danbrown.thedavincicode-第28节

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　〃The　floor　panel　has　been　broken！〃　she　pleaded　as　she　left　the　message。　〃The　other　three　are　dead！〃
　Sister　Sandrine　did　not　know　the　identities　of　the　four　men　she　protected；　but　the　private　phone　numbers　stashed　beneath　her　bed　were　for　use　on　only　one　condition。
　If　that　floor　panel　is　ever　broken；　the　faceless　messenger　had　told　her；　it　means　the　upper　echelon　has　been　breached。　One　of　us　has　been　mortally　threatened　and　been　forced　to　tell　a　desperate　lie。　Call　the　numbers。　Warn　the　others。　Do　not　fail　us　in　this。
　It　was　a　silent　alarm。　Foolproof　in　its　simplicity。　The　plan　had　amazed　her　when　she　first　heard　it。　If　the　identity　of　one　brother　was　promised；　he　could　tell　a　lie　that　would　start　in　motion　a　mechanism　to　warn　the　others。　Tonight；　however；　it　seemed　that　more　than　one　had　been　promised。
　〃Please　answer；〃　she　whispered　in　fear。　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃Hang　up　the　phone；〃　a　deep　voice　said　from　the　doorway。
　Turning　in　terror；　she　saw　the　massive　monk。　He　was　clutching　the　heavy　iron　candle　stand。　Shaking；　she　set　the　phone　back　in　the　cradle。
　〃They　are　dead；〃　the　monk　said。　〃All　four　of　them。　And　they　have　played　me　for　a　fool。　Tell　me　where　the　keystone　is。〃
　〃I　don't　know！〃　Sister　Sandrine　said　truthfully。　〃That　secret　is　guarded　by　others。〃　Others　who　are　dead！
　The　man　advanced；　his　white　fists　gripping　the　iron　stand。　〃You　are　a　sister　of　the　Church；　and　yet　you　serve　them？〃
　〃Jesus　had　but　one　true　message；〃　Sister　Sandrine　said　defiantly。　〃I　cannot　see　that　message　in　Opus　Dei。〃
　A　sudden　explosion　of　rage　erupted　behind　the　monk's　eyes。　He　lunged；　lashing　out　with　the　candle　stand　like　a　club。　As　Sister　Sandrine　fell；　her　last　feeling　was　an　overwhelming　sense　of　foreboding。
　All　four　are　dead。
　The　precious　truth　is　lost　forever。
　　
　CHAPTER　32
　
　The　security　alarm　on　the　west　end　of　the　Denon　Wing　sent　the　pigeons　in　the　nearby　Tuileries　Gardens　scattering　as　Langdon　and　Sophie　dashed　out　of　the　bulkhead　into　the　Paris　night。　As　they　ran　across　the　plaza　to　Sophie's　car；　Langdon　could　hear　police　sirens　wailing　in　the　distance。
　〃That's　it　there；〃　Sophie　called；　pointing　to　a　red　snub…nosed　two…seater　parked　on　the　plaza。
　She's　kidding；　right？　The　vehicle　was　easily　the　smallest　car　Langdon　had　ever　seen。
　〃SmartCar；〃　she　said。　〃A　hundred　kilometers　to　the　liter。〃
　Langdon　had　barely　thrown　himself　into　the　passenger　seat　before　Sophie　gunned　the　SmartCar　up　and　over　a　curb　onto　a　gravel　divider。　He　gripped　the　dash　as　the　car　shot　out　across　a　sidewalk　and　bounced　back　down　over　into　the　small　rotary　at　Carrousel　du　Louvre。
　For　an　instant；　Sophie　seemed　to　consider　taking　the　shortcut　across　the　rotary　by　plowing　straight　ahead；　through　the　median's　perimeter　hedge；　and　bisecting　the　large　circle　of　grass　in　the　center。
