danbrown.thedavincicode-第64章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　〃As　do　you；〃　the　monk　replied；　motioning　to　the　metal　crutches　propped　beside　Teabing。　〃Now；　hand　me　the　keystone。〃
　〃You　know　of　the　keystone？〃　Teabing　said；　sounding　surprised。
　〃Never　mind　what　I　know。　Stand　up　slowly；　and　give　it　to　me。〃
　〃Standing　is　difficult　for　me。〃
　〃Precisely。　I　would　prefer　nobody　attempt　any　quick　moves。〃
　Teabing　slipped　his　right　hand　through　one　of　his　crutches　and　grasped　the　keystone　in　his　left。　Lurching　to　his　feet；　he　stood　erect；　palming　the　heavy　cylinder　in　his　left　hand；　and　leaning　unsteadily　on　his　crutch　with　his　right。
　The　monk　closed　to　within　a　few　feet；　keeping　the　gun　aimed　directly　at　Teabing's　head。　Sophie　watched；　feeling　helpless　as　the　monk　reached　out　to　take　the　cylinder。
　〃You　will　not　succeed；〃　Teabing　said。　〃Only　the　worthy　can　unlock　this　stone。〃
　　
　God　alone　judges　the　worthy；　Silas　thought。
　〃It's　quite　heavy；〃　the　man　on　crutches　said；　his　arm　wavering　now。　〃If　you　don't　take　it　soon；　I'm　afraid　I　shall　drop　it！〃　He　swayed　perilously。
　Silas　stepped　quickly　forward　to　take　the　stone；　and　as　he　did；　the　man　on　crutches　lost　his　balance。　The　crutch　slid　out　from　under　him；　and　he　began　to　topple　sideways　to　his　right。　No！　Silas　lunged　to　save　the　stone；　lowering　his　weapon　in　the　process。　But　the　keystone　was　moving　away　from　him　now。　As　the　man　fell　to　his　right；　his　left　hand　swung　backward；　and　the　cylinder　tumbled　from　his　palm　onto　the　couch。　At　the　same　instant；　the　metal　crutch　that　had　been　sliding　out　from　under　the　man　seemed　to　accelerate；　cutting　a　wide　arc　through　the　air　toward　Silas's　leg。
　Splinters　of　pain　tore　up　Silas's　body　as　the　crutch　made　perfect　contact　with　his　cilice；　crushing　the　barbs　into　his　already　raw　flesh。　Buckling；　Silas　crumpled　to　his　knees；　causing　the　belt　to　cut　deeper　still。　The　pistol　discharged　with　a　deafening　roar；　the　bullet　burying　itself　harmlessly　in　the　floorboards　as　Silas　fell。　Before　he　could　raise　the　gun　and　fire　again；　the　woman's　foot　caught　him　square　beneath　the　jaw。
　　
　At　the　bottom　of　the　driveway；　Collet　heard　the　gunshot。　The　muffled　pop　sent　panic　through　his　veins。　With　Fache　on　the　way；　Collet　had　already　relinquished　any　hopes　of　claiming　personal　credit　for　finding　Langdon　tonight。　But　Collet　would　be　damned　if　Fache's　ego　landed　him　in　front　of　a　Ministerial　Review　Board　for　negligent　police　procedure。
　A　weapon　was　discharged　inside　a　private　home！　And　you　waited　at　the　bottom　of　the　driveway？
　Collet　knew　the　opportunity　for　a　stealth　approach　had　long　since　passed。　He　also　knew　if　he　stood　idly　by　for　another　second；　his　entire　career　would　be　history　by　morning。　Eyeing　the　estate's　iron　gate；　he　made　his　decision。
　〃Tie　on；　and　pull　it　down。〃
　　
　In　the　distant　recesses　of　his　groggy　mind；　Robert　Langdon　had　heard　the　gunshot。　He'd　also　heard　a　scream　of　pain。　His　own？　A　jackhammer　was　boring　a　hole　into　the　back　of　his　cranium。　Somewhere　nearby；　people　were　talking。
　〃Where　the　devil　were　you？〃　Teabing　was　yelling。
　The　manservant　hurried　in。　〃What　happened？　Oh　my　God！　Who　is　that？　I'll　call　the　police！〃
　〃Bloody　hell！　Don't　call　the　police。　Make　yourself　useful　and　get　us　something　with　which　to　restrain　this　monster。〃
　〃And　some　ice！〃　Sophie　called　after　him。
　Langdon　drifted　out　again。　More　voices。　Movement。　Now　he　was　seated　on　the　divan。　Sophie　was　holding　an　ice　pack　to　his　head。　His　skull　ached。　As　Langdon's　vision　finally　began　to　clear；　he　found　himself　staring　at　a　body　on　the　floor。　Am　I　hallucinating？　The　massive　body　of　an　albino　monk　lay　bound　and　gagged　with　duct　tape。　His　chin　was　split　open；　and　the　robe　over　his　right　thigh　was　soaked　with　blood。　He　too　appeared　to　be　just　now　ing　to。
　Langdon　turned　to　Sophie。　〃Who　is　that？　What。。。　happened？〃
　Teabing　hobbled　over。　〃You　were　rescued　by　a　knight　brandishing　an　Excalibur　made　by　Acme　Orthopedic。〃
　Huh？　Langdon　tried　to　sit　up。
　Sophie's　touch　was　shaken　but　tender。　〃Just　give　yourself　a　minute；　Robert。〃
