danbrown.thedavincicode-第59节

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o　subject　my　palate　to　bangers　and　mash　for　the　rest　of　my　days。　I　expect　you　will　join　me　there　permanently。　I'm　planning　to　buy　a　splendid　villa　in　Devonshire；　and　we'll　have　all　your　things　shipped　up　immediately。　An　adventure；　Rémy。　I　say；　an　adventure！〃
　Langdon　had　to　smile。　As　Teabing　railed　on　about　his　plans　for　a　triumphant　return　to　Britain；　Langdon　felt　himself　caught　up　in　the　man's　infectious　enthusiasm。
　Gazing　absently　out　the　window；　Langdon　watched　the　woods　passing　by；　ghostly　pale　in　the　yellow　blush　of　the　fog　lights。　The　side　mirror　was　tipped　inward；　brushed　askew　by　branches；　and　Langdon　saw　the　reflection　of　Sophie　sitting　quietly　in　the　back　seat。　He　watched　her　for　a　long　while　and　felt　an　unexpected　upwelling　of　contentment。　Despite　his　troubles　tonight；　Langdon　was　thankful　to　have　landed　in　such　good　pany。
　After　several　minutes；　as　if　suddenly　sensing　his　eyes　on　her；　Sophie　leaned　forward　and　put　her　hands　on　his　shoulders；　giving　him　a　quick　rub。　〃You　okay？〃
　〃Yeah；〃　Langdon　said。　〃Somehow。〃
　Sophie　sat　back　in　her　seat；　and　Langdon　saw　a　quiet　smile　cross　her　lips。　He　realized　that　he　too　was　now　grinning。
　　
　Wedged　in　the　back　of　the　Range　Rover；　Silas　could　barely　breathe。　His　arms　were　wrenched　backward　and　heavily　lashed　to　his　ankles　with　kitchen　twine　and　duct　tape。　Every　bump　in　the　road　sent　pain　shooting　through　his　twisted　shoulders。　At　least　his　captors　had　removed　the　cilice。　Unable　to　inhale　through　the　strip　of　tape　over　his　mouth；　he　could　only　breathe　through　his　nostrils；　which　were　slowly　clogging　up　due　to　the　dusty　rear　cargo　area　into　which　he　had　been　crammed。　He　began　coughing。
　〃I　think　he's　choking；〃　the　French　driver　said；　sounding　concerned。
　The　British　man　who　had　struck　Silas　with　his　crutch　now　turned　and　peered　over　the　seat；　frowning　coldly　at　Silas。　〃Fortunately　for　you；　we　British　judge　man's　civility　not　by　his　passion　for　his　friends；　but　by　his　passion　for　his　enemies。〃　The　Brit　reached　down　and　grabbed　the　duct　tape　on　Silas's　mouth。　In　one　fast　motion；　he　tore　it　off。
　Silas　felt　as　if　his　lips　had　just　caught　fire；　but　the　air　pouring　into　his　lungs　was　sent　from　God。
　〃Whom　do　you　work　for？〃　the　British　man　demanded。
　〃I　do　the　work　of　God；〃　Silas　spat　back　through　the　pain　in　his　jaw　where　the　woman　had　kicked　him。
　〃You　belong　to　Opus　Dei；〃　the　man　said。　It　was　not　a　question。
　〃You　know　nothing　of　who　I　am。〃
　〃Why　does　Opus　Dei　want　the　keystone？〃
　Silas　had　no　intention　of　answering。　The　keystone　was　the　link　to　the　Holy　Grail；　and　the　Holy　Grail　was　the　key　to　protecting　the　faith。
　I　do　the　work　of　God。　The　Way　is　in　peril。
　Now；　in　the　Range　Rover；　struggling　against　his　bonds；　Silas　feared　he　had　failed　the　Teacher　and　the　bishop　forever。　He　had　no　way　even　to　contact　them　and　tell　them　the　terrible　turn　of　events。　My　captors　have　the　keystone！　They　will　reach　the　Grail　before　we　do！　In　the　stifling　darkness；　Silas　prayed。　He　let　the　pain　of　his　body　fuel　his　supplications。
