danbrown.angels&demons-第49节

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this　moment。　I　ask；　in　the　name　of　his　late　Holiness；　that　you　proceed　as　you　must　。　。　。　with　faith　and　purpose。　May　you　have　only　God　before　your　eyes。〃　Then　he　turned　to　go。
　〃But；〃　one　cardinal　blurted　out；　〃where　are　they？〃　
　The　camerlegno　paused。　〃That　I　cannot　honestly　say。〃
　〃When　will　they　return？〃
　〃That　I　cannot　honestly　say。〃
　〃Are　they　okay？〃
　〃That　I　cannot　honestly　say。〃
　〃Will　they　return？〃
　There　was　a　long　pause。　
　〃Have　faith；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　Then　he　walked　out　of　the　room。
　
　The　doors　to　the　Sistine　Chapel　had　been　sealed；　as　was　the　custom；　with　two　heavy　chains　on　the　outside。　Four　Swiss　Guards　stood　watch　in　the　hallway　beyond。　Mortati　knew　the　only　way　the　doors　could　be　opened　now；　prior　to　electing　a　Pope；　was　if　someone　inside　fell　deathly　ill；　or　if　the　preferiti　arrived。　Mortati　prayed　it　would　be　the　latter；　although　from　the　knot　in　his　stomach　he　was　not　so　sure。
　Proceed　as　we　must；　Mortati　decided；　taking　his　lead　from　the　resolve　in　the　camerlegno's　voice。　So　he　had　called　for　a　vote。　What　else　could　he　do？
　It　had　taken　thirty　minutes　to　plete　the　preparatory　rituals　leading　up　to　this　first　vote。　Mortati　had　waited　patiently　at　the　main　altar　as　each　cardinal；　in　order　of　seniority；　had　approached　and　performed　the　specific　balloting　procedure。
　Now；　at　last；　the　final　cardinal　had　arrived　at　the　altar　and　was　kneeling　before　him。
　〃I　call　as　my　witness；〃　the　cardinal　declared；　exactly　as　those　before　him；　〃Christ　the　Lord；　who　will　be　my　judge　that　my　vote　is　given　to　the　one　who　before　God　I　think　should　be　elected。〃　
　The　cardinal　stood　up。　He　held　his　ballot　high　over　his　head　for　everyone　to　see。　Then　he　lowered　the　ballot　to　the　altar；　where　a　plate　sat　atop　a　large　chalice。　He　placed　the　ballot　on　the　plate。　Next　he　picked　up　the　plate　and　used　it　to　drop　the　ballot　into　the　chalice。　Use　of　the　plate　was　to　ensure　no　one　secretly　dropped　multiple　ballots。
　After　he　had　submitted　his　ballot；　he　replaced　the　plate　over　the　chalice；　bowed　to　the　cross；　and　returned　to　his　seat。
　The　final　ballot　had　been　cast。
　Now　it　was　time　for　Mortati　to　go　to　work。　
　Leaving　the　plate　on　top　of　the　chalice；　Mortati　shook　the　ballots　to　mix　them。　Then　he　removed　the　plate　and　extracted　a　ballot　at　random。　He　unfolded　it。　The　ballot　was　exactly　two　inches　wide。　He　read　aloud　for　everyone　to　hear。
　〃Eligo　in　summum　pontificem　。　。　。〃　he　declared；　reading　the　text　that　was　embossed　at　the　top　of　every　ballot。　I　elect　as　Supreme　Pontiff　。　。　。　Then　he　announced　the　nominee's　name　that　had　been　written　beneath　it。　After　he　read　the　name；　he　raised　a　threaded　needle　and　pierced　the　ballot　through　the　word　Eligo；　carefully　sliding　the　ballot　onto　the　thread。　Then　he　made　note　of　the　vote　in　a　logbook。
