达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第53章

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face　went　white。
Langdon's　head　snapped　up。
〃What's　wrong？〃　Sophie　demanded。
〃You　won't　believe　this。〃　Teabing　glanced　at　Sophie。　〃Especially　you。〃
〃What　do　you　mean？〃　she　said。
〃This　is。。。　ingenious；〃　he　whispered。　〃Utterly　ingenious！〃　Teabing　wrote　again　on　the　paper。　〃Drumroll；　please。　Here　is　your　password。〃　He　showed　them　what　he　had　written。
Sh…V…P…Y…A
　
Sophie　scowled。　〃What　is　it？〃
Langdon　didn't　recognize　it　either。
Teabing's　voice　seemed　to　tremble　with　awe。　〃This；　my　friend；　is　actually　an　ancient　word　of　wisdom。〃
Langdon　read　the　letters　again。　An　ancient　word　of　wisdom　frees　this　scroll。　An　instant　later　he　got　it。　He　had　newer　seen　this　ing。　〃An　ancient　word　of　wisdom！〃
Teabing　was　laughing。　〃Quite　literally！〃
Sophie　looked　at　the　word　and　then　at　the　dial。　Immediately　she　realized　Langdon　and　Teabing　had　failed　to　see　a　serious　glitch。　〃Hold　on！　This　can't　be　the　password；〃　she　argued。　〃The　cryptex　doesn't　have　an　Sh　on　the　dial。　It　uses　a　traditional　Roman　alphabet。〃
〃Read　the　word；〃　Langdon　urged。　〃Keep　in　mind　two　things。　In　Hebrew；　the　symbol　for　the　sound　Sh　can　also　be　pronounced　as　S；　depending　on　the　accent。　Just　as　the　letter　P　can　be　pronounced　F。〃
SVFYA？　she　thought；　puzzled。
〃Genius！〃　Teabing　added。　〃The　letter　Vav　is　often　a　placeholder　for　the　vowel　sound　O！〃
Sophie　again　looked　at　the　letters；　attempting　to　sound　them　out。
〃S。。。o。。。f。。。y。。。a。〃
She　heard　the　sound　of　her　voice；　and　could　not　believe　what　she　had　just　said。　〃Sophia？　This　spells　Sophia？〃
Langdon　was　nodding　enthusiastically。　〃Yes！　Sophia　literally　means　wisdom　in　Greek。　The　root　of　your　name；　Sophie；　is　literally　a　'word　of　wisdom。'　〃
Sophie　suddenly　missed　her　grandfather　immensely。　He　encrypted　the　Priory　keystone　with　my　name。　A　knot　caught　in　her　throat。　It　all　seemed　so　perfect。　But　as　she　turned　her　gaze　to　the　five　lettered　dials　on　the　cryptex；　she　realized　a　problem　still　existed。　〃But　wait。。。　the　word　Sophia　has　six　letters。〃
Teabing's　smile　never　faded。　〃Look　at　the　poem　again。　Your　grandfather　wrote；　'An　ancient　word　of　wisdom。'　〃
〃Yes？〃
Teabing　winked。　〃In　ancient　Greek；　wisdom　is　spelled　S…O…F…I…A。〃
　
CHAPTER　78

Sophie　felt　a　wild　excitement　as　she　cradled　the　cryptex　and　began　dialing　in　the　letters。　An　ancient　word　of　wisdom　frees　this　scroll。　Langdon　and　Teabing　seemed　to　have　stopped　breathing　as　they　looked　on。
S。。。　O。。。　F。。。
〃Carefully；〃　Teabing　urged。　〃Ever　so　carefully。〃
。。。I。。。　A。
Sophie　aligned　the　final　dial。　〃Okay；〃　she　whispered；　glancing　up　at　the　others。　〃I'm　going　to　pull　it　apart。〃
〃Remember　the　vinegar；〃　Langdon　whispered　with　fearful　exhilaration。　〃Be　careful。〃
