danbrown.angels&demons-第95节

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　But　it　was　too　late。　
　The　Pope　had　said　enough。
　
　133

　The　Pope　fathered　a　child。〃
　Inside　the　Sistine　Chapel；　the　camerlegno　stood　unwavering　as　he　spoke。　Five　solitary　words　of　astonishing　disclosure。　The　entire　assembly　seemed　to　recoil　in　unison。　The　cardinals'　accusing　miens　evaporated　into　aghast　stares；　as　if　every　soul　in　the　room　were　praying　the　camerlegno　was　wrong。　
　The　Pope　fathered　a　child。　
　Langdon　felt　the　shock　wave　hit　him　too。　Vittoria's　hand；　tight　in　his；　jolted；　while　Langdon's　mind；　already　numb　with　unanswered　questions；　wrestled　to　find　a　center　of　gravity。
　The　camerlegno's　utterance　seemed　like　it　would　hang　forever　in　the　air　above　them。　Even　in　the　camerlegno's　frenzied　eyes；　Langdon　could　see　pure　conviction。　Langdon　wanted　to　disengage；　tell　himself　he　was　lost　in　some　grotesque　nightmare；　soon　to　wake　up　in　a　world　that　made　sense。　
　〃This　must　be　a　lie！〃　one　of　the　cardinals　yelled。
　〃I　will　not　believe　it！〃　another　protested。　〃His　Holiness　was　as　devout　a　man　as　ever　lived！〃
　It　was　Mortati　who　spoke　next；　his　voice　thin　with　devastation。　〃My　friends。　What　the　camerlegno　says　is　true。〃　Every　cardinal　in　the　chapel　spun　as　though　Mortati　had　just　shouted　an　obscenity。　〃The　Pope　indeed　fathered　a　child。〃
　The　cardinals　blanched　with　dread。
　The　camerlegno　looked　stunned。　〃You　knew？　But　。　。　。　how　could　you　possibly　know　this？〃
　Mortati　sighed。　〃When　His　Holiness　was　elected　。　。　。　I　was　the　Devil's　Advocate。〃
　There　was　a　munal　gasp。　
　Langdon　understood。　This　meant　the　information　was　probably　true。　The　infamous　〃Devil's　Advocate〃　was　the　authority　when　it　came　to　scandalous　information　inside　the　Vatican。　Skeletons　in　a　Pope's　closet　were　dangerous；　and　prior　to　elections；　secret　inquiries　into　a　candidate's　background　were　carried　out　by　a　lone　cardinal　who　served　as　the　〃Devil's　Advocate〃…that　individual　responsible　for　unearthing　reasons　why　the　eligible　cardinals　should　not　bee　Pope。　The　Devil's　Advocate　was　appointed　in　advance　by　the　reigning　Pope　in　preparation　for　his　own　death。　The　Devil's　Advocate　was　never　supposed　to　reveal　his　identity。　Ever。　
　〃I　was　the　Devil's　Advocate；〃　Mortati　repeated。　〃That　is　how　I　found　out。〃
　Mouths　dropped。　Apparently　tonight　was　a　night　when　all　the　rules　were　going　out　the　window。　
　
　The　camerlegno　felt　his　heart　filling　with　rage。　〃And　you　。　。　。　told　no　one？〃　
　〃I　confronted　His　Holiness；〃　Mortati　said。　〃And　he　confessed。　He　explained　the　entire　story　and　asked　only　that　I　let　my　heart　guide　my　decision　as　to　whether　or　not　to　reveal　his　secret。〃
　〃And　your　heart　told　you　to　bury　the　information？〃
　〃He　was　the　runaway　favorite　for　the　papacy。　People　loved　him。　The　scandal　would　have　hurt　the　church　deeply。〃
　〃But　he　fathered　a　child！　He　broke　his　sacred　vow　of　celibacy！〃　The　camerlegno　was　screaming　now。　He　could　hear　his　mother's　voice。　A　promise　to　God　is　the　most　important　promise　of　all。　Never　break　a　promise　to　God。　〃The　Pope　broke　his　vow！〃
