danbrown.thedavincicode-第97章

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　A　breeze　rustled　past　him；　carrying　the　damp；　earthy　scent　of　new　life。　With　every　living　cell　in　his　broken　body；　Silas　prayed。　He　prayed　for　forgiveness。　He　prayed　for　mercy。　And；　above　all；　he　prayed　for　his　mentor。。。　Bishop　Aringarosa。。。　that　the　Lord　would　not　take　him　before　his　time。　He　has　so　much　work　left　to　do。
　The　fog　was　swirling　around　him　now；　and　Silas　felt　so　light　that　he　was　sure　the　wisps　would　carry　him　away。　Closing　his　eyes；　he　said　a　final　prayer。
　From　somewhere　in　the　mist；　the　voice　of　Manuel　Aringarosa　whispered　to　him。
　Our　Lord　is　a　good　and　merciful　God。
　Silas's　pain　at　last　began　to　fade；　and　he　knew　the　bishop　was　right。
　　
　CHAPTER　103
　
　It　was　late　afternoon　when　the　London　sun　broke　through　and　the　city　began　to　dry。　Bezu　Fache　felt　weary　as　he　emerged　from　the　interrogation　room　and　hailed　a　cab。　Sir　Leigh　Teabing　had　vociferously　proclaimed　his　innocence；　and　yet　from　his　incoherent　rantings　about　the　Holy　Grail；　secret　documents；　and　mysterious　brotherhoods；　Fache　suspected　the　wily　historian　was　setting　the　stage　for　his　lawyers　to　plead　an　insanity　defense。
　Sure；　Fache　thought。　Insane。　Teabing　had　displayed　ingenious　precision　in　formulating　a　plan　that　protected　his　innocence　at　every　turn。　He　had　exploited　both　the　Vatican　and　Opus　Dei；　two　groups　that　turned　out　to　be　pletely　innocent。　His　dirty　work　had　been　carried　out　unknowingly　by　a　fanatical　monk　and　a　desperate　bishop。　More　clever　still；　Teabing　had　situated　his　electronic　listening　post　in　the　one　place　a　man　with　polio　could　not　possibly　reach。　The　actual　surveillance　had　been　carried　out　by　his　manservant；　Rémy…the　lone　person　privy　to　Teabing's　true　identity…now　conveniently　dead　of　an　allergic　reaction。
　Hardly　the　handiwork　of　someone　lacking　mental　faculties；　Fache　thought。
　The　information　ing　from　Collet　out　of　Chateau　Villette　suggested　that　Teabing's　cunning　ran　so　deep　that　Fache　himself　might　even　learn　from　it。　To　successfully　hide　bugs　in　some　of　Paris's　most　powerful　offices；　the　British　historian　had　turned　to　the　Greeks。　Trojan　horses。　Some　of　Teabing's　intended　targets　received　lavish　gifts　of　artwork；　others　unwittingly　bid　at　auctions　in　which　Teabing　had　placed　specific　lots。　In　Saunière's　case；　the　curator　had　received　a　dinner　invitation　to　Chateau　Villette　to　discuss　the　possibility　of　Teabing's　funding　a　new　Da　Vinci　Wing　at　the　Louvre。　Saunière's　invitation　had　contained　an　innocuous　postscript　expressing　fascination　with　a　robotic　knight　that　Saunière　was　rumored　to　have　built。　Bring　him　to　dinner；　Teabing　had　suggested。　Saunière　apparently　had　done　just　that　and　left　the　knight　unattended　long　enough　for　Rémy　Legaludec　to　make　one　inconspicuous　addition。
　Now；　sitting　in　the　back　of　the　cab；　Fache　closed　his　eyes。　One　more　thing　to　attend　to　before　I　return　to　Paris。
　　
　The　St。　Mary's　Hospital　recovery　room　was　sunny。
　〃You've　impressed　us　all；〃　the　nurse　said；　smiling　down　at　him。　〃Nothing　short　of　miraculous。〃
　Bishop　Aringarosa　gave　a　weak　smile。　〃I　have　always　been　blessed。〃
　The　nurse　finished　puttering；　leaving　the　bishop　alone。　The　sunlight　felt　wele　and　warm　on　his　face。　Last　night　had　been　the　darkest　night　of　his　life。
　Despondently；　he　thought　of　Silas；　whose　body　had　been　found　in　the　park。
　Please　forgive　me；　my　son。
　Aringarosa　had　longed　for　Silas　to　be　part　of　his　glorious　plan。　Last　night；　however；　Aringarosa　had　received　a　call　from　Bezu　Fache；　questioning　the　bishop　about　his　apparent　connection　to　a　nun　who　had　been　murdered　in　Saint…Sulpice。　Aringarosa　realized　the　evening　had　taken　a　horrifying　turn。　News　of　the　four　additional　murders　transformed　his　horror　to　anguish。　Silas；　what　have　you　done！　Unable　to　reach　the　Teacher；　the　bishop　knew　he　had　been　cut　loose。　Used。　The　only　way　to　stop　the　horrific　chain　of　events　he　had　helped　put　in　motion　was　to　confess　everything　to　Fache；　and　from　that　moment　on；　Aringarosa　and　Fache　had　been　racing　to　catch　up　with　Silas　before　the　Teacher　persuaded　him　to　kill　again。
