danbrown.thedavincicode-第10节

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　〃My　job；　of　course；　is　to　put　a　name　to　that　person。　Let　me　ask　you　this；　Mr。　Langdon。　To　your　eye；　beyond　the　numbers；　what　about　this　message　is　most　strange？〃
　Most　strange？　A　dying　man　had　barricaded　himself　in　the　gallery；　drawn　a　pentacle　on　himself；　and　scrawled　a　mysterious　accusation　on　the　floor。　What　about　the　scenario　wasn't　strange？
　〃The　word　'Draconian'？〃　he　ventured；　offering　the　first　thing　that　came　to　mind。　Langdon　was　fairly　certain　that　a　reference　to　Draco…the　ruthless　seventh…century　B。C。　politician…was　an　unlikely　dying　thought。　〃　'Draconian　devil'　seems　an　odd　choice　of　vocabulary。〃
　〃Draconian？〃　Fache's　tone　came　with　a　tinge　of　impatience　now。　〃Saunière's　choice　of　vocabulary　hardly　seems　the　primary　issue　here。〃
　Langdon　wasn't　sure　what　issue　Fache　had　in　mind；　but　he　was　starting　to　suspect　that　Draco　and　Fache　would　have　gotten　along　well。
　〃Saunière　was　a　Frenchman；〃　Fache　said　flatly。　〃He　lived　in　Paris。　And　yet　he　chose　to　write　this　message。。。〃
　〃In　English；〃　Langdon　said；　now　realizing　the　captain's　meaning。
　Fache　nodded。　〃Précisément。　Any　idea　why？〃
　Langdon　knew　Saunière　spoke　impeccable　English；　and　yet　the　reason　he　had　chosen　English　as　the　language　in　which　to　write　his　final　words　escaped　Langdon。　He　shrugged。
　Fache　motioned　back　to　the　pentacle　on　Saunière's　abdomen。　〃Nothing　to　do　with　devil　worship？　Are　you　still　certain？〃
　Langdon　was　certain　of　nothing　anymore。　〃The　symbology　and　text　don't　seem　to　coincide。　I'm　sorry　I　can't　be　of　more　help。〃
　〃Perhaps　this　will　clarify。〃　Fache　backed　away　from　the　body　and　raised　the　black　light　again；　letting　the　beam　spread　out　in　a　wider　angle。　〃And　now？〃
　To　Langdon's　amazement；　a　rudimentary　circle　glowed　around　the　curator's　body。　Saunière　had　apparently　lay　down　and　swung　the　pen　around　himself　in　several　long　arcs；　essentially　inscribing　himself　inside　a　circle。
　In　a　flash；　the　meaning　became　clear。
　〃The　Vitruvian　Man；〃　Langdon　gasped。　Saunière　had　created　a　life…sized　replica　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci's　most　famous　sketch。
　Considered　the　most　anatomically　correct　drawing　of　its　day；　Da　Vinci's　The　Vitruvian　Man　had　bee　a　modern…day　icon　of　culture；　appearing　on　posters；　mouse　pads；　and　T…shirts　around　the　world。　The　celebrated　sketch　consisted　of　a　perfect　circle　in　which　was　inscribed　a　nude　male。。。　his　arms　and　legs　outstretched　in　a　naked　spread　eagle。
　Da　Vinci。　Langdon　felt　a　shiver　of　amazement。　The　clarity　of　Saunière's　intentions　could　not　be　denied。　In　his　final　moments　of　life；　the　curator　had　stripped　off　his　clothing　and　arranged　his　body　in　a　clear　image　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci's　Vitruvian　Man。
　The　circle　had　been　the　missing　critical　element。　A　feminine　symbol　of　protection；　the　circle　around　the　naked　man's　body　pleted　Da　Vinci's　intended　message…male　and　female　harmony。　The　question　now；　though；　was　why　Saunière　would　imitate　a　famous　drawing。
　〃Mr。　Langdon；〃　Fache　said；　〃certainly　a　man　like　yourself　is　aware　that　Leonardo　da　Vinci　had　a　tendency　toward　the　darker　arts。〃