　Mortati　looked　delirious　with　angst。　〃Carlo；　his　love　。　。　。　was　chaste。　He　had　broken　no　vow。　He　didn't　explain　it　to　you？〃
　〃Explain　what？〃　The　camerlegno　remembered　running　out　of　the　Pope's　office　while　the　Pope　was　calling　to　him。　Let　me　explain！　
　Slowly；　sadly；　Mortati　let　the　tale　unfold。　Many　years　ago；　the　Pope；　when　he　was　still　just　a　priest；　had　fallen　in　love　with　a　young　nun。　Both　of　them　had　taken　vows　of　celibacy　and　never　even　considered　breaking　their　covenant　with　God。　Still；　as　they　fell　deeper　in　love；　although　they　could　resist　the　temptations　of　the　flesh；　they　both　found　themselves　longing　for　something　they　never　expected…to　participate　in　God's　ultimate　miracle　of　creation…a　child。　Their　child。　The　yearning；　especially　in　her；　became　overwhelming。　Still；　God　came　first。　A　year　later；　when　the　frustration　had　reached　almost　unbearable　proportions；　she　came　to　him　in　a　whirl　of　excitement。　She　had　just　read　an　article　about　a　new　miracle　of　science…a　process　by　which　two　people；　without　ever　having　sexual　relations；　could　have　a　child。　She　sensed　this　was　a　sign　from　God。　The　priest　could　see　the　happiness　in　her　eyes　and　agreed。　A　year　later　she　had　a　child　through　the　miracle　of　artificial　insemination　。　。　。　
　〃This　cannot　。　。　。　be　true；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　panicked；　hoping　it　was　the　morphine　washing　over　his　senses。　Certainly　he　was　hearing　things。
　Mortati　now　had　tears　in　his　eyes。　〃Carlo；　this　is　why　His　Holiness　has　always　had　an　affection　for　the　sciences。　He　felt　he　owed　a　debt　to　science。　Science　let　him　experience　the　joys　of　fatherhood　without　breaking　his　vow　of　celibacy。　His　Holiness　told　me　he　had　no　regrets　except　one…that　his　advancing　stature　in　the　church　prohibited　him　from　being　with　the　woman　he　loved　and　seeing　his　infant　grow　up。〃　
　Camerlegno　Carlo　Ventresca　felt　the　madness　setting　in　again。　He　wanted　to　claw　at　his　flesh。　How　could　I　have　known？　
　〃The　Pope　mitted　no　sin；　Carlo。　He　was　chaste。〃
　〃But　。　。　。〃　The　camerlegno　searched　his　anguished　mind　for　any　kind　of　rationale。　〃Think　of　the　jeopardy　。　。　。　of　his　deeds。〃　His　voice　felt　weak。　〃What　if　this　whore　of　his　came　forward？　Or；　heaven　forbid；　his　child？　Imagine　the　shame　the　church　would　endure。〃
　Mortati's　voice　was　tremulous。　〃The　child　has　already　e　forward。〃　
　Everything　stopped。
　〃Carlo　。　。　。　？〃　Mortati　crumbled。　〃His　Holiness's　child　。　。　。　is　you。〃　
　At　that　moment；　the　camerlegno　could　feel　the　fire　of　faith　dim　in　his　heart。　He　stood　trembling　on　the　altar；　framed　by　Michelangelo's　towering　Last　Judgment。　He　knew　he　had　just　glimpsed　hell　itself。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　but　his　lips　wavered；　soundless。
　〃Don't　you　see？〃　Mortati　choked。　〃That　is　why　His　Holiness　came　to　you　in　the　hospital　in　Palermo　when　you　were　a　boy。　That　is　why　he　took　you　in　and　raised　you。　The　nun　he　loved　was　Maria　。　。　。　your　mother。　She　left　the　nunnery　to　raise　you；　but　she　never　abandoned　her　strict　devotion　to　God。　When　the　Pope　heard　she　had　died　in　an　explosion　and　that　you；　his　son；　had　miraculously　survived　。　。　。　he　swore　to　God　he　would　never　leave　you　alone　again。　Carlo；　your　parents　were　both　virgins。　They　kept　their　vows　to　God。　And　still　they　found　a　way　to　bring　you　into　the　world。　You　were　their　miraculous　child。〃
