danbrown.angels&demons-第51节

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　〃Southwest；〃　Langdon　said；　panting。　〃The　next　church　is　southwest　of　here。〃
　Olivetti's　whisper　was　cold。　〃You　sure　this　time？〃
　Langdon　didn't　bite。　〃We　need　a　map。　One　that　shows　all　the　churches　in　Rome。〃
　The　mander　studied　him　a　moment；　his　expression　never　changing。　
　Langdon　checked　his　watch。　〃We　only　have　half　an　hour。〃
　Olivetti　moved　past　Langdon　down　the　stairs　toward　his　car；　parked　directly　in　front　of　the　cathedral。　Langdon　hoped　he　was　going　for　a　map。
　Vittoria　looked　excited。　〃So　the　angel's　pointing　southwest？　No　idea　which　churches　are　southwest？〃　
　〃I　can't　see　past　the　damn　buildings。〃　Langdon　turned　and　faced　the　square　again。　〃And　I　don't　know　Rome's　churches　well　enou…〃　He　stopped。
　Vittoria　looked　startled。　〃What？〃
　Langdon　looked　out　at　the　piazza　again。　Having　ascended　the　church　stairs；　he　was　now　higher；　and　his　view　was　better。　He　still　couldn't　see　anything；　but　he　realized　he　was　moving　in　the　right　direction。　His　eyes　climbed　the　tower　of　rickety　scaffolding　above　him。　It　rose　six　stories；　almost　to　the　top　of　the　church's　rose　window；　far　higher　than　the　other　buildings　in　the　square。　He　knew　in　an　instant　where　he　was　headed。
　
　Across　the　square；　Chinita　Macri　and　Gunther　Glick　sat　glued　to　the　windshield　of　the　BBC　van。　
　〃You　getting　this？〃　Gunther　asked。　
　Macri　tightened　her　shot　on　the　man　now　climbing　the　scaffolding。　〃He's　a　little　well　dressed　to　be　playing　Spiderman　if　you　ask　me。〃
　〃And　who's　Ms。　Spidey？〃　
　Chinita　glanced　at　the　attractive　woman　beneath　the　scaffolding。　〃Bet　you'd　like　to　find　out。〃
　〃Think　I　should　call　editorial？〃
　〃Not　yet。　Let's　watch。　Better　to　have　something　in　the　can　before　we　admit　we　abandoned　conclave。〃
　〃You　think　somebody　really　killed　one　of　the　old　farts　in　there？〃
　Chinita　clucked。　〃You're　definitely　going　to　hell。〃
　〃And　I'll　be　taking　the　Pulitzer　with　me。〃
　
　71　

　The　scaffolding　seemed　less　stable　the　higher　Langdon　climbed。　His　view　of　Rome；　however；　got　better　with　every　step。　He　continued　upward。　
　He　was　breathing　harder　than　he　expected　when　he　reached　the　upper　tier。　He　pulled　himself　onto　the　last　platform；　brushed　off　the　plaster；　and　stood　up。　The　height　did　not　bother　him　at　all。　In　fact；　it　was　invigorating。
　The　view　was　staggering。　Like　an　ocean　on　fire；　the　red…tiled　rooftops　of　Rome　spread　out　before　him；　glowing　in　the　scarlet　sunset。　From　that　spot；　for　the　first　time　in　his　life；　Langdon　saw　beyond　the　pollution　and　traffic　of　Rome　to　its　ancient　roots…Cittа　di　Dio…The　city　of　God。
　Squinting　into　the　sunset；　Langdon　scanned　the　rooftops　for　a　church　steeple　or　bell　tower。　But　as　he　looked　farther　and　farther　toward　the　horizon；　he　saw　nothing。　There　are　hundreds　of　churches　in　Rome；　he　thought。　There　must　be　one　southwest　of　here！　If　the　church　is　even　visible；　he　reminded　himself。　Hell；　if　the　church　is　even　still　standing！　