Sophie　knew　that　if　this　cryptex　were　like　those　she　had　opened　in　her　youth；　all　she　would　need　to　do　is　grip　the　cylinder　at　both　ends；　just　beyond　the　dials；　and　pull；　applying　slow；　steady　pressure　in　opposite　directions。　If　the　dials　were　properly　aligned　with　the　password；　then　one　of　the　ends　would　slide　off；　much　like　a　lens　cap；　and　she　could　reach　inside　and　remove　the　rolled　papyrus　document；　which　would　be　wrapped　around　the　vial　of　vinegar。　However；　if　the　password　they　had　entered　were　incorrect；　Sophie's　outward　force　on　the　ends　would　be　transferred　to　a　hinged　lever　inside；　which　would　pivot　downward　into　the　cavity　and　apply　pressure　to　the　glass　vial；　eventually　shattering　it　if　she　pulled　too　hard。
Pull　gently；　she　told　herself。
Teabing　and　Langdon　both　leaned　in　as　Sophie　wrapped　her　palms　around　the　ends　of　the　cylinder。　In　the　excitement　of　deciphering　the　code　word；　Sophie　had　almost　forgotten　what　they　expected　to　find　inside。　This　is　the　Priory　keystone。　According　to　Teabing；　it　contained　a　map　to　the　Holy　Grail；　unveiling　the　tomb　of　Mary　Magdalene　and　the　Sangreal　treasure。。。　the　ultimate　treasure　trove　of　secret　truth。
Now　gripping　the　stone　tube；　Sophie　double…checked　that　all　of　the　letters　were　properly　aligned　with　the　indicator。　Then；　slowly；　she　pulled。　Nothing　happened。　She　applied　a　little　more　force。　Suddenly；　the　stone　slid　apart　like　a　well…crafted　telescope。　The　heavy　end　piece　detached　in　her　hand。　Langdon　and　Teabing　almost　jumped　to　their　feet。　Sophie's　heart　rate　climbed　as　she　set　the　end　cap　on　the　table　and　tipped　the　cylinder　to　peer　inside。
A　scroll！
Peering　down　the　hollow　of　the　rolled　paper；　Sophie　could　see　it　had　been　wrapped　around　a　cylindrical　object—the　vial　of　vinegar；　she　assumed。　Strangely；　though；　the　paper　around　the　vinegar　was　not　the　customary　delicate　papyrus　but　rather；　vellum。　That's　odd；　she　thought；　vinegar　can't　dissolve　a　lambskin　vellum。　She　looked　again　down　the　hollow　of　the　scroll　and　realized　the　object　in　the　center　was　not　a　vial　of　vinegar　after　all。　It　was　something　else　entirely。
〃What's　wrong？〃　Teabing　asked。　〃Pull　out　the　scroll。〃
Frowning；　Sophie　grabbed　the　rolled　vellum　and　the　object　around　which　it　was　wrapped；　pulling　them　both　out　of　the　container。
〃That's　not　papyrus；〃　Teabing　said。　〃It's　too　heavy。〃
〃I　know。　It's　padding。〃
〃For　what？　The　vial　of　vinegar？〃
〃No。〃　Sophie　unrolled　the　scroll　and　revealed　what　was　wrapped　inside。　〃For　this。〃
When　Langdon　saw　the　object　inside　the　sheet　of　vellum；　his　heart　sank。
〃God　help　us；〃　Teabing　said；　slumping。　〃Your　grandfather　was　a　pitiless　architect。〃
Langdon　stared　in　amazement。　I　see　Saunière　has　no　intention　of　making　this　easy。
On　the　table　sat　a　second　cryptex。　Smaller。　Made　of　black　onyx。　It　had　been　nested　within　the　first。　Saunière's　passion　for　dualism。　Two　cryptexes。　Everything　in　pairs。　Double　entendres。　Male　female。　Black　nested　within　white。　Langdon　felt　the　web　of　symbolism　stretching　onward。　White　gives　birth　to　black。
