danbrown.thedavincicode-第12章

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Pentacles　on　his　stomach？　It's　all　too　cryptic。〃
　Fache　frowned　as　if　the　idea　had　never　occurred　to　him。　〃You　have　a　point。〃
　〃Considering　the　circumstances；〃　Langdon　said；　〃I　would　assume　that　if　Saunière　wanted　to　tell　you　who　killed　him；　he　would　have　written　down　somebody's　name。〃
　As　Langdon　spoke　those　words；　a　smug　smile　crossed　Fache's　lips　for　the　first　time　all　night。　〃Précisément；〃　Fache　said。　〃Précisément。〃
　　
　I　am　witnessing　the　work　of　a　master；　mused　Lieutenant　Collet　as　he　tweaked　his　audio　gear　and　listened　to　Fache's　voice　ing　through　the　headphones。　The　agent　supérieur　knew　it　was　moments　like　these　that　had　lifted　the　captain　to　the　pinnacle　of　French　law　enforcement。
　Fache　will　do　what　no　one　else　dares。
　The　delicate　art　of　cajoler　was　a　lost　skill　in　modern　law　enforcement；　one　that　required　exceptional　poise　under　pressure。　Few　men　possessed　the　necessary　sangfroid　for　this　kind　of　operation；　but　Fache　seemed　born　for　it。　His　restraint　and　patience　bordered　on　the　robotic。
　Fache's　sole　emotion　this　evening　seemed　to　be　one　of　intense　resolve；　as　if　this　arrest　were　somehow　personal　to　him。　Fache's　briefing　of　his　agents　an　hour　ago　had　been　unusually　succinct　and　assured。　I　know　who　murdered　Jacques　Saunière；　Fache　had　said。　You　know　what　to　do。　No　mistakes　tonight。
　And　so　far；　no　mistakes　had　been　made。
　Collet　was　not　yet　privy　to　the　evidence　that　had　cemented　Fache's　certainty　of　their　suspect's　guilt；　but　he　knew　better　than　to　question　the　instincts　of　the　Bull。　Fache's　intuition　seemed　almost　supernatural　at　times。　God　whispers　in　his　ear；　one　agent　had　insisted　after　a　particularly　impressive　display　of　Fache's　sixth　sense。　Collet　had　to　admit；　if　there　was　a　God；　Bezu　Fache　would　be　on　His　A…list。　The　captain　attended　mass　and　confession　with　zealous　regularity…far　more　than　the　requisite　holiday　attendance　fulfilled　by　other　officials　in　the　name　of　good　public　relations。　When　the　Pope　visited　Paris　a　few　years　back；　Fache　had　used　all　his　muscle　to　obtain　the　honor　of　an　audience。　A　photo　of　Fache　with　the　Pope　now　hung　in　his　office。　The　Papal　Bull；　the　agents　secretly　called　it。
　Collet　found　it　ironic　that　one　of　Fache's　rare　popular　public　stances　in　recent　years　had　been　his　outspoken　reaction　to　the　Catholic　pedophilia　scandal。　These　priests　should　be　hanged　twice！　Fache　had　declared。　Once　for　their　crimes　against　children。　And　once　for　shaming　the　good　name　of　the　Catholic　Church。　Collet　had　the　odd　sense　it　was　the　latter　that　angered　Fache　more。
　Turning　now　to　his　laptop　puter；　Collet　attended　to　the　other　half　of　his　responsibilities　here　tonight…the　GPS　tracking　system。　The　image　onscreen　revealed　a　detailed　floor　plan　of　the　Denon　Wing；　a　structural　schematic　uploaded　from　the　Louvre　Security　Office。　Letting　his　eyes　trace　the　maze　of　galleries　and　hallways；　Collet　found　what　he　was　looking　for。
　Deep　in　the　heart　of　the　Grand　Gallery　blinked　a　tiny　red　dot。
　La　marque。
　Fache　was　keeping　his　prey　on　a　very　tight　leash　tonight。　Wisely　so。　Robert　Langdon　had　proven　himself　one　cool　customer。
　　
　CHAPTER　9
　
　To　ensure　his　conversation　with　Mr。　Langdon　would　not　be　interrupted；　Bezu　Fache　had　turned　off　his　cellular　phone。　Unfortunately；　it　was　an　expensive　model　equipped　with　a　two…way　radio　feature；　which；　contrary　to　his　orders；　was　now　being　used　by　one　of　his　agents　to　page　him。
　〃Capitaine？〃　The　phone　crackled　like　a　walkie…talkie。
　Fache　felt　his　teeth　clench　in　rage。　He　could　imagine　nothing　important　enough　that　Collet　would　interrupt　this　surveillance　cachée…especially　at　this　critical　juncture。
　He　gave　Langdon　a　calm　look　of　apology。　〃One　moment　please。〃　He　pulled　the　phone　from　his　belt　and　pressed　the　radio　transmission　button。　〃Oui？〃
　〃Capitaine；　un　agent　du　Département　de　Cryptographie　est　arrivé。〃
　Fache's　anger　stalled　momentarily。　A　cryptographer？　Despite　the　lousy　timing；　this　was　probably　good　news。　Fache；　after　finding　Saunière's　cryptic　text　on　the　floor；　had　uploaded　photographs　of　the　entire　crime　scene　to　the　Cryptography　Department　in　hopes　someone　there　could　tell　him　what　the　hell　Saunière　was　trying　to　say。　If　a　code　breaker　had　now　arrived；　it　most　likely　meant　someone　had　decrypted　Saunière's　message。
