danbrown.thedavincicode-第45章

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　dedans？〃
　〃Hell　if　I　know；〃　Vernet　replied　in　crude　French。　〃I'm　only　a　driver。〃
　Collet　looked　unimpressed。　〃We're　looking　for　two　criminals。〃
　Vernet　laughed。　〃Then　you　came　to　the　right　spot。　Some　of　these　bastards　I　drive　for　have　so　much　money　they　must　be　criminals。〃
　The　agent　held　up　a　passport　picture　of　Robert　Langdon。　〃Was　this　man　in　your　bank　tonight？〃
　Vernet　shrugged。　〃No　clue。　I'm　a　dock　rat。　They　don't　let　us　anywhere　near　the　clients。　You　need　to　go　in　and　ask　the　front　desk。〃
　〃Your　bank　is　demanding　a　search　warrant　before　we　can　enter。〃
　Vernet　put　on　a　disgusted　look。　〃Administrators。　Don't　get　me　started。〃
　〃Open　your　truck；　please。〃　Collet　motioned　toward　the　cargo　hold。
　Vernet　stared　at　the　agent　and　forced　an　obnoxious　laugh。　〃Open　the　truck？　You　think　I　have　keys？　You　think　they　trust　us？　You　should　see　the　crap　wages　I　get　paid。〃
　The　agent's　head　tilted　to　one　side；　his　skepticism　evident。　〃You're　telling　me　you　don't　have　keys　to　your　own　truck？〃
　Vernet　shook　his　head。　〃Not　the　cargo　area。　Ignition　only。　These　trucks　get　sealed　by　overseers　on　the　loading　dock。　Then　the　truck　sits　in　dock　while　someone　drives　the　cargo　keys　to　the　drop…off。　Once　we　get　the　call　that　the　cargo　keys　are　with　the　recipient；　then　I　get　the　okay　to　drive。　Not　a　second　before。　I　never　know　what　the　hell　I'm　lugging。〃
　〃When　was　this　truck　sealed？〃
　〃Must　have　been　hours　ago。　I'm　driving　all　the　way　up　to　St。　Thurial　tonight。　Cargo　keys　are　already　up　there。〃
　The　agent　made　no　response；　his　eyes　probing　as　if　trying　to　read　Vernet's　mind。
　A　drop　of　sweat　was　preparing　to　slide　down　Vernet's　nose。　〃You　mind？〃　he　said；　wiping　his　nose　with　his　sleeve　and　motioning　to　the　police　car　blocking　his　way。　〃I'm　on　a　tight　schedule。〃
　〃Do　all　the　drivers　wear　Rolexes？〃　the　agent　asked；　pointing　to　Vernet's　wrist。
　Vernet　glanced　down　and　saw　the　glistening　band　of　his　absurdly　expensive　watch　peeking　out　from　beneath　the　sleeve　of　his　jacket。　Merde。　〃This　piece　of　shit？　Bought　it　for　twenty　euro　from　a　Taiwanese　street　vendor　in　St。　Germain　des　Prés。　I'll　sell　it　to　you　for　forty。〃
　The　agent　paused　and　finally　stepped　aside。　〃No　thanks。　Have　a　safe　trip。〃
　Vernet　did　not　breathe　again　until　the　truck　was　a　good　fifty　meters　down　the　street。　And　now　he　had　another　problem。　His　cargo。　Where　do　I　take　them？
　　
　CHAPTER　46
　
　Silas　lay　prone　on　the　canvas　mat　in　his　room；　allowing　the　lash　wounds　on　his　back　to　clot　in　the　air。　Tonight's　second　session　with　the　Discipline　had　left　him　dizzy　and　weak。　He　had　yet　to　remove　the　cilice　belt；　and　he　could　feel　the　blood　trickling　down　his　inner　thigh。　Still；　he　could　not　justify　removing　the　strap。
　I　have　failed　the　Church。
　Far　worse；　I　have　failed　the　bishop。
　Tonight　was　supposed　to　be　Bishop　Aringarosa's　salvation。　Five　months　ago；　the　bishop　had　returned　from　a　meeting　at　the　Vatican　Observatory；　where　he　had　learned　something　that　left　him　deeply　changed。　Depressed　for　weeks；　Aringarosa　had　finally　shared　the　news　with　Silas。
　〃But　this　is　impossible！〃　Silas　had　cried　out。　〃I　cannot　accept　it！〃
　〃It　is　true；〃　Aringarosa　said。　〃Unthinkable；　but　true。　In　only　six　months。〃
　The　bishop's　words　terrified　Silas。　He　prayed　for　deliverance；　and　even　in　those　dark　days；　his　trust　in　God　and　The　Way　never　wavered。　It　was　only　a　month　later　that　the　clouds　parted　miraculously　and　the　light　of　possibility　shone　through。
　Divine　intervention；　Aringarosa　had　called　it。
　The　bishop　had　seemed　hopeful　for　the　first　time。　〃Silas；〃　he　whispered；　〃God　has　bestowed　upon　us　an　opportunity　to　protect　The　Way。　Our　battle；　like　all　battles；　will　take　sacrifice。　Will　you　be　a　soldier　of　God？〃
　Silas　fell　to　his　knees　before　Bishop　Aringarosa…the　man　who　had　given　him　a　new　life…and　he　said；　〃I　am　a　lamb　of　God。　Shepherd　me　as　your　heart　mands。〃
