danbrown.thedavincicode-第60章

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lantard　or　Saint…Clair。　A　weary　undertow　was　pulling　at　her　now。　She　realized　she　was　no　closer　than　she　had　been　at　the　Louvre　to　understanding　what　truth　her　grandfather　had　wanted　to　reveal　to　her。　Sophie　wished　her　grandfather　had　never　mentioned　her　family　this　afternoon。　He　had　torn　open　old　wounds　that　felt　as　painful　now　as　ever。　They　are　dead；　Sophie。　They　are　not　ing　back。　She　thought　of　her　mother　singing　her　to　sleep　at　night；　of　her　father　giving　her　rides　on　his　shoulders；　and　of　her　grandmother　and　younger　brother　smiling　at　her　with　their　fervent　green　eyes。　All　that　was　stolen。　And　all　she　had　left　was　her　grandfather。
　And　now　he　is　gone　too。　I　am　alone。
　Sophie　turned　quietly　back　to　The　Last　Supper　and　gazed　at　Mary　Magdalene's　long　red　hair　and　quiet　eyes。　There　was　something　in　the　woman's　expression　that　echoed　the　loss　of　a　loved　one。　Sophie　could　feel　it　too。
　〃Robert？〃　she　said　softly。
　He　stepped　closer。
　〃I　know　Leigh　said　the　Grail　story　is　all　around　us；　but　tonight　is　the　first　time　I've　ever　heard　any　of　this。〃
　Langdon　looked　as　if　he　wanted　to　put　a　forting　hand　on　her　shoulder；　but　he　refrained。　〃You've　heard　her　story　before；　Sophie。　Everyone　has。　We　just　don't　realize　it　when　we　hear　it。〃
　〃I　don't　understand。〃
　〃The　Grail　story　is　everywhere；　but　it　is　hidden。　When　the　Church　outlawed　speaking　of　the　shunned　Mary　Magdalene；　her　story　and　importance　had　to　be　passed　on　through　more　discreet　channels。。。　channels　that　supported　metaphor　and　symbolism。〃
　〃Of　course。　The　arts。〃
　Langdon　motioned　to　The　Last　Supper。　〃A　perfect　example。　Some　of　today's　most　enduring　art；　literature；　and　music　secretly　tell　the　history　of　Mary　Magdalene　and　Jesus。〃
　Langdon　quickly　told　her　about　works　by　Da　Vinci；　Botticelli；　Poussin；　Bernini；　Mozart；　and　Victor　Hugo　that　all　whispered　of　the　quest　to　restore　the　banished　sacred　feminine。　Enduring　legends　like　Sir　Gawain　and　the　Green　Knight；　King　Arthur；　and　Sleeping　Beauty　were　Grail　allegories。　Victor　Hugo's　Hunchback　of　Notre　Dame　and　Mozart's　Magic　Flute　were　filled　with　Masonic　symbolism　and　Grail　secrets。
　〃Once　you　open　your　eyes　to　the　Holy　Grail；〃　Langdon　said；　〃you　see　her　everywhere。　Paintings。　Music。　Books。　Even　in　cartoons；　theme　parks；　and　popular　movies。〃
　Langdon　held　up　his　Mickey　Mouse　watch　and　told　her　that　Walt　Disney　had　made　it　his　quiet　life's　work　to　pass　on　the　Grail　story　to　future　generations。　Throughout　his　entire　life；　Disney　had　been　hailed　as　〃the　Modern…Day　Leonardo　da　Vinci。〃　Both　men　were　generations　ahead　of　their　times；　uniquely　gifted　artists；　members　of　secret　societies；　and；　most　notably；　avid　pranksters。　Like　Leonardo；　Walt　Disney　loved　infusing　hidden　messages　and　symbolism　in　his　art。　For　the　trained　symbologist；　watching　an　early　Disney　movie　was　like　being　barraged　by　an　avalanche　of　allusion　and　metaphor。
　Most　of　Disney's　hidden　messages　dealt　with　religion；　pagan　myth；　and　stories　of　the　subjugated　goddess。　It　was　no　mistake　that　Disney　retold　tales　like　Cinderella；　Sleeping　Beauty；　and　Snow　White…all　of　which　dealt　with　the　incarceration　of　the　sacred　feminine。　Nor　did　one　need　a　background　in　symbolism　to　understand　that　Snow　White…a　princess　who　fell　from　grace　after　partaking　of　a　poisoned　apple…was　a　clear　allusion　to　the　downfall　of　Eve　in　the　Garden　of　Eden。　Or　that　Sleeping　Beauty's　Princess　Aurora…code…named　〃Rose〃　and　hidden　deep　in　the　forest　to　protect　her　from　the　clutches　of　the　evil　witch…was　the　Grail　story　for　children。
　Despite　its　corporate　image；　Disney　still　had　a　savvy；　playful　element　among　its　employees；　and　their　artists　still　amused　themselves　by　inserting　hidden　symbolism　in　Disney　products。　Langdon　would　never　forget　one　of　his　students　bringing　in　a　DVD　of　The　Lion　King　and　pausing　the　film　to　reveal　a　freeze…frame　in　which　the　word　SEX　was　clearly　visible；　spelled　out　by　floating　dust　particles　over　Simba's　head。　Although　Langdon　suspected　this　was　more　of　a　cartoonist's　sophomoric　prank　than　any　kind　of　enlightened　allusion　to　pagan　human　sexuality；　he　had　learned　not　to　underestimate　Disney's　grasp　of　symbolism。　The　Little　Mermaid　was　a　spellbinding　tapestry　of　spiritual　symbols　so　specifically　goddess…related　that　they　could　not　be　coincidence。
