danbrown.angels&demons-第81节

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　He　felt　a　surge　of　panic。　In　architect…speak；　this　rare　kind　of　door　was　called　a　senza　chiave…a　one…way　portal；　used　for　security；　and　only　operable　from　one　side…the　other　side。　Langdon's　hope　dimmed　to　black　。　。　。　along　with　the　torch　in　his　hand。
　He　looked　at　his　watch。　Mickey　glowed。
　11：29　P。M。　
　With　a　scream　of　frustration；　Langdon　swung　the　torch　and　started　pounding　on　the　door。
　
　113

　Something　was　wrong。
　Lieutenant　Chartrand　stood　outside　the　Pope's　office　and　sensed　in　the　uneasy　stance　of　the　soldier　standing　with　him　that　they　shared　the　same　anxiety。　The　private　meeting　they　were　shielding；　Rocher　had　said；　could　save　the　Vatican　from　destruction。　So　Chartrand　wondered　why　his　protective　instincts　were　tingling。　And　why　was　Rocher　acting　so　strangely？
　Something　definitely　was　awry。　
　Captain　Rocher　stood　to　Chartrand's　right；　staring　dead　ahead；　his　sharp　gaze　uncharacteristically　distant。　Chartrand　barely　recognized　the　captain。　Rocher　had　not　been　himself　in　the　last　hour。　His　decisions　made　no　sense。
　Someone　should　be　present　inside　this　meeting！　Chartrand　thought。　He　had　heard　Maximilian　Kohler　bolt　the　door　after　he　entered。　Why　had　Rocher　permitted　this？　
　But　there　was　so　much　more　bothering　Chartrand。　The　cardinals。　The　cardinals　were　still　locked　in　the　Sistine　Chapel。　This　was　absolute　insanity。　The　camerlegno　had　wanted　them　evacuated　fifteen　minutes　ago！　Rocher　had　overruled　the　decision　and　not　informed　the　camerlegno。　Chartrand　had　expressed　concern；　and　Rocher　had　almost　taken　off　his　head。　Chain　of　mand　was　never　questioned　in　the　Swiss　Guard；　and　Rocher　was　now　top　dog。
　Half　an　hour；　Rocher　thought；　discreetly　checking　his　Swiss　chronometer　in　the　dim　light　of　the　candelabra　lighting　the　hall。　Please　hurry。
　Chartrand　wished　he　could　hear　what　was　happening　on　the　other　side　of　the　doors。　Still；　he　knew　there　was　no　one　he　would　rather　have　handling　this　crisis　than　the　camerlegno。　The　man　had　been　tested　beyond　reason　tonight；　and　he　had　not　flinched。　He　had　confronted　the　problem　head…on　。　。　。　truthful；　candid；　shining　like　an　example　to　all。　Chartrand　felt　proud　right　now　to　be　a　Catholic。　The　Illuminati　had　made　a　mistake　when　they　challenged　Camerlegno　Ventresca。
　At　that　moment；　however；　Chartrand's　thoughts　were　jolted　by　an　unexpected　sound。　A　banging。　It　was　ing　from　down　the　hall。　The　pounding　was　distant　and　muffled；　but　incessant。　Rocher　looked　up。　The　captain　turned　to　Chartrand　and　motioned　down　the　hall。　Chartrand　understood。　He　turned　on　his　flashlight　and　took　off　to　investigate。
　The　banging　was　more　desperate　now。　Chartrand　ran　thirty　yards　down　the　corridor　to　an　intersection。　The　noise　seemed　to　be　ing　from　around　the　corner；　beyond　the　Sala　Clementina。　Chartrand　felt　perplexed。　There　was　only　one　room　back　there…the　Pope's　private　library。　His　Holiness's　private　library　had　been　locked　since　the　Pope's　death。　Nobody　could　possibly　be　in　there！
