danbrown.thedavincicode-第27部分

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pentining　through　sparse　traffic　on　Champs…Elysées；　Langdon　felt　his　options　deteriorating。　Although　Sophie　seemed　to　have　lost　the　police；　at　least　for　the　moment；　Langdon　doubted　their　luck　would　hold　for　long。
　Behind　the　wheel　Sophie　was　fishing　in　her　sweater　pocket。　She　removed　a　small　metal　object　and　held　it　out　for　him。　〃Robert；　you'd　better　have　a　look　at　this。　This　is　what　my　grandfather　left　me　behind　Madonna　of　the　Rocks。〃
　Feeling　a　shiver　of　anticipation；　Langdon　took　the　object　and　examined　it。　It　was　heavy　and　shaped　like　a　cruciform。　His　first　instinct　was　that　he　was　holding　a　funeral　pieu…a　miniature　version　of　a　memorial　spike　designed　to　be　stuck　into　the　ground　at　a　gravesite。　But　then　he　noted　the　shaft　protruding　from　the　cruciform　was　prismatic　and　triangular。　The　shaft　was　also　pockmarked　with　hundreds　of　tiny　hexagons　that　appeared　to　be　finely　tooled　and　scattered　at　random。
　〃It's　a　laser…cut　key；〃　Sophie　told　him。　〃Those　hexagons　are　read　by　an　electric　eye。〃
　A　key？　Langdon　had　never　seen　anything　like　it。
　〃Look　at　the　other　side；〃　she　said；　changing　lanes　and　sailing　through　an　intersection。
　When　Langdon　turned　the　key；　he　felt　his　jaw　drop。　There；　intricately　embossed　on　the　center　of　the　cross；　was　a　stylized　fleur…de…lis　with　the　initials　P。S。！　〃Sophie；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　the　seal　I　told　you　about！　The　official　device　of　the　Priory　of　Sion。〃
　She　nodded。　〃As　I　told　you；　I　saw　the　key　a　long　time　ago。　He　told　me　never　to　speak　of　it　again。〃
　Langdon's　eyes　were　still　riveted　on　the　embossed　key。　Its　high…tech　tooling　and　age…old　symbolism　exuded　an　eerie　fusion　of　ancient　and　modern　worlds。
　〃He　told　me　the　key　opened　a　box　where　he　kept　many　secrets。〃
　Langdon　felt　a　chill　to　imagine　what　kind　of　secrets　a　man　like　Jacques　Saunière　might　keep。　What　an　ancient　brotherhood　was　doing　with　a　futuristic　key；　Langdon　had　no　idea。　The　Priory　existed　for　the　sole　purpose　of　protecting　a　secret。　A　secret　of　incredible　power。　Could　this　key　have　something　to　do　with　it？　The　thought　was　overwhelming。　〃Do　you　know　what　it　opens？〃
　Sophie　looked　disappointed。　〃I　was　hoping　you　knew。〃
　Langdon　remained　silent　as　he　turned　the　cruciform　in　his　hand；　examining　it。
　〃It　looks　Christian；〃　Sophie　pressed。
　Langdon　was　not　so　sure　about　that。　The　head　of　this　key　was　not　the　traditional　long…stemmed　Christian　cross　but　rather　was　a　square　cross…with　four　arms　of　equal　length…which　predated　Christianity　by　fifteen　hundred　years。　This　kind　of　cross　carried　none　of　the　Christian　connotations　of　crucifixion　associated　with　the　longer…stemmed　Latin　Cross；　originated　by　Romans　as　a　torture　device。　Langdon　was　always　surprised　how　few　Christians　who　gazed　upon　〃the　crucifix〃　realized　their　symbol's　violent　history　was　reflected　in　its　very　name：　〃cross〃　and　〃crucifix〃　came　from　the　Latin　verb　cruciare…to　torture。
　〃Sophie；〃　he　said；　〃all　I　can　tell　you　is　that　equal…armed　crosses　like　this　one　are　considered　peaceful　crosses。　Their　square　configurations　make　them　impractical　for　use　in　crucifixion；　and　their　balanced　vertical　and　horizontal　elements　convey　a　natural　union　of　male　and　female；　making　them　symbolically　consistent　with　Priory　philosophy。〃
　She　gave　him　a　weary　look。　〃You　have　no　idea；　do　you？〃
　Langdon　frowned。　〃Not　a　clue。〃
