达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第67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！


aid；　〃all　these　years　have　answered　the　charge　of　protecting　the　Sangreal　documents　and　the　tomb　of　Mary　Magdalene？〃
〃Yes；　but　the　brotherhood　had　another；　more　important　duty　as　well—to　protect　the　bloodline　itself。　Christ's　lineage　was　in　perpetual　danger。　The　early　Church　feared　that　if　the　lineage　were　permitted　to　grow；　the　secret　of　Jesus　and　Magdalene　would　eventually　surface　and　challenge　the　fundamental　Catholic　doctrine—that　of　a　divine　Messiah　who　did　not　consort　with　women　or　engage　in　sexual　union。〃　He　paused。　〃Nonetheless；　Christ's　line　grew　quietly　under　cover　in　France　until　making　a　bold　move　in　the　fifth　century；　when　it　intermarried　with　French　royal　blood　and　created　a　lineage　known　as　the　Merovingian　bloodline。〃
This　news　surprised　Sophie。　Merovingian　was　a　term　learned　by　every　student　in　France。　〃The　Merovingians　founded　Paris。〃
〃Yes。　That's　one　of　the　reasons　the　Grail　legend　is　so　rich　in　France。　Many　of　the　Vatican's　Grail　quests　here　were　in　fact　stealth　missions　to　erase　members　of　the　royal　bloodline。　Have　you　heard　of　King　Dagobert？〃
Sophie　vaguely　recalled　the　name　from　a　grisly　tale　in　history　class。　〃Dagobert　was　a　Merovingian　king；　wasn't　he？　Stabbed　in　the　eye　while　sleeping？〃
〃Exactly。　Assassinated　by　the　Vatican　in　collusion　with　Pepin　d'Heristal。　Late　seventh　century。　With　Dagobert's　murder；　the　Merovingian　bloodline　was　almost　exterminated。　Fortunately；　Dagobert's　son；　Sigisbert；　secretly　escaped　the　attack　and　carried　on　the　lineage；　which　later　included　Godefroi　de　Bouillon—founder　of　the　Priory　of　Sion。〃
〃The　same　man；〃　Langdon　said；　〃who　ordered　the　Knights　Templar　to　recover　the　Sangreal　documents　from　beneath　Solomon's　Temple　and　thus　provide　the　Merovingians　proof　of　their　hereditary　ties　to　Jesus　Christ。〃
Teabing　nodded；　heaving　a　ponderous　sigh。　〃The　modern　Priory　of　Sion　has　a　momentous　duty。　Theirs　is　a　threefold　charge。　The　brotherhood　must　protect　the　Sangreal　documents。　They　must　protect　the　tomb　of　Mary　Magdalene。　And；　of　course；　they　must　nurture　and　protect　the　bloodline　of　Christ—those　few　members　of　the　royal　Merovingian　bloodline　who　have　survived　into　modern　times。〃
The　words　hung　in　the　huge　space；　and　Sophie　felt　an　odd　vibration；　as　if　her　bones　were　reverberating　with　some　new　kind　of　truth。　Descendants　of　Jesus　who　survived　into　modern　times。　Her　grandfather's　voice　again　was　whispering　in　her　ear。　Princess；　I　must　tell　you　the　truth　about　your　family。
A　chill　raked　her　flesh。
Royal　blood。
She　could　not　imagine。
Princess　Sophie。
〃Sir　Leigh？〃　The　manservant's　words　crackled　through　the　inter　on　the　wall；　and　Sophie　jumped。　〃If　you　could　join　me　in　the　kitchen　a　moment？〃
Teabing　scowled　at　the　ill…timed　intrusion。　He　went　over　to　the　inter　and　pressed　the　button。　〃Rémy；　as　you　know；　I　am　busy　with　my　guests。　If　we　need　anything　else　from　the　kitchen　tonight；　we　will　help　ourselves。　Thank　you　and　good　night。〃
〃A　word　with　you　before　I　retire；　sir。　If　you　would。〃
Teabing　grunted　and　pressed　the　button。　〃Make　it　quick；　Rémy。〃
〃It　is　a　household　matter；　sir；　hardly　fare　for　guests　to　endure。〃
Teabing　looked　incredulous。　〃And　it　cannot　wait　until　morning？〃
〃No；　sir。　My　question　won't　take　a　minute。〃
Teabing　rolled　his　eyes　and　looked　at　Langdon　and　Sophie。　〃Sometimes　I　wonder　who　is　serving　whom？〃　He　pressed　the　button　again。　〃I'll　be　right　there；　Rémy。　Can　I　bring　you　anything　when　I　e？〃
〃Only　freedom　from　oppression；　sir。〃
〃Rémy；　you　realize　your　steak　au　poivre　is　the　only　reason　you　still　work　for　me。〃
〃So　you　tell　me；　sir。　So　you　tell　me。〃
