danbrown.thedavincicode-第51节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


；　however；　like　to　point　out　the　following。〃　He　motioned　to　another　passage。　〃This　is　from　the　Gospel　of　Mary　Magdalene。〃
　Sophie　had　not　known　a　gospel　existed　in　Magdalene's　words。　She　read　the　text：
　And　Peter　said；　〃Did　the　Saviour　really　speak　with　a　woman　without　our　knowledge？　Are　we　to　turn　about　and　all　listen　to　her？　Did　he　prefer　her　to　us？〃
　And　Levi　answered；　〃Peter；　you　have　always　been　hot…tempered。　Now　I　see　you　contending　against　the　woman　like　an　adversary。　If　the　Saviour　made　her　worthy；　who　are　you　indeed　to　reject　her？　Surely　the　Saviour　knows　her　very　well。　That　is　why　he　loved　her　more　than　us。〃
　〃The　woman　they　are　speaking　of；〃　Teabing　explained；　〃is　Mary　Magdalene。　Peter　is　jealous　of　her。〃
　〃Because　Jesus　preferred　Mary？〃
　〃Not　only　that。　The　stakes　were　far　greater　than　mere　affection。　At　this　point　in　the　gospels；　Jesus　suspects　He　will　soon　be　captured　and　crucified。　So　He　gives　Mary　Magdalene　instructions　on　how　to　carry　on　His　Church　after　He　is　gone。　As　a　result；　Peter　expresses　his　discontent　over　playing　second　fiddle　to　a　woman。　I　daresay　Peter　was　something　of　a　sexist。〃
　Sophie　was　trying　to　keep　up。　〃This　is　Saint　Peter。　The　rock　on　which　Jesus　built　His　Church。〃
　〃The　same；　except　for　one　catch。　According　to　these　unaltered　gospels；　it　was　not　Peter　to　whom　Christ　gave　directions　with　which　to　establish　the　Christian　Church。　It　was　Mary　Magdalene。〃
　Sophie　looked　at　him。　〃You're　saying　the　Christian　Church　was　to　be　carried　on　by　a　woman？〃
　〃That　was　the　plan。　Jesus　was　the　original　feminist。　He　intended　for　the　future　of　His　Church　to　be　in　the　hands　of　Mary　Magdalene。〃
　〃And　Peter　had　a　problem　with　that；〃　Langdon　said；　pointing　to　The　Last　Supper。　〃That's　Peter　there。　You　can　see　that　Da　Vinci　was　well　aware　of　how　Peter　felt　about　Mary　Magdalene。〃
　Again；　Sophie　was　speechless。　In　the　painting；　Peter　was　leaning　menacingly　toward　Mary　Magdalene　and　slicing　his　blade…like　hand　across　her　neck。　The　same　threatening　gesture　as　in　Madonna　of　the　Rocks！
　〃And　here　too；〃　Langdon　said；　pointing　now　to　the　crowd　of　disciples　near　Peter。　〃A　bit　ominous；　no？〃
　Sophie　squinted　and　saw　a　hand　emerging　from　the　crowd　of　disciples。　〃Is　that　hand　wielding　a　dagger？〃
　〃Yes。　Stranger　still；　if　you　count　the　arms；　you'll　see　that　this　hand　belongs　to。。。　no　one　at　all。　It's　disembodied。　Anonymous。〃
　Sophie　was　starting　to　feel　overwhelmed。　〃I'm　sorry；　I　still　don't　understand　how　all　of　this　makes　Mary　Magdalene　the　Holy　Grail。〃
　〃Aha！〃　Teabing　exclaimed　again。　〃Therein　lies　the　rub！〃　He　turned　once　more　to　the　table　and　pulled　out　a　large　chart；　spreading　it　out　for　her。　It　was　an　elaborate　genealogy。　〃Few　people　realize　that　Mary　Magdalene；　in　addition　to　being　Christ's　right　hand；　was　a　powerful　woman　already。〃
　Sophie　could　now　see　the　title　of　the　family　tree。
　THE　TRIBE　OF　BENJAMIN
　　
　〃Mary　Magdalene　is　here；〃　Teabing　said；　pointing　near　the　top　of　the　genealogy。
　Sophie　was　surprised。　〃She　was　of　the　House　of　Benjamin？〃
