danbrown.thedavincicode-第90章

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gh　it　was　far　less　holy　than　it　appeared。　Tourists　doing　grave　rubbings。
　〃I　don't　see　any　docents；〃　Sophie　said。　〃Maybe　we　can　find　the　tomb　on　our　own？〃
　Without　a　word；　Langdon　led　her　another　few　steps　to　the　center　of　the　abbey　and　pointed　to　the　right。
　Sophie　drew　a　startled　breath　as　she　looked　down　the　length　of　the　abbey's　nave；　the　full　magnitude　of　the　building　now　visible。　〃Aah；〃　she　said。　〃Let's　find　a　docent。〃
　　
　At　that　moment；　a　hundred　yards　down　the　nave；　out　of　sight　behind　the　choir　screen；　the　stately　tomb　of　Sir　Isaac　Newton　had　a　lone　visitor。　The　Teacher　had　been　scrutinizing　the　monument　for　ten　minutes　now。
　Newton's　tomb　consisted　of　a　massive　black…marble　sarcophagus　on　which　reclined　the　sculpted　form　of　Sir　Isaac　Newton；　wearing　classical　costume；　and　leaning　proudly　against　a　stack　of　his　own　books…Divinity；　Chronology；　Opticks；　and　Philosophiae　Naturalis　Principia　Mathematica。　At　Newton's　feet　stood　two　winged　boys　holding　a　scroll。　Behind　Newton's　recumbent　body　rose　an　austere　pyramid。　Although　the　pyramid　itself　seemed　an　oddity；　it　was　the　giant　shape　mounted　halfway　up　the　pyramid　that　most　intrigued　the　Teacher。
　An　orb。
　The　Teacher　pondered　Saunière's　beguiling　riddle。　You　seek　the　orb　that　ought　be　on　his　tomb。　The　massive　orb　protruding　from　the　face　of　the　pyramid　was　carved　in　basso…relievo　and　depicted　all　kinds　of　heavenly　bodies…constellations；　signs　of　the　zodiac；　ets；　stars；　and　planets。　Above　it；　the　image　of　the　Goddess　of　Astronomy　beneath　a　field　of　stars。
　Countless　orbs。
　The　Teacher　had　been　convinced　that　once　he　found　the　tomb；　discerning　the　missing　orb　would　be　easy。　Now　he　was　not　so　sure。　He　was　gazing　at　a　plicated　map　of　the　heavens。　Was　there　a　missing　planet？　Had　some　astronomical　orb　been　omitted　from　a　constellation？　He　had　no　idea。　Even　so；　the　Teacher　could　not　help　but　suspect　that　the　solution　would　be　ingeniously　clean　and　simple…〃a　knight　a　pope　interred。〃　What　orb　am　I　looking　for？　Certainly；　an　advanced　knowledge　of　astrophysics　was　not　a　prerequisite　for　finding　the　Holy　Grail；　was　it？
　It　speaks　of　Rosy　flesh　and　seeded　womb。
　The　Teacher's　concentration　was　broken　by　several　approaching　tourists。　He　slipped　the　cryptex　back　in　his　pocket　and　watched　warily　as　the　visitors　went　to　a　nearby　table；　left　a　donation　in　the　cup；　and　restocked　on　the　plimentary　grave…rubbing　supplies　set　out　by　the　abbey。　Armed　with　fresh　charcoal　pencils　and　large　sheets　of　heavy　paper；　they　headed　off　toward　the　front　of　the　abbey；　probably　to　the　popular　Poets'　Corner　to　pay　their　respects　to　Chaucer；　Tennyson；　and　Dickens　by　rubbing　furiously　on　their　graves。
　Alone　again；　he　stepped　closer　to　the　tomb；　scanning　it　from　bottom　to　top。　He　began　with　the　clawed　feet　beneath　the　sarcophagus；　moved　upward　past　Newton；　past　his　books　on　science；　past　the　two　boys　with　their　mathematical　scroll；　up　the　face　of　the　pyramid　to　the　giant　orb　with　its　constellations；　and　finally　up　to　the　niche's　star…filled　canopy。
　What　orb　ought　to　be　here。。。　and　yet　is　missing？　He　touched　the　cryptex　in　his　pocket　as　if　he　could　somehow　divine　the　answer　from　Saunière's　crafted　marble。　Only　five　letters　separate　me　from　the　Grail。
　Pacing　now　near　the　corner　of　the　choir　screen；　he　took　a　deep　breath　and　glanced　up　the　long　nave　toward　the　main　altar　in　the　distance。　His　gaze　dropped　from　the　gilded　altar　down　to　the　bright　crimson　robe　of　an　abbey　docent　who　was　being　waved　over　by　two　very　familiar　individuals。
　Langdon　and　Neveu。
　Calmly；　the　Teacher　moved　two　steps　back　behind　the　choir　screen。　That　was　fast。　He　had　anticipated　Langdon　and　Sophie　would　eventually　decipher　the　poem's　meaning　and　e　to　Newton's　tomb；　but　this　was　sooner　than　he　had　imagined。　Taking　a　deep　breath；　the　Teacher　considered　his　options。　He　had　grown　accustomed　to　dealing　with　surprises。
　I　am　holding　the　cryptex。
