达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第6部分

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Strike　one。　Langdon　sensed　his　host　was　a　hard　man　to　please。　He　wondered　if　Fache　had　any　idea　that　this　pyramid；　at　President　Mitterrand's　explicit　demand；　had　been　constructed　of　exactly　666　panes　of　glass—a　bizarre　request　that　had　always　been　a　hot　topic　among　conspiracy　buffs　who　claimed　666　was　the　number　of　Satan。
Langdon　decided　not　to　bring　it　up。
As　they　dropped　farther　into　the　subterranean　foyer；　the　yawning　space　slowly　emerged　from　the　shadows。　Built　fifty…seven　feet　beneath　ground　level；　the　Louvre's　newly　constructed　70；000…square…foot　lobby　spread　out　like　an　endless　grotto。　Constructed　in　warm　ocher　marble　to　be　patible　with　the　honey…colored　stone　of　the　Louvre　facade　above；　the　subterranean　hall　was　usually　vibrant　with　sunlight　and　tourists。　Tonight；　however；　the　lobby　was　barren　and　dark；　giving　the　entire　space　a　cold　and　crypt…like　atmosphere。
〃And　the　museum's　regular　security　staff？〃　Langdon　asked。
〃En　quarantaine；〃　Fache　replied；　sounding　as　if　Langdon　were　questioning　the　integrity　of　Fache's　team。　〃Obviously；　someone　gained　entry　tonight　who　should　not　have。　All　Louvre　night　wardens　are　in　the　Sully　Wing　being　questioned。　My　own　agents　have　taken　over　museum　security　for　the　evening。〃
Langdon　nodded；　moving　quickly　to　keep　pace　with　Fache。
〃How　well　did　you　know　Jacques　Saunière？〃　the　captain　asked。
〃Actually；　not　at　all。　We'd　never　met。〃
Fache　looked　surprised。　〃Your　first　meeting　was　to　be　tonight？〃
〃Yes。　We'd　planned　to　meet　at　the　American　University　reception　following　my　lecture；　but　he　never　showed　up。〃
Fache　scribbled　some　notes　in　a　little　book。　As　they　walked；　Langdon　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　Louvre's　lesser…known　pyramid—La　Pyramide　Inversée—a　huge　inverted　skylight　that　hung　from　the　ceiling　like　a　stalactite　in　an　adjoining　section　of　the　entresol。　Fache　guided　Langdon　up　a　short　set　of　stairs　to　the　mouth　of　an　arched　tunnel；　over　which　a　sign　read：　DENON。　The　Denon　Wing　was　the　most　famous　of　the　Louvre's　three　main　sections。
〃Who　requested　tonight's　meeting？〃　Fache　asked　suddenly。　〃You　or　he？〃
The　question　seemed　odd。　〃Mr。　Saunière　did；〃　Langdon　replied　as　they　entered　the　tunnel。　〃His　secretary　contacted　me　a　few　weeks　ago　via　e…mail。　She　said　the　curator　had　heard　I　would　be　lecturing　in　Paris　this　month　and　wanted　to　discuss　something　with　me　while　I　was　here。〃
〃Discuss　what？〃
〃I　don't　know。　Art；　I　imagine。　We　share　similar　interests。〃
Fache　looked　skeptical。　〃You　have　no　idea　what　your　meeting　was　about？〃
Langdon　did　not。　He'd　been　curious　at　the　time　but　had　not　felt　fortable　demanding　specifics。　The　venerated　Jacques　Saunière　had　a　renowned　penchant　for　privacy　and　granted　very　few　meetings；　Langdon　was　grateful　simply　for　the　opportunity　to　meet　him。
〃Mr。　Langdon；　can　you　at　least　guess　what　our　murder　victim　might　have　wanted　to　discuss　with　you　on　the　night　he　was　killed？　It　might　be　helpful。〃
The　pointedness　of　the　question　made　Langdon　unfortable。　〃I　really　can't　imagine。　I　didn't　ask。　I　felt　honored　to　have　been　contacted　at　all。　I'm　an　admirer　of　Mr。　Saunière's　work。　I　use　his　texts　often　in　my　classes。〃
Fache　made　note　of　that　fact　in　his　book。
The　two　men　were　now　halfway　up　the　Denon　Wing's　entry　tunnel；　and　Langdon　could　see　the　twin　ascending　escalators　at　the　far　end；　both　motionless。
〃So　you　shared　interests　with　him？〃　Fache　asked。
〃Yes。　In　fact；　I've　spent　much　of　the　last　year　writing　the　draft　for　a　book　that　deals　with　Mr。　Saunière's　primary　area　of　expertise。　I　was　looking　forward　to　picking　his　brain。〃
Fache　glanced　up。　〃Pardon？〃
