达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第30部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


Sophie　felt　a　knot　tighten　in　her　stomach。　She　was　certain　of　it　too。　For　ten　years　she　had　tried　to　forget　the　incident　that　had　confirmed　that　horrifying　fact　for　her。　She　had　witnessed　something　unthinkable。　Unforgivable。
〃The　fleur…de…lis；〃　Langdon　said；　〃bined　with　the　initials　P。S。；　that　is　the　brotherhood's　official　device。　Their　coat　of　arms。　Their　logo。〃
〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　Sophie　was　praying　Langdon　was　not　going　to　tell　her　that　he　himself　was　a　member。
〃I've　written　about　this　group；〃　he　said；　his　voice　tremulous　with　excitement。　〃Researching　the　symbols　of　secret　societies　is　a　specialty　of　mine。　They　call　themselves　the　Prieuré　de　Sion—the　Priory　of　Sion。　They're　based　here　in　France　and　attract　powerful　members　from　all　over　Europe。　In　fact；　they　are　one　of　the　oldest　surviving　secret　societies　on　earth。〃
Sophie　had　never　heard　of　them。
Langdon　was　talking　in　rapid　bursts　now。　〃The　Priory's　membership　has　included　some　of　history's　most　cultured　individuals：　men　like　Botticelli；　Sir　Isaac　Newton；　Victor　Hugo。〃　He　paused；　his　voice　brimming　now　with　academic　zeal。　〃And；　Leonardo　da　Vinci。〃
Sophie　stared。　〃Da　Vinci　was　in　a　secret　society？〃
〃Da　Vinci　presided　over　the　Priory　between　1510　and　1519　as　the　brotherhood's　Grand　Master；　which　might　help　explain　your　grandfather's　passion　for　Leonardo's　work。　The　two　men　share　a　historical　fraternal　bond。　And　it　all　fits　perfectly　with　their　fascination　for　goddess　iconology；　paganism；　feminine　deities；　and　contempt　for　the　Church。　The　Priory　has　a　well…documented　history　of　reverence　for　the　sacred　feminine。〃
〃You're　telling　me　this　group　is　a　pagan　goddess　worship　cult？〃
〃More　like　the　pagan　goddess　worship　cult。　But　more　important；　they　are　known　as　the　guardians　of　an　ancient　secret。　One　that　made　them　immeasurably　powerful。〃
Despite　the　total　conviction　in　Langdon's　eyes；　Sophie's　gut　reaction　was　one　of　stark　disbelief。　A　secret　pagan　cult？　Once　headed　by　Leonardo　da　Vinci？　It　all　sounded　utterly　absurd。　And　yet；　even　as　she　dismissed　it；　she　felt　her　mind　reeling　back　ten　years—to　the　night　she　had　mistakenly　surprised　her　grandfather　and　witnessed　what　she　still　could　not　accept。　Could　that　explain—？
〃The　identities　of　living　Priory　members　are　kept　extremely　secret；〃　Langdon　said；　〃but　the　P。S。　and　fleur…de…lis　that　you　saw　as　a　child　are　proof。　It　could　only　have　been　related　to　the　Priory。〃
Sophie　realized　now　that　Langdon　knew　far　more　about　her　grandfather　than　she　had　previously　imagined。　This　American　obviously　had　volumes　to　share　with　her；　but　this　was　not　the　place。　〃I　can't　afford　to　let　them　catch　you；　Robert。　There's　a　lot　we　need　to　discuss。　You　need　to　go！〃
　
Langdon　heard　only　the　faint　murmur　of　her　voice。　He　wasn't　going　anywhere。　He　was　lost　in　another　place　now。　A　place　where　ancient　secrets　rose　to　the　surface。　A　place　where　forgotten　histories　emerged　from　the　shadows。
Slowly；　as　if　moving　underwater；　Langdon　turned　his　head　and　gazed　through　the　reddish　haze　toward　the　Mona　Lisa。
The　fleur…de…lis。。。　the　flower　of　Lisa。。。　the　Mona　Lisa。
It　was　all　intertwined；　a　silent　symphony　echoing　the　deepest　secrets　of　the　Priory　of　Sion　and　Leonardo　da　Vinci。
　
A　few　miles　away；　on　the　riverbank　beyond　Les　Invalides；　the　bewildered　driver　of　a　twin…bed　Trailor　truck　stood　at　gunpoint　and　watched　as　the　captain　of　the　Judicial　Police　let　out　a　guttural　roar　of　rage　and　heaved　a　bar　of　soap　out　into　the　turgid　waters　of　the　Seine。
　
CHAPTER　24

