danbrown.thedavincicode-第66部分

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　Rémy　was　stunned。　〃And　you　know　where　the　tomb　is？〃
　〃Of　course。　Later；　I　will　tell　you。　For　the　moment；　you　must　act　quickly。　If　the　others　figure　out　the　true　location　of　the　tomb　and　leave　the　church　before　you　take　the　cryptex；　we　could　lose　the　Grail　forever。〃
　Rémy　didn't　give　a　damn　about　the　Grail；　except　that　the　Teacher　refused　to　pay　him　until　it　was　found。　Rémy　felt　giddy　every　time　he　thought　of　the　money　he　soon　would　have。　One　third　of　twenty　million　euro。　Plenty　to　disappear　forever。　Rémy　had　pictured　the　beach　towns　on　the　C？te　d'Azur；　where　he　planned　to　live　out　his　days　basking　in　the　sun　and　letting　others　serve　him　for　a　change。
　Now；　however；　here　in　the　Temple　Church；　with　Langdon　threatening　to　break　the　keystone；　Rémy's　future　was　at　risk。　Unable　to　bear　the　thought　of　ing　this　close　only　to　lose　it　all；　Rémy　made　the　decision　to　take　bold　action。　The　gun　in　his　hand　was　a　concealable；　small…caliber；　J…frame　Medusa；　but　it　would　be　plenty　deadly　at　close　range。
　Stepping　from　the　shadows；　Rémy　marched　into　the　circular　chamber　and　aimed　the　gun　directly　at　Teabing's　head。　〃Old　man；　I've　been　waiting　a　long　time　to　do　this。〃
　　
　Sir　Leigh　Teabing's　heart　practically　stalled　to　see　Rémy　aiming　a　gun　at　him。　What　is　he　doing！　Teabing　recognized　the　tiny　Medusa　revolver　as　his　own；　the　one　he　kept　locked　in　the　limousine　glove　box　for　safety。
　〃Rémy？〃　Teabing　sputtered　in　shock。　〃What　is　going　on？〃
　Langdon　and　Sophie　looked　equally　dumbstruck。
　Rémy　circled　behind　Teabing　and　rammed　the　pistol　barrel　into　his　back；　high　and　on　the　left；　directly　behind　his　heart。
　Teabing　felt　his　muscles　seize　with　terror。　〃Rémy；　I　don't…〃
　〃I'll　make　it　simple；〃　Rémy　snapped；　eyeing　Langdon　over　Teabing's　shoulder。　〃Set　down　the　keystone；　or　I　pull　the　trigger。〃
　Langdon　seemed　momentarily　paralyzed。　〃The　keystone　is　worthless　to　you；〃　he　stammered。　〃You　cannot　possibly　open　it。〃
　〃Arrogant　fools；〃　Rémy　sneered。　〃Have　you　not　noticed　that　I　have　been　listening　tonight　as　you　discussed　these　poems？　Everything　I　heard；　I　have　shared　with　others。　Others　who　know　more　than　you。　You　are　not　even　looking　in　the　right　place。　The　tomb　you　seek　is　in　another　location　entirely！〃
　Teabing　felt　panicked。　What　is　he　saying！
　〃Why　do　you　want　the　Grail？〃　Langdon　demanded。　〃To　destroy　it？　Before　the　End　of　Days？〃
　Rémy　called　to　the　monk。　〃Silas；　take　the　keystone　from　Mr。　Langdon。〃
　As　the　monk　advanced；　Langdon　stepped　back；　raising　the　keystone　high；　looking　fully　prepared　to　hurl　it　at　the　floor。
　〃I　would　rather　break　it；〃　Langdon　said；　〃than　see　it　in　the　wrong　hands。〃
　Teabing　now　felt　a　wave　of　horror。　He　could　see　his　life's　work　evaporating　before　his　eyes。　All　his　dreams　about　to　be　shattered。
　〃Robert；　no！〃　Teabing　exclaimed。　〃Don't！　That's　the　Grail　you're　holding！　Rémy　would　never　shoot　me。　We've　known　each　other　for　ten…〃
　Rémy　aimed　at　the　ceiling　and　fired　the　Medusa。　The　blast　was　enormous　for　such　a　small　weapon；　the　gunshot　echoing　like　thunder　inside　the　stone　chamber。
　Everyone　froze。
　〃I　am　not　playing　games；〃　Rémy　said。　〃The　next　one　is　in　his　back。　Hand　the　keystone　to　Silas。〃
　Langdon　reluctantly　held　out　the　cryptex。　Silas　stepped　forward　and　took　it；　his　red　eyes　gleaming　with　the　self…satisfaction　of　vengeance。　Slipping　the　keystone　in　the　pocket　of　his　robe；　Silas　backed　off；　still　holding　Langdon　and　Sophie　at　gunpoint。
