danbrown.thedavincicode-第55章

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od　the　symbology　behind　the　Grail　that　the　feminine　connection　became　clear。
　Teabing　apparently　had　a　similar　thought。　〃Robert；　perhaps　this　is　the　moment　for　the　symbologist　to　clarify？〃　He　went　to　a　nearby　end　table；　found　a　piece　of　paper；　and　laid　it　in　front　of　Langdon。
　Langdon　pulled　a　pen　from　his　pocket。　〃Sophie；　are　you　familiar　with　the　modern　icons　for　male　and　female？〃　He　drew　the　mon　male　symbol　and　female　symbol　。
　〃Of　course；〃　she　said。
　〃These；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃are　not　the　original　symbols　for　male　and　female。　Many　people　incorrectly　assume　the　male　symbol　is　derived　from　a　shield　and　spear；　while　the　female　symbol　represents　a　mirror　reflecting　beauty。　In　fact；　the　symbols　originated　as　ancient　astronomical　symbols　for　the　planet…god　Mars　and　planet…goddess　Venus。　The　original　symbols　are　far　simpler。〃　Langdon　drew　another　icon　on　the　paper。
　
　〃This　symbol　is　the　original　icon　for　male；〃　he　told　her。　〃A　rudimentary　phallus。〃
　〃Quite　to　the　point；〃　Sophie　said。
　〃As　it　were；〃　Teabing　added。
　Langdon　went　on。　〃This　icon　is　formally　known　as　the　blade；　and　it　represents　aggression　and　manhood。　In　fact；　this　exact　phallus　symbol　is　still　used　today　on　modern　military　uniforms　to　denote　rank。〃
　〃Indeed。〃　Teabing　grinned。　〃The　more　penises　you　have；　the　higher　your　rank。　Boys　will　be　boys。〃
　Langdon　winced。　〃Moving　on；　the　female　symbol；　as　you　might　imagine；　is　the　exact　opposite。〃　He　drew　another　symbol　on　the　page。　〃This　is　called　the　chalice。〃
　
　Sophie　glanced　up；　looking　surprised。
　Langdon　could　see　she　had　made　the　connection。　〃The　chalice；〃　he　said；　〃resembles　a　cup　or　vessel；　and　more　important；　it　resembles　the　shape　of　a　woman's　womb。　This　symbol　municates　femininity；　womanhood；　and　fertility。〃　Langdon　looked　directly　at　her　now。　〃Sophie；　legend　tells　us　the　Holy　Grail　is　a　chalice…a　cup。　But　the　Grail's　description　as　a　chalice　is　actually　an　allegory　to　protect　the　true　nature　of　the　Holy　Grail。　That　is　to　say；　the　legend　uses　the　chalice　as　a　metaphor　for　something　far　more　important。〃
　〃A　woman；〃　Sophie　said。
　〃Exactly。〃　Langdon　smiled。　〃The　Grail　is　literally　the　ancient　symbol　for　womanhood；　and　the　Holy　Grail　represents　the　sacred　feminine　and　the　goddess；　which　of　course　has　now　been　lost；　virtually　eliminated　by　the　Church。　The　power　of　the　female　and　her　ability　to　produce　life　was　once　very　sacred；　but　it　posed　a　threat　to　the　rise　of　the　predominantly　male　Church；　and　so　the　sacred　feminine　was　demonized　and　called　unclean。　It　was　man；　not　God；　who　created　the　concept　of　'original　sin；'　whereby　Eve　tasted　of　the　apple　and　caused　the　downfall　of　the　human　race。　Woman；　once　the　sacred　giver　of　life；　was　now　the　enemy。〃
　〃I　should　add；〃　Teabing　chimed；　〃that　this　concept　of　woman　as　life…bringer　was　the　foundation　of　ancient　religion。　Childbirth　was　mystical　and　powerful。　Sadly；　Christian　philosophy　decided　to　embezzle　the　female's　creative　power　by　ignoring　biological　truth　and　making　man　the　Creator。　Genesis　tells　us　that　Eve　was　created　from　Adam's　rib。　Woman　became　an　offshoot　of　man。　And　a　sinful　one　at　that。　Genesis　was　the　beginning　of　the　end　for　the　goddess。〃
　〃The　Grail；〃　Langdon　said；　〃is　symbolic　of　the　lost　goddess。　When　Christianity　came　along；　the　old　pagan　religions　did　not　die　easily。　Legends　of　chivalric　quests　for　the　lost　Grail　were　in　fact　stories　of　forbidden　quests　to　find　the　lost　sacred　feminine。　Knights　who　claimed　to　be　〃searching　for　the　chalice〃　were　speaking　in　code　as　a　way　to　protect　themselves　from　a　Church　that　had　subjugated　women；　banished　the　Goddess；　burned　nonbelievers；　and　forbidden　the　pagan　reverence　for　the　sacred　feminine。〃
　Sophie　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　when　you　said　the　Holy　Grail　was　a　person；　I　thought　you　meant　it　was　an　actual　person。〃
　〃It　is；〃　Langdon　said。
　〃And　not　just　any　person；〃　Teabing　blurted；　clambering　excitedly　to　his　feet。　〃A　woman　who　carried　with　her　a　secret　so　powerful　that；　if　revealed；　it　threatened　to　devastate　the　very　foundation　of　Christianity！〃