Silas　gazed　upward　at　the　Saint…Sulpice　obelisk；　taking　in　the　length　of　the　massive　marble　shaft。　His　sinews　felt　taut　with　exhilaration。　He　glanced　around　the　church　one　more　time　to　make　sure　he　was　alone。　Then　he　knelt　at　the　base　of　the　structure；　not　out　of　reverence；　but　out　of　necessity。
The　keystone　is　hidden　beneath　the　Rose　Line。
At　the　base　of　the　Sulpice　obelisk。
All　the　brothers　had　concurred。
On　his　knees　now；　Silas　ran　his　hands　across　the　stone　floor。　He　saw　no　cracks　or　markings　to　indicate　a　movable　tile；　so　he　began　rapping　softly　with　his　knuckles　on　the　floor。　Following　the　brass　line　closer　to　the　obelisk；　he　knocked　on　each　tile　adjacent　to　the　brass　line。　Finally；　one　of　them　echoed　strangely。
There's　a　hollow　area　beneath　the　floor！
Silas　smiled。　His　victims　had　spoken　the　truth。
Standing；　he　searched　the　sanctuary　for　something　with　which　to　break　the　floor　tile。
　
High　above　Silas；　in　the　balcony；　Sister　Sandrine　stifled　a　gasp。　Her　darkest　fears　had　just　been　confirmed。　This　visitor　was　not　who　he　seemed。　The　mysterious　Opus　Dei　monk　had　e　to　Saint…Sulpice　for　another　purpose。
A　secret　purpose。
You　are　not　the　only　one　with　secrets；　she　thought。
Sister　Sandrine　Bieil　was　more　than　the　keeper　of　this　church。　She　was　a　sentry。　And　tonight；　the　ancient　wheels　had　been　set　in　motion。　The　arrival　of　this　stranger　at　the　base　of　the　obelisk　was　a　signal　from　the　brotherhood。
It　was　a　silent　call　of　distress。
　
CHAPTER　25

The　U。S。　Embassy　in　Paris　is　a　pact　plex　on　Avenue　Gabriel；　just　north　of　the　Champs…Elysées。　The　three…acre　pound　is　considered　U。S。　soil；　meaning　all　those　who　stand　on　it　are　subject　to　the　same　laws　and　protections　as　they　would　encounter　standing　in　the　United　States。
The　embassy's　night　operator　was　reading　Time　magazine's　International　Edition　when　the　sound　of　her　phone　interrupted。
〃U。S。　Embassy；〃　she　answered。
〃Good　evening。〃　The　caller　spoke　English　accented　with　French。　〃I　need　some　assistance。〃　Despite　the　politeness　of　the　man's　words；　his　tone　sounded　gruff　and　official。　〃I　was　told　you　had　a　phone　message　for　me　on　your　automated　system。　The　name　is　Langdon。　Unfortunately；　I　have　forgotten　my　three…digit　access　code。　If　you　could　help　me；　I　would　be　most　grateful。〃
The　operator　paused；　confused。　〃I'm　sorry；　sir。　Your　message　must　be　quite　old。　That　system　was　removed　two　years　ago　for　security　precautions。　Moreover；　all　the　access　codes　were　five…digit。　Who　told　you　we　had　a　message　for　you？〃
〃You　have　no　automated　phone　system？〃
〃No；　sir。　Any　message　for　you　would　be　handwritten　in　our　services　department。　What　was　your　name　again？〃
But　the　man　had　hung　up。
　
Bezu　Fache　felt　dumbstruck　as　he　paced　the　banks　of　the　Seine。　He　was　certain　he　had　seen　Langdon　dial　a　local　number；　enter　a　three…digit　code；　and　then　listen　to　a　recording。　But　if　Langdon　didn't　phone　the　embassy；　then　who　the　hell　did　he　call？
It　was　at　that　moment；　eyeing　his　cellular　phone；　that　Fache　realized　the　answers　were　in　the　palm　of　his　hand。　Langdon　used　my　phone　to　place　that　call。
Keying　into　the　cell　phone's　menu；　Fache　pulled　up　the　list　of　recently　dialed　numbers　and　found　the　call　Langdon　had　placed。
A　Paris　exchange；　followed　by　the　three…digit　code　454。
Redialing　the　phone　number；　Fache　waited　as　the　line　began　ringing。
Finally　a　woman's　voice　answered。　〃Bonjour；　vous　êtes　bien　chez　Sophie　Neveu；〃　the　recording　announced。　〃Je　suis　absente　pour　le　moment；　mais。。。〃
Fache's　blood　was　boiling　as　he　typed　the　numbers　4。。。　5。。。　4。
　
CHAPTER　26

Despite　her　monumental　reputation；　the　Mona　Lisa　was　a　mere　thirty…one　inches　by　twenty…one　inches—smaller　even　than　the　posters　of　her　sold　in　the　Louvre　gift　shop。　She　hung　o