　When　Aringarosa　described　the　opportunity　that　had　presented　itself；　Silas　knew　it　could　only　be　the　hand　of　God　at　work。　Miraculous　fate！　Aringarosa　put　Silas　in　contact　with　the　man　who　had　proposed　the　plan…a　man　who　called　himself　the　Teacher。　Although　the　Teacher　and　Silas　never　met　face…to…face；　each　time　they　spoke　by　phone；　Silas　was　awed；　both　by　the　profundity　of　the　Teacher's　faith　and　by　the　scope　of　his　power。　The　Teacher　seemed　to　be　a　man　who　knew　all；　a　man　with　eyes　and　ears　in　all　places。　How　the　Teacher　gathered　his　information；　Silas　did　not　know；　but　Aringarosa　had　placed　enormous　trust　in　the　Teacher；　and　he　had　told　Silas　to　do　the　same。　〃Do　as　the　Teacher　mands　you；〃　the　bishop　told　Silas。　〃And　we　will　be　victorious。〃
　Victorious。　Silas　now　gazed　at　the　bare　floor　and　feared　victory　had　eluded　them。　The　Teacher　had　been　tricked。　The　keystone　was　a　devious　dead　end。　And　with　the　deception；　all　hope　had　vanished。
　Silas　wished　he　could　call　Bishop　Aringarosa　and　warn　him；　but　the　Teacher　had　removed　all　their　lines　of　direct　munication　tonight。　For　our　safety。
　Finally；　overing　enormous　trepidation；　Silas　crawled　to　his　feet　and　found　his　robe；　which　lay　on　the　floor。　He　dug　his　cell　phone　from　the　pocket。　Hanging　his　head　in　shame；　he　dialed。
　〃Teacher；〃　he　whispered；　〃all　is　lost。〃　Silas　truthfully　told　the　man　how　he　had　been　tricked。
　〃You　lose　your　faith　too　quickly；〃　the　Teacher　replied。　〃I　have　just　received　news。　Most　unexpected　and　wele。　The　secret　lives。　Jacques　Saunière　transferred　information　before　he　died。　I　will　call　you　soon。　Our　work　tonight　is　not　yet　done。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　47
　
　Riding　inside　the　dimly　lit　cargo　hold　of　the　armored　truck　was　like　being　transported　inside　a　cell　for　solitary　confinement。　Langdon　fought　the　all　too　familiar　anxiety　that　haunted　him　in　confined　spaces。　Vernet　said　he　would　take　us　a　safe　distance　out　of　the　city。　Where？　How　far？
　Langdon's　legs　had　gotten　stiff　from　sitting　cross…legged　on　the　metal　floor；　and　he　shifted　his　position；　wincing　to　feel　the　blood　pouring　back　into　his　lower　body。　In　his　arms；　he　still　clutched　the　bizarre　treasure　they　had　extricated　from　the　bank。
　〃I　think　we're　on　the　highway　now；〃　Sophie　whispered。
　Langdon　sensed　the　same　thing。　The　truck；　after　an　unnerving　pause　atop　the　bank　ramp；　had　moved　on；　snaking　left　and　right　for　a　minute　or　two；　and　was　now　accelerating　to　what　felt　like　top　speed。　Beneath　them；　the　bulletproof　tires　hummed　on　smooth　pavement。　Forcing　his　attention　to　the　rosewood　box　in　his　arms；　Langdon　laid　the　precious　bundle　on　the　floor；　unwrapped　his　jacket；　and　extracted　the　box；　pulling　it　toward　him。　Sophie　shifted　her　position　so　they　were　sitting　side　by　side。　Langdon　suddenly　felt　like　they　were　two　kids　huddled　over　a　Christmas　present。
　In　contrast　to　the　warm　colors　of　the　rosewood　box；　the　inlaid　rose　had　been　crafted　of　a　pale　wood；　probably　ash；　which　shone　clearly　in　the　dim　light。　The　Rose。　Entire　armies　and　religions　had　been　built　on　this　symbol；　as　had　secret　societies。　The　Rosicrucians。　The　Knights　of　the　Rosy　Cross。
　〃Go　ahead；〃　Sophie　said。　〃Open　it。〃
　Langdon　took　a　deep　breath。　Reaching　for　the　lid；　he　stole　one　more　admiring　glance　at　the　intricate　woodwork　and　then；　unhooking　the　clasp；　he　opened　the　lid；　revealing　the　object　within。
　Langdon　had　harbored　several　fantasies　about　what　they　might　find　inside　this　box；　but　clearly　he　had　been　wrong　on　every　account。　Nestled　snugly　inside　the　box's　heavily　padded　interior　of　crimson　silk　lay　an　object　Langdon　could　not　even　begin　to　prehend。
　Crafted　of　polished　white　marble；　it　was　a　stone　cylinder　approximately　the　dimensions　of　a　tennis　ball　can。　More　plicated　than　a　simple　column　of　stone；　however；　the　cylinder　appeared　to　have　been　assembled　in　many　pieces。　Six　doughnut…sized　disks　of　marble　had　been　stacked　and　affixed　to　one　another　within　a　delicate　brass　framework。　It　looked　like　some　kind　of　tubular；　multiwheeled　kaleidoscope。　Each　end　of　the　cylinder　was　affixed　with　an　end　cap；　also　marble；　making　it　impossible　to　see　inside。　Having　heard　liquid　within；　Langdon　assumed　the　cylinder　was　hollow。
　As　mystifying　as　the　construction　of　the　cylinder　was；　however；　it　was　the　engravings　around　the　tube's　circumference　that　drew　Langdon's　primary　focus。　Each　of　the　six　dis