danbrown.thedavincicode-第75部分

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one　later；　once　I　knew　enough　to　carry　on　alone。〃
　〃The　Temple　Church；〃　Sophie　said；　her　tone　awash　with　betrayal。
　　
　Light　begins　to　dawn；　Teabing　thought。　The　Temple　Church　was　the　perfect　location　to　steal　the　keystone　from　Robert　and　Sophie；　and　its　apparent　relevance　to　the　poem　made　it　a　plausible　decoy。　Rémy's　orders　had　been　clear…stay　out　of　sight　while　Silas　recovers　the　keystone。　Unfortunately；　Langdon's　threat　to　smash　the　keystone　on　the　chapel　floor　had　caused　Rémy　to　panic。　If　only　Rémy　had　not　revealed　himself；　Teabing　thought　ruefully；　recalling　his　own　mock　kidnapping。　Rémy　was　the　sole　link　to　me；　and　he　showed　his　face！
　Fortunately；　Silas　remained　unaware　of　Teabing's　true　identity　and　was　easily　fooled　into　taking　him　from　the　church　and　then　watching　naively　as　Rémy　pretended　to　tie　their　hostage　in　the　back　of　the　limousine。　With　the　soundproof　divider　raised；　Teabing　was　able　to　phone　Silas　in　the　front　seat；　use　the　fake　French　accent　of　the　Teacher；　and　direct　Silas　to　go　straight　to　Opus　Dei。　A　simple　anonymous　tip　to　the　police　was　all　it　would　take　to　remove　Silas　from　the　picture。
　One　loose　end　tied　up。
　The　other　loose　end　was　harder。　Rémy。
　Teabing　struggled　deeply　with　the　decision；　but　in　the　end　Rémy　had　proven　himself　a　liability。　Every　Grail　quest　requires　sacrifice。　The　cleanest　solution　had　been　staring　Teabing　in　the　face　from　the　limousine's　wet　bar…a　flask；　some　cognac；　and　a　can　of　peanuts。　The　powder　at　the　bottom　of　the　can　would　be　more　than　enough　to　trigger　Rémy's　deadly　allergy。　When　Rémy　parked　the　limo　on　Horse　Guards　Parade；　Teabing　climbed　out　of　the　back；　walked　to　the　side　passenger　door；　and　sat　in　the　front　next　to　Rémy。　Minutes　later；　Teabing　got　out　of　the　car；　climbed　into　the　rear　again；　cleaned　up　the　evidence；　and　finally　emerged　to　carry　out　the　final　phase　of　his　mission。
　Westminster　Abbey　had　been　a　short　walk；　and　although　Teabing's　leg　braces；　crutches；　and　gun　had　set　off　the　metal　detector；　the　rent…a…cops　never　knew　what　to　do。　Do　we　ask　him　to　remove　his　braces　and　crawl　through？　Do　we　frisk　his　deformed　body？　Teabing　presented　the　flustered　guards　a　far　easier　solution…an　embossed　card　identifying　him　as　Knight　of　the　Realm。　The　poor　fellows　practically　tripped　over　one　another　ushering　him　in。
　Now；　eyeing　the　bewildered　Langdon　and　Neveu；　Teabing　resisted　the　urge　to　reveal　how　he　had　brilliantly　implicated　Opus　Dei　in　the　plot　that　would　soon　bring　about　the　demise　of　the　entire　Church。　That　would　have　to　wait。　Right　now　there　was　work　to　do。
　〃Mes　amis；〃　Teabing　declared　in　flawless　French；　〃vous　ne　trouvez　pas　le　Saint…Graal；　c'est　le　Saint…Graal　qui　vous　trouve。〃　He　smiled。　〃Our　paths　together　could　not　be　more　clear。　The　Grail　has　found　us。〃
　Silence。
　He　spoke　to　them　in　a　whisper　now。　〃Listen。　Can　you　hear　it？　The　Grail　is　speaking　to　us　across　the　centuries。　She　is　begging　to　be　saved　from　the　Priory's　folly。　I　implore　you　both　to　recognize　this　opportunity。　There　could　not　possibly　be　three　more　capable　people　assembled　at　this　moment　to　break　the　final　code　and　open　the　cryptex。〃　Teabing　paused；　his　eyes　alight。　〃We　need　to　swear　an　oath　together。　A　pledge　of　faith　to　one　another。　A　knight's　allegiance　to　uncover　the　truth　and　make　it　known。〃
　Sophie　stared　deep　into　Teabing's　eyes　and　spoke　in　a　steely　tone。　〃I　will　never　swear　an　oath　with　my　grandfather's　murderer。　Except　an　oath　that　I　will　see　you　go　to　prison。〃
