danbrown.angels&demons-第96节

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　Faltering；　hesitant；　the　cardinals　began　to　step　aside。
　〃Wait！〃　It　was　Mortati。　He　moved　toward　them　now；　down　the　center　aisle；　leaving　the　camerlegno　alone　and　defeated　on　the　altar。　Mortati　looked　older　all　of　a　sudden；　wearied　beyond　his　years。　His　motion　was　burdened　with　shame。　He　arrived；　putting　a　hand　on　Langdon's　shoulder　and　one　on　Vittoria's　as　well。　Vittoria　felt　sincerity　in　his　touch。　The　man's　eyes　were　more　tearful　now。
　〃Of　course　you　are　free　to　go；〃　Mortati　said。　〃Of　course。〃　The　man　paused；　his　grief　almost　tangible。　〃I　ask　only　this　。　。　。〃　He　stared　down　at　his　feet　a　long　moment　then　back　up　at　Vittoria　and　Langdon。　〃Let　me　do　it。　I　will　go　into　the　square　right　now　and　find　a　way。　I　will　tell　them。　I　don't　know　how　。　。　。　but　I　will　find　a　way。　The　church's　confession　should　e　from　within。　Our　failures　should　be　our　own　to　expose。〃
　Mortati　turned　sadly　back　toward　the　altar。　〃Carlo；　you　have　brought　this　church　to　a　disastrous　juncture。〃　He　paused；　looking　around。　The　altar　was　bare。　
　There　was　a　rustle　of　cloth　down　the　side　aisle；　and　the　door　clicked　shut。
　The　camerlegno　was　gone。
　
　134　

　Camerlegno　Ventresca's　white　robe　billowed　as　he　moved　down　the　hallway　away　from　the　Sistine　Chapel。　The　Swiss　Guards　had　seemed　perplexed　when　he　emerged　all　alone　from　the　chapel　and　told　them　he　needed　a　moment　of　solitude。　But　they　had　obeyed；　letting　him　go。　
　Now　as　he　rounded　the　corner　and　left　their　sight；　the　camerlegno　felt　a　maelstrom　of　emotions　like　nothing　he　thought　possible　in　human　experience。　He　had　poisoned　the　man　he　called　〃Holy　Father；〃　the　man　who　addressed　him　as　〃my　son。〃　The　camerlegno　had　always　believed　the　words　〃father〃　and　〃son〃　were　religious　tradition；　but　now　he　knew　the　diabolical　truth…the　words　had　been　literal。　
　Like　that　fateful　night　weeks　ago；　the　camerlegno　now　felt　himself　reeling　madly　through　the　darkness。　
　
　It　was　raining　the　morning　the　Vatican　staff　banged　on　the　camerlegno's　door；　awakening　him　from　a　fitful　sleep。　The　Pope；　they　said；　was　not　answering　his　door　or　his　phone。　The　clergy　were　frightened。　The　camerlegno　was　the　only　one　who　could　enter　the　Pope's　chambers　unannounced。　
　The　camerlegno　entered　alone　to　find　the　Pope；　as　he　was　the　night　before；　twisted　and　dead　in　his　bed。　His　Holiness's　face　looked　like　that　of　Satan。　His　tongue　black　like　death。　The　Devil　himself　had　been　sleeping　in　the　Pope's　bed。　
　The　camerlegno　felt　no　remorse。　God　had　spoken。　
　Nobody　would　see　the　treachery　。　。　。　not　yet。　That　would　e　later。　
　He　announced　the　terrible　news…His　Holiness　was　dead　of　a　stroke。　Then　the　camerlegno　prepared　for　conclave。
　
　Mother　Maria's　voice　was　whispering　in　his　ear。　〃Never　break　a　promise　to　God。〃
　〃I　hear　you；　Mother；〃　he　replied。　〃It　is　a　faithless　world。　They　need　to　be　brought　back　to　the　path　of　righteousness。　Horror　and　Hope。　It　is　the　only　way。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃If　not　you　。　。　。　then　who？　Who　will　lead　the　church　out　of　darkness？〃
