danbrown.thedavincicode-第24部分

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　Job　38：11
　A　Bible　verse？　Silas　was　stunned　with　the　devilish　simplicity。　The　secret　location　of　that　which　they　sought　was　revealed　in　a　Bible　verse？　The　brotherhood　stopped　at　nothing　to　mock　the　righteous！
　Job。　Chapter　thirty…eight。　Verse　eleven。
　Although　Silas　did　not　recall　the　exact　contents　of　verse　eleven　by　heart；　he　knew　the　Book　of　Job　told　the　story　of　a　man　whose　faith　in　God　survived　repeated　tests。　Appropriate；　he　thought；　barely　able　to　contain　his　excitement。
　Looking　over　his　shoulder；　he　gazed　down　the　shimmering　Rose　Line　and　couldn't　help　but　smile。　There　atop　the　main　altar；　propped　open　on　a　gilded　book　stand；　sat　an　enormous　leather…bound　Bible。
　　
　Up　in　the　balcony；　Sister　Sandrine　was　shaking。　Moments　ago；　she　had　been　about　to　flee　and　carry　out　her　orders；　when　the　man　below　suddenly　removed　his　cloak。　When　she　saw　his　alabaster…white　flesh；　she　was　overe　with　a　horrified　bewilderment。　His　broad；　pale　back　was　soaked　with　blood…red　slashes。　Even　from　here　she　could　see　the　wounds　were　fresh。
　This　man　has　been　mercilessly　whipped！
　She　also　saw　the　bloody　cilice　around　his　thigh；　the　wound　beneath　it　dripping。　What　kind　of　God　would　want　a　body　punished　this　way？　The　rituals　of　Opus　Dei；　Sister　Sandrine　knew；　were　not　something　she　would　ever　understand。　But　that　was　hardly　her　concern　at　this　instant。　Opus　Dei　is　searching　for　the　keystone。　How　they　knew　of　it；　Sister　Sandrine　could　not　imagine；　although　she　knew　she　did　not　have　time　to　think。
　The　bloody　monk　was　now　quietly　donning　his　cloak　again；　clutching　his　prize　as　he　moved　toward　the　altar；　toward　the　Bible。
　In　breathless　silence；　Sister　Sandrine　left　the　balcony　and　raced　down　the　hall　to　her　quarters。　Getting　on　her　hands　and　knees；　she　reached　beneath　her　wooden　bed　frame　and　retrieved　the　sealed　envelope　she　had　hidden　there　years　ago。
　Tearing　it　open；　she　found　four　Paris　phone　numbers。
　Trembling；　she　began　to　dial。
　　
　Downstairs；　Silas　laid　the　stone　tablet　on　the　altar　and　turned　his　eager　hands　to　the　leather　Bible。　His　long　white　fingers　were　sweating　now　as　he　turned　the　pages。　Flipping　through　the　Old　Testament；　he　found　the　Book　of　Job。　He　located　chapter　thirty…eight。　As　he　ran　his　finger　down　the　column　of　text；　he　anticipated　the　words　he　was　about　to　read。
　They　will　lead　the　way！
　Finding　verse　number　eleven；　Silas　read　the　text。　It　was　only　seven　words。　Confused；　he　read　it　again；　sensing　something　had　gone　terribly　wrong。　The　verse　simply　read：
　HITHERTO　SHALT　THOU　E；　BUT　NO　FURTHER。
　　
　CHAPTER　30
　
　Security　warden　Claude　Grouard　simmered　with　rage　as　he　stood　over　his　prostrate　captive　in　front　of　the　Mona　Lisa。　This　bastard　killed　Jacques　Saunière！　Saunière　had　been　like　a　well…loved　father　to　Grouard　and　his　security　team。
　Grouard　wanted　nothing　more　than　to　pull　the　trigger　and　bury　a　bullet　in　Robert　Langdon's　back。　As　senior　warden；　Grouard　was　one　of　the　few　guards　who　actually　carried　a　loaded　weapon。　He　reminded　himself；　however；　that　killing　Langdon　would　be　a　generous　fate　pared　to　the　misery　about　to　be　municated　by　Bezu　Fache　and　the　French　prison　system。
　Grouard　yanked　his　walkie…talkie　off　his　belt　and　attempted　to　radio　for　backup。　All　he　heard　was　static。　The　additional　electronic　security　in　this　chamber　always　wrought　havoc　with　the　guards'　munications。　I　have　to　move　to　the　doorway。　Still　aiming　his　weapon　at　Langdon；　Grouard　began　backing　slowly　toward　the　entrance。　On　his　third　step；　he　spied　something　that　made　him　stop　short。
