danbrown.angels&demons-第92节

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　The　camerlegno　turned　now；　his　face　revealing　nothing。
　The　only　sound　was　the　crackle　of　the　fire。
　Suddenly；　the　camera　jiggled；　and　Kohler's　arm　appeared　in　the　frame。　He　leaned　forward；　seeming　to　struggle　with　something　affixed　beneath　his　wheelchair。　When　he　sat　back　down；　he　held　a　pistol　out　before　him。　The　camera　angle　was　a　chilling　one　。　。　。　looking　from　behind　。　。　。　down　the　length　of　the　outstretched　gun　。　。　。　directly　at　the　camerlegno。　
　Kohler　said；　〃Confess　your　sins；　Father。　Now。〃
　The　camerlegno　looked　startled。　〃You　will　never　get　out　of　here　alive。〃
　〃Death　would　be　a　wele　relief　from　the　misery　your　faith　has　put　me　through　since　I　was　a　boy。〃　Kohler　held　the　gun　with　both　hands　now。　〃I　am　giving　you　a　choice。　Confess　your　sins　。　。　。　or　die　right　now。〃
　The　camerlegno　glanced　toward　the　door。
　〃Rocher　is　outside；〃　Kohler　challenged。　〃He　too　is　prepared　to　kill　you。〃
　〃Rocher　is　a　sworn　protector　of　th…〃
　〃Rocher　let　me　in　here。　Armed。　He　is　sickened　by　your　lies。　You　have　a　single　option。　Confess　to　me。　I　have　to　hear　it　from　your　very　lips。〃　
　The　camerlegno　hesitated。
　Kohler　cocked　his　gun。　〃Do　you　really　doubt　I　will　kill　you？〃
　〃No　matter　what　I　tell　you；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃a　man　like　you　will　never　understand。〃
　〃Try　me。〃
　The　camerlegno　stood　still　for　a　moment；　a　dominant　silhouette　in　the　dim　light　of　the　fire。　When　he　spoke；　his　words　echoed　with　a　dignity　more　suited　to　the　glorious　recounting　of　altruism　than　that　of　a　confession。　
　〃Since　the　beginning　of　time；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃this　church　has　fought　the　enemies　of　God。　Sometimes　with　words。　Sometimes　with　swords。　And　we　have　always　survived。〃　
　The　camerlegno　radiated　conviction。
　〃But　the　demons　of　the　past；〃　he　continued；　〃were　demons　of　fire　and　abomination　。　。　。　they　were　enemies　we　could　fight…enemies　who　inspired　fear。　Yet　Satan　is　shrewd。　As　time　passed；　he　cast　off　his　diabolical　countenance　for　a　new　face　。　。　。　the　face　of　pure　reason。　Transparent　and　insidious；　but　soulless　all　the　same。〃　The　camerlegno's　voice　flashed　sudden　anger…an　almost　maniacal　transition。　〃Tell　me；　Mr。　Kohler！　How　can　the　church　condemn　that　which　makes　logical　sense　to　our　minds！　How　can　we　decry　that　which　is　now　the　very　foundation　of　our　society！　Each　time　the　church　raises　its　voice　in　warning；　you　shout　back；　calling　us　ignorant。　Paranoid。　Controlling！　And　so　your　evil　grows。　Shrouded　in　a　veil　of　self…righteous　intellectualism。　It　spreads　like　a　cancer。　Sanctified　by　the　miracles　of　its　own　technology。　Deifying　itself！　Until　we　no　longer　suspect　you　are　anything　but　pure　goodness。　Science　has　e　to　save　us　from　our　sickness；　hunger；　and　pain！　Behold　science…the　new　God　of　endless　miracles；　omnipotent　and　benevolent！　Ignore　the　weapons　and　the　chaos。　Forget　the　fractured　loneliness　and　endless　peril。　Science　is　here！〃　The　camerlegno　stepped　toward　the　gun。　〃But　I　have　seen　Satan's　face　lurking　。　。　。　I　have　seen　the　peril　。　。　。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about！　Vetra's　science　practically　proved　the　existence　of　your　God！　He　was　your　ally！〃