　Forcing　his　eyes　to　trace　the　line　slowly；　he　attempted　the　search　again。　He　knew；　of　course；　that　not　all　churches　would　have　visible　spires；　especially　smaller；　out…of…the…way　sanctuaries。　Not　to　mention；　Rome　had　changed　dramatically　since　the　1600s　when　churches　were　by　law　the　tallest　buildings　allowed。　Now；　as　Langdon　looked　out；　he　saw　apartment　buildings；　high…rises；　TV　towers。
　For　the　second　time；　Langdon's　eye　reached　the　horizon　without　seeing　anything。　Not　one　single　spire。　In　the　distance；　on　the　very　edge　of　Rome；　Michelangelo's　massive　dome　blotted　the　setting　sun。　St。　Peter's　Basilica。　Vatican　City。　Langdon　found　himself　wondering　how　the　cardinals　were　faring；　and　if　the　Swiss　Guards'　search　had　turned　up　the　antimatter。　Something　told　him　it　hadn't　。　。　。　and　wouldn't。
　The　poem　was　rattling　through　his　head　again。　He　considered　it；　carefully；　line　by　line。　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb　with　demon's　hole。　They　had　found　Santi's　tomb。　'Cross　Rome　the　mystic　elements　unfold。　The　mystic　elements　were　Earth；　Air；　Fire；　Water。　The　path　of　light　is　laid；　the　sacred　test。　The　path　of　Illumination　formed　by　Bernini's　sculptures。　Let　angels　guide　you　on　your　lofty　quest。　
　The　angel　was　pointing　southwest　。　。　。　
　
　〃Front　stairs！〃　Glick　exclaimed；　pointing　wildly　through　the　windshield　of　the　BBC　van。　〃Something's　going　on！〃
　Macri　dropped　her　shot　back　down　to　the　main　entrance。　Something　was　definitely　going　on。　At　the　bottom　of　the　stairs；　the　military…looking　man　had　pulled　one　of　the　Alpha　Romeos　close　to　the　stairs　and　opened　the　trunk。　Now　he　was　scanning　the　square　as　if　checking　for　onlookers。　For　a　moment；　Macri　thought　the　man　had　spotted　them；　but　his　eyes　kept　moving。　Apparently　satisfied；　he　pulled　out　a　walkie…talkie　and　spoke　into　it。　
　Almost　instantly；　it　seemed　an　army　emerged　from　the　church。　Like　an　American　football　team　breaking　from　a　huddle；　the　soldiers　formed　a　straight　line　across　the　top　of　the　stairs。　Moving　like　a　human　wall；　they　began　to　descend。　Behind　them；　almost　entirely　hidden　by　the　wall；　four　soldiers　seemed　to　be　carrying　something。　Something　heavy。　Awkward。
　Glick　leaned　forward　on　the　dashboard。　〃Are　they　stealing　something　from　the　church？〃
　Chinita　tightened　her　shot　even　more；　using　the　telephoto　to　probe　the　wall　of　men；　looking　for　an　opening。　One　split　second；　she　willed。　A　single　frame。　That's　all　I　need。　But　the　men　moved　as　one。　e　on！　Macri　stayed　with　them；　and　it　paid　off。　When　the　soldiers　tried　to　lift　the　object　into　the　trunk；　Macri　found　her　opening。　Ironically；　it　was　the　older　man　who　faltered。　Only　for　an　instant；　but　long　enough。　Macri　had　her　frame。　Actually；　it　was　more　like　ten　frames。　
　〃Call　editorial；〃　Chinita　said。　〃We've　got　a　dead　body。〃
　
　Far　away；　at　CERN；　Maximilian　Kohler　maneuvered　his　wheelchair　into　Leonardo　Vetra's　study。　With　mechanical　efficiency；　he　began　sifting　through　Vetra's　files。　Not　finding　what　he　was　after；　Kohler　moved　to　Vetra's　bedroom。　The　top　drawer　of　his　bedside　table　was　locked。　Kohler　pried　it　open　with　a　knife　from　the　kitchen。　
　Inside　Kohler　found　exactly　what　he　was　looking　for。
　
　72

　Langdon　swung　off　the　scaffolding　and　dropped　back　to　the　ground。　He　brushed　the　plaster　dust　from　his　clothes。　Vittoria　was　there　to　greet　him。　
