danbrown.thedavincicode-第4节

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eld　a　strange　aura　of　foreboding。
　The　Citro？n　swerved　left　now；　angling　west　down　the　park's　central　boulevard。　Curling　around　a　circular　pond；　the　driver　cut　across　a　desolate　avenue　out　into　a　wide　quadrangle　beyond。　Langdon　could　now　see　the　end　of　the　Tuileries　Gardens；　marked　by　a　giant　stone　archway。
　Arc　du　Carrousel。
　Despite　the　orgiastic　rituals　once　held　at　the　Arc　du　Carrousel；　art　aficionados　revered　this　place　for　another　reason　entirely。　From　the　esplanade　at　the　end　of　the　Tuileries；　four　of　the　finest　art　museums　in　the　world　could　be　seen。。。　one　at　each　point　of　the　pass。
　Out　the　right…hand　window；　south　across　the　Seine　and　Quai　Voltaire；　Langdon　could　see　the　dramatically　lit　facade　of　the　old　train　station…now　the　esteemed　Musée　d'Orsay。　Glancing　left；　he　could　make　out　the　top　of　the　ultramodern　Pompidou　Center；　which　housed　the　Museum　of　Modern　Art。　Behind　him　to　the　west；　Langdon　knew　the　ancient　obelisk　of　Ramses　rose　above　the　trees；　marking　the　Musée　du　Jeu　de　Paume。
　But　it　was　straight　ahead；　to　the　east；　through　the　archway；　that　Langdon　could　now　see　the　monolithic　Renaissance　palace　that　had　bee　the　most　famous　art　museum　in　the　world。
　Musée　du　Louvre。
　Langdon　felt　a　familiar　tinge　of　wonder　as　his　eyes　made　a　futile　attempt　to　absorb　the　entire　mass　of　the　edifice。　Across　a　staggeringly　expansive　plaza；　the　imposing　facade　of　the　Louvre　rose　like　a　citadel　against　the　Paris　sky。　Shaped　like　an　enormous　horseshoe；　the　Louvre　was　the　longest　building　in　Europe；　stretching　farther　than　three　Eiffel　Towers　laid　end　to　end。　Not　even　the　million　square　feet　of　open　plaza　between　the　museum　wings　could　challenge　the　majesty　of　the　facade's　breadth。　Langdon　had　once　walked　the　Louvre's　entire　perimeter；　an　astonishing　three…mile　journey。
　Despite　the　estimated　five　days　it　would　take　a　visitor　to　properly　appreciate　the　65；300　pieces　of　art　in　this　building；　most　tourists　chose　an　abbreviated　experience　Langdon　referred　to　as　〃Louvre　Lite〃…a　full　sprint　through　the　museum　to　see　the　three　most　famous　objects：　the　Mona　Lisa；　Venus　de　Milo；　and　Winged　Victory。　Art　Buchwald　had　once　boasted　he'd　seen　all　three　masterpieces　in　five　minutes　and　fifty…six　seconds。
　The　driver　pulled　out　a　handheld　walkie…talkie　and　spoke　in　rapid…fire　French。　〃Monsieur　Langdon　est　arrivé。　Deux　minutes。〃
　An　indecipherable　confirmation　came　crackling　back。
　The　agent　stowed　the　device；　turning　now　to　Langdon。　〃You　will　meet　the　capitaine　at　the　main　entrance。〃
　The　driver　ignored　the　signs　prohibiting　auto　traffic　on　the　plaza；　revved　the　engine；　and　gunned　the　Citro？n　up　over　the　curb。　The　Louvre's　main　entrance　was　visible　now；　rising　boldly　in　the　distance；　encircled　by　seven　triangular　pools　from　which　spouted　illuminated　fountains。
　La　Pyramide。
