danbrown.thedavincicode-第25节

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ed　the　horizon　line　on　the　left　significantly　lower　than　the　right。〃
　〃He　screwed　it　up？〃　one　of　the　inmates　asked。
　Langdon　chuckled。　〃No。　Da　Vinci　didn't　do　that　too　often。　Actually；　this　is　a　little　trick　Da　Vinci　played。　By　lowering　the　countryside　on　the　left；　Da　Vinci　made　Mona　Lisa　look　much　larger　from　the　left　side　than　from　the　right　side。　A　little　Da　Vinci　inside　joke。　Historically；　the　concepts　of　male　and　female　have　assigned　sides…left　is　female；　and　right　is　male。　Because　Da　Vinci　was　a　big　fan　of　feminine　principles；　he　made　Mona　Lisa　look　more　majestic　from　the　left　than　the　right。〃
　〃I　heard　he　was　a　fag；〃　said　a　small　man　with　a　goatee。
　Langdon　winced。　〃Historians　don't　generally　put　it　quite　that　way；　but　yes；　Da　Vinci　was　a　homosexual。〃
　〃Is　that　why　he　was　into　that　whole　feminine　thing？〃
　〃Actually；　Da　Vinci　was　in　tune　with　the　balance　between　male　and　female。　He　believed　that　a　human　soul　could　not　be　enlightened　unless　it　had　both　male　and　female　elements。〃
　〃You　mean　like　chicks　with　dicks？〃　someone　called。
　This　elicited　a　hearty　round　of　laughs。　Langdon　considered　offering　an　etymological　sidebar　about　the　word　hermaphrodite　and　its　ties　to　Hermes　and　Aphrodite；　but　something　told　him　it　would　be　lost　on　this　crowd。
　〃Hey；　Mr。　Langford；〃　a　muscle…bound　man　said。　〃Is　it　true　that　the　Mona　Lisa　is　a　picture　of　Da　Vinci　in　drag？　I　heard　that　was　true。〃
　〃It's　quite　possible；〃　Langdon　said。　〃Da　Vinci　was　a　prankster；　and　puterized　analysis　of　the　Mona　Lisa　and　Da　Vinci's　self…portraits　confirm　some　startling　points　of　congruency　in　their　faces。　Whatever　Da　Vinci　was　up　to；〃　Langdon　said；　〃his　Mona　Lisa　is　neither　male　nor　female。　It　carries　a　subtle　message　of　androgyny。　It　is　a　fusing　of　both。〃
　〃You　sure　that's　not　just　some　Harvard　bullshit　way　of　saying　Mona　Lisa　is　one　ugly　chick。〃
　Now　Langdon　laughed。　〃You　may　be　right。　But　actually　Da　Vinci　left　a　big　clue　that　the　painting　was　supposed　to　be　androgynous。　Has　anyone　here　ever　heard　of　an　Egyptian　god　named　Amon？〃
　〃Hell　yes！〃　the　big　guy　said。　〃God　of　masculine　fertility！〃
　Langdon　was　stunned。
　〃It　says　so　on　every　box　of　Amon　condoms。〃　The　muscular　man　gave　a　wide　grin。　〃It's　got　a　guy　with　a　ram's　head　on　the　front　and　says　he's　the　Egyptian　god　of　fertility。〃
　Langdon　was　not　familiar　with　the　brand　name；　but　he　was　glad　to　hear　the　prophylactic　manufacturers　had　gotten　their　hieroglyphs　right。　〃Well　done。　Amon　is　indeed　represented　as　a　man　with　a　ram's　head；　and　his　promiscuity　and　curved　horns　are　related　to　our　modern　sexual　slang　'horny。'　〃
　〃No　shit！〃
　〃No　shit；〃　Langdon　said。　〃And　do　you　know　who　Amon's　counterpart　was？　The　Egyptian　goddess　of　fertility？〃
　The　question　met　with　several　seconds　of　silence。
　〃It　was　Isis；〃　Langdon　told　them；　grabbing　a　grease　pen。　〃So　we　have　the　male　god；　Amon。〃　He　wrote　it　down。　〃And　the　female　goddess；　Isis；　whose　ancient　pictogram　was　once　called　L'ISA。〃
　Langdon　finished　writing　and　stepped　back　from　the　projector。
　AMON　L'ISA