　〃No　luck？〃　she　said。
　He　shook　his　head。
　〃They　put　the　cardinal　in　the　trunk。〃
　Langdon　looked　over　to　the　parked　car　where　Olivetti　and　a　group　of　soldiers　now　had　a　map　spread　out　on　the　hood。　〃Are　they　looking　southwest？〃
　She　nodded。　〃No　churches。　From　here　the　first　one　you　hit　is　St。　Peter's。〃
　Langdon　grunted。　At　least　they　were　in　agreement。　He　moved　toward　Olivetti。　The　soldiers　parted　to　let　him　through。
　Olivetti　looked　up。　〃Nothing。　But　this　doesn't　show　every　last　church。　Just　the　big　ones。　About　fifty　of　them。〃
　〃Where　are　we？〃　Langdon　asked。
　Olivetti　pointed　to　Piazza　del　Popolo　and　traced　a　straight　line　exactly　southwest。　The　line　missed；　by　a　substantial　margin；　the　cluster　of　black　squares　indicating　Rome's　major　churches。　Unfortunately；　Rome's　major　churches　were　also　Rome's　older　churches　。　。　。　those　that　would　have　been　around　in　the　1600s。
　〃I've　got　some　decisions　to　make；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃Are　you　certain　of　the　direction？〃
　Langdon　pictured　the　angel's　outstretched　finger；　the　urgency　rising　in　him　again。　〃Yes；　sir。　Positive。〃
　Olivetti　shrugged　and　traced　the　straight　line　again。　The　path　intersected　the　Margherita　Bridge；　Via　Cola　di　Riezo；　and　passed　through　Piazza　del　Risorgimento；　hitting　no　churches　at　all　until　it　dead…ended　abruptly　at　the　center　of　St。　Peter's　Square。
　〃What's　wrong　with　St。　Peter's？〃　one　of　the　soldiers　said。　He　had　a　deep　scar　under　his　left　eye。　〃It's　a　church。〃
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃Needs　to　be　a　public　place。　Hardly　seems　public　at　the　moment。〃
　〃But　the　line　goes　through　St。　Peter's　Square；〃　Vittoria　added；　looking　over　Langdon's　shoulder。　〃The　square　is　public。〃
　Langdon　had　already　considered　it。　〃No　statues；　though。〃
　〃Isn't　there　a　monolith　in　the　middle？〃
　She　was　right。　There　was　an　Egyptian　monolith　in　St。　Peter's　Square。　Langdon　looked　out　at　the　monolith　in　the　piazza　in　front　of　them。　The　lofty　pyramid。　An　odd　coincidence；　he　thought。　He　shook　it　off。　〃The　Vatican's　monolith　is　not　by　Bernini。　It　was　brought　in　by　Caligula。　And　it　has　nothing　to　do　with　Air。〃　There　was　another　problem　as　well。　〃Besides；　the　poem　says　the　elements　are　spread　across　Rome。　St。　Peter's　Square　is　in　Vatican　City。　Not　Rome。〃
　〃Depends　who　you　ask；〃　a　guard　interjected。
　Langdon　looked　up。　〃What？〃
　〃Always　a　bone　of　contention。　Most　maps　show　St。　Peter's　Square　as　part　of　Vatican　City；　but　because　it's　outside　the　walled　city；　Roman　officials　for　centuries　have　claimed　it　as　part　of　Rome。〃
　〃You're　kidding；〃　Langdon　said。　He　had　never　known　that。
　〃I　only　mention　it；〃　the　guard　continued；　〃because　mander　Olivetti　and　Ms。　Vetra　were　asking　about　a　sculpture　that　had　to　do　with　Air。〃
　Langdon　was　wide…eyed。　〃And　you　know　of　one　in　St。　Peter's　Square？〃
　〃Not　exactly。　It's　not　really　a　sculpture。　Probably　not　relevant。〃
　〃Let's　hear　it；〃　Olivetti　pressed。
　The　guard　shrugged。　〃The　only　reason　I　know　about　it　is　because　I'm　usually　on　piazza　duty。　I　know　every　corner　of　St。　Peter's　Square。〃