　〃I　fear；〃　Teabing　said；　〃that　I've　just　demonstrated　for　your　lady　friend　the　unfortunate　benefit　of　my　condition。　It　seems　everyone　underestimates　you。〃
　From　his　seat　on　the　divan；　Langdon　gazed　down　at　the　monk　and　tried　to　imagine　what　had　happened。
　〃He　was　wearing　a　cilice；〃　Teabing　explained。
　〃A　what？〃
　Teabing　pointed　to　a　bloody　strip　of　barbed　leather　that　lay　on　the　floor。　〃A　Discipline　belt。　He　wore　it　on　his　thigh。　I　took　careful　aim。〃
　Langdon　rubbed　his　head。　He　knew　of　Discipline　belts。　〃But　how。。。　did　you　know？〃
　Teabing　grinned。　〃Christianity　is　my　field　of　study；　Robert；　and　there　are　certain　sects　who　wear　their　hearts　on　their　sleeves。〃　He　pointed　his　crutch　at　the　blood　soaking　through　the　monk's　cloak。　〃As　it　were。〃
　〃Opus　Dei；〃　Langdon　whispered；　recalling　recent　media　coverage　of　several　prominent　Boston　businessmen　who　were　members　of　Opus　Dei。　Apprehensive　coworkers　had　falsely　and　publicly　accused　the　men　of　wearing　Discipline　belts　beneath　their　three…piece　suits。　In　fact；　the　three　men　did　no　such　thing。　Like　many　members　of　Opus　Dei；　these　businessmen　were　at　the　〃supernumerary〃　stage　and　practiced　no　corporal　mortification　at　all。　They　were　devout　Catholics；　caring　fathers　to　their　children；　and　deeply　dedicated　members　of　the　munity。　Not　surprisingly；　the　media　spotlighted　their　spiritual　mitment　only　briefly　before　moving　on　to　the　shock　value　of　the　sect's　more　stringent　〃numerary〃　members。。。　members　like　the　monk　now　lying　on　the　floor　before　Langdon。
　Teabing　was　looking　closely　at　the　bloody　belt。　〃But　why　would　Opus　Dei　be　trying　to　find　the　Holy　Grail？〃
　Langdon　was　too　groggy　to　consider　it。
　〃Robert；〃　Sophie　said；　walking　to　the　wooden　box。　〃What's　this？〃　She　was　holding　the　small　Rose　inlay　he　had　removed　from　the　lid。
　〃It　covered　an　engraving　on　the　box。　I　think　the　text　might　tell　us　how　to　open　the　keystone。〃
　Before　Sophie　and　Teabing　could　respond；　a　sea　of　blue　police　lights　and　sirens　erupted　at　the　bottom　of　the　hill　and　began　snaking　up　the　half…mile　driveway。
　Teabing　frowned。　〃My　friends；　it　seems　we　have　a　decision　to　make。　And　we'd　better　make　it　fast。〃
　　
　CHAPTER　66
　
　Collet　and　his　agents　burst　through　the　front　door　of　Sir　Leigh　Teabing's　estate　with　their　guns　drawn。　Fanning　out；　they　began　searching　all　the　rooms　on　the　first　level。　They　found　a　bullet　hole　in　the　drawing　room　floor；　signs　of　a　struggle；　a　small　amount　of　blood；　a　strange；　barbed　leather　belt；　and　a　partially　used　roll　of　duct　tape。　The　entire　level　seemed　deserted。
　Just　as　Collet　was　about　to　divide　his　men　to　search　the　basement　and　grounds　behind　the　house；　he　heard　voices　on　the　level　above　them。
　〃They're　upstairs！〃
　Rushing　up　the　wide　staircase；　Collet　and　his　men　moved　room　by　room　through　the　huge　home；　securing　darkened　bedrooms　and　hallways　as　they　closed　in　on　the　sounds　of　voices。　The　sound　seemed　to　be　ing　from　the　last　bedroom　on　an　exceptionally　long　hallway。　The　agents　inched　down　the　corridor；　sealing　off　alternate　exits。
　As　they　neared　the　final　bedroom；　Collet　could　see　the　door　was　wide　open。　The　voices　had　stopped　suddenly；　and　had　been　replaced　by　an　odd　rumbling；　like　an　engine。
　Sidearm　raised；　Collet　gave　the　signal。　Reaching　silently　around　the　door　frame；　he　found　the　light　switch　and　flicked　it　on。　Spinning　into　the　room　with　men　pouring　in　after　him；　Collet　shouted　and　aimed　his　weapon　at。。。　nothing。
　An　empty　guest　bedroom。　Pristine。
　The　rumbling　sounds　of　an　automobile　engine　poured　from　a　black　electronic　panel　on　the　wall　beside　the　bed。　Collet　had　seen　these　elsewhere　in　the　house。　Some　kind　of　inter　system。　He　raced　over。　The　panel　had　about　a　dozen　labeled　buttons：
　STUDY。。。　KITCHEN。。。　LAUNDRY。。。　CELLAR。。。
　　
　So　where　the　hell　do　I　hear　a　car？
　MASTER　BEDROOM。。。　SUN　ROOM。。。　BARN。。。　LIBRARY。。。
　　
　Barn！　Collet　was　downstairs　in　seconds；　running　toward　the　back　door；　grabbing　one　of　his　agents　on　the　way。　The　men　crossed　the　rear　lawn　and　arrived　breathless　at　the　front　of　a　weathered　gray　barn。　Even　before　they　entered；　Collet　could　hear　the　fading　sounds　of　a　car　engine。　He　drew　his　weapon；　rushed　in；　and　flicked　on　the　lights。
　The　right　si