Every　man　sprang　from　woman。
White—female。
Black—male。
Reaching　over；　Langdon　lifted　the　smaller　cryptex。　It　looked　identical　to　the　first；　except　half　the　size　and　black。　He　heard　the　familiar　gurgle。　Apparently；　the　vial　of　vinegar　they　had　heard　earlier　was　inside　this　smaller　cryptex。
〃Well；　Robert；〃　Teabing　said；　sliding　the　page　of　vellum　over　to　him。
〃You'll　be　pleased　to　hear　that　at　least　we're　flying　in　the　right　direction。〃
Langdon　examined　the　thick　vellum　sheet。　Written　in　ornate　penmanship　was　another　four…line　verse。　Again；　in　iambic　pentameter。　The　verse　was　cryptic；　but　Langdon　needed　to　read　only　as　far　as　the　first　line　to　realize　that　Teabing's　plan　to　e　to　Britain　was　going　to　pay　off。
IN　LONDON　LIES　A　KNIGHT　A　POPE　INTERRED。
　
The　remainder　of　the　poem　clearly　implied　that　the　password　for　opening　the　second　cryptex　could　be　found　by　visiting　this　knight's　tomb；　somewhere　in　the　city。
Langdon　turned　excitedly　to　Teabing。　〃Do　you　have　any　idea　what　knight　this　poem　is　referring　to？〃
Teabing　grinned。　〃Not　the　foggiest。　But　I　know　in　precisely　which　crypt　we　should　look。〃
　
At　that　moment；　fifteen　miles　ahead　of　them；　six　Kent　police　cars　streaked　down　rain…soaked　streets　toward　Biggin　Hill　Executive　Airport。
　
CHAPTER　79

Lieutenant　Collet　helped　himself　to　a　Perrier　from　Teabing's　refrigerator　and　strode　back　out　through　the　drawing　room。　Rather　than　acpanying　Fache　to　London　where　the　action　was；　he　was　now　baby…sitting　the　PTS　team　that　had　spread　out　through　Chateau　Villette。
So　far；　the　evidence　they　had　uncovered　was　unhelpful：　a　single　bullet　buried　in　the　floor；　a　paper　with　several　symbols　scrawled　on　it　along　with　the　words　blade　and　chalice；　and　a　bloody　spiked　belt　that　PTS　had　told　Collet　was　associated　with　the　conservative　Catholic　group　Opus　Dei；　which　had　caused　a　stir　recently　when　a　news　program　exposed　their　aggressive　recruiting　practices　in　Paris。
Collet　sighed。　Good　luck　making　sense　of　this　unlikely　mélange。
Moving　down　a　lavish　hallway；　Collet　entered　the　vast　ballroom　study；　where　the　chief　PTS　examiner　was　busy　dusting　for　fingerprints。　He　was　a　corpulent　man　in　suspenders。
〃Anything？〃　Collet　asked；　entering。
The　examiner　shook　his　head。　〃Nothing　new。　Multiple　sets　matching　those　in　the　rest　of　the　house。〃
〃How　about　the　prints　on　the　cilice　belt？〃
〃Interpol　is　still　working。　I　uploaded　everything　we　found。〃
Collet　motioned　to　two　sealed　evidence　bags　on　the　desk。　〃And　this？〃
The　man　shrugged。　〃Force　of　habit。　I　bag　anything　peculiar。〃
Collet　walked　over。　Peculiar？
〃This　Brit's　a　strange　one；〃　the　examiner　said。　〃Have　a　look　at　this。〃　He　sifted　through　the　evidence　bags　and　selected　one；　handing　it　to　Collet。