　Teabing's　heart　turned　grave；　then　resolute。　〃I　am　sorry　you　feel　that　way；　mademoiselle。〃　He　turned　and　aimed　the　gun　at　Langdon。　〃And　you；　Robert？　Are　you　with　me；　or　against　me？〃
　　
　CHAPTER　100
　
　Bishop　Manuel　Aringarosa's　body　had　endured　many　kinds　of　pain；　and　yet　the　searing　heat　of　the　bullet　wound　in　his　chest　felt　profoundly　foreign　to　him。　Deep　and　grave。　Not　a　wound　of　the　flesh。。。　but　closer　to　the　soul。
　He　opened　his　eyes；　trying　to　see；　but　the　rain　on　his　face　blurred　his　vision。　Where　am　I？　He　could　feel　powerful　arms　holding　him；　carrying　his　limp　body　like　a　rag　doll；　his　black　cassock　flapping。
　Lifting　a　weary　arm；　he　mopped　his　eyes　and　saw　the　man　holding　him　was　Silas。　The　great　albino　was　struggling　down　a　misty　sidewalk；　shouting　for　a　hospital；　his　voice　a　heartrending　wail　of　agony。　His　red　eyes　were　focused　dead　ahead；　tears　streaming　down　his　pale；　blood…spattered　face。
　〃My　son；〃　Aringarosa　whispered；　〃you're　hurt。〃
　Silas　glanced　down；　his　visage　contorted　in　anguish。　〃I　am　so　very　sorry；　Father。〃　He　seemed　almost　too　pained　to　speak。
　〃No；　Silas；〃　Aringarosa　replied。　〃It　is　I　who　am　sorry。　This　is　my　fault。〃　The　Teacher　promised　me　there　would　be　no　killing；　and　I　told　you　to　obey　him　fully。　〃I　was　too　eager。　Too　fearful。　You　and　I　were　deceived。〃　The　Teacher　was　never　going　to　deliver　us　the　Holy　Grail。
　Cradled　in　the　arms　of　the　man　he　had　taken　in　all　those　years　ago；　Bishop　Aringarosa　felt　himself　reel　back　in　time。　To　Spain。　To　his　modest　beginnings；　building　a　small　Catholic　church　in　Oviedo　with　Silas。　And　later；　to　New　York　City；　where　he　had　proclaimed　the　glory　of　God　with　the　towering　Opus　Dei　Center　on　Lexington　Avenue。
　Five　months　ago；　Aringarosa　had　received　devastating　news。　His　life's　work　was　in　jeopardy。　He　recalled；　with　vivid　detail；　the　meeting　inside　Castel　Gandolfo　that　had　changed　his　life。。。　the　news　that　had　set　this　entire　calamity　into　motion。
　Aringarosa　had　entered　Gandolfo's　Astronomy　Library　with　his　head　held　high；　fully　expecting　to　be　lauded　by　throngs　of　weling　hands；　all　eager　to　pat　him　on　the　back　for　his　superior　work　representing　Catholicism　in　America。
　But　only　three　people　were　present。
　The　Vatican　secretariat。　Obese。　Dour。
　Two　high…ranking　Italian　cardinals。　Sanctimonious。　Smug。
　〃Secretariat？〃　Aringarosa　said；　puzzled。
　The　rotund　overseer　of　legal　affairs　shook　Aringarosa's　hand　and　motioned　to　the　chair　opposite　him。　〃Please；　make　yourself　fortable。〃
　Aringarosa　sat；　sensing　something　was　wrong。
　〃I　am　not　skilled　in　small　talk；　Bishop；〃　the　secretariat　said；　〃so　let　me　be　direct　about　the　reason　for　your　visit。〃
　〃Please。　Speak　openly。〃　Aringarosa　glanced　at　the　two　cardinals；　who　seemed　to　be　measuring　him　with　self…righteous　anticipation。
　〃As　you　are　well　aware；〃　the　secretariat　said；　〃His　Holiness　and　others　in　Rome　have　been　concerned　lately　with　the　political　fallout　from　Opus　Dei's　more　controversial　practices。〃
　Aringarosa　felt　himself　bristle　instantly。　He　already　had　been　through　this　on　numerous　occasions　with　the　new　pontiff；　who；　to　Aringarosa's　great　dismay；　had　turned　out　to　be　a　distressingly　fervent　voice　for　liberal　change　in　the　Church。
　〃I　want　to　assure　you；〃　the　secretariat　added　quickly；　〃that　His　Holiness　does　not　seek　to　change　anything　about　the　way　you　run　your　ministry。〃
　I　should　hope　not！　〃Then　why　am　I　here？〃
