danbrown.angels&demons-第45节

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　〃But　my　men　are　in　position　here！　I　can't　possibly…〃
　〃Move！〃　Vittoria　snapped　the　phone　shut。
　Behind　her；　Langdon　emerged　from　the　Pantheon；　dazed。　
　She　grabbed　his　hand　and　pulled　him　toward　the　queue　of　seemingly　driverless　taxis　waiting　by　the　curb。　She　pounded　on　the　hood　of　the　first　car　in　line。　The　sleeping　driver　bolted　upright　with　a　startled　yelp。　Vittoria　yanked　open　the　rear　door　and　pushed　Langdon　inside。　Then　she　jumped　in　behind　him。
　〃Santa　Maria　del　Popolo；〃　she　ordered。　〃Presto！〃　
　Looking　delirious　and　half　terrified；　the　driver　hit　the　accelerator；　peeling　out　down　the　street。
　
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　Gunther　Glick　had　assumed　control　of　the　puter　from　Chinita　Macri；　who　now　stood　hunched　in　the　back　of　the　cramped　BBC　van　staring　in　confusion　over　Glick's　shoulder。　
　〃I　told　you；〃　Glick　said；　typing　some　more　keys。　〃The　British　Tattler　isn't　the　only　paper　that　runs　stories　on　these　guys。〃　
　Macri　peered　closer。　Glick　was　right。　The　BBC　database　showed　their　distinguished　network　as　having　picked　up　and　run　six　stories　in　the　past　ten　years　on　the　brotherhood　called　the　Illuminati。　Well；　paint　me　purple；　she　thought。　〃Who　are　the　journalists　who　ran　the　stories；〃　Macri　asked。　〃Schlock　jocks？〃
　〃BBC　doesn't　hire　schlock　jocks。〃
　〃They　hired　you。〃　
　Glick　scowled。　〃I　don't　know　why　you're　such　a　skeptic。　The　Illuminati　are　well　documented　throughout　history。〃
　〃So　are　witches；　UFOs；　and　the　Loch　Ness　Monster。〃
　Glick　read　the　list　of　stories。　〃You　ever　heard　of　a　guy　called　Winston　Churchill？〃
　〃Rings　a　bell。〃
　〃BBC　did　a　historical　a　while　back　on　Churchill's　life。　Staunch　Catholic　by　the　way。　Did　you　know　that　in　1920　Churchill　published　a　statement　condemning　the　Illuminati　and　warning　Brits　of　a　worldwide　conspiracy　against　morality？〃　
　Macri　was　dubious。　〃Where　did　it　run？　In　the　British　Tattler？〃　
　Glick　smiled。　〃London　Herald。　February　8；　1920。〃
　〃No　way。〃
　〃Feast　your　eyes。〃
　Macri　looked　closer　at　the　clip。　London　Herald。　Feb。　8；　1920。　I　had　no　idea。　〃Well；　Churchill　was　a　paranoid。〃
　〃He　wasn't　alone；〃　Glick　said；　reading　further。　〃Looks　like　Woodrow　Wilson　gave　three　radio　broadcasts　in　1921　warning　of　growing　Illuminati　control　over　the　U。S。　banking　system。　You　want　a　direct　quote　from　the　radio　transcript？〃
　〃Not　really。〃
　Glick　gave　her　one　anyway。　〃He　said；　'There　is　a　power　so　organized；　so　subtle；　so　plete；　so　pervasive；　that　none　had　better　speak　above　their　breath　when　they　speak　in　condemnation　of　it。'　〃
　〃I've　never　heard　anything　about　this。〃
　〃Maybe　because　in　1921　you　were　just　a　kid。〃
　〃Charming。〃　Macri　took　the　jab　in　stride。　She　knew　her　years　were　showing。　At　forty…three；　her　bushy　black　curls　were　streaked　with　gray。　She　was　too　proud　for　dye。　Her　mom；　a　Southern　Baptist；　had　taught　Chinita　contentedness　and　self…respect。　When　you're　a　black　woman；　her　mother　said；　ain't　no　hiding　what　you　are。　Day　you　try；　is　the　day　you　die。　Stand　tall；　smile　bright；　and　let　'em　wonder　what　secret's　making　you　laugh。
