danbrown.thedavincicode-第82节

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er　all。　That's　why　the　millennium　passed　without　any　revelation；　why　nothing　happened　as　we　entered　the　End　of　Days。〃
　Langdon　drew　a　breath；　about　to　protest。
　〃The　Priory；〃　Teabing　continued；　〃was　given　a　sacred　charge　to　share　the　truth。　To　release　the　Sangreal　documents　when　the　End　of　Days　arrived。　For　centuries；　men　like　Da　Vinci；　Botticelli；　and　Newton　risked　everything　to　protect　the　documents　and　carry　out　that　charge。　And　now；　at　the　ultimate　moment　of　truth；　Jacques　Saunière　changed　his　mind。　The　man　honored　with　the　greatest　responsibility　in　Christian　history　eschewed　his　duty。　He　decided　the　time　was　not　right。〃　Teabing　turned　to　Sophie。　〃He　failed　the　Grail。　He　failed　the　Priory。　And　he　failed　the　memory　of　all　the　generations　that　had　worked　to　make　that　moment　possible。〃
　〃You？〃　Sophie　declared；　glancing　up　now；　her　green　eyes　boring　into　him　with　rage　and　realization。　〃You　are　the　one　responsible　for　my　grandfather's　murder？〃
　Teabing　scoffed。　〃Your　grandfather　and　his　sénéchaux　were　traitors　to　the　Grail。〃
　Sophie　felt　a　fury　rising　from　deep　within。　He's　lying！
　Teabing's　voice　was　relentless。　〃Your　grandfather　sold　out　to　the　Church。　It　is　obvious　they　pressured　him　to　keep　the　truth　quiet。〃
　Sophie　shook　her　head。　〃The　Church　had　no　influence　on　my　grandfather！〃
　Teabing　laughed　coldly。　〃My　dear；　the　Church　has　two　thousand　years　of　experience　pressuring　those　who　threaten　to　unveil　its　lies。　Since　the　days　of　Constantine；　the　Church　has　successfully　hidden　the　truth　about　Mary　Magdalene　and　Jesus。　We　should　not　be　surprised　that　now；　once　again；　they　have　found　a　way　to　keep　the　world　in　the　dark。　The　Church　may　no　longer　employ　crusaders　to　slaughter　non…believers；　but　their　influence　is　no　less　persuasive。　No　less　insidious。〃　He　paused；　as　if　to　punctuate　his　next　point。　〃Miss　Neveu；　for　some　time　now　your　grandfather　has　wanted　to　tell　you　the　truth　about　your　family。〃
　Sophie　was　stunned。　〃How　could　you　know　that？〃
　〃My　methods　are　immaterial。　The　important　thing　for　you　to　grasp　right　now　is　this。〃　He　took　a　deep　breath。　〃The　deaths　of　your　mother；　father；　grandmother；　and　brother　were　not　accidental。〃
　The　words　sent　Sophie's　emotions　reeling。　She　opened　her　mouth　to　speak　but　was　unable。
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃What　are　you　saying？〃
　〃Robert；　it　explains　everything。　All　the　pieces　fit。　History　repeats　itself。　The　Church　has　a　precedent　of　murder　when　it　es　to　silencing　the　Sangreal。　With　the　End　of　Days　imminent；　killing　the　Grand　Master's　loved　ones　sent　a　very　clear　message。　Be　quiet；　or　you　and　Sophie　are　next。〃
　〃It　was　a　car　accident；〃　Sophie　stammered；　feeling　the　childhood　pain　welling　inside　her。　〃An　accident！〃
　〃Bedtime　stories　to　protect　your　innocence；〃　Teabing　said。　〃Consider　that　only　two　family　members　went　untouched…the　Priory's　Grand　Master　and　his　lone　granddaughter…the　perfect　pair　to　provide　the　Church　with　control　over　the　brotherhood。　I　can　only　imagine　the　terror　the　Church　wielded　over　your　grandfather　these　past　years；　threatening　to　kill　you　if　he　dared　release　the　Sangreal　secret；　threatening　to　finish　the　job　they　started　unless　Saunière　influenced　the　Priory　to　reconsider　its　ancient　vow。〃