　　
　〃Ring　any　bells？〃　he　asked。
　〃Mona　Lisa。。。　holy　crap；〃　somebody　gasped。
　Langdon　nodded。　〃Gentlemen；　not　only　does　the　face　of　Mona　Lisa　look　androgynous；　but　her　name　is　an　anagram　of　the　divine　union　of　male　and　female。　And　that；　my　friends；　is　Da　Vinci's　little　secret；　and　the　reason　for　Mona　Lisa's　knowing　smile。〃
　　
　〃My　grandfather　was　here；〃　Sophie　said；　dropping　suddenly　to　her　knees；　now　only　ten　feet　from　the　Mona　Lisa。　She　pointed　the　black　light　tentatively　to　a　spot　on　the　parquet　floor。
　At　first　Langdon　saw　nothing。　Then；　as　he　knelt　beside　her；　he　saw　a　tiny　droplet　of　dried　liquid　that　was　luminescing。　Ink？　Suddenly　he　recalled　what　black　lights　were　actually　used　for。　Blood。　His　senses　tingled。　Sophie　was　right。　Jacques　Saunière　had　indeed　paid　a　visit　to　the　Mona　Lisa　before　he　died。
　〃He　wouldn't　have　e　here　without　a　reason；〃　Sophie　whispered；　standing　up。　〃I　know　he　left　a　message　for　me　here。〃　Quickly　striding　the　final　few　steps　to　the　Mona　Lisa；　she　illuminated　the　floor　directly　in　front　of　the　painting。　She　waved　the　light　back　and　forth　across　the　bare　parquet。
　〃There's　nothing　here！〃
　At　that　moment；　Langdon　saw　a　faint　purple　glimmer　on　the　protective　glass　before　the　Mona　Lisa。　Reaching　down；　he　took　Sophie's　wrist　and　slowly　moved　the　light　up　to　the　painting　itself。
　They　both　froze。
　On　the　glass；　six　words　glowed　in　purple；　scrawled　directly　across　the　Mona　Lisa's　face。
　　
　CHAPTER　27
　
　Seated　at　Saunière's　desk；　Lieutenant　Collet　pressed　the　phone　to　his　ear　in　disbelief。　Did　I　hear　Fache　correctly？　〃A　bar　of　soap？　But　how　could　Langdon　have　known　about　the　GPS　dot？〃
　〃Sophie　Neveu；〃　Fache　replied。　〃She　told　him。〃
　〃What！　Why？〃
　〃Damned　good　question；　but　I　just　heard　a　recording　that　confirms　she　tipped　him　off。〃
　Collet　was　speechless。　What　was　Neveu　thinking？　Fache　had　proof　that　Sophie　had　interfered　with　a　DCPJ　sting　operation？　Sophie　Neveu　was　not　only　going　to　be　fired；　she　was　also　going　to　jail。　〃But；　Captain。。。　then　where　is　Langdon　now？〃
　〃Have　any　fire　alarms　gone　off　there？〃
　〃No；　sir。〃
　〃And　no　one　has　e　out　under　the　Grand　Gallery　gate？〃
　〃No。　We've　got　a　Louvre　security　officer　on　the　gate。　Just　as　you　requested。〃
　〃Okay；　Langdon　must　still　be　inside　the　Grand　Gallery。〃
　〃Inside？　But　what　is　he　doing？〃
　〃Is　the　Louvre　security　guard　armed？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　He's　a　senior　warden。〃
　〃Send　him　in；〃　Fache　manded。　〃I　can't　get　my　men　back　to　the　perimeter　for　a　few　minutes；　and　I　don't　want　Langdon　breaking　for　an　exit。〃　Fache　paused。　〃And　you'd　better　tell　the　guard　Agent　Neveu　is　probably　in　there　with　him。〃
　〃Agent　Neveu　left；　I　thought。〃
　〃Did　you　actually　see　her　leave？〃
　〃No；　sir；　but…〃
　〃Well；　nobody　on　the　perimeter　saw　her　leave　either。　They　only　saw　her　go　in。〃
　Collet　was　flabbergasted　by　Sophie　Neveu's　bravado。　She's　still　inside　the　building？
　〃Handle　it；〃　Fache　ordered。　〃I　want　Langdon　and　Neveu　at　gunpoint　by　the　time　I　get　back。〃
　　
