danbrown.thedavincicode-第26章

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　Startled；　she　spun；　dropping　the　key　on　the　floor　with　a　loud　clang。　She　stared　down　at　the　key；　afraid　to　look　up　at　her　grandfather's　face。　〃I。。。　was　looking　for　my　birthday　present；〃　she　said；　hanging　her　head；　knowing　she　had　betrayed　his　trust。
　For　what　seemed　like　an　eternity；　her　grandfather　stood　silently　in　the　doorway。　Finally；　he　let　out　a　long　troubled　breath。　〃Pick　up　the　key；　Sophie。〃
　Sophie　retrieved　the　key。
　Her　grandfather　walked　in。　〃Sophie；　you　need　to　respect　other　people's　privacy。〃　Gently；　he　knelt　down　and　took　the　key　from　her。　〃This　key　is　very　special。　If　you　had　lost　it。。。〃
　Her　grandfather's　quiet　voice　made　Sophie　feel　even　worse。　〃I'm　sorry；　Grand…père。　I　really　am。〃　She　paused。　〃I　thought　it　was　a　necklace　for　my　birthday。〃
　He　gazed　at　her　for　several　seconds。　〃I'll　say　this　once　more；　Sophie；　because　it's　important。　You　need　to　learn　to　respect　other　people's　privacy。〃
　〃Yes；　Grand…père。〃
　〃We'll　talk　about　this　some　other　time。　Right　now；　the　garden　needs　to　be　weeded。〃
　Sophie　hurried　outside　to　do　her　chores。
　The　next　morning；　Sophie　received　no　birthday　present　from　her　grandfather。　She　hadn't　expected　one；　not　after　what　she　had　done。　But　he　didn't　even　wish　her　happy　birthday　all　day。　Sadly；　she　trudged　up　to　bed　that　night。　As　she　climbed　in；　though；　she　found　a　note　card　lying　on　her　pillow。　On　the　card　was　written　a　simple　riddle。　Even　before　she　solved　the　riddle；　she　was　smiling。　I　know　what　this　is！　Her　grandfather　had　done　this　for　her　last　Christmas　morning。
　A　treasure　hunt！
　Eagerly；　she　pored　over　the　riddle　until　she　solved　it。　The　solution　pointed　her　to　another　part　of　the　house；　where　she　found　another　card　and　another　riddle。　She　solved　this　one　too；　racing　on　to　the　next　card。　Running　wildly；　she　darted　back　and　forth　across　the　house；　from　clue　to　clue；　until　at　last　she　found　a　clue　that　directed　her　back　to　her　own　bedroom。　Sophie　dashed　up　the　stairs；　rushed　into　her　room；　and　stopped　in　her　tracks。　There　in　the　middle　of　the　room　sat　a　shining　red　bicycle　with　a　ribbon　tied　to　the　handlebars。　Sophie　shrieked　with　delight。
　〃I　know　you　asked　for　a　doll；〃　her　grandfather　said；　smiling　in　the　corner。　〃I　thought　you　might　like　this　even　better。〃
　The　next　day；　her　grandfather　taught　her　to　ride；　running　beside　her　down　the　walkway。　When　Sophie　steered　out　over　the　thick　lawn　and　lost　her　balance；　they　both　went　tumbling　onto　the　grass；　rolling　and　laughing。
　〃Grand…père；〃　Sophie　said；　hugging　him。　〃I'm　really　sorry　about　the　key。〃
　〃I　know；　sweetie。　You're　forgiven。　I　can't　possibly　stay　mad　at　you。　Grandfathers　and　granddaughters　always　forgive　each　other。〃
　Sophie　knew　she　shouldn't　ask；　but　she　couldn't　help　it。　〃What　does　it　open？　I　never　saw　a　key　like　that。　It　was　very　pretty。〃
　Her　grandfather　was　silent　a　long　moment；　and　Sophie　could　see　he　was　uncertain　how　to　answer。　Grand…père　never　lies。　〃It　opens　a　box；〃　he　finally　said。　〃Where　I　keep　many　secrets。〃
　Sophie　pouted。　〃I　hate　secrets！〃
　〃I　know；　but　these　are　important　secrets。　And　someday；　you'll　learn　to　appreciate　them　as　much　as　I　do。〃
　〃I　saw　letters　on　the　key；　and　a　flower。〃
　〃Yes；　that's　my　favorite　flower。　It's　called　a　fleur…de…lis。　We　have　them　in　the　garden。　The　white　ones。　In　English　we　call　that　kind　of　flower　a　lily。〃
　〃I　know　those！　They're　my　favorite　too！〃
　〃Then　I'll　make　a　deal　with　you。〃　Her　grandfather's　eyebrows　raised　the　way　they　always　did　when　he　was　about　to　give　her　a　challenge。　〃If　you　can　keep　my　key　a　secret；　and　never　talk　about　it　ever　again；　to　me　or　anybody；　then　someday　I　will　give　it　to　you。〃
　Sophie　couldn't　believe　her　ears。　〃You　will？〃
　〃I　promise。　When　the　time　es；　the　key　will　be　yours。　It　has　your　name　on　it。〃
　Sophie　scowled。　〃No　it　doesn't。　It　said　P。S。　My　name　isn't　P。S。！〃
　Her　grandfather　lowered　his　voice　and　looked　around　as　if　to　make　sure　no　one　was　listening。　〃Okay；　Sophie；　if　you　must　know；　P。S。　is　a　code。　It's　your　secret　initials。〃
　Her　eyes　went　wide。　〃I　have　secret　initials？〃
