danbrown.angels&demons-第40节

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　〃Okay；〃　Vittoria　said；　sounding　more　convinced。　〃And　demon's　hole？　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb　with　demon's　hole？〃　
　Langdon　was　not　quite　as　sure　about　this。　〃Demon's　hole　must　mean　the　oculus；〃　he　said；　making　a　logical　guess。　〃The　famous　circular　opening　in　the　Pantheon's　roof。〃
　〃But　it's　a　church；〃　Vittoria　said；　moving　effortlessly　beside　him。　〃Why　would　they　call　the　opening　a　demon's　hole？〃
　Langdon　had　actually　been　wondering　that　himself。　He　had　never　heard　the　term　〃demon's　hole；〃　but　he　did　recall　a　famous　sixth…century　critique　of　the　Pantheon　whose　words　seemed　oddly　appropriate　now。　The　Venerable　Bede　had　once　written　that　the　hole　in　the　Pantheon's　roof　had　been　bored　by　demons　trying　to　escape　the　building　when　it　was　consecrated　by　Boniface　IV。
　〃And　why；〃　Vittoria　added　as　they　entered　a　smaller　courtyard；　〃why　would　the　Illuminati　use　the　name　Santi　if　he　was　really　known　as　Raphael？〃　
　〃You　ask　a　lot　of　questions。〃
　〃My　dad　used　to　say　that。〃
　〃Two　possible　reasons。　One；　the　word　Raphael　has　too　many　syllables。　It　would　have　destroyed　the　poem's　iambic　pentameter。〃　
　〃Sounds　like　a　stretch。〃
　Langdon　agreed。　〃Okay；　then　maybe　using　'Santi'　was　to　make　the　clue　more　obscure；　so　only　very　enlightened　men　would　recognize　the　reference　to　Raphael。〃
　Vittoria　didn't　appear　to　buy　this　either。　〃I'm　sure　Raphael's　last　name　was　very　well　known　when　he　was　alive。〃
　〃Surprisingly　not。　Single　name　recognition　was　a　status　symbol。　Raphael　shunned　his　last　name　much　like　pop　stars　do　today。　Take　Madonna；　for　example。　She　never　uses　her　surname；　Ciccone。〃
　Vittoria　looked　amused。　〃You　know　Madonna's　last　name？〃　
　Langdon　regretted　the　example。　It　was　amazing　the　kind　of　garbage　a　mind　picked　up　living　with　10；000　adolescents。　
　As　he　and　Vittoria　passed　the　final　gate　toward　the　Office　of　the　Swiss　Guard；　their　progress　was　halted　without　warning。
　〃Para！〃　a　voice　bellowed　behind　them。　
　Langdon　and　Vittoria　wheeled　to　find　themselves　looking　into　the　barrel　of　a　rifle。
　〃Attento！〃　Vittoria　exclaimed；　jumping　back。　〃Watch　it　with…〃
　〃Non　sportarti！〃　the　guard　snapped；　cocking　the　weapon。　
　〃Soldato！〃　a　voice　manded　from　across　the　courtyard。　Olivetti　was　emerging　from　the　security　center。　〃Let　them　go！〃　
　The　guard　looked　bewildered。　〃Ma；　signore；　и　una　donna…〃
　〃Inside！〃　he　yelled　at　the　guard。
　〃Signore；　non　posso…〃
　〃Now！　You　have　new　orders。　Captain　Rocher　will　be　briefing　the　corps　in　two　minutes。　We　will　be　organizing　a　search。〃
　Looking　bewildered；　the　guard　hurried　into　the　security　center。　Olivetti　marched　toward　Langdon；　rigid　and　steaming。　〃Our　most　secret　archives？　I'll　want　an　explanation。〃
　〃We　have　good　news；〃　Langdon　said。
　Olivetti's　eyes　narrowed。　〃It　better　be　damn　good。〃
　
　56

　The　four　unmarked　Alpha　Romeo　155　T…Sparks　roared　down　Via　dei　Coronari　like　fighter　jets　off　a　runway。　The　vehicles　carried　twelve　plainclothed　Swiss　Guards　armed　with　Cherchi…Pardini　semiautomatics；　local…radius　nerve　gas　canisters；　and　long…range　stun　guns。　The　three　sharpshooters　carried　laser…sighted　rifles。　
