danbrown.thedavincicode-第28部分

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ough　one　of　the　most　controversial　and　unusual　conclaves　in　Vatican　history。　Now；　rather　than　being　humbled　by　his　unexpected　rise　to　power；　the　Holy　Father　had　wasted　no　time　flexing　all　the　muscle　associated　with　the　highest　office　in　Christendom。　Drawing　on　an　unsettling　tide　of　liberal　support　within　the　College　of　Cardinals；　the　Pope　was　now　declaring　his　papal　mission　to　be　〃rejuvenation　of　Vatican　doctrine　and　updating　Catholicism　into　the　third　millennium。〃
　The　translation；　Aringarosa　feared；　was　that　the　man　was　actually　arrogant　enough　to　think　he　could　rewrite　God's　laws　and　win　back　the　hearts　of　those　who　felt　the　demands　of　true　Catholicism　had　bee　too　inconvenient　in　a　modern　world。
　Aringarosa　had　been　using　all　of　his　political　sway…substantial　considering　the　size　of　the　Opus　Dei　constituency　and　their　bankroll…to　persuade　the　Pope　and　his　advisers　that　softening　the　Church's　laws　was　not　only　faithless　and　cowardly；　but　political　suicide。　He　reminded　them　that　previous　tempering　of　Church　law…the　Vatican　II　fiasco…had　left　a　devastating　legacy：　Church　attendance　was　now　lower　than　ever；　donations　were　drying　up；　and　there　were　not　even　enough　Catholic　priests　to　preside　over　their　churches。
　People　need　structure　and　direction　from　the　Church；　Aringarosa　insisted；　not　coddling　and　indulgence！
　On　that　night；　months　ago；　as　the　Fiat　had　left　the　airport；　Aringarosa　was　surprised　to　find　himself　heading　not　toward　Vatican　City　but　rather　eastward　up　a　sinuous　mountain　road。　〃Where　are　we　going？〃　he　had　demanded　of　his　driver。
　〃Alban　Hills；〃　the　man　replied。　〃Your　meeting　is　at　Castel　Gandolfo。〃
　The　Pope's　summer　residence？　Aringarosa　had　never　been；　nor　had　he　ever　desired　to　see　it。　In　addition　to　being　the　Pope's　summer　vacation　home；　the　sixteenth…century　citadel　housed　the　Specula　Vaticana…the　Vatican　Observatory…one　of　the　most　advanced　astronomical　observatories　in　Europe。　Aringarosa　had　never　been　fortable　with　the　Vatican's　historical　need　to　dabble　in　science。　What　was　the　rationale　for　fusing　science　and　faith？　Unbiased　science　could　not　possibly　be　performed　by　a　man　who　possessed　faith　in　God。　Nor　did　faith　have　any　need　for　physical　confirmation　of　its　beliefs。
　Nonetheless；　there　it　is；　he　thought　as　Castel　Gandolfo　came　into　view；　rising　against　a　star…filled　November　sky。　From　the　access　road；　Gandolfo　resembled　a　great　stone　monster　pondering　a　suicidal　leap。　Perched　at　the　very　edge　of　a　cliff；　the　castle　leaned　out　over　the　cradle　of　Italian　civilization…the　valley　where　the　Curiazi　and　Orazi　clans　fought　long　before　the　founding　of　Rome。
　Even　in　silhouette；　Gandolfo　was　a　sight　to　behold…an　impressive　example　of　tiered；　defensive　architecture；　echoing　the　potency　of　this　dramatic　cliffside　setting。　Sadly；　Aringarosa　now　saw；　the　Vatican　had　ruined　the　building　by　constructing　two　huge　aluminum　telescope　domes　atop　the　roof；　leaving　this　once　dignified　edifice　looking　like　a　proud　warrior　wearing　a　couple　of　party　hats。
　When　Aringarosa　got　out　of　the　car；　a　young　Jesuit　priest　hurried　out　and　greeted　him。　〃Bishop；　wele。　I　am　Father　Mangano。　An　astronomer　here。〃
