danbrown.thedavincicode-第86节

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　He　gasped　and　peered　inside。　It　was　empty　except　for　shards　of　wet　glass。　No　dissolving　papyrus。　Teabing　rolled　over　and　looked　up　at　Langdon。　Sophie　stood　beside　him；　aiming　the　gun　down　at　Teabing。
　Bewildered；　Teabing　looked　back　at　the　keystone　and　saw　it。　The　dials　were　no　longer　at　random。　They　spelled　a　five…letter　word：　APPLE。
　　
　〃The　orb　from　which　Eve　partook；〃　Langdon　said　coolly；　〃incurring　the　Holy　wrath　of　God。　Original　sin。　The　symbol　of　the　fall　of　the　sacred　feminine。〃
　Teabing　felt　the　truth　e　crashing　down　on　him　in　excruciating　austerity。　The　orb　that　ought　be　on　Newton's　tomb　could　be　none　other　than　the　Rosy　apple　that　fell　from　heaven；　struck　Newton　on　the　head；　and　inspired　his　life's　work。　His　labor's　fruit！　The　Rosy　flesh　with　a　seeded　womb！
　〃Robert；〃　Teabing　stammered；　overwhelmed。　〃You　opened　it。　Where。。。　is　the　map？〃
　Without　blinking；　Langdon　reached　into　the　breast　pocket　of　his　tweed　coat　and　carefully　extracted　a　delicate　rolled　papyrus。　Only　a　few　yards　from　where　Teabing　lay；　Langdon　unrolled　the　scroll　and　looked　at　it。　After　a　long　moment；　a　knowing　smile　crossed　Langdon's　face。
　He　knows！　Teabing's　heart　craved　that　knowledge。　His　life's　dream　was　right　in　front　of　him。　〃Tell　me！〃　Teabing　demanded。　〃Please！　Oh　God；　please！　It's　not　too　late！〃
　As　the　sound　of　heavy　footsteps　thundered　down　the　hall　toward　the　Chapter　House；　Langdon　quietly　rolled　the　papyrus　and　slipped　it　back　in　his　pocket。
　〃No！〃　Teabing　cried　out；　trying　in　vain　to　stand。
　When　the　doors　burst　open；　Bezu　Fache　entered　like　a　bull　into　a　ring；　his　feral　eyes　scanning；　finding　his　target…Leigh　Teabing…helpless　on　the　floor。　Exhaling　in　relief；　Fache　holstered　his　Manurhin　sidearm　and　turned　to　Sophie。　〃Agent　Neveu；　I　am　relieved　you　and　Mr。　Langdon　are　safe。　You　should　have　e　in　when　I　asked。〃
　The　British　police　entered　on　Fache's　heels；　seizing　the　anguished　prisoner　and　placing　him　in　handcuffs。
　Sophie　seemed　stunned　to　see　Fache。　〃How　did　you　find　us？〃
　Fache　pointed　to　Teabing。　〃He　made　the　mistake　of　showing　his　ID　when　he　entered　the　abbey。　The　guards　heard　a　police　broadcast　about　our　search　for　him。〃
　〃It's　in　Langdon's　pocket！〃　Teabing　was　screaming　like　a　madman。　〃The　map　to　the　Holy　Grail！〃
　As　they　hoisted　Teabing　and　carried　him　out；　he　threw　back　his　head　and　howled。　〃Robert！　Tell　me　where　it's　hidden！〃
　As　Teabing　passed；　Langdon　looked　him　in　the　eye。　〃Only　the　worthy　find　the　Grail；　Leigh。　You　taught　me　that。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　102
　
　The　mist　had　settled　low　on　Kensington　Gardens　as　Silas　limped　into　a　quiet　hollow　out　of　sight。　Kneeling　on　the　wet　grass；　he　could　feel　a　warm　stream　of　blood　flowing　from　the　bullet　wound　below　his　ribs。　Still；　he　stared　straight　ahead。
　The　fog　made　it　look　like　heaven　here。
　Raising　his　bloody　hands　to　pray；　he　watched　the　raindrops　caress　his　fingers；　turning　them　white　again。　As　the　droplets　fell　harder　across　his　back　and　shoulders；　he　could　feel　his　body　disappearing　bit　by　bit　into　the　mist。