　〃Ever　heard　of　Cecil　Rhodes？〃　Glick　asked。　
　Macri　looked　up。　〃The　British　financier？〃
　〃Yeah。　Founded　the　Rhodes　Scholarships。〃
　〃Don't　tell　me…〃
　〃Illuminatus。〃
　〃BS。〃
　〃BBC；　actually。　November　16；　1984。〃
　〃We　wrote　that　Cecil　Rhodes　was　Illuminati？〃
　〃Sure　did。　And　according　to　our　network；　the　Rhodes　Scholarships　were　funds　set　up　centuries　ago　to　recruit　the　world's　brightest　young　minds　into　the　Illuminati。〃
　〃That's　ridiculous！　My　uncle　was　a　Rhodes　Scholar！〃
　Glick　winked。　〃So　was　Bill　Clinton。〃
　Macri　was　getting　mad　now。　She　had　never　had　tolerance　for　shoddy；　alarmist　reporting。　Still；　she　knew　enough　about　the　BBC　to　know　that　every　story　they　ran　was　carefully　researched　and　confirmed。　
　〃Here's　one　you'll　remember；〃　Glick　said。　〃BBC；　March　5；　1998。　Parliament　mittee　Chair；　Chris　Mullin；　required　all　members　of　British　Parliament　who　were　Masons　to　declare　their　affiliation。〃
　Macri　remembered　it。　The　decree　had　eventually　extended　to　include　policemen　and　judges　as　well。　〃Why　was　it　again？〃
　Glick　read。　〃。　。　。　concern　that　secret　factions　within　the　Masons　exerted　considerable　control　over　political　and　financial　systems。〃
　〃That's　right。〃
　〃Caused　quite　a　bustle。　The　Masons　in　parliament　were　furious。　Had　a　right　to　be。　The　vast　majority　turned　out　to　be　innocent　men　who　joined　the　Masons　for　networking　and　charity　work。　They　had　no　clue　about　the　brotherhood's　past　affiliations。〃
　〃Alleged　affiliations。〃
　〃Whatever。〃　Glick　scanned　the　articles。　〃Look　at　this　stuff。　Accounts　tracing　the　Illuminati　back　to　Galileo；　the　Guerenets　of　France；　the　Alumbrados　of　Spain。　Even　Karl　Marx　and　the　Russian　Revolution。〃
　〃History　has　a　way　of　rewriting　itself。〃
　〃Fine；　you　want　something　current？　Have　a　look　at　this。　Here's　an　Illuminati　reference　from　a　recent　Wall　Street　Journal。〃　
　This　caught　Macri's　ear。　〃The　Journal？〃　
　〃Guess　what　the　most　popular　Internet　puter　game　in　America　is　right　now？〃
　〃Pin　the　tail　on　Pamela　Anderson。〃
　〃Close。　It's　called；　Illuminati：　New　World　Order。〃　
　Macri　looked　over　his　shoulder　at　the　blurb。　〃Steve　Jackson　Games　has　a　runaway　hit　。　。　。　a　quasi…historical　adventure　in　which　an　ancient　satanic　brotherhood　from　Bavaria　sets　out　to　take　over　the　world。　You　can　find　them　on…line　at　。　。　。〃　Macri　looked　up；　feeling　ill。　〃What　do　these　Illuminati　guys　have　against　Christianity？〃
　〃Not　just　Christianity；〃　Glick　said。　〃Religion　in　general。〃　Glick　cocked　his　head　and　grinned。　〃Although　from　the　phone　call　we　just　got；　it　appears　they　do　have　a　special　spot　in　their　hearts　for　the　Vatican。〃
　〃Oh；　e　on。　You　don't　really　think　that　guy　who　called　is　who　he　claims　to　be；　do　you？〃
　〃A　messenger　of　the　Illuminati？　Preparing　to　kill　four　cardinals？〃　Glick　smiled。　〃I　sure　hope　so。〃
　
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　Langdon　and　Vittoria's　taxi　pleted　the　one…mile　sprint　up　the　wide　Via　della　Scrofa　in　just　over　a　minute。　They　skidded　to　a　stop　on　the　south　side　of　the　Piazza　del　Popolo　just　before　eight。　Not　having　any　lire；　Langdon　overpaid　the　driver　in　U。S。　dollars。　He　and　Vittoria　jumped　out。　The　piazza　was　quiet　except　for　the　laughter　of　a　handful　of　locals　seated　outside　the　popular　Rosati　Cafй…a　hot　spot　of　the　Italian　literati。　The　breeze　smelled　of　espresso　and　pastry。
