danbrown.thedavincicode-第81节

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　linked　directly　to　the　position　of　planets…orbs。〃
　Langdon　nodded；　feeling　the　first　faint　wisps　of　possibility　materializing。　Even　so；　his　intuition　told　him　astronomy　was　not　the　key。　The　Grand　Master's　previous　solutions　had　all　possessed　an　eloquent；　symbolic　significance…the　Mona　Lisa；　Madonna　of　the　Rocks；　SOFIA。　This　eloquence　was　definitely　lacking　in　the　concept　of　planetary　orbs　and　the　zodiac。　Thus　far；　Jacques　Saunière　had　proven　himself　a　meticulous　code　writer；　and　Langdon　had　to　believe　that　his　final　password…those　five　letters　that　unlocked　the　Priory's　ultimate　secret…would　prove　to　be　not　only　symbolically　fitting　but　also　crystal　clear。　If　this　solution　were　anything　like　the　others；　it　would　be　painfully　obvious　once　it　dawned。
　〃Look！〃　Sophie　gasped；　jarring　his　thoughts　as　she　grabbed　his　arm。　From　the　fear　in　her　touch　Langdon　sensed　someone　must　be　approaching；　but　when　he　turned　to　her；　she　was　staring　aghast　at　the　top　of　the　black　marble　sarcophagus。　〃Someone　was　here；〃　she　whispered；　pointing　to　a　spot　on　the　sarcophagus　near　Newton's　outstretched　right　foot。
　Langdon　did　not　understand　her　concern。　A　careless　tourist　had　left　a　charcoal；　grave…rubbing　pencil　on　the　sarcophagus　lid　near　Newton's　foot。　It's　nothing。　Langdon　reached　out　to　pick　it　up；　but　as　he　leaned　toward　the　sarcophagus；　the　light　shifted　on　the　polished　black…marble　slab；　and　Langdon　froze。　Suddenly；　he　saw　why　Sophie　was　afraid。
　Scrawled　on　the　sarcophagus　lid；　at　Newton's　feet；　shimmered　a　barely　visible　charcoal…pencil　message：
　I　have　Teabing。
　Go　through　Chapter　House；
　out　south　exit；　to　public　garden。
　　
　Langdon　read　the　words　twice；　his　heart　pounding　wildly。
　Sophie　turned　and　scanned　the　nave。
　Despite　the　pall　of　trepidation　that　settled　over　him　upon　seeing　the　words；　Langdon　told　himself　this　was　good　news。　Leigh　is　still　alive。　There　was　another　implication　here　too。　〃They　don't　know　the　password　either；〃　he　whispered。
　Sophie　nodded。　Otherwise　why　make　their　presence　known？
　〃They　may　want　to　trade　Leigh　for　the　password。〃
　〃Or　it's　a　trap。〃
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃I　don't　think　so。　The　garden　is　outside　the　abbey　walls。　A　very　public　place。〃　Langdon　had　once　visited　the　abbey's　famous　College　Garden…a　small　fruit　orchard　and　herb　garden…left　over　from　the　days　when　monks　grew　natural　pharmacological　remedies　here。　Boasting　the　oldest　living　fruit　trees　in　Great　Britain；　College　Garden　was　a　popular　spot　for　tourists　to　visit　without　having　to　enter　the　abbey。　〃I　think　sending　us　outside　is　a　show　of　faith。　So　we　feel　safe。〃
　Sophie　looked　dubious。　〃You　mean　outside；　where　there　are　no　metal　detectors？〃
　Langdon　scowled。　She　had　a　point。
　Gazing　back　at　the　orb…filled　tomb；　Langdon　wished　he　had　some　idea　about　the　cryptex　password。。。　something　with　which　to　negotiate。　I　got　Leigh　involved　in　this；　and　I'll　do　whatever　it　takes　if　there　is　a　chance　to　help　him。