　Langdon　was　surprised　by　Fache's　knowledge　of　Da　Vinci；　and　it　certainly　went　a　long　way　toward　explaining　the　captain's　suspicions　about　devil　worship。　Da　Vinci　had　always　been　an　awkward　subject　for　historians；　especially　in　the　Christian　tradition。　Despite　the　visionary's　genius；　he　was　a　flamboyant　homosexual　and　worshipper　of　Nature's　divine　order；　both　of　which　placed　him　in　a　perpetual　state　of　sin　against　God。　Moreover；　the　artist's　eerie　eccentricities　projected　an　admittedly　demonic　aura：　Da　Vinci　exhumed　corpses　to　study　human　anatomy；　he　kept　mysterious　journals　in　illegible　reverse　handwriting；　he　believed　he　possessed　the　alchemic　power　to　turn　lead　into　gold　and　even　cheat　God　by　creating　an　elixir　to　postpone　death；　and　his　inventions　included　horrific；　never…before…imagined　weapons　of　war　and　torture。
　Misunderstanding　breeds　distrust；　Langdon　thought。
　Even　Da　Vinci's　enormous　output　of　breathtaking　Christian　art　only　furthered　the　artist's　reputation　for　spiritual　hypocrisy。　Accepting　hundreds　of　lucrative　Vatican　missions；　Da　Vinci　painted　Christian　themes　not　as　an　expression　of　his　own　beliefs　but　rather　as　a　mercial　venture…a　means　of　funding　a　lavish　lifestyle。　Unfortunately；　Da　Vinci　was　a　prankster　who　often　amused　himself　by　quietly　gnawing　at　the　hand　that　fed　him。　He　incorporated　in　many　of　his　Christian　paintings　hidden　symbolism　that　was　anything　but　Christian…tributes　to　his　own　beliefs　and　a　subtle　thumbing　of　his　nose　at　the　Church。　Langdon　had　even　given　a　lecture　once　at　the　National　Gallery　in　London　entitled：　〃The　Secret　Life　of　Leonardo：　Pagan　Symbolism　in　Christian　Art。〃
　〃I　understand　your　concerns；〃　Langdon　now　said；　〃but　Da　Vinci　never　really　practiced　any　dark　arts。　He　was　an　exceptionally　spiritual　man；　albeit　one　in　constant　conflict　with　the　Church。〃　As　Langdon　said　this；　an　odd　thought　popped　into　his　mind。　He　glanced　down　at　the　message　on　the　floor　again。　O；　Draconian　devil！　Oh；　lame　saint！
　〃Yes？〃　Fache　said。
　Langdon　weighed　his　words　carefully。　〃I　was　just　thinking　that　Saunière　shared　a　lot　of　spiritual　ideologies　with　Da　Vinci；　including　a　concern　over　the　Church's　elimination　of　the　sacred　feminine　from　modern　religion。　Maybe；　by　imitating　a　famous　Da　Vinci　drawing；　Saunière　was　simply　echoing　some　of　their　shared　frustrations　with　the　modern　Church's　demonization　of　the　goddess。〃
　Fache's　eyes　hardened。　〃You　think　Saunière　is　calling　the　Church　a　lame　saint　and　a　Draconian　devil？〃
　Langdon　had　to　admit　it　seemed　far…fetched；　and　yet　the　pentacle　seemed　to　endorse　the　idea　on　some　level。　〃All　I　am　saying　is　that　Mr。　Saunière　dedicated　his　life　to　studying　the　history　of　the　goddess；　and　nothing　has　done　more　to　erase　that　history　than　the　Catholic　Church。　It　seems　reasonable　that　Saunière　might　have　chosen　to　express　his　disappointment　in　his　final　good…bye。〃
　〃Disappointment？〃　Fache　demanded；　sounding　hostile　now。　〃This　message　sounds　more　enraged　than　disappointed；　wouldn't　you　say？〃
　Langdon　was　reaching　the　end　of　his　patience。　〃Captain；　you　asked　for　my　instincts　as　to　what　Saunière　is　trying　to　say　here；　and　that's　what　I'm　giving　you。〃
