达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第54部分

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orming　rituals　and　various　tests　of　merit　over　many　years。　The　tasks　became　progressively　harder　until　they　culminated　in　a　successful　candidate's　induction　as　thirty…second…degree　Mason。
〃So　the　keystone　is　a　preuve　de　mérite；〃　Sophie　said。　〃If　a　rising　Priory　sénéchal　can　open　it；　he　proves　himself　worthy　of　the　information　it　holds。〃
Langdon　nodded。　〃I　forgot　you'd　had　experience　with　this　sort　of　thing。〃
〃Not　only　with　my　grandfather。　In　cryptology；　that's　called　a　'self…authorizing　language。'　That　is；　if　you're　smart　enough　to　read　it；　you're　permitted　to　know　what　is　being　said。〃
Langdon　hesitated　a　moment。　〃Sophie；　you　realize　that　if　this　is　indeed　the　keystone；　your　grandfather's　access　to　it　implies　he　was　exceptionally　powerful　within　the　Priory　of　Sion。　He　would　have　to　have　been　one　of　the　highest　four　members。〃
Sophie　sighed。　〃He　was　powerful　in　a　secret　society。　I'm　certain　of　it。　I　can　only　assume　it　was　the　Priory。〃
Langdon　did　a　double　take。　〃You　knew　he　was　in　a　secret　society？〃
〃I　saw　some　things　I　wasn't　supposed　to　see　ten　years　ago。　We　haven't　spoken　since。〃　She　paused。　〃My　grandfather　was　not　only　a　ranking　top　member　of　the　group。。。　I　believe　he　was　the　top　member。〃
Langdon　could　not　believe　what　she　had　just　said。　〃Grand　Master？　But。。。　there's　no　way　you　could　know　that！〃
〃I'd　rather　not　talk　about　it。〃　Sophie　looked　away；　her　expression　as　determined　as　it　was　pained。
Langdon　sat　in　stunned　silence。　Jacques　Saunière？　Grand　Master？　Despite　the　astonishing　repercussions　if　it　were　true；　Langdon　had　the　eerie　sensation　it　almost　made　perfect　sense。　After　all；　previous　Priory　Grand　Masters　had　also　been　distinguished　public　figures　with　artistic　souls。　Proof　of　that　fact　had　been　uncovered　years　ago　in　Paris's　Bibliothèque　Nationale　in　papers　that　became　known　as　Les　Dossiers　Secrets。
Every　Priory　historian　and　Grail　buff　had　read　the　Dossiers。　Cataloged　under　Number　4°　lm1　249；　the　Dossiers　Secrets　had　been　authenticated　by　many　specialists　and　incontrovertibly　confirmed　what　historians　had　suspected　for　a　long　time：　Priory　Grand　Masters　included　Leonardo　da　Vinci；　Botticelli；　Sir　Isaac　Newton；　Victor　Hugo；　and；　more　recently；　Jean　Cocteau；　the　famous　Parisian　artist。
Why　not　Jacques　Saunière？
Langdon's　incredulity　intensified　with　the　realization　that　he　had　been　slated　to　meet　Saunière　tonight。　The　Priory　Grand　Master　called　a　meeting　with　me。　Why？　To　make　artistic　small　talk？　It　suddenly　seemed　unlikely。　After　all；　if　Langdon's　instincts　were　correct；　the　Grand　Master　of　the　Priory　of　Sion　had　just　transferred　the　brotherhood's　legendary　keystone　to　his　granddaughter　and　simultaneously　manded　her　to　find　Robert　Langdon。
Inconceivable！
Langdon's　imagination　could　conjure　no　set　of　circumstances　that　would　explain　Saunière's　behavior。　Even　if　Saunière　feared　his　own　death；　there　were　three　sénéchaux　who　also　possessed　the　secret　and　therefore　guaranteed　the　Priory's　security。　Why　would　Saunière　take　such　an　enormous　risk　giving　his　granddaughter　the　keystone；　especially　when　the　two　of　them　didn't　get　along？　And　why　involve　Langdon。。。　a　total　stranger？
A　piece　of　this　puzzle　is　missing；　Langdon　thought。
The　answers　were　apparently　going　to　have　to　wait。　The　sound　of　the　slowing　engine　caused　them　both　to　look　up。　Gravel　crunched　beneath　the　tires。　Why　is　he　pulling　over　already？　Langdon　wondered。　Vernet　had　told　them　he　would　take　them　well　outside　the　city　to　safety。　The　truck　decelerated　to　a　crawl　and　made　its　way　over　unexpectedly　rough　terrain。　Sophie　shot　Langdon　an　uneasy　look；　hastily　closing　the　cryptex　box　and　latching　it。　Langdon　slipped　his　jacket　back　on。