　I　am　a　ghost。
　A　breeze　rustled　past　him；　carrying　the　damp；　earthy　scent　of　new　life。　With　every　living　cell　in　his　broken　body；　Silas　prayed。　He　prayed　for　forgiveness。　He　prayed　for　mercy。　And；　above　all；　he　prayed　for　his　mentor。。。　Bishop　Aringarosa。。。　that　the　Lord　would　not　take　him　before　his　time。　He　has　so　much　work　left　to　do。
　The　fog　was　swirling　around　him　now；　and　Silas　felt　so　light　that　he　was　sure　the　wisps　would　carry　him　away。　Closing　his　eyes；　he　said　a　final　prayer。
　From　somewhere　in　the　mist；　the　voice　of　Manuel　Aringarosa　whispered　to　him。
　Our　Lord　is　a　good　and　merciful　God。
　Silas's　pain　at　last　began　to　fade；　and　he　knew　the　bishop　was　right。
　　
　CHAPTER　103
　
　It　was　late　afternoon　when　the　London　sun　broke　through　and　the　city　began　to　dry。　Bezu　Fache　felt　weary　as　he　emerged　from　the　interrogation　room　and　hailed　a　cab。　Sir　Leigh　Teabing　had　vociferously　proclaimed　his　innocence；　and　yet　from　his　incoherent　rantings　about　the　Holy　Grail；　secret　documents；　and　mysterious　brotherhoods；　Fache　suspected　the　wily　historian　was　setting　the　stage　for　his　lawyers　to　plead　an　insanity　defense。
　Sure；　Fache　thought。　Insane。　Teabing　had　displayed　ingenious　precision　in　formulating　a　plan　that　protected　his　innocence　at　every　turn。　He　had　exploited　both　the　Vatican　and　Opus　Dei；　two　groups　that　turned　out　to　be　pletely　innocent。　His　dirty　work　had　been　carried　out　unknowingly　by　a　fanatical　monk　and　a　desperate　bishop。　More　clever　still；　Teabing　had　situated　his　electronic　listening　post　in　the　one　place　a　man　with　polio　could　not　possibly　reach。　The　actual　surveillance　had　been　carried　out　by　his　manservant；　Rémy…the　lone　person　privy　to　Teabing's　true　identity…now　conveniently　dead　of　an　allergic　reaction。
　Hardly　the　handiwork　of　someone　lacking　mental　faculties；　Fache　thought。
　The　information　ing　from　Collet　out　of　Chateau　Villette　suggested　that　Teabing's　cunning　ran　so　deep　that　Fache　himself　might　even　learn　from　it。　To　successfully　hide　bugs　in　some　of　Paris's　most　powerful　offices；　the　British　historian　had　turned　to　the　Greeks。　Trojan　horses。　Some　of　Teabing's　intended　targets　received　lavish　gifts　of　artwork；　others　unwittingly　bid　at　auctions　in　which　Teabing　had　placed　specific　lots。　In　Saunière's　case；　the　curator　had　received　a　dinner　invitation　to　Chateau　Villette　to　discuss　the　possibility　of　Teabing's　funding　a　new　Da　Vinci　Wing　at　the　Louvre。　Saunière's　invitation　had　contained　an　innocuous　postscript　expressing　fascination　with　a　robotic　knight　that　Saunière　was　rumored　to　have　built。　Bring　him　to　dinner；　Teabing　had　suggested。　Saunière　apparently　had　done　just　that　and　left　the　knight　unattended　long　enough　for　Rémy　Legaludec　to　make　one　inconspicuous　addition。
　Now；　sitting　in　the　back　of　the　cab；　Fache　closed　his　eyes。　One　more　thing　to　attend　to　before　I　return　to　Paris。
　　
　The　St。　Mary's　Hospital　recovery　room　was　sunny。
　〃You've　impressed　us　all；〃　the　nurse　said；　smiling　down　at　him。　〃Nothing　short　of　miraculous。〃
　Bishop　Aringarosa　gave　a　weak　smile。　〃I　have　always　been　blessed。〃