　〃Okay；　we　have　to　get　off　the　road。〃　Sophie　checked　her　rearview　mirror。　〃We　need　a　safe　place　to　figure　out　what　that　key　opens。〃
　Langdon　thought　longingly　of　his　fortable　room　at　the　Ritz。　Obviously；　that　was　not　an　option。　〃How　about　my　hosts　at　the　American　University　of　Paris？〃
　〃Too　obvious。　Fache　will　check　with　them。〃
　〃You　must　know　people。　You　live　here。〃
　〃Fache　will　run　my　phone　and　e…mail　records；　talk　to　my　coworkers。　My　contacts　are　promised；　and　finding　a　hotel　is　no　good　because　they　all　require　identification。〃
　Langdon　wondered　again　if　he　might　have　been　better　off　taking　his　chances　letting　Fache　arrest　him　at　the　Louvre。　〃Let's　call　the　embassy。　I　can　explain　the　situation　and　have　the　embassy　send　someone　to　meet　us　somewhere。〃
　〃Meet　us？〃　Sophie　turned　and　stared　at　him　as　if　he　were　crazy。　〃Robert；　you're　dreaming。　Your　embassy　has　no　jurisdiction　except　on　their　own　property。　Sending　someone　to　retrieve　us　would　be　considered　aiding　a　fugitive　of　the　French　government。　It　won't　happen。　If　you　walk　into　your　embassy　and　request　temporary　asylum；　that's　one　thing；　but　asking　them　to　take　action　against　French　law　enforcement　in　the　field？〃　She　shook　her　head。　〃Call　your　embassy　right　now；　and　they　are　going　to　tell　you　to　avoid　further　damage　and　turn　yourself　over　to　Fache。　Then　they'll　promise　to　pursue　diplomatic　channels　to　get　you　a　fair　trial。〃　She　gazed　up　the　line　of　elegant　storefronts　on　Champs…Elysées。　〃How　much　cash　do　you　have？〃
　Langdon　checked　his　wallet。　〃A　hundred　dollars。　A　few　euro。　Why？〃
　〃Credit　cards？〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　As　Sophie　accelerated；　Langdon　sensed　she　was　formulating　a　plan。　Dead　ahead；　at　the　end　of　Champs…Elysées；　stood　the　Arc　de　Triomphe…Napoleon's　164…foot…tall　tribute　to　his　own　military　potency…encircled　by　France's　largest　rotary；　a　nine…lane　behemoth。
　Sophie's　eyes　were　on　the　rearview　mirror　again　as　they　approached　the　rotary。　〃We　lost　them　for　the　time　being；〃　she　said；　〃but　we　won't　last　another　five　minutes　if　we　stay　in　this　car。〃
　So　steal　a　different　one；　Langdon　mused；　now　that　we're　criminals。　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃
　Sophie　gunned　the　SmartCar　into　the　rotary。　〃Trust　me。〃
　Langdon　made　no　response。　Trust　had　not　gotten　him　very　far　this　evening。　Pulling　back　the　sleeve　of　his　jacket；　he　checked　his　watch…a　vintage；　collector's…edition　Mickey　Mouse　wristwatch　that　had　been　a　gift　from　his　parents　on　his　tenth　birthday。　Although　its　juvenile　dial　often　drew　odd　looks；　Langdon　had　never　owned　any　other　watch；　Disney　animations　had　been　his　first　introduction　to　the　magic　of　form　and　color；　and　Mickey　now　served　as　Langdon's　daily　reminder　to　stay　young　at　heart。　At　the　moment；　however；　Mickey's　arms　were　skewed　at　an　awkward　angle；　indicating　an　equally　awkward　hour。
　2：51　A。M。
　〃Interesting　watch；〃　Sophie　said；　glancing　at　his　wrist　and　maneuvering　the　SmartCar　around　the　wide；　counterclockwise　rotary。
　〃Long　story；〃　he　said；　pulling　his　sleeve　back　down。
　〃I　imagine　it　would　have　to　be。〃　She　gave　him　a　quick　smile　and　exited　the　rotary；　heading　due　north；　away　from　the　city　center。　Barely　making　two　green　lights；　she　reached　the　third　intersection　and　took　a　hard　right　onto　Boulevard　Malesherbes。　They'd　left　the　rich；　tree…lined　streets　of　the　diplomatic　neighborhood　and　plunged　into　a　darker　industrial　neighborhood。　Sophie　took　a　quick　left；　and　a　moment　later；　Langdon　realized　where　they　were。
　Gare　Saint…Lazare。
