danbrown.thedavincicode-第15部分

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d　to　know。〃
　The　message　ended。
　In　the　silence；　Sophie　stood　trembling　for　what　felt　like　minutes。　As　she　considered　her　grandfather's　message；　only　one　possibility　made　sense；　and　his　true　intent　dawned。
　It　was　bait。
　Obviously；　her　grandfather　wanted　desperately　to　see　her。　He　was　trying　anything。　Her　disgust　for　the　man　deepened。　Sophie　wondered　if　maybe　he　had　fallen　terminally　ill　and　had　decided　to　attempt　any　ploy　he　could　think　of　to　get　Sophie　to　visit　him　one　last　time。　If　so；　he　had　chosen　wisely。
　My　family。
　Now；　standing　in　the　darkness　of　the　Louvre　men's　room；　Sophie　could　hear　the　echoes　of　this　afternoon's　phone　message。　Sophie；　we　both　may　be　in　danger。　Call　me。
　She　had　not　called　him。　Nor　had　she　planned　to。　Now；　however；　her　skepticism　had　been　deeply　challenged。　Her　grandfather　lay　murdered　inside　his　own　museum。　And　he　had　written　a　code　on　the　floor。
　A　code　for　her。　Of　this；　she　was　certain。
　Despite　not　understanding　the　meaning　of　his　message；　Sophie　was　certain　its　cryptic　nature　was　additional　proof　that　the　words　were　intended　for　her。　Sophie's　passion　and　aptitude　for　cryptography　were　a　product　of　growing　up　with　Jacques　Saunière…a　fanatic　himself　for　codes；　word　games；　and　puzzles。　How　many　Sundays　did　we　spend　doing　the　cryptograms　and　crosswords　in　the　newspaper？
　At　the　age　of　twelve；　Sophie　could　finish　the　Le　Monde　crossword　without　any　help；　and　her　grandfather　graduated　her　to　crosswords　in　English；　mathematical　puzzles；　and　substitution　ciphers。　Sophie　devoured　them　all。　Eventually　she　turned　her　passion　into　a　profession　by　being　a　codebreaker　for　the　Judicial　Police。
　Tonight；　the　cryptographer　in　Sophie　was　forced　to　respect　the　efficiency　with　which　her　grandfather　had　used　a　simple　code　to　unite　two　total　strangers…Sophie　Neveu　and　Robert　Langdon。
　The　question　was　why？
　Unfortunately；　from　the　bewildered　look　in　Langdon's　eyes；　Sophie　sensed　the　American　had　no　more　idea　than　she　did　why　her　grandfather　had　thrown　them　together。
　She　pressed　again。　〃You　and　my　grandfather　had　planned　to　meet　tonight。　What　about？〃
　Langdon　looked　truly　perplexed。　〃His　secretary　set　the　meeting　and　didn't　offer　any　specific　reason；　and　I　didn't　ask。　I　assumed　he'd　heard　I　would　be　lecturing　on　the　pagan　iconography　of　French　cathedrals；　was　interested　in　the　topic；　and　thought　it　would　be　fun　to　meet　for　drinks　after　the　talk。〃
　Sophie　didn't　buy　it。　The　connection　was　flimsy。　Her　grandfather　knew　more　about　pagan　iconography　than　anyone　else　on　earth。　Moreover；　he　an　exceptionally　private　man；　not　someone　prone　to　chatting　with　random　American　professors　unless　there　were　an　important　reason。
　Sophie　took　a　deep　breath　and　probed　further。　〃My　grandfather　called　me　this　afternoon　and　told　me　he　and　I　were　in　grave　danger。　Does　that　mean　anything　to　you？〃
　Langdon's　blue　eyes　now　clouded　with　concern。　〃No；　but　considering　what　just　happened。。。〃
　Sophie　nodded。　Considering　tonight's　events；　she　would　be　a　fool　not　to　be　frightened。　Feeling　drained；　she　walked　to　the　small　plate…glass　window　at　the　far　end　of　the　bathroom　and　gazed　out　in　silence　through　the　mesh　of　alarm　tape　embedded　in　the　glass。　They　were　high　up…forty　feet　at　least。
