danbrown.angels&demons-第42部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


t；　wheelbarrows；　and　even　a　rusty　backhoe。　Mammoth　columns　rose　through　the　floor；　supporting　a　vaulted　roof。　In　the　air；　silt　drifted　lazily　in　the　muted　glow　of　the　stained　glass。　Langdon　stood　with　Vittoria　beneath　a　sprawling　Pinturicchio　fresco　and　scanned　the　gutted　shrine。　
　Nothing　moved。　Dead　silence。　
　Vittoria　held　the　gun　out　in　front　of　her　with　both　hands。　Langdon　checked　his　watch：　8：04　P。M。　We're　crazy　to　be　in　here；　he　thought。　It's　too　dangerous。　Still　he　knew　if　the　killer　were　inside；　the　man　could　leave　through　any　door　he　wanted；　making　a　one…gun　outside　stakeout　totally　fruitless。　Catching　him　inside　was　the　only　way　。　。　。　that　was；　if　he　was　even　still　here。　Langdon　felt　guilt…ridden　over　the　blunder　that　had　cost　everyone　their　chance　at　the　Pantheon。　He　was　in　no　position　to　insist　on　precaution　now；　he　was　the　one　who　had　backed　them　into　this　corner。　
　Vittoria　looked　harrowed　as　she　scanned　the　church。　〃So；〃　she　whispered。　〃Where　is　this　Chigi　Chapel？〃
　Langdon　gazed　through　the　dusky　ghostliness　toward　the　back　of　the　cathedral　and　studied　the　outer　walls。　Contrary　to　mon　perception；　Renaissance　cathedrals　invariably　contained　multiple　chapels；　huge　cathedrals　like　Notre　Dame　having　dozens。　Chapels　were　less　rooms　than　they　were　hollows…semicircular　niches　holding　tombs　around　a　church's　perimeter　wall。　
　Bad　news；　Langdon　thought；　seeing　the　four　recesses　on　each　side　wall。　There　were　eight　chapels　in　all。　Although　eight　was　not　a　particularly　overwhelming　number；　all　eight　openings　were　covered　with　huge　sheets　of　clear　polyurethane　due　to　the　construction；　the　translucent　curtains　apparently　intended　to　keep　dust　off　the　tombs　inside　the　alcoves。
　〃It　could　be　any　of　those　draped　recesses；〃　Langdon　said。　〃No　way　to　know　which　is　the　Chigi　without　looking　inside　every　one。　Could　be　a　good　reason　to　wait　for　Oliv…〃　
　〃Which　is　the　secondary　left　apse？〃　she　asked。
　Langdon　studied　her；　surprised　by　her　mand　of　architectural　terminology。　〃Secondary　left　apse？〃
　Vittoria　pointed　at　the　wall　behind　him。　A　decorative　tile　was　embedded　in　the　stone。　It　was　engraved　with　the　same　symbol　they　had　seen　outside…a　pyramid　beneath　a　shining　star。　The　grime…covered　plaque　beside　it　read：
　
　COAT　OF　ARMS　OF　ALEXANDER　CHIGI　
　WHOSE　TOMB　IS　LOCATED　IN　THE　
　SECONDARY　LEFT　APSE　OF　THIS　CATHEDRAL　
　
　Langdon　nodded。　Chigi's　coat　of　arms　was　a　pyramid　and　star？　He　suddenly　found　himself　wondering　if　the　wealthy　patron　Chigi　had　been　an　Illuminatus。　He　nodded　to　Vittoria。　〃Nice　work；　Nancy　Drew。〃
　〃What？〃
　〃Never　mind。　I…〃
　A　piece　of　metal　clattered　to　the　floor　only　yards　away。　The　clang　echoed　through　the　entire　church。　Langdon　pulled　Vittoria　behind　a　pillar　as　she　whipped　the　gun　toward　the　sound　and　held　it　there。　Silence。　They　waited。　Again　there　was　sound；　this　time　a　rustling。　Langdon　held　his　breath。　I　never　should　have　let　us　e　in　here！　The　sound　moved　closer；　an　intermittent　scuffling；　like　a　man　with　a　limp。　Suddenly　around　the　base　of　the　pillar；　an　object　came　into　view。