　The　new　entrance　to　the　Paris　Louvre　had　bee　almost　as　famous　as　the　museum　itself。　The　controversial；　neomodern　glass　pyramid　designed　by　Chinese…born　American　architect　I。　M。　Pei　still　evoked　scorn　from　traditionalists　who　felt　it　destroyed　the　dignity　of　the　Renaissance　courtyard。　Goethe　had　described　architecture　as　frozen　music；　and　Pei's　critics　described　this　pyramid　as　fingernails　on　a　chalkboard。　Progressive　admirers；　though；　hailed　Pei's　seventy…one…foot…tall　transparent　pyramid　as　a　dazzling　synergy　of　ancient　structure　and　modern　method…a　symbolic　link　between　the　old　and　new…helping　usher　the　Louvre　into　the　next　millennium。
　〃Do　you　like　our　pyramid？〃　the　agent　asked。
　Langdon　frowned。　The　French；　it　seemed；　loved　to　ask　Americans　this。　It　was　a　loaded　question；　of　course。　Admitting　you　liked　the　pyramid　made　you　a　tasteless　American；　and　expressing　dislike　was　an　insult　to　the　French。
　〃Mitterrand　was　a　bold　man；〃　Langdon　replied；　splitting　the　difference。　The　late　French　president　who　had　missioned　the　pyramid　was　said　to　have　suffered　from　a　〃Pharaoh　plex。〃　Singlehandedly　responsible　for　filling　Paris　with　Egyptian　obelisks；　art；　and　artifacts。
　Fran？ois　Mitterrand　had　an　affinity　for　Egyptian　culture　that　was　so　all…consuming　that　the　French　still　referred　to　him　as　the　Sphinx。
　〃What　is　the　captain's　name？〃　Langdon　asked；　changing　topics。
　〃Bezu　Fache；〃　the　driver　said；　approaching　the　pyramid's　main　entrance。　〃We　call　him　le　Taureau。〃
　Langdon　glanced　over　at　him；　wondering　if　every　Frenchman　had　a　mysterious　animal　epithet。　〃You　call　your　captain　the　Bull？〃
　The　man　arched　his　eyebrows。　〃Your　French　is　better　than　you　admit；　Monsieur　Langdon。〃
　My　French　stinks；　Langdon　thought；　but　my　zodiac　iconography　is　pretty　good。　Taurus　was　always　the　bull。　Astrology　was　a　symbolic　constant　all　over　the　world。
　The　agent　pulled　the　car　to　a　stop　and　pointed　between　two　fountains　to　a　large　door　in　the　side　of　the　pyramid。　〃There　is　the　entrance。　Good　luck；　monsieur。〃
　〃You're　not　ing？〃
　〃My　orders　are　to　leave　you　here。　I　have　other　business　to　attend　to。〃
　Langdon　heaved　a　sigh　and　climbed　out。　It's　your　circus。
　The　agent　revved　his　engine　and　sped　off。
　As　Langdon　stood　alone　and　watched　the　departing　taillights；　he　realized　he　could　easily　reconsider；　exit　the　courtyard；　grab　a　taxi；　and　head　home　to　bed。　Something　told　him　it　was　probably　a　lousy　idea。
　As　he　moved　toward　the　mist　of　the　fountains；　Langdon　had　the　uneasy　sense　he　was　crossing　an　imaginary　threshold　into　another　world。　The　dreamlike　quality　of　the　evening　was　settling　around　him　again。　Twenty　minutes　ago　he　had　been　asleep　in　his　hotel　room。　Now　he　was　standing　in　front　of　a　transparent　pyramid　built　by　the　Sphinx；　waiting　for　a　policeman　they　called　the　Bull。
　I'm　trapped　in　a　Salvador　Dali　painting；　he　thought。
　Langdon　strode　to　the　main　entrance…an　enormous　revolving　door。　The　foyer　beyond　was　dimly　lit　and　deserted。
　Do　I　knock？
　Langdon　wondered　if　any　of　Harvard's　revered　Egyptologists　had　ever　knocked　on　the　front　door　of　a　pyramid　and　expected　an　answer。　He　raised　his　hand　to　bang　on　the　glass；　but　out　of　the　darkness　below；　a　figure　appeared；　striding　up　the　curving　staircase。　The　man　was　stocky　and　dark；　almost　Neanderthal；　dressed　in　a　dark　double…breasted　suit　that　strained　to　cover　his　wide　shoulders。　He　advanced　with　unmistakable　authority　on　squat；　powerful　legs。　He　was　speaking　on　his　cell　phone　but　finished　the　call　as　he　arrived。　He　motioned　for　Langdon　to　enter。