　〃No！〃　Langdon　shouted；　knowing　the　hedges　around　Carrousel　du　Louvre　were　there　to　hide　the　perilous　chasm　in　the　center…La　Pyramide　Inversée…the　upside…down　pyramid　skylight　he　had　seen　earlier　from　inside　the　museum。　It　was　large　enough　to　swallow　their　Smart…Car　in　a　single　gulp。　Fortunately；　Sophie　decided　on　the　more　conventional　route；　jamming　the　wheel　hard　to　the　right；　circling　properly　until　she　exited；　cut　left；　and　swung　into　the　northbound　lane；　accelerating　toward　Rue　de　Rivoli。
　The　two…tone　police　sirens　blared　louder　behind　them；　and　Langdon　could　see　the　lights　now　in　his　side　view　mirror。　The　SmartCar　engine　whined　in　protest　as　Sophie　urged　it　faster　away　from　the　Louvre。　Fifty　yards　ahead；　the　traffic　light　at　Rivoli　turned　red。　Sophie　cursed　under　her　breath　and　kept　racing　toward　it。　Langdon　felt　his　muscles　tighten。
　〃Sophie？〃
　Slowing　only　slightly　as　they　reached　the　intersection；　Sophie　flicked　her　headlights　and　stole　a　quick　glance　both　ways　before　flooring　the　accelerator　again　and　carving　a　sharp　left　turn　through　the　empty　intersection　onto　Rivoli。　Accelerating　west　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　Sophie　banked　to　the　right　around　a　wide　rotary。　Soon　they　were　shooting　out　the　other　side　onto　the　wide　avenue　of　Champs…Elysées。
　As　they　straightened　out；　Langdon　turned　in　his　seat；　craning　his　neck　to　look　out　the　rear　window　toward　the　Louvre。　The　police　did　not　seem　to　be　chasing　them。　The　sea　of　blue　lights　was　assembling　at　the　museum。
　His　heartbeat　finally　slowing；　Langdon　turned　back　around。　〃That　was　interesting。〃
　Sophie　didn't　seem　to　hear。　Her　eyes　remained　fixed　ahead　down　the　long　thoroughfare　of　Champs…Elysées；　the　two…mile　stretch　of　posh　storefronts　that　was　often　called　the　Fifth　Avenue　of　Paris。　The　embassy　was　only　about　a　mile　away；　and　Langdon　settled　into　his　seat。　So　dark　the　con　of　man。　Sophie's　quick　thinking　had　been　impressive。　Madonna　of　the　Rocks。
　Sophie　had　said　her　grandfather　left　her　something　behind　the　painting。　A　final　message？　Langdon　could　not　help　but　marvel　over　Saunière's　brilliant　hiding　place；　Madonna　of　the　Rocks　was　yet　another　fitting　link　in　the　evening's　chain　of　interconnected　symbolism。　Saunière；　it　seemed；　at　every　turn；　was　reinforcing　his　fondness　for　the　dark　and　mischievous　side　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci。
　Da　Vinci's　original　mission　for　Madonna　of　the　Rocks　had　e　from　an　organization　known　as　the　Confraternity　of　the　Immaculate　Conception；　which　needed　a　painting　for　the　centerpiece　of　an　altar　triptych　in　their　church　of　San　Francesco　in　Milan。　The　nuns　gave　Leonardo　specific　dimensions；　and　the　desired　theme　for　the　painting…the　Virgin　Mary；　baby　John　the　Baptist；　Uriel；　and　Baby　Jesus　sheltering　in　a　cave。　Although　Da　Vinci　did　as　they　requested；　when　he　delivered　the　work；　the　group　reacted　with　horror。　He　had　filled　the　painting　with　explosive　and　disturbing　details。
　The　painting　showed　a　blue…robed　Virgin　Mary　sitting　with　her　arm　around　an　infant　child；　presumably　Baby　Jesus。　Opposite　Mary　sat　Uriel；　also　with　an　infant；　presumably　baby　John　the　Baptist。　Oddly；　though；　rather　than　the　usual　Jesus…blessing…John　scenario；　it　was　baby　John　who　was　blessing　Jesus。。。　and　Jesus　was　submitting　to　his　authority！　More　troubling　still；　Mary　was　holding　one　hand　high　above　the　head　of　infant　John　and　making　a　decidedly　threatening　gesture…her　fingers　looking　like　eagle's　talons；　gripping　an　invisible　head。　Finally；　the　most　obvious　and　frightening　image：　Just　below　Mary's　curled　fingers；　Uriel　was　making　a　cutting　gesture　with　his　hand…as　if　slicing　the　neck　of　the　invisible　head　gripped　by　Mary's　claw…like　hand。
