danbrown.thedavincicode-第32节

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s　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　address！　My　grandfather　wrote　down　an　address！
　〃Where　is　this？〃　Langdon　asked。
　Sophie　had　no　idea。　Facing　front　again；　she　leaned　forward　and　excitedly　asked　the　driver；　〃Connaissez…vous　la　Rue　Haxo？〃
　The　driver　thought　a　moment　and　then　nodded。　He　told　Sophie　it　was　out　near　the　tennis　stadium　on　the　western　outskirts　of　Paris。　She　asked　him　to　take　them　there　immediately。
　〃Fastest　route　is　through　Bois　de　Boulogne；〃　the　driver　told　her　in　French。　〃Is　that　okay？〃
　Sophie　frowned。　She　could　think　of　far　less　scandalous　routes；　but　tonight　she　was　not　going　to　be　picky。　〃Oui。〃　We　can　shock　the　visiting　American。
　Sophie　looked　back　at　the　key　and　wondered　what　they　would　possibly　find　at　24　Rue　Haxo。　A　church？　Some　kind　of　Priory　headquarters？
　Her　mind　filled　again　with　images　of　the　secret　ritual　she　had　witnessed　in　the　basement　grotto　ten　years　ago；　and　she　heaved　a　long　sigh。　〃Robert；　I　have　a　lot　of　things　to　tell　you。〃　She　paused；　locking　eyes　with　him　as　the　taxi　raced　westward。　〃But　first　I　want　you　to　tell　me　everything　you　know　about　this　Priory　of　Sion。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　36
　
　Outside　the　Salle　des　Etats；　Bezu　Fache　was　fuming　as　Louvre　warden　Grouard　explained　how　Sophie　and　Langdon　had　disarmed　him。　Why　didn't　you　just　shoot　the　blessed　painting！
　〃Captain？〃　Lieutenant　Collet　loped　toward　them　from　the　direction　of　the　mand　post。　〃Captain；　I　just　heard。　They　located　Agent　Neveu's　car。〃
　〃Did　she　make　the　embassy？〃
　〃No。　Train　station。　Bought　two　tickets。　Train　just　left。〃
　Fache　waved　off　warden　Grouard　and　led　Collet　to　a　nearby　alcove；　addressing　him　in　hushed　tones。　〃What　was　the　destination？〃
　〃Lyon。〃
　〃Probably　a　decoy。〃　Fache　exhaled；　formulating　a　plan。　〃Okay；　alert　the　next　station；　have　the　train　stopped　and　searched；　just　in　case。　Leave　her　car　where　it　is　and　put　plainclothes　on　watch　in　case　they　try　to　e　back　to　it。　Send　men　to　search　the　streets　around　the　station　in　case　they　fled　on　foot。　Are　buses　running　from　the　station？〃
　〃Not　at　this　hour；　sir。　Only　the　taxi　queue。〃
　〃Good。　Question　the　drivers。　See　if　they　saw　anything。　Then　contact　the　taxi　pany　dispatcher　with　descriptions。　I'm　calling　Interpol。〃
　Collet　looked　surprised。　〃You're　putting　this　on　the　wire？〃
　Fache　regretted　the　potential　embarrassment；　but　he　saw　no　other　choice。
　Close　the　net　fast；　and　close　it　tight。
　The　first　hour　was　critical。　Fugitives　were　predictable　the　first　hour　after　escape。　They　always　needed　the　same　thing。　Travel。　Lodging。　Cash。　The　Holy　Trinity。　Interpol　had　the　power　to　make　all　three　disappear　in　the　blink　of　an　eye。　By　broadcast…faxing　photos　of　Langdon　and　Sophie　to　Paris　travel　authorities；　hotels；　and　banks；　Interpol　would　leave　no　options…no　way　to　leave　the　city；　no　place　to　hide；　and　no　way　to　withdraw　cash　without　being　recognized。　Usually；　fugitives　panicked　on　the　street　and　did　something　stupid。　Stole　a　car。　Robbed　a　store。　Used　a　bank　card　in　desperation。　Whatever　mistake　they　mitted；　they　quickly　made　their　whereabouts　known　to　local　authorities。
　〃Only　Langdon；　right？〃　Collet　said。　〃You're　not　flagging　Sophie　Neveu。　She's　our　own　agent。〃
　〃Of　course　I'm　flagging　her！〃　Fache　snapped。　〃What　good　is　flagging　Langdon　if　she　can　do　all　his　dirty　work？　I　plan　to　run　Neveu's　employment　file…friends；　family；　personal　contacts…anyone　she　might　turn　to　for　help。　I　don't　know　what　she　thinks　she's　doing　out　there；　but　it's　going　to　cost　her　one　hell　of　a　lot　more　than　her　job！〃
　〃Do　you　want　me　on　the　phones　or　in　the　field？〃
　〃Field。　Get　over　to　the　train　station　and　coordinate　the　team。　You've　got　the　reins；　but　don't　make　a　move　without　talking　to　me。〃
　〃Yes；　sir。〃　Collet　ran　out。
　Fache　felt　rigid　as　he　stood　in　the　alcove。　Outside　the　window；　the　glass　pyramid　shone；　its　reflection　rippling　in　the　windswept　pools。　They　slipped　through　my　fingers。　He　told　himself　to　relax。
　Even　a　trained　field　agent　would　be　lucky　to　withstand　the　pressure　that　Interpol　was　about　to　apply。
