danbrown.angels&demons-第91节

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　He　also　preferred　no　one　see　him　ing。
　
　At　the　back　of　the　Sistine　Chapel；　Cardinal　Mortati　stood　in　a　daze　as　he　watched　the　pandemonium　before　him。
　〃It　was　a　miracle！〃　one　of　the　cardinals　shouted。　〃The　work　of　God！〃
　〃Yes！〃　others　exclaimed。　〃God　has　made　His　will　manifest！〃
　〃The　camerlegno　will　be　our　Pope！〃　another　shouted。　〃He　is　not　a　cardinal；　but　God　has　sent　a　miraculous　sign！〃
　〃Yes！〃　someone　agreed。　〃The　laws　of　conclave　are　man's　laws。　God's　will　is　before　us！　I　call　for　a　balloting　immediately！〃
　〃A　balloting？〃　Mortati　demanded；　moving　toward　them。　〃I　believe　that　is　my　job。〃
　Everyone　turned。　
　Mortati　could　sense　the　cardinals　studying　him。　They　seemed　distant；　at　a　loss；　offended　by　his　sobriety。　Mortati　longed　to　feel　his　heart　swept　up　in　the　miraculous　exultation　he　saw　in　the　faces　around　him。　But　he　was　not。　He　felt　an　inexplicable　pain　in　his　soul　。　。　。　an　aching　sadness　he　could　not　explain。　He　had　vowed　to　guide　these　proceedings　with　purity　of　soul；　and　this　hesitancy　was　something　he　could　not　deny。
　〃My　friends；〃　Mortati　said；　stepping　to　the　altar。　His　voice　did　not　seem　his　own。　〃I　suspect　I　will　struggle　for　the　rest　of　my　days　with　the　meaning　of　what　I　have　witnessed　tonight。　And　yet；　what　you　are　suggesting　regarding　the　camerlegno　。　。　。　it　cannot　possibly　be　God's　will。〃　
　The　room　fell　silent。
　〃How　。　。　。　can　you　say　that？〃　one　of　the　cardinals　finally　demanded。　〃The　camerlegno　saved　the　church。　God　spoke　to　the　camerlegno　directly！　The　man　survived　death　itself！　What　sign　do　we　need！〃
　〃The　camerlegno　is　ing　to　us　now；〃　Mortati　said。　〃Let　us　wait。　Let　us　hear　him　before　we　have　a　balloting。　There　may　be　an　explanation。〃
　〃An　explanation？〃
　〃As　your　Great　Elector；　I　have　vowed　to　uphold　the　laws　of　conclave。　You　are　no　doubt　aware　that　by　Holy　Law　the　camerlegno　is　ineligible　for　election　to　the　papacy。　He　is　not　a　cardinal。　He　is　a　priest　。　。　。　a　chamberlain。　There　is　also　the　question　of　his　inadequate　age。〃　Mortati　felt　the　stares　hardening。　〃By　even　allowing　a　balloting；　I　would　be　requesting　that　you　endorse　a　man　who　Vatican　Law　proclaims　ineligible。　I　would　be　asking　each　of　you　to　break　a　sacred　oath。〃
　〃But　what　happened　here　tonight；〃　someone　stammered；　〃it　certainly　transcends　our　laws！〃　
　〃Does　it？〃　Mortati　boomed；　not　even　knowing　now　where　his　words　were　ing　from。　〃Is　it　God's　will　that　we　discard　the　rules　of　the　church？　Is　it　God's　will　that　we　abandon　reason　and　give　ourselves　over　to　frenzy？〃
　〃But　did　you　not　see　what　we　saw？〃　another　challenged　angrily。　〃How　can　you　presume　to　question　that　kind　of　power！〃
　Mortati's　voice　bellowed　now　with　a　resonance　he　had　never　known。　〃I　am　not　questioning　God's　power！　It　is　God　who　gave　us　reason　and　circumspection！　It　is　God　we　serve　by　exercising　prudence！〃
　
　129

　In　the　hallway　outside　the　Sistine　Chapel；　Vittoria　Vetra　sat　benumbed　on　a　bench　at　the　foot　of　the　Royal　Staircase。　When　she　saw　the　figure　ing　through　the　rear　door；　she　wondered　if　she　were　seeing　another　spirit。　He　was　bandaged；　limping；　and　wearing　some　kind　of　medical　suit。　