　The　nurse　finished　puttering；　leaving　the　bishop　alone。　The　sunlight　felt　wele　and　warm　on　his　face。　Last　night　had　been　the　darkest　night　of　his　life。
　Despondently；　he　thought　of　Silas；　whose　body　had　been　found　in　the　park。
　Please　forgive　me；　my　son。
　Aringarosa　had　longed　for　Silas　to　be　part　of　his　glorious　plan。　Last　night；　however；　Aringarosa　had　received　a　call　from　Bezu　Fache；　questioning　the　bishop　about　his　apparent　connection　to　a　nun　who　had　been　murdered　in　Saint…Sulpice。　Aringarosa　realized　the　evening　had　taken　a　horrifying　turn。　News　of　the　four　additional　murders　transformed　his　horror　to　anguish。　Silas；　what　have　you　done！　Unable　to　reach　the　Teacher；　the　bishop　knew　he　had　been　cut　loose。　Used。　The　only　way　to　stop　the　horrific　chain　of　events　he　had　helped　put　in　motion　was　to　confess　everything　to　Fache；　and　from　that　moment　on；　Aringarosa　and　Fache　had　been　racing　to　catch　up　with　Silas　before　the　Teacher　persuaded　him　to　kill　again。
　Feeling　bone　weary；　Aringarosa　closed　his　eyes　and　listened　to　the　television　coverage　of　the　arrest　of　a　prominent　British　knight；　Sir　Leigh　Teabing。　The　Teacher　laid　bare　for　all　to　see。　Teabing　had　caught　wind　of　the　Vatican's　plans　to　disassociate　itself　from　Opus　Dei。　He　had　chosen　Aringarosa　as　the　perfect　pawn　in　his　plan。　After　all；　who　more　likely　to　leap　blindly　after　the　Holy　Grail　than　a　man　like　myself　with　everything　to　lose？　The　Grail　would　have　brought　enormous　power　to　anyone　who　possessed　it。
　Leigh　Teabing　had　protected　his　identity　shrewdly…feigning　a　French　accent　and　a　pious　heart；　and　demanding　as　payment　the　one　thing　he　did　not　need…money。　Aringarosa　had　been　far　too　eager　to　be　suspicious。　The　price　tag　of　twenty　million　euro　was　paltry　when　pared　with　the　prize　of　obtaining　the　Grail；　and　with　the　Vatican's　separation　payment　to　Opus　Dei；　the　finances　had　worked　nicely。　The　blind　see　what　they　want　to　see。　Teabing's　ultimate　insult；　of　course；　had　been　to　demand　payment　in　Vatican　bonds；　such　that　if　anything　went　wrong；　the　investigation　would　lead　to　Rome。
　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you're　well；　My　Lord。〃
　Aringarosa　recognized　the　gruff　voice　in　the　doorway；　but　the　face　was　unexpected…stern；　powerful　features；　slicked…back　hair；　and　a　broad　neck　that　strained　against　his　dark　suit。　〃Captain　Fache？〃　Aringarosa　asked。　The　passion　and　concern　the　captain　had　shown　for　Aringarosa's　plight　last　night　had　conjured　images　of　a　far　gentler　physique。
　The　captain　approached　the　bed　and　hoisted　a　familiar；　heavy　black　briefcase　onto　a　chair。　〃I　believe　this　belongs　to　you。〃
　Aringarosa　looked　at　the　briefcase　filled　with　bonds　and　immediately　looked　away；　feeling　only　shame。　〃Yes。。。　thank　you。〃　He　paused　while　working　his　fingers　across　the　seam　of　his　bedsheet；　then　continued。　〃Captain；　I　have　been　giving　this　deep　thought；　and　I　need　to　ask　a　favor　of　you。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃The　families　of　those　in　Paris　who　Silas。。。〃　He　paused；　swallowing　the　emotion。　〃I　realize　no　sum　could　possibly　serve　as　sufficient　restitution；　and　yet；　if　you　could　be　kind　enough　to　divide　the　contents　of　this　brie