　Langdon　was　still　in　shock　over　his　mistake　at　the　Pantheon。　With　a　cursory　glance　at　this　square；　however；　his　sixth　sense　was　already　tingling。　The　piazza　seemed　subtly　filled　with　Illuminati　significance。　Not　only　was　it　laid　out　in　a　perfectly　elliptical　shape；　but　dead　center　stood　a　towering　Egyptian　obelisk…a　square　pillar　of　stone　with　a　distinctively　pyramidal　tip。　Spoils　of　Rome's　imperial　plundering；　obelisks　were　scattered　across　Rome　and　referred　to　by　symbologists　as　〃Lofty　Pyramids〃…skyward　extensions　of　the　sacred　pyramidal　form。　
　As　Langdon's　eyes　moved　up　the　monolith；　though；　his　sight　was　suddenly　drawn　to　something　else　in　the　background。　Something　even　more　remarkable。
　〃We're　in　the　right　place；〃　he　said　quietly；　feeling　a　sudden　exposed　wariness。　〃Have　a　look　at　that。〃　Langdon　pointed　to　the　imposing　Porta　del　Popolo…the　high　stone　archway　at　the　far　end　of　the　piazza。　The　vaulted　structure　had　been　overlooking　the　piazza　for　centuries。　Dead　center　of　the　archway's　highest　point　was　a　symbolic　engraving。　〃Look　familiar？〃　
　Vittoria　looked　up　at　the　huge　carving。　〃A　shining　star　over　a　triangular　pile　of　stones？〃　
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃A　source　of　Illumination　over　a　pyramid。〃
　Vittoria　turned；　her　eyes　suddenly　wide。　〃Like　。　。　。　the　Great　Seal　of　the　United　States？〃
　〃Exactly。　The　Masonic　symbol　on　the　one…dollar　bill。〃
　Vittoria　took　a　deep　breath　and　scanned　the　piazza。　〃So　where's　this　damn　church？〃
　
　The　Church　of　Santa　Maria　del　Popolo　stood　out　like　a　misplaced　battleship；　askew　at　the　base　of　a　hill　on　the　southeast　corner　of　the　piazza。　The　eleventh…century　stone　aerie　was　made　even　more　clumsy　by　the　tower　of　scaffolding　covering　the　faзade。
　Langdon's　thoughts　were　a　blur　as　they　raced　toward　the　edifice。　He　stared　up　at　the　church　in　wonder。　Could　a　murder　really　be　about　to　take　place　inside？　He　wished　Olivetti　would　hurry。　The　gun　felt　awkward　in　his　pocket。
　The　church's　front　stairs　were　ventaglio…a　weling；　curved　fan…ironic　in　this　case　because　they　were　blocked　with　scaffolding；　construction　equipment；　and　a　sign　warning：　CONSTRUZZIONE。　NON　ENTRARE。
　Langdon　realized　that　a　church　closed　for　renovation　meant　total　privacy　for　a　killer。　Not　like　the　Pantheon。　No　fancy　tricks　needed　here。　Only　to　find　a　way　in。　
　Vittoria　slipped　without　hesitation　between　the　sawhorses　and　headed　up　the　staircase。　
　〃Vittoria；〃　Langdon　cautioned。　〃If　he's　still　in　there　。　。　。〃　
　Vittoria　did　not　seem　to　hear。　She　ascended　the　main　portico　to　the　church's　sole　wooden　door。　Langdon　hurried　up　the　stairs　behind　her。　Before　he　could　say　a　word　she　had　grasped　the　handle　and　pulled。　Langdon　held　his　breath。　The　door　did　not　budge。　
　〃There　must　be　another　entrance；〃　Vittoria　said。
　〃Probably；〃　Langdon　said；　exhaling；　〃but　Olivetti　will　be　here　in　a　minute。　It's　too　dangerous　to　go　in。　We　should　cover　the　church　from　out　here　until…〃
　Vittoria　turned；