danbrown.thedavincicode-第14章

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　Two　months　later；　in　shackles；　he　arrived　at　a　prison　in　Andorra。
　You　are　as　white　as　a　ghost；　the　inmates　ridiculed　as　the　guards　marched　him　in；　naked　and　cold。　Mira　el　espectro！　Perhaps　the　ghost　will　pass　right　through　these　walls！
　Over　the　course　of　twelve　years；　his　flesh　and　soul　withered　until　he　knew　he　had　bee　transparent。
　I　am　a　ghost。
　I　am　weightless。
　Yo　soy　un　espectro。。。　palido　a　una　fantasma。。。　caminando　este　mundo　a　solas。
　One　night　the　ghost　awoke　to　the　screams　of　other　inmates。　He　didn't　know　what　invisible　force　was　shaking　the　floor　on　which　he　slept；　nor　what　mighty　hand　was　trembling　the　mortar　of　his　stone　cell；　but　as　he　jumped　to　his　feet；　a　large　boulder　toppled　onto　the　very　spot　where　he　had　been　sleeping。　Looking　up　to　see　where　the　stone　had　e　from；　he　saw　a　hole　in　the　trembling　wall；　and　beyond　it；　a　vision　he　had　not　seen　in　over　ten　years。　The　moon。
　Even　while　the　earth　still　shook；　the　ghost　found　himself　scrambling　through　a　narrow　tunnel；　staggering　out　into　an　expansive　vista；　and　tumbling　down　a　barren　mountainside　into　the　woods。　He　ran　all　night；　always　downward；　delirious　with　hunger　and　exhaustion。
　Skirting　the　edges　of　consciousness；　he　found　himself　at　dawn　in　a　clearing　where　train　tracks　cut　a　swath　across　the　forest。　Following　the　rails；　he　moved　on　as　if　dreaming。　Seeing　an　empty　freight　car；　he　crawled　in　for　shelter　and　rest。　When　he　awoke　the　train　was　moving。　How　long？　How　far？　A　pain　was　growing　in　his　gut。　Am　I　dying？　He　slept　again。　This　time　he　awoke　to　someone　yelling；　beating　him；　throwing　him　out　of　the　freight　car。　Bloody；　he　wandered　the　outskirts　of　a　small　village　looking　in　vain　for　food。　Finally；　his　body　too　weak　to　take　another　step；　he　lay　down　by　the　side　of　the　road　and　slipped　into　unconsciousness。
　The　light　came　slowly；　and　the　ghost　wondered　how　long　he　had　been　dead。　A　day？　Three　days？　It　didn't　matter。　His　bed　was　soft　like　a　cloud；　and　the　air　around　him　smelled　sweet　with　candles。　Jesus　was　there；　staring　down　at　him。　I　am　here；　Jesus　said。　The　stone　has　been　rolled　aside；　and　you　are　born　again。
　He　slept　and　awoke。　Fog　shrouded　his　thoughts。　He　had　never　believed　in　heaven；　and　yet　Jesus　was　watching　over　him。　Food　appeared　beside　his　bed；　and　the　ghost　ate　it；　almost　able　to　feel　the　flesh　materializing　on　his　bones。　He　slept　again。　When　he　awoke；　Jesus　was　still　smiling　down；　speaking。　You　are　saved；　my　son。　Blessed　are　those　who　follow　my　path。
　Again；　he　slept。
　It　was　a　scream　of　anguish　that　startled　the　ghost　from　his　slumber。　His　body　leapt　out　of　bed；　staggered　down　a　hallway　toward　the　sounds　of　shouting。　He　entered　into　a　kitchen　and　saw　a　large　man　beating　a　smaller　man。　Without　knowing　why；　the　ghost　grabbed　the　large　man　and　hurled　him　backward　against　a　wall。　The　man　fled；　leaving　the　ghost　standing　over　the　body　of　a　young　man　in　priest's　robes。　The　priest　had　a　badly　shattered　nose。　Lifting　the　bloody　priest；　the　ghost　carried　him　to　a　couch。
　〃Thank　you；　my　friend；〃　the　priest　said　in　awkward　French。　〃The　offertory　money　is　tempting　for　thieves。　You　speak　French　in　your　sleep。　Do　you　also　speak　Spanish？〃
　The　ghost　shook　his　head。
　〃What　is　your　name？〃　he　continued　in　broken　French。
　The　ghost　could　not　remember　the　name　his　parents　had　given　him。　All　he　heard　were　the　taunting　gibes　of　the　prison　guards。
　The　priest　smiled。　〃No　hay　problema。　My　name　is　Manuel　Aringarosa。　I　am　a　missionary　from　Madrid。　I　was　sent　here　to　build　a　church　for　the　Obra　de　Dios。〃
　〃Where　am　I？〃　His　voice　sounded　hollow。
　〃Oviedo。　In　the　north　of　Spain。〃
　〃How　did　I　get　here？〃
　〃Someone　left　you　on　my　doorstep。　You　were　ill。　I　fed　you。　You've　been　here　many　days。〃
　The　ghost　studied　his　young　caretaker。　Years　had　passed　since　anyone　had　shown　any　kindness。　〃Thank　you；　Father。〃
　The　priest　touched　his　bloody　lip。　〃It　is　I　who　am　thankful；　my　friend。〃
