danbrown.thedavincicode-第5章

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　The　agent　revved　his　engine　and　sped　off。
　As　Langdon　stood　alone　and　watched　the　departing　taillights；　he　realized　he　could　easily　reconsider；　exit　the　courtyard；　grab　a　taxi；　and　head　home　to　bed。　Something　told　him　it　was　probably　a　lousy　idea。
　As　he　moved　toward　the　mist　of　the　fountains；　Langdon　had　the　uneasy　sense　he　was　crossing　an　imaginary　threshold　into　another　world。　The　dreamlike　quality　of　the　evening　was　settling　around　him　again。　Twenty　minutes　ago　he　had　been　asleep　in　his　hotel　room。　Now　he　was　standing　in　front　of　a　transparent　pyramid　built　by　the　Sphinx；　waiting　for　a　policeman　they　called　the　Bull。
　I'm　trapped　in　a　Salvador　Dali　painting；　he　thought。
　Langdon　strode　to　the　main　entrance…an　enormous　revolving　door。　The　foyer　beyond　was　dimly　lit　and　deserted。
　Do　I　knock？
　Langdon　wondered　if　any　of　Harvard's　revered　Egyptologists　had　ever　knocked　on　the　front　door　of　a　pyramid　and　expected　an　answer。　He　raised　his　hand　to　bang　on　the　glass；　but　out　of　the　darkness　below；　a　figure　appeared；　striding　up　the　curving　staircase。　The　man　was　stocky　and　dark；　almost　Neanderthal；　dressed　in　a　dark　double…breasted　suit　that　strained　to　cover　his　wide　shoulders。　He　advanced　with　unmistakable　authority　on　squat；　powerful　legs。　He　was　speaking　on　his　cell　phone　but　finished　the　call　as　he　arrived。　He　motioned　for　Langdon　to　enter。
　〃I　am　Bezu　Fache；〃　he　announced　as　Langdon　pushed　through　the　revolving　door。　〃Captain　of　the　Central　Directorate　Judicial　Police。〃　His　tone　was　fitting…a　guttural　rumble。。。　like　a　gathering　storm。
　Langdon　held　out　his　hand　to　shake。　〃Robert　Langdon。〃
　Fache's　enormous　palm　wrapped　around　Langdon's　with　crushing　force。
　〃I　saw　the　photo；〃　Langdon　said。　〃Your　agent　said　Jacques　Saunière　himself　did…〃
　〃Mr。　Langdon；〃　Fache's　ebony　eyes　locked　on。　〃What　you　see　in　the　photo　is　only　the　beginning　of　what　Saunière　did。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　4
　
　Captain　Bezu　Fache　carried　himself　like　an　angry　ox；　with　his　wide　shoulders　thrown　back　and　his　chin　tucked　hard　into　his　chest。　His　dark　hair　was　slicked　back　with　oil；　accentuating　an　arrow…like　widow's　peak　that　divided　his　jutting　brow　and　preceded　him　like　the　prow　of　a　battleship。　As　he　advanced；　his　dark　eyes　seemed　to　scorch　the　earth　before　him；　radiating　a　fiery　clarity　that　forecast　his　reputation　for　unblinking　severity　in　all　matters。
　Langdon　followed　the　captain　down　the　famous　marble　staircase　into　the　sunken　atrium　beneath　the　glass　pyramid。　As　they　descended；　they　passed　between　two　armed　Judicial　Police　guards　with　machine　guns。　The　message　was　clear：　Nobody　goes　in　or　out　tonight　without　the　blessing　of　Captain　Fache。
　Descending　below　ground　level；　Langdon　fought　a　rising　trepidation。　Fache's　presence　was　anything　but　weling；　and　the　Louvre　itself　had　an　almost　sepulchral　aura　at　this　hour。　The　staircase；　like　the　aisle　of　a　dark　movie　theater；　was　illuminated　by　subtle　tread…lighting　embedded　in　each　step。　Langdon　could　hear　his　own　footsteps　reverberating　off　the　glass　overhead。　As　he　glanced　up；　he　could　see　the　faint　illuminated　wisps　of　mist　from　the　fountains　fading　away　outside　the　transparent　roof。
　〃Do　you　approve？〃　Fache　asked；　nodding　upward　with　his　broad　chin。
　Langdon　sighed；　too　tired　to　play　games。　〃Yes；　your　pyramid　is　magnificent。〃
　Fache　grunted。　〃A　scar　on　the　face　of　Paris。〃
　Strike　one。　Langdon　sensed　his　host　was　a　hard　man　to　please。　He　wondered　if　Fache　had　any　idea　that　this　pyramid；　at　President　Mitterrand's　explicit　demand；　had　been　constructed　of　exactly　666　panes　of　glass…a　bizarre　request　that　had　always　been　a　hot　topic　among　conspiracy　buffs　who　claimed　666　was　the　number　of　Satan。
　Langdon　decided　not　to　bring　it　up。
　As　they　dropped　farther　into　the　subterranean　foyer；　the　yawning　space　slowly　emerged　from　the　shadows。　Built　fifty…seven　feet　beneath　ground　level；　the　Louvre's　newly　constructed　70；000…square…foot　lobby　spread　out　like　an　endless　grotto。　Constructed　in　warm　ocher　marble　to　be　patible　with　the　honey…colored　stone　of　the　Louvre　facade　above；　the　subterranean　hall　was　usually　vibrant　with　sunlight　and　tourists。　Tonight；　however；　the　lobby　was　barren　and　dark；　giving　the　entire　space　a　cold　and　crypt…like　atmosphere。
