达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第53部分

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〃Sub　rosa；〃　Langdon　said。　〃The　Romans　hung　a　rose　over　meetings　to　indicate　the　meeting　was　confidential。　Attendees　understood　that　whatever　was　said　under　the　rose—or　sub　rosa—had　to　remain　a　secret。〃
Langdon　quickly　explained　that　the　Rose's　overtone　of　secrecy　was　not　the　only　reason　the　Priory　used　it　as　a　symbol　for　the　Grail。　Rosa　rugosa；　one　of　the　oldest　species　of　rose；　had　five　petals　and　pentagonal　symmetry；　just　like　the　guiding　star　of　Venus；　giving　the　Rose　strong　iconographic　ties　to　womanhood。　In　addition；　the　Rose　had　close　ties　to　the　concept　of　〃true　direction〃　and　navigating　one's　way。　The　pass　Rose　helped　travelers　navigate；　as　did　Rose　Lines；　the　longitudinal　lines　on　maps。　For　this　reason；　the　Rose　was　a　symbol　that　spoke　of　the　Grail　on　many　levels—secrecy；　womanhood；　and　guidance—the　feminine　chalice　and　guiding　star　that　led　to　secret　truth。
As　Langdon　finished　his　explanation；　his　expression　seemed　to　tighten　suddenly。
〃Robert？　Are　you　okay？〃
His　eyes　were　riveted　to　the　rosewood　box。　〃Sub。。。　rosa；〃　he　choked；　a　fearful　bewilderment　sweeping　across　his　face。　〃It　can't　be。〃
〃What？〃
Langdon　slowly　raised　his　eyes。　〃Under　the　sign　of　the　Rose；〃　he　whispered。　〃This　cryptex。。。　I　think　I　know　what　it　is。〃
　
CHAPTER　48

Langdon　could　scarcely　believe　his　own　supposition；　and　yet；　considering　who　had　given　this　stone　cylinder　to　them；　how　he　had　given　it　to　them；　and　now；　the　inlaid　Rose　on　the　container；　Langdon　could　formulate　only　one　conclusion。
I　am　holding　the　Priory　keystone。
The　legend　was　specific。
The　keystone　is　an　encoded　stone　that　lies　beneath　the　sign　of　the　Rose。
〃Robert？〃　Sophie　was　watching　him。　〃What's　going　on？〃
Langdon　needed　a　moment　to　gather　his　thoughts。　〃Did　your　grandfather　ever　speak　to　you　of　something　called　la　clef　de　vo？te？〃
〃The　key　to　the　vault？〃　Sophie　translated。
〃No；　that's　the　literal　translation。　Clef　de　vo？te　is　a　mon　architectural　term。　Vo？te　refers　not　to　a　bank　vault；　but　to　a　vault　in　an　archway。　Like　a　vaulted　ceiling。〃
〃But　vaulted　ceilings　don't　have　keys。〃
〃Actually　they　do。　Every　stone　archway　requires　a　central；　wedge…shaped　stone　at　the　top　which　locks　the　pieces　together　and　carries　all　the　weight。　This　stone　is；　in　an　architectural　sense；　the　key　to　the　vault。　In　English　we　call　it　a　keystone。〃　Langdon　watched　her　eyes　for　any　spark　of　recognition。
Sophie　shrugged；　glancing　down　at　the　cryptex。　〃But　this　obviously　is　not　a　keystone。〃
Langdon　didn't　know　where　to　begin。　Keystones　as　a　masonry　technique　for　building　stone　archways　had　been　one　of　the　best…kept　secrets　of　the　early　Masonic　brotherhood。　The　Royal　Arch　Degree。　Architecture。　Keystones。　It　was　all　interconnected。　The　secret　knowledge　of　how　to　use　a　wedged　keystone　to　build　a　vaulted　archway　was　part　of　the　wisdom　that　had　made　the　Masons　such　wealthy　craftsmen；　and　it　was　a　secret　they　guarded　carefully。　Keystones　had　always　had　a　tradition　of　secrecy。　And　yet；　the　stone　cylinder　in　the　rosewood　box　was　obviously　something　quite　different。　The　Priory　keystone—if　this　was　indeed　what　they　were　holding—was　not　at　all　what　Langdon　had　imagined。
〃The　Priory　keystone　is　not　my　specialty；〃　Langdon　admitted。　〃My　interest　in　the　Holy　Grail　is　primarily　symbologic；　so　I　tend　to　ignore　the　plethora　of　lore　regarding　how　to　actually　find　it。〃
Sophie's　eyebrows　arched。　〃Find　the　Holy　Grail？〃
Langdon　gave　an　uneasy　nod；　speaking　his　next　words　carefully。　〃Sophie；　according　to　Priory　lore；　the　keystone　is　an　encoded　map。。。　a　map　that　reveals　the　hiding　place　of　the　Holy　Grail。〃
