danbrown.thedavincicode-第94章

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　like　a　rag　doll；　his　black　cassock　flapping。
　Lifting　a　weary　arm；　he　mopped　his　eyes　and　saw　the　man　holding　him　was　Silas。　The　great　albino　was　struggling　down　a　misty　sidewalk；　shouting　for　a　hospital；　his　voice　a　heartrending　wail　of　agony。　His　red　eyes　were　focused　dead　ahead；　tears　streaming　down　his　pale；　blood…spattered　face。
　〃My　son；〃　Aringarosa　whispered；　〃you're　hurt。〃
　Silas　glanced　down；　his　visage　contorted　in　anguish。　〃I　am　so　very　sorry；　Father。〃　He　seemed　almost　too　pained　to　speak。
　〃No；　Silas；〃　Aringarosa　replied。　〃It　is　I　who　am　sorry。　This　is　my　fault。〃　The　Teacher　promised　me　there　would　be　no　killing；　and　I　told　you　to　obey　him　fully。　〃I　was　too　eager。　Too　fearful。　You　and　I　were　deceived。〃　The　Teacher　was　never　going　to　deliver　us　the　Holy　Grail。
　Cradled　in　the　arms　of　the　man　he　had　taken　in　all　those　years　ago；　Bishop　Aringarosa　felt　himself　reel　back　in　time。　To　Spain。　To　his　modest　beginnings；　building　a　small　Catholic　church　in　Oviedo　with　Silas。　And　later；　to　New　York　City；　where　he　had　proclaimed　the　glory　of　God　with　the　towering　Opus　Dei　Center　on　Lexington　Avenue。
　Five　months　ago；　Aringarosa　had　received　devastating　news。　His　life's　work　was　in　jeopardy。　He　recalled；　with　vivid　detail；　the　meeting　inside　Castel　Gandolfo　that　had　changed　his　life。。。　the　news　that　had　set　this　entire　calamity　into　motion。
　Aringarosa　had　entered　Gandolfo's　Astronomy　Library　with　his　head　held　high；　fully　expecting　to　be　lauded　by　throngs　of　weling　hands；　all　eager　to　pat　him　on　the　back　for　his　superior　work　representing　Catholicism　in　America。
　But　only　three　people　were　present。
　The　Vatican　secretariat。　Obese。　Dour。
　Two　high…ranking　Italian　cardinals。　Sanctimonious。　Smug。
　〃Secretariat？〃　Aringarosa　said；　puzzled。
　The　rotund　overseer　of　legal　affairs　shook　Aringarosa's　hand　and　motioned　to　the　chair　opposite　him。　〃Please；　make　yourself　fortable。〃
　Aringarosa　sat；　sensing　something　was　wrong。
　〃I　am　not　skilled　in　small　talk；　Bishop；〃　the　secretariat　said；　〃so　let　me　be　direct　about　the　reason　for　your　visit。〃
　〃Please。　Speak　openly。〃　Aringarosa　glanced　at　the　two　cardinals；　who　seemed　to　be　measuring　him　with　self…righteous　anticipation。
　〃As　you　are　well　aware；〃　the　secretariat　said；　〃His　Holiness　and　others　in　Rome　have　been　concerned　lately　with　the　political　fallout　from　Opus　Dei's　more　controversial　practices。〃
　Aringarosa　felt　himself　bristle　instantly。　He　already　had　been　through　this　on　numerous　occasions　with　the　new　pontiff；　who；　to　Aringarosa's　great　dismay；　had　turned　out　to　be　a　distressingly　fervent　voice　for　liberal　change　in　the　Church。
　〃I　want　to　assure　you；〃　the　secretariat　added　quickly；　〃that　His　Holiness　does　not　seek　to　change　anything　about　the　way　you　run　your　ministry。〃
　I　should　hope　not！　〃Then　why　am　I　here？〃
　The　enormous　man　sighed。　〃Bishop；　I　am　not　sure　how　to　say　this　delicately；　so　I　will　state　it　directly。　Two　days　ago；　the　Secretariat　Council　voted　unanimously　to　revoke　the　Vatican's　sanction　of　Opus　Dei。〃
　Aringarosa　was　certain　he　had　heard　incorrectly。　〃I　beg　your　pardon？〃
　〃Plainly　stated；　six　months　from　today；　Opus　Dei　will　no　longer　be　considered　a　prelature　of　the　Vatican。　You　will　be　a　church　unto　yourself。　The　Holy　See　will　be　disassociating　itself　from　you。　His　Holiness　agrees　and　we　are　already　drawing　up　the　legal　papers。〃
　〃But。。。　that　is　impossible！〃
　〃On　the　contrary；　it　is　quite　possible。　And　necessary。　His　Holiness　has　bee　uneasy　with　your　aggressive　recruiting　policies　and　your　practices　of　corporal　mortification。〃　He　paused。　〃Also　your　policies　regarding　women。　Quite　frankly；　Opus　Dei　has　bee　a　liability　and　an　embarrassment。〃
　Bishop　Aringarosa　was　stupefied。　〃An　embarrassment？〃
　〃Certainly　you　cannot　be　surprised　it　has　e　to　this。〃
　〃Opus　Dei　is　the　only　Catholic　organization　whose　numbers　are　growing！　We　now　have　over　eleven　hundred　priests！〃
　〃True。　A　troubling　issue　for　us　all。〃
　Aringarosa　shot　to　his　feet。　〃Ask　His　Holiness　if　Opus　Dei　was　an　embarrassment　in　1982　when　we　helped　the　Vatican　Bank！〃