　Sighing；　she　raised　her　eyes　and　gazed　out　at　Paris's　dazzling　landscape。　On　her　left；　across　the　Seine；　the　illuminated　Eiffel　Tower。　Straight　ahead；　the　Arc　de　Triomphe。　And　to　the　right；　high　atop　the　sloping　rise　of　Montmartre；　the　graceful　arabesque　dome　of　Sacré…Coeur；　its　polished　stone　glowing　white　like　a　resplendent　sanctuary。
　Here　at　the　westernmost　tip　of　the　Denon　Wing；　the　north…south　thoroughfare　of　Place　du　Carrousel　ran　almost　flush　with　the　building　with　only　a　narrow　sidewalk　separating　it　from　the　Louvre's　outer　wall。　Far　below；　the　usual　caravan　of　the　city's　nighttime　delivery　trucks　sat　idling；　waiting　for　the　signals　to　change；　their　running　lights　seeming　to　twinkle　mockingly　up　at　Sophie。
　〃I　don't　know　what　to　say；〃　Langdon　said；　ing　up　behind　her。　〃Your　grandfather　is　obviously　trying　to　tell　us　something。　I'm　sorry　I'm　so　little　help。〃
　Sophie　turned　from　the　window；　sensing　a　sincere　regret　in　Langdon's　deep　voice。　Even　with　all　the　trouble　around　him；　he　obviously　wanted　to　help　her。　The　teacher　in　him；　she　thought；　having　read　DCPJ's　workup　on　their　suspect。　This　was　an　academic　who　clearly　despised　not　understanding。
　We　have　that　in　mon；　she　thought。
　As　a　codebreaker；　Sophie　made　her　living　extracting　meaning　from　seemingly　senseless　data。　Tonight；　her　best　guess　was　that　Robert　Langdon；　whether　he　knew　it　or　not；　possessed　information　that　she　desperately　needed。　Princesse　Sophie；　Find　Robert　Langdon。　How　much　clearer　could　her　grandfather's　message　be？　Sophie　needed　more　time　with　Langdon。　Time　to　think。　Time　to　sort　out　this　mystery　together。　Unfortunately；　time　was　running　out。
　Gazing　up　at　Langdon；　Sophie　made　the　only　play　she　could　think　of。　〃Bezu　Fache　will　be　taking　you　into　custody　at　any　minute。　I　can　get　you　out　of　this　museum。　But　we　need　to　act　now。〃
　Langdon's　eyes　went　wide。　〃You　want　me　to　run？〃
　〃It's　the　smartest　thing　you　could　do。　If　you　let　Fache　take　you　into　custody　now；　you'll　spend　weeks　in　a　French　jail　while　DCPJ　and　the　U。S。　Embassy　fight　over　which　courts　try　your　case。　But　if　we　get　you　out　of　here；　and　make　it　to　your　embassy；　then　your　government　will　protect　your　rights　while　you　and　I　prove　you　had　nothing　to　do　with　this　murder。〃
　Langdon　looked　not　even　vaguely　convinced。　〃Forget　it！　Fache　has　armed　guards　on　every　single　exit！　Even　if　we　escape　without　being　shot；　running　away　only　makes　me　look　guilty。　You　need　to　tell　Fache　that　the　message　on　the　floor　was　for　you；　and　that　my　name　is　not　there　as　an　accusation。〃
　〃I　will　do　that；〃　Sophie　said；　speaking　hurriedly；　〃but　after　you're　safely　inside　the　U。S。　Embassy。　It's　only　about　a　mile　from　here；　and　my　car　is　parked　just　outside　the　museum。　Dealing　with　Fache　from　here　is　too　much　of　a　gamble。　Don't　you　see？　Fache　has　made　it　his　mission　tonight　to　prove　you　are　guilty。　The　only　reason　he　postponed　your　arrest　was　to　run　this　observance　in　hopes　you　did　something　that　made　his　case　stronger。〃
　〃Exactly。　Like　running！〃
　The　cell　phone　in　Sophie's　sweater　pocket　suddenly　began　ringing。　Fache　probably。　She　reached　in　her　sweater　and　turned　off　the　phone。
　〃Mr。　Langdon；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　〃I　need　to　ask　you　one　last　question。〃　And　your　entire　future　may　depend　on　it。　〃The　writing　on　the　floor　is　obviously　not　proof　of　your　guilt；　and　yet　Fache　told　our　team　he　is　certain　you　are　his　man。　Can　you　think　of　any　other　reason　he　might　be　convinced　you're　guilty？〃
　Langdon　was　silent　for　several　seconds。　〃None　whatsoever。〃
