danbrown.angels&demons-第83节

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　This　is　wrong！　Langdon　thought。　He　wanted　to　run　down　the　stairs　and　interfere；　but　he　could　not。　It　wouldn't　have　helped　anyway。　Whether　it　was　the　roar　of　the　crowd　or　the　cool　night　air　that　caused　it；　Langdon　would　never　know；　but　at　that　moment；　the　inconceivable　occurred。　
　Like　a　man　awakening　from　a　nightmare；　the　camerlegno's　eyes　shot　open　and　he　sat　bolt　upright。　Taken　entirely　by　surprise；　Langdon　and　the　others　fumbled　with　the　shifting　weight。　The　front　of　the　table　dipped。　The　camerlegno　began　to　slide。　They　tried　to　recover　by　setting　the　table　down；　but　it　was　too　late。　The　camerlegno　slid　off　the　front。　Incredibly；　he　did　not　fall。　His　feet　hit　the　marble；　and　he　swayed　upright。　He　stood　a　moment；　looking　disoriented；　and　then；　before　anyone　could　stop　him；　he　lurched　forward；　staggering　down　the　stairs　toward　Macri。
　〃No！〃　Langdon　screamed。　
　Chartrand　rushed　forward；　trying　to　reign　in　the　camerlegno。　But　the　camerlegno　turned　on　him；　wild…eyed；　crazed。　〃Leave　me！〃
　Chartrand　jumped　back。
　The　scene　went　from　bad　to　worse。　The　camerlegno's　torn　cassock；　having　been　only　laid　over　his　chest　by　Chartrand；　began　to　slip　lower。　For　a　moment；　Langdon　thought　the　garment　might　hold；　but　that　moment　passed。　The　cassock　let　go；　sliding　off　his　shoulders　down　around　his　waist。　
　The　gasp　that　went　up　from　the　crowd　seemed　to　travel　around　the　globe　and　back　in　an　instant。　Cameras　rolled；　flashbulbs　exploded。　On　media　screens　everywhere；　the　image　of　the　camerlegno's　branded　chest　was　projected；　towering　and　in　grisly　detail。　Some　screens　were　even　freezing　the　image　and　rotating　it　180　degrees。
　The　ultimate　Illuminati　victory。　
　Langdon　stared　at　the　brand　on　the　screens。　Although　it　was　the　imprint　of　the　square　brand　he　had　held　earlier；　the　symbol　now　made　sense。　Perfect　sense。　The　marking's　awesome　power　hit　Langdon　like　a　train。
　Orientation。　Langdon　had　forgotten　the　first　rule　of　symbology。　When　is　a　square　not　a　square？　He　had　also　forgotten　that　iron　brands；　just　like　rubber　stamps；　never　looked　like　their　imprints。　They　were　in　reverse。　Langdon　had　been　looking　at　the　brand's　negative！　
　As　the　chaos　grew；　an　old　Illuminati　quote　echoed　with　new　meaning：　〃A　flawless　diamond；　born　of　the　ancient　elements　with　such　perfection　that　all　those　who　saw　it　could　only　stare　in　wonder。〃
　Langdon　knew　now　the　myth　was　true。　
　Earth；　Air；　Fire；　Water。　
　The　Illuminati　Diamond。
　
　
　
　
　117

　Robert　Langdon　had　little　doubt　that　the　chaos　and　hysteria　coursing　through　St。　Peter's　Square　at　this　very　instant　exceeded　anything　Vatican　Hill　had　ever　witnessed。　No　battle；　no　crucifixion；　no　pilgrimage；　no　mystical　vision　。　。　。　nothing　in　the　shrine's　2；000…year　history　could　possibly　match　the　scope　and　drama　of　this　very　moment。　
　As　the　tragedy　unfolded；　Langdon　felt　oddly　separate；　as　if　hovering　there　beside　Vittoria　at　the　top　of　the　stairs。　The　action　seemed　to　distend；　as　if　in　a　time　warp；　all　the　insanity　slowing　to　a　crawl　。　。　。　
　The　branded　camerlegno　。　。　。　raving　for　the　world　to　see　。　。　。　