　〃The　Vatican　will　always　be　grateful　for　that；〃　the　secretariat　said；　his　tone　appeasing；　〃and　yet　there　are　those　who　still　believe　your　financial　munificence　in　1982　is　the　only　reason　you　were　granted　prelature　status　in　the　first　place。〃
　〃That　is　not　true！〃　The　insinuation　offended　Aringarosa　deeply。
　〃Whatever　the　case；　we　plan　to　act　in　good　faith。　We　are　drawing　up　severance　terms　that　will　include　a　reimbursement　of　those　monies。　It　will　be　paid　in　five　installments。〃
　〃You　are　buying　me　off？〃　Aringarosa　demanded。　〃Paying　me　to　go　quietly？　When　Opus　Dei　is　the　only　remaining　voice　of　reason！〃
　One　of　the　cardinals　glanced　up。　〃I'm　sorry；　did　you　say　reason？〃
　Aringarosa　leaned　across　the　table；　sharpening　his　tone　to　a　point。　〃Do　you　really　wonder　why　Catholics　are　leaving　the　Church？　Look　around　you；　Cardinal。　People　have　lost　respect。　The　rigors　of　faith　are　gone。　The　doctrine　has　bee　a　buffet　line。　Abstinence；　confession；　munion；　baptism；　mass…take　your　pick…choose　whatever　bination　pleases　you　and　ignore　the　rest。　What　kind　of　spiritual　guidance　is　the　Church　offering？〃
　〃Third…century　laws；〃　the　second　cardinal　said；　〃cannot　be　applied　to　the　modern　followers　of　Christ。　The　rules　are　not　workable　in　today's　society。〃
　〃Well；　they　seem　to　be　working　for　Opus　Dei！〃
　〃Bishop　Aringarosa；〃　the　secretariat　said；　his　voice　conclusive。　〃Out　of　respect　for　your　organization's　relationship　with　the　previous　Pope；　His　Holiness　will　be　giving　Opus　Dei　six　months　to　voluntarily　break　away　from　the　Vatican。　I　suggest　you　cite　your　differences　of　opinion　with　the　Holy　See　and　establish　yourself　as　your　own　Christian　organization。〃
　〃I　refuse！〃　Aringarosa　declared。　〃And　I'll　tell　him　that　in　person！〃
　〃I'm　afraid　His　Holiness　no　longer　cares　to　meet　with　you。〃
　Aringarosa　stood　up。　〃He　would　not　dare　abolish　a　personal　prelature　established　by　a　previous　Pope！〃
　〃I'm　sorry。〃　The　secretariat's　eyes　did　not　flinch。　〃The　Lord　giveth　and　the　Lord　taketh　away。〃
　Aringarosa　had　staggered　from　that　meeting　in　bewilderment　and　panic。　Returning　to　New　York；　he　stared　out　at　the　skyline　in　disillusionment　for　days；　overwhelmed　with　sadness　for　the　future　of　Christianity。
　It　was　several　weeks　later　that　he　received　the　phone　call　that　changed　all　that。　The　caller　sounded　French　and　identified　himself　as　the　Teacher…a　title　mon　in　the　prelature。　He　said　he　knew　of　the　Vatican's　plans　to　pull　support　from　Opus　Dei。
　How　could　he　know　that？　Aringarosa　wondered。　He　had　hoped　only　a　handful　of　Vatican　power　brokers　knew　of　Opus　Dei's　impending　annulment。　Apparently　the　word　was　out。　When　it　came　to　containing　gossip；　no　walls　in　the　world　were　as　porous　as　those　surrounding　Vatican　City。
　〃I　have　ears　everywhere；　Bishop；〃　the　Teacher　whispered；　〃and　with　these　ears　I　have　gained　certain　knowledge。　With　your　help；　I　can　uncover　the　hiding　place　of　a　sacred　relic　that　will　bring　you　enormous　power。。。　enough　power　to　make　the　Vatican　bow　before　you。　Enough　power　to　save　the　Faith。〃　He　paused。　〃Not　just　for　Opus　Dei。　But　for　all　of　us。〃
　The　Lord　taketh　away。。。　and　the　Lord　giveth。　Aringarosa　felt　a　glorious　ray　of　hope。　〃Tell　me　your　plan。〃
　　
　Bishop　Aringarosa　was　unconscious　when　the　doors　of　St。　Mary's　Hospital　hissed　open。　Silas　lurched　into　the　entryway　delirious　with　exhaustion。　Dropping　to　his　knees　on　the　tile　floor；　he　cried　out　for　help。　Everyone　in　the　reception　area　gaped　in　wonderment　at　the　half…naked　albino　offering　forth　a　bleeding　clergyman。
　The　doctor　who　helped　Silas　heave　the　delirious　bishop　onto　a　gurney　looked　gloomy　as　he　felt　Aringarosa's　pulse。　〃He's　lost　a　lot　of　blood。　I　am　not　hopeful。〃
　Aringarosa's　eyes　flickered；　and　he　returned　for　a　moment；　his　gaze　locating　Silas。　〃My　child。。。〃
　Silas's　soul　thundered　with　remorse　and　rage。　〃Father；　if　it　takes　my　lifetime；　I　will　find　the　one　who　deceived　us；　and　I　will　kill　him。〃
　Aringarosa　shook　his　head；　looking　sad　as　they　prepared　to　wheel　him　away。　〃Silas。。。　if　you　have　learned　nothing　from　me；　please。。。　learn　this。〃　He　took　Silas's　hand　and　gave　it　a　firm　squeeze。　〃Forgiveness　is　God's　greates