　Sophie　sighed。　Which　means　Fache　is　lying。　Why；　Sophie　could　not　begin　to　imagine；　but　that　was　hardly　the　issue　at　this　point。　The　fact　remained　that　Bezu　Fache　was　determined　to　put　Robert　Langdon　behind　bars　tonight；　at　any　cost。　Sophie　needed　Langdon　for　herself；　and　it　was　this　dilemma　that　left　Sophie　only　one　logical　conclusion。
　I　need　to　get　Langdon　to　the　U。S。　Embassy。
　Turning　toward　the　window；　Sophie　gazed　through　the　alarm　mesh　embedded　in　the　plate　glass；　down　the　dizzying　forty　feet　to　the　pavement　below。　A　leap　from　this　height　would　leave　Langdon　with　a　couple　of　broken　legs。　At　best。
　Nonetheless；　Sophie　made　her　decision。
　Robert　Langdon　was　about　to　escape　the　Louvre；　whether　he　wanted　to　or　not。
　　
　CHAPTER　17
　
　〃What　do　you　mean　she's　not　answering？〃　Fache　looked　incredulous。　〃You're　calling　her　cell　phone；　right？　I　know　she's　carrying　it。〃
　Collet　had　been　trying　to　reach　Sophie　now　for　several　minutes。　〃Maybe　her　batteries　are　dead。　Or　her　ringer's　off。〃
　Fache　had　looked　distressed　ever　since　talking　to　the　director　of　Cryptology　on　the　phone。　After　hanging　up；　he　had　marched　over　to　Collet　and　demanded　he　get　Agent　Neveu　on　the　line。　Now　Collet　had　failed；　and　Fache　was　pacing　like　a　caged　lion。
　〃Why　did　Crypto　call？〃　Collet　now　ventured。
　Fache　turned。　〃To　tell　us　they　found　no　references　to　Draconian　devils　and　lame　saints。〃
　〃That's　all？〃
　〃No；　also　to　tell　us　that　they　had　just　identified　the　numerics　as　Fibonacci　numbers；　but　they　suspected　the　series　was　meaningless。〃
　Collet　was　confused。　〃But　they　already　sent　Agent　Neveu　to　tell　us　that。〃
　Fache　shook　his　head。　〃They　didn't　send　Neveu。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃According　to　the　director；　at　my　orders　he　paged　his　entire　team　to　look　at　the　images　I'd　wired　him。　When　Agent　Neveu　arrived；　she　took　one　look　at　the　photos　of　Saunière　and　the　code　and　left　the　office　without　a　word。　The　director　said　he　didn't　question　her　behavior　because　she　was　understandably　upset　by　the　photos。〃
　〃Upset？　She's　never　seen　a　picture　of　a　dead　body？〃
　Fache　was　silent　a　moment。　〃I　was　not　aware　of　this；　and　it　seems　neither　was　the　director　until　a　coworker　informed　him；　but　apparently　Sophie　Neveu　is　Jacques　Saunière's　granddaughter。〃
　Collet　was　speechless。
　〃The　director　said　she　never　once　mentioned　Saunière　to　him；　and　he　assumed　it　was　because　she　probably　didn't　want　preferential　treatment　for　having　a　famous　grandfather。〃
　No　wonder　she　was　upset　by　the　pictures。　Collet　could　barely　conceive　of　the　unfortunate　coincidence　that　called　in　a　young　woman　to　decipher　a　code　written　by　a　dead　family　member。　Still；　her　actions　made　no　sense。　〃But　she　obviously　recognized　the　numbers　as　Fibonacci　numbers　because　she　came　here　and　told　us。　I　don't　understand　why　she　would　leave　the　office　without　telling　anyone　she　had　figured　it　out。〃
　Collet　could　think　of　only　one　scenario　to　explain　the　troubling　developments：　Saunière　had　written　a　numeric　code　on　the　floor　in　hopes　Fache　would　involve　cryptographers　in　the　investigation；　and　therefore　involve　his　own　granddaughter。　As　for　the　rest　of　the　message；　was　Saunière　municating　in　some　way　with　his　granddaughter？　If　so；　what　did　the　message　tell　her？　And　how　did　Langdon　fit　in？
　Before　Collet　could　ponder　it　any　further；　the　silence　of　the　deserted　museum　was　shattered　by　an　alarm。　The　bell　sounded　like　it　was　ing　from　inside　the　Grand　Gallery。
　〃Alarme！〃　one　of　the　agents　yelled；　eyeing　his　feed　from　the　Louvre　s