达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第35章

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nt；　perhaps　enciphered　in　plain　view；　or　perhaps　nowhere　at　all。　Maybe　Da　Vinci's　plethora　of　tantalizing　clues　was　nothing　but　an　empty　promise　left　behind　to　frustrate　the　curious　and　bring　a　smirk　to　the　face　of　his　knowing　Mona　Lisa。
〃Is　it　possible；〃　Sophie　asked；　drawing　Langdon　back；　〃that　the　key　you're　holding　unlocks　the　hiding　place　of　the　Holy　Grail？〃
Langdon's　laugh　sounded　forced；　even　to　him。　〃I　really　can't　imagine。　Besides；　the　Grail　is　believed　to　be　hidden　in　the　United　Kingdom　somewhere；　not　France。〃　He　gave　her　the　quick　history。
〃But　the　Grail　seems　the　only　rational　conclusion；〃　she　insisted。　〃We　have　an　extremely　secure　key；　stamped　with　the　Priory　of　Sion　seal；　delivered　to　us　by　a　member　of　the　Priory　of　Sion—a　brotherhood　which；　you　just　told　me；　are　guardians　of　the　Holy　Grail。〃
Langdon　knew　her　contention　was　logical；　and　yet　intuitively　he　could　not　possibly　accept　it。　Rumors　existed　that　the　Priory　had　vowed　someday　to　bring　the　Grail　back　to　France　to　a　final　resting　place；　but　certainly　no　historical　evidence　existed　to　suggest　that　this　indeed　had　happened。　Even　if　the　Priory　had　managed　to　bring　the　Grail　back　to　France；　the　address　24　Rue　Haxo　near　a　tennis　stadium　hardly　sounded　like　a　noble　final　resting　place。　〃Sophie；　I　really　don't　see　how　this　key　could　have　anything　to　do　with　the　Grail。〃
〃Because　the　Grail　is　supposed　to　be　in　England？〃
〃Not　only　that。　The　location　of　the　Holy　Grail　is　one　of　the　best　kept　secrets　in　history。　Priory　members　wait　decades　proving　themselves　trustworthy　before　being　elevated　to　the　highest　echelons　of　the　fraternity　and　learning　where　the　Grail　is。　That　secret　is　protected　by　an　intricate　system　of　partmentalized　knowledge；　and　although　the　Priory　brotherhood　is　very　large；　only　four　members　at　any　given　time　know　where　the　Grail　is　hidden—the　Grand　Master　and　his　three　sénéchaux。　The　probability　of　your　grandfather　being　one　of　those　four　top　people　is　very　slim。〃
My　grandfather　was　one　of　them；　Sophie　thought；　pressing　down　on　the　accelerator。　She　had　an　image　stamped　in　her　memory　that　confirmed　her　grandfather's　status　within　the　brotherhood　beyond　any　doubt。
〃And　even　if　your　grandfather　were　in　the　upper　echelon；　he　would　never　be　allowed　to　reveal　anything　to　anyone　outside　the　brotherhood。　It　is　inconceivable　that　he　would　bring　you　into　the　inner　circle。〃
I've　already　been　there；　Sophie　thought；　picturing　the　ritual　in　the　basement。　She　wondered　if　this　were　the　moment　to　tell　Langdon　what　she　had　witnessed　that　night　in　the　Normandy　chateau。　For　ten　years　now；　simple　shame　had　kept　her　from　telling　a　soul。　Just　thinking　about　it；　she　shuddered。　Sirens　howled　somewhere　in　the　distance；　and　she　felt　a　thickening　shroud　of　fatigue　settling　over　her。
〃There！〃　Langdon　said；　feeling　excited　to　see　the　huge　plex　of　the　Roland　Garros　tennis　stadium　looming　ahead。
Sophie　snaked　her　way　toward　the　stadium。　After　several　passes；　they　located　the　intersection　of　Rue　Haxo　and　turned　onto　it；　driving　in　the　direction　of　the　lower　numbers。　The　road　became　more　industrial；　lined　with　businesses。