　A　miracle；　Lord。　I　need　a　miracle。　Silas　had　no　way　of　knowing　that　hours　from　now；　he　would　get　one。
　　
　〃Robert？〃　Sophie　was　still　watching　him。　〃A　funny　look　just　crossed　your　face。〃
　Langdon　glanced　back　at　her；　realizing　his　jaw　was　firmly　set　and　his　heart　was　racing。　An　incredible　notion　had　just　occurred　to　him。　Could　it　really　be　that　simple　an　explanation？　〃I　need　to　use　your　cell　phone；　Sophie。〃
　〃Now？〃
　〃I　think　I　just　figured　something　out。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃I'll　tell　you　in　a　minute。　I　need　your　phone。〃
　Sophie　looked　wary。　〃I　doubt　Fache　is　tracing；　but　keep　it　under　a　minute　just　in　case。〃　She　gave　him　her　phone。
　〃How　do　I　dial　the　States？〃
　〃You　need　to　reverse　the　charges。　My　service　doesn't　cover　transatlantic。〃
　Langdon　dialed　zero；　knowing　that　the　next　sixty　seconds　might　answer　a　question　that　had　been　puzzling　him　all　night。
　　
　CHAPTER　68
　
　New　York　editor　Jonas　Faukman　had　just　climbed　into　bed　for　the　night　when　the　telephone　rang。　A　little　late　for　callers；　he　grumbled；　picking　up　the　receiver。
　An　operator's　voice　asked　him；　〃Will　you　accept　charges　for　a　collect　call　from　Robert　Langdon？〃
　Puzzled；　Jonas　turned　on　the　light。　〃Uh。。。　sure；　okay。〃
　The　line　clicked。　〃Jonas？〃
　〃Robert？　You　wake　me　up　and　you　charge　me　for　it？〃
　〃Jonas；　forgive　me；〃　Langdon　said。　〃I'll　keep　this　very　short。　I　really　need　to　know。　The　manuscript　I　gave　you。　Have　you…〃
　〃Robert；　I'm　sorry；　I　know　I　said　I'd　send　the　edits　out　to　you　this　week；　but　I'm　swamped。　Next　Monday。　I　promise。〃
　〃I'm　not　worried　about　the　edits。　I　need　to　know　if　you　sent　any　copies　out　for　blurbs　without　telling　me？〃
　Faukman　hesitated。　Langdon's　newest　manuscript…an　exploration　of　the　history　of　goddess　worship…included　several　sections　about　Mary　Magdalene　that　were　going　to　raise　some　eyebrows。　Although　the　material　was　well　documented　and　had　been　covered　by　others；　Faukman　had　no　intention　of　printing　Advance　Reading　Copies　of　Langdon's　book　without　at　least　a　few　endorsements　from　serious　historians　and　art　luminaries。　Jonas　had　chosen　ten　big　names　in　the　art　world　and　sent　them　all　sections　of　the　manuscript　along　with　a　polite　letter　asking　if　they　would　be　willing　to　write　a　short　endorsement　for　the　jacket。　In　Faukman's　experience；　most　people　jumped　at　the　opportunity　to　see　their　name　in　print。
　〃Jonas？〃　Langdon　pressed。　〃You　sent　out　my　manuscript；　didn't　you？〃
　Faukman　frowned；　sensing　Langdon　was　not　happy　about　it。　〃The　manuscript　was　clean；　Robert；　and　I　wanted　to　surprise　you　with　some　terrific　blurbs。〃
　A　pause。　〃Did　you　send　one　to　the　curator　of　the　Paris　Louvre？〃
　〃What　do　you　think？　Your　manuscript　referenced　his　Louvre　collection　several　times；　his　books　are　in　your　bibliography；　and　the　guy　has　some　serious　clout　for　foreign　sales。　Saunière　was　a　no…brainer。〃
　The　silence　on　the　other　end　lasted　a　long　time。　〃When　did　you　send　it？〃
　〃About　a　month　ago。　I　also　mentioned　you　would　be　in　Paris　soon　and　suggested　you　two　chat。　Did　he　ever　call　you　to　meet？〃　Faukman　paused；　rubbing　his　eyes。　〃Hold　on；　aren't　you　supposed　to　be　in　Paris　this　week？〃