　〃Ally？　Science　and　religion　are　not　in　this　together！　We　do　not　seek　the　same　God；　you　and　I！　Who　is　your　God？　One　of　protons；　masses；　and　particle　charges？　How　does　your　God　inspire？　How　does　your　God　reach　into　the　hearts　of　man　and　remind　him　he　is　accountable　to　a　greater　power！　Remind　him　that　he　is　accountable　to　his　fellow　man！　Vetra　was　misguided。　His　work　was　not　religious；　it　was　sacrilegious！　Man　cannot　put　God's　Creation　in　a　test　tube　and　wave　it　around　for　the　world　to　see！　This　does　not　glorify　God；　it　demeans　God！〃　The　camerlegno　was　clawing　at　his　body　now；　his　voice　manic。
　〃And　so　you　had　Leonardo　Vetra　killed！〃
　〃For　the　church！　For　all　mankind！　The　madness　of　it！　Man　is　not　ready　to　hold　the　power　of　Creation　in　his　hands。　God　in　a　test　tube？　A　droplet　of　liquid　that　can　vaporize　an　entire　city？　He　had　to　be　stopped！〃　The　camerlegno　fell　abruptly　silent。　He　looked　away；　back　toward　the　fire。　He　seemed　to　be　contemplating　his　options。
　Kohler's　hands　leveled　the　gun。　〃You　have　confessed。　You　have　no　escape。〃
　The　camerlegno　laughed　sadly。　〃Don't　you　see。　Confessing　your　sins　is　the　escape。〃　He　looked　toward　the　door。　〃When　God　is　on　your　side；　you　have　options　a　man　like　you　could　never　prehend。〃　With　his　words　still　hanging　in　the　air；　the　camerlegno　grabbed　the　neck　of　his　cassock　and　violently　tore　it　open；　revealing　his　bare　chest。　
　Kohler　jolted；　obviously　startled。　〃What　are　you　doing！〃　
　The　camerlegno　did　not　reply。　He　stepped　backward；　toward　the　fireplace；　and　removed　an　object　from　the　glowing　embers。
　〃Stop！〃　Kohler　demanded；　his　gun　still　leveled。　〃What　are　you　doing！〃
　When　the　camerlegno　turned；　he　was　holding　a　red…hot　brand。　The　Illuminati　Diamond。　The　man's　eyes　looked　wild　suddenly。　〃I　had　intended　to　do　this　all　alone。〃　His　voice　seethed　with　a　feral　intensity。　〃But　now　。　。　。　I　see　God　meant　for　you　to　be　here。　You　are　my　salvation。〃
　Before　Kohler　could　react；　the　camerlegno　closed　his　eyes；　arched　his　back；　and　rammed　the　red　hot　brand　into　the　center　of　his　own　chest。　His　flesh　hissed。　〃Mother　Mary！　Blessed　Mother　。　。　。　Behold　your　son！〃　He　screamed　out　in　agony。　
　Kohler　lurched　into　the　frame　now　。　。　。　standing　awkwardly　on　his　feet；　gun　wavering　wildly　before　him。　
　The　camerlegno　screamed　louder；　teetering　in　shock。　He　threw　the　brand　at　Kohler's　feet。　Then　the　priest　collapsed　on　the　floor；　writhing　in　agony。
　What　happened　next　was　a　blur。　
　There　was　a　great　flurry　onscreen　as　the　Swiss　Guard　burst　into　the　room。　The　soundtrack　exploded　with　gunfire。　Kohler　clutched　his　chest；　blown　backward；　bleeding；　falling　into　his　wheelchair。
　〃No！〃　Rocher　called；　trying　to　stop　his　guards　from　firing　on　Kohler。
　The　camerlegno；　still　writhing　on　the　floor；　rolled　and　pointed　frantically　at　Rocher。　〃Illuminatus！〃　
　〃You　bastard；〃　Rocher　yelled；　running　at　him。　〃You　sanctimonious　bas…〃
　Chartrand　cut　him　down　with　three　bullets。　Rocher　slid　dead　across　the　floor。