　
CHAPTER　61

Princess　Sophie。
Sophie　felt　hollow　as　she　listened　to　the　clicking　of　Teabing's　crutches　fade　down　the　hallway。　Numb；　she　turned　and　faced　Langdon　in　the　deserted　ballroom。　He　was　already　shaking　his　head　as　if　reading　her　mind。
〃No；　Sophie；〃　he　whispered；　his　eyes　reassuring。　〃The　same　thought　crossed　my　mind　when　I　realized　your　grandfather　was　in　the　Priory；　and　you　said　he　wanted　to　tell　you　a　secret　about　your　family。　But　it's　impossible。〃　Langdon　paused。　〃Saunière　is　not　a　Merovingian　name。〃
Sophie　wasn't　sure　whether　to　feel　relieved　or　disappointed。　Earlier；　Langdon　had　asked　an　unusual　passing　question　about　Sophie's　mother's　maiden　name。　Chauvel。　The　question　now　made　sense。　〃And　Chauvel？〃　she　asked；　anxious。
Again　he　shook　his　head。　〃I'm　sorry。　I　know　that　would　have　answered　some　questions　for　you。　Only　two　direct　lines　of　Merovingians　remain。　Their　family　names　are　Plantard　and　Saint…Clair。　Both　families　live　in　hiding；　probably　protected　by　the　Priory。〃
Sophie　repeated　the　names　silently　in　her　mind　and　then　shook　her　head。　There　was　no　one　in　her　family　named　Plantard　or　Saint…Clair。　A　weary　undertow　was　pulling　at　her　now。　She　realized　she　was　no　closer　than　she　had　been　at　the　Louvre　to　understanding　what　truth　her　grandfather　had　wanted　to　reveal　to　her。　Sophie　wished　her　grandfather　had　never　mentioned　her　family　this　afternoon。　He　had　torn　open　old　wounds　that　felt　as　painful　now　as　ever。　They　are　dead；　Sophie。　They　are　not　ing　back。　She　thought　of　her　mother　singing　her　to　sleep　at　night；　of　her　father　giving　her　rides　on　his　shoulders；　and　of　her　grandmother　and　younger　brother　smiling　at　her　with　their　fervent　green　eyes。　All　that　was　stolen。　And　all　she　had　left　was　her　grandfather。
And　now　he　is　gone　too。　I　am　alone。
Sophie　turned　quietly　back　to　The　Last　Supper　and　gazed　at　Mary　Magdalene's　long　red　hair　and　quiet　eyes。　There　was　something　in　the　woman's　expression　that　echoed　the　loss　of　a　loved　one。　Sophie　could　feel　it　too。
〃Robert？〃　she　said　softly。
He　stepped　closer。
〃I　know　Leigh　said　the　Grail　story　is　all　around　us；　but　tonight　is　the　first　time　I've　ever　heard　any　of　this。〃
Langdon　looked　as　if　he　wanted　to　put　a　forting　hand　on　her　shoulder；　but　he　refrained。　〃You've　heard　her　story　before；　Sophie。　Everyone　has。　We　just　don't　realize　it　when　we　hear　it。〃
〃I　don't　understand。〃
〃The　Grail　story　is　everywhere；　but　it　is　hidden。　When　the　Church　outlawed　speaking　of　the　shunned　Mary　Magdalene；　her　story　and　importance　had　to　be　passed　on　through　more　discreet　channels。。。　channels　that　supported　metaphor　and　symbolism。〃
〃Of　course。　The　arts。〃
Langdon　motioned　to　The　Last　Supper。　〃A　perfect　example。　Some　of　today's　most　enduring　art；　literature；　and　music　secretly　tell　the　history　of　Mary　Magdalene　and　Jesus。〃
Langdon　quickly　told　her　about　works　by　Da　Vinci；　Botticelli；　Poussin；　Bernini；　Mozart；　and　Victor　Hugo　that　all　whispered　of　the　quest　to　restore　the　banished　sacred　feminine。　Enduring　legends　like　Sir　Gawain　and　the　Green　Knight；　King　Arthur；　and　Sleeping　Beauty　were　Grail　allegories。　Victor　Hugo's　Hunchback　of　Notre　Dame　and　Mozart's　Magic　Flute　were　filled　with　Masonic　symbolism　and　Grail　secrets。
〃Once　you　open　your　eyes　to　the　Holy　Grail；〃　Langdon　said；　〃you　see　her　everywhere。　Paintings。　Music。　Books。　Even　in　cartoons；　theme　parks；　and　popular　movies。〃
Langdon　held　up　his　Mickey　Mouse　watch　and　told　her　that　Walt　Disney　had　made　it　his　quiet　life's　work　to　pass　on　the　Grail　story　to　future　generations。　Throughout　his　entire　life；　Disney　had　been　hailed　as　〃the　Modern…Day　Leonardo　da　Vinci。〃　Both　men　were　generations　ahead　of