　〃Leigh；〃　Langdon　argued；　now　visibly　riled；　〃certainly　you　have　no　proof　that　the　Church　had　anything　to　do　with　those　deaths；　or　that　it　influenced　the　Priory's　decision　to　remain　silent。〃
　〃Proof？〃　Teabing　fired　back。　〃You　want　proof　the　Priory　was　influenced？　The　new　millennium　has　arrived；　and　yet　the　world　remains　ignorant！　Is　that　not　proof　enough？〃
　In　the　echoes　of　Teabing's　words；　Sophie　heard　another　voice　speaking。　Sophie；　I　must　tell　you　the　truth　about　your　family。　She　realized　she　was　trembling。　Could　this　possibly　be　that　truth　her　grandfather　had　wanted　to　tell　her？　That　her　family　had　been　murdered？　What　did　she　truly　know　about　the　crash　that　took　her　family？　Only　sketchy　details。　Even　the　stories　in　the　newspaper　had　been　vague。　An　accident？　Bedtime　stories？　Sophie　flashed　suddenly　on　her　grandfather's　overprotectiveness；　how　he　never　liked　to　leave　her　alone　when　she　was　young。　Even　when　Sophie　was　grown　and　away　at　university；　she　had　the　sense　her　grandfather　was　watching　over。　She　wondered　if　there　had　been　Priory　members　in　the　shadows　throughout　her　entire　life；　looking　after　her。
　〃You　suspected　he　was　being　manipulated；〃　Langdon　said；　glaring　with　disbelief　at　Teabing。　〃So　you　murdered　him？〃
　〃I　did　not　pull　the　trigger；〃　Teabing　said。　〃Saunière　was　dead　years　ago；　when　the　Church　stole　his　family　from　him。　He　was　promised。　Now　he　is　free　of　that　pain；　released　from　the　shame　caused　by　his　inability　to　carry　out　his　sacred　duty。　Consider　the　alternative。　Something　had　to　be　done。　Shall　the　world　be　ignorant　forever？　Shall　the　Church　be　allowed　to　cement　its　lies　into　our　history　books　for　all　eternity？　Shall　the　Church　be　permitted　to　influence　indefinitely　with　murder　and　extortion？　No；　something　needed　to　be　done！　And　now　we　are　poised　to　carry　out　Saunière's　legacy　and　right　a　terrible　wrong。〃　He　paused。　〃The　three　of　us。　Together。〃
　Sophie　felt　only　incredulity。　〃How　could　you　possibly　believe　that　we　would　help　you？〃
　〃Because；　my　dear；　you　are　the　reason　the　Priory　failed　to　release　the　documents。　Your　grandfather's　love　for　you　prevented　him　from　challenging　the　Church。　His　fear　of　reprisal　against　his　only　remaining　family　crippled　him。　He　never　had　a　chance　to　explain　the　truth　because　you　rejected　him；　tying　his　hands；　making　him　wait。　Now　you　owe　the　world　the　truth。　You　owe　it　to　the　memory　of　your　grandfather。〃
　　
　Robert　Langdon　had　given　up　trying　to　get　his　bearings。　Despite　the　torrent　of　questions　running　through　his　mind；　he　knew　only　one　thing　mattered　now…getting　Sophie　out　of　here　alive。　All　the　guilt　Langdon　had　mistakenly　felt　earlier　for　involving　Teabing　had　now　been　transferred　to　Sophie。
　I　took　her　to　Chateau　Villette。　I　am　responsible。
