danbrown.thedavincicode-第31章

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as　almost　entirely　hid　her　body。　Grouard's　first　thought　was　to　wonder　why　the　painting's　trip　wires　hadn't　set　off　alarms；　but　of　course　the　artwork　cable　sensors　had　yet　to　be　reset　tonight。　What　is　she　doing！
　When　he　saw　it；　his　blood　went　cold。
　The　canvas　started　to　bulge　in　the　middle；　the　fragile　outlines　of　the　Virgin　Mary；　Baby　Jesus；　and　John　the　Baptist　beginning　to　distort。
　〃Non！〃　Grouard　screamed；　frozen　in　horror　as　he　watched　the　priceless　Da　Vinci　stretching。　The　woman　was　pushing　her　knee　into　the　center　of　the　canvas　from　behind！　〃NON！〃
　Grouard　wheeled　and　aimed　his　gun　at　her　but　instantly　realized　it　was　an　empty　threat。　The　canvas　was　only　fabric；　but　it　was　utterly　impenetrable…a　six…million…dollar　piece　of　body　armor。
　I　can't　put　a　bullet　through　a　Da　Vinci！
　〃Set　down　your　gun　and　radio；〃　the　woman　said　in　calm　French；　〃or　I'll　put　my　knee　through　this　painting。　I　think　you　know　how　my　grandfather　would　feel　about　that。〃
　Grouard　felt　dizzy。　〃Please。。。　no。　That's　Madonna　of　the　Rocks！〃　He　dropped　his　gun　and　radio；　raising　his　hands　over　his　head。
　〃Thank　you；〃　the　woman　said。　〃Now　do　exactly　as　I　tell　you；　and　everything　will　work　out　fine。〃
　　
　Moments　later；　Langdon's　pulse　was　still　thundering　as　he　ran　beside　Sophie　down　the　emergency　stairwell　toward　the　ground　level。　Neither　of　them　had　said　a　word　since　leaving　the　trembling　Louvre　guard　lying　in　the　Salle　des　Etats。　The　guard's　pistol　was　now　clutched　tightly　in　Langdon's　hands；　and　he　couldn't　wait　to　get　rid　of　it。　The　weapon　felt　heavy　and　dangerously　foreign。
　Taking　the　stairs　two　at　a　time；　Langdon　wondered　if　Sophie　had　any　idea　how　valuable　a　painting　she　had　almost　ruined。　Her　choice　in　art　seemed　eerily　pertinent　to　tonight's　adventure。　The　Da　Vinci　she　had　grabbed；　much　like　the　Mona　Lisa；　was　notorious　among　art　historians　for　its　plethora　of　hidden　pagan　symbolism。
　〃You　chose　a　valuable　hostage；〃　he　said　as　they　ran。
　〃Madonna　of　the　Rocks；〃　she　replied。　〃But　I　didn't　choose　it；　my　grandfather　did。　He　left　me　a　little　something　behind　the　painting。〃
　Langdon　shot　her　a　startled　look。　〃What！？　But　how　did　you　know　which　painting？　Why　Madonna　of　the　Rocks？〃
　〃So　dark　the　con　of　man。〃　She　flashed　a　triumphant　smile。　〃I　missed　the　first　two　anagrams；　Robert。　I　wasn't　about　to　miss　the　third。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　31
　
　〃They're　dead！〃　Sister　Sandrine　stammered　into　the　telephone　in　her　Saint…Sulpice　residence。　She　was　leaving　a　message　on　an　answering　machine。　〃Please　pick　up！　They're　all　dead！〃
　The　first　three　phone　numbers　on　the　list　had　produced　terrifying　results…a　hysterical　widow；　a　detective　working　late　at　a　murder　scene；　and　a　somber　priest　consoling　a　bereaved　family。　All　three　contacts　were　dead。　And　now；　as　she　called　the　fourth　and　final　number…the　number　she　was　not　supposed　to　call　unless　the　first　three　could　not　be　reached…she　got　an　answering　machine。　The　outgoing　message　offered　no　name　but　simply　asked　the　caller　to　leave　a　message。
　〃The　floor　panel　has　been　broken！〃　she　pleaded　as　she　left　the　message。　〃The　other　three　are　dead！〃
　Sister　Sandrine　did　not　know　the　identities　of　the　four　men　she　protected；　but　the　private　phone　numbers　stashed　beneath　her　bed　were　for　use　on　only　one　condition。
　If　that　floor　panel　is　ever　broken；　the　faceless　messenger　had　told　her；　it　means　the　upper　echelon　has　been　breached。　One　of　us　has　been　mortally　threatened　and　been　forced　to　tell　a　desperate　lie。　Call　the　numbers。　Warn　the　others。　Do　not　fail　us　in　this。
　It　was　a　silent　alarm。　Foolproof　in　its　simplicity。　The　plan　had　amazed　her　when　she　first　heard　it。　If　the　identity　of　one　brother　was　promised；　he　could　tell　a　lie　that　would　start　in　motion　a　mechanism　to　warn　the　others。　Tonight；　however；　it　seemed　that　more　than　one　had　been　promised。
　〃Please　answer；〃　she　whispered　in　fear。　〃Where　are　you？〃
　〃Hang　up　the　phone；〃　a　deep　voice　said　from　the　doorway。
　Turning　in　terror；　she　saw　the　massive　monk。　He　was　clutching　the　heavy　iron　candle　stand。　Shaking；　she　set　the　phone　back　in　the　cradle。