　Langdon's　students　were　always　amused　to　learn　that　Da　Vinci　eventually　mollified　the　confraternity　by　painting　them　a　second；　〃watered…down〃　version　of　Madonna　of　the　Rocks　in　which　everyone　was　arranged　in　a　more　orthodox　manner。　The　second　version　now　hung　in　London's　National　Gallery　under　the　name　Virgin　of　the　Rocks；　although　Langdon　still　preferred　the　Louvre's　more　intriguing　original。
　As　Sophie　gunned　the　car　up　Champs…Elysées；　Langdon　said；　〃The　painting。　What　was　behind　it？〃
　Her　eyes　remained　on　the　road。　〃I'll　show　you　once　we're　safely　inside　the　embassy。〃
　〃You'll　show　it　to　me？〃　Langdon　was　surprised。　〃He　left　you　a　physical　object？〃
　Sophie　gave　a　curt　nod。　〃Embossed　with　a　fleur…de…lis　and　the　initials　P。S。〃
　Langdon　couldn't　believe　his　ears。
　　
　We're　going　to　make　it；　Sophie　thought　as　she　swung　the　SmartCar's　wheel　to　the　right；　cutting　sharply　past　the　luxurious　H？tel　de　Crillon　into　Paris's　tree…lined　diplomatic　neighborhood。　The　embassy　was　less　than　a　mile　away　now。　She　was　finally　feeling　like　she　could　breathe　normally　again。
　Even　as　she　drove；　Sophie's　mind　remained　locked　on　the　key　in　her　pocket；　her　memories　of　seeing　it　many　years　ago；　the　gold　head　shaped　as　an　equal…armed　cross；　the　triangular　shaft；　the　indentations；　the　embossed　flowery　seal；　and　the　letters　P。S。
　Although　the　key　barely　had　entered　Sophie's　thoughts　through　the　years；　her　work　in　the　intelligence　munity　had　taught　her　plenty　about　security；　and　now　the　key's　peculiar　tooling　no　longer　looked　so　mystifying。　A　laser…tooled　varying　matrix。　Impossible　to　duplicate。　Rather　than　teeth　that　moved　tumblers；　this　key's　plex　series　of　laser…burned　pockmarks　was　examined　by　an　electric　eye。　If　the　eye　determined　that　the　hexagonal　pockmarks　were　correctly　spaced；　arranged；　and　rotated；　then　the　lock　would　open。
　Sophie　could　not　begin　to　imagine　what　a　key　like　this　opened；　but　she　sensed　Robert　would　be　able　to　tell　her。　After　all；　he　had　described　the　key's　embossed　seal　without　ever　seeing　it。　The　cruciform　on　top　implied　the　key　belonged　to　some　kind　of　Christian　organization；　and　yet　Sophie　knew　of　no　churches　that　used　laser…tooled　varying　matrix　keys。
　Besides；　my　grandfather　was　no　Christian。。。。
　Sophie　had　witnessed　proof　of　that　ten　years　ago。　Ironically；　it　had　been　another　key…a　far　more　normal　one…that　had　revealed　his　true　nature　to　her。
　The　afternoon　had　been　warm　when　she　landed　at　Charles　de　Gaulle　Airport　and　hailed　a　taxi　home。　Grand…père　will　be　so　surprised　to　see　me；　she　thought。　Returning　from　graduate　school　in　Britain　for　spring　break　a　few　days　early；　Sophie　couldn't　wait　to　see　him　and　tell　him　all　about　the　encryption　methods　she　was　studying。
　When　she　arrived　at　their　Paris　home；　howeve