Sophie's　face　went　blank。　〃And　you　think　this　is　it？〃
Langdon　didn't　know　what　to　say。　Even　to　him　it　sounded　unbelievable；　and　yet　the　keystone　was　the　only　logical　conclusion　he　could　muster。　An　encrypted　stone；　hidden　beneath　the　sign　of　the　Rose。
The　idea　that　the　cryptex　had　been　designed　by　Leonardo　da　Vinci—former　Grand　Master　of　the　Priory　of　Sion—shone　as　another　tantalizing　indicator　that　this　was　indeed　the　Priory　keystone。　A　former　Grand　Master's　blueprint。。。　brought　to　life　centuries　later　by　another　Priory　member。　The　bond　was　too　palpable　to　dismiss。
For　the　last　decade；　historians　had　been　searching　for　the　keystone　in　French　churches。　Grail　seekers；　familiar　with　the　Priory's　history　of　cryptic　double…talk；　had　concluded　la　clef　de　vo？te　was　a　literal　keystone—an　architectural　wedge—an　engraved；　encrypted　stone；　inserted　into　a　vaulted　archway　in　a　church。　Beneath　the　sign　of　the　Rose。　In　architecture；　there　was　no　shortage　of　roses。　Rose　windows。　Rosette　reliefs。　And；　of　course；　an　abundance　of　cinquefoils—the　five…petaled　decorative　flowers　often　found　at　the　top　of　archways；　directly　over　the　keystone。　The　hiding　place　seemed　diabolically　simple。　The　map　to　the　Holy　Grail　was　incorporated　high　in　an　archway　of　some　forgotten　church；　mocking　the　blind　churchgoers　who　wandered　beneath　it。
〃This　cryptex　can't　be　the　keystone；〃　Sophie　argued。　〃It's　not　old　enough。　I'm　certain　my　grandfather　made　this。　It　can't　be　part　of　any　ancient　Grail　legend。〃
〃Actually；〃　Langdon　replied；　feeling　a　tingle　of　excitement　ripple　through　him；　〃the　keystone　is　believed　to　have　been　created　by　the　Priory　sometime　in　the　past　couple　of　decades。〃
Sophie's　eyes　flashed　disbelief。　〃But　if　this　cryptex　reveals　the　hiding　place　of　the　Holy　Grail；　why　would　my　grandfather　give　it　to　me？　I　have　no　idea　how　to　open　it　or　what　to　do　with　it。　I　don't　even　know　what　the　Holy　Grail　is！〃
Langdon　realized　to　his　surprise　that　she　was　right。　He　had　not　yet　had　a　chance　to　explain　to　Sophie　the　true　nature　of　the　Holy　Grail。　That　story　would　have　to　wait。　At　the　moment；　they　were　focused　on　the　keystone。
If　that　is　indeed　what　this　is。。。。
Against　the　hum　of　the　bulletproof　wheels　beneath　them；　Langdon　quickly　explained　to　Sophie　everything　he　had　heard　about　the　keystone。　Allegedly；　for　centuries；　the　Priory's　biggest　secret—the　location　of　the　Holy　Grail—was　never　written　down。　For　security's　sake；　it　was　verbally　transferred　to　each　new　rising　sénéchal　at　a　clandestine　ceremony。　However；　at　some　point　during　the　last　century；　whisperings　began　to　surface　that　the　Priory　policy　had　changed。　Perhaps　it　was　on　account　of　new　electronic　eavesdropping　capabilities；　but　the　Priory　vowed　never　again　even　to　speak　the　location　of　the　sacred　hiding　place。
〃But　then　how　could　they　pass　on　the　secret？〃　Sophie　asked。
〃That's　where　the　keystone　es　in；〃　Langdon　explained。　〃When　one　of　the　top　four　members　died；　the　remaining　three　would　choose　from　the　lower　echelons　the　next　candidate　to　ascend　as　sénéchal。　Rather　than　telling　the　new　sénéchal　where　the　Grail　was　hidden；　they　gave　him　a　test　through　which　he　could　prove　he　was　worthy。〃
Sophie　looked　unsettled　by　this；　and　Langdon　suddenly　recalled　her　mentioning　how　her　grandfather　used　to　make　treasure　hunts　for　her—preuves　de　mérite。　Admittedly；　the　keystone　was　a　similar　concept。　Then　again；　tests　like　this　were　extremely　mon　in　secret　societies。　The　best　known　was　the　Masons'；　wherein　members　ascended　to　higher　degrees　by　proving　they　could　keep　a　secret　and　by　performing　rituals　and　various　tests　of　merit　over　many　years。　The　tasks　became　progressively　harde