　Next；　he　repeated　the　entire　procedure。　He　chose　a　ballot　from　the　chalice；　read　it　aloud；　threaded　it　onto　the　line；　and　made　note　in　his　log。　Almost　immediately；　Mortati　sensed　this　first　vote　would　be　failed。　No　consensus。　After　only　seven　ballots；　already　seven　different　cardinals　had　been　named。　As　was　normal；　the　handwriting　on　each　ballot　was　disguised　by　block　printing　or　flamboyant　script。　The　concealment　was　ironic　in　this　case　because　the　cardinals　were　obviously　submitting　votes　for　themselves。　This　apparent　conceit；　Mortati　knew；　had　nothing　to　do　with　self…centered　ambition。　It　was　a　holding　pattern。　A　defensive　maneuver。　A　stall　tactic　to　ensure　no　cardinal　received　enough　votes　to　win　。　。　。　and　another　vote　would　be　forced。
　The　cardinals　were　waiting　for　their　preferiti　。　。　。　
　
　When　the　last　of　the　ballots　had　been　tallied；　Mortati　declared　the　vote　〃failed。〃
　He　took　the　thread　carrying　all　the　ballots　and　tied　the　ends　together　to　create　a　ring。　Then　he　lay　the　ring　of　ballots　on　a　silver　tray。　He　added　the　proper　chemicals　and　carried　the　tray　to　a　small　chimney　behind　him。　Here　he　lit　the　ballots。　As　the　ballots　burned；　the　chemicals　he'd　added　created　black　smoke。　The　smoke　flowed　up　a　pipe　to　a　hole　in　the　roof　where　it　rose　above　the　chapel　for　all　to　see。　Cardinal　Mortati　had　just　sent　his　first　munication　to　the　outside　world。
　One　balloting。　No　Pope。
　
　69

　Nearly　asphyxiated　by　fumes；　Langdon　struggled　up　the　ladder　toward　the　light　at　the　top　of　the　pit。　Above　him　he　heard　voices；　but　nothing　was　making　sense。　His　head　was　spinning　with　images　of　the　branded　cardinal。
　Earth　。　。　。　Earth　。　。　。　
　As　he　pushed　upward；　his　vision　narrowed　and　he　feared　consciousness　would　slip　away。　Two　rungs　from　the　top；　his　balance　faltered。　He　lunged　upward　trying　to　find　the　lip；　but　it　was　too　far。　He　lost　his　grip　on　the　ladder　and　almost　tumbled　backward　into　the　dark。　There　was　a　sharp　pain　under　his　arms；　and　suddenly　Langdon　was　airborne；　legs　swinging　wildly　out　over　the　chasm。
　The　strong　hands　of　two　Swiss　Guards　hooked　him　under　the　armpits　and　dragged　him　skyward。　A　moment　later　Langdon's　head　emerged　from　the　Demon's　hole；　choking　and　gasping　for　air。　The　guards　dragged　him　over　the　lip　of　the　opening；　across　the　floor；　and　lay　him　down；　back　against　the　cold　marble　floor。
　For　a　moment；　Langdon　was　unsure　where　he　was。　Overhead　he　saw　stars　。　。　。　orbiting　planets。　Hazy　figures　raced　past　him。　People　were　shouting。　He　tried　to　sit　up。　He　was　lying　at　the　base　of　a　stone　pyramid。　The　familiar　bite　of　an　angry　tongue　echoed　inside　the　chapel；　and　then　Langdon　knew。　
　Olivetti　was　screaming　at　Vittoria。　〃Why　the　hell　didn't　you　figure　that　out　in　the　first　place！〃　
　Vittoria　was　trying　to　explain　the　situation。
　Olivetti　cut　her　off　midsentence　and　turned　to　bark　orders　to　his　men。　〃Get　that　body　out　of　there！　Search　the　rest　of　the　building！〃　
　Langdon　tried　to　sit　up。　The　Chigi　Chapel　was　packed　with　Swiss　Guards。　The　plastic　curtain　over　the　chapel　opening　had　been　torn　off　the　entryway；　and　fresh　air　filled　Langdon's　lungs。　As　his　senses　slowly　returned；　Langdon　saw　Vittoria　ing　toward　him。　She　knelt　down；　her　face　like　an　angel。
　〃You　okay？〃　Vittoria　took　his　arm　and　felt　his　pulse。　Her　hands　were　tender　on　his　skin。
　〃Thanks。〃　Langdon　sat　up　fully。　〃Olivetti's　mad。〃