　As　the　Trailor　truck　drove　off；　Captain　Fache　rounded　up　his　men。　Robert　Langdon　had　proven　an　elusive　quarry　tonight；　and　with　Agent　Neveu　now　helping　him；　he　might　be　far　harder　to　corner　than　expected。
　Fache　decided　not　to　take　any　chances。
　Hedging　his　bets；　he　ordered　half　of　his　men　back　to　the　Louvre　perimeter。　The　other　half　he　sent　to　guard　the　only　location　in　Paris　where　Robert　Langdon　could　find　safe　harbor。
　　
　CHAPTER　28
　
　Inside　the　Salle　des　Etats；　Langdon　stared　in　astonishment　at　the　six　words　glowing　on　the　Plexiglas。　The　text　seemed　to　hover　in　space；　casting　a　jagged　shadow　across　Mona　Lisa's　mysterious　smile。
　〃The　Priory；〃　Langdon　whispered。　〃This　proves　your　grandfather　was　a　member！〃
　Sophie　looked　at　him　in　confusion。　〃You　understand　this？〃
　〃It's　flawless；〃　Langdon　said；　nodding　as　his　thoughts　churned。　〃It's　a　proclamation　of　one　of　the　Priory's　most　fundamental　philosophies！〃
　Sophie　looked　baffled　in　the　glow　of　the　message　scrawled　across　the　Mona　Lisa's　face。
　SO　DARK　THE　CON　OF　MAN
　　
　〃Sophie；〃　Langdon　said；　〃the　Priory's　tradition　of　perpetuating　goddess　worship　is　based　on　a　belief　that　powerful　men　in　the　early　Christian　church　'conned'　the　world　by　propagating　lies　that　devalued　the　female　and　tipped　the　scales　in　favor　of　the　masculine。〃
　Sophie　remained　silent；　staring　at　the　words。
　〃The　Priory　believes　that　Constantine　and　his　male　successors　successfully　converted　the　world　from　matriarchal　paganism　to　patriarchal　Christianity　by　waging　a　campaign　of　propaganda　that　demonized　the　sacred　feminine；　obliterating　the　goddess　from　modern　religion　forever。〃
　Sophie's　expression　remained　uncertain。　〃My　grandfather　sent　me　to　this　spot　to　find　this。　He　must　be　trying　to　tell　me　more　than　that。〃
　Langdon　understood　her　meaning。　She　thinks　this　is　another　code。　Whether　a　hidden　meaning　existed　here　or　not；　Langdon　could　not　immediately　say。　His　mind　was　still　grappling　with　the　bold　clarity　of　Saunière's　outward　message。
　So　dark　the　con　of　man；　he　thought。　So　dark　indeed。
　Nobody　could　deny　the　enormous　good　the　modern　Church　did　in　today's　troubled　world；　and　yet　the　Church　had　a　deceitful　and　violent　history。　Their　brutal　crusade　to　〃reeducate〃　the　pagan　and　feminine…worshipping　religions　spanned　three　centuries；　employing　methods　as　inspired　as　they　were　horrific。
　The　Catholic　Inquisition　published　the　book　that　arguably　could　be　called　the　most　blood…soaked　publication　in　human　history。　Malleus　Maleficarum…or　The　Witches'　Hammer…indoctrinated　the　world　to　〃the　dangers　of　freethinking　women〃　and　instructed　the　clergy　how　to　locate；　torture；　and　destroy　them。　Those　deemed　〃witches〃　by　the　Church　included　all　female　scholars；　priestesses；　gypsies；　mystics；　nature　lovers；　herb　gatherers；　and　any　women　〃suspiciously　attuned　to　the　natural　world。〃　Midwives　also　were　killed　for　their　heretical　practice　of　using　medical　knowledge　to　ease　the　pain　of　childbirth…a　suffering；　the　Church　claimed；　that　was　God's　rightful　punishment　for　Eve's　partaking　of　the　Apple　of　Knowledge；　thus　giving　birth　to　the　idea　of　Original　Sin。　During　three　hundred　years　of　witch　hunts；　the　Church　burned　at　the　stake　an　astoundi