　Sophie　looked　overwhelmed。　〃Is　this　woman　well　known　in　history？〃
　〃Quite。〃　Teabing　collected　his　crutches　and　motioned　down　the　hall。　〃And　if　we　adjourn　to　the　study；　my　friends；　it　would　be　my　honor　to　show　you　Da　Vinci's　painting　of　her。〃
　　
　Two　rooms　away；　in　the　kitchen；　manservant　Rémy　Legaludec　stood　in　silence　before　a　television。　The　news　station　was　broadcasting　photos　of　a　man　and　woman。。。　the　same　two　individuals　to　whom　Rémy　had　just　served　tea。
　　
　CHAPTER　57
　
　Standing　at　the　roadblock　outside　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich；　Lieutenant　Collet　wondered　what　was　taking　Fache　so　long　to　e　up　with　the　search　warrant。　The　bankers　were　obviously　hiding　something。　They　claimed　Langdon　and　Neveu　had　arrived　earlier　and　were　turned　away　from　the　bank　because　they　did　not　have　proper　account　identification。
　So　why　won't　they　let　us　inside　for　a　look？
　Finally；　Collet's　cellular　phone　rang。　It　was　the　mand　post　at　the　Louvre。　〃Do　we　have　a　search　warrant　yet？〃　Collet　demanded。
　〃Forget　about　the　bank；　Lieutenant；〃　the　agent　told　him。　〃We　just　got　a　tip。　We　have　the　exact　location　where　Langdon　and　Neveu　are　hiding。〃
　Collet　sat　down　hard　on　the　hood　of　his　car。　〃You're　kidding。〃
　〃I　have　an　address　in　the　suburbs。　Somewhere　near　Versailles。〃
　〃Does　Captain　Fache　know？〃
　〃Not　yet。　He's　busy　on　an　important　call。〃
　〃I'm　on　my　way。　Have　him　call　as　soon　as　he's　free。〃　Collet　took　down　the　address　and　jumped　in　his　car。　As　he　peeled　away　from　the　bank；　Collet　realized　he　had　forgotten　to　ask　who　had　tipped　DCPJ　off　to　Langdon's　location。　Not　that　it　mattered。　Collet　had　been　blessed　with　a　chance　to　redeem　his　skepticism　and　earlier　blunders。　He　was　about　to　make　the　most　high…profile　arrest　of　his　career。
　Collet　radioed　the　five　cars　acpanying　him。　〃No　sirens；　men。　Langdon　can't　know　we're　ing。〃
　　
　Forty　kilometers　away；　a　black　Audi　pulled　off　a　rural　road　and　parked　in　the　shadows　on　the　edge　of　a　field。　Silas　got　out　and　peered　through　the　rungs　of　the　wrought…iron　fence　that　encircled　the　vast　pound　before　him。　He　gazed　up　the　long　moonlit　slope　to　the　chateau　in　the　distance。
　The　downstairs　lights　were　all　ablaze。　Odd　for　this　hour；　Silas　thought；　smiling。　The　information　the　Teacher　had　given　him　was　obviously　accurate。　I　will　not　leave　this　house　without　the　keystone；　he　vowed。　I　will　not　fail　the　bishop　and　the　Teacher。
　Checking　the　thirteen…round　clip　in　his　Heckler　Koch；　Silas　pushed　it　through　the　bars　and　let　it　fall　onto　the　mossy　ground　inside　the　pound。　Then；　gripping　the　top　of　the　fence；　he　heaved　himself　up　and　over；　dropping　to　the　ground　on　the　other　side。　Ignoring　the　slash　of　pain　from　his　cilice；　Silas　retrieved　his　gun　and　began　the　long　trek　up　the　grassy　slope。
　　
　CHAPTER　58
　
　Teabing's　〃study〃　was　like　no　study　Sophie　had　ever　seen。　Six　or　seven　times　larger　than　even　the　most　luxurious　of　office　spaces；　the　knight's　cabinet　de　travail　resembled　an　ungainly　hybrid　of　science　laboratory；　archival　library；　and　indoor　flea　market。　Lit　by　three　overhead　chandeliers；　the　boundless　tile　floor　was　dotted　with　clustered　islands　of　worktables　buried　beneath　books；　artwork；　artifacts；　and　a　surprising　amount　of　electronic　gear…puters；　projectors；　microscopes；　copy　machines；　and　flatbed　scanners。
　〃I　converted　the　ballroom；〃　Teabing　said；　looking　sheepish　as　he　shuffled　into　the　room。　〃I　have　little　occasion　to　dance。〃
　Sophie　felt　as　if　the　entire　night　had　bee　some　kind　of　twilight　zone　where　nothing　was　as　she　expected。　〃This　is　all　for　your　work？〃
　〃Learning　the　truth　has　bee　my　life's　love；〃　Teabing　said。　〃And　the　Sangreal　is　my　favorite　mistress。〃
　The　Holy　Grail　is　a　woman；　Sophie　thought；　her　mind　a　collage　of　interrelated　ideas　that　seemed　to　make　no　sense。　〃You　said　you　have　a　picture　of　this　woman　who　you　claim　is　the　Holy　Grail。〃
　〃Yes；　but　it　is　not　I　who　claim　she　is　the　Grail。　Christ　Himself　made　that　claim。〃
　〃Which　one　is　the　painting？〃　Sophie　asked；　scanning　the　walls。
　〃Hmmm。。。〃　Teabing　made　a　show　of　seeming　to　have　forgotten。　〃The　Holy　Grail。　The　Sangreal。　The　Chalice。〃　He　wheeled　suddenly　and　pointed　to　the　far　wall。　On　it　hun