　Then　the　guards　ran　to　the　wounded　camerlegno；　gathering　around　him。　As　they　huddled；　the　video　caught　the　face　of　a　dazed　Robert　Langdon；　kneeling　beside　the　wheelchair；　looking　at　the　brand。　Then；　the　entire　frame　began　lurching　wildly。　Kohler　had　regained　consciousness　and　was　detaching　the　tiny　camcorder　from　its　holder　under　the　arm　of　the　wheelchair。　Then　he　tried　to　hand　the　camcorder　to　Langdon。
　〃G…give　。　。　。〃　Kohler　gasped。　〃G…give　this　to　the　m…media。〃　
　Then　the　screen　went　blank。
　
　130　

　The　camerlegno　began　to　feel　the　fog　of　wonder　and　adrenaline　dissipating。　As　the　Swiss　Guard　helped　him　down　the　Royal　Staircase　toward　the　Sistine　Chapel；　the　camerlegno　heard　singing　in　St。　Peter's　Square　and　he　knew　that　mountains　had　been　moved。
　Grazie　Dio。　
　He　had　prayed　for　strength；　and　God　had　given　it　to　him。　At　moments　when　he　had　doubted；　God　had　spoken。　Yours　is　a　Holy　mission；　God　had　said。　I　will　give　you　strength。　Even　with　God's　strength；　the　camerlegno　had　felt　fear；　questioning　the　righteousness　of　his　path。
　If　not　you；　God　had　challenged；　then　WHO？　
　If　not　now；　then　WHEN？　
　If　not　this　way；　then　HOW？　
　Jesus；　God　reminded　him；　had　saved　them　all　。　。　。　saved　them　from　their　own　apathy。　With　two　deeds；　Jesus　had　opened　their　eyes。　Horror　and　Hope。　The　crucifixion　and　the　resurrection。　He　had　changed　the　world。
　But　that　was　millennia　ago。　Time　had　eroded　the　miracle。　People　had　forgotten。　They　had　turned　to　false　idols…techno…deities　and　miracles　of　the　mind。　What　about　miracles　of　the　heart！　
　The　camerlegno　had　often　prayed　to　God　to　show　him　how　to　make　the　people　believe　again。　But　God　had　been　silent。　It　was　not　until　the　camerlegno's　moment　of　deepest　darkness　that　God　had　e　to　him。　Oh；　the　horror　of　that　night！　
　The　camerlegno　could　still　remember　lying　on　the　floor　in　tattered　nightclothes；　clawing　at　his　own　flesh；　trying　to　purge　his　soul　of　the　pain　brought　on　by　a　vile　truth　he　had　just　learned。　It　cannot　be！　he　had　screamed。　And　yet　he　knew　it　was。　The　deception　tore　at　him　like　the　fires　of　hell。　The　bishop　who　had　taken　him　in；　the　man　who　had　been　like　a　father　to　him；　the　clergyman　whom　the　camerlegno　had　stood　beside　while　he　rose　to　the　papacy　。　。　。　was　a　fraud。　A　mon　sinner。　Lying　to　the　world　about　a　deed　so　traitorous　at　its　core　that　the　camerlegno　doubted　even　God　could　forgive　it。　〃Your　vow！〃　the　camerlegno　had　screamed　at　the　Pope。　〃You　broke　your　vow　to　God！　You；　of　all　men！〃
　The　Pope　had　tried　to　explain　himself；　but　the　camerlegno　could　not　listen。　He　had　run　out；　staggering　blindly　through　the　hallways；　vomiting；　tearing　at　his　own　skin；　until　he　found　himself　bloody　and　alone；　lying　on　the　cold　earthen　floor　before　St。　Peter's　tomb。　Mother　Mary；　what　do　I　do？　It　was　in　that　moment　of　pain　and　betrayal；　as　the　camerlegno　lay　devastated　in　the　Necropolis；　praying　for　God　to　take　him　from　this　faithless　world；　that　God　had　e。
　The　voice　in　his　head　resounded　like　peals　of　thunder。　〃Did　you　vow　to　serve　your　God？〃　
　〃Yes！〃　the　camerlegno　cried　out。
　〃Would　you　die　for　your　God？〃　
　〃Yes！　Take　me　now！〃
　〃Would　you　die　for　your　church？〃　
　〃Yes！　Please　deliver　me