　〃That　this　is　an　indictment　of　the　Church？〃　Fache's　jaw　tightened　as　he　spoke　through　clenched　teeth。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　have　seen　a　lot　of　death　in　my　work；　and　let　me　tell　you　something。　When　a　man　is　murdered　by　another　man；　I　do　not　believe　his　final　thoughts　are　to　write　an　obscure　spiritual　statement　that　no　one　will　understand。　I　believe　he　is　thinking　of　one　thing　only。〃　Fache's　whispery　voice　sliced　the　air。　〃La　vengeance。　I　believe　Saunière　wrote　this　note　to　tell　us　who　killed　him。〃　Langdon　stared。　〃But　that　makes　no　sense　whatsoever。〃
　〃No？〃
　〃No；〃　he　fired　back；　tired　and　frustrated。　〃You　told　me　Saunière　was　attacked　in　his　office　by　someone　he　had　apparently　invited　in。〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃So　it　seems　reasonable　to　conclude　that　the　curator　knew　his　attacker。〃
　Fache　nodded。　〃Go　on。〃
　〃So　if　Saunière　knew　the　person　who　killed　him；　what　kind　of　indictment　is　this？〃　He　pointed　at　the　floor。　〃Numeric　codes？　Lame　saints？　Draconian　devils？　Pentacles　on　his　stomach？　It's　all　too　cryptic。〃
　Fache　frowned　as　if　the　idea　had　never　occurred　to　him。　〃You　have　a　point。〃
　〃Considering　the　circumstances；〃　Langdon　said；　〃I　would　assume　that　if　Saunière　wanted　to　tell　you　who　killed　him；　he　would　have　written　down　somebody's　name。〃
　As　Langdon　spoke　those　words；　a　smug　smile　crossed　Fache's　lips　for　the　first　time　all　night。　〃Précisément；〃　Fache　said。　〃Précisément。〃
　　
　I　am　witnessing　the　work　of　a　master；　mused　Lieutenant　Collet　as　he　tweaked　his　audio　gear　and　listened　to　Fache's　voice　ing　through　the　headphones。　The　agent　supérieur　knew　it　was　moments　like　these　that　had　lifted　the　captain　to　the　pinnacle　of　French　law　enforcement。
　Fache　will　do　what　no　one　else　dares。
　The　delicate　art　of　cajoler　was　a　lost　skill　in　modern　law　enforcement；　one　that　required　exceptional　poise　under　pressure。　Few　men　possessed　the　necessary　sangfroid　for　this　kind　of　operation；　but　Fache　seemed　born　for　it。　His　restraint　and　patience　bordered　on　the　robotic。
　Fache's　sole　emotion　this　evening　seemed　to　be　one　of　intense　resolve；　as　if　this　arrest　were　somehow　personal　to　him。　Fache's　briefing　of　his　agents　an　hour　ago　had　been　unusually　succinct　and　assured。　I　know　who　murdered　Jacques　Saunière；　Fache　had　said。　You　know　what　to　do。　No　mistakes　tonight。
　And　so　far；　no　mistakes　had　been　made。
　Collet　was　not　yet　privy　to　the　evidence　that　had　cemented　Fache's　certainty　of　their　suspect's　guilt；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　question　the　instincts　of　the　Bull。　Fache's　intuition　seemed　almost　supernatural　at　times。　God　whispers　in　his　ear；　one　agent　had　insisted　after　a　particularly　impressive　display　of　Fache's　sixth　sense。　Collet　had　to　admit；　if　there　was　a　God；　Bezu　Fache　would　be　on　His　A…list。　The　captain　attended　mass　and　confession　with　zealous　regularity…far　more　than　the　requisite　holiday　attendance　fulfilled　by　other　officials　in　the　name　of　good　public　relations。　When　the　Pope　visited　Paris　a　few　years　back；　Fache　had　used　all　his　muscle　to　obtain　the　honor　of　an　audience。