　〃The　note　says　to　go　through　the　Chapter　House　to　the　south　exit；〃　Sophie　said。　〃Maybe　from　the　exit　we　would　have　a　view　of　the　garden？　That　way　we　could　assess　the　situation　before　we　walked　out　there　and　exposed　ourselves　to　any　danger？〃
　The　idea　was　a　good　one。　Langdon　vaguely　recalled　the　Chapter　House　as　a　huge　octagonal　hall　where　the　original　British　Parliament　convened　in　the　days　before　the　modern　Parliament　building　existed。　It　had　been　years　since　he　had　been　there；　but　he　remembered　it　being　out　through　the　cloister　somewhere。　Taking　several　steps　back　from　the　tomb；　Langdon　peered　around　the　choir　screen　to　his　right；　across　the　nave　to　the　side　opposite　that　which　they　had　descended。
　A　gaping　vaulted　passageway　stood　nearby；　with　a　large　sign。
　THIS　WAY　TO：
　CLOISTERS
　DEANERY
　COLLEGE　HALL
　MUSEUM
　PYX　CHAMBER
　ST。　FAITH'S　CHAPEL
　CHAPTER　HOUSE
　　
　Langdon　and　Sophie　were　jogging　as　they　passed　beneath　the　sign；　moving　too　quickly　to　notice　the　small　announcement　apologizing　that　certain　areas　were　closed　for　renovations。
　They　emerged　immediately　into　a　high…walled；　open…roof　courtyard　through　which　morning　rain　was　falling。　Above　them；　the　wind　howled　across　the　opening　with　a　low　drone；　like　someone　blowing　over　the　mouth　of　a　bottle。　Entering　the　narrow；　low…hanging　walkways　that　bordered　the　courtyard　perimeter；　Langdon　felt　the　familiar　uneasiness　he　always　felt　in　enclosed　spaces。　These　walkways　were　called　cloisters；　and　Langdon　noted　with　uneasiness　that　these　particular　cloisters　lived　up　to　their　Latin　ties　to　the　word　claustrophobic。
　Focusing　his　mind　straight　ahead　toward　the　end　of　the　tunnel；　Langdon　followed　the　signs　for　the　Chapter　House。　The　rain　was　spitting　now；　and　the　walkway　was　cold　and　damp　with　gusts　of　rain　that　blew　through　the　lone　pillared　wall　that　was　the　cloister's　only　source　of　light。　Another　couple　scurried　past　them　the　other　way；　hurrying　to　get　out　of　the　worsening　weather。　The　cloisters　looked　deserted　now；　admittedly　the　abbey's　least　enticing　section　in　the　wind　and　rain。
　Forty　yards　down　the　east　cloister；　an　archway　materialized　on　their　left；　giving　way　to　another　hallway。　Although　this　was　the　entrance　they　were　looking　for；　the　opening　was　cordoned　off　by　a　swag　and　an　official…looking　sign。
　CLOSED　FOR　RENOVATION
　PYX　CHAMBER
　ST。　FAITH'S　CHAPEL
　CHAPTER　HOUSE
　　
　The　long；　deserted　corridor　beyond　the　swag　was　littered　with　scaffolding　and　drop　cloths。　Immediately　beyond　the　swag；　Langdon　could　see　the　entrances　to　the　Pyx　Chamber　and　St。　Faith's　Chapel　on　the　right　and　left。　The　entrance　to　the　Chapter　House；　however；　was　much　farther　away；　at　the　far　end　of　the　long　hallway。　Even　from　here；　Langdon　could　see　that　its　heavy　wooden　door　was　wide　open；　and　the　spacious　octagonal　interior　was　bathed　in　a　grayish　natural　light　from　the　room's　enormous　windows　that　looked　out　on　College　Garden。　Go　through　Chapter　House；　out　south　exit；　to　public　garden。
　〃We　just　left　the　east　cloister；〃　Langdon　said；　〃so　the　south　exit　to　the　garden　must　be　through　there　and　to　the　right。〃
　Sophie　was　already　stepping　over　the　swag　and　moving　forward。