　〃I　am　Bezu　Fache；〃　he　announced　as　Langdon　pushed　through　the　revolving　door。　〃Captain　of　the　Central　Directorate　Judicial　Police。〃　His　tone　was　fitting…a　guttural　rumble。。。　like　a　gathering　storm。
　Langdon　held　out　his　hand　to　shake。　〃Robert　Langdon。〃
　Fache's　enormous　palm　wrapped　around　Langdon's　with　crushing　force。
　〃I　saw　the　photo；〃　Langdon　said。　〃Your　agent　said　Jacques　Saunière　himself　did…〃
　〃Mr。　Langdon；〃　Fache's　ebony　eyes　locked　on。　〃What　you　see　in　the　photo　is　only　the　beginning　of　what　Saunière　did。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　4
　
　Captain　Bezu　Fache　carried　himself　like　an　angry　ox；　with　his　wide　shoulders　thrown　back　and　his　chin　tucked　hard　into　his　chest。　His　dark　hair　was　slicked　back　with　oil；　accentuating　an　arrow…like　widow's　peak　that　divided　his　jutting　brow　and　preceded　him　like　the　prow　of　a　battleship。　As　he　advanced；　his　dark　eyes　seemed　to　scorch　the　earth　before　him；　radiating　a　fiery　clarity　that　forecast　his　reputation　for　unblinking　severity　in　all　matters。
　Langdon　followed　the　captain　down　the　famous　marble　staircase　into　the　sunken　atrium　beneath　the　glass　pyramid。　As　they　descended；　they　passed　between　two　armed　Judicial　Police　guards　with　machine　guns。　The　message　was　clear：　Nobody　goes　in　or　out　tonight　without　the　blessing　of　Captain　Fache。
　Descending　below　ground　level；　Langdon　fought　a　rising　trepidation。　Fache's　presence　was　anything　but　weling；　and　the　Louvre　itself　had　an　almost　sepulchral　aura　at　this　hour。　The　staircase；　like　the　aisle　of　a　dark　movie　theater；　was　illuminated　by　subtle　tread…lighting　embedded　in　each　step。　Langdon　could　hear　his　own　footsteps　reverberating　off　the　glass　overhead。　As　he　glanced　up；　he　could　see　the　faint　illuminated　wisps　of　mist　from　the　fountains　fading　away　outside　the　transparent　roof。
　〃Do　you　approve？〃　Fache　asked；　nodding　upward　with　his　broad　chin。
　Langdon　sighed；　too　tired　to　play　games。　〃Yes；　your　pyramid　is　magnificent。〃
　Fache　grunted。　〃A　scar　on　the　face　of　Paris。〃
　Strike　one。　Langdon　sensed　his　host　was　a　hard　man　to　please。　He　wondered　if　Fache　had　any　idea　that　this　pyramid；　at　President　Mitterrand's　explicit　demand；　had　been　constructed　of　exactly　666　panes　of　glass…a　bizarre　request　that　had　always　been　a　hot　topic　among　conspiracy　buffs　who　claimed　666　was　the　number　of　Satan。
　Langdon　decided　not　to　bring　it　up。
　As　they　dropped　farther　into　the　subterranean　foyer；　the　yawning　space　slowly　emerged　from　the　shadows。　Built　fifty…seven　feet　beneath　ground　level；　the　Louvre's　newly　constructed　70；000…square…foot　lobby　spread　out　like　an　endless　grotto。　Constructed　in　warm　ocher　marble　to　be　patible　with　the　honey…colored　stone　of　the　Louvre　facade　above；　the　subterranean　hall　was　usually　vibrant　with　sunlight　and　tourists。　Tonight；　however；　the　lobby　was　barren　and　dark；　giving　the　entire　space　a　cold　and　crypt…like　atmosphere。
　〃And