danbrown.angels&demons-第39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！


　〃What！〃
　〃The　poem　is　signed　John　Milton。〃
　〃John　Milton？〃　The　influential　English　poet　who　wrote　Paradise　Lost　was　a　contemporary　of　Galileo's　and　a　savant　who　conspiracy　buffs　put　at　the　top　of　their　list　of　Illuminati　suspects。　Milton's　alleged　affiliation　with　Galileo's　Illuminati　was　one　legend　Langdon　suspected　was　true。　Not　only　had　Milton　made　a　well…documented　1638　pilgrimage　to　Rome　to　〃mune　with　enlightened　men；〃　but　he　had　held　meetings　with　Galileo　during　the　scientist's　house　arrest；　meetings　portrayed　in　many　Renaissance　paintings；　including　Annibale　Gatti's　famous　Galileo　and　Milton；　which　hung　even　now　in　the　IMSS　Museum　in　Florence。
　〃Milton　knew　Galileo；　didn't　he？〃　Vittoria　said；　finally　pushing　the　folio　over　to　Langdon。　〃Maybe　he　wrote　the　poem　as　a　favor？〃
　Langdon　clenched　his　teeth　as　he　took　the　sheathed　document。　Leaving　it　flat　on　the　table；　he　read　the　line　at　the　top。　Then　he　rotated　the　page　90　degrees；　reading　the　line　in　the　right　margin。　Another　twist；　and　he　read　the　bottom。　Another　twist；　the　left。　A　final　twist　pleted　the　circle。　There　were　four　lines　in　all。　The　first　line　Vittoria　had　found　was　actually　the　third　line　of　the　poem。　Utterly　agape；　he　read　the　four　lines　again；　clockwise　in　sequence：　top；　right；　bottom；　left。　When　he　was　done；　he　exhaled。　There　was　no　doubt　in　his　mind。　〃You　found　it；　Ms。　Vetra。〃
　She　smiled　tightly。　〃Good；　now　can　we　get　the　hell　out　of　here？〃
　〃I　have　to　copy　these　lines　down。　I　need　to　find　a　pencil　and　paper。〃
　Vittoria　shook　her　head。　〃Forget　it；　professor。　No　time　to　play　scribe。　Mickey's　ticking。〃　She　took　the　page　from　him　and　headed　for　the　door。
　Langdon　stood　up。　〃You　can't　take　that　outside！　It's　a…〃
　But　Vittoria　was　already　gone。
　
　55

　Langdon　and　Vittoria　exploded　onto　the　courtyard　outside　the　Secret　Archives。　The　fresh　air　felt　like　a　drug　as　it　flowed　into　Langdon's　lungs。　The　purple　spots　in　his　vision　quickly　faded。　The　guilt；　however；　did　not。　He　had　just　been　acplice　to　stealing　a　priceless　relic　from　the　world's　most　private　vault。　The　camerlegno　had　said；　I　am　giving　you　my　trust。
　〃Hurry；〃　Vittoria　said；　still　holding　the　folio　in　her　hand　and　striding　at　a　half…jog　across　Via　Borgia　in　the　direction　of　Olivetti's　office。　
　〃If　any　water　gets　on　that　papyrus…〃
　〃Calm　down。　When　we　decipher　this　thing；　we　can　return　their　sacred　Folio　5。〃　
　Langdon　accelerated　to　keep　up。　Beyond　feeling　like　a　criminal；　he　was　still　dazed　over　the　document's　spellbinding　implications。　John　Milton　was　an　Illuminatus。　He　posed　the　poem　for　Galileo　to　publish　in　Folio　5　。　。　。　far　from　the　eyes　of　the　Vatican。
　As　they　left　the　courtyard；　Vittoria　held　out　the　folio　for　Langdon。　〃You　think　you　can　decipher　this　thing？　Or　did　we　just　kill　all　those　brain　cells　for　kicks？〃
　Langdon　took　the　document　carefully　in　his　hands。　Without　hesitation　he　slipped　it　into　one　of　the　breast　pockets　of　his　tweed　jacket；　out　of　the　sunlight　and　dangers　of　moisture。　〃I　deciphered　it　already。〃　
　Vittoria　stopped　short。　〃You　what？〃　
　Langdon　kept　moving。