　The　Illuminati　Diamond　。　。　。　unveiled　in　its　diabolical　genius　。　。　。　
　The　countdown　clock　registering　the　final　twenty　minutes　of　Vatican　history　。　。　。　
　The　drama；　however；　had　only　just　begun。
　The　camerlegno；　as　if　in　some　sort　of　post…traumatic　trance；　seemed　suddenly　puissant；　possessed　by　demons。　He　began　babbling；　whispering　to　unseen　spirits；　looking　up　at　the　sky　and　raising　his　arms　to　God。　
　〃Speak！〃　the　camerlegno　yelled　to　the　heavens。　〃Yes；　I　hear　you！〃
　In　that　moment；　Langdon　understood。　His　heart　dropped　like　a　rock。　
　Vittoria　apparently　understood　too。　She　went　white。　〃He's　in　shock；〃　she　said。　〃He's　hallucinating。　He　thinks　he's　talking　to　God！〃
　Somebody's　got　to　stop　this；　Langdon　thought。　It　was　a　wretched　and　embarrassing　end。　Get　this　man　to　a　hospital！　
　Below　them　on　the　stairs；　Chinita　Macri　was　poised　and　filming；　apparently　having　located　her　ideal　vantage　point。　The　images　she　filmed　appeared　instantly　across　the　square　behind　her　on　media　screens　。　。　。　like　endless　drive…in　movies　all　playing　the　same　grisly　tragedy。　
　The　whole　scene　felt　epic。　The　camerlegno；　in　his　torn　cassock；　with　the　scorched　brand　on　his　chest；　looked　like　some　sort　of　battered　champion　who　had　overe　the　rings　of　hell　for　this　one　moment　of　revelation。　He　bellowed　to　the　heavens。　
　〃Ti　sento；　Dio！　I　hear　you；　God！〃　
　Chartrand　backed　off；　a　look　of　awe　on　his　face。　
　The　hush　that　fell　across　the　crowd　was　instant　and　absolute。　For　a　moment　it　was　as　if　the　silence　had　fallen　across　the　entire　planet　。　。　。　everyone　in　front　of　their　TVs　rigid；　a　munal　holding　of　breath。
　The　camerlegno　stood　on　the　stairs；　before　the　world；　and　held　out　his　arms。　He　looked　almost　Christlike；　bare　and　wounded　before　the　world。　He　raised　his　arms　to　the　heavens　and；　looking　up；　exclaimed；　〃Grazie！　Grazie；　Dio！〃　
　The　silence　of　the　masses　never　broke。
　〃Grazie；　Dio！〃　the　camerlegno　cried　out　again。　Like　the　sun　breaking　through　a　stormy　sky；　a　look　of　joy　spread　across　his　face。　〃Grazie；　Dio！〃　
　Thank　you；　God？　Langdon　stared　in　wonder。
　The　camerlegno　was　radiant　now；　his　eerie　transformation　plete。　He　looked　up　at　the　sky；　still　nodding　furiously。　He　shouted　to　the　heavens；　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church！〃　
　Langdon　knew　the　words；　but　he　had　no　idea　why　the　camerlegno　could　possibly　be　shouting　them。
　The　camerlegno　turned　back　to　the　crowd　and　bellowed　again　into　the　night。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church！〃　Then　he　raised　his　hands　to　the　sky　and　laughed　out　loud。　〃Grazie；　Dio！　Grazie！〃　
　The　man　had　clearly　gone　mad。
　The　world　watched；　spellbound。
　The　culmination；　however；　was　something　no　one　expected。
　With　a　final　joyous　exultation；　the　camerlegno　turned　and　dashed　back　into　St。　Peter's　Basilica。
　
　118　

　Eleven…forty…two　P。M。　
　The　frenzied　convoy　that　plunged　back　into　the　basilica　to　retrieve　the　camerlegno　was　not　one　Langdon　had　ever　imagined　he　would　be　part　of　。　。　。　much　less　leading。　But　he　had　been　closest　to　the　door　and　had　acted　on　instinct。