When　the　truck　came　to　a　stop；　the　engine　remained　idling　as　the　locks　on　the　rear　doors　began　to　turn。　When　the　doors　swung　open；　Langdon　was　surprised　to　see　they　were　parked　in　a　wooded　area；　well　off　the　road。　Vernet　stepped　into　view；　a　strained　look　in　his　eye。　In　his　hand；　he　held　a　pistol。
〃I'm　sorry　about　this；〃　he　said。　〃I　really　have　no　choice。〃
　
CHAPTER　49

André　Vernet　looked　awkward　with　a　pistol；　but　his　eyes　shone　with　a　determination　that　Langdon　sensed　would　be　unwise　to　test。
〃I'm　afraid　I　must　insist；〃　Vernet　said；　training　the　weapon　on　the　two　of　them　in　the　back　of　the　idling　truck。　〃Set　the　box　down。〃
Sophie　clutched　the　box　to　her　chest。　〃You　said　you　and　my　grandfather　were　friends。〃
〃I　have　a　duty　to　protect　your　grandfather's　assets；〃　Vernet　replied。　〃And　that　is　exactly　what　I　am　doing。　Now　set　the　box　on　the　floor。〃
〃My　grandfather　entrusted　this　to　me！〃　Sophie　declared。
〃Do　it；〃　Vernet　manded；　raising　the　gun。
Sophie　set　the　box　at　her　feet。
Langdon　watched　the　gun　barrel　swing　now　in　his　direction。
〃Mr。　Langdon；〃　Vernet　said；　〃you　will　bring　the　box　over　to　me。　And　be　aware　that　I'm　asking　you　because　you　I　would　not　hesitate　to　shoot。〃
Langdon　stared　at　the　banker　in　disbelief。　〃Why　are　you　doing　this？〃
〃Why　do　you　imagine？〃　Vernet　snapped；　his　accented　English　terse　now。　〃To　protect　my　client's　assets。〃
〃We　are　your　clients　now；〃　Sophie　said。
Vernet's　visage　turned　ice…cold；　an　eerie　transformation。　〃Mademoiselle　Neveu；　I　don't　know　how　you　got　that　key　and　account　number　tonight；　but　it　seems　obvious　that　foul　play　was　involved。　Had　I　known　the　extent　of　your　crimes；　I　would　never　have　helped　you　leave　the　bank。〃
〃I　told　you；〃　Sophie　said；　〃we　had　nothing　to　do　with　my　grandfather's　death！〃
Vernet　looked　at　Langdon。　〃And　yet　the　radio　claims　you　are　wanted　not　only　for　the　murder　of　Jacques　Saunière　but　for　those　of　three　other　men　as　well？〃
〃What！〃　Langdon　was　thunderstruck。　Three　more　murders？　The　coincidental　number　hit　him　harder　than　the　fact　that　he　was　the　prime　suspect。　It　seemed　too　unlikely　to　be　a　coincidence。　The　three　sénéchaux？　Langdon's　eyes　dropped　to　the　rosewood　box。　If　the　sénéchaux　were　murdered；　Saunière　had　no　options。　He　had　to　transfer　the　keystone　to　someone。
〃The　police　can　sort　that　out　when　I　turn　you　in；〃　Vernet　said。　〃I　have　gotten　my　bank　involved　too　far　already。〃
Sophie　glared　at　Vernet。　〃You　obviously　have　no　intention　of　turning　us　in。　You　would　have　driven　us　back　to　the　bank。　And　instead　you　bring　us　out　here　and　hold　us　at　gunpoint？〃
〃Your　grandfather　hired　me　for　one　reason—to　keep　his　possessions　both　safe　and　private。　Whatever　this　box　contains；　I　have　no　intention　of　letting　it　bee　a　piece　of　cataloged　evidence　in　a　police　investigation。　Mr。　Langdon；　bring　me　the　box。〃
Sophie　shook　her　head。　〃Don't　do　it。〃
A　gunshot　roared；　and　a　bullet　tore　into　the　wall　above　him。　The　reverberation　shook　the　back　of　the　truck　as　a　spent　shell　clinked　onto　the　cargo　floor。
Shit！　Langdon　froze。
Vernet　spoke　more　confidently　now。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　pick　up　the　box。〃
Langdon　lifted　the　box。
〃Now　bring　it　over　to　me。〃　Vernet　was　taking　dead　aim；　standing　on　the　ground　behind　the　rear　bumper；　his　gun　outstretched　into　the　cargo　hold　now。
Box　in　hand；　Langdon　moved　across　the　hold　toward　the　open　door。
I've　got　to　do　something！　Langdon　thought。　I'm　about　to　hand　over　the　Priory　keystone！　As　Langdon　moved　toward　the　doorway；　his　position　of　higher　ground　became　more　pronounced；　and　he　began　wondering　if　he　could　somehow　use