　Good　for　you。　Aringarosa　grumbled　his　hello　and　followed　his　host　into　the　castle's　foyer…a　wide…open　space　whose　decor　was　a　graceless　blend　of　Renaissance　art　and　astronomy　images。　Following　his　escort　up　the　wide　travertine　marble　staircase；　Aringarosa　saw　signs　for　conference　centers；　science　lecture　halls；　and　tourist　information　services。　It　amazed　him　to　think　the　Vatican　was　failing　at　every　turn　to　provide　coherent；　stringent　guidelines　for　spiritual　growth　and　yet　somehow　still　found　time　to　give　astrophysics　lectures　to　tourists。
　〃Tell　me；〃　Aringarosa　said　to　the　young　priest；　〃when　did　the　tail　start　wagging　the　dog？〃
　The　priest　gave　him　an　odd　look。　〃Sir？〃
　Aringarosa　waved　it　off；　deciding　not　to　launch　into　that　particular　offensive　again　this　evening。　The　Vatican　has　gone　mad。　Like　a　lazy　parent　who　found　it　easier　to　acquiesce　to　the　whims　of　a　spoiled　child　than　to　stand　firm　and　teach　values；　the　Church　just　kept　softening　at　every　turn；　trying　to　reinvent　itself　to　acmodate　a　culture　gone　astray。
　The　top　floor's　corridor　was　wide；　lushly　appointed；　and　led　in　only　one　direction…toward　a　huge　set　of　oak　doors　with　a　brass　sign。
　BIBLIOTECA　ASTRONOMICA
　Aringarosa　had　heard　of　this　place…the　Vatican's　Astronomy　Library…rumored　to　contain　more　than　twenty…five　thousand　volumes；　including　rare　works　of　Copernicus；　Galileo；　Kepler；　Newton；　and　Secchi。　Allegedly；　it　was　also　the　place　in　which　the　Pope's　highest　officers　held　private　meetings。。。　those　meetings　they　preferred　not　to　hold　within　the　walls　of　Vatican　City。
　Approaching　the　door；　Bishop　Aringarosa　would　never　have　imagined　the　shocking　news　he　was　about　to　receive　inside；　or　the　deadly　chain　of　events　it　would　put　into　motion。　It　was　not　until　an　hour　later；　as　he　staggered　from　the　meeting；　that　the　devastating　implications　settled　in。　Six　months　from　now！　he　had　thought。　God　help　us！
　　
　Now；　seated　in　the　Fiat；　Bishop　Aringarosa　realized　his　fists　were　clenched　just　thinking　about　that　first　meeting。　He　released　his　grip　and　forced　a　slow　inhalation；　relaxing　his　muscles。
　Everything　will　be　fine；　he　told　himself　as　the　Fiat　wound　higher　into　the　mountains。　Still；　he　wished　his　cell　phone　would　ring。　Why　hasn't　the　Teacher　called　me？　Silas　should　have　the　keystone　by　now。
　Trying　to　ease　his　nerves；　the　bishop　meditated　on　the　purple　amethyst　in　his　ring。　Feeling　the　textures　of　the　mitre…crozier　appliqué　and　the　facets　of　the　diamonds；　he　reminded　himself　that　this　ring　was　a　symbol　of　power　far　less　than　that　which　he　would　soon　attain。
　　
　CHAPTER　35
　
　The　inside　of　Gare　Saint…Lazare　looked　like　every　other　train　station　in　Europe；　a　gaping　indoor…outdoor　cavern　dotted　with　the　usual　suspects…homeless　men　holding　cardboard　signs；　collections　of　bleary…eyed　college　kids　sleeping　on　backpacks　and　zoning　out　to　their　portable　MP3　players；　and　clusters　of　blue…clad　baggage　porters　smoking　cigarettes。
　Sophie　raised　her　eyes　to　the　enormous　departure　board　overhead。　The　black　and　white　tabs　reshuffled；　ruffling　downward　as　the　information　refreshed。　When　the　update　was　finished；　Langdon　eyed　the　offerings。　The　topmost　listing　read：　LYON…RAPIDE…3：06
　〃I　wish　it　left　sooner；〃　Sophie　said；　〃but　Lyon　will　have　to　do。〃　Sooner？　Langdon　checked　his　watch　2：59　A。M。　The　train　left　in　seven　minutes　and　they　didn't　even　have　tickets　yet。
　Sophie　guided　Langdon　toward　the　ticket　window　and　said；　〃Buy　us　two　tickets　with　your　credit　card。〃
　〃I　thought　credit　card　usage　could　be　traced　by…〃
　〃Exactly。〃
　Langdon　decided　to　stop　trying　to　keep　ahead　of　Sophie　Neveu。　Using　his　Visa　card；　he　purchased　two　coach　tickets　to　Lyon　and　handed　them　to　Sophie。
