达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第13部分

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war　and　torture。
Misunderstanding　breeds　distrust；　Langdon　thought。
Even　Da　Vinci's　enormous　output　of　breathtaking　Christian　art　only　furthered　the　artist's　reputation　for　spiritual　hypocrisy。　Accepting　hundreds　of　lucrative　Vatican　missions；　Da　Vinci　painted　Christian　themes　not　as　an　expression　of　his　own　beliefs　but　rather　as　a　mercial　venture—a　means　of　funding　a　lavish　lifestyle。　Unfortunately；　Da　Vinci　was　a　prankster　who　often　amused　himself　by　quietly　gnawing　at　the　hand　that　fed　him。　He　incorporated　in　many　of　his　Christian　paintings　hidden　symbolism　that　was　anything　but　Christian—tributes　to　his　own　beliefs　and　a　subtle　thumbing　of　his　nose　at　the　Church。　Langdon　had　even　given　a　lecture　once　at　the　National　Gallery　in　London　entitled：　〃The　Secret　Life　of　Leonardo：　Pagan　Symbolism　in　Christian　Art。〃
〃I　understand　your　concerns；〃　Langdon　now　said；　〃but　Da　Vinci　never　really　practiced　any　dark　arts。　He　was　an　exceptionally　spiritual　man；　albeit　one　in　constant　conflict　with　the　Church。〃　As　Langdon　said　this；　an　odd　thought　popped　into　his　mind。　He　glanced　down　at　the　message　on　the　floor　again。　O；　Draconian　devil！　Oh；　lame　saint！
〃Yes？〃　Fache　said。
Langdon　weighed　his　words　carefully。　〃I　was　just　thinking　that　Saunière　shared　a　lot　of　spiritual　ideologies　with　Da　Vinci；　including　a　concern　over　the　Church's　elimination　of　the　sacred　feminine　from　modern　religion。　Maybe；　by　imitating　a　famous　Da　Vinci　drawing；　Saunière　was　simply　echoing　some　of　their　shared　frustrations　with　the　modern　Church's　demonization　of　the　goddess。〃
Fache's　eyes　hardened。　〃You　think　Saunière　is　calling　the　Church　a　lame　saint　and　a　Draconian　devil？〃
Langdon　had　to　admit　it　seemed　far…fetched；　and　yet　the　pentacle　seemed　to　endorse　the　idea　on　some　level。　〃All　I　am　saying　is　that　Mr。　Saunière　dedicated　his　life　to　studying　the　history　of　the　goddess；　and　nothing　has　done　more　to　erase　that　history　than　the　Catholic　Church。　It　seems　reasonable　that　Saunière　might　have　chosen　to　express　his　disappointment　in　his　final　good…bye。〃
〃Disappointment？〃　Fache　demanded；　sounding　hostile　now。　〃This　message　sounds　more　enraged　than　disappointed；　wouldn't　you　say？〃
Langdon　was　reaching　the　end　of　his　patience。　〃Captain；　you　asked　for　my　instincts　as　to　what　Saunière　is　trying　to　say　here；　and　that's　what　I'm　giving　you。〃
〃That　this　is　an　indictment　of　the　Church？〃　Fache's　jaw　tightened　as　he　spoke　through　clenched　teeth。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I　have　seen　a　lot　of　death　in　my　work；　and　let　me　tell　you　something。　When　a　man　is　murdered　by　another　man；　I　do　not　believe　his　final　thoughts　are　to　write　an　obscure　spiritual　statement　that　no　one　will　understand。　I　believe　he　is　thinking　of　one　thing　only。〃　Fache's　whispery　voice　sliced　the　air。　〃La　vengeance。　I　believe　Saunière　wrote　this　note　to　tell　us　who　killed　him。〃　Langdon　stared。　〃But　that　makes　no　sense　whatsoever。〃
〃No？〃
〃No；〃　he　fired　back；　tired　and　frustrated。　〃You　told　me　Saunière　was　attacked　in　his　office　by　someone　he　had　apparently　invited　in。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃So　it　seems　reasonable　to　conclude　that　the　curator　knew　his　attacker。〃
Fache　nodded。　〃Go　on。〃
〃So　if　Saunière　knew　the　person　who　killed　him；　what　kind　of　indictment　is　this？〃　He　pointed　at　the　floor。　〃Numeric　codes？　Lame　saints？　Draconian　devils？　Pentacles　on　his　stomach？　It's　all　too　cryptic。〃
Fache　frowned　as　if　the　idea　had　never　occurred　to　him。　〃You　have　a　point。〃
〃Considering　the　circumstances；〃　Langdon　said；　〃I　would　assume　that　if　Saunière　wanted　to　tell　you　who　killed　him；　he　would　have　written　down　somebody's　name。〃