　Teabing　felt　Rémy's　arm　clamp　hard　around　his　neck　as　the　servant　began　backing　out　of　the　building；　dragging　Teabing　with　him；　the　gun　still　pressed　in　his　back。
　〃Let　him　go；〃　Langdon　demanded。
　〃We're　taking　Mr。　Teabing　for　a　drive；〃　Rémy　said；　still　backing　up。　〃If　you　call　the　police；　he　will　die。　If　you　do　anything　to　interfere；　he　will　die。　Is　that　clear？〃
　〃Take　me；〃　Langdon　demanded；　his　voice　cracking　with　emotion。　〃Let　Leigh　go。〃
　Rémy　laughed。　〃I　don't　think　so。　He　and　I　have　such　a　nice　history。　Besides；　he　still　might　prove　useful。〃
　Silas　was　backing　up　now；　keeping　Langdon　and　Sophie　at　gunpoint　as　Rémy　pulled　Leigh　toward　the　exit；　his　crutches　dragging　behind　him。
　Sophie's　voice　was　unwavering。　〃Who　are　you　working　for？〃
　The　question　brought　a　smirk　to　the　departing　Rémy's　face。　〃You　would　be　surprised；　Mademoiselle　Neveu。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　87
　
　The　fireplace　in　Chateau　Villette's　drawing　room　was　cold；　but　Collet　paced　before　it　nonetheless　as　he　read　the　faxes　from　Interpol。
　Not　at　all　what　he　expected。
　André　Vernet；　according　to　official　records；　was　a　model　citizen。　No　police　record…not　even　a　parking　ticket。　Educated　at　prep　school　and　the　Sorbonne；　he　had　a　cum　laude　degree　in　international　finance。　Interpol　said　Vernet's　name　appeared　in　the　newspapers　from　time　to　time；　but　always　in　a　positive　light。　Apparently　the　man　had　helped　design　the　security　parameters　that　kept　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich　a　leader　in　the　ultramodern　world　of　electronic　security。　Vernet's　credit　card　records　showed　a　penchant　for　art　books；　expensive　wine；　and　classical　CD's…mostly　Brahms…which　he　apparently　enjoyed　on　an　exceptionally　high…end　stereo　system　he　had　purchased　several　years　ago。
　Zero；　Collet　sighed。
　The　only　red　flag　tonight　from　Interpol　had　been　a　set　of　fingerprints　that　apparently　belonged　to　Teabing's　servant。　The　chief　PTS　examiner　was　reading　the　report　in　a　fortable　chair　across　the　room。
　Collet　looked　over。　〃Anything？〃
　The　examiner　shrugged。　〃Prints　belong　to　Rémy　Legaludec。　Wanted　for　petty　crime。　Nothing　serious。　Looks　like　he　got　kicked　out　of　university　for　rewiring　phone　jacks　to　get　free　service。。。　later　did　some　petty　theft。　Breaking　and　entering。　Skipped　out　on　a　hospital　bill　once　for　an　emergency　tracheotomy。〃　He　glanced　up；　chuckling。　〃Peanut　allergy。〃
　Collet　nodded；　recalling　a　police　investigation　into　a　restaurant　that　had　failed　to　notate　on　its　menu　that　the　chili　recipe　contained　peanut　oil。　An　unsuspecting　patron　had　died　of　anaphylactic　shock　at　the　table　after　a　single　bite。
　〃Legaludec　is　probably　a　live…in　here　to　avoid　getting　picked　up。〃　The　examiner　looked　amused。　〃His　lucky　night。〃
　Collet　sighed。　〃All　right；　you　better　forward　this　info　to　Captain　Fache。〃
　The　examiner　headed　off　just　as　another　PTS　agent　burst　into　the　living　room。　〃Lieutenant！　We　found　something　in　the　barn。〃
　From　the　anxious　look　on　the　agent's　face；　Collet　could　only　guess。　〃A　body。〃
　〃No；　sir。　Something　more。。。〃　He　hesitated。　〃Unexpected。〃
　Rubbing　his　eyes；　Collet　followed　the　agent　out　to　the　barn。　As　they　entered　the　musty；　cavernous　space；　the　agent　motioned　toward　the　center　of　the　room；　where　a　wooden　ladder　now　ascended　high　into　the　rafters；　propped　against　the　ledge　of　a　hayloft　suspended　high　above　them。
　〃That　ladder　wasn't　there　earlier；〃　Collet　said。
