danbrown.thedavincicode-第99章

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　〃I　hadn't。。。〃　She　scanned　the　sanctuary；　looking　uncertain。　〃My　grandfather　must　have　brought　me　here　when　I　was　very　young。　I　don't　know。　It　feels　familiar。〃　As　her　eyes　scanned　the　room；　she　began　nodding　with　more　certainty。　〃Yes。〃　She　pointed　to　the　front　of　the　sanctuary。　〃Those　two　pillars。。。　I've　seen　them。〃
　Langdon　looked　at　the　pair　of　intricately　sculpted　columns　at　the　far　end　of　the　sanctuary。　Their　white　lacework　carvings　seemed　to　smolder　with　a　ruddy　glow　as　the　last　of　the　day's　sunlight　streamed　in　through　the　west　window。　The　pillars…positioned　where　the　altar　would　normally　stand…were　an　oddly　matched　pair。　The　pillar　on　the　left　was　carved　with　simple；　vertical　lines；　while　the　pillar　on　the　right　was　embellished　with　an　ornate；　flowering　spiral。
　Sophie　was　already　moving　toward　them。　Langdon　hurried　after　her；　and　as　they　reached　the　pillars；　Sophie　was　nodding　with　incredulity。　〃Yes；　I'm　positive　I　have　seen　these！〃
　〃I　don't　doubt　you've　seen　them；〃　Langdon　said；　〃but　it　wasn't　necessarily　here。〃
　She　turned。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃
　〃These　two　pillars　are　the　most　duplicated　architectural　structures　in　history。　Replicas　exist　all　over　the　world。〃
　〃Replicas　of　Rosslyn？〃　She　looked　skeptical。
　〃No。　Of　the　pillars。　Do　you　remember　earlier　that　I　mentioned　Rosslyn　itself　is　a　copy　of　Solomon's　Temple？　Those　two　pillars　are　exact　replicas　of　the　two　pillars　that　stood　at　the　head　of　Solomon's　Temple。〃　Langdon　pointed　to　the　pillar　on　the　left。　〃That's　called　Boaz…or　the　Mason's　Pillar。　The　other　is　called　Jachin…or　the　Apprentice　Pillar。〃　He　paused。　〃In　fact；　virtually　every　Masonic　temple　in　the　world　has　two　pillars　like　these。〃
　Langdon　had　already　explained　to　her　about　the　Templars'　powerful　historic　ties　to　the　modern　Masonic　secret　societies；　whose　primary　degrees…Apprentice　Freemason；　Fellowcraft　Freemason；　and　Master　Mason…harked　back　to　early　Templar　days。　Sophie's　grandfather's　final　verse　made　direct　reference　to　the　Master　Masons　who　adorned　Rosslyn　with　their　carved　artistic　offerings。　It　also　noted　Rosslyn's　central　ceiling；　which　was　covered　with　carvings　of　stars　and　planets。
　〃I've　never　been　in　a　Masonic　temple；〃　Sophie　said；　still　eyeing　the　pillars。　〃I　am　almost　positive　I　saw　these　here。〃　She　turned　back　into　the　chapel；　as　if　looking　for　something　else　to　jog　her　memory。
　The　rest　of　the　visitors　were　now　leaving；　and　the　young　docent　made　his　way　across　the　chapel　to　them　with　a　pleasant　smile。　He　was　a　handsome　young　man　in　his　late　twenties；　with　a　Scottish　brogue　and　strawberry　blond　hair。　〃I'm　about　to　close　up　for　the　day。　May　I　help　you　find　anything？〃
　How　about　the　Holy　Grail？　Langdon　wanted　to　say。
　〃The　code；〃　Sophie　blurted；　in　sudden　revelation。　〃There's　a　code　here！〃
　The　docent　looked　pleased　by　her　enthusiasm。　〃Yes　there　is；　ma'am。〃
　〃It's　on　the　ceiling；〃　she　said；　turning　to　the　right…hand　wall。　〃Somewhere　over。。。　there。〃
　He　smiled。　〃Not　your　first　visit　to　Rosslyn；　I　see。〃
　The　code；　Langdon　thought。　He　had　forgotten　that　little　bit　of　lore。　Among　Rosslyn's　numerous　mysteries　was　a　vaulted　archway　from　which　hundreds　of　stone　blocks　protruded；　jutting　down　to　form　a　bizarre　multifaceted　surface。　Each　block　was　carved　with　a　symbol；　seemingly　at　random；　creating　a　cipher　of　unfathomable　proportion。　Some　people　believed　the　code　revealed　the　entrance　to　the　vault　beneath　the　chapel。
　Others　believed　it　told　the　true　Grail　legend。　Not　that　it　mattered…cryptographers　had　been　trying　for　centuries　to　decipher　its　meaning。　To　this　day　the　Rosslyn　Trust　offered　a　generous　reward　to　anyone　who　could　unveil　the　secret　meaning；　but　the　code　remained　a　mystery。　〃I'd　be　happy　to　show。。。〃
　　
　The　docent's　voice　trailed　off。
　My　first　code；　Sophie　thought；　moving　alone；　in　a　trance；　toward　the　encoded　archway。　Having　handed　the　rosewood　box　to　Langdon；　she　could　feel　herself　momentarily　forgetting　all　about　the　Holy　Grail；　the　Priory　of　Sion；　and　all　the　mysteries　of　the　past　day。　When　she　arrived　beneath　the　encoded　ceiling　and　saw　the　symbols　above　her；　the　memories　came　flooding　back。　She　was　recalling　her　first　visit　here；　and　strangely；　the　memories　conjured　an　unexpected　sadness。