　Certainly　not　one　of　the　preferiti。　They　were　old　。　。　。　walking　death　。　。　。　liberals　who　would　follow　the　Pope；　endorsing　science　in　his　memory；　seeking　modern　followers　by　abandoning　the　ancient　ways。　Old　men　desperately　behind　the　times；　pathetically　pretending　they　were　not。　They　would　fail；　of　course。　The　church's　strength　was　its　tradition；　not　its　transience。　The　whole　world　was　transitory。　The　church　did　not　need　to　change；　it　simply　needed　to　remind　the　world　it　was　relevant！　Evil　lives！　God　will　overe！　
　The　church　needed　a　leader。　Old　men　do　not　inspire！　Jesus　inspired！　Young；　vibrant；　powerful　。　。　。　MIRACULOUS。　
　
　〃Enjoy　your　tea；〃　the　camerlegno　told　the　four　preferiti；　leaving　them　in　the　Pope's　private　library　before　conclave。　〃Your　guide　will　be　here　soon。〃
　The　preferiti　thanked　him；　all　abuzz　that　they　had　been　offered　a　chance　to　enter　the　famed　Passetto。　Most　unmon！　The　camerlegno；　before　leaving　them；　had　unlocked　the　door　to　the　Passetto；　and　exactly　on　schedule；　the　door　had　opened；　and　a　foreign…looking　priest　with　a　torch　had　ushered　the　excited　preferiti　in。　
　The　men　had　never　e　out。
　They　will　be　the　Horror。　I　will　be　the　Hope。
　
　No　。　。　。　I　am　the　horror。　
　
　The　camerlegno　staggered　now　through　the　darkness　of　St。　Peter's　Basilica。　Somehow；　through　the　insanity　and　guilt；　through　the　images　of　his　father；　through　the　pain　and　revelation；　even　through　the　pull　of　the　morphine　。　。　。　he　had　found　a　brilliant　clarity。　A　sense　of　destiny。　I　know　my　purpose；　he　thought；　awed　by　the　lucidity　of　it。　
　From　the　beginning；　nothing　tonight　had　gone　exactly　as　he　had　planned。　Unforeseen　obstacles　had　presented　themselves；　but　the　camerlegno　had　adapted；　making　bold　adjustments。　Still；　he　had　never　imagined　tonight　would　end　this　way；　and　yet　now　he　saw　the　preordained　majesty　of　it。　
　It　could　end　no　other　way。　
　Oh；　what　terror　he　had　felt　in　the　Sistine　Chapel；　wondering　if　God　had　forsaken　him！　Oh；　what　deeds　He　had　ordained！　He　had　fallen　to　his　knees；　awash　with　doubt；　his　ears　straining　for　the　voice　of　God　but　hearing　only　silence。　He　had　begged　for　a　sign。　Guidance。　Direction。　Was　this　God's　will？　The　church　destroyed　by　scandal　and　abomination？　No！　God　was　the　one　who　had　willed　the　camerlegno　to　act！　Hadn't　He？　
　Then　he　had　seen　it。　Sitting　on　the　altar。　A　sign。　Divine　munication…something　ordinary　seen　in　an　extraordinary　light。　The　crucifix。　Humble；　wooden。　Jesus　on　the　cross。　In　that　moment；　it　had　all　e　clear　。　。　。　the　camerlegno　was　not　alone。　He　would　never　be　alone。　
　This　was　His　will　。　。　。　His　meaning。　
　God　had　always　asked　great　sacrifice　of　those　he　loved　most。　Why　had　the　camerlegno　been　so　slow　to　understand？　Was　he　too　fearful？　Too　humble？　It　made　no　difference。　God　had　found　a　way。　The　camerlegno　even　understood　now　why　Robert　Langdon　had　been　saved。　It　was　to　bring　the　truth。　To　pel　this　ending。
　This　was　the　sole　path　to　the　church's　salvation！
　The　camerlegno　felt　like　he　was　floating　as　he　descended　into　the　Niche　of　the　Palliums。　The　surge　of　morphine　seemed　relentless　now；　but　he　knew　God　was　guiding　him。　
