达芬奇密码 作者: 美 丹·布朗(英文版)-第48章

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terms。　Of　course；　the　Vatican；　in　keeping　with　their　tradition　of　misinformation；　tried　very　hard　to　suppress　the　release　of　these　scrolls。　And　why　wouldn't　they？　The　scrolls　highlight　glaring　historical　discrepancies　and　fabrications；　clearly　confirming　that　the　modern　Bible　was　piled　and　edited　by　men　who　possessed　a　political　agenda—to　promote　the　divinity　of　the　man　Jesus　Christ　and　use　His　influence　to　solidify　their　own　power　base。〃
〃And　yet；〃　Langdon　countered；　〃it's　important　to　remember　that　the　modern　Church's　desire　to　suppress　these　documents　es　from　a　sincere　belief　in　their　established　view　of　Christ。　The　Vatican　is　made　up　of　deeply　pious　men　who　truly　believe　these　contrary　documents　could　only　be　false　testimony。〃
Teabing　chuckled　as　he　eased　himself　into　a　chair　opposite　Sophie。　〃As　you　can　see；　our　professor　has　a　far　softer　heart　for　Rome　than　I　do。　Nonetheless；　he　is　correct　about　the　modern　clergy　believing　these　opposing　documents　are　false　testimony。　That's　understandable。　Constantine's　Bible　has　been　their　truth　for　ages。　Nobody　is　more　indoctrinated　than　the　indoctrinator。〃
〃What　he　means；〃　Langdon　said；　〃is　that　we　worship　the　gods　of　our　fathers。〃
〃What　I　mean；〃　Teabing　countered；　〃is　that　almost　everything　our　fathers　taught　us　about　Christ　is　false。　As　are　the　stories　about　the　Holy　Grail。〃
Sophie　looked　again　at　the　Da　Vinci　quote　before　her。　Blinding　ignorance　does　mislead　us。　O！　Wretched　mortals；　open　your　eyes！
Teabing　reached　for　the　book　and　flipped　toward　the　center。　〃And　finally；　before　I　show　you　Da　Vinci's　paintings　of　the　Holy　Grail；　I'd　like　you　to　take　a　quick　look　at　this。〃　He　opened　the　book　to　a　colorful　graphic　that　spanned　both　full　pages。　〃I　assume　you　recognize　this　fresco？〃
He's　kidding；　right？　Sophie　was　staring　at　the　most　famous　fresco　of　all　time—The　Last　Supper—Da　Vinci's　legendary　painting　from　the　wall　of　Santa　Maria　delle　Grazie　near　Milan。　The　decaying　fresco　portrayed　Jesus　and　His　disciples　at　the　moment　that　Jesus　announced　one　of　them　would　betray　Him。　〃I　know　the　fresco；　yes。〃
〃Then　perhaps　you　would　indulge　me　this　little　game？　Close　your　eyes　if　you　would。〃
Uncertain；　Sophie　closed　her　eyes。
〃Where　is　Jesus　sitting？〃　Teabing　asked。
〃In　the　center。〃
〃Good。　And　what　food　are　He　and　His　disciples　breaking　and　eating？〃
〃Bread。〃　Obviously。
〃Superb。　And　what　drink？〃
〃Wine。　They　drank　wine。〃
〃Great。　And　one　final　question。　How　many　wineglasses　are　on　the　table？〃
Sophie　paused；　realizing　it　was　the　trick　question。　And　after　dinner；　Jesus　took　the　cup　of　wine；　sharing　it　with　His　disciples。　〃One　cup；〃　she　said。　〃The　chalice。〃　The　Cup　of　Christ。　The　Holy　Grail。　〃Jesus　passed　a　single　chalice　of　wine；　just　as　modern　Christians　do　at　munion。〃
Teabing　sighed。　〃Open　your　eyes。〃
She　did。　Teabing　was　grinning　smugly。　Sophie　looked　down　at　the　painting；　seeing　to　her　astonishment　that　everyone　at　the　table　had　a　glass　of　wine；　including　Christ。　Thirteen　cups。　Moreover；　the　cups　were　tiny；　stemless；　and　made　of　glass。　There　was　no　chalice　in　the　painting。　No　Holy　Grail。
