danbrown.thedavincicode-第100章

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Where　is　she　going？　She　had　been　acting　strangely　ever　since　they　entered　the　building。　He　turned　to　the　docent。　〃Do　you　know　what　that　house　is？〃
　He　nodded；　also　looking　puzzled　that　Sophie　was　going　down　there。　〃That's　the　chapel　rectory。　The　chapel　curator　lives　there。　She　also　happens　to　be　the　head　of　the　Rosslyn　Trust。〃　He　paused。　〃And　my　grandmother。〃
　〃Your　grandmother　heads　the　Rosslyn　Trust？〃
　The　young　man　nodded。　〃I　live　with　her　in　the　rectory　and　help　keep　up　the　chapel　and　give　tours。〃　He　shrugged。　〃I've　lived　here　my　whole　life。　My　grandmother　raised　me　in　that　house。〃
　Concerned　for　Sophie；　Langdon　moved　across　the　chapel　toward　the　door　to　call　out　to　her。　He　was　only　halfway　there　when　he　stopped　short。　Something　the　young　man　said　just　registered。
　My　grandmother　raised　me。
　Langdon　looked　out　at　Sophie　on　the　bluff；　then　down　at　the　rosewood　box　in　his　hand。　Impossible。　Slowly；　Langdon　turned　back　to　the　young　man。　〃You　said　your　grandmother　has　a　box　like　this　one？〃
　〃Almost　identical。〃
　〃Where　did　she　get　it？〃
　〃My　grandfather　made　it　for　her。　He　died　when　I　was　a　baby；　but　my　grandmother　still　talks　about　him。　She　says　he　was　a　genius　with　his　hands。　He　made　all　kinds　of　things。〃
　Langdon　glimpsed　an　unimaginable　web　of　connections　emerging。　〃You　said　your　grandmother　raised　you。　Do　you　mind　my　asking　what　happened　to　your　parents？〃
　The　young　man　looked　surprised。　〃They　died　when　I　was　young。〃　He　paused。　〃The　same　day　as　my　grandfather。〃
　Langdon's　heart　pounded。　〃In　a　car　accident？〃
　The　docent　recoiled；　a　look　of　bewilderment　in　his　olive…green　eyes。　〃Yes。　In　a　car　accident。　My　entire　family　died　that　day。　I　lost　my　grandfather；　my　parents；　and。。。〃　He　hesitated；　glancing　down　at　the　floor。　〃And　your　sister；〃　Langdon　said。
　　
　Out　on　the　bluff；　the　fieldstone　house　was　exactly　as　Sophie　remembered　it。　Night　was　falling　now；　and　the　house　exuded　a　warm　and　inviting　aura。　The　smell　of　bread　wafted　through　the　opened　screened　door；　and　a　golden　light　shone　in　the　windows。　As　Sophie　approached；　she　could　hear　the　quiet　sounds　of　sobbing　from　within。
　Through　the　screened　door；　Sophie　saw　an　elderly　woman　in　the　hallway。　Her　back　was　to　the　door；　but　Sophie　could　see　she　was　crying。　The　woman　had　long；　luxuriant；　silver　hair　that　conjured　an　unexpected　wisp　of　memory。　Feeling　herself　drawn　closer；　Sophie　stepped　onto　the　porch　stairs。　The　woman　was　clutching　a　framed　photograph　of　a　man　and　touching　her　fingertips　to　his　face　with　loving　sadness。
　It　was　a　face　Sophie　knew　well。
　Grand…père。
　The　woman　had　obviously　heard　the　sad　news　of　his　death　last　night。
　A　board　squeaked　beneath　Sophie's　feet；　and　the　woman　turned　slowly；　her　sad　eyes　finding　Sophie's。　Sophie　wanted　to　run；　but　she　stood　transfixed。　The　woman's　fervent　gaze　never　wavered　as　she　set　down　the　photo　and　approached　the　screened　door。　An　eternity　seemed　to　pass　as　the　two　women　stared　at　one　another　through　the　thin　mesh。　Then；　like　the　slowly　gathering　swell　of　an　ocean　wave；　the　woman's　visage　transformed　from　one　of　uncertainty。。。　to　disbelief。。。　to　hope。。。　and　finally；　to　cresting　joy。
　Throwing　open　the　door；　she　came　out；　reaching　with　soft　hands；　cradling　Sophie's　thunderstruck　face。　〃Oh；　dear　child。。。　look　at　you！〃
　Although　Sophie　did　not　recognize　her；　she　knew　who　this　woman　was。　She　tried　to　speak　but　found　she　could　not　even　breathe。
　〃Sophie；〃　the　woman　sobbed；　kissing　her　forehead。
　Sophie's　words　were　a　choked　whisper。　〃But。。。　Grand…père　said　you　were。。。〃
　〃I　know。〃　The　woman　placed　her　tender　hands　on　Sophie's　shoulders　and　gazed　at　her　with　familiar　eyes。　〃Your　grandfather　and　I　were　forced　to　say　so　many　things。　We　did　what　we　thought　was　right。　I'm　so　sorry。　It　was　for　your　own　safety；　princess。〃
　Sophie　heard　her　final　word；　and　immediately　thought　of　her　grandfather；　who　had　called　her　princess　for　so　many　years。　The　sound　of　his　voice　seemed　to　echo　now　in　the　ancient　stones　of　Rosslyn；　settling　through　the　earth　and　reverberating　in　the　unknown　hollows　below。