　〃No；　sir。　I　set　that　up。　We　were　dusting　for　prints　near　the　Rolls　when　I　saw　the　ladder　lying　on　the　floor。　I　wouldn't　have　given　it　a　second　thought　except　the　rungs　were　worn　and　muddy。　This　ladder　gets　regular　use。　The　height　of　the　hayloft　matched　the　ladder；　so　I　raised　it　and　climbed　up　to　have　a　look。〃
　Collet's　eyes　climbed　the　ladder's　steep　incline　to　the　soaring　hayloft。　Someone　goes　up　there　regularly？　From　down　here；　the　loft　appeared　to　be　a　deserted　platform；　and　yet　admittedly　most　of　it　was　invisible　from　this　line　of　sight。
　A　senior　PTS　agent　appeared　at　the　top　of　the　ladder；　looking　down。　〃You'll　definitely　want　to　see　this；　Lieutenant；〃　he　said；　waving　Collet　up　with　a　latex…gloved　hand。
　Nodding　tiredly；　Collet　walked　over　to　the　base　of　the　old　ladder　and　grasped　the　bottom　rungs。　The　ladder　was　an　antique　tapered　design　and　narrowed　as　Collet　ascended。　As　he　neared　the　top；　Collet　almost　lost　his　footing　on　a　thin　rung。　The　barn　below　him　spun。　Alert　now；　he　moved　on；　finally　reaching　the　top。　The　agent　above　him　reached　out；　offering　his　wrist。　Collet　grabbed　it　and　made　the　awkward　transition　onto　the　platform。
　〃It's　over　there；〃　the　PTS　agent　said；　pointing　deep　into　the　immaculately　clean　loft。　〃Only　one　set　of　prints　up　here。　We'll　have　an　ID　shortly。〃
　Collet　squinted　through　the　dim　light　toward　the　far　wall。　What　the　hell？　Nestled　against　the　far　wall　sat　an　elaborate　puter　workstation…two　tower　CPUs；　a　flat…screen　video　monitor　with　speakers；　an　array　of　hard　drives；　and　a　multichannel　audio　console　that　appeared　to　have　its　own　filtered　power　supply。
　Why　in　the　world　would　anyone　work　all　the　way　up　here？　Collet　moved　toward　the　gear。　〃Have　you　examined　the　system？〃
　〃It's　a　listening　post。〃
　Collet　spun。　〃Surveillance？〃
　The　agent　nodded。　〃Very　advanced　surveillance。〃　He　motioned　to　a　long　project　table　strewn　with　electronic　parts；　manuals；　tools；　wires；　soldering　irons；　and　other　electronic　ponents。　〃Someone　clearly　knows　what　he's　doing。　A　lot　of　this　gear　is　as　sophisticated　as　our　own　equipment。　Miniature　microphones；　photoelectric　recharging　cells；　high…capacity　RAM　chips。　He's　even　got　some　of　those　new　nano　drives。〃
　Collet　was　impressed。
　〃Here's　a　plete　system；〃　the　agent　said；　handing　Collet　an　assembly　not　much　larger　than　a　pocket　calculator。　Dangling　off　the　contraption　was　a　foot…long　wire　with　a　stamp…sized　piece　of　wafer…thin　foil　stuck　on　the　end。　〃The　base　is　a　high…capacity　hard　disk　audio　recording　system　with　rechargeable　battery。　That　strip　of　foil　at　the　end　of　the　wire　is　a　bination　microphone　and　photoelectric　recharging　cell。〃
　Collet　knew　them　well。　These　foil…like；　photocell　microphones　had　been　an　enormous　breakthrough　a　few　years　back。　Now；　a　hard　disk　recorder　could　be　affixed　behind　a　lamp；　for　example；　with　its　foil　microphone　molded　into　the　contour　of　the　base　and　dyed　to　match。　As　long　as　the　microphone　was　positioned　such　that　it　received　a　few　hours　of　sunlight　per　day；　the　photo　cells　would　keep　recharging　the　system。　Bugs　like　this　one　could　listen　indefinitely。
　〃Reception　method？〃　Collet　asked。
　The　agent　signaled　to　an　insulated　wire　that　ran　out　of　the　back　of　the　puter；　up　the　wall；　through　a　hole　in　the　barn　roof。　〃Simple　radio　wave。　Small　antenna　on　the　roof。〃
　Collet　knew　these　recording　systems　were　generally　placed　in　offices；　were　voice…activated　to　save　hard　disk　spa