　〃Indeed；〃　Teabing　said。　〃Mary　Magdalene　was　of　royal　descent。〃
　〃But　I　was　under　the　impression　Magdalene　was　poor。〃
　Teabing　shook　his　head。　〃Magdalene　was　recast　as　a　whore　in　order　to　erase　evidence　of　her　powerful　family　ties。〃
　Sophie　found　herself　again　glancing　at　Langdon；　who　again　nodded。　She　turned　back　to　Teabing。　〃But　why　would　the　early　Church　care　if　Magdalene　had　royal　blood？〃
　The　Briton　smiled。　〃My　dear　child；　it　was　not　Mary　Magdalene's　royal　blood　that　concerned　the　Church　so　much　as　it　was　her　consorting　with　Christ；　who　also　had　royal　blood。　As　you　know；　the　Book　of　Matthew　tells　us　that　Jesus　was　of　the　House　of　David。　A　descendant　of　King　Solomon…King　of　the　Jews。　By　marrying　into　the　powerful　House　of　Benjamin；　Jesus　fused　two　royal　bloodlines；　creating　a　potent　political　union　with　the　potential　of　making　a　legitimate　claim　to　the　throne　and　restoring　the　line　of　kings　as　it　was　under　Solomon。〃
　Sophie　sensed　he　was　at　last　ing　to　his　point。
　Teabing　looked　excited　now。　〃The　legend　of　the　Holy　Grail　is　a　legend　about　royal　blood。　When　Grail　legend　speaks　of　'the　chalice　that　held　the　blood　of　Christ'。。。　it　speaks；　in　fact；　of　Mary　Magdalene…the　female　womb　that　carried　Jesus'　royal　bloodline。〃
　The　words　seemed　to　echo　across　the　ballroom　and　back　before　they　fully　registered　in　Sophie's　mind。　Mary　Magdalene　carried　the　royal　bloodline　of　Jesus　Christ？　〃But　how　could　Christ　have　a　bloodline　unless。。。？〃　She　paused　and　looked　at　Langdon。
　Langdon　smiled　softly。　〃Unless　they　had　a　child。〃
　Sophie　stood　transfixed。
　〃Behold；〃　Teabing　proclaimed；　〃the　greatest　cover…up　in　human　history。　Not　only　was　Jesus　Christ　married；　but　He　was　a　father。　My　dear；　Mary　Magdalene　was　the　Holy　Vessel。　She　was　the　chalice　that　bore　the　royal　bloodline　of　Jesus　Christ。　She　was　the　womb　that　bore　the　lineage；　and　the　vine　from　which　the　sacred　fruit　sprang　forth！〃
　Sophie　felt　the　hairs　stand　up　on　her　arms。　〃But　how　could　a　secret　that　big　be　kept　quiet　all　of　these　years？〃
　〃Heavens！〃　Teabing　said。　〃It　has　been　anything　but　quiet！　The　royal　bloodline　of　Jesus　Christ　is　the　source　of　the　most　enduring　legend　of　all　time…the　Holy　Grail。　Magdalene's　story　has　been　shouted　from　the　rooftops　for　centuries　in　all　kinds　of　metaphors　and　languages。　Her　story　is　everywhere　once　you　open　your　eyes。〃
　〃And　the　Sangreal　documents？〃　Sophie　said。　〃They　allegedly　contain　proof　that　Jesus　had　a　royal　bloodline？〃
　〃They　do。〃
　〃So　the　entire　Holy　Grail　legend　is　all　about　royal　blood？〃
　〃Quite　literally；〃　Teabing　said。　〃The　word　Sangreal　derives　from　San　Greal…or　Holy　Grail。　But　in　its　most　ancient　form；　the　word　Sangreal　was　divided　in　a　different　spot。〃　Teabing　wrote　on　a　piece　of　scrap　paper　and　handed　it　to　her。
　She　read　what　he　had　written。
　Sang　Real
　　
　Instantly；　Sophie　recognized　the　translation。　Sang　Real　literally　meant　Royal　Blood。
　　
　CHAPTER　59
　
　The　male　receptionist　in　the　lobby　of　the　Opus　Dei　headquarters　on　Lexington　Avenue　in　New　York　City　was　surprised　to　hear　Bishop　Aringarosa's　voice　on　the　line。　〃Good　evening；　sir。〃
