danbrown.angels&demons-第64节

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　At　thirty　feet；　Langdon　could　start　to　hear　voices。　No　words。　Just　faint　murmurings。　Beside　him；　Vittoria　moved　faster　with　every　step。　Her　arms　loosened　before　her；　the　gun　starting　to　peek　out。　Twenty　feet。　The　voices　were　clearer…one　much　louder　than　the　other。　Angry。　Ranting。　Langdon　sensed　it　was　the　voice　of　an　old　woman。　Gruff。　Androgynous。　He　strained　to　hear　what　she　was　saying；　but　another　voice　cut　the　night。
　〃Mi　scusi！〃　Vittoria's　friendly　tone　lit　the　square　like　a　torch。
　Langdon　tensed　as　the　cloaked　couple　stopped　short　and　began　to　turn。　Vittoria　kept　striding　toward　them；　even　faster　now；　on　a　collision　course。　They　would　have　no　time　to　react。　Langdon　realized　his　own　feet　had　stopped　moving。　From　behind；　he　saw　Vittoria's　arms　loosening；　her　hand　ing　free；　the　gun　swinging　forward。　Then；　over　her　shoulder；　he　saw　a　face；　lit　now　in　the　street　lamp。　The　panic　surged　to　his　legs；　and　he　lunged　forward。　〃Vittoria；　no！〃
　Vittoria；　however；　seemed　to　exist　a　split　second　ahead　of　him。　In　a　motion　as　swift　as　it　was　casual；　Vittoria's　arms　were　raised　again；　the　gun　disappearing　as　she　clutched　herself　like　a　woman　on　a　chilly　night。　Langdon　stumbled　to　her　side；　almost　colliding　with　the　cloaked　couple　before　them。
　〃Buona　sera；〃　Vittoria　blurted；　her　voice　startled　with　retreat。
　Langdon　exhaled　in　relief。　Two　elderly　women　stood　before　them　scowling　out　from　beneath　their　mantles。　One　was　so　old　she　could　barely　stand。　The　other　was　helping　her。　Both　clutched　rosaries。　They　seemed　confused　by　the　sudden　interruption。
　Vittoria　smiled；　although　she　looked　shaken。　〃Dov'и　la　chiesa　Santa　Maria　della　Vittoria？　Where　is　the　Church　of…〃
　The　two　women　motioned　in　unison　to　a　bulky　silhouette　of　a　building　on　an　inclined　street　from　the　direction　they　had　e。　〃И　lа。〃　
　〃Grazie；〃　Langdon　said；　putting　his　hands　on　Vittoria's　shoulders　and　gently　pulling　her　back。　He　couldn't　believe　they'd　almost　attacked　a　pair　of　old　ladies。
　〃Non　si　puу　entrare；〃　one　woman　warned。　〃И　chiusa　temprano。〃　
　〃Closed　early？〃　Vittoria　looked　surprised。　〃Perchи？〃　
　Both　women　explained　at　once。　They　sounded　irate。　Langdon　understood　only　parts　of　the　grumbling　Italian。　Apparently；　the　women　had　been　inside　the　church　fifteen　minutes　ago　praying　for　the　Vatican　in　its　time　of　need；　when　some　man　had　appeared　and　told　them　the　church　was　closing　early。
　〃Hanno　conosciuto　l'uomo？〃　Vittoria　demanded；　sounding　tense。　〃Did　you　know　the　man？〃
　The　women　shook　their　heads。　The　man　was　a　straniero　crudo；　they　explained；　and　he　had　forcibly　made　everyone　inside　leave；　even　the　young　priest　and　janitor；　who　said　they　were　calling　the　police。　But　the　intruder　had　only　laughed；　telling　them　to　be　sure　the　police　brought　cameras。
　Cameras？　Langdon　wondered。
　The　women　clucked　angrily　and　called　the　man　a　bar…аrabo。　Then；　grumbling；　they　continued　on　their　way。
　〃Bar…аrabo？〃Langdon　asked　Vittoria。　〃A　barbarian？〃
　Vittoria　looked　suddenly　taut。　〃Not　quite。　Bar…аrabo　is　derogatory　wordplay。　It　means　Аrabo　。　。　。　Arab。〃