　Langdon　could　not　fathom　that　Leigh　Teabing　would　be　capable　of　killing　them　in　cold　blood　here　in　the　Chapter　House；　and　yet　Teabing　certainly　had　been　involved　in　killing　others　during　his　misguided　quest。　Langdon　had　the　uneasy　feeling　that　gunshots　in　this　secluded；　thick…walled　chamber　would　go　unheard；　especially　in　this　rain。　And　Leigh　just　admitted　his　guilt　to　us。
　Langdon　glanced　at　Sophie；　who　looked　shaken。　The　Church　murdered　Sophie's　family　to　silence　the　Priory？　Langdon　felt　certain　the　modern　Church　did　not　murder　people。　There　had　to　be　some　other　explanation。
　〃Let　Sophie　leave；〃　Langdon　declared；　staring　at　Leigh。　〃You　and　I　should　discuss　this　alone。〃
　Teabing　gave　an　unnatural　laugh。　〃I'm　afraid　that　is　one　show　of　faith　I　cannot　afford。　I　can；　however；　offer　you　this。〃　He　propped　himself　fully　on　his　crutches；　gracelessly　keeping　the　gun　aimed　at　Sophie；　and　removed　the　keystone　from　his　pocket。　He　swayed　a　bit　as　he　held　it　out　for　Langdon。　〃A　token　of　trust；　Robert。〃
　Robert　felt　wary　and　didn't　move。　Leigh　is　giving　the　keystone　back　to　us？
　〃Take　it；〃　Teabing　said；　thrusting　it　awkwardly　toward　Langdon。
　Langdon　could　imagine　only　one　reason　Teabing　would　give　it　back。　〃You　opened　it　already。　You　removed　the　map。〃
　Teabing　was　shaking　his　head。　〃Robert；　if　I　had　solved　the　keystone；　I　would　have　disappeared　to　find　the　Grail　myself　and　kept　you　uninvolved。　No；　I　do　not　know　the　answer。　And　I　can　admit　that　freely。　A　true　knight　learns　humility　in　the　face　of　the　Grail。　He　learns　to　obey　the　signs　placed　before　him。　When　I　saw　you　enter　the　abbey；　I　understood。　You　were　here　for　a　reason。　To　help。　I　am　not　looking　for　singular　glory　here。　I　serve　a　far　greater　master　than　my　own　pride。　The　Truth。　Mankind　deserves　to　know　that　truth。　The　Grail　found　us　all；　and　now　she　is　begging　to　be　revealed。　We　must　work　together。〃
　Despite　Teabing's　pleas　for　cooperation　and　trust；　his　gun　remained　trained　on　Sophie　as　Langdon　stepped　forward　and　accepted　the　cold　marble　cylinder。　The　vinegar　inside　gurgled　as　Langdon　grasped　it　and　stepped　backward。　The　dials　were　still　in　random　order；　and　the　cryptex　remained　locked。
　Langdon　eyed　Teabing。　〃How　do　you　know　I　won't　smash　it　right　now？〃
　Teabing's　laugh　was　an　eerie　chortle。　〃I　should　have　realized　your　threat　to　break　it　in　the　Temple　Church　was　an　empty　one。　Robert　Langdon　would　never　break　the　keystone。　You　are　an　historian；　Robert。　You　are　holding　the　key　to　two　thousand　years　of　history…the　lost　key　to　the　Sangreal。　You　can　feel　the　souls　of　all　the　knights　burned　at　the　stake　to　protect　her　secret。　Would　you　have　them　die　in　vain？　No；　you　will　vindicate　them。　You　will　join　the　ranks　of　the　great　men　you　admire…Da　Vinci；　Botticelli；　Newton…each　of　whom　would　have　been　honored　to　be　in　your　shoes　right　now。　The　contents　of　the　keystone　are　crying　out　to　us。　Longing　to　be　set　free。　The　time　has　e。　Destiny　has　led　us　to　this　moment。〃
　〃I　cannot　help　you；　Leigh。　I　have　no　idea　how　to　open　this。　I　only　saw　Newton's　tomb　for　a　moment。　And　even　if　I　knew　the　password。。。〃　Langdon　paused；　realizing　he　had　said　too　much。
　〃You　would　not　tell　me？〃　Teabing　sighed。　〃I　am　disappointed　and　surprised；　Robert；　that　you　do　not　appreciate　the　extent　to　which　you　are　in　my　deb