　The　woman　threw　her　arms　around　Sophie；　the　tears　flowing　faster。　〃Your　grandfather　wanted　so　badly　to　tell　you　everything。　But　things　were　difficult　between　you　two。　He　tried　so　hard。　There's　so　much　to　explain。　So　very　much　to　explain。〃　She　kissed　Sophie's　forehead　once　again；　then　whispered　in　her　ear。　〃No　more　secrets；　princess。　It's　time　you　learn　the　truth　about　our　family。〃
　　
　Sophie　and　her　grandmother　were　seated　on　the　porch　stairs　in　a　tearful　hug　when　the　young　docent　dashed　across　the　lawn；　his　eyes　shining　with　hope　and　disbelief。
　〃Sophie？〃
　Through　her　tears；　Sophie　nodded；　standing。　She　did　not　know　the　young　man's　face；　but　as　they　embraced；　she　could　feel　the　power　of　the　blood　coursing　through　his　veins。。。　the　blood　she　now　understood　they　shared。
　　
　When　Langdon　walked　across　the　lawn　to　join　them；　Sophie　could　not　imagine　that　only　yesterday　she　had　felt　so　alone　in　the　world。　And　now；　somehow；　in　this　foreign　place；　in　the　pany　of　three　people　she　barely　knew；　she　felt　at　last　that　she　was　home。
　　
　CHAPTER　105
　
　Night　had　fallen　over　Rosslyn。
　Robert　Langdon　stood　alone　on　the　porch　of　the　fieldstone　house　enjoying　the　sounds　of　laughter　and　reunion　drifting　through　the　screened　door　behind　him。　The　mug　of　potent　Brazilian　coffee　in　his　hand　had　granted　him　a　hazy　reprieve　from　his　mounting　exhaustion；　and　yet　he　sensed　the　reprieve　would　be　fleeting。　The　fatigue　in　his　body　went　to　the　core。
　〃You　slipped　out　quietly；〃　a　voice　behind　him　said。
　He　turned。　Sophie's　grandmother　emerged；　her　silver　hair　shimmering　in　the　night。　Her　name；　for　the　last　twenty…eight　years　at　least；　was　Marie　Chauvel。
　Langdon　gave　a　tired　smile。　〃I　thought　I'd　give　your　family　some　time　together。〃　Through　the　window；　he　could　see　Sophie　talking　with　her　brother。
　Marie　came　over　and　stood　beside　him。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　when　I　first　heard　of　Jacques's　murder；　I　was　terrified　for　Sophie's　safety。　Seeing　her　standing　in　my　doorway　tonight　was　the　greatest　relief　of　my　life。　I　cannot　thank　you　enough。〃
　Langdon　had　no　idea　how　to　respond。　Although　he　had　offered　to　give　Sophie　and　her　grandmother　time　to　talk　in　private；　Marie　had　asked　him　to　stay　and　listen。　My　husband　obviously　trusted　you；　Mr。　Langdon；　so　I　do　as　well。
　And　so　Langdon　had　remained；　standing　beside　Sophie　and　listening　in　mute　astonishment　while　Marie　told　the　story　of　Sophie's　late　parents。　Incredibly；　both　had　been　from　Merovingian　families…direct　descendants　of　Mary　Magdalene　and　Jesus　Christ。　Sophie's　parents　and　ancestors；　for　protection；　had　changed　their　family　names　of　Plantard　and　Saint…Clair。　Their　children　represented　the　most　direct　surviving　royal　bloodline　and　therefore　were　carefully　guarded　by　the　Priory。　When　Sophie's　parents　were　killed　in　a　car　accident　whose　cause　could　not　be　determined；　the　Priory　feared　the　identity　of　the　royal　line　had　been　discovered。
　〃Your　grandfather　and　I；〃　Marie　had　explained　in　a　voice　choked　with　pain；　〃had　to　make　a　grave　decision　the　instant　we　received　the　phone　call。　Your　parents'　car　had　just　been　found　in　the　river。〃　She　dabbed　at　the　tears　in　her　eyes。　〃All　six　of　us…including　you　two　grandchildren…were　supposed　to　be　traveling　together　in　that　car　that　very　night。　Fortunately　we　changed　our　plans　at　the　last　moment；　and　your　parents　were　alone。　Hearing　of　the　accident；　Jacques　and　I　had　no　way　to　know　what　had　really　happened。。。　or　if　this　was　truly　an　accident。〃　Marie　looked　at　Sophie。　〃We　knew　we　had　to　protect　our　grandchildren；　and　we　did　what　we　thought　was　best。　Jacques　reported　to　the　police　that　your　brother　and　I　had　been　in　the　car。。。　our　two　bodies　apparently　washed　off　in　the　current。　Then　your　brother　and　I　went　underground　with　the　Priory。　Jacques；　being　a　man　of　prominence；　did　not　have　the　luxury　of　disappearing。　It　only　made　sense　that　Sophie；　being　the　eldest；　would　stay　in　Paris　to　be　taught　and　raised　by　Jacques；　close　to　the　heart　and　protection　of　the　Priory。〃　Her　voice　fell　to　a　whisper。　〃Separating　the　family　was　the　hardest　thing　we　ever　had　to　do。　Jacques　and　I　saw　each　other　only　very　infrequently；　and　always　in　the　most　secre