　When　Langdon　had　first　seen　The　Little　Mermaid；　he　had　actually　gasped　aloud　when　he　noticed　that　the　painting　in　Ariel's　underwater　home　was　none　other　than　seventeenth…century　artist　Georges　de　la　Tour's　The　Penitent　Magdalene…a　famous　homage　to　the　banished　Mary　Magdalene…fitting　decor　considering　the　movie　turned　out　to　be　a　ninety…minute　collage　of　blatant　symbolic　references　to　the　lost　sanctity　of　Isis；　Eve；　Pisces　the　fish　goddess；　and；　repeatedly；　Mary　Magdalene。　The　Little　Mermaid's　name；　Ariel；　possessed　powerful　ties　to　the　sacred　feminine　and；　in　the　Book　of　Isaiah；　was　synonymous　with　〃the　Holy　City　besieged。〃　Of　course；　the　Little　Mermaid's　flowing　red　hair　was　certainly　no　coincidence　either。
　The　clicking　of　Teabing's　crutches　approached　in　the　hallway；　his　pace　unusually　brisk。　When　their　host　entered　the　study；　his　expression　was　stern。
　〃You'd　better　explain　yourself；　Robert；〃　he　said　coldly。　〃You　have　not　been　honest　with　me。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　62
　
　〃I'm　being　framed；　Leigh；〃　Langdon　said；　trying　to　stay　calm。　You　know　me。　I　wouldn't　kill　anyone。
　Teabing's　tone　did　not　soften。　〃Robert；　you're　on　television；　for　Christ's　sake。　Did　you　know　you　were　wanted　by　the　authorities？〃
　〃Yes。〃
　〃Then　you　abused　my　trust。　I'm　astonished　you　would　put　me　at　risk　by　ing　here　and　asking　me　to　ramble　on　about　the　Grail　so　you　could　hide　out　in　my　home。〃
　〃I　didn't　kill　anyone。〃
　〃Jacques　Saunière　is　dead；　and　the　police　say　you　did　it。〃　Teabing　looked　saddened。　〃Such　a　contributor　to　the　arts。。。〃
　〃Sir？〃　The　manservant　had　appeared　now；　standing　behind　Teabing　in　the　study　doorway；　his　arms　crossed。　〃Shall　I　show　them　out？〃
　〃Allow　me。〃　Teabing　hobbled　across　the　study；　unlocked　a　set　of　wide　glass　doors；　and　swung　them　open　onto　a　side　lawn。　〃Please　find　your　car；　and　leave。〃
　Sophie　did　not　move。　〃We　have　information　about　the　clef　de　vo？te。　The　Priory　keystone。〃
　Teabing　stared　at　her　for　several　seconds　and　scoffed　derisively。　〃A　desperate　ploy。　Robert　knows　how　I've　sought　it。〃
　〃She's　telling　the　truth；〃　Langdon　said。　〃That's　why　we　came　to　you　tonight。　To　talk　to　you　about　the　keystone。〃
　The　manservant　intervened　now。　〃Leave；　or　I　shall　call　the　authorities。〃
　〃Leigh；〃　Langdon　whispered；　〃we　know　where　it　is。〃
　Teabing's　balance　seemed　to　falter　a　bit。
　Rémy　now　marched　stiffly　across　the　room。　〃Leave　at　once！　Or　I　will　forcibly…〃
　〃Rémy！〃　Teabing　spun；　snapping　at　his　servant。　〃Excuse　us　for　a　moment。〃
　The　servant's　jaw　dropped。　〃Sir？　I　must　protest。　These　people　are…〃
　〃I'll　handle　this。〃　Teabing　pointed　to　the　hallway。
　After　a　moment　of　stunned　silence；　Rémy　skulked　out　like　a　banished　dog。
　In　the　cool　night　breeze　ing　through　the　open　doors；　Teabing　turned　back　to　Sophie　and　Langdon；　his　expression　still　wary。　〃This　better　be　good。　What　do　you　know　of　the　keystone？〃
　　
　In　the　thick　brush　outside　Teabing's　study；　Silas　clutched　his　pistol　and　gazed　through　the　glass　doors。　Only　moments　ago；　he　had　circled　the　house　and　seen　Langdon　and　the　woman　talking　in　the　large　study。　Before　he　could　move　in；　a　man　on　crutches　entered；　yelled　at　Langdon；　threw　open　the　doors；　and　demanded　his　guests　leave。　Then　the　woman　mentioned　the　keystone；　and　everything　changed。　Shouts　turned　to　whispers。　Moods　softened。　And　the　glass　doors　were　quickly　closed。
　Now；　as　he　huddled　in　the　shadows；　Silas　peered　through　the　glass。　The　keystone　is　somewhere　inside　the　house。　Silas　could　feel　it。
　Staying　in　the　shadows；　he　inched　closer　to　the　glass；　eager　to　hear　what　was　being　said。　He　would　give　them　five　minutes。　If　they　did　not　reveal　where　they　had　placed　the　keystone；　Silas　would　have　to　enter　and　persuade　them　with　force。
　　
　Inside　the　study；　Langdon　could　sense　their　host's　bewilderment。
　〃Grand　Master？〃　Teabing　choked；　eyeing　Sophie。　〃Jacques　Saunière？〃
　Sophie　nodded；　seeing　the　shock　in　his　eyes。
　〃But　you　could　not　possibly　know　that！〃
　〃Jac