danbrown.angels&demons-第7节

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rishing　addiction　than　drugs　。　。　。　a　far　more　healthy　and　satisfying　reward。　
　Feeling　a　familiar　anticipation　swelling　within　him；　the　Hassassin　moved　faster　down　the　alley。　He　arrived　at　the　nondescript　door　and　rang　the　bell。　A　view　slit　in　the　door　opened；　and　two　soft　brown　eyes　studied　him　appraisingly。　Then　the　door　swung　open。
　〃Wele；〃　the　well…dressed　woman　said。　She　ushered　him　into　an　impeccably　furnished　sitting　room　where　the　lights　were　low。　The　air　was　laced　with　expensive　perfume　and　musk。　〃Whenever　you　are　ready。〃　She　handed　him　a　book　of　photographs。　〃Ring　me　when　you　have　made　your　choice。〃　Then　she　disappeared。
　The　Hassassin　smiled。　
　As　he　sat　on　the　plush　divan　and　positioned　the　photo　album　on　his　lap；　he　felt　a　carnal　hunger　stir。　Although　his　people　did　not　celebrate　Christmas；　he　imagined　that　this　is　what　it　must　feel　like　to　be　a　Christian　child；　sitting　before　a　stack　of　Christmas　presents；　about　to　discover　the　miracles　inside。　He　opened　the　album　and　examined　the　photos。　A　lifetime　of　sexual　fantasies　stared　back　at　him。
　Marisa。　An　Italian　goddess。　Fiery。　A　young　Sophia　Loren。
　Sachiko。　A　Japanese　geisha。　Lithe。　No　doubt　skilled。
　Kanara。　A　stunning　black　vision。　Muscular。　Exotic。
　He　examined　the　entire　album　twice　and　made　his　choice。　He　pressed　a　button　on　the　table　beside　him。　A　minute　later　the　woman　who　had　greeted　him　reappeared。　He　indicated　his　selection。　She　smiled。　〃Follow　me。〃
　After　handling　the　financial　arrangements；　the　woman　made　a　hushed　phone　call。　She　waited　a　few　minutes　and　then　led　him　up　a　winding　marble　staircase　to　a　luxurious　hallway。　〃It's　the　gold　door　on　the　end；〃　she　said。　〃You　have　expensive　taste。〃
　I　should；　he　thought。　I　am　a　connoisseur。　
　The　Hassassin　padded　the　length　of　the　hallway　like　a　panther　anticipating　a　long　overdue　meal。　When　he　reached　the　doorway　he　smiled　to　himself。　It　was　already　ajar　。　。　。　weling　him　in。　He　pushed；　and　the　door　swung　noiselessly　open。
　When　he　saw　his　selection；　he　knew　he　had　chosen　well。　She　was　exactly　as　he　had　requested　。　。　。　nude；　lying　on　her　back；　her　arms　tied　to　the　bedposts　with　thick　velvet　cords。　
　He　crossed　the　room　and　ran　a　dark　finger　across　her　ivory　abdomen。　I　killed　last　night；　he　thought。　You　are　my　reward。　
　
　11

　Satanic？〃　Kohler　wiped　his　mouth　and　shifted　unfortably。　〃This　is　the　symbol　of　a　satanic　cult？〃
　Langdon　paced　the　frozen　room　to　keep　warm。　〃The　Illuminati　were　satanic。　But　not　in　the　modern　sense。〃
　Langdon　quickly　explained　how　most　people　pictured　satanic　cults　as　devil…worshiping　fiends；　and　yet　Satanists　historically　were　educated　men　who　stood　as　adversaries　to　the　church。　Shaitan。　The　rumors　of　satanic　black…magic　animal　sacrifices　and　the　pentagram　ritual　were　nothing　but　lies　spread　by　the　church　as　a　smear　campaign　against　their　adversaries。　Over　time；　opponents　of　the　church；　wanting　to　emulate　the　Illuminati；　began　believing　the　lies　and　acting　them　out。　Thus；　modern　Satanism　was　born。