　Langdon　felt　a　shiver　and　turned　toward　the　outline　of　the　church。　As　he　did；　his　eyes　glimpsed　something　in　the　church's　stained…glass　windows。　The　image　shot　dread　through　his　body。
　Unaware；　Vittoria　removed　her　cell　phone　and　pressed　the　auto　dial。　〃I'm　warning　Olivetti。〃
　Speechless；　Langdon　reached　out　and　touched　her　arm。　With　a　tremulous　hand；　he　pointed　to　the　church。　
　Vittoria　let　out　a　gasp。
　Inside　the　building；　glowing　like　evil　eyes　through　the　stained…glass　windows　。　。　。　shone　the　growing　flash　of　flames。　
　
　91

　Langdon　and　Vittoria　dashed　to　the　main　entrance　of　the　church　of　Santa　Maria　della　Vittoria　and　found　the　wooden　door　locked。　Vittoria　fired　three　shots　from　Olivetti's　semi…automatic　into　the　ancient　bolt；　and　it　shattered。
　The　church　had　no　anteroom；　so　the　entirety　of　the　sanctuary　spread　out　in　one　gasping　sweep　as　Langdon　and　Vittoria　threw　open　the　main　door。　The　scene　before　them　was　so　unexpected；　so　bizarre；　that　Langdon　had　to　close　his　eyes　and　reopen　them　before　his　mind　could　take　it　all　in。
　The　church　was　lavish　baroque　。　。　。　gilded　walls　and　altars。　Dead　center　of　the　sanctuary；　beneath　the　main　cupola；　wooden　pews　had　been　stacked　high　and　were　now　ablaze　in　some　sort　of　epic　funeral　pyre。　A　bonfire　shooting　high　into　the　dome。　As　Langdon's　eyes　followed　the　inferno　upward；　the　true　horror　of　the　scene　descended　like　a　bird　of　prey。
　High　overhead；　from　the　left　and　right　sides　of　the　ceiling；　hung　two　incensor　cables…lines　used　for　swinging　frankincense　vessels　above　the　congregation。　These　lines；　however；　carried　no　incensors　now。　Nor　were　they　swinging。　They　had　been　used　for　something　else　。　。　。　
　Suspended　from　the　cables　was　a　human　being。　A　naked　man。　Each　wrist　had　been　connected　to　an　opposing　cable；　and　he　had　been　hoisted　almost　to　the　point　of　being　torn　apart。　His　arms　were　outstretched　in　a　spread…eagle　as　if　he　were　nailed　to　some　sort　of　invisible　crucifix　hovering　within　the　house　of　God。
　Langdon　felt　paralyzed　as　he　stared　upward。　A　moment　later；　he　witnessed　the　final　abomination。　The　old　man　was　alive；　and　he　raised　his　head。　A　pair　of　terrified　eyes　gazed　down　in　a　silent　plea　for　help。　On　the　man's　chest　was　a　scorched　emblem。　He　had　been　branded。　Langdon　could　not　see　it　clearly；　but　he　had　little　doubt　what　the　marking　said。　As　the　flames　climbed　higher；　lapping　at　the　man's　feet；　the　victim　let　out　a　cry　of　pain；　his　body　trembling。
　As　if　ignited　by　some　unseen　force；　Langdon　felt　his　body　suddenly　in　motion；　dashing　down　the　main　aisle　toward　the　conflagration。　His　lungs　filled　with　smoke　as　he　closed　in。　Ten　feet　from　the　inferno；　at　a　full　sprint；　Langdon　hit　a　wall　of　heat。　The　skin　on　his　face　singed；　and　he　fell　back；　shielding　his　eyes　and　landing　hard　on　the　marble　floor。　Staggering　upright；　he　pressed　forward　again；　hands　raised　in　protection。　
　Instantly　he　knew。　The　fire　was　far　too　hot。
　Moving　back　again；　he　scanned　the　chapel　walls。　A　heavy　tapestry；　he　thought。　If　I　can　somehow　smother　the　。　。　。　But　he　knew　a　tapestry　was　not　to　be　found。　This　is　a　baroque　chapel；　Robert；　not　some　damn　German　castle！　Think！　He　forced　his　eyes　back　to　the　suspended　man。