　He'll　die　in　here；　Langdon　thought；　sprinting　over　the　threshold　into　the　darkened　void。　〃Camerlegno！　Stop！〃
　The　wall　of　blackness　that　hit　Langdon　was　absolute。　His　pupils　were　contracted　from　the　glare　outside；　and　his　field　of　vision　now　extended　no　farther　than　a　few　feet　before　his　face。　He　skidded　to　a　stop。　Somewhere　in　the　blackness　ahead；　he　heard　the　camerlegno's　cassock　rustle　as　the　priest　ran　blindly　into　the　abyss。
　Vittoria　and　the　guards　arrived　immediately。　Flashlights　came　on；　but　the　lights　were　almost　dead　now　and　did　not　even　begin　to　probe　the　depths　of　the　basilica　before　them。　The　beams　swept　back　and　forth；　revealing　only　columns　and　bare　floor。　The　camerlegno　was　nowhere　to　be　seen。
　〃Camerlegno！〃　Chartrand　yelled；　fear　in　his　voice。　〃Wait！　Signore！〃
　A　motion　in　the　doorway　behind　them　caused　everyone　to　turn。　Chinita　Macri's　large　frame　lurched　through　the　entry。　Her　camera　was　shouldered；　and　the　glowing　red　light　on　top　revealed　that　it　was　still　transmitting。　Glick　was　running　behind　her；　microphone　in　hand；　yelling　for　her　to　slow　down。
　Langdon　could　not　believe　these　two。　This　is　not　the　time！　
　〃Out！〃　Chartrand　snapped。　〃This　is　not　for　your　eyes！〃　
　But　Macri　and　Glick　kept　ing。　
　〃Chinita！〃　Glick　sounded　fearful　now。　〃This　is　suicide！　I'm　not　ing！〃
　Macri　ignored　him。　She　threw　a　switch　on　her　camera。　The　spotlight　on　top　glared　to　life；　blinding　everyone。
　Langdon　shielded　his　face　and　turned　away　in　pain。　Damn　it！　When　he　looked　up；　though；　the　church　around　them　was　illuminated　for　thirty　yards。　
　At　that　moment　the　camerlegno's　voice　echoed　somewhere　in　the　distance。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church！〃
　Macri　wheeled　her　camera　toward　the　sound。　Far　off；　in　the　grayness　at　the　end　of　the　spotlight's　reach；　black　fabric　billowed；　revealing　a　familiar　form　running　down　the　main　aisle　of　the　basilica。　
　There　was　a　fleeting　instant　of　hesitation　as　everyone's　eyes　took　in　the　bizarre　image。　Then　the　dam　broke。　Chartrand　pushed　past　Langdon　and　sprinted　after　the　camerlegno。　Langdon　took　off　next。　Then　the　guards　and　Vittoria。
　Macri　brought　up　the　rear；　lighting　everyone's　way　and　transmitting　the　sepulchral　chase　to　the　world。　An　unwilling　Glick　cursed　aloud　as　he　tagged　along；　fumbling　through　a　terrified　blow…by…blow　mentary。
　
　The　main　aisle　of　St。　Peter's　Basilica；　Lieutenant　Chartrand　had　once　figured　out；　was　longer　than　an　Olympic　soccer　field。　Tonight；　however；　it　felt　like　twice　that。　As　the　guard　sprinted　after　the　camerlegno；　he　wondered　where　the　man　was　headed。　The　camerlegno　was　clearly　in　shock；　delirious　no　doubt　from　his　physical　trauma　and　bearing　witness　to　the　horrific　massacre　in　the　Pope's　office。
　Somewhere　up　ahead；　beyond　the　reach　of　the　BBC　spotlight；　the　camerlegno's　voice　rang　out　joyously。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church！〃　
　Chartrand　knew　the　man　was　shouting　Scripture…Matthew　16：18；　if　Chartrand　recalled　correctly。　Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church。　It　was　an　almost　cruelly　inapt　inspiration…the　church　was　about　to　be　destroyed。　Surely　the　came