　Kohler　grunted　abruptly。　〃This　is　all　ancient　history。　I　want　to　know　how　this　symbol　got　here。〃　
　Langdon　took　a　deep　breath。　〃The　symbol　itself　was　created　by　an　anonymous　sixteenth…century　Illuminati　artist　as　a　tribute　to　Galileo's　love　of　symmetry…a　kind　of　sacred　Illuminati　logo。　The　brotherhood　kept　the　design　secret；　allegedly　planning　to　reveal　it　only　when　they　had　amassed　enough　power　to　resurface　and　carry　out　their　final　goal。〃
　Kohler　looked　unsettled。　〃So　this　symbol　means　the　Illuminati　brotherhood　is　resurfacing？〃
　Langdon　frowned。　〃That　would　be　impossible。　There　is　one　chapter　of　Illuminati　history　that　I　have　not　yet　explained。〃
　Kohler's　voice　intensified。　〃Enlighten　me。〃
　Langdon　rubbed　his　palms　together；　mentally　sorting　through　the　hundreds　of　documents　he'd　read　or　written　on　the　Illuminati。　〃The　Illuminati　were　survivors；〃　he　explained。　〃When　they　fled　Rome；　they　traveled　across　Europe　looking　for　a　safe　place　to　regroup。　They　were　taken　in　by　another　secret　society　。　。　。　a　brotherhood　of　wealthy　Bavarian　stone　craftsmen　called　the　Freemasons。〃
　Kohler　looked　startled。　〃The　Masons？〃
　Langdon　nodded；　not　at　all　surprised　that　Kohler　had　heard　of　the　group。　The　brotherhood　of　the　Masons　currently　had　over　five　million　members　worldwide；　half　of　them　residing　in　the　United　States；　and　over　one　million　of　them　in　Europe。
　〃Certainly　the　Masons　are　not　satanic；〃　Kohler　declared；　sounding　suddenly　skeptical。　
　〃Absolutely　not。　The　Masons　fell　victim　of　their　own　benevolence。　After　harboring　the　fleeing　scientists　in　the　1700s；　the　Masons　unknowingly　became　a　front　for　the　Illuminati。　The　Illuminati　grew　within　their　ranks；　gradually　taking　over　positions　of　power　within　the　lodges。　They　quietly　reestablished　their　scientific　brotherhood　deep　within　the　Masons…a　kind　of　secret　society　within　a　secret　society。　Then　the　Illuminati　used　the　worldwide　connection　of　Masonic　lodges　to　spread　their　influence。〃
　Langdon　drew　a　cold　breath　before　racing　on。　〃Obliteration　of　Catholicism　was　the　Illuminati's　central　covenant。　The　brotherhood　held　that　the　superstitious　dogma　spewed　forth　by　the　church　was　mankind's　greatest　enemy。　They　feared　that　if　religion　continued　to　promote　pious　myth　as　absolute　fact；　scientific　progress　would　halt；　and　mankind　would　be　doomed　to　an　ignorant　future　of　senseless　holy　wars。〃
　〃Much　like　we　see　today。〃
　Langdon　frowned。　Kohler　was　right。　Holy　wars　were　still　making　headlines。　My　God　is　better　than　your　God。　It　seemed　there　was　always　close　correlation　between　true　believers　and　high　body　counts。
　〃Go　on；〃　Kohler　said。
　Langdon　gathered　his　thoughts　and　continued。　〃The　Illuminati　grew　more　powerful　in　Europe　and　set　their　sights　on　America；　a　fledgling　government　many　of　whose　leaders　were　Masons…George　Washington；　Ben　Franklin…honest；　God…fearing　men　who　were　unaware　of　the　Illuminati　stronghold　on　the　Masons。　The　Illuminati　took　advantage　of　the　infiltration　and　helped　found　banks；　universities；　and　industry　to　finance　their　ultimate　quest。〃　Langdon　paused。　〃The　creation　of　a　single　unified　world　state…a　kind　of　secular　New　World　Order。〃