　What　the　hell　is　that！
　An　inexplicable　mirage　was　materializing　near　the　center　of　the　room。　A　silhouette。　There　was　someone　else　in　the　room？　A　woman　was　moving　through　the　darkness；　walking　briskly　toward　the　far　left　wall。　In　front　of　her；　a　purplish　beam　of　light　swung　back　and　forth　across　the　floor；　as　if　she　were　searching　for　something　with　a　colored　flashlight。
　〃Qui　est　là？〃　Grouard　demanded；　feeling　his　adrenaline　spike　for　a　second　time　in　the　last　thirty　seconds。　He　suddenly　didn't　know　where　to　aim　his　gun　or　what　direction　to　move。
　〃PTS；〃　the　woman　replied　calmly；　still　scanning　the　floor　with　her　light。
　Police　Technique　et　Scientifique。　Grouard　was　sweating　now。　I　thought　all　the　agents　were　gone！　He　now　recognized　the　purple　light　as　ultraviolet；　consistent　with　a　PTS　team；　and　yet　he　could　not　understand　why　DCPJ　would　be　looking　for　evidence　in　here。
　〃Votre　nom！〃　Grouard　yelled；　instinct　telling　him　something　was　amiss。　〃Répondez！〃
　〃C'est　mot；〃　the　voice　responded　in　calm　French。　〃Sophie　Neveu。〃
　Somewhere　in　the　distant　recesses　of　Grouard's　mind；　the　name　registered。　Sophie　Neveu？　That　was　the　name　of　Saunière's　granddaughter；　wasn't　it？　She　used　to　e　in　here　as　a　little　kid；　but　that　was　years　ago。　This　couldn't　possibly　be　her！　And　even　if　it　were　Sophie　Neveu；　that　was　hardly　a　reason　to　trust　her；　Grouard　had　heard　the　rumors　of　the　painful　falling…out　between　Saunière　and　his　granddaughter。
　〃You　know　me；〃　the　woman　called。　〃And　Robert　Langdon　did　not　kill　my　grandfather。　Believe　me。〃
　Warden　Grouard　was　not　about　to　take　that　on　faith。　I　need　backup！　Trying　his　walkie…talkie　again；　he　got　only　static。　The　entrance　was　still　a　good　twenty　yards　behind　him；　and　Grouard　began　backing　up　slowly；　choosing　to　leave　his　gun　trained　on　the　man　on　the　floor。　As　Grouard　inched　backward；　he　could　see　the　woman　across　the　room　raising　her　UV　light　and　scrutinizing　a　large　painting　that　hung　on　the　far　side　of　the　Salle　des　Etats；　directly　opposite　the　Mona　Lisa。
　Grouard　gasped；　realizing　which　painting　it　was。
　What　in　the　name　of　God　is　she　doing？
　　
　Across　the　room；　Sophie　Neveu　felt　a　cold　sweat　breaking　across　her　forehead。　Langdon　was　still　spread…eagle　on　the　floor。　Hold　on；　Robert。　Almost　there。　Knowing　the　guard　would　never　actually　shoot　either　of　them；　Sophie　now　turned　her　attention　back　to　the　matter　at　hand；　scanning　the　entire　area　around　one　masterpiece　in　particular…another　Da　Vinci。　But　the　UV　light　revealed　nothing　out　of　the　ordinary。　Not　on　the　floor；　on　the　walls；　or　even　on　the　canvas　itself。
　There　must　be　something　here！
　Sophie　felt　totally　certain　she　had　deciphered　her　grandfather's　intentions　correctly。
　What　else　could　he　possibly　intend？
　The　masterpiece　she　was　examining　was　a　five…foot…tall　canvas。　The　bizarre　scene　Da　Vinci　had　painted　included　an　awkwardly　posed　Virgin　Mary　sitting　with　Baby　Jesus；　John　the　Baptist；　and　the　Angel　Uriel　on　a　perilous　outcropping　of　rocks。　When　Sophie　was　a　little　girl；　no　trip　to　the　Mona　Lisa　had　been　plete　without　her　grandfather　dragging　her　across　the　room　to　see　this　second　painting。
　Grand…père；　I'm　here！　But　I　don't　see　it！
　Behind　her；　Sophie　could　hear　the　guard　trying　to　radio　again　for　help。
