danbrown.thedavincicode-第78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！


himself　in　the　Temple　Church；　Rémy　had　accelerated　the　necessity　dramatically。　Robert　Langdon's　unexpected　visit　to　Chateau　Villette　had　brought　the　Teacher　both　a　fortuitous　windfall　and　an　intricate　dilemma。　Langdon　had　delivered　the　keystone　directly　to　the　heart　of　the　operation；　which　was　a　pleasant　surprise；　and　yet　he　had　brought　the　police　on　his　tail。　Rémy's　prints　were　all　over　Chateau　Villette；　as　well　as　in　the　barn's　listening　post；　where　Rémy　had　carried　out　the　surveillance。　The　Teacher　was　grateful　he　had　taken　so　much　care　in　preventing　any　ties　between　Rémy's　activities　and　his　own。　Nobody　could　implicate　the　Teacher　unless　Rémy　talked；　and　that　was　no　longer　a　concern。
　One　more　loose　end　to　tie　up　here；　the　Teacher　thought；　moving　now　toward　the　rear　door　of　the　limousine。　The　police　will　have　no　idea　what　happened。。。　and　no　living　witness　left　to　tell　them。　Glancing　around　to　ensure　nobody　was　watching；　he　pulled　open　the　door　and　climbed　into　the　spacious　rear　partment。
　　
　Minutes　later；　the　Teacher　was　crossing　St。　James's　Park。　Only　two　people　now　remain。　Langdon　and　Neveu。　They　were　more　plicated。　But　manageable。　At　the　moment；　however；　the　Teacher　had　the　cryptex　to　attend　to。
　Gazing　triumphantly　across　the　park；　he　could　see　his　destination。　In　London　lies　a　knight　a　Pope　interred。　As　soon　as　the　Teacher　had　heard　the　poem；　he　had　known　the　answer。　Even　so；　that　the　others　had　not　figured　it　out　was　not　surprising。　I　have　an　unfair　advantage。　Having　listened　to　Saunière's　conversations　for　months　now；　the　Teacher　had　heard　the　Grand　Master　mention　this　famous　knight　on　occasion；　expressing　esteem　almost　matching　that　he　held　for　Da　Vinci。　The　poem's　reference　to　the　knight　was　brutally　simple　once　one　saw　it…a　credit　to　Saunière's　wit…and　yet　how　this　tomb　would　reveal　the　final　password　was　still　a　mystery。
　You　seek　the　orb　that　ought　be　on　his　tomb。
　The　Teacher　vaguely　recalled　photos　of　the　famous　tomb　and；　in　particular；　its　most　distinguishing　feature。　A　magnificent　orb。　The　huge　sphere　mounted　atop　the　tomb　was　almost　as　large　as　the　tomb　itself。　The　presence　of　the　orb　seemed　both　encouraging　and　troubling　to　the　Teacher。　On　one　hand；　it　felt　like　a　signpost；　and　yet；　according　to　the　poem；　the　missing　piece　of　the　puzzle　was　an　orb　that　ought　to　be　on　his　tomb。。。　not　one　that　was　already　there。　He　was　counting　on　his　closer　inspection　of　the　tomb　to　unveil　the　answer。
　The　rain　was　getting　heavier　now；　and　he　tucked　the　cryptex　deep　in　his　right…hand　pocket　to　protect　it　from　the　dampness。　He　kept　the　tiny　Medusa　revolver　in　his　left；　out　of　sight。　Within　minutes；　he　was　stepping　into　the　quiet　sanctuary　of　London's　grandest　nine…hundred…year…old　building。
　　
　Just　as　the　Teacher　was　stepping　out　of　the　rain；　Bishop　Aringarosa　was　stepping　into　it。　On　the　rainy　tarmac　at　Biggin　Hill　Executive　Airport；　Aringarosa　emerged　from　his　cramped　plane；　bundling　his　cassock　against　the　cold　damp。　He　had　hoped　to　be　greeted　by　Captain　Fache。　Instead　a　young　British　police　officer　approached　with　an　umbrella。