　Ahead　of　them；　the　glass…roofed　train　terminal　resembled　the　awkward　offspring　of　an　airplane　hangar　and　a　greenhouse。　European　train　stations　never　slept。　Even　at　this　hour；　a　half…dozen　taxis　idled　near　the　main　entrance。　Vendors　manned　carts　of　sandwiches　and　mineral　water　while　grungy　kids　in　backpacks　emerged　from　the　station　rubbing　their　eyes；　looking　around　as　if　trying　to　remember　what　city　they　were　in　now。　Up　ahead　on　the　street；　a　couple　of　city　policemen　stood　on　the　curb　giving　directions　to　some　confused　tourists。
　Sophie　pulled　her　SmartCar　in　behind　the　line　of　taxis　and　parked　in　a　red　zone　despite　plenty　of　legal　parking　across　the　street。　Before　Langdon　could　ask　what　was　going　on；　she　was　out　of　the　car。　She　hurried　to　the　window　of　the　taxi　in　front　of　them　and　began　speaking　to　the　driver。
　As　Langdon　got　out　of　the　SmartCar；　he　saw　Sophie　hand　the　taxi　driver　a　big　wad　of　cash。　The　taxi　driver　nodded　and　then；　to　Langdon's　bewilderment；　sped　off　without　them。
　〃What　happened？〃　Langdon　demanded；　joining　Sophie　on　the　curb　as　the　taxi　disappeared。
　Sophie　was　already　heading　for　the　train　station　entrance。　〃e　on。　We're　buying　two　tickets　on　the　next　train　out　of　Paris。〃
　Langdon　hurried　along　beside　her。　What　had　begun　as　a　one…mile　dash　to　the　U。S。　Embassy　had　now　bee　a　full…fledged　evacuation　from　Paris。　Langdon　was　liking　this　idea　less　and　less。
　　
　CHAPTER　34
　
　The　driver　who　collected　Bishop　Aringarosa　from　Leonardo　da　Vinci　International　Airport　pulled　up　in　a　small；　unimpressive　black　Fiat　sedan。　Aringarosa　recalled　a　day　when　all　Vatican　transports　were　big　luxury　cars　that　sported　grille…plate　medallions　and　flags　emblazoned　with　the　seal　of　the　Holy　See。　Those　days　are　gone。　Vatican　cars　were　now　less　ostentatious　and　almost　always　unmarked。　The　Vatican　claimed　this　was　to　cut　costs　to　better　serve　their　dioceses；　but　Aringarosa　suspected　it　was　more　of　a　security　measure。　The　world　had　gone　mad；　and　in　many　parts　of　Europe；　advertising　your　love　of　Jesus　Christ　was　like　painting　a　bull's…eye　on　the　roof　of　your　car。
　Bundling　his　black　cassock　around　himself；　Aringarosa　climbed　into　the　back　seat　and　settled　in　for　the　long　drive　to　Castel　Gandolfo。　It　would　be　the　same　ride　he　had　taken　five　months　ago。
　Last　year's　trip　to　Rome；　he　sighed。　The　longest　night　of　my　life。
　Five　months　ago；　the　Vatican　had　phoned　to　request　Aringarosa's　immediate　presence　in　Rome。　They　offered　no　explanation。　Your　tickets　are　at　the　airport。　The　Holy　See　worked　hard　to　retain　a　veil　of　mystery；　even　for　its　highest　clergy。
　The　mysterious　summons；　Aringarosa　suspected；　was　probably　a　photo　opportunity　for　the　Pope　and　other　Vatican　officials　to　piggyback　on　Opus　Dei's　recent　public　success…the　pletion　of　their　World　Headquarters　in　New　York　City。　Architectural　Digest　had　called　Opus　Dei's　building　〃a　shining　beacon　of　Catholicism　sublimely　integrated　with　the　modern　landscape；〃　and　lately　the　Vatican　seemed　to　be　drawn　to　anything　and　everything　that　included　the　word　〃modern。〃
　Aringarosa　had　no　choice　but　to　accept　the　invitation；　albeit　reluctantly。　Not　a　fan　of　the　current　papal　administration；　Aringarosa；　like　most　conservative　clergy；　had　watched　with　grave　concern　as　the　new　Pope　settled　into　his　first　year　in　office。　An　unprecedented　liberal；　His　Holiness　had　secured　the　papacy　through　one　of　the　most　controversial　and　unusual　conclaves　in　Vatican　history。　Now；　rather　than　being