　A　female　cryptologist　and　a　schoolteacher？
　They　wouldn't　last　till　dawn。
　　
　CHAPTER　37
　
　The　heavily　forested　park　known　as　the　Bois　de　Boulogne　was　called　many　things；　but　the　Parisian　cognoscenti　knew　it　as　〃the　Garden　of　Earthly　Delights。〃　The　epithet；　despite　sounding　flattering；　was　quite　to　the　contrary。　Anyone　who　had　seen　the　lurid　Bosch　painting　of　the　same　name　understood　the　jab；　the　painting；　like　the　forest；　was　dark　and　twisted；　a　purgatory　for　freaks　and　fetishists。　At　night；　the　forest's　winding　lanes　were　lined　with　hundreds　of　glistening　bodies　for　hire；　earthly　delights　to　satisfy　one's　deepest　unspoken　desires…male；　female；　and　everything　in　between。
　As　Langdon　gathered　his　thoughts　to　tell　Sophie　about　the　Priory　of　Sion；　their　taxi　passed　through　the　wooded　entrance　to　the　park　and　began　heading　west　on　the　cobblestone　crossfare。　Langdon　was　having　trouble　concentrating　as　a　scattering　of　the　park's　nocturnal　residents　were　already　emerging　from　the　shadows　and　flaunting　their　wares　in　the　glare　of　the　headlights。　Ahead；　two　topless　teenage　girls　shot　smoldering　gazes　into　the　taxi。　Beyond　them；　a　well…oiled　black　man　in　a　G…string　turned　and　flexed　his　buttocks。　Beside　him；　a　gorgeous　blond　woman　lifted　her　miniskirt　to　reveal　that　she　was　not；　in　fact；　a　woman。
　Heaven　help　me！　Langdon　turned　his　gaze　back　inside　the　cab　and　took　a　deep　breath。
　〃Tell　me　about　the　Priory　of　Sion；〃　Sophie　said。
　Langdon　nodded；　unable　to　imagine　a　less　congruous　a　backdrop　for　the　legend　he　was　about　to　tell。　He　wondered　where　to　begin。　The　brotherhood's　history　spanned　more　than　a　millennium。。。　an　astonishing　chronicle　of　secrets；　blackmail；　betrayal；　and　even　brutal　torture　at　the　hands　of　an　angry　Pope。
　〃The　Priory　of　Sion；〃　he　began；　〃was　founded　in　Jerusalem　in　1099　by　a　French　king　named　Godefroi　de　Bouillon；　immediately　after　he　had　conquered　the　city。〃
　Sophie　nodded；　her　eyes　riveted　on　him。
　〃King　Godefroi　was　allegedly　the　possessor　of　a　powerful　secret…a　secret　that　had　been　in　his　family　since　the　time　of　Christ。　Fearing　his　secret　might　be　lost　when　he　died；　he　founded　a　secret　brotherhood…the　Priory　of　Sion…and　charged　them　with　protecting　his　secret　by　quietly　passing　it　on　from　generation　to　generation。　During　their　years　in　Jerusalem；　the　Priory　learned　of　a　stash　of　hidden　documents　buried　beneath　the　ruins　of　Herod's　temple；　which　had　been　built　atop　the　earlier　ruins　of　Solomon's　Temple。　These　documents；　they　believed；　corroborated　Godefroi's　powerful　secret　and　were　so　explosive　in　nature　that　the　Church　would　stop　at　nothing　to　get　them。〃　Sophie　looked　uncertain。
　〃The　Priory　vowed　that　no　matter　how　long　it　took；　these　documents　must　be　recovered　from　the　rubble　beneath　the　temple　and　protected　forever；　so　the　truth　would　never　die。　In　order　to　retrieve　the　documents　from　within　the　ruins；　the　Priory　created　a　military　arm…a　group　of　nine　knights　called　the　Order　of　the　Poor　Knights　of　Christ　and　the　Temple　of　Solomon。〃　Langdon　paused。　〃More　monly　known　as　the　Knights　Templar。〃
　Sophie　glanced　up　with　a　surprised　look　of　recognition。　Langdon　had　lectured　often　enough　on　the　Knights　Templar　to　know　that　almost　everyone　on　earth　had　heard　of　them；　at　least　abstractedly。　For　academics；　the　Templars'　history　was　a　precarious　world　where　fact；　lore；　and　misinformation　had　bee　so　intertwined　that　extracting　a　pristine　truth　was　almost　impossible。　Nowadays；　Langdon　hesitated　even　to　mention　the　Knights　Templar　while　lecturing　because　it　invariably　led　to　a　barrage　of　convoluted　inquiries　into　assorted　conspiracy　theories。
　Sophie　already　looked　troubled。　〃You're　saying　the　Knights　Templar　were　founded　by　the　Priory　of　Sion　to　retrieve　a　collection　of　secret　documents？　I　thought　the　Templars　were　created　to　protect　the　Holy　Land。〃
　〃A　mon　misconception。　The　idea　of　protection　of　pilgrims　was　the　guise　under　which　the　Templars　ran　their　mission。　Their　true　goal　in　the　Holy　Land　was　to　retrieve　the　documents　from　beneath　the　ruins　of　the　temple。〃
　〃And　did　they　find　them？〃
　Langdon　grinned。　〃Nobody　knows　for　sure；　but　the