　Think！
　She　pictured　the　message　scrawled　on　the　protective　glass　of　the　Mona　Lisa。　So　dark　the　con　of　man。　The　painting　before　her　had　no　protective　glass　on　which　to　write　a　message；　and　Sophie　knew　her　grandfather　would　never　have　defaced　this　masterpiece　by　writing　on　the　painting　itself。　She　paused。　At　least　not　on　the　front。　Her　eyes　shot　upward；　climbing　the　long　cables　that　dangled　from　the　ceiling　to　support　the　canvas。
　Could　that　be　it？　Grabbing　the　left　side　of　the　carved　wood　frame；　she　pulled　it　toward　her。　The　painting　was　large　and　the　backing　flexed　as　she　swung　it　away　from　the　wall。　Sophie　slipped　her　head　and　shoulders　in　behind　the　painting　and　raised　the　black　light　to　inspect　the　back。
　It　took　only　seconds　to　realize　her　instinct　had　been　wrong。　The　back　of　the　painting　was　pale　and　blank。　There　was　no　purple　text　here；　only　the　mottled　brown　backside　of　aging　canvas　and…
　Wait。
　Sophie's　eyes　locked　on　an　incongruous　glint　of　lustrous　metal　lodged　near　the　bottom　edge　of　the　frame's　wooden　armature。　The　object　was　small；　partially　wedged　in　the　slit　where　the　canvas　met　the　frame。　A　shimmering　gold　chain　dangled　off　it。
　To　Sophie's　utter　amazement；　the　chain　was　affixed　to　a　familiar　gold　key。　The　broad；　sculpted　head　was　in　the　shape　of　a　cross　and　bore　an　engraved　seal　she　had　not　seen　since　she　was　nine　years　old。　A　fleur…de…lis　with　the　initials　P。S。　In　that　instant；　Sophie　felt　the　ghost　of　her　grandfather　whispering　in　her　ear。　When　the　time　es；　the　key　will　be　yours。　A　tightness　gripped　her　throat　as　she　realized　that　her　grandfather；　even　in　death；　had　kept　his　promise。　This　key　opens　a　box；　his　voice　was　saying；　where　I　keep　many　secrets。
　Sophie　now　realized　that　the　entire　purpose　of　tonight's　word　game　had　been　this　key。　Her　grandfather　had　it　with　him　when　he　was　killed。　Not　wanting　it　to　fall　into　the　hands　of　the　police；　he　hid　it　behind　this　painting。　Then　he　devised　an　ingenious　treasure　hunt　to　ensure　only　Sophie　would　find　it。
　〃Au　secours！〃　the　guard's　voice　yelled。
　Sophie　snatched　the　key　from　behind　the　painting　and　slipped　it　deep　in　her　pocket　along　with　the　UV　penlight。　Peering　out　from　behind　the　canvas；　she　could　see　the　guard　was　still　trying　desperately　to　raise　someone　on　the　walkie…talkie。　He　was　backing　toward　the　entrance；　still　aiming　the　gun　firmly　at　Langdon。
　〃Au　secours！〃　he　shouted　again　into　his　radio。
　Static。
　He　can't　transmit；　Sophie　realized；　recalling　that　tourists　with　cell　phones　often　got　frustrated　in　here　when　they　tried　to　call　home　to　brag　about　seeing　the　Mona　Lisa。　The　extra　surveillance　wiring　in　the　walls　made　it　virtually　impossible　to　get　a　carrier　unless　you　stepped　out　into　the　hall。　The　guard　was　backing　quickly　toward　the　exit　now；　and　Sophie　knew　she　had　to　act　immediately。
　Gazing　up　at　the　large　painting　behind　which　she　was　partially　ensconced；　Sophie　realized　that　Leonardo　da　Vinci；　for　the　second　time　tonight；　was　there　to　help。
　　
　Another　few　meters；　Grouard　told　himself；　keeping　his　gun　leveled。
　〃Arrêtez！　Ou　je　la　détruis！〃　the　woman's　voice　echoed　across　the　room。
　Grouard　glanced　over　and　stopped　in　his　tracks。　〃Mon　dieu；　non！〃
　Through　the　reddish　haze；　he　could　see　that　the　woman　had　actually　lifted　the　large　painting　off　its　cables　and　propped　it　on　the　floor　in　front　of　her。　At　five　feet　tall；　the　canvas　almost　entirely　hid　her　body。　Grouard's　first　though