　Sitting　in　the　passenger　seat　of　the　lead　car；　Olivetti　turned　backward　toward　Langdon　and　Vittoria。　His　eyes　were　filled　with　rage。　〃You　assured　me　a　sound　explanation；　and　this　is　what　I　get？〃
　Langdon　felt　cramped　in　the　small　car。　〃I　understand　your…〃
　〃No；　you　don't　understand！〃　Olivetti　never　raised　his　voice；　but　his　intensity　tripled。　〃I　have　just　removed　a　dozen　of　my　best　men　from　Vatican　City　on　the　eve　of　conclave。　And　I　have　done　this　to　stake　out　the　Pantheon　based　on　the　testimony　of　some　American　I　have　never　met　who　has　just　interpreted　a　four…hundred…year…old　poem。　I　have　also　just　left　the　search　for　this　antimatter　weapon　in　the　hands　of　secondary　officers。〃
　Langdon　resisted　the　urge　to　pull　Folio　5　from　his　pocket　and　wave　it　in　Olivetti's　face。　〃All　I　know　is　that　the　information　we　found　refers　to　Raphael's　tomb；　and　Raphael's　tomb　is　inside　the　Pantheon。〃
　The　officer　behind　the　wheel　nodded。　〃He's　right；　mander。　My　wife　and　I…〃
　〃Drive；〃　Olivetti　snapped。　He　turned　back　to　Langdon。　〃How　could　a　killer　acplish　an　assassination　in　such　a　crowded　place　and　escape　unseen？〃
　〃I　don't　know；〃　Langdon　said。　〃But　the　Illuminati　are　obviously　highly　resourceful。　They've　broken　into　both　CERN　and　Vatican　City。　It's　only　by　luck　that　we　know　where　the　first　kill　zone　is。　The　Pantheon　is　your　one　chance　to　catch　this　guy。〃
　〃More　contradictions；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃One　chance？　I　thought　you　said　there　was　some　sort　of　pathway。　A　series　of　markers。　If　the　Pantheon　is　the　right　spot；　we　can　follow　the　pathway　to　the　other　markers。　We　will　have　four　chances　to　catch　this　guy。〃
　〃I　had　hoped　so；〃　Langdon　said。　〃And　we　would　have　。　。　。　a　century　ago。〃　
　Langdon's　realization　that　the　Pantheon　was　the　first　altar　of　science　had　been　a　bittersweet　moment。　History　had　a　way　of　playing　cruel　tricks　on　those　who　chased　it。　It　was　a　long　shot　that　the　Path　of　Illumination　would　be　intact　after　all　of　these　years；　with　all　of　its　statues　in　place；　but　part　of　Langdon　had　fantasized　about　following　the　path　all　the　way　to　the　end　and　ing　face　to　face　with　the　sacred　Illuminati　lair。　Alas；　he　realized；　it　was　not　to　be。　〃The　Vatican　had　all　the　statues　in　the　Pantheon　removed　and　destroyed　in　the　late　1800s。〃
　Vittoria　looked　shocked。　〃Why？〃
　〃The　statues　were　pagan　Olympian　Gods。　Unfortunately；　that　means　the　first　marker　is　gone　。　。　。　and　with　it…〃
　〃Any　hope；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃of　finding　the　Path　of　Illumination　and　additional　markers？〃
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃We　have　one　shot。　The　Pantheon。　After　that；　the　path　disappears。〃
　Olivetti　stared　at　them　both　a　long　moment　and　then　turned　and　faced　front。　〃Pull　over；〃　he　barked　to　the　driver。
　The　driver　swerved　the　car　toward　the　curb　and　put　on　the　brakes。　Three　other　Alpha　Romeos　skidded　in　behind　them。　The　Swiss　Guard　convoy　screeched　to　a　halt。　
　〃What　are　you　doing！〃　Vittoria　demanded。