　Vittoria　hustled　to　catch　up。　〃You　read　it　once！　I　thought　it　was　supposed　to　be　hard！〃
　Langdon　knew　she　was　right；　and　yet　he　had　deciphered　the　segno　in　a　single　reading。　A　perfect　stanza　of　iambic　pentameter；　and　the　first　altar　of　science　had　revealed　itself　in　pristine　clarity。　Admittedly；　the　ease　with　which　he　had　acplished　the　task　left　him　with　a　nagging　disquietude。　He　was　a　child　of　the　Puritan　work　ethic。　He　could　still　hear　his　father　speaking　the　old　New　England　aphorism：　If　it　wasn't　painfully　difficult；　you　did　it　wrong。　Langdon　hoped　the　saying　was　false。　〃I　deciphered　it；〃　he　said；　moving　faster　now。　〃I　know　where　the　first　killing　is　going　to　happen。　We　need　to　warn　Olivetti。〃
　Vittoria　closed　in　on　him。　〃How　could　you　already　know？　Let　me　see　that　thing　again。〃　With　the　sleight　of　a　boxer；　she　slipped　a　lissome　hand　into　his　pocket　and　pulled　out　the　folio　again。　
　〃Careful！〃　Langdon　said。　〃You　can't…〃
　Vittoria　ignored　him。　Folio　in　hand；　she　floated　beside　him；　holding　the　document　up　to　the　evening　light；　examining　the　margins。　As　she　began　reading　aloud；　Langdon　moved　to　retrieve　the　folio　but　instead　found　himself　bewitched　by　Vittoria's　accented　alto　speaking　the　syllables　in　perfect　rhythm　with　her　gait。
　For　a　moment；　hearing　the　verse　aloud；　Langdon　felt　transported　in　time　。　。　。　as　though　he　were　one　of　Galileo's　contemporaries；　listening　to　the　poem　for　the　first　time　。　。　。　knowing　it　was　a　test；　a　map；　a　clue　unveiling　the　four　altars　of　science　。　。　。　the　four　markers　that　blazed　a　secret　path　across　Rome。　The　verse　flowed　from　Vittoria's　lips　like　a　song。
　
　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb　with　demon's　hole；
　'Cross　Rome　the　mystic　elements　unfold。
　The　path　of　light　is　laid；　the　sacred　test；
　Let　angels　guide　you　on　your　lofty　quest。
　
　Vittoria　read　it　twice　and　then　fell　silent；　as　if　letting　the　ancient　words　resonate　on　their　own。
　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb；　Langdon　repeated　in　his　mind。　The　poem　was　crystal　clear　about　that。　The　Path　of　Illumination　began　at　Santi's　tomb。　From　there；　across　Rome；　the　markers　blazed　the　trail。　
　
　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb　with　demon's　hole；
　'Cross　Rome　the　mystic　elements　unfold。
　
　Mystic　elements。　Also　clear。　Earth；　Air；　Fire；　Water。　Elements　of　science；　the　four　Illuminati　markers　disguised　as　religious　sculpture。　
　〃The　first　marker；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃sounds　like　it's　at　Santi's　tomb。〃
　Langdon　smiled。　〃I　told　you　it　wasn't　that　tough。〃
　〃So　who　is　Santi？〃　she　asked；　sounding　suddenly　excited。　〃And　where's　his　tomb？〃
　Langdon　chuckled　to　himself。　He　was　amazed　how　few　people　knew　Santi；　the　last　name　of　one　of　the　most　famous　Renaissance　artists　ever　to　live。　His　first　name　was　world　renowned　。　。　。　the　child　prodigy　who　at　the　age　of　twenty…five　was　already　doing　missions　for　Pope　Julius　II；　and　when　he　died　at　only　thirty…eight；　left　behind　the　greatest　collection　of　frescoes　the　world　had　ever　seen。　Santi　was　a　behemoth　in　the　art　world；　and　being　known　solely　by　one's　first　name　was　a　level　of　fame　achieved　only　by　an　elite　few　。　。　。　people　like　Napoleon；　Galileo；　and　Jesus　。　。　。　and；　of　course；　the　demigods　Langdon　now　heard　blaring　from　Harvard　dormitories…Sting；　Madonna；　Jewel；　and　the　artist　formerly　known　as　Prince；　who　had　changed　his　name　to　the　symbol　；　causing　Langdon　to　dub　him　〃The　Tau　Cross　With　Intersecting　Hermaphroditic　Ankh。〃
