danbrown.angels&demons-第86节

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realized；　were　libation　tubes。　The　early　Christians　had　believed　in　the　resurrection　of　the　flesh；　and　they'd　used　the　holes　to　literally　〃feed　the　dead〃　by　pouring　milk　and　honey　into　crypts　beneath　the　floor。
　
　The　camerlegno　felt　weak。
　He　dashed　onward；　his　legs　finding　strength　in　his　duty　to　God　and　man。　Almost　there。　He　was　in　incredible　pain。　The　mind　can　bring　so　much　more　pain　than　the　body。　Still　he　felt　tired。　He　knew　he　had　precious　little　time。　
　〃I　will　save　your　church；　Father。　I　swear　it。〃　
　Despite　the　BBC　lights　behind　him；　for　which　he　was　grateful；　the　camerlegno　carried　his　oil　lamp　high。　I　am　a　beacon　in　the　darkness　。I　am　the　light。　The　lamp　sloshed　as　he　ran；　and　for　an　instant　he　feared　the　flammable　oil　might　spill　and　burn　him。　He　had　experienced　enough　burned　flesh　for　one　evening。
　As　he　approached　the　top　of　the　hill；　he　was　drenched　in　sweat；　barely　able　to　breathe。　But　when　he　emerged　over　the　crest；　he　felt　reborn。　He　staggered　onto　the　flat　piece　of　earth　where　he　had　stood　many　times。　Here　the　path　ended。　The　necropolis　came　to　an　abrupt　halt　at　a　wall　of　earth。　A　tiny　marker　read：　Mausoleum　S。　
　La　tomba　di　San　Pietro。
　Before　him；　at　waist　level；　was　an　opening　in　the　wall。　There　was　no　gilded　plaque　here。　No　fanfare。　Just　a　simple　hole　in　the　wall；　beyond　which　lay　a　small　grotto　and　a　meager；　crumbling　sarcophagus。　The　camerlegno　gazed　into　the　hole　and　smiled　in　exhaustion。　He　could　hear　the　others　ing　up　the　hill　behind　him。　He　set　down　his　oil　lamp　and　knelt　to　pray。
　Thank　you；　God。　It　is　almost　over。
　
　Outside　in　the　square；　surrounded　by　astounded　cardinals；　Cardinal　Mortati　stared　up　at　the　media　screen　and　watched　the　drama　unfold　in　the　crypt　below。　He　no　longer　knew　what　to　believe。　Had　the　entire　world　just　witnessed　what　he　had　seen？　Had　God　truly　spoken　to　the　camerlegno？　Was　the　antimatter　really　going　to　appear　on　St。　Peter's…
　〃Look！〃　A　gasp　went　up　from　the　throngs。
　〃There！〃　Everyone　was　suddenly　pointing　at　the　screen。　〃It's　a　miracle！〃
　Mortati　looked　up。　The　camera　angle　was　unsteady；　but　it　was　clear　enough。　The　image　was　unforgettable。
　Filmed　from　behind；　the　camerlegno　was　kneeling　in　prayer　on　the　earthen　floor。　In　front　of　him　was　a　rough…hewn　hole　in　the　wall。　Inside　the　hollow；　among　the　rubble　of　ancient　stone；　was　a　terra　cotta　casket。　Although　Mortati　had　seen　the　coffin　only　once　in　his　life；　he　knew　beyond　a　doubt　what　it　contained。　
　San　Pietro。
　Mortati　was　not　naпve　enough　to　think　that　the　shouts　of　joy　and　amazement　now　thundering　through　the　crowd　were　exaltations　from　bearing　witness　to　one　of　Christianity's　most　sacred　relics。　St。　Peter's　tomb　was　not　what　had　people　falling　to　their　knees　in　spontaneous　prayer　and　thanksgiving。　It　was　the　object　on　top　of　his　tomb。　
　The　antimatter　canister。　It　was　there　。　。　。　where　it　had　been　all　day　。　。　。　hiding　in　the　darkness　of　the　Necropolis。　Sleek。　Relentless。　Deadly。　The　camerlegno's　revelation　was　correct。
