。　。　。　even　the　divine　miracle　of　creation。　Matter　from　nothing　。　。　。　in　a　lab。　Who　needs　God？　No！　Science　is　God。
　The　killer's　voice　resonated　in　Langdon's　mind。　Midnight　。　。　。　mathematical　progression　of　death　。　。　。　sacrifici　vergini　nell'　altare　di　scienza。〃　
　Then　suddenly；　like　a　crowd　dispersed　by　a　single　gunshot；　the　voices　were　gone。　
　Robert　Langdon　bolted　to　his　feet。　His　chair　fell　backward　and　crashed　on　the　marble　floor。　
　Vittoria　and　the　camerlegno　jumped。
　〃I　missed　it；〃　Langdon　whispered；　spellbound。　〃It　was　right　in　front　of　me　。　。　。〃
　〃Missed　what？〃　Vittoria　demanded。
　Langdon　turned　to　the　priest。　〃Father；　for　three　years　I　have　petitioned　this　office　for　access　to　the　Vatican　Archives。　I　have　been　denied　seven　times。〃
　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　am　sorry；　but　this　hardly　seems　the　moment　to　raise　such　plaints。〃
　〃I　need　access　immediately。　The　four　missing　cardinals。　I　may　be　able　to　figure　out　where　they're　going　to　be　killed。〃　
　Vittoria　stared；　looking　certain　she　had　misunderstood。
　The　camerlegno　looked　troubled；　as　if　he　were　the　brunt　of　a　cruel　joke。　〃You　expect　me　to　believe　this　information　is　in　our　archives？〃　
　〃I　can't　promise　I　can　locate　it　in　time；　but　if　you　let　me　in　。　。　。〃
　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　am　due　in　the　Sistine　Chapel　in　four　minutes。　The　archives　are　across　Vatican　City。〃
　〃You're　serious　aren't　you？〃　Vittoria　interrupted；　staring　deep　into　Langdon's　eyes；　seeming　to　sense　his　earnestness。
　〃Hardly　a　joking　time；〃　Langdon　said。　
　〃Father；〃　Vittoria　said；　turning　to　the　camerlegno；　〃if　there's　a　chance　。　。　。　any　at　all　of　finding　where　these　killings　are　going　to　happen；　we　could　stake　out　the　locations　and…〃
　〃But　the　archives？〃　the　camerlegno　insisted。　〃How　could　they　possibly　contain　any　clue？〃
　〃Explaining　it；〃　Langdon　said；　〃will　take　longer　than　you've　got。　But　if　I'm　right；　we　can　use　the　information　to　catch　the　Hassassin。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　as　though　he　wanted　to　believe　but　somehow　could　not。　〃Christianity's　most　sacred　codices　are　in　that　archive。　Treasures　I　myself　am　not　privileged　enough　to　see。〃
　〃I　am　aware　of　that。〃
　〃Access　is　permitted　only　by　written　decree　of　the　curator　and　the　Board　of　Vatican　Librarians。〃　
　〃Or；〃　Langdon　declared；　〃by　papal　mandate。　It　says　so　in　every　rejection　letter　your　curator　ever　sent　me。〃
　The　camerlegno　nodded。
　〃Not　to　be　rude；〃　Langdon　urged；　〃but　if　I'm　not　mistaken　a　papal　mandate　es　from　this　office。　As　far　as　I　can　tell；　tonight　you　hold　the　trust　of　his　station。　Considering　the　circumstances　。　。　。〃
　The　camerlegno　pulled　a　pocket　watch　from　his　cassock　and　looked　at　it。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　am　prepared　to　give　my　life　tonight；　quite　literally；　to　save　this　church。〃　
　Langdon　sensed　nothing　but　truth　in　the　man's　eyes。
　〃This　document；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃do　you　truly　believe　it　is　here？　And　that　it　can　help　us　locate　these　four　churches？〃
　〃I　would　not　have　made　countless　solicitations　for　access　if　I　were　not　convinced。　Italy　is　a　bit　far　to　e　on　a　lark　when　you　make　a　teacher's　salary。　The　document　you　have　is　an　ancient…〃
　〃Please；〃　the　camerlegno　interrupted。　〃Forgive　me。　My　mind　cannot　process　any　more　details　at　the　moment。　Do　you　know　where　the　secret　archives　are　located？〃
　Langdon　felt　a　rush　of　excitement。　〃Just　behind　the　Santa　Ana　Gate。〃