　Feeling　bone　weary；　Aringarosa　closed　his　eyes　and　listened　to　the　television　coverage　of　the　arrest　of　a　prominent　British　knight；　Sir　Leigh　Teabing。　The　Teacher　laid　bare　for　all　to　see。　Teabing　had　caught　wind　of　the　Vatican's　plans　to　disassociate　itself　from　Opus　Dei。　He　had　chosen　Aringarosa　as　the　perfect　pawn　in　his　plan。　After　all；　who　more　likely　to　leap　blindly　after　the　Holy　Grail　than　a　man　like　myself　with　everything　to　lose？　The　Grail　would　have　brought　enormous　power　to　anyone　who　possessed　it。
　Leigh　Teabing　had　protected　his　identity　shrewdly…feigning　a　French　accent　and　a　pious　heart；　and　demanding　as　payment　the　one　thing　he　did　not　need…money。　Aringarosa　had　been　far　too　eager　to　be　suspicious。　The　price　tag　of　twenty　million　euro　was　paltry　when　pared　with　the　prize　of　obtaining　the　Grail；　and　with　the　Vatican's　separation　payment　to　Opus　Dei；　the　finances　had　worked　nicely。　The　blind　see　what　they　want　to　see。　Teabing's　ultimate　insult；　of　course；　had　been　to　demand　payment　in　Vatican　bonds；　such　that　if　anything　went　wrong；　the　investigation　would　lead　to　Rome。
　〃I　am　glad　to　see　you're　well；　My　Lord。〃
　Aringarosa　recognized　the　gruff　voice　in　the　doorway；　but　the　face　was　unexpected…stern；　powerful　features；　slicked…back　hair；　and　a　broad　neck　that　strained　against　his　dark　suit。　〃Captain　Fache？〃　Aringarosa　asked。　The　passion　and　concern　the　captain　had　shown　for　Aringarosa's　plight　last　night　had　conjured　images　of　a　far　gentler　physique。
　The　captain　approached　the　bed　and　hoisted　a　familiar；　heavy　black　briefcase　onto　a　chair。　〃I　believe　this　belongs　to　you。〃
　Aringarosa　looked　at　the　briefcase　filled　with　bonds　and　immediately　looked　away；　feeling　only　shame。　〃Yes。。。　thank　you。〃　He　paused　while　working　his　fingers　across　the　seam　of　his　bedsheet；　then　continued。　〃Captain；　I　have　been　giving　this　deep　thought；　and　I　need　to　ask　a　favor　of　you。〃
　〃Of　course。〃
　〃The　families　of　those　in　Paris　who　Silas。。。〃　He　paused；　swallowing　the　emotion。　〃I　realize　no　sum　could　possibly　serve　as　sufficient　restitution；　and　yet；　if　you　could　be　kind　enough　to　divide　the　contents　of　this　briefcase　among　them。。。　the　families　of　the　deceased。〃
　Fache's　dark　eyes　studied　him　a　long　moment。　〃A　virtuous　gesture；　My　Lord。　I　will　see　to　it　your　wishes　are　carried　out。〃
　A　heavy　silence　fell　between　them。
　On　the　television；　a　lean　French　police　officer　was　giving　a　press　conference　in　front　of　a　sprawling　mansion。　Fache　saw　who　it　was　and　turned　his　attention　to　the　screen。
　〃Lieutenant　Collet；〃　a　BBC　reporter　said；　her　voice　accusing。　〃Last　night；　your　captain　publicly　charged　two　innocent　people　with　murder。　Will　Robert　Langdon　and　Sophie　Neveu　be　seeking　accountability　from　your　department？　Will　this　cost　Captain　Fache　his　job？〃
　Lieutenant　Collet's　smile　was　tired　but　calm。　〃It　is　my　experience　that　Captain　Bezu　Fache　seldom　makes　mistakes。　I　have　not　yet　spoken　to　him　on　this　matter；　but　knowing　how　he　operates；　I　suspect　his　public　manhunt　for　Agent　Neveu　and　Mr。　Langdon　was　part　of　a　ruse　to　lure　out　the　real　killer。〃
　The　reporters　exchanged　surprised　looks。
　Collet　continued。　〃Whether　or　not　Mr。　Langdon　and　Agent　Neveu　were　willing　participants　in　the　sting；　I　do　not　know。　Captain　Fache　tends　to　keep　his　more　creative　methods　to　himself。　All　I　can　confirm　at　this　point　is　that　the　captain　has　successfully　arrested　the　man　responsible；　and　that　Mr。　Langdon　and　Agent　Neveu　are　both　innocent　and　safe。〃
　Fache　had　a　faint　smile　on　his　lips　as　he　turned　back　to　Aringarosa。　〃A　good　man；　that　Collet。〃
　Several　moments　passed。　Finally；　Fache　ran　his　hand　over　his　forehead；　slicking　back　his　hair　as　he　gazed　down　at　Aringarosa。　〃My　Lord；　before　I　return　to　Paris；　there　is　one　final　matter　I'd　like　to　discuss…your　impromptu　flight　to　London。　You　bribed　a　pilot　to　change　course。　In　doing　so；　you　broke　a　number　of　international　laws。〃
　Aringarosa　slumped。　〃I　was　desperate。〃
　〃Yes。　As　was　the　pilot　when　my　men　interrogated　him。〃　Fache　reached　in　his　pocket　and　produced　a　purple　amethyst　ring　with　a　familiar　hand…tooled　mitre…crozier　appliqué。
　Aringarosa　felt　tears　welling　as　he　accept