　Mortati　stared　in　wonder　at　the　transparent　cylinder。　The　globule　of　liquid　still　hovered　at　its　core。　The　grotto　around　the　canister　blinked　red　as　the　LED　counted　down　into　its　final　five　minutes　of　life。　
　Also　sitting　on　the　tomb；　inches　away　from　the　canister；　was　the　wireless　Swiss　Guard　security　camera　that　had　been　pointed　at　the　canister　and　transmitting　all　along。
　Mortati　crossed　himself；　certain　this　was　the　most　frightful　image　he　had　seen　in　his　entire　life。　He　realized；　a　moment　later；　however；　that　it　was　about　to　get　worse。
　The　camerlegno　stood　suddenly。　He　grabbed　the　antimatter　in　his　hands　and　wheeled　toward　the　others。　His　face　showing　total　focus。　He　pushed　past　the　others　and　began　descending　the　Necropolis　the　way　he　had　e；　running　down　the　hill。
　The　camera　caught　Vittoria　Vetra；　frozen　in　terror。　〃Where　are　you　going！　Camerlegno！　I　thought　you　said…〃　
　〃Have　faith！〃　he　exclaimed　as　he　ran　off。
　Vittoria　spun　toward　Langdon。　〃What　do　we　do？〃
　Robert　Langdon　tried　to　stop　the　camerlegno；　but　Chartrand　was　running　interference　now；　apparently　trusting　the　camerlegno's　conviction。
　The　picture　ing　from　the　BBC　camera　was　like　a　roller　coaster　ride　now；　winding；　twisting。　Fleeting　freeze…frames　of　confusion　and　terror　as　the　chaotic　cortege　stumbled　through　the　shadows　back　toward　the　Necropolis　entrance。
　Out　in　the　square；　Mortati　let　out　a　fearful　gasp。　〃Is　he　bringing　that　up　here？〃　
　On　televisions　all　over　the　world；　larger　than　life；　the　camerlegno　raced　upward　out　of　the　Necropolis　with　the　antimatter　before　him。　〃There　will　be　no　more　death　tonight！〃
　But　the　camerlegno　was　wrong。
　
　121

　The　camerlegno　erupted　through　the　doors　of　St。　Peter's　Basilica　at　exactly　11：56　P。M。　He　staggered　into　the　dazzling　glare　of　the　world　spotlight；　carrying　the　antimatter　before　him　like　some　sort　of　numinous　offering。　Through　burning　eyes　he　could　see　his　own　form；　half…naked　and　wounded；　towering　like　a　giant　on　the　media　screens　around　the　square。　The　roar　that　went　up　from　the　crowd　in　St。　Peter's　Square　was　like　none　the　camerlegno　had　ever　heard…crying；　screaming；　chanting；　praying　。　。　。　a　mix　of　veneration　and　terror。
　Deliver　us　from　evil；　he　whispered。
　He　felt　totally　depleted　from　his　race　out　of　the　Necropolis。　It　had　almost　ended　in　disaster。　Robert　Langdon　and　Vittoria　Vetra　had　wanted　to　intercept　him；　to　throw　the　canister　back　into　its　subterranean　hiding　place；　to　run　outside　for　cover。　Blind　fools！　
　The　camerlegno　realized　now；　with　fearful　clarity；　that　on　any　other　night；　he　would　never　have　won　the　race。　Tonight；　however；　God　again　had　been　with　him。　Robert　Langdon；　on　the　verge　of　overtaking　the　camerlegno；　had　been　grabbed　by　Chartrand；　ever　trusting　and　dutiful　to　the　camerlegno's　demands　for　faith。　The　reporters；　of　course；　were　spellbound　and　lugging　too　much　equipment　to　interfere。　
　The　Lord　works　in　mysterious　ways。　
　The　camerlegno　could　hear　the　others　behind　him　now　。　。　。　see　them　on　the　screens；　closing　in。　Mustering　the　last　of　his　physical　strength；　he　raised　the　antimatter　high　over　his　head。　Then；　throwing　back　his　bare　shoulders　in　an　act　of　defiance　to　the　Illuminati　brand　on　his　chest；　he　dashed　down　the　stairs。