　〃And　the　museum's　regular　security　staff？〃　Langdon　asked。
　〃En　quarantaine；〃　Fache　replied；　sounding　as　if　Langdon　were　questioning　the　integrity　of　Fache's　team。　〃Obviously；　someone　gained　entry　tonight　who　should　not　have。　All　Louvre　night　wardens　are　in　the　Sully　Wing　being　questioned。　My　own　agents　have　taken　over　museum　security　for　the　evening。〃
　Langdon　nodded；　moving　quickly　to　keep　pace　with　Fache。
　〃How　well　did　you　know　Jacques　Saunière？〃　the　captain　asked。
　〃Actually；　not　at　all。　We'd　never　met。〃
　Fache　looked　surprised。　〃Your　first　meeting　was　to　be　tonight？〃
　〃Yes。　We'd　planned　to　meet　at　the　American　University　reception　following　my　lecture；　but　he　never　showed　up。〃
　Fache　scribbled　some　notes　in　a　little　book。　As　they　walked；　Langdon　caught　a　glimpse　of　the　Louvre's　lesser…known　pyramid…La　Pyramide　Inversée…a　huge　inverted　skylight　that　hung　from　the　ceiling　like　a　stalactite　in　an　adjoining　section　of　the　entresol。　Fache　guided　Langdon　up　a　short　set　of　stairs　to　the　mouth　of　an　arched　tunnel；　over　which　a　sign　read：　DENON。　The　Denon　Wing　was　the　most　famous　of　the　Louvre's　three　main　sections。
　〃Who　requested　tonight's　meeting？〃　Fache　asked　suddenly。　〃You　or　he？〃
　The　question　seemed　odd。　〃Mr。　Saunière　did；〃　Langdon　replied　as　they　entered　the　tunnel。　〃His　secretary　contacted　me　a　few　weeks　ago　via　e…mail。　She　said　the　curator　had　heard　I　would　be　lecturing　in　Paris　this　month　and　wanted　to　discuss　something　with　me　while　I　was　here。〃
　〃Discuss　what？〃
　〃I　don't　know。　Art；　I　imagine。　We　share　similar　interests。〃
　Fache　looked　skeptical。　〃You　have　no　idea　what　your　meeting　was　about？〃
　Langdon　did　not。　He'd　been　curious　at　the　time　but　had　not　felt　fortable　demanding　specifics。　The　venerated　Jacques　Saunière　had　a　renowned　penchant　for　privacy　and　granted　very　few　meetings；　Langdon　was　grateful　simply　for　the　opportunity　to　meet　him。
　〃Mr。　Langdon；　can　you　at　least　guess　what　our　murder　victim　might　have　wanted　to　discuss　with　you　on　the　night　he　was　killed？　It　might　be　helpful。〃
　The　pointedness　of　the　question　made　Langdon　unfortable。　〃I　really　can't　imagine。　I　didn't　ask。　I　felt　honored　to　have　been　contacted　at　all。　I'm　an　admirer　of　Mr。　Saunière's　work。　I　use　his　texts　often　in　my　classes。〃
　Fache　made　note　of　that　fact　in　his　book。
　The　two　men　were　now　halfway　up　the　Denon　Wing's　entry　tunnel；　and　Langdon　could　see　the　twin　ascending　escalators　at　the　far　end；　both　motionless。
　〃So　you　shared　interests　with　him？〃　Fache　asked。
　〃Yes。　In　fact；　I've　spent　much　of　the　last　year　writing　the　draft　for　a　book　that　deals　with　Mr。　Saunière's　primary　area　of　expertise。　I　was　looking　forward　to　picking　his　brain。〃
　Fache　glanced　up。　〃Pardon？〃
　The　idiom　apparently　didn't　translate。　〃I　was　looking　forward　to　learning　his　thoughts　on　the　topic。〃
　〃I　see。　And　what　is　the　topic？〃
　Langdon　hesitated；　uncertain　exactly　how　to　put　it。　〃Essentially；　the　manuscript　is　about　the　iconography　of　goddess　worship…the　concept　of　female　sanctity　and　the　art　and　symbols　associated　with　it。〃
　Fache　ran　a　meaty　hand　across　his　hair。　〃And　Saunière　was　knowledgeable　about　this？〃
　〃Nobody　more　so。〃
　〃I　see。〃
　Langdon　sensed　Fache　did　not　see　at　all。　Jacques　Saunière　was　considered　the　premiere　goddess　iconographer　on　earth。　Not　only　did　Saunière　have　a　personal　passion　for　relics　relating　to　fertility；　goddess　cults；　Wicca；　and　the　sacred　feminine；　but　during　his　twenty…year　tenure　as　curator；　Saunière　had　helped　the　Louvre　amass　the　largest　collection　of　goddess　art　on　earth…labrys　axes　from　the　priestesses'　oldest　Greek　shrine　in　Delphi；　gold　caducei　wands；　hundreds　of　Tjet　ankhs　resembling　small　standing　angels；　sistrum　rattles　used　in　ancient　Egypt　to　dispel　evil　spirits；　and　an　astonishing　array　of　statues　depicting　Horus　being　nursed　by　the　goddess　Isis。
　〃Perhaps　Jacques　Saunière　knew　of　your　manuscript？〃　Fache　offered。　〃And　he　called　the　meeting　to　offer　his　help　on　your