We　need　number　twenty…four；　Langdon　told　himself；　realizing　he　was　secretly　scanning　the　horizon　for　the　spires　of　a　church。　Don't　be　ridiculous。　A　forgotten　Templar　church　in　this　neighborhood？
〃There　it　is；〃　Sophie　exclaimed；　pointing。
Langdon's　eyes　followed　to　the　structure　ahead。
What　in　the　world？
The　building　was　modern。　A　squat　citadel　with　a　giant；　neon　equal…armed　cross　emblazoned　atop　its　facade。　Beneath　the　cross　were　the　words：
DEPOSITORY　BANK　OF　ZURICH
Langdon　was　thankful　not　to　have　shared　his　Templar　church　hopes　with　Sophie。　A　career　hazard　of　symbologists　was　a　tendency　to　extract　hidden　meaning　from　situations　that　had　none。　In　this　case；　Langdon　had　entirely　forgotten　that　the　peaceful；　equal…armed　cross　had　been　adopted　as　the　perfect　symbol　for　the　flag　of　neutral　Switzerland。
At　least　the　mystery　was　solved。
Sophie　and　Langdon　were　holding　the　key　to　a　Swiss　bank　deposit　box。
　
CHAPTER　41

Outside　Castel　Gandolfo；　an　updraft　of　mountain　air　gushed　over　the　top　of　the　cliff　and　across　the　high　bluff；　sending　a　chill　through　Bishop　Aringarosa　as　he　stepped　from　the　Fiat。　I　should　have　worn　more　than　this　cassock；　he　thought；　fighting　the　reflex　to　shiver。　The　last　thing　he　needed　to　appear　tonight　was　weak　or　fearful。
The　castle　was　dark　save　the　windows　at　the　very　top　of　the　building；　which　glowed　ominously。　The　library；　Aringarosa　thought。　They　are　awake　and　waiting。　He　ducked　his　head　against　the　wind　and　continued　on　without　so　much　as　a　glance　toward　the　observatory　domes。
The　priest　who　greeted　him　at　the　door　looked　sleepy。　He　was　the　same　priest　who　had　greeted　Aringarosa　five　months　ago；　albeit　tonight　he　did　so　with　much　less　hospitality。　〃We　were　worried　about　you；　Bishop；〃　the　priest　said；　checking　his　watch　and　looking　more　perturbed　than　worried。
〃My　apologies。　Airlines　are　so　unreliable　these　days。〃
The　priest　mumbled　something　inaudible　and　then　said；　〃They　are　waiting　upstairs。　I　will　escort　you　up。〃
The　library　was　a　vast　square　room　with　dark　wood　from　floor　to　ceiling。　On　all　sides；　towering　bookcases　burgeoned　with　volumes。　The　floor　was　amber　marble　with　black　basalt　trim；　a　handsome　reminder　that　this　building　had　once　been　a　palace。
〃Wele；　Bishop；〃　a　man's　voice　said　from　across　the　room。
Aringarosa　tried　to　see　who　had　spoken；　but　the　lights　were　ridiculously　low—much　lower　than　they　had　been　on　his　first　visit；　when　everything　was　ablaze。　The　night　of　stark　awakening。　Tonight；　these　men　sat　in　the　shadows；　as　if　they　were　somehow　ashamed　of　what　was　about　to　transpire。
Aringarosa　entered　slowly；　regally　even。　He　could　see　the　shapes　of　three　men　at　a　long　table　on　the　far　side　of　the　room。　The　silhouette　of　the　man　in　the　middle　was　immediately　recognizable—the　obese　Secretariat　Vaticana；　overlord　of　all　legal　matters　within　Vatican　City。　The　other　two　were　high…ranking　Italian　cardinals。
Aringarosa　crossed　the　library　toward　them。　〃My　humble　apologies　for　the　hour。　We're　on　different　time　zones。　You　must　be　tired。〃