　There　was　one　final　act。
　Godspeed；　he　thought。　Godspeed。　
　
　Four　minutes　。　。　。　
　Langdon　could　barely　see　as　he　burst　out　of　the　basilica。　Again　the　sea　of　media　lights　bore　into　his　retinas。　All　he　could　make　out　was　the　murky　outline　of　the　camerlegno；　directly　ahead　of　him；　running　down　the　stairs。　For　an　instant；　refulgent　in　his　halo　of　media　lights；　the　camerlegno　looked　celestial；　like　some　kind　of　modern　deity。　His　cassock　was　at　his　waist　like　a　shroud。　His　body　was　scarred　and　wounded　by　the　hands　of　his　enemies；　and　still　he　endured。　The　camerlegno　ran　on；　standing　tall；　calling　out　to　the　world　to　have　faith；　running　toward　the　masses　carrying　this　weapon　of　destruction。
　Langdon　ran　down　the　stairs　after　him。　What　is　he　doing？　He　will　kill　them　all！　
　〃Satan's　work；〃　the　camerlegno　screamed；　〃has　no　place　in　the　House　of　God！〃　He　ran　on　toward　a　now　terrified　crowd。
　〃Father！〃　Langdon　screamed；　behind　him。　〃There's　nowhere　to　go！〃
　〃Look　to　the　heavens！　We　forget　to　look　to　the　heavens！〃
　In　that　moment；　as　Langdon　saw　where　the　camerlegno　was　headed；　the　glorious　truth　came　flooding　all　around　him。　Although　Langdon　could　not　see　it　on　account　of　the　lights；　he　knew　their　salvation　was　directly　overhead。　
　A　star…filled　Italian　sky。　The　escape　route。　
　The　helicopter　the　camerlegno　had　summoned　to　take　him　to　the　hospital　sat　dead　ahead；　pilot　already　in　the　cockpit；　blades　already　humming　in　neutral。　As　the　camerlegno　ran　toward　it；　Langdon　felt　a　sudden　overwhelming　exhilaration。
　The　thoughts　that　tore　through　Langdon's　mind　came　as　a　torrent　。　。　。　
　First　he　pictured　the　wide…open　expanse　of　the　Mediterranean　Sea。　How　far　was　it？　Five　miles？　Ten？　He　knew　the　beach　at　Fiumocino　was　only　about　seven　minutes　by　train。　But　by　helicopter；　200　miles　an　hour；　no　stops　。　。　。　If　they　could　fly　the　canister　far　enough　out　to　sea；　and　drop　it　。　。　。　There　were　other　options　too；　he　realized；　feeling　almost　weightless　as　he　ran。　La　Cava　Romana！　The　marble　quarries　north　of　the　city　were　less　than　three　miles　away。　How　large　were　they？　Two　square　miles？　Certainly　they　were　deserted　at　this　hour！　Dropping　the　canister　there　。　。　。　
　
　〃Everyone　back！〃　the　camerlegno　yelled。　His　chest　ached　as　he　ran。　〃Get　away！　Now！〃　
　The　Swiss　Guard　standing　around　the　chopper　stood　slack…jawed　as　the　camerlegno　approached　them。
　〃Back！〃　the　priest　screamed。
　The　guards　moved　back。
　With　the　entire　world　watching　in　wonder；　the　camerlegno　ran　around　the　chopper　to　the　pilot's　door　and　yanked　it　open。　〃Out；　son！　Now！〃
　The　guard　jumped　out。
　The　camerlegno　looked　at　the　high　cockpit　seat　and　knew　that　in　his　exhausted　state；　he　would　need　both　hands　to　pull　himself　up。　He　turned　to　the　pilot；　trembling　beside　him；　and　thrust　the　canister　into　his　hands。　〃Hold　this。　Hand　it　back　when　I'm　in。〃　
　As　the　camerlegno　pulled　himself　up；　he　could　hear　Robert　Langdon　yelling　excitedly；　running　toward　the　craft。　Now　you　understand；　the　camerle