　〃Santi；〃　Langdon　said；　〃is　the　last　name　of　the　great　Renaissance　master；　Raphael。〃
　Vittoria　looked　surprised。　〃Raphael？　As　in　the　Raphael？〃
　〃The　one　and　only。〃　Langdon　pushed　on　toward　the　Office　of　the　Swiss　Guard。　
　〃So　the　path　starts　at　Raphael's　tomb？〃
　〃It　actually　makes　perfect　sense；〃　Langdon　said　as　they　rushed　on。　〃The　Illuminati　often　considered　great　artists　and　sculptors　honorary　brothers　in　enlightenment。　The　Illuminati　could　have　chosen　Raphael's　tomb　as　a　kind　of　tribute。〃　Langdon　also　knew　that　Raphael；　like　many　other　religious　artists；　was　a　suspected　closet　atheist。
　Vittoria　slipped　the　folio　carefully　back　in　Langdon's　pocket。　〃So　where　is　he　buried？〃　
　Langdon　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Believe　it　or　not；　Raphael's　buried　in　the　Pantheon。〃
　Vittoria　looked　skeptical。　〃The　Pantheon？〃　
　〃The　Raphael　at　the　Pantheon。〃　Langdon　had　to　admit；　the　Pantheon　was　not　what　he　had　expected　for　the　placement　of　the　first　marker。　He　would　have　guessed　the　first　altar　of　science　to　be　at　some　quiet；　out　of　the　way　church；　something　subtle。　Even　in　the　1600s；　the　Pantheon；　with　its　tremendous；　holed　dome；　was　one　of　the　best　known　sites　in　Rome。　
　〃Is　the　Pantheon　even　a　church？〃　Vittoria　asked。
　〃Oldest　Catholic　church　in　Rome。〃
　Vittoria　shook　her　head。　〃But　do　you　really　think　the　first　cardinal　could　be　killed　at　the　Pantheon？　That's　got　to　be　one　of　the　busiest　tourist　spots　in　Rome。〃
　Langdon　shrugged。　〃The　Illuminati　said　they　wanted　the　whole　world　watching。　Killing　a　cardinal　at　the　Pantheon　would　certainly　open　some　eyes。〃
　〃But　how　does　this　guy　expect　to　kill　someone　at　the　Pantheon　and　get　away　unnoticed？　It　would　be　impossible。〃
　〃As　impossible　as　kidnapping　four　cardinals　from　Vatican　City？　The　poem　is　precise。〃
　〃And　you're　certain　Raphael　is　buried　inside　the　Pantheon？〃
　〃I've　seen　his　tomb　many　times。〃
　Vittoria　nodded；　still　looking　troubled。　〃What　time　is　it？〃
　Langdon　checked。　〃Seven…thirty。〃
　〃Is　the　Pantheon　far？〃
　〃A　mile　maybe。　We've　got　time。〃
　〃The　poem　said　Santi's　earthly　tomb。　Does　that　mean　anything　to　you？〃
　Langdon　hastened　diagonally　across　the　Courtyard　of　the　Sentinel。　〃Earthly？　Actually；　there's　probably　no　more　earthly　place　in　Rome　than　the　Pantheon。　It　got　its　name　from　the　original　religion　practiced　there…Pantheism…the　worship　of　all　gods；　specifically　the　pagan　gods　of　Mother　Earth。〃
　As　a　student　of　architecture；　Langdon　had　been　amazed　to　learn　that　the　dimensions　of　the　Pantheon's　main　chamber　were　a　tribute　to　Gaea…the　goddess　of　the　Earth。　The　proportions　were　so　exact　that　a　giant　spherical　globe　could　fit　perfectly　inside　the　building　with　less　than　a　millimeter　to　spare。
　〃Okay；〃　Vittoria　said；　sounding　more　convinced。　〃And　demon's