　〃They　are　dead；〃　the　monk　said。　〃All　four　of　them。　And　they　have　played　me　for　a　fool。　Tell　me　where　the　keystone　is。〃
　〃I　don't　know！〃　Sister　Sandrine　said　truthfully。　〃That　secret　is　guarded　by　others。〃　Others　who　are　dead！
　The　man　advanced；　his　white　fists　gripping　the　iron　stand。　〃You　are　a　sister　of　the　Church；　and　yet　you　serve　them？〃
　〃Jesus　had　but　one　true　message；〃　Sister　Sandrine　said　defiantly。　〃I　cannot　see　that　message　in　Opus　Dei。〃
　A　sudden　explosion　of　rage　erupted　behind　the　monk's　eyes。　He　lunged；　lashing　out　with　the　candle　stand　like　a　club。　As　Sister　Sandrine　fell；　her　last　feeling　was　an　overwhelming　sense　of　foreboding。
　All　four　are　dead。
　The　precious　truth　is　lost　forever。
　　
　CHAPTER　32
　
　The　security　alarm　on　the　west　end　of　the　Denon　Wing　sent　the　pigeons　in　the　nearby　Tuileries　Gardens　scattering　as　Langdon　and　Sophie　dashed　out　of　the　bulkhead　into　the　Paris　night。　As　they　ran　across　the　plaza　to　Sophie's　car；　Langdon　could　hear　police　sirens　wailing　in　the　distance。
　〃That's　it　there；〃　Sophie　called；　pointing　to　a　red　snub…nosed　two…seater　parked　on　the　plaza。
　She's　kidding；　right？　The　vehicle　was　easily　the　smallest　car　Langdon　had　ever　seen。
　〃SmartCar；〃　she　said。　〃A　hundred　kilometers　to　the　liter。〃
　Langdon　had　barely　thrown　himself　into　the　passenger　seat　before　Sophie　gunned　the　SmartCar　up　and　over　a　curb　onto　a　gravel　divider。　He　gripped　the　dash　as　the　car　shot　out　across　a　sidewalk　and　bounced　back　down　over　into　the　small　rotary　at　Carrousel　du　Louvre。
　For　an　instant；　Sophie　seemed　to　consider　taking　the　shortcut　across　the　rotary　by　plowing　straight　ahead；　through　the　median's　perimeter　hedge；　and　bisecting　the　large　circle　of　grass　in　the　center。
　〃No！〃　Langdon　shouted；　knowing　the　hedges　around　Carrousel　du　Louvre　were　there　to　hide　the　perilous　chasm　in　the　center…La　Pyramide　Inversée…the　upside…down　pyramid　skylight　he　had　seen　earlier　from　inside　the　museum。　It　was　large　enough　to　swallow　their　Smart…Car　in　a　single　gulp。　Fortunately；　Sophie　decided　on　the　more　conventional　route；　jamming　the　wheel　hard　to　the　right；　circling　properly　until　she　exited；　cut　left；　and　swung　into　the　northbound　lane；　accelerating　toward　Rue　de　Rivoli。
　The　two…tone　police　sirens　blared　louder　behind　them；　and　Langdon　could　see　the　lights　now　in　his　side　view　mirror。　The　SmartCar　engine　whined　in　protest　as　Sophie　urged　it　faster　away　from　the　Louvre。　Fifty　yards　ahead；　the　traffic　light　at　Rivoli　turned　red。　Sophie　cursed　under　her　breath　and　kept　racing　toward　it。　Langdon　felt　his　muscles　tighten。
　〃Sophie？〃
　Slowing　only　slightly　as　they　reached　the　intersection；　Sophie　flicked　her　headlights　and　stole　a　quick　glance　both　ways　before　flooring　the　accelerator　again　and　carving　a　sharp　left　turn　through　the　empty　intersection　onto　Rivoli。　Accelerating　west　for　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　Sophie　banked　to　the　right　around　a　wide　rotary。　Soon　they　were　shooting　out　the　other　side　onto　the　wide　avenue　of　Champs…Elysées。
　As　they　straightened　out；　Langdon　turned　in　his　seat；　craning　his　neck　to　look　out　the　rear　window　toward　the　Louvre。　The　police　did　not　seem　to　be　chasing　them。　The　sea　of　blue　lights　was　assembling　at　the　museum。
　His　heartbeat　finally　slowing；　Langdon　turned　back　around。　〃That　was　interesting。〃
　Sophie　didn't　seem　to　hear。　Her　eyes　remained　fixed　ahead　down　the　long　thoroughfare　of　Champs…Elysées；　the　two…mile　stretch　of　posh　storefronts　that　was　often　called　the　Fifth　Avenue　of　Paris。　The　embassy　was　only　about　a　mile　away；　and　Langdon　settled　into　his　seat。　So　dark　the　con　of　man。　Sophie's　quick　thinking　had　been　impressive。　Madonna　of　the　Rocks。
　Sophie　had　said　her　grandfather　left　her　something　behind　the　painting。　A　final　message？　Langdon　could　not　help　but　marvel　over　Saunière's　brilliant　hiding　place；　Madonna　of　the　Rocks　was　yet　another　fitting　link　in　the　evening's　chain　of　interconnected　symbolism。　Saunière；　it　seemed；　at　every　turn；　was　reinforcing　his　fondness　for　the　dark　and　mischievous　side　of　Leonardo　da　Vinci。
　Da　Vinci's　original　mission　for　Madonna　of　the　Rocks　had　e　from　an