　〃Bishop　Aringarosa？　Captain　Fache　had　to　leave。　He　asked　me　to　look　after　you。　He　suggested　I　take　you　to　Scotland　Yard。　He　thought　it　would　be　safest。〃
　Safest？　Aringarosa　looked　down　at　the　heavy　briefcase　of　Vatican　bonds　clutched　in　his　hand。　He　had　almost　forgotten。　〃Yes；　thank　you。〃
　Aringarosa　climbed　into　the　police　car；　wondering　where　Silas　could　be。　Minutes　later；　the　police　scanner　crackled　with　the　answer。
　5　Orme　Court。
　Aringarosa　recognized　the　address　instantly。
　The　Opus　Dei　Centre　in　London。
　He　spun　to　the　driver。　〃Take　me　there　at　once！〃
　　
　CHAPTER　95
　
　Langdon's　eyes　had　not　left　the　puter　screen　since　the　search　began。
　Five　minutes。　Only　two　hits。　Both　irrelevant。
　He　was　starting　to　get　worried。
　Pamela　Gettum　was　in　the　adjoining　room；　preparing　hot　drinks。　Langdon　and　Sophie　had　inquired　unwisely　if　there　might　be　some　coffee　brewing　alongside　the　tea　Gettum　had　offered；　and　from　the　sound　of　the　microwave　beeps　in　the　next　room；　Langdon　suspected　their　request　was　about　to　be　rewarded　with　instant　Nescafe。
　Finally；　the　puter　pinged　happily。
　〃Sounds　like　you　got　another；〃　Gettum　called　from　the　next　room。　〃What's　the　title？〃
　Langdon　eyed　the　screen。
　Grail　Allegory　in　Medieval　Literature：　A　Treatise　on　Sir　Gawain　and　the　Green　Knight。
　　
　〃Allegory　of　the　Green　Knight；〃　he　called　back。
　〃No　good；〃　Gettum　said。　〃Not　many　mythological　green　giants　buried　in　London。〃
　Langdon　and　Sophie　sat　patiently　in　front　of　the　screen　and　waited　through　two　more　dubious　returns。　When　the　puter　pinged　again；　though；　the　offering　was　unexpected。
　DIE　OPERN　VON　RICHARD　WAGNER
　　
　〃The　operas　of　Wagner？〃　Sophie　asked。
　Gettum　peeked　back　in　the　doorway；　holding　a　packet　of　instant　coffee。　〃That　seems　like　a　strange　match。　Was　Wagner　a　knight？〃
　〃No；〃　Langdon　said；　feeling　a　sudden　intrigue。　〃But　he　was　a　well…known　Freemason。〃　Along　with　Mozart；　Beethoven；　Shakespeare；　Gershwin；　Houdini；　and　Disney。　Volumes　had　been　written　about　the　ties　between　the　Masons　and　the　Knights　Templar；　the　Priory　of　Sion；　and　the　Holy　Grail。　〃I　want　to　look　at　this　one。　How　do　I　see　the　full　text？〃
　〃You　don't　want　the　full　text；〃　Gettum　called。　〃Click　on　the　hypertext　title。　The　puter　will　display　your　keyword　hits　along　with　mono　prelogs　and　triple　postlogs　for　context。〃
　Langdon　had　no　idea　what　she　had　just　said；　but　he　clicked　anyway。
　A　new　window　popped　up。
　。。。mythological　knight　named　Parsifal　who。。。
　。。。metaphorical　Grail　quest　that　arguably。。。
　。。。the　London　Philharmonic　in　1855。。。
　Rebecca　Pope's　opera　anthology　〃Diva's。。。
　。。。Wagner's　tomb　in　Bayreuth；　Germany。。。
　　
　〃Wrong　Pope；〃　Langdon　said；　disappointed。　Even　so；　he　was　amazed　by　the　system's　ease　of　use。　The　keywords　with　context　were　enough　to　remind　him　that　Wagner's　opera　Parsifal　was　a　tribute　to　Mary　Magdalene　and　the　bloodline　of　Jesus　Christ；　told　through　the　story　of　a　young　knight　on　a　quest　for　truth。
　〃Just　be　patient；〃　Gettum　urged。　〃It's　a　numbers　game。　Let　the　machine　run。〃