　The　camerlegno　covered　his　ears；　trying　to　block　out　the　words。　He　stood　paralyzed　on　the　altar。　Then；　with　his　world　yanked　from　beneath　him；　he　fell　violently　to　his　knees　and　let　out　a　wail　of　anguish。　
　
　Seconds。　Minutes。　Hours。　
　Time　seemed　to　have　lost　all　meaning　inside　the　four　walls　of　the　chapel。　Vittoria　felt　herself　slowly　breaking　free　of　the　paralysis　that　seemed　to　have　gripped　them　all。　She　let　go　of　Langdon's　hand　and　began　moving　through　the　crowd　of　cardinals。　The　chapel　door　seemed　miles　away；　and　she　felt　like　she　was　moving　underwater　。　。　。　slow　motion。
　As　she　maneuvered　through　the　robes；　her　motion　seemed　to　pull　others　from　their　trance。　Some　of　the　cardinals　began　to　pray。　Others　wept。　Some　turned　to　watch　her　go；　their　blank　expressions　turning　slowly　to　a　foreboding　cognition　as　she　moved　toward　the　door。　She　had　almost　reached　the　back　of　the　crowd　when　a　hand　caught　her　arm。　The　touch　was　frail　but　resolute。　She　turned；　face　to　face　with　a　wizened　cardinal。　His　visage　was　clouded　by　fear。
　〃No；〃　the　man　whispered。　〃You　cannot。〃
　Vittoria　stared；　incredulous。
　Another　cardinal　was　at　her　side　now。　〃We　must　think　before　we　act。〃　
　And　another。　〃The　pain　this　could　cause　。　。　。〃
　Vittoria　was　surrounded。　She　looked　at　them　all；　stunned。　〃But　these　deeds　here　today；　tonight　。　。　。　certainly　the　world　should　know　the　truth。〃
　〃My　heart　agrees；〃　the　wizened　cardinal　said；　still　holding　her　arm；　〃and　yet　it　is　a　path　from　which　there　is　no　return。　We　must　consider　the　shattered　hopes。　The　cynicism。　How　could　the　people　ever　trust　again？〃　
　Suddenly；　more　cardinals　seemed　to　be　blocking　her　way。　There　was　a　wall　of　black　robes　before　her。　〃Listen　to　the　people　in　the　square；〃　one　said。　〃What　will　this　do　to　their　hearts？　We　must　exercise　prudence。〃
　〃We　need　time　to　think　and　pray；〃　another　said。　〃We　must　act　with　foresight。　The　repercussions　of　this　。　。　。〃
　〃He　killed　my　father！〃　Vittoria　said。　〃He　killed　his　own　father！〃
　〃I'm　certain　he　will　pay　for　his　sins；〃　the　cardinal　holding　her　arm　said　sadly。
　Vittoria　was　certain　too；　and　she　intended　to　ensure　he　paid。　She　tried　to　push　toward　the　door　again；　but　the　cardinals　huddled　closer；　their　faces　frightened。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Kill　me？〃　
　The　old　men　blanched；　and　Vittoria　immediately　regretted　her　words。　She　could　see　these　men　were　gentle　souls。　They　had　seen　enough　violence　tonight。　They　meant　no　threat。　They　were　simply　trapped。　Scared。　Trying　to　get　their　bearings。
　〃I　want　。　。　。〃　the　wizened　cardinal　said；　〃。　。　。　to　do　what　is　right。〃
　〃Then　you　will　let　her　out；〃　a　deep　voice　declared　behind　her。　The　words　were　calm　but　absolute。　Robert　Langdon　arrived　at　her　side；　and　she　felt　his　hand　take　hers。　〃Ms。　Vetra　and　I　are　leaving　this　chapel。　Right　now。〃
　Faltering；　hesitant；　the　cardinals　began　to　step　aside。
　〃Wait！〃　It　was　Mortati。　He　moved　toward　them　now；　down　the