〃Not　at　all；〃　the　secretariat　said；　his　hands　folded　on　his　enormous　belly。　〃We　are　grateful　you　have　e　so　far。　The　least　we　can　do　is　be　awake　to　meet　you。　Can　we　offer　you　some　coffee　or　refreshments？〃
〃I'd　prefer　we　don't　pretend　this　is　a　social　visit。　I　have　another　plane　to　catch。　Shall　we　get　to　business？〃
〃Of　course；〃　the　secretariat　said。　〃You　have　acted　more　quickly　than　we　imagined。〃
〃Have　I？〃
〃You　still　have　a　month。〃
〃You　made　your　concerns　known　five　months　ago；〃　Aringarosa　said。　〃Why　should　I　wait？〃
〃Indeed。　We　are　very　pleased　with　your　expediency。〃
Aringarosa's　eyes　traveled　the　length　of　the　long　table　to　a　large　black　briefcase。　〃Is　that　what　I　requested？〃
〃It　is。〃　The　secretariat　sounded　uneasy。　〃Although；　I　must　admit；　we　are　concerned　with　the　request。　It　seems　quite。。。〃
〃Dangerous；〃　one　of　the　cardinals　finished。　〃Are　you　certain　we　cannot　wire　it　to　you　somewhere？　The　sum　is　exorbitant。〃
Freedom　is　expensive。　〃I　have　no　concerns　for　my　own　safety。　God　is　with　me。〃
The　men　actually　looked　doubtful。
〃The　funds　are　exactly　as　I　requested？〃
The　secretariat　nodded。　〃Large…denomination　bearer　bonds　drawn　on　the　Vatican　Bank。　Negotiable　as　cash　anywhere　in　the　world。〃
Aringarosa　walked　to　the　end　of　the　table　and　opened　the　briefcase。　Inside　were　two　thick　stacks　of　bonds；　each　embossed　with　the　Vatican　seal　and　the　title　PORTATORE；　making　the　bonds　redeemable　to　whoever　was　holding　them。
The　secretariat　looked　tense。　〃I　must　say；　Bishop；　all　of　us　would　feel　less　apprehensive　if　these　funds　were　in　cash。〃
I　could　not　lift　that　much　cash；　Aringarosa　thought；　closing　the　case。　〃Bonds　are　negotiable　as　cash。　You　said　so　yourself。〃
The　cardinals　exchanged　uneasy　looks；　and　finally　one　said；　〃Yes；　but　these　bonds　are　traceable　directly　to　the　Vatican　Bank。〃
Aringarosa　smiled　inwardly。　That　was　precisely　the　reason　the　Teacher　suggested　Aringarosa　get　the　money　in　Vatican　Bank　bonds。　It　served　as　insurance。　We　are　all　in　this　together　now。　〃This　is　a　perfectly　legal　transaction；〃　Aringarosa　defended。　〃Opus　Dei　is　a　personal　prelature　of　Vatican　City；　and　His　Holiness　can　disperse　monies　however　he　sees　fit。　No　law　has　been　broken　here。〃
〃True；　and　yet。。。〃　The　secretariat　leaned　forward　and　his　chair　creaked　under　the　burden。　〃We　have　no　knowledge　of　what　you　intend　to　do　with　these　funds；　and　if　it　is　in　any　way　illegal。。。〃
〃Considering　what　you　are　asking　of　me；〃　Aringarosa　countered；　〃what　I　do　with　this　money　is　not　your　concern。〃
There　was　a　long　silence。
They　know　I'm　right；　Aringarosa　thought。　〃Now；　I　imagine　you　have　something　for　me　to　sign？〃
They　all　jumped；　eagerly　pushing　the　paper　toward　him；　as　if　they　wished　he　would　simply　leave。
Aringarosa　eyed　the　sheet　before　him。　It　bore　the　papal　seal。　〃This　is　identical　to　the　copy　you　sent　me？〃
〃Exactly。〃
Aringarosa　was　surprised　how　little　emotion　he　felt　as　he　signed　the　document。　The　three　men　present；　however；　seemed　to　sigh　in　relief。
〃Thank　you；　Bishop；〃　the　secretariat　said。　〃Your　service　to　the　Church　will　never　be　forgotten。〃
Aringarosa　picked　up　the　briefcase；　sensing　promise