danbrown.thedavincicode-第72章

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　Just　let　it　be　over！
　Fache's　newest　update　seemed　unfathomable；　and　yet　almost　nothing　tonight　made　sense　anymore。　What　is　going　on？　Everything　had　spiraled　wildly　out　of　control。　What　have　I　gotten　Silas　into？　What　have　I　gotten　myself　into！
　On　shaky　legs；　Aringarosa　walked　to　the　cockpit。　〃I　need　to　change　destinations。〃
　The　pilot　glanced　over　his　shoulder　and　laughed。　〃You're　joking；　right？〃
　〃No。　I　have　to　get　to　London　immediately。〃
　〃Father；　this　is　a　charter　flight；　not　a　taxi。〃
　〃I　will　pay　you　extra；　of　course。　How　much？　London　is　only　one　hour　farther　north　and　requires　almost　no　change　of　direction；　so…〃
　〃It's　not　a　question　of　money；　Father；　there　are　other　issues。〃
　〃Ten　thousand　euro。　Right　now。〃
　The　pilot　turned；　his　eyes　wide　with　shock。　〃How　much？　What　kind　of　priest　carries　that　kind　of　cash？〃
　Aringarosa　walked　back　to　his　black　briefcase；　opened　it；　and　removed　one　of　the　bearer　bonds。　He　handed　it　to　the　pilot。
　〃What　is　this？〃　the　pilot　demanded。
　〃A　ten…thousand…euro　bearer　bond　drawn　on　the　Vatican　Bank。〃
　The　pilot　looked　dubious。
　〃It's　the　same　as　cash。〃
　〃Only　cash　is　cash；〃　the　pilot　said；　handing　the　bond　back。
　Aringarosa　felt　weak　as　he　steadied　himself　against　the　cockpit　door。　〃This　is　a　matter　of　life　or　death。　You　must　help　me。　I　need　to　get　to　London。〃
　The　pilot　eyed　the　bishop's　gold　ring。　〃Real　diamonds？〃
　Aringarosa　looked　at　the　ring。　〃I　could　not　possibly　part　with　this。〃
　The　pilot　shrugged；　turning　and　focusing　back　out　the　windshield。
　Aringarosa　felt　a　deepening　sadness。　He　looked　at　the　ring。　Everything　it　represented　was　about　to　be　lost　to　the　bishop　anyway。　After　a　long　moment；　he　slid　the　ring　from　his　finger　and　placed　it　gently　on　the　instrument　panel。
　Aringarosa　slunk　out　of　the　cockpit　and　sat　back　down。　Fifteen　seconds　later；　he　could　feel　the　pilot　banking　a　few　more　degrees　to　the　north。
　Even　so；　Aringarosa's　moment　of　glory　was　in　shambles。
　It　had　all　begun　as　a　holy　cause。　A　brilliantly　crafted　scheme。　Now；　like　a　house　of　cards；　it　was　collapsing　in　on　itself。。。　and　the　end　was　nowhere　in　sight。
　　
　CHAPTER　76
　
　Langdon　could　see　Sophie　was　still　shaken　from　recounting　her　experience　of　Hieros　Gamos。　For　his　part；　Langdon　was　amazed　to　have　heard　it。　Not　only　had　Sophie　witnessed　the　full…blown　ritual；　but　her　own　grandfather　had　been　the　celebrant。。。　the　Grand　Master　of　the　Priory　of　Sion。　It　was　heady　pany。　Da　Vinci；　Botticelli；　Isaac　Newton；　Victor　Hugo；　Jean　Cocteau。。。　Jacques　Saunière。
　〃I　don't　know　what　else　I　can　tell　you；〃　Langdon　said　softly。
　Sophie's　eyes　were　a　deep　green　now；　tearful。　〃He　raised　me　like　his　own　daughter。〃
　Langdon　now　recognized　the　emotion　that　had　been　growing　in　her　eyes　as　they　spoke。　It　was　remorse。　Distant　and　deep。　Sophie　Neveu　had　shunned　her　grandfather　and　was　now　seeing　him　in　an　entirely　different　light。
　Outside；　the　dawn　was　ing　fast；　its　crimson　aura　gathering　off　the　starboard。　The　earth　was　still　black　beneath　them。
　〃Victuals；　my　dears？〃　Teabing　rejoined　them　with　a　flourish；　presenting　several　cans　of　Coke　and　a　box　of　old　crackers。　He　apologized　profusely　for　the　limited　fare　as　he　doled　out　the　goods。　〃Our　friend　the　monk　isn't　talking　yet；〃　he　chimed；　〃but　give　him　time。〃　He　bit　into　a　cracker　and　eyed　the　poem。　〃So；　my　lovely；　any　headway？〃　He　looked　at　Sophie。　〃What　is　your　grandfather　trying　to　tell　us　here？　Where　the　devil　is　this　headstone？　This　headstone　praised　by　Templars。〃
　Sophie　shook　her　head　and　remained　silent。
　While　Teabing　again　dug　into　the　verse；　Langdon　popped　a　Coke　and　turned　to　the　window；　his　thoughts　awash　with　images　of　secret　rituals　and　unbroken　codes。　A　headstone　praised　by　Templars　is　the　key。　He　took　a　long　sip　from　the　can。　A　headstone　praised　by　Templars。　The　cola　was　warm。
　The　dissolving　veil　of　night　seemed　to　evaporate　quickly；　and　as　Langdon　watched　the　transformation；　he　saw　a　shimmering　ocean　stretch　out　beneath　them。　The　English　Channel。　It　wouldn't　be　long　now。
