danbrown.thedavincicode-第71节

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eathe　for　the　first　time　in　years。　He　went　to　the　limousine's　wet　bar；　where　he　poured　himself　a　Smirnoff　vodka。　He　drank　it　in　a　single　swallow　and　followed　it　with　a　second。
　Soon　I　will　be　a　man　of　leisure。
　Searching　the　bar；　Rémy　found　a　standard　service　wine…opener　and　flicked　open　the　sharp　blade。　The　knife　was　usually　employed　to　slice　the　lead　foil　from　corks　on　fine　bottles　of　wine；　but　it　would　serve　a　far　more　dramatic　purpose　this　morning。　Rémy　turned　and　faced　Silas；　holding　up　the　glimmering　blade。
　Now　those　red　eyes　flashed　fear。
　Rémy　smiled　and　moved　toward　the　back　of　the　limousine。　The　monk　recoiled；　struggling　against　his　bonds。
　〃Be　still；〃　Rémy　whispered；　raising　the　blade。
　Silas　could　not　believe　that　God　had　forsaken　him。　Even　the　physical　pain　of　being　bound　Silas　had　turned　into　a　spiritual　exercise；　asking　the　throb　of　his　blood…starved　muscles　to　remind　him　of　the　pain　Christ　endured。　I　have　been　praying　all　night　for　liberation。　Now；　as　the　knife　descended；　Silas　clenched　his　eyes　shut。
　A　slash　of　pain　tore　through　his　shoulder　blades。　He　cried　out；　unable　to　believe　he　was　going　to　die　here　in　the　back　of　this　limousine；　unable　to　defend　himself。　I　was　doing　God's　work。　The　Teacher　said　he　would　protect　me。
　Silas　felt　the　biting　warmth　spreading　across　his　back　and　shoulders　and　could　picture　his　own　blood；　spilling　out　over　his　flesh。　A　piercing　pain　cut　through　his　thighs　now；　and　he　felt　the　onset　of　that　familiar　undertow　of　disorientation…the　body's　defense　mechanism　against　the　pain。
　As　the　biting　heat　tore　through　all　of　his　muscles　now；　Silas　clenched　his　eyes　tighter；　determined　that　the　final　image　of　his　life　would　not　be　of　his　own　killer。　Instead　he　pictured　a　younger　Bishop　Aringarosa；　standing　before　the　small　church　in　Spain。。。　the　church　that　he　and　Silas　had　built　with　their　own　hands。　The　beginning　of　my　life。
　Silas　felt　as　if　his　body　were　on　fire。
　〃Take　a　drink；〃　the　tuxedoed　man　whispered；　his　accent　French。　〃It　will　help　with　your　circulation。〃
　Silas's　eyes　flew　open　in　surprise。　A　blurry　image　was　leaning　over　him；　offering　a　glass　of　liquid。　A　mound　of　shredded　duct　tape　lay　on　the　floor　beside　the　bloodless　knife。
　〃Drink　this；〃　he　repeated。　〃The　pain　you　feel　is　the　blood　rushing　into　your　muscles。〃
　Silas　felt　the　fiery　throb　transforming　now　to　a　prickling　sting。　The　vodka　tasted　terrible；　but　he　drank　it；　feeling　grateful。　Fate　had　dealt　Silas　a　healthy　share　of　bad　luck　tonight；　but　God　had　solved　it　all　with　one　miraculous　twist。
　God　has　not　forsaken　me。
　Silas　knew　what　Bishop　Aringarosa　would　call　it。
　Divine　intervention。
　〃I　had　wanted　to　free　you　earlier；〃　the　servant　apologized；　〃but　it　was　impossible。　With　the　police　arriving　at　Chateau　Villette；　and　then　at　Biggin　Hill　airport；　this　was　the　first　possible　moment。　You　understand；　don't　you；　Silas？〃
　Silas　recoiled；　startled。　〃You　know　my　name？〃
　The　servant　smiled。