As　Langdon　spoke　those　words；　a　smug　smile　crossed　Fache's　lips　for　the　first　time　all　night。　〃Précisément；〃　Fache　said。　〃Précisément。〃
　
I　am　witnessing　the　work　of　a　master；　mused　Lieutenant　Collet　as　he　tweaked　his　audio　gear　and　listened　to　Fache's　voice　ing　through　the　headphones。　The　agent　supérieur　knew　it　was　moments　like　these　that　had　lifted　the　captain　to　the　pinnacle　of　French　law　enforcement。
Fache　will　do　what　no　one　else　dares。
The　delicate　art　of　cajoler　was　a　lost　skill　in　modern　law　enforcement；　one　that　required　exceptional　poise　under　pressure。　Few　men　possessed　the　necessary　sangfroid　for　this　kind　of　operation；　but　Fache　seemed　born　for　it。　His　restraint　and　patience　bordered　on　the　robotic。
Fache's　sole　emotion　this　evening　seemed　to　be　one　of　intense　resolve；　as　if　this　arrest　were　somehow　personal　to　him。　Fache's　briefing　of　his　agents　an　hour　ago　had　been　unusually　succinct　and　assured。　I　know　who　murdered　Jacques　Saunière；　Fache　had　said。　You　know　what　to　do。　No　mistakes　tonight。
And　so　far；　no　mistakes　had　been　made。
Collet　was　not　yet　privy　to　the　evidence　that　had　cemented　Fache's　certainty　of　their　suspect's　guilt；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　question　the　instincts　of　the　Bull。　Fache's　intuition　seemed　almost　supernatural　at　times。　God　whispers　in　his　ear；　one　agent　had　insisted　after　a　particularly　impressive　display　of　Fache's　sixth　sense。　Collet　had　to　admit；　if　there　was　a　God；　Bezu　Fache　would　be　on　His　A…list。　The　captain　attended　mass　and　confession　with　zealous　regularity—far　more　than　the　requisite　holiday　attendance　fulfilled　by　other　officials　in　the　name　of　good　public　relations。　When　the　Pope　visited　Paris　a　few　years　back；　Fache　had　used　all　his　muscle　to　obtain　the　honor　of　an　audience。　A　photo　of　Fache　with　the　Pope　now　hung　in　his　office。　The　Papal　Bull；　the　agents　secretly　called　it。
Collet　found　it　ironic　that　one　of　Fache's　rare　popular　public　stances　in　recent　years　had　been　his　outspoken　reaction　to　the　Catholic　pedophilia　scandal。　These　priests　should　be　hanged　twice！　Fache　had　declared。　Once　for　their　crimes　against　children。　And　once　for　shaming　the　good　name　of　the　Catholic　Church。　Collet　had　the　odd　sense　it　was　the　latter　that　angered　Fache　more。
Turning　now　to　his　laptop　puter；　Collet　attended　to　the　other　half　of　his　responsibilities　here　tonight—the　GPS　tracking　system。　The　image　onscreen　revealed　a　detailed　floor　plan　of　the　Denon　Wing；　a　structural　schematic　uploaded　from　the　Louvre　Security　Office。　Letting　his　eyes　trace　the　maze　of　galleries　and　hallways；　Collet　found　what　he　was　looking　for。
Deep　in　the　heart　of　the　Grand　Gallery　blinked　a　tiny　red　dot。
La　marque。
Fache　was　keeping　his　prey　on　a　very　tight　leash　tonight。　Wisely　so。　Robert　Langdon　had　proven　himself　one　cool　customer。
　
CHAPTER　9

To　ensure　his　conversation　with　Mr。　Langdon　would　not　be　interrupted；　Bezu　Fache　had　turned　off　his　cellular　phone。　Unfortunately；　it　was　an　expensive　model　equipped　with　a　two…way　radio　feature；　which；　contrary　to　his　orders；　was　now　being　used　by　one　of　his　agents　to　page　him。
〃Capitaine？〃　The　phone　crackled　like　a　walkie…talkie。
Fache　felt　his　teeth　clench　in　rage。　He　could　imagine　nothing　important　enough　that　Collet　would　interrupt　this　surveillance　cachée—especially　at　this　critical　juncture。
He　gave　Langdon　a　calm　look　of　apology。　〃One　moment　please。〃　He　pulled　the　phone　from　his　belt　and　pressed　the　radio　transmission　button。　〃Oui？〃
〃Capitaine；　un　agent　du　Département　de　Cryptographie　est　arrivé。〃
Fache's　anger　stalled　momentarily。　A　cryptographer？　Despite　the　lousy　timing；　this　was　probably　good　news。　Fache