　She　stood　。　。　。　unable　to　believe　the　vision。　〃Ro　。　。　。　bert？〃
　He　never　answered。　He　strode　directly　to　her　and　wrapped　her　in　his　arms。　When　he　pressed　his　lips　to　hers；　it　was　an　impulsive；　longing　kiss　filled　with　thankfulness。
　Vittoria　felt　the　tears　ing。　〃Oh；　God　。　。　。　oh；　thank　God　。　。　。〃　
　He　kissed　her　again；　more　passionately；　and　she　pressed　against　him；　losing　herself　in　his　embrace。　Their　bodies　locked；　as　if　they　had　known　each　other　for　years。　She　forgot　the　fear　and　pain。　She　closed　her　eyes；　weightless　in　the　moment。
　
　〃It　is　God's　will！〃　someone　was　yelling；　his　voice　echoing　in　the　Sistine　Chapel。　〃Who　but　the　chosen　one　could　have　survived　that　diabolical　explosion？〃
　〃Me；〃　a　voice　reverberated　from　the　back　of　the　chapel。
　Mortati　and　the　others　turned　in　wonder　at　the　bedraggled　form　ing　up　the　center　aisle。　〃Mr。　。　。　。　Langdon？〃　
　Without　a　word；　Langdon　walked　slowly　to　the　front　of　the　chapel。　Vittoria　Vetra　entered　too。　Then　two　guards　hurried　in；　pushing　a　cart　with　a　large　television　on　it。　Langdon　waited　while　they　plugged　it　in；　facing　the　cardinals。　Then　Langdon　motioned　for　the　guards　to　leave。　They　did；　closing　the　door　behind　them。　
　Now　it　was　only　Langdon；　Vittoria；　and　the　cardinals。　Langdon　plugged　the　Sony　RUVI's　output　into　the　television。　Then　he　pressed　PLAY。　
　The　television　blared　to　life。　
　The　scene　that　materialized　before　the　cardinals　revealed　the　Pope's　office。　The　video　had　been　awkwardly　filmed；　as　if　by　hidden　camera。　Off　center　on　the　screen　the　camerlegno　stood　in　the　dimness；　in　front　of　a　fire。　Although　he　appeared　to　be　talking　directly　to　the　camera；　it　quickly　became　evident　that　he　was　speaking　to　someone　else…whoever　was　making　this　video。　Langdon　told　them　the　video　was　filmed　by　Maximilian　Kohler；　the　director　of　CERN。　Only　an　hour　ago　Kohler　had　secretly　recorded　his　meeting　with　the　camerlegno　by　using　a　tiny　camcorder　covertly　mounted　under　the　arm　of　his　wheelchair。　
　Mortati　and　the　cardinals　watched　in　bewilderment。　Although　the　conversation　was　already　in　progress；　Langdon　did　not　bother　to　rewind。　Apparently；　whatever　Langdon　wanted　the　cardinals　to　see　was　ing　up　。　。　。　
　
　〃Leonardo　Vetra　kept　diaries？〃　the　camerlegno　was　saying。　〃I　suppose　that　is　good　news　for　CERN。　If　the　diaries　contain　his　processes　for　creating　antimatter…〃
　〃They　don't；〃　Kohler　said。　〃You　will　be　relieved　to　know　those　processes　died　with　Leonardo。　However；　his　diaries　spoke　of　something　else。　You。〃　
　The　camerlegno　looked　troubled。　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃They　described　a　meeting　Leonardo　had　last　month。　With　you。〃　
　The　camerlegno　hesitated；　then　looked　toward　the　door。　〃Rocher　should　not　have　granted　you　access　without　consulting　me。　How　did　you　get　in　here？〃
　〃Rocher　knows　the　truth。　I　called　earlier　and　told　him　what　you　have　done。〃
　〃What　I　have　done？　Whatever　story　you　told　him；　Rocher　is　a　Swiss　Guard　and　far　too　faithful　to　this　church　to　believe　a　bitter　scientist　over　his　camerlegno。〃
