达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第115部分

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〃Very　well；　let　me　see　this　mysterious　verse。〃　She　unrolled　the　papyrus　and　read　the　poem　aloud　in　a　deliberate　tone。
The　Holy　Grail　'neath　ancient　Roslin　waits。
The　blade　and　chalice　guarding　o'er　Her　gates。
Adorned　in　masters'　loving　art；　She　lies。
She　rests　at　last　beneath　the　starry　skies。
　
When　she　finished；　she　was　still　for　several　seconds；　until　a　knowing　smile　crossed　her　lips。　〃Aah；　Jacques。〃
Langdon　watched　her　expectantly。　〃You　understand　this？〃
〃As　you　have　witnessed　on　the　chapel　floor；　Mr。　Langdon；　there　are　many　ways　to　see　simple　things。〃
Langdon　strained　to　understand。　Everything　about　Jacques　Saunière　seemed　to　have　double　meanings；　and　yet　Langdon　could　see　no　further。
Marie　gave　a　tired　yawn。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　will　make　a　confession　to　you。　I　have　never　officially　been　privy　to　the　present　location　of　the　Grail。　But；　of　course；　I　was　married　to　a　person　of　enormous　influence。。。　and　my　women's　intuition　is　strong。〃　Langdon　started　to　speak　but　Marie　continued。　〃I　am　sorry　that　after　all　your　hard　work；　you　will　be　leaving　Rosslyn　without　any　real　answers。　And　yet；　something　tells　me　you　will　eventually　find　what　you　seek。　One　day　it　will　dawn　on　you。〃　She　smiled。　〃And　when　it　does；　I　trust　that　you；　of　all　people；　can　keep　a　secret。〃
There　was　a　sound　of　someone　arriving　in　the　doorway。　〃Both　of　you　disappeared；〃　Sophie　said；　entering。
〃I　was　just　leaving；〃　her　grandmother　replied；　walking　over　to　Sophie　at　the　door。　〃Good　night；　princess。〃　She　kissed　Sophie's　forehead。　〃Don't　keep　Mr。　Langdon　out　too　late。〃
Langdon　and　Sophie　watched　her　grandmother　walk　back　toward　the　fieldstone　house。　When　Sophie　turned　to　him；　her　eyes　were　awash　in　deep　emotion。　〃Not　exactly　the　ending　I　expected。〃
That　makes　two　of　us；　he　thought。　Langdon　could　see　she　was　overwhelmed。　The　news　she　had　received　tonight　had　changed　everything　in　her　life。　〃Are　you　okay？　It's　a　lot　to　take　in。〃
She　smiled　quietly。　〃I　have　a　family。　That's　where　I'm　going　to　start。　Who　we　are　and　where　we　came　from　will　take　some　time。〃
Langdon　remained　silent。
〃Beyond　tonight；　will　you　stay　with　us？〃　Sophie　asked。　〃At　least　for　a　few　days？〃
Langdon　sighed；　wanting　nothing　more。　〃You　need　some　time　here　with　your　family；　Sophie。　I'm　going　back　to　Paris　in　the　morning。〃
She　looked　disappointed　but　seemed　to　know　it　was　the　right　thing　to　do。　Neither　of　them　spoke　for　a　long　time。　Finally　Sophie　reached　over　and；　taking　his　hand；　led　him　out　of　the　chapel。　They　walked　to　a　small　rise　on　the　bluff。　From　here；　the　Scottish　countryside　spread　out　before　them；　suffused　in　a　pale　moonlight　that　sifted　through　the　departing　clouds。　They　stood　in　silence；　holding　hands；　both　of　them　fighting　the　descending　shroud　of　exhaustion。
The　stars　were　just　now　appearing；　but　to　the　east；　a　single　point　of　light　glowed　brighter　than　any　other。　Langdon　smiled　when　he　saw　it。　It　was　Venus。　The　ancient　Goddess　shining　down　with　her　steady　and　patient　light。
The　night　was　growing　cooler；　a　crisp　breeze　rolling　up　from　the　lowlands。　After　a　while；　Langdon　looked　over　at　Sophie。　Her　eyes　were　closed；　her　lips　relaxed　in　a　contented　smile。　Langdon　could　feel　his　own　eyes　growing　heavy。　Reluctantly；　he　squeezed　her　hand。　〃Sophie？〃
Slowly；　she　opened　her　eyes　and　turned　to　him。　Her　face　was　beautiful　in　the　moonlight。　She　gave　him　a　sleepy　smile。　〃Hi。〃
Langdon　felt　an　unexpected　sadness　to　realize　he　would　be　returning　to　Paris　without　her。　〃I　may　be　gone　before　you　wake　up。〃　He　paused；　a　knot　growing　in　his　throat。　〃I'm　sorry；　I'm　not　very　good　at—〃
