danbrown.thedavincicode-第79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！


　The　man　on　crutches　glared　angrily。　〃Young　man；　the　only　reason　there's　anything　left　of　this　building　for　you　to　hoover　is　on　account　of　the　gentleman　in　that　woman's　pocket。〃
　〃I'm　sorry？〃
　〃Mrs。　Wren；〃　the　man　on　crutches　said；　〃would　you　be　so　kind　as　to　show　this　impertinent　young　man　the　reliquary　of　ashes？〃
　The　woman　hesitated　a　moment　and　then；　as　if　awaking　from　a　trance；　reached　in　her　sweater　pocket　and　pulled　out　a　small　cylinder　wrapped　in　protective　fabric。
　〃There；　you　see？〃　the　man　on　crutches　snapped。　〃Now；　you　can　either　grant　his　dying　wish　and　let　us　sprinkle　his　ashes　in　the　sanctuary；　or　I　tell　Father　Knowles　how　we've　been　treated。〃
　The　altar　boy　hesitated；　well　acquainted　with　Father　Knowles'　deep　observance　of　church　tradition。。。　and；　more　importantly；　with　his　foul　temper　when　anything　cast　this　time…honored　shrine　in　anything　but　favorable　light。　Maybe　Father　Knowles　had　simply　forgotten　these　family　members　were　ing。　If　so；　then　there　was　far　more　risk　in　turning　them　away　than　in　letting　them　in。　After　all；　they　said　it　would　only　take　a　minute。　What　harm　could　it　do？
　When　the　altar　boy　stepped　aside　to　let　the　three　people　pass；　he　could　have　sworn　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Wren　looked　just　as　bewildered　by　all　of　this　as　he　was。　Uncertain；　the　boy　returned　to　his　chores；　watching　them　out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye。
　　
　Langdon　had　to　smile　as　the　threesome　moved　deeper　into　the　church。
　〃Leigh；〃　he　whispered；　〃you　lie　entirely　too　well。〃
　Teabing's　eyes　twinkled。　〃Oxford　Theatre　Club。　They　still　talk　of　my　Julius　Caesar。　I'm　certain　nobody　has　ever　performed　the　first　scene　of　Act　Three　with　more　dedication。〃
　Langdon　glanced　over。　〃I　thought　Caesar　was　dead　in　that　scene。〃
　Teabing　smirked。　〃Yes；　but　my　toga　tore　open　when　I　fell；　and　I　had　to　lie　on　stage　for　half　an　hour　with　my　todger　hanging　out。　Even　so；　I　never　moved　a　muscle。　I　was　brilliant；　I　tell　you。〃
　Langdon　cringed。　Sorry　I　missed　it。
　As　the　group　moved　through　the　rectangular　annex　toward　the　archway　leading　into　the　main　church；　Langdon　was　surprised　by　the　barren　austerity。　Although　the　altar　layout　resembled　that　of　a　linear　Christian　chapel；　the　furnishings　were　stark　and　cold；　bearing　none　of　the　traditional　ornamentation。　〃Bleak；〃　he　whispered。
　Teabing　chuckled。　〃Church　of　England。　Anglicans　drink　their　religion　straight。　Nothing　to　distract　from　their　misery。〃
　Sophie　motioned　through　the　vast　opening　that　gave　way　to　the　circular　section　of　the　church。　〃It　looks　like　a　fortress　in　there；〃　she　whispered。
　Langdon　agreed。　Even　from　here；　the　walls　looked　unusually　robust。
　〃The　Knights　Templar　were　warriors；〃　Teabing　reminded；　the　sound　of　his　aluminum　crutches　echoing　in　this　reverberant　space。　〃A　religio…military　society。　Their　churches　were　their　strongholds　and　their　banks。〃
　〃Banks？〃　Sophie　asked；　glancing　at　Leigh。
　〃Heavens；　yes。　The　Templars　invented　the　concept　of　modern　banking。　For　European　nobility；　traveling　with　gold　was　perilous；　so　the　Templars　allowed　nobles　to　deposit　gold　in　their　nearest　Temple　Church　and　then　draw　it　from　any　other　Temple　Church　across　Europe。　All　they　needed　was　proper　documentation。〃　He　winked。　〃And　a　small　mission。　They　were　the　original　ATMs。〃　Teabing　pointed　toward　a　stained…glass　window　where　the　breaking　sun　was　refracting　through　a　white…clad　knight　riding　a　rose…colored　horse。　〃Alanus　Marcel；〃　Teabing　said；　〃Master　of　the　Temple　in　the　early　twelve　hundreds。　He　and　his　successors　actually　held　the　Parliamentary　chair　of　Primus　Baro　Angiae。〃
　Langdon　was　surprised。　〃First　Baron　of　the　Realm？〃
　Teabing　nodded。　〃The　Master　of　the　Temple；　some　claim；　held　more　influence　than　the　king　himself。〃　As　they　arrived　outside　the　circular　chamber；　Teabing　shot　a　glance　over　his　shoulder　at　the　altar　boy；　who　was　vacuuming　in　the　distance。　〃You　know；〃　Teabing　whispered　to　Sophie；　〃the　Holy　Grail　is　said　to　once　have　been　stored　in　this　church　overnight　while　the　Templars　moved　it　from　one　hiding　place　to　another。　Can　you　imagine　the　four　chests　of　Sangreal　documents　sitting　right　here　with　Mary　Magdalene's　sarcophagus？　It　gives　me　gooseflesh。〃