　Kohler　did　not　move。
　〃A　New　World　Order；〃　Langdon　repeated；　〃based　on　scientific　enlightenment。　They　called　it　their　Luciferian　Doctrine。　The　church　claimed　Lucifer　was　a　reference　to　the　devil；　but　the　brotherhood　insisted　Lucifer　was　intended　in　its　literal　Latin　meaning…bringer　of　light。　Or　Illuminator。〃
　Kohler　sighed；　and　his　voice　grew　suddenly　solemn。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　please　sit　down。〃
　Langdon　sat　tentatively　on　a　frost…covered　chair。
　Kohler　moved　his　wheelchair　closer。　〃I　am　not　sure　I　understand　everything　you　have　just　told　me；　but　I　do　understand　this。　Leonardo　Vetra　was　one　of　CERN's　greatest　assets。　He　was　also　a　friend。　I　need　you　to　help　me　locate　the　Illuminati。〃
　Langdon　didn't　know　how　to　respond。　〃Locate　the　Illuminati？〃　He's　kidding；　right？　〃I'm　afraid；　sir；　that　will　be　utterly　impossible。〃
　Kohler's　brow　creased。　〃What　do　you　mean？　You　won't…〃
　〃Mr。　Kohler。〃　Langdon　leaned　toward　his　host；　uncertain　how　to　make　him　understand　what　he　was　about　to　say。　〃I　did　not　finish　my　story。　Despite　appearances；　it　is　extremely　unlikely　that　this　brand　was　put　here　by　the　Illuminati。　There　has　been　no　evidence　of　their　existence　for　over　half　a　century；　and　most　scholars　agree　the　Illuminati　have　been　defunct　for　many　years。〃
　The　words　hit　silence。　Kohler　stared　through　the　fog　with　a　look　somewhere　between　stupefaction　and　anger。　〃How　the　hell　can　you　tell　me　this　group　is　extinct　when　their　name　is　seared　into　this　man！〃
　Langdon　had　been　asking　himself　that　question　all　morning。　The　appearance　of　the　Illuminati　ambigram　was　astonishing。　Symbologists　worldwide　would　be　dazzled。　And　yet；　the　academic　in　Langdon　understood　that　the　brand's　reemergence　proved　absolutely　nothing　about　the　Illuminati。　
　〃Symbols；〃　Langdon　said；　〃in　no　way　confirm　the　presence　of　their　original　creators。〃　
　〃What　is　that　supposed　to　mean？〃
　〃It　means　that　when　organized　philosophies　like　the　Illuminati　go　out　of　existence；　their　symbols　remain　。　。　。　available　for　adoption　by　other　groups。　It's　called　transference。　It's　very　mon　in　symbology。　The　Nazis　took　the　swastika　from　the　Hindus；　the　Christians　adopted　the　cruciform　from　the　Egyptians；　the…〃
　〃This　morning；〃　Kohler　challenged；　〃when　I　typed　the　word　'Illuminati'　into　the　puter；　it　returned　thousands　of　current　references。　Apparently　a　lot　of　people　think　this　group　is　still　active。〃
　〃Conspiracy　buffs；〃　Langdon　replied。　He　had　always　been　annoyed　by　the　plethora　of　conspiracy　theories　that　circulated　in　modern　pop　culture。　The　media　craved　apocalyptic　headlines；　and　self…proclaimed　〃cult　specialists〃　were　still　cashing　in　on　millennium　hype　with　fabricated　stories　that　the　Illuminati　were　alive　and　well　and　organizing　their　New　World　Order。　Recently　the　New　York　Times　had　reported　the　eerie　Masonic　ties　of　countless　famous　men…Sir　Arthur　Conan　Doyle；　the　Duke　of　Kent；　Peter　Sellers；　Irving　Berlin；　Prince　Philip；　Louis　Armstrong；　as　well　as　a　pantheon　of　well…known　modern…day　industrialists　and　banking　magnates。　
　Kohler　pointed　angrily　at　Vetra's　body。　〃Considering　the　evidence；　I