　〃I　am　in　Paris。〃
　Faukman　sat　upright。　〃You　called　me　collect　from　Paris？〃
　〃Take　it　out　of　my　royalties；　Jonas。　Did　you　ever　hear　back　from　Saunière？　Did　he　like　the　manuscript？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　haven't　yet　heard　from　him。〃
　〃Well；　don't　hold　your　breath。　I've　got　to　run；　but　this　explains　a　lot　Thanks。〃
　〃Robert…〃
　But　Langdon　was　gone。
　Faukman　hung　up　the　phone；　shaking　his　head　in　disbelief　Authors；　he　thought。　Even　the　sane　ones　are　nuts。
　　
　Inside　the　Range　Rover；　Leigh　Teabing　let　out　a　guffaw。　〃Robert；　you're　saying　you　wrote　a　manuscript　that　delves　into　a　secret　society；　and　your　editor　sent　a　copy　to　that　secret　society？〃
　Langdon　slumped。　〃Evidently。〃
　〃A　cruel　coincidence；　my　friend。〃
　Coincidence　has　nothing　to　do　with　it；　Langdon　knew。　Asking　Jacques　Saunière　to　endorse　a　manuscript　on　goddess　worship　was　as　obvious　as　asking　Tiger　Woods　to　endorse　a　book　on　golf。　Moreover；　it　was　virtually　guaranteed　that　any　book　on　goddess　worship　would　have　to　mention　the　Priory　of　Sion。
　〃Here's　the　million…dollar　question；〃　Teabing　said；　still　chuckling。　〃Was　your　position　on　the　Priory　favorable　or　unfavorable？〃
　Langdon　could　hear　Teabing's　true　meaning　loud　and　clear。　Many　historians　questioned　why　the　Priory　was　still　keeping　the　Sangreal　documents　hidden。　Some　felt　the　information　should　have　been　shared　with　the　world　long　ago。　〃I　took　no　position　on　the　Priory's　actions。〃
　〃You　mean　lack　thereof。〃
　Langdon　shrugged。　Teabing　was　apparently　on　the　side　of　making　the　documents　public。　〃I　simply　provided　history　on　the　brotherhood　and　described　them　as　a　modern　goddess　worship　society；　keepers　of　the　Grail；　and　guardians　of　ancient　documents。〃
　Sophie　looked　at　him。　〃Did　you　mention　the　keystone？〃
　Langdon　winced。　He　had。　Numerous　times。　〃I　talked　about　the　supposed　keystone　as　an　example　of　the　lengths　to　which　the　Priory　would　go　to　protect　the　Sangreal　documents。〃
　Sophie　looked　amazed。　〃I　guess　that　explains　P。S。　Find　Robert　Langdon。〃
　Langdon　sensed　it　was　actually　something　else　in　the　manuscript　that　had　piqued　Saunière's　interest；　but　that　topic　was　something　he　would　discuss　with　Sophie　when　they　were　alone。
　〃So；〃　Sophie　said；　〃you　lied　to　Captain　Fache。〃
　〃What？〃　Langdon　demanded。
　〃You　told　him　you　had　never　corresponded　with　my　grandfather。〃
　〃I　didn't！　My　editor　sent　him　a　manuscript。〃
　〃Think　about　it；　Robert。　If　Captain　Fache　didn't　find　the　envelope　in　which　your　editor　sent　the　manuscript；　he　would　have　to　conclude　that　you　sent　it。〃　She　paused。　〃Or　worse；　that　you　hand…delivered　it　and　lied　about　it。〃
　　
　When　the　Range　Rover　arrived　at　Le　Bourget　Airfield；　Rémy　drove　to　a　small　hangar　at　the　far　end　of　the　airstrip。　As　they　approached；　a　tousled　man　in　wrinkled　khakis　hurried　from　the　hangar；　waved；　and　slid　open　the　enormous　corrugated　metal　door　to　reveal　a　sleek　white　jet　within。
　Langdon　stared　at　the　glistening　fuselage。　〃That's　Elizabeth？〃
　Teabing　grinned。　〃Beats　the　bloody　Chunnel。〃
　The　man　in　khakis　hurried　toward　them；　squinting　into　the　hea