达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第103部分

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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　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　t