　In　the　distance；　he　could　hear　the　cardinals　clamoring　in　confusion　as　they　poured　from　the　chapel；　yelling　mands　to　the　Swiss　Guard。　
　But　they　would　never　find　him。　Not　in　time。
　The　camerlegno　felt　himself　drawn　。　。　。　faster　。　。　。　descending　the　stairs　into　the　sunken　area　where　the　ninety…nine　oil　lamps　shone　brightly。　God　was　returning　him　to　Holy　Ground。　The　camerlegno　moved　toward　the　grate　covering　the　hole　that　led　down　to　the　Necropolis。　The　Necropolis　is　where　this　night　would　end。　In　the　sacred　darkness　below。　He　lifted　an　oil　lamp；　preparing　to　descend。
　But　as　he　moved　across　the　Niche；　the　camerlegno　paused。　Something　about　this　felt　wrong。　How　did　this　serve　God？　A　solitary　and　silent　end？　Jesus　had　suffered　before　the　eyes　of　the　entire　world。　Surely　this　could　not　be　God's　will！　The　camerlegno　listened　for　the　voice　of　his　God；　but　heard　only　the　blurring　buzz　of　drugs。
　〃Carlo。〃　It　was　his　mother。　〃God　has　plans　for　you。〃　
　Bewildered；　the　camerlegno　kept　moving。
　Then；　without　warning；　God　arrived。
　The　camerlegno　stopped　short；　staring。　The　light　of　the　ninety…nine　oil　lanterns　had　thrown　the　camerlegno's　shadow　on　the　marble　wall　beside　him。　Giant　and　fearful。　A　hazy　form　surrounded　by　golden　light。　With　flames　flickering　all　around　him；　the　camerlegno　looked　like　an　angel　ascending　to　heaven。　He　stood　a　moment；　raising　his　arms　to　his　sides；　watching　his　own　image。　Then　he　turned；　looking　back　up　the　stairs。
　God's　meaning　was　clear。
　
　Three　minutes　had　passed　in　the　chaotic　hallways　outside　the　Sistine　Chapel；　and　still　nobody　could　locate　the　camerlegno。　It　was　as　if　the　man　had　been　swallowed　up　by　the　night。　Mortati　was　about　to　demand　a　full…scale　search　of　Vatican　City　when　a　roar　of　jubilation　erupted　outside　in　St。　Peter's　Square。　The　spontaneous　celebration　of　the　crowd　was　tumultuous。　The　cardinals　all　exchanged　startled　looks。
　Mortati　closed　his　eyes。　〃God　help　us。〃
　For　the　second　time　that　evening；　the　College　of　Cardinals　flooded　onto　St。　Peter's　Square。　Langdon　and　Vittoria　were　swept　up　in　the　jostling　crowd　of　cardinals；　and　they　too　emerged　into　the　night　air。　The　media　lights　and　cameras　were　all　pivoted　toward　the　basilica。　And　there；　having　just　stepped　onto　the　sacred　Papal　Balcony　located　in　the　exact　center　of　the　towering　faзade；　Camerlegno　Carlo　Ventresca　stood　with　his　arms　raised　to　the　heavens。　Even　far　away；　he　looked　like　purity　incarnate。　A　figurine。　Dressed　in　white。　Flooded　with　light。　
　The　energy　in　the　square　seemed　to　grow　like　a　cresting　wave；　and　all　at　once　the　Swiss　Guard　barriers　gave　way。　The　masses　streamed　toward　the　basilica　in　a　euphoric　torrent　of　humanity。　The　onslaught　rushed　forward…people　crying；　singing；　media　cameras　flashing。　Pandemonium。　As　the　people　flooded　in　around　the　front　of　the　basilica；　the　chaos　intensified；　until　it　seemed　nothing　could　stop　it。　
　And　then　something　did。
　High　above；　the　camerlegno　made　the　smallest　of　gestures。　He　folded　his　hands　before　him。　Then　he　bowed　his　head　in　silent　prayer。　One　by　one；　then　dozens　by　dozens；　then　hundreds　by　hu