　Silas　sat　up　now；　rubbing　his　stiff　muscles；　his　emotions　a　torrent　of　incredulity；　appreciation；　and　confusion。　〃Are　you。。。　the　Teacher？〃
　Rémy　shook　his　head；　laughing　at　the　proposition。　〃I　wish　I　had　that　kind　of　power。　No；　I　am　not　the　Teacher。　Like　you；　I　serve　him。　But　the　Teacher　speaks　highly　of　you。　My　name　is　Rémy。〃
　Silas　was　amazed。　〃I　don't　understand。　If　you　work　for　the　Teacher；　why　did　Langdon　bring　the　keystone　to　your　home？〃
　〃Not　my　home。　The　home　of　the　world's　foremost　Grail　historian；　Sir　Leigh　Teabing。〃
　〃But　you　live　there。　The　odds。。。〃
　Rémy　smiled；　seeming　to　have　no　trouble　with　the　apparent　coincidence　of　Langdon's　chosen　refuge。　〃It　was　all　utterly　predictable。　Robert　Langdon　was　in　possession　of　the　keystone；　and　he　needed　help。　What　more　logical　place　to　run　than　to　the　home　of　Leigh　Teabing？　That　I　happen　to　live　there　is　why　the　Teacher　approached　me　in　the　first　place。〃　He　paused。　〃How　do　you　think　the　Teacher　knows　so　much　about　the　Grail？〃
　Now　it　dawned；　and　Silas　was　stunned。　The　Teacher　had　recruited　a　servant　who　had　access　to　all　of　Sir　Leigh　Teabing's　research。　It　was　brilliant。
　〃There　is　much　I　have　to　tell　you；〃　Rémy　said；　handing　Silas　the　loaded　Heckler　Koch　pistol。　Then　he　reached　through　the　open　partition　and　retrieved　a　small；　palm…sized　revolver　from　the　glove　box。　〃But　first；　you　and　I　have　a　job　to　do。〃
　　
　Captain　Fache　descended　from　his　transport　plane　at　Biggin　Hill　and　listened　in　disbelief　to　the　Kent　chief　inspector's　account　of　what　had　happened　in　Teabing's　hangar。
　〃I　searched　the　plane　myself；〃　the　inspector　insisted；　〃and　there　was　no　one　inside。〃　His　tone　turned　haughty。　〃And　I　should　add　that　if　Sir　Leigh　Teabing　presses　charges　against　me；　I　will…〃
　〃Did　you　interrogate　the　pilot？〃
　〃Of　course　not。　He　is　French；　and　our　jurisdiction　requires…〃
　〃Take　me　to　the　plane。〃
　Arriving　at　the　hangar；　Fache　needed　only　sixty　seconds　to　locate　an　anomalous　smear　of　blood　on　the　pavement　near　where　the　limousine　had　been　parked。　Fache　walked　up　to　the　plane　and　rapped　loudly　on　the　fuselage。
　〃This　is　the　captain　of　the　French　Judicial　Police。　Open　the　door！〃
　The　terrified　pilot　opened　the　hatch　and　lowered　the　stairs。
　Fache　ascended。　Three　minutes　later；　with　the　help　of　his　sidearm；　he　had　a　full　confession；　including　a　description　of　the　bound　albino　monk。　In　addition；　he　learned　that　the　pilot　saw　Langdon　and　Sophie　leave　something　behind　in　Teabing's　safe；　a　wooden　box　of　some　sort。　Although　the　pilot　denied　knowing　what　was　in　the　box；　he　admitted　it　had　been　the　focus　of　Langdon's　full　attention　during　the　flight　to　London。
　〃Open　the　safe；〃　Fache　demanded。
　The　pilot　looked　terrified。　〃I　don't　know　the　bination！〃
　〃That's　too　bad。　I　was　going　to　offer　to　let　you　keep　your　pilot's　license。〃
　The　pilot　wrung　his　hands。　〃I　know　some　men　in　maintenance　here。　Maybe　they　could　drill　it？〃
　〃You　have　half　an　hour。〃
　The　pilot　leapt　for　his　radio。
　Fache　strode　to　the　back　of　the　plane　and　poured　himself　a　hard　drink。　It　was　early；　but　he　had　not　yet　slept；　so　this　hardly　counted　as　drinking　before　noon。　Sitting　in　a　plush　bucket　seat；　he　closed　his　eyes；　trying　to　sort　out　what　was　going　on。　The　Kent　police's　blunder　could　cost　me　dearly。　Everyone　was　now　on　the　lookout　for　a　black　Jaguar　limousine。