The　idiom　apparently　didn't　translate。　〃I　was　looking　forward　to　learning　his　thoughts　on　the　topic。〃
〃I　see。　And　what　is　the　topic？〃
Langdon　hesitated；　uncertain　exactly　how　to　put　it。　〃Essentially；　the　manuscript　is　about　the　iconography　of　goddess　worship—the　concept　of　female　sanctity　and　the　art　and　symbols　associated　with　it。〃
Fache　ran　a　meaty　hand　across　his　hair。　〃And　Saunière　was　knowledgeable　about　this？〃
〃Nobody　more　so。〃
〃I　see。〃
Langdon　sensed　Fache　did　not　see　at　all。　Jacques　Saunière　was　considered　the　premiere　goddess　iconographer　on　earth。　Not　only　did　Saunière　have　a　personal　passion　for　relics　relating　to　fertility；　goddess　cults；　Wicca；　and　the　sacred　feminine；　but　during　his　twenty…year　tenure　as　curator；　Saunière　had　helped　the　Louvre　amass　the　largest　collection　of　goddess　art　on　earth—labrys　axes　from　the　priestesses'　oldest　Greek　shrine　in　Delphi；　gold　caducei　wands；　hundreds　of　Tjet　ankhs　resembling　small　standing　angels；　sistrum　rattles　used　in　ancient　Egypt　to　dispel　evil　spirits；　and　an　astonishing　array　of　statues　depicting　Horus　being　nursed　by　the　goddess　Isis。
〃Perhaps　Jacques　Saunière　knew　of　your　manuscript？〃　Fache　offered。　〃And　he　called　the　meeting　to　offer　his　help　on　your　book。〃
Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃Actually；　nobody　yet　knows　about　my　manuscript。　It's　still　in　draft　form；　and　I　haven't　shown　it　to　anyone　except　my　editor。〃
Fache　fell　silent。
Langdon　did　not　add　the　reason　he　hadn't　yet　shown　the　manuscript　to　anyone　else。　The　three…hundred…page　draft—tentatively　titled　Symbols　of　the　Lost　Sacred　Feminine—proposed　some　very　unconventional　interpretations　of　established　religious　iconography　which　would　certainly　be　controversial。
Now；　as　Langdon　approached　the　stationary　escalators；　he　paused；　realizing　Fache　was　no　longer　beside　him。　Turning；　Langdon　saw　Fache　standing　several　yards　back　at　a　service　elevator。
〃We'll　take　the　elevator；〃　Fache　said　as　the　lift　doors　opened。　〃As　I'm　sure　you're　aware；　the　gallery　is　quite　a　distance　on　foot。〃
Although　Langdon　knew　the　elevator　would　expedite　the　long；　two…story　climb　to　the　Denon　Wing；　he　remained　motionless。
〃Is　something　wrong？〃　Fache　was　holding　the　door；　looking　impatient。
Langdon　exhaled；　turning　a　longing　glance　back　up　the　open…air　escalator。　Nothing's　wrong　at　all；　he　lied　to　himself；　trudging　back　toward　the　elevator。　As　a　boy；　Langdon　had　fallen　down　an　abandoned　well　shaft　and　almost　died　treading　water　in　the　narrow　space　for　hours　before　being　rescued。　Since　then；　he'd　suffered　a　haunting　phobia　of　enclosed　spaces—elevators；　subways；　squash　courts。　The　elevator　is　a　perfectly　safe　machine；　Langdon　continually　told　himself；　never　believing　it。　It's　a　tiny　metal　box　hanging　in　an　enclosed　shaft！　Holding　his　breath；　he　stepped　into　the　lift；　feeling　the　familiar　tingle　of　adrenaline　as　the　doors　slid　shut。　Two　floors。　Ten　seconds。
〃You　and　Mr。　Saunière；〃　Fache　said　as　the　lift　began　to　move；　〃you　never　spoke　at　all？　Never　corresponded？　Never　sent　each　other　anything　in　the　mail？〃
Another　odd　question。　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃No。　Never。〃　Fache　cocked　his　head；　as　if　making　a　mental　note　of　that　fact。　Saying　nothing；　he　stared　dead　ahead　at　the　chrome　doors。
As　they　ascended；　Langdon　tried　to　focus　on　anything　other　than　the　four　walls　around　him。　In　the　reflection　of　the　shiny　elevator　door；　he　saw　the　captain's　tie　clip—a　silver　crucifix　with　thirteen　embedded　pieces　of　black　onyx。　Langdon　found　it　vaguely　surprising。　The　symbol　was　known　as　a　crux　gemmata—a　cross　bearing　thirteen　gems—a　Christian　ideogram　for　Christ　and　His　twelve　apostles。　Somehow　Langdon　had　not　expe