　Vittoria　nodded。　〃He　has　a　right　to　be。　We　blew　it。〃
　〃You　mean　I　blew　it。〃
　〃So　redeem　yourself。　Get　him　next　time。〃
　Next　time？　Langdon　thought　it　was　a　cruel　ment。　There　is　no　next　time！　We　missed　our　shot！　
　Vittoria　checked　Langdon's　watch。　〃Mickey　says　we've　got　forty　minutes。　Get　your　head　together　and　help　me　find　the　next　marker。〃
　〃I　told　you；　Vittoria；　the　sculptures　are　gone。　The　Path　of　Illumination　is…〃　Langdon　halted。
　Vittoria　smiled　softly。
　Suddenly　Langdon　was　staggering　to　his　feet。　He　turned　dizzying　circles；　staring　at　the　artwork　around　him。　Pyramids；　stars；　planets；　ellipses。　Suddenly　everything　came　back。　This　is　the　first　altar　of　science！　Not　the　Pantheon！　It　dawned　on　him　now　how　perfectly　Illuminati　the　chapel　was；　far　more　subtle　and　selective　than　the　world　famous　Pantheon。　The　Chigi　was　an　out　of　the　way　alcove；　a　literal　hole…in…the…wall；　a　tribute　to　a　great　patron　of　science；　decorated　with　earthly　symbology。　Perfect。　
　Langdon　steadied　himself　against　the　wall　and　gazed　up　at　the　enormous　pyramid　sculptures。　Vittoria　was　dead　right。　If　this　chapel　was　the　first　altar　of　science；　it　might　still　contain　the　Illuminati　sculpture　that　served　as　the　first　marker。　Langdon　felt　an　electrifying　rush　of　hope　to　realize　there　was　still　a　chance。　If　the　marker　were　indeed　here；　and　they　could　follow　it　to　the　next　altar　of　science；　they　might　have　another　chance　to　catch　the　killer。　
　Vittoria　moved　closer。　〃I　found　out　who　the　unknown　Illuminati　sculptor　was。〃　
　Langdon's　head　whipped　around。　〃You　what？〃　
　〃Now　we　just　need　to　figure　out　which　sculpture　in　here　is　the…〃
　〃Wait　a　minute！　You　know　who　the　Illuminati　sculptor　was？〃　He　had　spent　years　trying　to　find　that　information。
　Vittoria　smiled。　〃It　was　Bernini。〃　She　paused。　〃The　Bernini。〃
　Langdon　immediately　knew　she　was　mistaken。　Bernini　was　an　impossibility。　Gianlorenzo　Bernini　was　the　second　most　famous　sculptor　of　all　time；　his　fame　eclipsed　only　by　Michelangelo　himself。　During　the　1600s　Bernini　created　more　sculptures　than　any　other　artist。　Unfortunately；　the　man　they　were　looking　for　was　supposedly　an　unknown；　a　nobody。　
　Vittoria　frowned。　〃You　don't　look　excited。〃
　〃Bernini　is　impossible。〃
　〃Why？　Bernini　was　a　contemporary　of　Galileo。　He　was　a　brilliant　sculptor。〃
　〃He　was　a　very　famous　man　and　a　Catholic。〃
　〃Yes；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃Exactly　like　Galileo。〃
　〃No；〃　Langdon　argued。　〃Nothing　like　Galileo。　Galileo　was　a　thorn　in　the　Vatican's　side。　Bernini　was　the　Vatican's　wonder　boy。　The　church　loved　Bernini。　He　was　elected　the　Vatican's　overall　artistic　authority。　He　practically　lived　inside　Vatican　City　his　entire　life！〃
　〃A　perfect　cover。　Illuminati　infiltration。〃
　Langdon　felt　flustered。　〃Vittoria；　the　Illuminati　members　referred　to　their　secret　artist　as　il　maestro　ignoto…the　unknown　master。〃
　〃Yes；　unknown　to　them。　Think　of　the　secrecy　of　the　Masons…only　the　upper…echelon　members　knew　the　whole　truth。　Galileo　could　have　kept　Bernini's　true　identity　secret　from　most　members　。　。　。　for　Bernini's　own　safety。　That