　High　above；　smoke　and　flames　swirled　in　the　cupola。　The　incensor　cables　stretched　outward　from　the　man's　wrists；　rising　to　the　ceiling　where　they　passed　through　pulleys；　and　descended　again　to　metal　cleats　on　either　side　of　the　church。　Langdon　looked　over　at　one　of　the　cleats。　It　was　high　on　the　wall；　but　he　knew　if　he　could　get　to　it　and　loosen　one　of　the　lines；　the　tension　would　slacken　and　the　man　would　swing　wide　of　the　fire。　
　A　sudden　surge　of　flames　crackled　higher；　and　Langdon　heard　a　piercing　scream　from　above。　The　skin　on　the　man's　feet　was　starting　to　blister。　The　cardinal　was　being　roasted　alive。　Langdon　fixed　his　sights　on　the　cleat　and　ran　for　it。
　
　In　the　rear　of　the　church；　Vittoria　clutched　the　back　of　a　pew；　trying　to　gather　her　senses。　The　image　overhead　was　horrid。　She　forced　her　eyes　away。　Do　something！　She　wondered　where　Olivetti　was。　Had　he　seen　the　Hassassin？　Had　he　caught　him？　Where　were　they　now？　Vittoria　moved　forward　to　help　Langdon；　but　as　she　did；　a　sound　stopped　her。
　The　crackling　of　the　flames　was　getting　louder　by　the　instant；　but　a　second　sound　also　cut　the　air。　A　metallic　vibration。　Nearby。　The　repetitive　pulse　seemed　to　emanate　from　the　end　of　the　pews　to　her　left。　It　was　a　stark　rattle；　like　the　ringing　of　a　phone；　but　stony　and　hard。　She　clutched　the　gun　firmly　and　moved　down　the　row　of　pews。　The　sound　grew　louder。　On。　Off。　A　recurrent　vibration。
　As　she　approached　the　end　of　the　aisle；　she　sensed　the　sound　was　ing　from　the　floor　just　around　the　corner　at　the　end　of　the　pews。　As　she　moved　forward；　gun　outstretched　in　her　right　hand；　she　realized　she　was　also　holding　something　in　her　left　hand…her　cell　phone。　In　her　panic　she　had　forgotten　that　outside　she　had　used　it　to　dial　the　mander　。　。　。　setting　off　his　phone's　silent　vibration　feature　as　a　warning。　Vittoria　raised　her　phone　to　her　ear。　It　was　still　ringing。　The　mander　had　never　answered。　Suddenly；　with　rising　fear；　Vittoria　sensed　she　knew　what　was　making　the　sound。　She　stepped　forward；　trembling。
　The　entire　church　seemed　to　sink　beneath　her　feet　as　her　eyes　met　the　lifeless　form　on　the　floor。　No　stream　of　liquid　flowed　from　the　body。　No　signs　of　violence　tattooed　the　flesh。　There　was　only　the　fearful　geometry　of　the　mander's　head　。　。　。　torqued　backward；　twisted　180　degrees　in　the　wrong　direction。　Vittoria　fought　the　images　of　her　own　father's　mangled　body。
　The　phone　on　the　mander's　belt　lay　against　the　floor；　vibrating　over　and　over　against　the　cold　marble。　Vittoria　hung　up　her　own　phone；　and　the　ringing　stopped。　In　the　silence；　Vittoria　heard　a　new　sound。　A　breathing　in　the　dark　directly　behind　her。　
　She　started　to　spin；　gun　raised；　but　she　knew　she　was　too　late。　A　laser　beam　of　heat　screamed　from　the　top　of　her　skull　to　the　soles　of　her　feet　as　the　killer's　elbow　crashed　down　on　the　back　of　her　neck。　
　〃Now　you　are　mine；〃　a　voice　said。
　Then；　everything　went　black。
　
　Across　the　sanctuary；　on　the　left　lateral　wall；