　〃Actually；　he　is　too　faithful　not　to　believe。　He　is　so　faithful　that　despite　the　evidence　that　one　of　his　loyal　guards　had　betrayed　the　church；　he　refused　to　accept　it。　All　day　long　he　has　been　searching　for　another　explanation。〃
　〃So　you　gave　him　one。〃
　〃The　truth。　Shocking　as　it　was。〃
　〃If　Rocher　believed　you；　he　would　have　arrested　me。〃
　〃No。　I　wouldn't　let　him。　I　offered　him　my　silence　in　exchange　for　this　meeting。〃
　The　camerlegno　let　out　an　odd　laugh。　〃You　plan　to　blackmail　the　church　with　a　story　that　no　one　will　possibly　believe？〃
　〃I　have　no　need　of　blackmail。　I　simply　want　to　hear　the　truth　from　your　lips。　Leonardo　Vetra　was　a　friend。〃　
　The　camerlegno　said　nothing。　He　simply　stared　down　at　Kohler。
　〃Try　this；〃　Kohler　snapped。　〃About　a　month　ago；　Leonardo　Vetra　contacted　you　requesting　an　urgent　audience　with　the　Pope…an　audience　you　granted　because　the　Pope　was　an　admirer　of　Leonardo's　work　and　because　Leonardo　said　it　was　an　emergency。〃
　The　camerlegno　turned　to　the　fire。　He　said　nothing。
　〃Leonardo　came　to　the　Vatican　in　great　secrecy。　He　was　betraying　his　daughter's　confidence　by　ing　here；　a　fact　that　troubled　him　deeply；　but　he　felt　he　had　no　choice。　His　research　had　left　him　deeply　conflicted　and　in　need　of　spiritual　guidance　from　the　church。　In　a　private　meeting；　he　told　you　and　the　Pope　that　he　had　made　a　scientific　discovery　with　profound　religious　implications。　He　had　proved　Genesis　was　physically　possible；　and　that　intense　sources　of　energy…what　Vetra　called　God…could　duplicate　the　moment　of　Creation。〃
　Silence。
　〃The　Pope　was　stunned；〃　Kohler　continued。　〃He　wanted　Leonardo　to　go　public。　His　Holiness　thought　this　discovery　might　begin　to　bridge　the　gap　between　science　and　religion…one　of　the　Pope's　life　dreams。　Then　Leonardo　explained　to　you　the　downside…the　reason　he　required　the　church's　guidance。　It　seemed　his　Creation　experiment；　exactly　as　your　Bible　predicts；　produced　everything　in　pairs。　Opposites。　Light　and　dark。　Vetra　found　himself；　in　addition　to　creating　matter；　creating　antimatter。　Shall　I　go　on？〃　
　The　camerlegno　was　silent。　He　bent　down　and　stoked　the　coals。
　〃After　Leonardo　Vetra　came　here；〃　Kohler　said；　〃you　came　to　CERN　to　see　his　work。　Leonardo's　diaries　said　you　made　a　personal　trip　to　his　lab。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　up。
　Kohler　went　on。　〃The　Pope　could　not　travel　without　attracting　media　attention；　so　he　sent　you。　Leonardo　gave　you　a　secret　tour　of　his　lab。　He　showed　you　an　antimatter　annihilation…the　Big　Bang…the　power　of　Creation。　He　also　showed　you　a　large　specimen　he　kept　locked　away　as　proof　that　his　new　process　could　produce　antimatter　on　a　large　scale。　You　were　in　awe。　You　returned　to　Vatican　City　to　report　to　the　Pope　what　you　had　witnessed。〃
　The　camerlegno　sighed。　〃And　what　is　it　that　troubles　you？　That　I　would　respect　Leonardo's　confidentiality　by　pretending　before　the　world　tonight　that　I　knew　nothing　of　antimatter？〃
　〃No！　It　troubles　me　that　Leonardo　Vetra　practically　proved　the　existence　of　your　God；　and　you　had　him　murdered！〃
　The　camerlegno　turned　now；　his　face　revealing　nothing