　She　was　a　little　girl。。。　a　year　or　so　after　her　family's　death。　Her　grandfather　had　brought　her　to　Scotland　on　a　short　vacation。　They　had　e　to　see　Rosslyn　Chapel　before　going　back　to　Paris。　It　was　late　evening；　and　the　chapel　was　closed。　But　they　were　still　inside。
　〃Can　we　go　home；　Grand…père？〃　Sophie　begged；　feeling　tired。
　〃Soon；　dear；　very　soon。〃　His　voice　was　melancholy。　〃I　have　one　last　thing　I　need　to　do　here。　How　about　if　you　wait　in　the　car？〃
　〃You're　doing　another　big　person　thing？〃
　He　nodded。　〃I'll　be　fast。　I　promise。〃
　〃Can　I　do　the　archway　code　again？　That　was　fun。〃
　〃I　don't　know。　I　have　to　step　outside。　You　won't　be　frightened　in　here　alone？〃
　〃Of　course　not！〃　she　said　with　a　huff。　〃It's　not　even　dark　yet！〃
　He　smiled。　〃Very　well　then。〃　He　led　her　over　to　the　elaborate　archway　he　had　shown　her　earlier。
　Sophie　immediately　plopped　down　on　the　stone　floor；　lying　on　her　back　and　staring　up　at　the　collage　of　puzzle　pieces　overhead。　〃I'm　going　to　break　this　code　before　you　get　back！〃
　〃It's　a　race　then。〃　He　bent　over；　kissed　her　forehead；　and　walked　to　the　nearby　side　door。　〃I'll　be　right　outside。　I'll　leave　the　door　open。　If　you　need　me；　just　call。〃　He　exited　into　the　soft　evening　light。
　Sophie　lay　there　on　the　floor；　gazing　up　at　the　code。　Her　eyes　felt　sleepy。　After　a　few　minutes；　the　symbols　got　fuzzy。　And　then　they　disappeared。
　When　Sophie　awoke；　the　floor　felt　cold。
　〃Grand…père？〃
　There　was　no　answer。　Standing　up；　she　brushed　herself　off。　The　side　door　was　still　open。　The　evening　was　getting　darker。　She　walked　outside　and　could　see　her　grandfather　standing　on　the　porch　of　a　nearby　stone　house　directly　behind　the　church。　Her　grandfather　was　talking　quietly　to　a　person　barely　visible　inside　the　screened　door。
　〃Grand…père？〃　she　called。
　Her　grandfather　turned　and　waved；　motioning　for　her　to　wait　just　a　moment。　Then；　slowly；　he　said　some　final　words　to　the　person　inside　and　blew　a　kiss　toward　the　screened　door。　He　came　to　her　with　tearful　eyes。
　〃Why　are　you　crying；　Grand…père？〃
　He　picked　her　up　and　held　her　close。　〃Oh；　Sophie；　you　and　I　have　said　good…bye　to　a　lot　of　people　this　year。　It's　hard。〃
　Sophie　thought　of　the　accident；　of　saying　good…bye　to　her　mother　and　father；　her　grandmother　and　baby　brother。　〃Were　you　saying　goodbye　to　another　person？〃
　〃To　a　dear　friend　whom　I　love　very　much；〃　he　replied；　his　voice　heavy　with　emotion。　〃And　I　fear　I　will　not　see　her　again　for　a　very　long　time。〃
　　
　Standing　with　the　docent；　Langdon　had　been　scanning　the　chapel　walls　and　feeling　a　rising　wariness　that　a　dead　end　might　be　looming。　Sophie　had　wandered　off　to　look　at　the　code　and　left　Langdon　holding　the　rosewood　box；　which　contained　a　Grail　map　that　now　appeared　to　be　no　help　at　all。　Although　Saunière's　poem　clearly　indicated　Rosslyn；　Langdon　was　not　sure　what　to　do　now　that　they　had　arrived。　The　poem　made　reference　to　a　〃blade　and　chalice；〃　which　Langdon　saw　nowhere。
　The　Holy　Grail　'neath　ancient　Roslin　waits。
　The　blade　and　chalice　guarding　o'er　Her　gates。
　　
　Again　Langdon　sensed　there　remained　some　facet　of　this　mystery　yet　to　reveal　itself。
　〃I　hate　to　pry；〃　the　docent　said；　eyeing　the　rosewood　box　in　Langdon's　hands。　〃But　this　box。。。　might　I　ask　where　you　got　it？〃
　Langdon　gave　a　weary　laugh。　〃That's　an　exceptionally　long　story。〃
　The　young　man　hesitated；　his　eyes　on　the　box　again。　〃It's　the　strangest　thing…my　grandmother　has　a　box　exactly　like　that…a　jewelry　box。　Identical　polished　rosewood；　same　inlaid　rose；　even　the　hinges　look　the　same。〃
　Langdon　knew　the　young　man　must　be　mistaken。　If　ever　a　box　had　been　one　of　a　kind；　it　was　this　one…the　box　custom…made　for　the　Priory　keystone。　〃The　two　boxes　may　be　similar　but…〃
　The　side　door　closed　loudly；　drawing　both　of　their　gazes。　Sophie　had　exited　without　a　word　and　was　now　wandering　down　the　bluff　toward　a　fieldstone　house　nearby。　Langdon　stared　after　her。　Where　is　she　going？　She　had　been　acting　strangely　ever　since　they　entered