　Over　the　next　few　minutes；　the　puter　returned　several　more　Grail　references；　including　a　text　about　troubadours…France's　famous　wandering　minstrels。　Langdon　knew　it　was　no　coincidence　that　the　word　minstrel　and　minister　shared　an　etymological　root。　The　troubadours　were　the　traveling　servants　or　〃ministers〃　of　the　Church　of　Mary　Magdalene；　using　music　to　disseminate　the　story　of　the　sacred　feminine　among　the　mon　folk。　To　this　day；　the　troubadours　sang　songs　extolling　the　virtues　of　〃our　Lady〃…a　mysterious　and　beautiful　woman　to　whom　they　pledged　themselves　forever。
　Eagerly；　he　checked　the　hypertext　but　found　nothing。
　The　puter　pinged　again。
　KNIGHTS；　KNAVES；　POPES；　AND　PENTACLES：　THE　HISTORY　OF　THE　HOLY　GRAIL　THROUGH　TAROT
　　
　〃Not　surprising；〃　Langdon　said　to　Sophie。　〃Some　of　our　keywords　have　the　same　names　as　individual　cards。〃　He　reached　for　the　mouse　to　click　on　a　hyperlink。　〃I'm　not　sure　if　your　grandfather　ever　mentioned　it　when　you　played　Tarot　with　him；　Sophie；　but　this　game　is　a　'flash…card　catechism'　into　the　story　of　the　Lost　Bride　and　her　subjugation　by　the　evil　Church。〃
　Sophie　eyed　him；　looking　incredulous。　〃I　had　no　idea。〃
　〃That's　the　point。　By　teaching　through　a　metaphorical　game；　the　followers　of　the　Grail　disguised　their　message　from　the　watchful　eye　of　the　Church。〃　Langdon　often　wondered　how　many　modern　card　players　had　any　clue　that　their　four　suits…spades；　hearts；　clubs；　diamonds…were　Grail…related　symbols　that　came　directly　from　Tarot's　four　suits　of　swords；　cups；　scepters；　and　pentacles。
　Spades　were　Swords…The　blade。　Male。
　Hearts　were　Cups…The　chalice。　Feminine。
　Clubs　were　Scepters…The　Royal　Line。　The　flowering　staff。
　Diamonds　were　Pentacles…The　goddess。　The　sacred　feminine。
　　
　Four　minutes　later；　as　Langdon　began　feeling　fearful　they　would　not　find　what　they　had　e　for；　the　puter　produced　another　hit。
　The　Gravity　of　Genius：　Biography　of　a　Modern　Knight。
　　
　〃Gravity　of　Genius？〃　Langdon　called　out　to　Gettum。　〃Bio　of　a　modern　knight？〃
　Gettum　stuck　her　head　around　the　corner。　〃How　modern？　Please　don't　tell　me　it's　your　Sir　Rudy　Giuliani。　Personally；　I　found　that　one　a　bit　off　the　mark。〃
　Langdon　had　his　own　qualms　about　the　newly　knighted　Sir　Mick　Jagger；　but　this　hardly　seemed　the　moment　to　debate　the　politics　of　modern　British　knighthood。　〃Let's　have　a　look。〃　Langdon　summoned　up　the　hypertext　keywords。
　。。。　honorable　knight；　Sir　Isaac　Newton。。。
　。。。　in　London　in　1727　and。。。
　。。。　his　tomb　in　Westminster　Abbey。。。
　。。。　Alexander　Pope；　friend　and　colleague。。。
　　
　〃I　guess　'modern'　is　a　relative　term；〃　Sophie　called　to　Gettum。　〃It's　an　old　book。　About　Sir　Isaac　Newton。〃
　Gettum　shook　her　head　in　the　doorway。　〃No　good。　Newton　was　buried　in　Westminster　Abbey；　the　seat　of　English　Protestantism。　There's　no　way　a　Catholic　Pope　was　present。　Cream　and　sugar？〃
　Sophie　nodded。
　Gettum　waited。　〃Robert？〃
　Langdon's　heart　was　hammering。　He　pulled　his　eyes　from　the　screen　and　stood　up。　〃Sir　Isaac　Newton　is　our　knight。〃
　Sophie　remained　seated。　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃
　〃Newton　is　bur