达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第95部分

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Sophie　hung　up　and　dashed　with　Langdon　onto　the　train。
　
CHAPTER　89

The　immaculate　cabin　of　Teabing's　Hawker　was　now　covered　with　steel　shavings　and　smelled　of　pressed　air　and　propane。　Bezu　Fache　had　sent　everyone　away　and　sat　alone　with　his　drink　and　the　heavy　wooden　box　found　in　Teabing's　safe。
Running　his　finger　across　the　inlaid　Rose；　he　lifted　the　ornate　lid。　Inside　he　found　a　stone　cylinder　with　lettered　dials。　The　five　dials　were　arranged　to　spell　SOFIA。　Fache　stared　at　the　word　a　long　moment　and　then　lifted　the　cylinder　from　its　padded　resting　place　and　examined　every　inch。　Then；　pulling　slowly　on　the　ends；　Fache　slid　off　one　of　the　end　caps。　The　cylinder　was　empty。
Fache　set　it　back　in　the　box　and　gazed　absently　out　the　jet's　window　at　the　hangar；　pondering　his　brief　conversation　with　Sophie；　as　well　as　the　information　he'd　received　from　PTS　in　Chateau　Villette。　The　sound　of　his　phone　shook　him　from　his　daydream。
It　was　the　DCPJ　switchboard。　The　dispatcher　was　apologetic。　The　president　of　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich　had　been　calling　repeatedly；　and　although　he　had　been　told　several　times　that　the　captain　was　in　London　on　business；　he　just　kept　calling。　Begrudgingly　Fache　told　the　operator　to　forward　the　call。
〃Monsieur　Vernet；〃　Fache　said；　before　the　man　could　even　speak；　〃I　am　sorry　I　did　not　call　you　earlier。　I　have　been　busy。　As　promised；　the　name　of　your　bank　has　not　appeared　in　the　media。　So　what　precisely　is　your　concern？〃
Vernet's　voice　was　anxious　as　he　told　Fache　how　Langdon　and　Sophie　had　extracted　a　small　wooden　box　from　the　bank　and　then　persuaded　Vernet　to　help　them　escape。　〃Then　when　I　heard　on　the　radio　that　they　were　criminals；〃　Vernet　said；　〃I　pulled　over　and　demanded　the　box　back；　but　they　attacked　me　and　stole　the　truck。〃
〃You　are　concerned　for　a　wooden　box；〃　Fache　said；　eyeing　the　Rose　inlay　on　the　cover　and　again　gently　opening　the　lid　to　reveal　the　white　cylinder。　〃Can　you　tell　me　what　was　in　the　box？〃
〃The　contents　are　immaterial；〃　Vernet　fired　back。　〃I　am　concerned　with　the　reputation　of　my　bank。　We　have　never　had　a　robbery。　Ever。　It　will　ruin　us　if　I　cannot　recover　this　property　on　behalf　of　my　client。〃
〃You　said　Agent　Neveu　and　Robert　Langdon　had　a　password　and　a　key。　What　makes　you　say　they　stole　the　box？〃
〃They　murdered　people　tonight。　Including　Sophie　Neveu's　grandfather。　The　key　and　password　were　obviously　ill…gotten。〃
〃Mr。　Vernet；　my　men　have　done　some　checking　into　your　background　and　your　interests。　You　are　obviously　a　man　of　great　culture　and　refinement。　I　would　imagine　you　are　a　man　of　honor；　as　well。　As　am　I。　That　said；　I　give　you　my　word　as　manding　officer　of　the　Police　Judiciaire　that　your　box；　along　with　your　bank's　reputation；　are　in　the　safest　of　hands。〃
　
CHAPTER　90