　〃Impressive。　Most　scholars　believe　it　is　through　the　secret　door　behind　St。　Peter's　Throne。〃
　〃No。　That　would　be　the　Archivio　della　Reverenda　di　Fabbrica　di　S。　Pietro。　A　mon　misconception。〃
　〃A　librarian　docent　acpanies　every　entrant　at　all　times。　Tonight；　the　docents　are　gone。　What　you　are　requesting　is　carte　blanche　access。　Not　even　our　cardinals　enter　alone。〃
　〃I　will　treat　your　treasures　with　the　utmost　respect　and　care。　Your　librarians　will　find　not　a　trace　that　I　was　there。〃
　Overhead　the　bells　of　St。　Peter's　began　to　toll。　The　camerlegno　checked　his　pocket　watch。　〃I　must　go。〃　He　paused　a　taut　moment　and　looked　up　at　Langdon。　〃I　will　have　a　Swiss　Guard　meet　you　at　the　archives。　I　am　giving　you　my　trust；　Mr。　Langdon。　Go　now。〃
　Langdon　was　speechless。
　The　young　priest　now　seemed　to　possess　an　eerie　poise。　Reaching　over；　he　squeezed　Langdon's　shoulder　with　surprising　strength。　〃I　want　you　to　find　what　you　are　looking　for。　And　find　it　quickly。〃　
　
　46

　The　Secret　Vatican　Archives　are　located　at　the　far　end　of　the　Borgia　Courtyard　directly　up　a　hill　from　the　Gate　of　Santa　Ana。　They　contain　over　20；000　volumes　and　are　rumored　to　hold　such　treasures　as　Leonardo　da　Vinci's　missing　diaries　and　even　unpublished　books　of　the　Holy　Bible。　
　Langdon　strode　powerfully　up　the　deserted　Via　della　Fondamenta　toward　the　archives；　his　mind　barely　able　to　accept　that　he　was　about　to　be　granted　access。　Vittoria　was　at　his　side；　keeping　pace　effortlessly。　Her　almond…scented　hair　tossed　lightly　in　the　breeze；　and　Langdon　breathed　it　in。　He　felt　his　thoughts　straying　and　reeled　himself　back。　
　Vittoria　said；　〃You　going　to　tell　me　what　we're　looking　for？〃
　〃A　little　book　written　by　a　guy　named　Galileo。〃
　She　sounded　surprised。　〃You　don't　mess　around。　What's　in　it？〃
　〃It　is　supposed　to　contain　something　called　il　segno。〃　
　〃The　sign？〃
　〃Sign；　clue；　signal　。　。　。　depends　on　your　translation。〃
　〃Sign　to　what？〃　
　Langdon　picked　up　the　pace。　〃A　secret　location。　Galileo's　Illuminati　needed　to　protect　themselves　from　the　Vatican；　so　they　founded　an　ultrasecret　Illuminati　meeting　place　here　in　Rome。　They　called　it　The　Church　of　Illumination。〃
　〃Pretty　bold　calling　a　satanic　lair　a　church。〃　
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃Galileo's　Illuminati　were　not　the　least　bit　satanic。　They　were　scientists　who　revered　enlightenment。　Their　meeting　place　was　simply　where　they　could　safely　congregate　and　discuss　topics　forbidden　by　the　Vatican。　Although　we　know　the　secret　lair　existed；　to　this　day　nobody　has　ever　located　it。〃
　〃Sounds　like　the　Illuminati　know　how　to　keep　a　secret。〃
　〃Absolutely。　In　fact；　they　never　revealed　the　location　of　their　hideaway　to　anyone　outside　the　brotherhood。　This　secrecy　protected　them；　but　it　also　posed　a　problem　when　it　came　to　recruiting　new　members。〃
　〃They　couldn't　grow　if　they　couldn't　advertise；〃　Vittoria　said；　her　legs　and　mind　keeping　perfect　pace。
　〃Exactly。　Word　of　Galileo's　brotherhood　started　to　spread　in　the　1630s；　and　scientists　from　around　the　world　made　secret　pilgrimages　to　Rome　hoping　to　join　the　Illuminati　。　。　。　eager　for　a　chance　to　look　through　Galileo's　telescope　and　hear　the　master's　ideas。　Unfortunately；　though；　because　of　the　Illuminati's　secrecy；　scientists　arriving　in　Rome　never　knew　where　to　go　for　the　meetings　or　to　whom　they　could　safely　speak。　The　Illuminati　wanted　new　blood；　but　they　could　not　afford　to　risk　their　secrecy　by　making　their　whereabouts　known。〃
　Vittoria　frowned