The　photo　showed　the　main　entrance　of　a　Gothic　cathedral—the　traditional；　recessed　archway；　narrowing　through　multiple；　ribbed　layers　to　a　small　doorway。
Collet　studied　the　photo　and　turned。　〃This　is　peculiar？〃
〃Turn　it　over。〃
On　the　back；　Collet　found　notations　scrawled　in　English；　describing　a　cathedral's　long　hollow　nave　as　a　secret　pagan　tribute　to　a　woman's　womb。　This　was　strange。　The　notation　describing　the　cathedral's　doorway；　however；　was　what　startled　him。　〃Hold　on！　He　thinks　a　cathedral's　entrance　represents　a　woman's。。。〃
The　examiner　nodded。　〃plete　with　receding　labial　ridges　and　a　nice　little　cinquefoil　clitoris　above　the　doorway。〃　He　sighed。　〃Kind　of　makes　you　want　to　go　back　to　church。〃
Collet　picked　up　the　second　evidence　bag。　Through　the　plastic；　he　could　see　a　large　glossy　photograph　of　what　appeared　to　be　an　old　document。　The　heading　at　the　top　read：
Les　Dossiers　Secrets—Number　4°　lm1　249
〃What's　this？〃　Collet　asked。
〃No　idea。　He's　got　copies　of　it　all　over　the　place；　so　I　bagged　it。〃
Collet　studied　the　document。
PRIEURE　DE　SIGN—LES　NAUTONIERS/GRAND　MASTERS
JEAN　DE　GISORS 1188…1220
MARIE　DE　SAINT…CLAIR 1220…1266
GUILLAUME　DE　GlSORS 1266…1307
EDOUARD　DE　BAR 1307…1336
JEANNE　DE　BAR 1336…1351
JEAN　DE　SAINT…CLAIR 1351…1366
BLANCE　D'EVREUX 1366…1398
NICOLAS　FLAMEL 1398…1418
RENE　D'ANJOU 1418…1480
IOLANDE　DE　BAR 1480…1483
SANDRO　BOTTICELLI 1483…1510
LEONARDO　DA　VINCI 1510…1519
CONNETABLE　DE　BOURBON 1519…1527
FERDINAND　DE　GONZAQUE 1527…1575
LOUIS　DE　NEVERS 1575…1595
ROBERT　FLUDD 1595…1637
J。　VALENTIN　ANDREA 1637…1654
ROBERT　BOYLE 1654…1691
ISAAC　NEWTON 1691…1727
CHARLES　RADCLYFFE 1727…1746
CHARLES　DE　LORRAINE 1746…1780
MAXIMILIAN　DE　LORRAINE 1780…1801
CHARLES　NODIER 1801…1844
VICTOR　HUGO 1844…1885
CLAUDE　DEBUSSY 1885…1918
JEAN　COCTEAU 1918…1963
　
Prieuré　de　Sion？　Collet　wondered。
〃Lieutenant？〃　Another　agent　stuck　his　head　in。　〃The　switchboard　has　an　urgent　call　for　Captain　Fache；　but　they　can't　reach　him。　Will　you　take　it？〃
Collet　returned　to　the　kitchen　and　took　the　call。
It　was　André　Vernet。
The　banker's　refined　accent　did　little　to　mask　the　tension　in　his　voice。　〃I　thought　Captain　Fache　said　he　would　call　me；　but　I　have　not　yet　heard　from　him。〃
〃The　captain　is　quite　busy；〃　Collet　replied。　〃May　I　help　you？〃
〃I　was　assured　I　would　be　kept　abreast　of　your　progress　tonight。〃
For　a　moment；　Collet　thought　he　recognized　the　timbre　of　the　man's　voice；　but　he　couldn't　quite　place　it。　〃Monsieur　Vernet；　I　am　currently　in　charge　of　the　Paris　investigation。　My　name　is　Lieutenant　Collet。〃
There　was　a　long　pause　on　the　line。　〃Lieutenant；　I　have　another　call　ing　in。　Please　excuse　me。　I　will　call　you　later。〃　He　hung　up。
For　several　seconds；　Collet　held　the　receiver。　Then　it　dawned　on　him。　I　knew　I　recognized　that　voice！　The　revelation　made　him　gasp。
The　armored　car　driver。
With　the　fake　Rolex。
Collet　now　understood