　〃Have　I　had　any　messages？〃　the　bishop　demanded；　sounding　unusually　anxious。
　〃Yes；　sir。　I'm　very　glad　you　called　in。　I　couldn't　reach　you　in　your　apartment。　You　had　an　urgent　phone　message　about　half　an　hour　ago。〃
　〃Yes？〃　He　sounded　relieved　by　the　news。　〃Did　the　caller　leave　a　name？〃
　〃No；　sir；　just　a　number。〃　The　operator　relayed　the　number。
　〃Prefix　thirty…three？　That's　France；　am　I　right？〃
　〃Yes；　sir。　Paris。　The　caller　said　it　was　critical　you　contact　him　immediately。〃
　〃Thank　you。　I　have　been　waiting　for　that　call。〃　Aringarosa　quickly　severed　the　connection。
　As　the　receptionist　hung　up　the　receiver；　he　wondered　why　Aringarosa's　phone　connection　sounded　so　crackly。　The　bishop's　daily　schedule　showed　him　in　New　York　this　weekend；　and　yet　he　sounded　a　world　away。　The　receptionist　shrugged　it　off。　Bishop　Aringarosa　had　been　acting　very　strangely　the　last　few　months。
　　
　My　cellular　phone　must　not　have　been　receiving；　Aringarosa　thought　as　the　Fiat　approached　the　exit　for　Rome's　Ciampino　Charter　Airport。　The　Teacher　was　trying　to　reach　me。　Despite　Aringarosa's　concern　at　having　missed　the　call；　he　felt　encouraged　that　the　Teacher　felt　confident　enough　to　call　Opus　Dei　headquarters　directly。
　Things　must　have　gone　well　in　Paris　tonight。
　As　Aringarosa　began　dialing　the　number；　he　felt　excited　to　know　he　would　soon　be　in　Paris。　I'll　be　on　the　ground　before　dawn。　Aringarosa　had　a　chartered　turbo　prop　awaiting　him　here　for　the　short　flight　to　France。　mercial　carriers　were　not　an　option　at　this　hour；　especially　considering　the　contents　of　his　briefcase。
　The　line　began　to　ring。
　A　female　voice　answered。　〃Direction　Centrale　Police　Judidaire。〃
　Aringarosa　felt　himself　hesitate。　This　was　unexpected。　〃Ah；　yes。。。　I　was　asked　to　call　this　number？〃
　〃Qui　êtes…vous？〃　the　woman　said。　〃Your　name？〃
　Aringarosa　was　uncertain　if　he　should　reveal　it。　The　French　Judicial　Police？
　〃Your　name；　monsieur？〃　the　woman　pressed。
　〃Bishop　Manuel　Aringarosa。〃
　〃Un　moment。〃　There　was　a　click　on　the　line。
　After　a　long　wait；　another　man　came　on；　his　tone　gruff　and　concerned。　〃Bishop；　I　am　glad　I　finally　reached　you。　You　and　I　have　much　to　discuss。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　60
　
　Sangreal。。。　Sang　Real。。。　San　Greal。。。　Royal　Blood。。。　Holy　Grail。
　It　was　all　intertwined。
　The　Holy　Grail　is　Mary　Magdalene。。。　the　mother　of　the　royal　bloodline　of　Jesus　Christ。　Sophie　felt　a　new　wave　of　disorientation　as　she　stood　in　the　silence　of　the　ballroom　and　stared　at　Robert　Langdon。　The　more　pieces　Langdon　and　Teabing　laid　on　the　table　tonight；　the　more　unpredictable　this　puzzle　became。
　〃As　you　can　see；　my　dear；〃　Teabing　said；　hobbling　toward　a　bookshelf；　〃Leonardo　is　not　the　only　one　who　has　been　trying　to　tell　the　world　the　truth　about　the　Holy　Grail。　The　royal　bloodline　of　Jesus　Christ　has　been　chronicled　in　exhaustive　detail　by　scores　of　historians。〃　He　ran　a　finger　down　a　row　of　several　dozen　books。
　Sophie　tilted　her　head　and　scanned　the　list　of　titles：
　THE　TEMPLAR　REVELATION：
　Secret　Guardians　of　the　True　Identity　of　Christ
　
　THE　WOMAN　WITH　THE　ALABASTER　JAR