　Chartrand　hurried　down　the　second　corridor；　turned　another　corner；　and　rushed　to　the　library　door。　The　wooden　portico　was　diminutive；　but　it　stood　in　the　dark　like　a　dour　sentinel。　The　banging　was　ing　from　somewhere　inside。　Chartrand　hesitated。　He　had　never　been　inside　the　private　library。　Few　had。　No　one　was　allowed　in　without　an　escort　by　the　Pope　himself。
　Tentatively；　Chartrand　reached　for　the　doorknob　and　turned。　As　he　had　imagined；　the　door　was　locked。　He　put　his　ear　to　the　door。　The　banging　was　louder。　Then　he　heard　something　else。　Voices！　Someone　calling　out！　
　He　could　not　make　out　the　words；　but　he　could　hear　the　panic　in　their　shouts。　Was　someone　trapped　in　the　library？　Had　the　Swiss　Guard　not　properly　evacuated　the　building？　Chartrand　hesitated；　wondering　if　he　should　go　back　and　consult　Rocher。　The　hell　with　that。　Chartrand　had　been　trained　to　make　decisions；　and　he　would　make　one　now。　He　pulled　out　his　side　arm　and　fired　a　single　shot　into　the　door　latch。　The　wood　exploded；　and　the　door　swung　open。
　Beyond　the　threshold　Chartrand　saw　nothing　but　blackness。　He　shone　his　flashlight。　The　room　was　rectangular…oriental　carpets；　high　oak　shelves　packed　with　books；　a　stitched　leather　couch；　and　a　marble　fireplace。　Chartrand　had　heard　stories　of　this　place…three　thousand　ancient　volumes　side　by　side　with　hundreds　of　current　magazines　and　periodicals；　anything　His　Holiness　requested。　The　coffee　table　was　covered　with　journals　of　science　and　politics。
　The　banging　was　clearer　now。　Chartrand　shone　his　light　across　the　room　toward　the　sound。　On　the　far　wall；　beyond　the　sitting　area；　was　a　huge　door　made　of　iron。　It　looked　impenetrable　as　a　vault。　It　had　four　mammoth　locks。　The　tiny　etched　letters　dead　center　of　the　door　took　Chartrand's　breath　away。　
　
　IL　PASSETTO　
　
　Chartrand　stared。　The　Pope's　secret　escape　route！　Chartrand　had　certainly　heard　of　Il　Passetto；　and　he　had　even　heard　rumors　that　it　had　once　had　an　entrance　here　in　the　library；　but　the　tunnel　had　not　been　used　in　ages！　Who　could　be　banging　on　the　other　side？　
　Chartrand　took　his　flashlight　and　rapped　on　the　door。　There　was　a　muffled　exultation　from　the　other　side。　The　banging　stopped；　and　the　voices　yelled　louder。　Chartrand　could　barely　make　out　their　words　through　the　barricade。
　〃。　。　。　Kohler　。　。　。　lie　。　。　。　camerlegno　。　。　。〃
　〃Who　is　that？〃　Chartrand　yelled。　
　〃。　。　。　ert　Langdon　。　。　。　Vittoria　Ve　。　。　。〃
　Chartrand　understood　enough　to　be　confused。　I　thought　you　were　dead！　
　〃。　。　。　the　door；〃　the　voices　yelled。　〃Open　。　。　。　！〃
　Chartrand　looked　at　the　iron　barrier　and　knew　he　would　need　dynamite　to　get　through　there。　〃Impossible！〃　he　yelled。　〃Too　thick！〃
　〃。　。　。　meeting　。　。　。　stop　。　。　。　erlegno　。　。　。　danger　。　。　。〃
　Despite　his　training　on　the　hazards　of　panic；　Chartrand　felt　a　sudden　rush　of　fear　at　the　last　few　words。　Had　he　understood　correctly？　Heart　pounding；　he　turned　to　run　back　to　the　office。　As　he　turned；　though；　he　stalled。　His　gaze　had　fallen　to　something　on　the　door　。　。　。　something　more　shocking　even　than　the　message　ing　from　beyond　it。　Emerging　from　the　keyholes　of　each　of　the　door's　massive　locks　were　keys。　Chartrand　stared。　The　keys　were　here？　He　blinked　in　disbelief。　The　keys　to　this　door　were　supposed　to　be　in　a　vault　someplace！　This　passage　was　never　used…not　for　centuries！