　Reaching　down　to　his　pocket；　he　touched　the　second　object　that　gave　him　his　confidence：　the　Medusa　revolver。　As　expected；　the　abbey's　metal　detectors　had　blared　as　the　Teacher　passed　through　with　the　concealed　gun。　Also　as　expected；　the　guards　had　backed　off　at　once　when　the　Teacher　glared　indignantly　and　flashed　his　identification　card。　Official　rank　always　manded　the　proper　respect。
　Although　initially　the　Teacher　had　hoped　to　solve　the　cryptex　alone　and　avoid　any　further　plications；　he　now　sensed　that　the　arrival　of　Langdon　and　Neveu　was　actually　a　wele　development。　Considering　the　lack　of　success　he　was　having　with　the　〃orb〃　reference；　he　might　be　able　to　use　their　expertise。　After　all；　if　Langdon　had　deciphered　the　poem　to　find　the　tomb；　there　was　a　reasonable　chance　he　also　knew　something　about　the　orb。　And　if　Langdon　knew　the　password；　then　it　was　just　a　matter　of　applying　the　right　pressure。
　Not　here；　of　course。
　Somewhere　private。
　The　Teacher　recalled　a　small　announcement　sign　he　had　seen　on　his　way　into　the　abbey。　Immediately　he　knew　the　perfect　place　to　lure　them。
　The　only　question　now。。。　what　to　use　as　bait。
　　
　CHAPTER　98
　
　Langdon　and　Sophie　moved　slowly　down　the　north　aisle；　keeping　to　the　shadows　behind　the　ample　pillars　that　separated　it　from　the　open　nave。　Despite　having　traveled　more　than　halfway　down　the　nave；　they　still　had　no　clear　view　of　Newton's　tomb。　The　sarcophagus　was　recessed　in　a　niche；　obscured　from　this　oblique　angle。
　〃At　least　there's　nobody　over　there；〃　Sophie　whispered。
　Langdon　nodded；　relieved。　The　entire　section　of　the　nave　near　Newton's　tomb　was　deserted。　〃I'll　go　over；〃　he　whispered。　〃You　should　stay　hidden　just　in　case　someone…〃
　Sophie　had　already　stepped　from　the　shadows　and　was　headed　across　the　open　floor。
　〃…is　watching；〃　Langdon　sighed；　hurrying　to　join　her。
　Crossing　the　massive　nave　on　a　diagonal；　Langdon　and　Sophie　remained　silent　as　the　elaborate　sepulchre　revealed　itself　in　tantalizing　increments。。。　a　black…marble　sarcophagus。。。　a　reclining　statue　of　Newton。。。　two　winged　boys。。。　a　huge　pyramid。。。　and。。。　an　enormous　orb。
　〃Did　you　know　about　that？〃　Sophie　said；　sounding　startled。
　Langdon　shook　his　head；　also　surprised。
　〃Those　look　like　constellations　carved　on　it；〃　Sophie　said。
　As　they　approached　the　niche；　Langdon　felt　a　slow　sinking　sensation。　Newton's　tomb　was　covered　with　orbs…stars；　ets；　planets。　You　seek　the　orb　that　ought　be　on　his　tomb？　It　could　turn　out　to　be　like　trying　to　find　a　missing　blade　of　grass　on　a　golf　course。
　〃Astronomical　bodies；〃　Sophie　said；　looking　concerned。　〃And　a　lot　of　them。〃
　Langdon　frowned。　The　only　link　between　the　planets　and　the　Grail　that　Langdon　could　imagine　was　the　pentacle　of　Venus；　and　he　had　already　tried　the　password　〃Venus〃　en　route　to　the　Temple　Church。
　Sophie　moved　directly　to　the　sarcophagus；　but　Langdon　hung　back　a　few　feet；　keeping　an　eye　on　the　abbey　around　them。
　〃Divinity；〃　Sophie　said；　tilting　her　head　and　reading　the　titles　of　the　books　on　which　Newton　was　leaning。　〃Chronology。　Opticks。　Philosophiae　Naturalis　Principia　Mathematica？〃　She　turned　to　him。　〃Ring　any　bells？〃
　Langdon　stepped　closer；　considering　it。　〃Principia　Mathematica；　as　I　remember；　has　something　to　do　with　the　gravitation　pull　of　planets。。。　which　admittedly　are　orbs；　but　it　seems　a　little　far…fetched。〃
　〃How　about　the　signs　of　the　zodiac？〃　Sophie　asked；　pointing　to　the　constellations　on　the　orb。　〃You　were　talking　about　Pisces　and　Aquarius　earlier；　weren't　you？〃
　The　End　of　Days；　Langdon　thought。　〃The　end　of　Pisces　and　the　beginning　of　Aquarius　was　allegedly　the　historical　marker　at　which　the　Priory　planned　to　release　the　Sangreal　documents　to　the　world。〃　But　the　millennium　came　and　went　without　incident；　leaving　historians　uncertain　when　the　truth　was　ing。
　〃It　seems　possible；〃　Sophie　said；　〃that　the　Priory's　plans　to　reveal　the　truth　might　be　related　to　the　last　line　of　the　poem。〃
　It　speaks　of　Rosy　flesh　and　seeded　womb。　Langdon　felt　a　shiver　of　potential。　He　had　not　considered　the　line　that　way　before。
　〃You　told　me　earlier；〃　she　said；　〃that　the　timing　of　the　Priory's　plans　to　unveil　the　truth　about　'the　Rose'　and　her　fertile　womb　was　linked　directly　to　the　position　of　planets…orbs。〃
　Langdon　nodded；　feeling　the　first　faint　wisps