Sophie　reached　out　and　placed　her　soft　hand　on　the　side　of　his　face。　Then；　leaning　forward；　she　kissed　him　tenderly　on　the　cheek。　〃When　can　I　see　you　again？〃
Langdon　reeled　momentarily；　lost　in　her　eyes。　〃When？〃　He　paused；　curious　if　she　had　any　idea　how　much　he　had　been　wondering　the　same　thing。　〃Well；　actually；　next　month　I'm　lecturing　at　a　conference　in　Florence。　I'll　be　there　a　week　without　much　to　do。〃
〃Is　that　an　invitation？〃
〃We'd　be　living　in　luxury。　They're　giving　me　a　room　at　the　Brunelleschi。〃
Sophie　smiled　playfully。　〃You　presume　a　lot；　Mr。　Langdon。〃
He　cringed　at　how　it　had　sounded。　〃What　I　meant—〃
〃I　would　love　nothing　more　than　to　meet　you　in　Florence；　Robert。　But　on　one　condition。〃　Her　tone　turned　serious。　〃No　museums；　no　churches；　no　tombs；　no　art；　no　relics。〃
〃In　Florence？　For　a　week？　There's　nothing　else　to　do。〃
Sophie　leaned　forward　and　kissed　him　again；　now　on　the　lips。　Their　bodies　came　together；　softly　at　first；　and　then　pletely。　When　she　pulled　away；　her　eyes　were　full　of　promise。
〃Right；〃　Langdon　managed。　〃It's　a　date。〃
　
Epilogue

Robert　Langdon　awoke　with　a　start。　He　had　been　dreaming。　The　bathrobe　beside　his　bed　bore　the　monogram　HOTEL　RITZ　PARIS。　He　saw　a　dim　light　filtering　through　the　blinds。　Is　it　dusk　or　dawn？　he　wondered。
Langdon's　body　felt　warm　and　deeply　contented。　He　had　slept　the　better　part　of　the　last　two　days。　Sitting　up　slowly　in　bed；　he　now　realized　what　had　awoken　him。。。　the　strangest　thought。　For　days　he　had　been　trying　to　sort　through　a　barrage　of　information；　but　now　Langdon　found　himself　fixed　on　something　he'd　not　considered　before。
Could　it　be？
He　remained　motionless　a　long　moment。
Getting　out　of　bed；　he　walked　to　the　marble　shower。　Stepping　inside；　he　let　the　powerful　jets　message　his　shoulders。　Still；　the　thought　enthralled　him。
Impossible。
Twenty　minutes　later；　Langdon　stepped　out　of　the　Hotel　Ritz　into　Place　Vend？me。　Night　was　falling。　The　days　of　sleep　had　left　him　disoriented。。。　and　yet　his　mind　felt　oddly　lucid。　He　had　promised　himself　he　would　stop　in　the　hotel　lobby　for　a　cafe　au　lait　to　clear　his　thoughts；　but　instead　his　legs　carried　him　directly　out　the　front　door　into　the　gathering　Paris　night。
Walking　east　on　Rue　des　Petits　Champs；　Langdon　felt　a　growing　excitement。　He　turned　south　onto　Rue　Richelieu；　where　the　air　grew　sweet　with　the　scent　of　blossoming　jasmine　from　the　stately　gardens　of　the　Palais　Royal。
He　continued　south　until　he　saw　what　he　was　looking　for—the　famous　royal　arcade—a　glistening　expanse　of　polished　black　marble。　Moving　onto　it；　Langdon　scanned　the　surface　beneath　his　feet。　Within　seconds；　he　found　what　he　knew　was　there—several　bronze　medallions　embedded　in　the　ground　in　a　perfectly　straight　line。　Each　disk　was　five　inches　in　diameter　and　embossed　with　the　letters　N　and　S。
Nord。　Sud。
He　turned　due　south；　letting　his　eye　trace　the　extended　line　formed　by　the　medallions。　He　began　moving　again；　following　the　trail；　watching　the　pavement　as　he　walked。　As　he　cut　across　the　corner　of　the　édie…Fran？aise；　another　bronze　medallion　passed　beneath　his　feet。　Yes！
The　streets　of　Paris；　Langdon　had　learned　years　ago；　were　adorned　with　135　of　these　bronze　markers；　embedded　in　sidewalks；　courtyards；　and　streets；　on　a　north…south　axis　across　the　city。　He　had　once　followed　the　line　from　Sacré…Coeur；　north　across　the　Seine；　and　finally　to　the　ancient　Paris　Observatory。　There　he　discovered　the　significance　of　the　sacred　path　it　traced。
The　earth's　original　prime　meridian。
The　first　zero　longitude　of　the　world。
Paris's　ancient　Rose　Line。
Now；　as　Langdon　hurried　across　Rue　de　Rivoli；　he　could　feel　his　destination　withi