　〃I'm　busy　at　the　moment；〃　Fache　radioed　back；　leaving　no　doubt　in　his　tone　that　a　line　had　been　crossed。　〃Ask　the　cryptographer　to　wait　at　the　mand　post。　I'll　speak　to　him　when　I'm　done。〃
　〃Her；〃　the　voice　corrected。　〃It's　Agent　Neveu。〃
　Fache　was　being　less　amused　with　this　call　every　passing　moment。　Sophie　Neveu　was　one　of　DCPJ's　biggest　mistakes。　A　young　Parisian　déchiffreuse　who　had　studied　cryptography　in　England　at　the　Royal　Holloway；　Sophie　Neveu　had　been　foisted　on　Fache　two　years　ago　as　part　of　the　ministry's　attempt　to　incorporate　more　women　into　the　police　force。　The　ministry's　ongoing　foray　into　political　correctness；　Fache　argued；　was　weakening　the　department。　Women　not　only　lacked　the　physicality　necessary　for　police　work；　but　their　mere　presence　posed　a　dangerous　distraction　to　the　men　in　the　field。　As　Fache　had　feared；　Sophie　Neveu　was　proving　far　more　distracting　than　most。
　At　thirty…two　years　old；　she　had　a　dogged　determination　that　bordered　on　obstinate。　Her　eager　espousal　of　Britain's　new　cryptologic　methodology　continually　exasperated　the　veteran　French　cryptographers　above　her。　And　by　far　the　most　troubling　to　Fache　was　the　inescapable　universal　truth　that　in　an　office　of　middle…aged　men；　an　attractive　young　woman　always　drew　eyes　away　from　the　work　at　hand。
　The　man　on　the　radio　said；　〃Agent　Neveu　insisted　on　speaking　to　you　immediately；　Captain。　I　tried　to　stop　her；　but　she's　on　her　way　into　the　gallery。〃
　Fache　recoiled　in　disbelief。　〃Unacceptable！　I　made　it　very　clear…〃
　　
　For　a　moment；　Robert　Langdon　thought　Bezu　Fache　was　suffering　a　stroke。　The　captain　was　mid…sentence　when　his　jaw　stopped　moving　and　his　eyes　bulged。　His　blistering　gaze　seemed　fixated　on　something　over　Langdon's　shoulder。　Before　Langdon　could　turn　to　see　what　it　was；　he　heard　a　woman's　voice　chime　out　behind　him。
　〃Excusez…moi；　messieurs。〃
　Langdon　turned　to　see　a　young　woman　approaching。　She　was　moving　down　the　corridor　toward　them　with　long；　fluid　strides。。。　a　haunting　certainty　to　her　gait。　Dressed　casually　in　a　knee…length；　cream…colored　Irish　sweater　over　black　leggings；　she　was　attractive　and　looked　to　be　about　thirty。　Her　thick　burgundy　hair　fell　unstyled　to　her　shoulders；　framing　the　warmth　of　her　face。　Unlike　the　waifish；　cookie…cutter　blondes　that　adorned　Harvard　dorm　room　walls；　this　woman　was　healthy　with　an　unembellished　beauty　and　genuineness　that　radiated　a　striking　personal　confidence。
　To　Langdon's　surprise；　the　woman　walked　directly　up　to　him　and　extended　a　polite　hand。　〃Monsieur　Langdon；　I　am　Agent　Neveu　from　DCPJ's　Cryptology　Department。〃　Her　words　curved　richly　around　her　muted　Anglo…Franco　accent。　〃It　is　a　pleasure　to　meet　you。〃
　Langdon　took　her　soft　palm　in　his　and　felt　himself　momentarily　fixed　in　her　strong　gaze。　Her　eyes　were　olive…green…incisive　and　clear。
　Fache　drew　a　seething　inhalation；　clearly　preparing　to　launch　into　a　reprimand。
　〃Captain；〃　she　said；　turning　quickly　and　beating　him　to　the　punch；　〃please　excuse　the　interruption；　but…〃
　〃Ce　n'est　pas　le　moment！〃　Fache　sputtered。
　〃I　tried　to　phone　you。〃　Sophie　continued　in　English；　as　if　out　of　courtesy　to　Langdon。　〃But　your　cell　phone　was　turned　off。〃
　〃I　turned　it　off　for　a　reason；〃　Fache　hissed。　〃I　am　speaking　to　Mr。　Langdon。〃
　〃I've　deciphered　the　numeric　code；〃　she　said　flatly。
　Langdon　felt　a　pulse　of　excitement。　She　broke　the　code？
　Fache　looked　uncertain　how　to　respond。
　〃Before　I　explain；〃　Sophie　said；　〃I　have　an　urgent　message　for　Mr。　Langdon。〃
　Fache's　expression　turned　to　one　of　deepening　concern。　〃For　Mr。　Langdon？〃
　She　nodded；　turning　back　to　Langdon。　〃You　need　to　contact　the　U。S。　Embassy；　Mr。　Langdon。　They　have　a　message　for　you　from　the　States。〃
　Langdon　reacted　with　surprise；　his　excitement　over　the　code　giving　way　to　a　sudden　ripple　of　concern。　A　message　from　the　States？　He　tried　to　imagine　who　could　be　trying　to　reach　him。　Only　a　few　of　his　colleagu