　〃Of　course。　Granddaughters　always　have　secret　initials　that　only　their　grandfathers　know。〃
　〃P。S。？〃
　He　tickled　her。　〃Princesse　Sophie。〃
　She　giggled。　〃I'm　not　a　princess！〃
　He　winked。　〃You　are　to　me。〃
　From　that　day　on；　they　never　again　spoke　of　the　key。　And　she　became　his　Princess　Sophie。
　　
　Inside　the　Salle　des　Etats；　Sophie　stood　in　silence　and　endured　the　sharp　pang　of　loss。
　〃The　initials；〃　Langdon　whispered；　eyeing　her　strangely。　〃Have　you　seen　them？〃
　Sophie　sensed　her　grandfather's　voice　whispering　in　the　corridors　of　the　museum。　Never　speak　of　this　key；　Sophie。　To　me　or　to　anyone。　She　knew　she　had　failed　him　in　forgiveness；　and　she　wondered　if　she　could　break　his　trust　again。　P。S。　Find　Robert　Langdon。　Her　grandfather　wanted　Langdon　to　help。　Sophie　nodded。　〃Yes；　I　saw　the　initials　P。S。　once。　When　I　was　very　young。〃
　〃Where？〃
　Sophie　hesitated。　〃On　something　very　important　to　him。〃
　Langdon　locked　eyes　with　her。　〃Sophie；　this　is　crucial。　Can　you　tell　me　if　the　initials　appeared　with　a　symbol？　A　fleur…de…lis？〃
　Sophie　felt　herself　staggering　backward　in　amazement。　〃But。。。　how　could　you　possibly　know　that！〃
　Langdon　exhaled　and　lowered　his　voice。　〃I'm　fairly　certain　your　grandfather　was　a　member　of　a　secret　society。　A　very　old　covert　brotherhood。〃
　Sophie　felt　a　knot　tighten　in　her　stomach。　She　was　certain　of　it　too。　For　ten　years　she　had　tried　to　forget　the　incident　that　had　confirmed　that　horrifying　fact　for　her。　She　had　witnessed　something　unthinkable。　Unforgivable。
　〃The　fleur…de…lis；〃　Langdon　said；　〃bined　with　the　initials　P。S。；　that　is　the　brotherhood's　official　device。　Their　coat　of　arms。　Their　logo。〃
　〃How　do　you　know　this？〃　Sophie　was　praying　Langdon　was　not　going　to　tell　her　that　he　himself　was　a　member。
　〃I've　written　about　this　group；〃　he　said；　his　voice　tremulous　with　excitement。　〃Researching　the　symbols　of　secret　societies　is　a　specialty　of　mine。　They　call　themselves　the　Prieuré　de　Sion…the　Priory　of　Sion。　They're　based　here　in　France　and　attract　powerful　members　from　all　over　Europe。　In　fact；　they　are　one　of　the　oldest　surviving　secret　societies　on　earth。〃
　Sophie　had　never　heard　of　them。
　Langdon　was　talking　in　rapid　bursts　now。　〃The　Priory's　membership　has　included　some　of　history's　most　cultured　individuals：　men　like　Botticelli；　Sir　Isaac　Newton；　Victor　Hugo。〃　He　paused；　his　voice　brimming　now　with　academic　zeal。　〃And；　Leonardo　da　Vinci。〃
　Sophie　stared。　〃Da　Vinci　was　in　a　secret　society？〃
　〃Da　Vinci　presided　over　the　Priory　between　1510　and　1519　as　the　brotherhood's　Grand　Master；　which　might　help　explain　your　grandfather's　passion　for　Leonardo's　work。　The　two　men　share　a　historical　fraternal　bond。　And　it　all　fits　perfectly　with　their　fascination　for　goddess　iconology；　paganism；　feminine　deities；　and　contempt　for　the　Church。　The　Priory　has　a　well…documented　history　of　reverence　for　the　sacred　feminine。〃
　〃You're　telling　me　this　group　is　a　pagan　goddess　worship　cult？〃
　〃More　like　the　pagan　goddess　worship　cult。　But　more　important；　they　are　known　as　the　guardians　of　an　ancient　secret。　One　that　made　them　immeasurably　powerful。〃
　Despite　the　total　conviction　in　Langdon's　eyes；　Sophie's　gut　reaction　was　one　of　stark　disbelief。　A　secret　pagan　cult？　Once　headed　by　Leonardo　da　Vinci？　It　all　sounded　utterly　absurd。　And　yet；　even　as　she　dismissed　it；　she　felt　her　mind　reeling　back　ten　years…to　the　night　she　had　mistakenly　surprised　her　grandfather　and　witnessed　what　she　still　could　not　accept。　Could　that　explain…？
　〃The　identities　of　living　Priory　members　are　kept　extremely　secret；〃　Langdon　said；　〃but　the　P。S。　and　fleur…de…lis　that　you　saw　as　a　child　are　proof。　It　could　only　have　been　related　to　the　Priory。〃
　Sophie　realized　now　that　Langdon　knew　far　more　about　her　grandfather　than　she　had　previously　imagined。　This　American　obviously　had　volumes　to　share　with　her；　but　this　was　not　the　place。　〃I　can't　afford　to　let　them　catch　you；　Robert。　There's　a　lot　we　need　to　discuss。　You　need　to　go！〃
　　
　Langdon　heard　only　the　faint　murmur　of　her　voice。　He　wasn't　going　anywhere。　He　was　lost　in　another　place　now。　A　place　where　ancient　secrets　rose　to　the　surface。