　Langdon　willed　the　light　of　day　to　bring　with　it　a　second　kind　of　illumination；　but　the　lighter　it　became　outside；　the　further　he　felt　from　the　truth。　He　heard　the　rhythms　of　iambic　pentameter　and　chanting；　Hieros　Gamos　and　sacred　rites；　resonating　with　the　rumble　of　the　jet。
　A　headstone　praised　by　Templars。
　The　plane　was　over　land　again　when　a　flash　of　enlightenment　struck　him。　Langdon　set　down　his　empty　can　of　Coke　hard。　〃You　won't　believe　this；〃　he　said；　turning　to　the　others。　〃The　Templar　headstone…I　figured　it　out。〃
　Teabing's　eyes　turned　to　saucers。　〃You　know　where　the　headstone　is？〃
　Langdon　smiled。　〃Not　where　it　is。　What　it　is。〃
　Sophie　leaned　in　to　hear。
　〃I　think　the　headstone　references　a　literal　stone　head；〃　Langdon　explained；　savoring　the　familiar　excitement　of　academic　breakthrough。　〃Not　a　grave　marker。〃
　〃A　stone　head？〃　Teabing　demanded。
　Sophie　looked　equally　confused。
　〃Leigh；〃　Langdon　said；　turning；　〃during　the　Inquisition；　the　Church　accused　the　Knights　Templar　of　all　kinds　of　heresies；　right？〃
　〃Correct。　They　fabricated　all　kinds　of　charges。　Sodomy；　urination　on　the　cross；　devil　worship；　quite　a　list。〃
　〃And　on　that　list　was　the　worship　of　false　idols；　right？　Specifically；　the　Church　accused　the　Templars　of　secretly　performing　rituals　in　which　they　prayed　to　a　carved　stone　head。。。　the　pagan　god…〃
　〃Baphomet！〃　Teabing　blurted。　〃My　heavens；　Robert；　you're　right！　A　headstone　praised　by　Templars！〃
　Langdon　quickly　explained　to　Sophie　that　Baphomet　was　a　pagan　fertility　god　associated　with　the　creative　force　of　reproduction。　Baphomet's　head　was　represented　as　that　of　a　ram　or　goat；　a　mon　symbol　of　procreation　and　fecundity。　The　Templars　honored　Baphomet　by　encircling　a　stone　replica　of　his　head　and　chanting　prayers。
　〃Baphomet；〃　Teabing　tittered。　〃The　ceremony　honored　the　creative　magic　of　sexual　union；　but　Pope　Clement　convinced　everyone　that　Baphomet's　head　was　in　fact　that　of　the　devil。　The　Pope　used　the　head　of　Baphomet　as　the　linchpin　in　his　case　against　the　Templars。〃
　Langdon　concurred。　The　modern　belief　in　a　horned　devil　known　as　Satan　could　be　traced　back　to　Baphomet　and　the　Church's　attempts　to　recast　the　horned　fertility　god　as　a　symbol　of　evil。　The　Church　had　obviously　succeeded；　although　not　entirely。　Traditional　American　Thanksgiving　tables　still　bore　pagan；　horned　fertility　symbols。　The　cornucopia　or　〃horn　of　plenty〃　was　a　tribute　to　Baphomet's　fertility　and　dated　back　to　Zeus　being　suckled　by　a　goat　whose　horn　broke　off　and　magically　filled　with　fruit。　Baphomet　also　appeared　in　group　photographs　when　some　joker　raised　two　fingers　behind　a　friend's　head　in　the　V…symbol　of　horns；　certainly　few　of　the　pranksters　realized　their　mocking　gesture　was　in　fact　advertising　their　victim's　robust　sperm　count。
　〃Yes；　yes；〃　Teabing　was　saying　excitedly。　〃Baphomet　must　be　what　the　poem　is　referring　to。　A　headstone　praised　by　Templars。〃
　〃Okay；〃　Sophie　said；　〃but　if　Baphomet　is　the　headstone　praised　by　Templars；　then　we　have　a　new　dilemma。〃　She　pointed　to　the　dials　on　the　cryptex。　〃Baphomet　has　eight　letters。　We　only　have　room　for　five。〃
　Teabing　grinned　broadly。　〃My　dear；　this　is　where　the　Atbash　Cipher　es　into　play〃
　　
　CHAPTER　77
　
　Langdon　was　impressed。　Teabing　had　just　finished　writing　out　the　entire　twenty…two…letter　Hebrew　alphabet…alef…beit…from　memory。　Granted；　he'd　used　Roman　equivalents　rather　than　Hebrew　characters；　but　even　so；　he　was　now　reading　through　them　with　flawless　pronunciation。
　A　B　G　D　H　V　Z　Ch　T　Y　K　L　M　N　S　O　P　Tz　Q　R　Sh　Th
　〃Alef；　Beit；　Gimel；　Dalet；　Hei；　Vav；　Zayin；　Chet；　Tet；　Yud；　Kaf；　Lamed；　Mem；　Nun；　Samech；　Ayin；　Pei；　Tzadik；　Kuf；　Reish；　Shin；　and　Tav。〃　Teabing　dramatically　mopped　his　brow　and　plowed　on。　〃In　formal　Hebrew　spelling；　the　vowel　sounds　are　not　written。　Therefore；　when　we　write　the　word　Baphomet　using　the　Hebrew　alphabet；　it　will　lose　its　three　vowels　in　translation；　leaving　us…〃
　〃Five　letters；〃　Sophie　blurted。
　Teabing　nodded　and　began　writing　again。　〃Okay；　here　is　the　proper　spelling　of　Baphomet　in　Hebrew　letters。　I'll　sketch　in　the　missing　vowels　for　clarity's　sake。
　B　a　P　V　o　M　e　Th
　　
　〃Remember；　of　course；〃　he　added；