danbrown.thedavincicode-第42章

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here　to　review　and　modify　the　contents　of　your　safe…deposit　box；　which　arrives。。。　over　here。〃　He　walked　them　to　the　far　wall　where　a　wide　conveyor　belt　entered　the　room　in　a　graceful　curve；　vaguely　resembling　a　baggage　claim　carousel。　〃You　insert　your　key　in　that　slot　there。。。。〃　The　man　pointed　to　a　large　electronic　podium　facing　the　conveyor　belt。　The　podium　had　a　familiar　triangular　hole。　〃Once　the　puter　confirms　the　markings　on　your　key；　you　enter　your　account　number；　and　your　safe…deposit　box　will　be　retrieved　robotically　from　the　vault　below　for　your　inspection。　When　you　are　finished　with　your　box；　you　place　it　back　on　the　conveyor　belt；　insert　your　key　again；　and　the　process　is　reversed。　Because　everything　is　automated；　your　privacy　is　guaranteed；　even　from　the　staff　of　this　bank。　If　you　need　anything　at　all；　simply　press　the　call　button　on　the　table　in　the　center　of　the　room。〃
　Sophie　was　about　to　ask　a　question　when　a　telephone　rang。　The　man　looked　puzzled　and　embarrassed。　〃Excuse　me；　please。〃　He　walked　over　to　the　phone；　which　was　sitting　on　the　table　beside　the　coffee　and　Perrier。
　〃Oui？〃　he　answered。
　His　brow　furrowed　as　he　listened　to　the　caller。　〃Oui。。。　oui。。。　d'accord。〃　He　hung　up；　and　gave　them　an　uneasy　smile。　〃I'm　sorry；　I　must　leave　you　now。　Make　yourselves　at　home。〃　He　moved　quickly　toward　the　door。
　〃Excuse　me；〃　Sophie　called。　〃Could　you　clarify　something　before　you　go？　You　mentioned　that　we　enter　an　account　number？〃
　The　man　paused　at　the　door；　looking　pale。　〃But　of　course。　Like　most　Swiss　banks；　our　safe…deposit　boxes　are　attached　to　a　number；　not　a　name。　You　have　a　key　and　a　personal　account　number　known　only　to　you。　Your　key　is　only　half　of　your　identification。　Your　personal　account　number　is　the　other　half。　Otherwise；　if　you　lost　your　key；　anyone　could　use　it。〃
　Sophie　hesitated。　〃And　if　my　benefactor　gave　me　no　account　number？〃
　The　banker's　heart　pounded。　Then　you　obviously　have　no　business　here！　He　gave　them　a　calm　smile。　〃I　will　ask　someone　to　help　you。　He　will　be　in　shortly。〃
　Leaving；　the　banker　closed　the　door　behind　him　and　twisted　a　heavy　lock；　sealing　them　inside。
　　
　Across　town；　Collet　was　standing　in　the　Gare　du　Nord　train　terminal　when　his　phone　rang。
　It　was　Fache。　〃Interpol　got　a　tip；〃　he　said。　〃Forget　the　train。　Langdon　and　Neveu　just　walked　into　the　Paris　branch　of　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich。　I　want　your　men　over　there　right　away。〃
　〃Any　leads　yet　on　what　Saunière　was　trying　to　tell　Agent　Neveu　and　Robert　Langdon？〃
　Fache's　tone　was　cold。　〃If　you　arrest　them；　Lieutenant　Collet；　then　I　can　ask　them　personally。〃
　Collet　took　the　hint。　〃Twenty…four　Rue　Haxo。　Right　away；　Captain。〃　He　hung　up　and　radioed　his　men。
　　
　CHAPTER　43
　
　André　Vernet…president　of　the　Paris　branch　of　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich…lived　in　a　lavish　flat　above　the　bank。　Despite　his　plush　acmodations；　he　had　always　dreamed　of　owning　a　riverside　apartment　on　L'lle　Saint…Louis；　where　he　could　rub　shoulders　with　the　true　cognoscenti；　rather　than　here；　where　he　simply　met　the　filthy　rich。
　When　I　retire；　Vernet　told　himself；　I　will　fill　my　cellar　with　rare　Bordeaux；　adorn　my　salon　with　a　Fragonard　and　perhaps　a　Boucher；　and　spend　my　days　hunting　for　antique　furniture　and　rare　books　in　the　Quartier　Latin。
　Tonight；　Vernet　had　been　awake　only　six　and　a　half　minutes。　Even　so；　as　he　hurried　through　the　bank's　underground　corridor；　he　looked　as　if　his　personal　tailor　and　hairdresser　had　polished　him　to　a　fine　sheen。　Impeccably　dressed　in　a　silk　suit；　Vernet　sprayed　some　breath　spray　in　his　mouth　and　tightened　his　tie　as　he　walked。　No　stranger　to　being　awoken　to　attend　to　his　international　clients　arriving　from　different　time　zones；　Vernet　modeled　his　sleep　habits　after　the　Maasai　warriors…the　African　tribe　famous　for　their　ability　to　rise　from　the　deepest　sleep　to　a　state　of　total　battle　readiness　in　a　matter　of　seconds。