　The　enormous　man　sighed。　〃Bishop；　I　am　not　sure　how　to　say　this　delicately；　so　I　will　state　it　directly。　Two　days　ago；　the　Secretariat　Council　voted　unanimously　to　revoke　the　Vatican's　sanction　of　Opus　Dei。〃
　Aringarosa　was　certain　he　had　heard　incorrectly。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃Plainly　stated；　six　months　from　today；　Opus　Dei　will　no　longer　be　considered　a　prelature　of　the　Vatican。　You　will　be　a　church　unto　yourself。　The　Holy　See　will　be　disassociating　itself　from　you。　His　Holiness　agrees　and　we　are　already　drawing　up　the　legal　papers。〃
　〃But。。。　that　is　impossible！〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　it　is　quite　possible。　And　necessary。　His　Holiness　has　bee　uneasy　with　your　aggressive　recruiting　policies　and　your　practices　of　corporal　mortification。〃　He　paused。　〃Also　your　policies　regarding　women。　Quite　frankly；　Opus　Dei　has　bee　a　liability　and　an　embarrassment。〃
　Bishop　Aringarosa　was　stupefied。　〃An　embarrassment？〃
　〃Certainly　you　cannot　be　surprised　it　has　e　to　this。〃
　〃Opus　Dei　is　the　only　Catholic　organization　whose　numbers　are　growing！　We　now　have　over　eleven　hundred　priests！〃
　〃True。　A　troubling　issue　for　us　all。〃
　Aringarosa　shot　to　his　feet。　〃Ask　His　Holiness　if　Opus　Dei　was　an　embarrassment　in　1982　when　we　helped　the　Vatican　Bank！〃
　〃The　Vatican　will　always　be　grateful　for　that；〃　the　secretariat　said；　his　tone　appeasing；　〃and　yet　there　are　those　who　still　believe　your　financial　munificence　in　1982　is　the　only　reason　you　were　granted　prelature　status　in　the　first　place。〃
　〃That　is　not　true！〃　The　insinuation　offended　Aringarosa　deeply。
　〃Whatever　the　case；　we　plan　to　act　in　good　faith。　We　are　drawing　up　severance　terms　that　will　include　a　reimbursement　of　those　monies。　It　will　be　paid　in　five　installments。〃
　〃You　are　buying　me　off？〃　Aringarosa　demanded。　〃Paying　me　to　go　quietly？　When　Opus　Dei　is　the　only　remaining　voice　of　reason！〃
　One　of　the　cardinals　glanced　up。　〃I'm　sorry；　did　you　say　reason？〃
　Aringarosa　leaned　across　the　table；　sharpening　his　tone　to　a　point。　〃Do　you　really　wonder　why　Catholics　are　leaving　the　Church？　Look　around　you；　Cardinal。　People　have　lost　respect。　The　rigors　of　faith　are　gone。　The　doctrine　has　bee　a　buffet　line。　Abstinence；　confession；　munion；　baptism；　mass…take　your　pick…choose　whatever　bination　pleases　you　and　ignore　the　rest。　What　kind　of　spiritual　guidance　is　the　Church　offering？〃
　〃Third…century　laws；〃　the　second　cardinal　said；　〃cannot　be　applied　to　the　modern　followers　of　Christ。　The　rules　are　not　workable　in　today's　society。〃
　〃Well；　they　seem　to　be　working　for　Opus　Dei！〃
　〃Bishop　Aringarosa；〃　the　secretariat　said；　his　voice　conclusive。　〃Out　of　respect　for　your　organization's　relationship　with　the　previous　Pope；　His　Holiness　will　be　giving　Opus　Dei　six　months　to　voluntarily　break　away　from　the　Vatican。　I　suggest　you　cite　your　differences　of　opinion　with　the　Holy　See　and　establish　yourself　as　your　own　Christian　organization。〃
　〃I　refuse！〃　Aringarosa　declared。　〃And　I'll　tell　him　that　in　person！〃
　〃I'm　afraid　His　Holiness　no　longer　cares　to　meet　with　you。〃
　Aringarosa　stood　up。　〃He　would　not　dare　abolish　a　personal　prelature　established　by　a　previous　Pope！〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　The　secretariat's　eyes　did　not　flinch。　〃The　Lord　giveth　and　the　Lord　taketh　away。〃
　Aringarosa　had　staggered　from　that　meeting　in　bewilderment　and　panic。　Returning　to　New　York；　he　stared　out　at