danbrown.thedavincicode-第46章

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　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　disks　had　been　carefully　carved　with　the　same　unlikely　series　of　letters…the　entire　alphabet。　The　lettered　cylinder　reminded　Langdon　of　one　of　his　childhood　toys…a　rod　threaded　with　lettered　tumblers　that　could　be　rotated　to　spell　different　words。
　〃Amazing；　isn't　it？〃　Sophie　whispered。
　Langdon　glanced　up。　〃I　don't　know。　What　the　hell　is　it？〃
　Now　there　was　a　glint　in　Sophie's　eye。　〃My　grandfather　used　to　craft　these　as　a　hobby。　They　were　invented　by　Leonardo　da　Vinci。〃
　Even　in　the　diffuse　light；　Sophie　could　see　Langdon's　surprise。
　〃Da　Vinci？〃　he　muttered；　looking　again　at　the　canister。
　〃Yes。　It's　called　a　cryptex。　According　to　my　grandfather；　the　blueprints　e　from　one　of　Da　Vinci's　secret　diaries。〃
　〃What　is　it　for？〃
　Considering　tonight's　events；　Sophie　knew　the　answer　might　have　some　interesting　implications。　〃It's　a　vault；〃　she　said。　〃For　storing　secret　information。〃
　Langdon's　eyes　widened　further。
　Sophie　explained　that　creating　models　of　Da　Vinci's　inventions　was　one　of　her　grandfather's　best…loved　hobbies。　A　talented　craftsman　who　spent　hours　in　his　wood　and　metal　shop；　Jacques　Saunière　enjoyed　imitating　master　craftsmen…Fabergé；　assorted　cloisonne　artisans；　and　the　less　artistic；　but　far　more　practical；　Leonardo　da　Vinci。
　Even　a　cursory　glance　through　Da　Vinci's　journals　revealed　why　the　luminary　was　as　notorious　for　his　lack　of　follow…through　as　he　was　famous　for　his　brilliance。　Da　Vinci　had　drawn　up　blueprints　for　hundreds　of　inventions　he　had　never　built。　One　of　Jacques　Saunière's　favorite　pastimes　was　bringing　Da　Vinci's　more　obscure　brainstorms　to　life…timepieces；　water　pumps；　cryptexes；　and　even　a　fully　articulated　model　of　a　medieval　French　knight；　which　now　stood　proudly　on　the　desk　in　his　office。　Designed　by　Da　Vinci　in　1495　as　an　outgrowth　of　his　earliest　anatomy　and　kinesiology　studies；　the　internal　mechanism　of　the　robot　knight　possessed　accurate　joints　and　tendons；　and　was　designed　to　sit　up；　wave　its　arms；　and　move　its　head　via　a　flexible　neck　while　opening　and　closing　an　anatomically　correct　jaw。　This　armor…clad　knight；　Sophie　had　always　believed；　was　the　most　beautiful　object　her　grandfather　had　ever　built。。。　that　was；　until　she　had　seen　the　cryptex　in　this　rosewood　box。
　〃He　made　me　one　of　these　when　I　was　little；〃　Sophie　said。　〃But　I've　never　seen　one　so　ornate　and　large。〃
　Langdon's　eyes　had　never　left　the　box。　〃I've　never　heard　of　a　cryptex。〃
　Sophie　was　not　surprised。　Most　of　Leonardo's　unbuilt　inventions　had　never　been　studied　or　even　named。　The　term　cryptex　possibly　had　been　her　grandfather's　creation；　an　apt　title　for　this　device　that　used　the　science　of　cryptology　to　protect　information　written　on　the　contained　scroll　or　codex。
　Da　Vinci　had　been　a　cryptology　pioneer；　Sophie　knew；　although　he　was　seldom　given　credit。　Sophie's　university　instructors；　while　presenting　puter　encryption　methods　for　securing　data；　praised　modern　cryptologists　like　Zimmerman　and　Schneier　but　failed　to　mention　that　it　was　Leonardo　who　had　invented　one　of　the　first　rudimentary　forms　of　public　key　encryption　centuries　ago。　Sophie's　grandfather；　of　course；　had　been　the　one　to　tell　her　all　about　that。
　As　their　armored　truck　roared　down　the　highway；　Sophie　explained　to　Langdon　that　the　cryptex　had　been　Da　Vinci's　solution　to　the　dilemma　of　sending　secure　messages　over　long　distances。　In　an　era　without　telephones　or　e…mail；　anyone　wanting　to　convey　private　information　to　someone　far　away　had　no　option　but　to　write　it　down　and　then　trust　a　messenger　to　carry　the　letter。　Unfortunately；　if　a　messenger　suspected　the　letter　might　contain　valuable　information；　he　could　make　far　more　money　selling　the　information　to　adversaries　than　he　could　delivering　the　letter　properly。
　Many　great　minds　in　history　had　invented　cryptologic　solutions　to　the　challenge　of　data　protection：　Julius　Caesar　devised　a　code…writing　scheme　called　the　Caesar　Box；　Mary；　Queen　of　Scots　created　a　transposition　cipher　and　sent　secret　muniqués　from　prison；　and　the　brilliant　Arab　scientist　Abu　Yusuf　Ismail　al…Kindi　protected　his　secrets　with　an　ingeniously　conceived　polyalphabetic　substitution　cipher。