　Fache's　phone　rang；　and　he　wished　for　a　moment's　peace。　〃Allo？〃
　〃I'm　en　route　to　London。〃　It　was　Bishop　Aringarosa。　〃I'll　be　arriving　in　an　hour。〃
　Fache　sat　up。　〃I　thought　you　were　going　to　Paris。〃
　〃I　am　deeply　concerned。　I　have　changed　my　plans。〃
　〃You　should　not　have。〃
　〃Do　you　have　Silas？〃
　〃No。　His　captors　eluded　the　local　police　before　I　landed。〃
　Aringarosa's　anger　rang　sharply。　〃You　assured　me　you　would　stop　that　plane！〃
　Fache　lowered　his　voice。　〃Bishop；　considering　your　situation；　I　remend　you　not　test　my　patience　today。　I　will　find　Silas　and　the　others　as　soon　as　possible。　Where　are　you　landing？〃
　〃One　moment。〃　Aringarosa　covered　the　receiver　and　then　came　back。　〃The　pilot　is　trying　to　get　clearance　at　Heathrow。　I'm　his　only　passenger；　but　our　redirect　was　unscheduled。〃
　〃Tell　him　to　e　to　Biggin　Hill　Executive　Airport　in　Kent。　I'll　get　him　clearance。　If　I'm　not　here　when　you　land；　I'll　have　a　car　waiting　for　you。〃
　〃Thank　you。〃
　〃As　I　expressed　when　we　first　spoke；　Bishop；　you　would　do　well　to　remember　that　you　are　not　the　only　man　on　the　verge　of　losing　everything。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　85
　
　You　seek　the　orb　that　ought　be　on　his　tomb。
　Each　of　the　carved　knights　within　the　Temple　Church　lay　on　his　back　with　his　head　resting　on　a　rectangular　stone　pillow。　Sophie　felt　a　chill。　The　poem's　reference　to　an　〃orb〃　conjured　images　of　the　night　in　her　grandfather's　basement。
　Hieros　Gamos。　The　orbs。
　Sophie　wondered　if　the　ritual　had　been　performed　in　this　very　sanctuary。　The　circular　room　seemed　custom…built　for　such　a　pagan　rite。　A　stone　pew　encircled　a　bare　expanse　of　floor　in　the　middle。　A　theater　in　the　round；　as　Robert　had　called　it。　She　imagined　this　chamber　at　night；　filled　with　masked　people；　chanting　by　torchlight；　all　witnessing　a　〃sacred　munion〃　in　the　center　of　the　room。
　Forcing　the　image　from　her　mind；　she　advanced　with　Langdon　and　Teabing　toward　the　first　group　of　knights。　Despite　Teabing's　insistence　that　their　investigation　should　be　conducted　meticulously；　Sophie　felt　eager　and　pushed　ahead　of　them；　making　a　cursory　walk…through　of　the　five　knights　on　the　left。
　Scrutinizing　these　first　tombs；　Sophie　noted　the　similarities　and　differences　between　them。　Every　knight　was　on　his　back；　but　three　of　the　knights　had　their　legs　extended　straight　out　while　two　had　their　legs　crossed。　The　oddity　seemed　to　have　no　relevance　to　the　missing　orb。　Examining　their　clothing；　Sophie　noted　that　two　of　the　knights　wore　tunics　over　their　armor；　while　the　other　three　wore　ankle…length　robes。　Again；　utterly　unhelpful。　Sophie　turned　her　attention　to　the　only　other　obvious　difference…their　hand　positions。　Two　knights　clutched　swords；　two　prayed；　and　one　had　his　arms　at　his　side。　After　a　long　moment　looking　at　the　hands；　Sophie　shrugged；　having　seen　no　hint　anywhere　of　a　conspicuously　absent　orb。
　Feeling　the　weight　of　the　cryptex　in　her　sweater　pocket；　she　gla