　Sophie　guided　him　out　toward　the　tracks；　where　a　familiar　tone　chimed　overhead　and　a　P。A。　announcer　gave　the　final　boarding　call　for　Lyon。　Sixteen　separate　tracks　spread　out　before　them。　In　the　distance　to　the　right；　at　quay　three；　the　train　to　Lyon　was　belching　and　wheezing　in　preparation　for　departure；　but　Sophie　already　had　her　arm　through　Langdon's　and　was　guiding　him　in　the　exact　opposite　direction。　They　hurried　through　a　side　lobby；　past　an　all…night　cafe；　and　finally　out　a　side　door　onto　a　quiet　street　on　the　west　side　of　the　station。
　A　lone　taxi　sat　idling　by　the　doorway。
　The　driver　saw　Sophie　and　flicked　his　lights。
　Sophie　jumped　in　the　back　seat。　Langdon　got　in　after　her。
　As　the　taxi　pulled　away　from　station；　Sophie　took　out　their　newly　purchased　train　tickets　and　tore　them　up。
　Langdon　sighed。　Seventy　dollars　well　spent。
　It　was　not　until　their　taxi　had　settled　into　a　monotonous　northbound　hum　on　Rue　de　Clichy　that　Langdon　felt　they'd　actually　escaped。　Out　the　window　to　his　right；　he　could　see　Montmartre　and　the　beautiful　dome　of　Sacré…Coeur。　The　image　was　interrupted　by　the　flash　of　police　lights　sailing　past　them　in　the　opposite　direction。
　Langdon　and　Sophie　ducked　down　as　the　sirens　faded。
　Sophie　had　told　the　cab　driver　simply　to　head　out　of　the　city；　and　from　her　firmly　set　jaw；　Langdon　sensed　she　was　trying　to　figure　out　their　next　move。
　Langdon　examined　the　cruciform　key　again；　holding　it　to　the　window；　bringing　it　close　to　his　eyes　in　an　effort　to　find　any　markings　on　it　that　might　indicate　where　the　key　had　been　made。　In　the　intermittent　glow　of　passing　streetlights；　he　saw　no　markings　except　the　Priory　seal。
　〃It　doesn't　make　sense；〃　he　finally　said。
　〃Which　part？〃
　〃That　your　grandfather　would　go　to　so　much　trouble　to　give　you　a　key　that　you　wouldn't　know　what　to　do　with。〃
　〃I　agree。〃
　〃Are　you　sure　he　didn't　write　anything　else　on　the　back　of　the　painting？〃
　〃I　searched　the　whole　area。　This　is　all　there　was。　This　key；　wedged　behind　the　painting。　I　saw　the　Priory　seal；　stuck　the　key　in　my　pocket；　then　we　left。〃
　Langdon　frowned；　peering　now　at　the　blunt　end　of　the　triangular　shaft。　Nothing。　Squinting；　he　brought　the　key　close　to　his　eyes　and　examined　the　rim　of　the　head。　Nothing　there　either。　〃I　think　this　key　was　cleaned　recently。〃
　〃Why？〃
　〃It　smells　like　rubbing　alcohol。〃
　She　turned。　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　〃It　smells　like　somebody　polished　it　with　a　cleaner。〃　Langdon　held　the　key　to　his　nose　and　sniffed。　〃It's　stronger　on　the　other　side。〃　He　flipped　it　over。　〃Yes；　it's　alcohol…based；　like　it's　been　buffed　with　a　cleaner　or…〃　Langdon　stopped。
　〃What？〃
　He　angled　the　key　to　the　light　and　looked　at　the　smooth　surface　on　the　broad　arm　of　the　cross。　It　seemed　to　shimmer　in　places。。。　like　it　was　wet。　〃How　well　did　you　look　at　the　back　of　this　key　before　you　put　it　in　your　pocket？〃
　〃What？　Not　well。　I　was　in　a　hurry。〃
　Langdon　turned　to　her。　〃Do　you　still　have　the　black　light？〃
　Sophie　reached　in　her　pocket　and　produced　the　UV　penlight。　Langdon　took　it　and　switched　it　on；　shining　the　beam　on　the　back　of　the　key。
　The　back　luminesced　instantly。　There　was　writing　there。　In　penmanship　that　was　hurried　but　legible。
　〃Well；〃　Langdon　said；　smiling。　〃I　guess　we　know　what　the　alcohol　smell　was。〃
　　
　Sophie　stared　in　amazement　at　the　purple　writing　on　the　back　of　the　key。
　24　Rue　Haxo
　　
　An　addr