　When　the　ghost　awoke　in　the　morning；　his　world　felt　clearer。　He　gazed　up　at　the　crucifix　on　the　wall　above　his　bed。　Although　it　no　longer　spoke　to　him；　he　felt　a　forting　aura　in　its　presence。　Sitting　up；　he　was　surprised　to　find　a　newspaper　clipping　on　his　bedside　table。　The　article　was　in　French；　a　week　old。　When　he　read　the　story；　he　filled　with　fear。　It　told　of　an　earthquake　in　the　mountains　that　had　destroyed　a　prison　and　freed　many　dangerous　criminals。
　His　heart　began　pounding。　The　priest　knows　who　I　am！　The　emotion　he　felt　was　one　he　had　not　felt　for　some　time。　Shame。　Guilt。　It　was　acpanied　by　the　fear　of　being　caught。　He　jumped　from　his　bed。　Where　do　I　run？
　〃The　Book　of　Acts；〃　a　voice　said　from　the　door。
　The　ghost　turned；　frightened。
　The　young　priest　was　smiling　as　he　entered。　His　nose　was　awkwardly　bandaged；　and　he　was　holding　out　an　old　Bible。　〃I　found　one　in　French　for　you。　The　chapter　is　marked。〃
　Uncertain；　the　ghost　took　the　Bible　and　looked　at　the　chapter　the　priest　had　marked。
　Acts　16。
　The　verses　told　of　a　prisoner　named　Silas　who　lay　naked　and　beaten　in　his　cell；　singing　hymns　to　God。　When　the　ghost　reached　Verse　26；　he　gasped　in　shock。
　〃。。。And　suddenly；　there　was　a　great　earthquake；　so　that　the　foundations　of　the　prison　were　shaken；　and　all　the　doors　fell　open。〃
　His　eyes　shot　up　at　the　priest。
　The　priest　smiled　warmly。　〃From　now　on；　my　friend；　if　you　have　no　other　name；　I　shall　call　you　Silas。〃
　The　ghost　nodded　blankly。　Silas。　He　had　been　given　flesh。　My　name　is　Silas。
　〃It's　time　for　breakfast；〃　the　priest　said。　〃You　will　need　your　strength　if　you　are　to　help　me　build　this　church。〃
　　
　Twenty　thousand　feet　above　the　Mediterranean；　Alitalia　flight　1618　bounced　in　turbulence；　causing　passengers　to　shift　nervously。　Bishop　Aringarosa　barely　noticed。　His　thoughts　were　with　the　future　of　Opus　Dei。　Eager　to　know　how　plans　in　Paris　were　progressing；　he　wished　he　could　phone　Silas。　But　he　could　not。　The　Teacher　had　seen　to　that。
　〃It　is　for　your　own　safety；〃　the　Teacher　had　explained；　speaking　in　English　with　a　French　accent。　〃I　am　familiar　enough　with　electronic　munications　to　know　they　can　be　intercepted。　The　results　could　be　disastrous　for　you。〃
　Aringarosa　knew　he　was　right。　The　Teacher　seemed　an　exceptionally　careful　man。　He　had　not　revealed　his　own　identity　to　Aringarosa；　and　yet　he　had　proven　himself　a　man　well　worth　obeying。　After　all；　he　had　somehow　obtained　very　secret　information。　The　names　of　the　brotherhood's　four　top　members！　This　had　been　one　of　the　coups　that　convinced　the　bishop　the　Teacher　was　truly　capable　of　delivering　the　astonishing　prize　he　claimed　he　could　unearth。
　〃Bishop；〃　the　Teacher　had　told　him；　〃I　have　made　all　the　arrangements。　For　my　plan　to　succeed；　you　must　allow　Silas　to　answer　only　to　me　for　several　days。　The　two　of　you　will　not　speak。　I　will　municate　with　him　through　secure　channels。〃
　〃You　will　treat　him　with　respect？〃
　〃A　man　of　faith　deserves　the　highest。〃
　〃Excellent。　Then　I　understand。　Silas　and　I　shall　not　speak　until　this　is　over。〃
　〃I　do　this　to　protect　your　identity；　Silas's　identity；　and　my　investment。〃
　〃Your　investment？〃
　〃Bishop；　if　your　own　eagerness　to　keep　abreast　of　progress　puts　you　in　jail；　then　you　will　be　unable　to　pay　me　my　fee。〃
　The　bishop　smiled。　〃A　fine　point。　Our　desires　are　in　accord。　Godspeed。〃
　Twenty　million　euro；　the　bishop　thought；　now　gazing　out　the　plane's　window。　The　sum　was　approximately　the　same　number　of　U。S。　dollars。　A　pittance　for　something　so　powerful。
　He　felt　a　renewed　confidence　that　the　Teacher　and　Silas　would　not　fail。　Money　and　faith　were　powerful　motivators。
　　
　CHAPTER　11
　
　〃Une　plaisanterie　numérique？〃　Bezu　Fache　was　livid；　glaring　at　Sophie　Neveu　in　disbelief。　A　numeric　joke？　〃Your　professional　assessment　of　Saunière's　code　is　that　it　is　some　kind　of　mathematical　prank？〃
　Fache　was　in　utter　inprehension　of　this　woman's　gall。　Not　only　had　she　just　barged　in　on　Fache　without　permission；　but　she　was　now　trying　to　convince　him　that　Saunière；　in　his　final　moments　of　life；　had　been　inspired　to　leave　a　mathematical　gag？
　〃This　code；〃　Sophie　explained　in　rapid　French；　〃is　simplistic　to　the　point　of　absurdity。　Jacques　Saunière　must　have　known　we　would　see　through　it　immediately。〃　She　pulled