　As　they　hurried　down　the　dark　corridor；　the　sounds　of　the　wind　and　rain　from　the　open　cloister　faded　behind　them。　The　Chapter　House　was　a　kind　of　satellite　structure…a　freestanding　annex　at　the　end　of　the　long　hallway　to　ensure　the　privacy　of　the　Parliament　proceedings　housed　there。
　〃It　looks　huge；〃　Sophie　whispered　as　they　approached。
　Langdon　had　forgotten　just　how　large　this　room　was。　Even　from　outside　the　entrance；　he　could　gaze　across　the　vast　expanse　of　floor　to　the　breathtaking　windows　on　the　far　side　of　the　octagon；　which　rose　five　stories　to　a　vaulted　ceiling。　They　would　certainly　have　a　clear　view　of　the　garden　from　in　here。
　Crossing　the　threshold；　both　Langdon　and　Sophie　found　themselves　having　to　squint。　After　the　gloomy　cloisters；　the　Chapter　House　felt　like　a　solarium。　They　were　a　good　ten　feet　into　the　room；　searching　the　south　wall；　when　they　realized　the　door　they　had　been　promised　was　not　there。
　They　were　standing　in　an　enormous　dead　end。
　The　creaking　of　a　heavy　door　behind　them　made　them　turn；　just　as　the　door　closed　with　a　resounding　thud　and　the　latch　fell　into　place。
　The　lone　man　who　had　been　standing　behind　the　door　looked　calm　as　he　aimed　a　small　revolver　at　them。　He　was　portly　and　was　propped　on　a　pair　of　aluminum　crutches。
　For　a　moment　Langdon　thought　he　must　be　dreaming。
　It　was　Leigh　Teabing。
　　
　CHAPTER　99
　
　Sir　Leigh　Teabing　felt　rueful　as　he　gazed　out　over　the　barrel　of　his　Medusa　revolver　at　Robert　Langdon　and　Sophie　Neveu。　〃My　friends；〃　he　said；　〃since　the　moment　you　walked　into　my　home　last　night；　I　have　done　everything　in　my　power　to　keep　you　out　of　harm's　way。　But　your　persistence　has　now　put　me　in　a　difficult　position。〃
　He　could　see　the　expressions　of　shock　and　betrayal　on　Sophie's　and　Langdon's　faces；　and　yet　he　was　confident　that　soon　they　would　both　understand　the　chain　of　events　that　had　guided　the　three　of　them　to　this　unlikely　crossroads。
　There　is　so　much　I　have　to　tell　you　both。。。　so　much　you　do　not　yet　understand。
　〃Please　believe；〃　Teabing　said；　〃I　never　had　any　intention　of　your　being　involved。　You　came　to　my　home。　You　came　searching　for　me。〃
　〃Leigh？〃　Langdon　finally　managed。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？　We　thought　you　were　in　trouble。　We　came　here　to　help　you！〃
　〃As　I　trusted　you　would；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　much　to　discuss。〃
　Langdon　and　Sophie　seemed　unable　to　tear　their　stunned　gazes　from　the　revolver　aimed　at　them。
　〃It　is　simply　to　ensure　your　full　attention；〃　Teabing　said。　〃If　I　had　wanted　to　harm　you；　you　would　be　dead　by　now。　When　you　walked　into　my　home　last　night；　I　risked　everything　to　spare　your　lives。　I　am　a　man　of　honor；　and　I　vowed　in　my　deepest　conscience　only　to　sacrifice　those　who　had　betrayed　the　Sangreal。〃
　〃What　are　you　talking　about？〃　Langdon　said。　〃Betrayed　the　Sangreal？〃
　〃I　discovered　a　terrible　truth；〃　Teabing　said；　sighing。　〃I　learned　why　the　Sangreal　documents　were　never　revealed　to　the　world。　I　learned　that　the　Priory　had　decided　not　to　release　the　truth　after　all。　That's　why　the　millennium　passed　without　any　revelation；　why　nothing　happened　as　we　entered