　Battle　ready；　Vernet　thought；　fearing　the　parison　might　be　uncharacteristically　apt　tonight。　The　arrival　of　a　gold　key　client　always　required　an　extra　flurry　of　attention；　but　the　arrival　of　a　gold　key　client　who　was　wanted　by　the　Judicial　Police　would　be　an　extremely　delicate　matter。　The　bank　had　enough　battles　with　law　enforcement　over　the　privacy　rights　of　their　clients　without　proof　that　some　of　them　were　criminals。
　Five　minutes；　Vernet　told　himself。　I　need　these　people　out　of　my　bank　before　the　police　arrive。
　If　he　moved　quickly；　this　impending　disaster　could　be　deftly　sidestepped。　Vernet　could　tell　the　police　that　the　fugitives　in　question　had　indeed　walked　into　his　bank　as　reported；　but　because　they　were　not　clients　and　had　no　account　number；　they　were　turned　away。　He　wished　the　damned　watchman　had　not　called　Interpol。　Discretion　was　apparently　not　part　of　the　vocabulary　of　a　15…euro…per…hour　watchman。
　Stopping　at　the　doorway；　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　loosened　his　muscles。　Then；　forcing　a　balmy　smile；　he　unlocked　the　door　and　swirled　into　the　room　like　a　warm　breeze。
　〃Good　evening；〃　he　said；　his　eyes　finding　his　clients。　〃I　am　André　Vernet。　How　can　I　be　of　serv…〃　The　rest　of　the　sentence　lodged　somewhere　beneath　his　Adam's　apple。　The　woman　before　him　was　as　unexpected　a　visitor　as　Vernet　had　ever　had。
　　
　〃I'm　sorry；　do　we　know　each　other？〃　Sophie　asked。　She　did　not　recognize　the　banker；　but　he　for　a　moment　looked　as　if　he'd　seen　a　ghost。
　〃No。。。；〃　the　bank　president　fumbled。　〃I　don't。。。　believe　so。　Our　services　are　anonymous。〃　He　exhaled　and　forced　a　calm　smile。　〃My　assistant　tells　me　you　have　a　gold　key　but　no　account　number？　Might　I　ask　how　you　came　by　this　key？〃
　〃My　grandfather　gave　it　to　me；〃　Sophie　replied；　watching　the　man　closely。　His　uneasiness　seemed　more　evident　now。
　〃Really？　Your　grandfather　gave　you　the　key　but　failed　to　give　you　the　account　number？〃
　〃I　don't　think　he　had　time；〃　Sophie　said。　〃He　was　murdered　tonight。〃
　Her　words　sent　the　man　staggering　backward。　〃Jacques　Saunière　is　dead？〃　he　demanded；　his　eyes　filling　with　horror。　〃But。。。　how？！〃
　Now　it　was　Sophie　who　reeled；　numb　with　shock。　〃You　knew　my　grandfather？〃
　Banker　André　Vernet　looked　equally　astounded；　steadying　himself　by　leaning　on　an　end　table。　〃Jacques　and　I　were　dear　friends。　When　did　this　happen？〃
　〃Earlier　this　evening。　Inside　the　Louvre。〃
　Vernet　walked　to　a　deep　leather　chair　and　sank　into　it。　〃I　need　to　ask　you　both　a　very　important　question。〃　He　glanced　up　at　Langdon　and　then　back　to　Sophie。　〃Did　either　of　you　have　anything　to　do　with　his　death？〃
　〃No！〃　Sophie　declared。　〃Absolutely　not。〃
　Vernet's　face　was　grim；　and　he　paused；　pondering。　〃Your　pictures　are　being　circulated　by　Interpol。　This　is　how　I　recognized　you。　You're　wanted　for　a　murder。〃
　Sophie　slumped。　Fache　ran　an　Interpol　broadcast　already？　It　seemed　the　captain　was　more　motivated　than　Sophie　had　anticipated。　She　quickly　told　Vernet　who　Langdon　was　and　what　had　happened　inside　the　Louvre　tonight。
　Vernet　looked　amazed。　〃And　as　your　grandfather　was　dying；　he　left　you　a　message　telling　you　to　find　Mr。　Langdon？〃
　〃Yes。　And　this　key。〃　Sophie　laid　the　gold　key　on　the　coffee　table　in　front　of　Vernet；　placing　the　Priory　seal　face　down。
　Vernet　glanced　at　the　key　but　made　no　move　to　touch　it。　〃He　left　you　only　this　key？　Nothing　else？　No　slip　of　paper？〃
　Sophie　knew　she　had　been　in　a　hurry　inside　the　Louvre；　but　she　was　certain　she　had　seen　nothing　else　behind　Madonna　of　the　Rocks。　〃No。　Just　the　key。〃
　Vernet　gave　a　helpless　sigh。　〃I'm　afraid　every　key　is　electronically　paired　with　a　ten…digit　account　number　that　functions　as　a　password。　Without　that　number；　your　key　is　worthless。〃
　Ten　digits。　Sophie　reluctantly　calculated　the　cryptographic　odds。　Over　ten　billion　possible　choices。　Even　if　she　could　bring　in　DCPJ's　most　powerful　parallel　processing　puters；　she　still　would　need　weeks　to　break　the　code。　〃Certainly；　monsieur；　considering　the　circumstances；　you　can　help　us。〃
　〃I'm　sorry。　I　truly　can　do　nothing。　Clients　select　their　own　account　numbers　via　a　secure　terminal；　meaning　account　numbers　are　known　only　to　the　client　and　puter。　This　is　one　way　we　ensure　anonymity。　And　the　safety　of　our　employees。〃
　Sophie　understood。　Convenience　stores　did　the　same　thing。　E