　Da　Vinci；　however；　eschewed　mathematics　and　cryptology　for　a　mechanical　solution。　The　cryptex。　A　portable　container　that　could　safeguard　letters；　maps；　diagrams；　anything　at　all。　Once　information　was　sealed　inside　the　cryptex；　only　the　individual　with　the　proper　password　could　access　it。
　〃We　require　a　password；〃　Sophie　said；　pointing　out　the　lettered　dials。　〃A　cryptex　works　much　like　a　bicycle's　bination　lock。　If　you　align　the　dials　in　the　proper　position；　the　lock　slides　open。　This　cryptex　has　five　lettered　dials。　When　you　rotate　them　to　their　proper　sequence；　the　tumblers　inside　align；　and　the　entire　cylinder　slides　apart。〃
　〃And　inside？〃
　〃Once　the　cylinder　slides　apart；　you　have　access　to　a　hollow　central　partment；　which　can　hold　a　scroll　of　paper　on　which　is　the　information　you　want　to　keep　private。〃
　Langdon　looked　incredulous。　〃And　you　say　your　grandfather　built　these　for　you　when　you　were　younger？〃
　〃Some　smaller　ones；　yes。　A　couple　times　for　my　birthday；　he　gave　me　a　cryptex　and　told　me　a　riddle。　The　answer　to　the　riddle　was　the　password　to　the　cryptex；　and　once　I　figured　it　out；　I　could　open　it　up　and　find　my　birthday　card。〃
　〃A　lot　of　work　for　a　card。〃
　〃No；　the　cards　always　contained　another　riddle　or　clue。　My　grandfather　loved　creating　elaborate　treasure　hunts　around　our　house；　a　string　of　clues　that　eventually　led　to　my　real　gift。　Each　treasure　hunt　was　a　test　of　character　and　merit；　to　ensure　I　earned　my　rewards。　And　the　tests　were　never　simple。〃
　Langdon　eyed　the　device　again；　still　looking　skeptical。　〃But　why　not　just　pry　it　apart？　Or　smash　it？　The　metal　looks　delicate；　and　marble　is　a　soft　rock。〃
　Sophie　smiled。　〃Because　Da　Vinci　is　too　smart　for　that。　He　designed　the　cryptex　so　that　if　you　try　to　force　it　open　in　any　way；　the　information　self…destructs。　Watch。〃　Sophie　reached　into　the　box　and　carefully　lifted　out　the　cylinder。　〃Any　information　to　be　inserted　is　first　written　on　a　papyrus　scroll。〃
　〃Not　vellum？〃
　Sophie　shook　her　head。　〃Papyrus。　I　know　sheep's　vellum　was　more　durable　and　more　mon　in　those　days；　but　it　had　to　be　papyrus。　The　thinner　the　better。〃
　〃Okay。〃
　〃Before　the　papyrus　was　inserted　into　the　cryptex's　partment；　it　was　rolled　around　a　delicate　glass　vial。〃　She　tipped　the　cryptex；　and　the　liquid　inside　gurgled。　〃A　vial　of　liquid。〃
　〃Liquid　what？〃
　Sophie　smiled。　〃Vinegar。〃
　Langdon　hesitated　a　moment　and　then　began　nodding。　〃Brilliant。〃
　Vinegar　and　papyrus；　Sophie　thought。　If　someone　attempted　to　force　open　the　cryptex；　the　glass　vial　would　break；　and　the　vinegar　would　quickly　dissolve　the　papyrus。　By　the　time　anyone　extracted　the　secret　message；　it　would　be　a　glob　of　meaningless　pulp。
　〃As　you　can　see；〃　Sophie　told　him；　〃the　only　way　to　access　the　information　inside　is　to　know　the　proper　five…letter　password。　And　with　five　dials；　each　with　twenty…six　letters；　that's　twenty…six　to　the　fifth　power。〃　She　quickly　estimated　the　permutations。　〃Approximately　twelve　million　possibilities。〃
　〃If　you　say　so；〃　Langdon　said；　looking　like　he　had　approximately　twelve　million　questions　running　through　his　head。　〃What　information　do　you　think　is　inside？〃
　〃Whatever　it　is；　my　grandfather　obviously　wanted　very　badly　to　keep　it　secret。〃　She　paused；　closing　the　box　lid　and　eyeing　the　five…petal　Rose　inlaid　on　it。　Something　was　bothering　her。　〃Did　you　say　earlier　that　the　Rose　is　a　symbol　for　the　Grail？〃
　〃Exactly。　In　Priory　symbolism；　the　Rose　and　the　Grail　are　synonymous。〃
　Sophie　furrowed　her　brow。　〃That's　strange；　because　my　grandfather　always　told　me　the　Rose　meant　secrecy。　He　used　to　hang　a　rose　on　his　office　door　at　home　when　he　was　having　a　confidential　phone　call　and　didn't　want　me　to　disturb　him。　He　encouraged　me　to　do　the　same。〃　Sweetie；　her　grandfather　said；　rather　than　lock　each　other　out；　we　can　each　hang　a　rose…la　fleur　des　secrets…on　our　door　when　we　need　privacy。　This　way　we　lea