High　in　the　hayloft　at　Chateau　Villette；　Collet　stared　at　the　puter　monitor　in　amazement。　〃This　system　is　eavesdropping　on　all　these　locations？〃
〃Yes；〃　the　agent　said。　〃It　looks　like　data　has　been　collected　for　over　a　year　now。〃
Collet　read　the　list　again；　speechless。
COLBERT　SOSTAQUE—Chairman　of　the　Conseil　Constitutionnel
JEAN　CHAFFéE—Curator；　Musée　du　Jeu　de　Paume
EDOUARD　DESROCHERS—Senior　Archivist；　Mitterrand　Library
JACQUES　SAUNIèRE—Curator；　Musée　du　Louvre
MICHEL　BRETON—Head　of　DAS　（French　Intelligence）
The　agent　pointed　to　the　screen。　〃Number　four　is　of　obvious　concern。〃
Collet　nodded　blankly。　He　had　noticed　it　immediately。　Jacques　Saunière　was　being　bugged。　He　looked　at　the　rest　of　the　list　again。　How　could　anyone　possibly　manage　to　bug　these　prominent　people？　〃Have　you　heard　any　of　the　audio　files？〃
〃A　few。　Here's　one　of　the　most　recent。〃　The　agent　clicked　a　few　puter　keys。　The　speakers　crackled　to　life。　〃Capitaine；　un　agent　du　Département　de　Cryptographie　est　arrivé。〃
Collet　could　not　believe　his　ears。　〃That's　me！　That's　my　voice！〃　He　recalled　sitting　at　Saunière's　desk　and　radioing　Fache　in　the　Grand　Gallery　to　alert　him　of　Sophie　Neveu's　arrival。
The　agent　nodded。　〃A　lot　of　our　Louvre　investigation　tonight　would　have　been　audible　if　someone　had　been　interested。〃
〃Have　you　sent　anyone　in　to　sweep　for　the　bug？〃
〃No　need。　I　know　exactly　where　it　is。〃　The　agent　went　to　a　pile　of　old　notes　and　blueprints　on　the　worktable。　He　selected　a　page　and　handed　it　to　Collet。　〃Look　familiar？〃
Collet　was　amazed。　He　was　holding　a　photocopy　of　an　ancient　schematic　diagram；　which　depicted　a　rudimentary　machine。　He　was　unable　to　read　the　handwritten　Italian　labels；　and　yet　he　knew　what　he　was　looking　at。　A　model　for　a　fully　articulated　medieval　French　knight。
The　knight　sitting　on　Saunière's　desk！
Collet's　eyes　moved　to　the　margins；　where　someone　had　scribbled　notes　on　the　photocopy　in　red　felt…tipped　marker。　The　notes　were　in　French　and　appeared　to　be　ideas　outlining　how　best　to　insert　a　listening　device　into　the　knight。
　
CHAPTER　91

Silas　sat　in　the　passenger　seat　of　the　parked　Jaguar　limousine　near　the　Temple　Church。　His　hands　felt　damp　on　the　keystone　as　he　waited　for　Rémy　to　finish　tying　and　gagging　Teabing　in　back　with　the　rope　they　had　found　in　the　trunk。
Finally；　Rémy　climbed　out　of　the　rear　of　the　limo；　walked　around；　and　slid　into　the　driver's　seat　beside　Silas。
〃Secure？〃　Silas　asked。
Rémy　chuckled；　shaking　off　the　rain　and　glancing　over　his　shoulder　through　the　open　partition　at　the　crumpled　form　of　Leigh　Teabing；　who　was　barely　visible　in　the　shadows　in　the　rear。　〃He's　not　going　anywhere。〃
Silas　could　hear　Teabing's　muffled　cries　and　realized　Rémy　had　used　some　of　the　old　duct　tape　to　gag　him。
〃Ferme　ta　gueule！〃　Rémy　shouted　over　his　shoulder　at　Teabing。　Reaching　to　a　control　panel　on　the　elaborate　dash；　Rémy　pressed　a　button。　An　opaque　partition　raised　behind　them；　sealing　off　the　back。　Teabing　disappeared；　and　his　voice　was　silenced。　Rémy　glanced　at　Silas。　〃I've　been　listening　to　his　miserable　whimpering　long　enough。〃
　
Minutes　later；　as　the　Jaguar　stretch　limo　powered　through　the　streets；　Silas's　cell　phone　rang。　The　Teacher。　He　answered　excitedly。　〃Hello？〃
〃Silas；〃　the　Teacher's　familiar　French　accent　said；　〃I　am　relieved　to　hear　your　voice。　This　means　you　are　safe。〃
Silas　was　equally　forted　to　hear　the　Teacher。　It　had　been　hours；　and　the　operation　had　veered　wildly　off　course。　Now；　at　last；　it　seemed　to　be　back　on　track。　〃I　have　the　keystone。〃
〃This　is　superb　news；〃　the　Teacher　told　him。　〃Is　Rémy　with　you？〃
Silas　was　surprised　to　hear　the　Teacher　use　Rémy's　name。　〃Yes。　Rémy　freed　me。〃
〃As　I　ordered　him　to　do。　I　am　only　sorry　you　had　to　endure　captivity　for　so　long。〃
〃Physical　disfort　has　no　meaning。　The　important　thing　is　that　the　keystone　is　ours。〃
〃Yes。　I　need　it　delivered　to　me　at　once。　Time　is　of　the　essence。〃
Silas　was　eager　to　meet　the　Teacher　face…to…face　at　last。　〃Yes；　sir；　I　would　be　honored。〃
〃Silas；　I　would　like　Rémy　to　bring　it　to　me。〃
Rémy？　Silas　was　crestfallen。　After　everything　Silas　had　done　for　the　Teacher；　he　had　believed　he　would　be　the　one　to　hand　over　the　prize。　The　Teacher　favors　Rémy？
〃I　sense　your　disappointment；〃　the　Teacher　said；　〃which　tells　me　you　do　not　understand　my　meaning。〃　He　lowered　his　voice　to　a　whisper。　〃You　must　believe　that　I　would　much　prefer　to　receive　the　keystone　from　you—a　man　o