Teabing's　eyes　twinkled。　〃A　bit　strange；　don't　you　think；　considering　that　both　the　Bible　and　our　standard　Grail　legend　celebrate　this　moment　as　the　definitive　arrival　of　the　Holy　Grail。　Oddly；　Da　Vinci　appears　to　have　forgotten　to　paint　the　Cup　of　Christ。〃
〃Surely　art　scholars　must　have　noted　that。〃
〃You　will　be　shocked　to　learn　what　anomalies　Da　Vinci　included　here　that　most　scholars　either　do　not　see　or　simply　choose　to　ignore。　This　fresco；　in　fact；　is　the　entire　key　to　the　Holy　Grail　mystery。　Da　Vinci　lays　it　all　out　in　the　open　in　The　Last　Supper〃
Sophie　scanned　the　work　eagerly。　〃Does　this　fresco　tell　us　what　the　Grail　really　is？〃
〃Not　what　it　is；〃　Teabing　whispered。　〃But　rather　who　it　is。　The　Holy　Grail　is　not　a　thing。　It　is；　in　fact。。。　a　person〃
　
CHAPTER　56

Sophie　stared　at　Teabing　a　long　moment　and　then　turned　to　Langdon。　〃The　Holy　Grail　is　a　person？〃
Langdon　nodded。　〃A　woman；　in　fact。〃　From　the　blank　look　on　Sophie's　face；　Langdon　could　tell　they　had　already　lost　her。　He　recalled　having　a　similar　reaction　the　first　time　he　heard　the　statement。　It　was　not　until　he　understood　the　symbology　behind　the　Grail　that　the　feminine　connection　became　clear。
Teabing　apparently　had　a　similar　thought。　〃Robert；　perhaps　this　is　the　moment　for　the　symbologist　to　clarify？〃　He　went　to　a　nearby　end　table；　found　a　piece　of　paper；　and　laid　it　in　front　of　Langdon。
Langdon　pulled　a　pen　from　his　pocket。　〃Sophie；　are　you　familiar　with　the　modern　icons　for　male　and　female？〃　He　drew　the　mon　male　symbol　　and　female　symbol　　。
〃Of　course；〃　she　said。
〃These；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃are　not　the　original　symbols　for　male　and　female。　Many　people　incorrectly　assume　the　male　symbol　is　derived　from　a　shield　and　spear；　while　the　female　symbol　represents　a　mirror　reflecting　beauty。　In　fact；　the　symbols　originated　as　ancient　astronomical　symbols　for　the　planet…god　Mars　and　planet…goddess　Venus。　The　original　symbols　are　far　simpler。〃　Langdon　drew　another　icon　on　the　paper。
　
〃This　symbol　is　the　original　icon　for　male；〃　he　told　her。　〃A　rudimentary　phallus。〃
〃Quite　to　the　point；〃　Sophie　said。
〃As　it　were；〃　Teabing　added。
Langdon　went　on。　〃This　icon　is　formally　known　as　the　blade；　and　it　represents　aggression　and　manhood。　In　fact；　this　exact　phallus　symbol　is　still　used　today　on　modern　military　uniforms　to　denote　rank。〃
〃Indeed。〃　Teabing　grinned。　〃The　more　penises　you　have；　the　higher　your　rank。　Boys　will　be　boys。〃
Langdon　winced。　〃Moving　on；　the　female　symbol；　as　you　might　imagine；　is　the　exact　opposite。〃　He　drew　another　symbol　on　the　page。　〃This　is　called　the　chalice。〃
　
Sophie　glanced　up；　looking　surprised。
Langdon　could　see　she　had　made　the　connection。　〃The　chalice；〃　he　said；　〃resembles　a　cup　or　vessel；　and　more　important；　it　resembles　the　shape　of　a　woman's　womb。　This　symbol　municates　femininity；　womanhood；　and　fertility。〃　Langdon　looked　directly　at　her　now。　〃Sophie；　legend　tells　us　the　Holy　Grail　is　a　chalice—a　cup。　But　the　Grail's　description　as　a　chalice　is　actually　an　allegory　to　protect　the　true　nature　of　the　Holy　Grail。　That　is　to　say；　the　legend　uses　the　chalice　as　a　metaphor　for　something　far　more　important。〃