　Langdon　was　feeling　gooseflesh　too　as　they　stepped　into　the　circular　chamber。　His　eye　traced　the　curvature　of　the　chamber's　pale　stone　perimeter；　taking　in　the　carvings　of　gargoyles；　demons；　monsters；　and　pained　human　faces；　all　staring　inward。　Beneath　the　carvings；　a　single　stone　pew　curled　around　the　entire　circumference　of　the　room。
　〃Theater　in　the　round；〃　Langdon　whispered。
　Teabing　raised　a　crutch；　pointing　toward　the　far　left　of　the　room　and　then　to　the　far　right。　Langdon　had　already　seen　them。
　Ten　stone　knights。
　Five　on　the　left。　Five　on　the　right。
　Lying　prone　on　the　floor；　the　carved；　life…sized　figures　rested　in　peaceful　poses。　The　knights　were　depicted　wearing　full　armor；　shields；　and　swords；　and　the　tombs　gave　Langdon　the　uneasy　sensation　that　someone　had　snuck　in　and　poured　plaster　over　the　knights　while　they　were　sleeping。　All　of　the　figures　were　deeply　weathered；　and　yet　each　was　clearly　unique…different　armory　pieces；　distinct　leg　and　arm　positions；　facial　features；　and　markings　on　their　shields。
　In　London　lies　a　knight　a　Pope　interred。
　Langdon　felt　shaky　as　he　inched　deeper　into　the　circular　room。
　This　had　to　be　the　place。
　　
　CHAPTER　84
　
　In　a　rubbish…strewn　alley　very　close　to　Temple　Church；　Rémy　Legaludec　pulled　the　Jaguar　limousine　to　a　stop　behind　a　row　of　industrial　waste　bins。　Killing　the　engine；　he　checked　the　area。　Deserted。　He　got　out　of　the　car；　walked　toward　the　rear；　and　climbed　back　into　the　limousine's　main　cabin　where　the　monk　was。
　Sensing　Rémy's　presence；　the　monk　in　the　back　emerged　from　a　prayer…like　trance；　his　red　eyes　looking　more　curious　than　fearful。　All　evening　Rémy　had　been　impressed　with　this　trussed　man's　ability　to　stay　calm。　After　some　initial　struggles　in　the　Range　Rover；　the　monk　seemed　to　have　accepted　his　plight　and　given　over　his　fate　to　a　higher　power。
　Loosening　his　bow　tie；　Rémy　unbuttoned　his　high；　starched；　wing…tipped　collar　and　felt　as　if　he　could　breathe　for　the　first　time　in　years。　He　went　to　the　limousine's　wet　bar；　where　he　poured　himself　a　Smirnoff　vodka。　He　drank　it　in　a　single　swallow　and　followed　it　with　a　second。
　Soon　I　will　be　a　man　of　leisure。
　Searching　the　bar；　Rémy　found　a　standard　service　wine…opener　and　flicked　open　the　sharp　blade。　The　knife　was　usually　employed　to　slice　the　lead　foil　from　corks　on　fine　bottles　of　wine；　but　it　would　serve　a　far　more　dramatic　purpose　this　morning。　Rémy　turned　and　faced　Silas；　holding　up　the　glimmering　blade。
　Now　those　red　eyes　flashed　fear。
　Rémy　smiled　and　moved　toward　the　back　of　the　limousine。　The　monk　recoiled；　struggling　against　his　bonds。
　〃Be　still；〃　Rémy　whispered；　raising　the　blade。
　Silas　could　not　believe　that　God　had　forsaken　him。　Even　the　physical　pain　of　being　bound　Silas　had　turned　into　a　spiritual　exercise；　asking　the　throb　of　his　blood…starved　muscles　to　remind　him　of　the　pain　Christ　endured。　I　have　been　praying　all　night　for　liberation。　Now；　as　the　knife　descended；　Silas　clenched　his　eyes　shut。
　A　slash　of　pain　tore　through　his　shoulder　blades。　He　cried　out；　unable　to　believe　he　was　going　to　die　here　in　the　back　of　this　limousine；　unable　to　defend　himself。　I　was　doing　God's　work。　The　Teacher　said　he　would　protect　me。
　Silas　felt　the　biting　warmth　spreading　across　his　back　and　shoulders　and　could　picture　his　own　blood；　spilling　out　over　his　flesh。　A　piercing　pain　cut　through　his　thighs　now；　and　he　felt　the　onset　of　that　familiar　undertow　of　disorientation…the　body's　defense　mechanism　against　the　pain。
　As　the　biting　heat　tore　through　all　of　his　muscles　now；　Silas　clenched　his　eyes　tighter；　determined　that　the　final　image　of　his　life　would　not　be　of　his　own　killer。　Instead　he　pictured　a　younger　Bishop　Aringarosa；　standing　before　the　small　church　in　Spain。。。　the　church　that　he　and　Silas　had　built　with　their　own　hands。　The　beginning　of　my　life。
　Silas　felt　as　if　his　body　were　on　fire。
　〃Take　a　drink；〃　the　tuxedoed　man　whispered；　his　accent　French。　〃It　will　help　with　your　circulation。〃
　Silas's　eyes　flew　open　in　surprise。　A　blurry　im