　〃My　job；〃　Olivetti　said；　turning　in　his　seat；　his　voice　like　stone。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　when　you　told　me　you　would　explain　the　situation　en　route；　I　assumed　I　would　be　approaching　the　Pantheon　with　a　clear　idea　of　why　my　men　are　here。　That　is　not　the　case。　Because　I　am　abandoning　critical　duties　by　being　here；　and　because　I　have　found　very　little　that　makes　sense　in　this　theory　of　yours　about　virgin　sacrifices　and　ancient　poetry；　I　cannot　in　good　conscience　continue。　I　am　recalling　this　mission　immediately。〃　He　pulled　out　his　walkie…talkie　and　clicked　it　on。
　Vittoria　reached　across　the　seat　and　grabbed　his　arm。　〃You　can't！〃　
　Olivetti　slammed　down　the　walkie…talkie　and　fixed　her　with　a　red…hot　stare。　〃Have　you　been　to　the　Pantheon；　Ms。　Vetra？〃
　〃No；　but　I…〃
　〃Let　me　tell　you　something　about　it。　The　Pantheon　is　a　single　room。　A　circular　cell　made　of　stone　and　cement。　It　has　one　entrance。　No　windows。　One　narrow　entrance。　That　entrance　is　flanked　at　all　times　by　no　less　than　four　armed　Roman　policemen　who　protect　this　shrine　from　art　defacers；　anti…Christian　terrorists；　and　gypsy　tourist　scams。〃
　〃Your　point？〃　she　said　coolly。　
　〃My　point？〃　Olivetti's　knuckles　gripped　the　seat。　〃My　point　is　that　what　you　have　just　told　me　is　going　to　happen　is　utterly　impossible！　Can　you　give　me　one　plausible　scenario　of　how　someone　could　kill　a　cardinal　inside　the　Pantheon？　How　does　one　even　get　a　hostage　past　the　guards　into　the　Pantheon　in　the　first　place？　Much　less　actually　kill　him　and　get　away？〃　Olivetti　leaned　over　the　seat；　his　coffee　breath　now　in　Langdon's　face。　〃How；　Mr。　Langdon？　One　plausible　scenario。〃
　Langdon　felt　the　tiny　car　shrink　around　him。　I　have　no　idea！　I'm　not　an　assassin！　I　don't　know　how　he　will　do　it！　I　only　know…
　〃One　scenario？〃　Vittoria　quipped；　her　voice　unruffled。　〃How　about　this？　The　killer　flies　over　in　a　helicopter　and　drops　a　screaming；　branded　cardinal　down　through　the　hole　in　the　roof。　The　cardinal　hits　the　marble　floor　and　dies。〃
　Everyone　in　the　car　turned　and　stared　at　Vittoria。　Langdon　didn't　know　what　to　think。　You've　got　one　sick　imagination；　lady；　but　you　are　quick。
　Olivetti　frowned。　〃Possible；　I　admit　。　。　。　but　hardly…〃
　〃Or　the　killer　drugs　the　cardinal；〃　Vittoria　said；　〃brings　him　to　the　Pantheon　in　a　wheelchair　like　some　old　tourist。　He　wheels　him　inside；　quietly　slits　his　throat；　and　then　walks　out。〃
　This　seemed　to　wake　up　Olivetti　a　bit。
　Not　bad！　Langdon　thought。
　〃Or；〃　she　said；　〃the　killer　could…〃
　〃I　heard　you；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃Enough。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath　and　blew　it　out。　Someone　rapped　sharply　on　the　window；　and　everyone　jumped。　It　was　a　soldier　from　one　of　the　other　cars。　Olivetti　rolled　down　the　window。
　〃Everything　all　right；　mander？〃　The　soldier　was　dressed　in　street　clothes。　He　pulled　back　the　sleeve　of　his　denim　shirt　to　reveal　a　black　chronograph　military　watch。　〃Seven…forty；　mander。　We'll　need　time　to　get　in　position。〃
　Olivetti　nodded　vaguely　but　said　nothing　for　many　moments。　He　ran　a　finger　back　and　forth　across　the　dash；　making　a　line　in　the　dust。　He　studied　Langdon　in　the　side…view　mirror；　and　Langdon　felt　himself　being　measured　and　weighed。　Finally　Olivetti　turned　back　to　the　guard。　There　was　reluctance　in　his　voice