　Chartrand　dropped　his　flashlight　on　the　floor。　He　grabbed　the　first　key　and　turned。　The　mechanism　was　rusted　and　stiff；　but　it　still　worked。　Someone　had　opened　it　recently。　Chartrand　worked　the　next　lock。　And　the　next。　When　the　last　bolt　slid　aside；　Chartrand　pulled。　The　slab　of　iron　creaked　open。　He　grabbed　his　light　and　shone　it　into　the　passage。
　Robert　Langdon　and　Vittoria　Vetra　looked　like　apparitions　as　they　staggered　into　the　library。　Both　were　ragged　and　tired；　but　they　were　very　much　alive。
　〃What　is　this！〃　Chartrand　demanded。　〃What's　going　on！　Where　did　you　e　from？〃
　〃Where's　Max　Kohler？〃　Langdon　demanded。
　Chartrand　pointed。　〃In　a　private　meeting　with　the　camer…〃
　Langdon　and　Vittoria　pushed　past　him　and　ran　down　the　darkened　hall。　Chartrand　turned；　instinctively　raising　his　gun　at　their　backs。　He　quickly　lowered　it　and　ran　after　them。　Rocher　apparently　heard　them　ing；　because　as　they　arrived　outside　the　Pope's　office；　Rocher　had　spread　his　legs　in　a　protective　stance　and　was　leveling　his　gun　at　them。　〃Alt！〃　
　〃The　camerlegno　is　in　danger！〃　Langdon　yelled；　raising　his　arms　in　surrender　as　he　slid　to　a　stop。　〃Open　the　door！　Max　Kohler　is　going　to　kill　the　camerlegno！〃
　Rocher　looked　angry。
　〃Open　the　door！〃　Vittoria　said。　〃Hurry！〃
　But　it　was　too　late。
　From　inside　the　Pope's　office　came　a　bloodcurdling　scream。　It　was　the　camerlegno。
　
　114

　The　confrontation　lasted　only　seconds。
　Camerlegno　Ventresca　was　still　screaming　when　Chartrand　stepped　past　Rocher　and　blew　open　the　door　of　the　Pope's　office。　The　guards　dashed　in。　Langdon　and　Vittoria　ran　in　behind　them。
　The　scene　before　them　was　staggering。
　The　chamber　was　lit　only　by　candlelight　and　a　dying　fire。　Kohler　was　near　the　fireplace；　standing　awkwardly　in　front　of　his　wheelchair。　He　brandished　a　pistol；　aimed　at　the　camerlegno；　who　lay　on　the　floor　at　his　feet；　writhing　in　agony。　The　camerlegno's　cassock　was　torn　open；　and　his　bare　chest　was　seared　black。　Langdon　could　not　make　out　the　symbol　from　across　the　room；　but　a　large；　square　brand　lay　on　the　floor　near　Kohler。　The　metal　still　glowed　red。
　Two　of　the　Swiss　Guards　acted　without　hesitation。　They　opened　fire。　The　bullets　smashed　into　Kohler's　chest；　driving　him　backward。　Kohler　collapsed　into　his　wheelchair；　his　chest　gurgling　blood。　His　gun　went　skittering　across　the　floor。
　Langdon　stood　stunned　in　the　doorway。
　Vittoria　seemed　paralyzed。　〃Max　。　。　。〃　she　whispered。　
　The　camerlegno；　still　twisting　on　the　floor；　rolled　toward　Rocher；　and　with　the　trancelike　terror　of　the　early　witch　hunts；　pointed　his　index　finger　at　Rocher　and　yelled　a　single　word。　〃ILLUMINATUS！〃
　〃You　bastard；〃　Rocher　said；　running　at　him。　〃You　sanctimonious　bas…〃
　This　time　it　was　Chartrand　who　reacted　on　instinct；　putting　three　bullets　in　Rocher's　back。　The　captain　fell　face　first　on　the　tile　floor　and　slid　lifeless　through　his　own　blood。　Chartrand　and　the　guards　dashed　immed