〃A　woman；〃　Sophie　said。
〃Exactly。〃　Langdon　smiled。　〃The　Grail　is　literally　the　ancient　symbol　for　womanhood；　and　the　Holy　Grail　represents　the　sacred　feminine　and　the　goddess；　which　of　course　has　now　been　lost；　virtually　eliminated　by　the　Church。　The　power　of　the　female　and　her　ability　to　produce　life　was　once　very　sacred；　but　it　posed　a　threat　to　the　rise　of　the　predominantly　male　Church；　and　so　the　sacred　feminine　was　demonized　and　called　unclean。　It　was　man；　not　God；　who　created　the　concept　of　'original　sin；'　whereby　Eve　tasted　of　the　apple　and　caused　the　downfall　of　the　human　race。　Woman；　once　the　sacred　giver　of　life；　was　now　the　enemy。〃
〃I　should　add；〃　Teabing　chimed；　〃that　this　concept　of　woman　as　life…bringer　was　the　foundation　of　ancient　religion。　Childbirth　was　mystical　and　powerful。　Sadly；　Christian　philosophy　decided　to　embezzle　the　female's　creative　power　by　ignoring　biological　truth　and　making　man　the　Creator。　Genesis　tells　us　that　Eve　was　created　from　Adam's　rib。　Woman　became　an　offshoot　of　man。　And　a　sinful　one　at　that。　Genesis　was　the　beginning　of　the　end　for　the　goddess。〃
〃The　Grail；〃　Langdon　said；　〃is　symbolic　of　the　lost　goddess。　When　Christianity　came　along；　the　old　pagan　religions　did　not　die　easily。　Legends　of　chivalric　quests　for　the　lost　Grail　were　in　fact　stories　of　forbidden　quests　to　find　the　lost　sacred　feminine。　Knights　who　claimed　to　be　〃searching　for　the　chalice〃　were　speaking　in　code　as　a　way　to　protect　themselves　from　a　Church　that　had　subjugated　women；　banished　the　Goddess；　burned　nonbelievers；　and　forbidden　the　pagan　reverence　for　the　sacred　feminine。〃
Sophie　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　sorry；　when　you　said　the　Holy　Grail　was　a　person；　I　thought　you　meant　it　was　an　actual　person。〃
〃It　is；〃　Langdon　said。
〃And　not　just　any　person；〃　Teabing　blurted；　clambering　excitedly　to　his　feet。　〃A　woman　who　carried　with　her　a　secret　so　powerful　that；　if　revealed；　it　threatened　to　devastate　the　very　foundation　of　Christianity！〃
Sophie　looked　overwhelmed。　〃Is　this　woman　well　known　in　history？〃
〃Quite。〃　Teabing　collected　his　crutches　and　motioned　down　the　hall。　〃And　if　we　adjourn　to　the　study；　my　friends；　it　would　be　my　honor　to　show　you　Da　Vinci's　painting　of　her。〃
　
Two　rooms　away；　in　the　kitchen；　manservant　Rémy　Legaludec　stood　in　silence　before　a　television。　The　news　station　was　broadcasting　photos　of　a　man　and　woman。。。　the　same　two　individuals　to　whom　Rémy　had　just　served　tea。
　
CHAPTER　57

Standing　at　the　roadblock　outside　the　Depository　Bank　of　Zurich；　Lieutenant　Collet　wondered　what　was　taking　Fache　so　long　to　e　up　with　the　search　warrant。　The　bankers　were　obviously　hiding　something。　They　claimed　Langdon　and　Neveu　had　arrived　earlier　and　were　turned　away　from　the　bank　because　they　did　not　have　proper　account　identification。
So　why　won't　they　let　us　inside　for　a　look？
Finally；　Collet's　cellular　phone　rang。　It　was　the　mand　post　at　the　Louvre。　〃Do　we　have　a　search　warrant　yet？〃　Collet　demanded。
〃Forget　about　the　bank；　Lieutenant；〃　the　agent　told　him。　〃We　just　got