　〃Figlio　di　puttana！〃　Vittoria　cursed　under　her　breath；　jumping　back。　Langdon　fell　back　with　her。　
　Beside　the　pillar；　dragging　a　half…eaten　sandwich　in　paper；　was　an　enormous　rat。　The　creature　paused　when　it　saw　them；　staring　a　long　moment　down　the　barrel　of　Vittoria's　weapon；　and　then；　apparently　unmoved；　continued　dragging　its　prize　off　to　the　recesses　of　the　church。
　〃Son　of　a　。　。　。〃　Langdon　gasped；　his　heart　racing。
　Vittoria　lowered　the　gun；　quickly　regaining　her　posure。　Langdon　peered　around　the　side　of　the　column　to　see　a　workman's　lunchbox　splayed　on　the　floor；　apparently　knocked　off　a　sawhorse　by　the　resourceful　rodent。
　Langdon　scanned　the　basilica　for　movement　and　whispered；　〃If　this　guy's　here；　he　sure　as　hell　heard　that。　You　sure　you　don't　want　to　wait　for　Olivetti？〃
　〃Secondary　left　apse；〃　Vittoria　repeated。　〃Where　is　it？〃
　Reluctantly　Langdon　turned　and　tried　to　get　his　bearings。　Cathedral　terminology　was　like　stage　directions…totally　counterintuitive。　He　faced　the　main　altar。　Stage　center。　Then　he　pointed　with　his　thumb　backward　over　his　shoulder。　
　They　both　turned　and　looked　where　he　was　pointing。
　It　seemed　the　Chigi　Chapel　was　located　in　the　third　of　four　recessed　alcoves　to　their　right。　The　good　news　was　that　Langdon　and　Vittoria　were　on　the　correct　side　of　the　church。　The　bad　news　was　that　they　were　at　the　wrong　end。　They　would　have　to　traverse　the　length　of　the　cathedral；　passing　three　other　chapels；　each　of　them；　like　the　Chigi　Chapel；　covered　with　translucent　plastic　shrouds。
　〃Wait；〃　Langdon　said。　〃I'll　go　first。〃
　〃Forget　it。〃
　〃I'm　the　one　who　screwed　up　at　the　Pantheon。〃
　She　turned。　〃But　I'm　the　one　with　the　gun。〃　
　In　her　eyes　Langdon　could　see　what　she　was　really　thinking　。　。　。　I'm　the　one　who　lost　my　father。　I'm　the　one　who　helped　build　a　weapon　of　mass　destruction。　This　guy's　kneecaps　are　mine。　。　。　
　Langdon　sensed　the　futility　and　let　her　go。　He　moved　beside　her；　cautiously；　down　the　east　side　of　the　basilica。　As　they　passed　the　first　shrouded　alcove；　Langdon　felt　taut；　like　a　contestant　on　some　surreal　game　show。　I'll　take　curtain　number　three；　he　thought。
　The　church　was　quiet；　the　thick　stone　walls　blocking　out　all　hints　of　the　outside　world。　As　they　hurried　past　one　chapel　after　the　other；　pale　humanoid　forms　wavered　like　ghosts　behind　the　rustling　plastic。　Carved　marble；　Langdon　told　himself；　hoping　he　was　right。　It　was　8：06　P。M。　Had　the　killer　been　punctual　and　slipped　out　before　Langdon　and　Vittoria　had　entered？　Or　was　he　still　here？　Langdon　was　unsure　which　scenario　he　preferred。
　They　passed　the　second　apse；　ominous　in　the　slowly　darkening　cathedral。　Night　seemed　to　be　falling　quickly　now；　accentuated　by　the　musty　tint　of　the　stained…glass　windows。　As　they　pressed　on；　the　plastic　curtain　beside　them　billowed　suddenly；　as　if　caught　in　a　draft。　Langdon　wondered　if　someone　somewhere　had　opened　a　door。
　Vittoria　slowed　as　the　third　niche　loomed　before　them。　She　held　the　gun　before　her；　motioning　with　her　head　to　the　stele　beside　the　apse。　Carved　in　the　granite　block　were　two　words：
　
　CAPELLA　CHIGI　
　
　Langdon　nodded。　Without　a　sound　they　moved　to　the　corner　of　the　opening；　positioning　themselves　behind　a　wide　pillar。　Vittoria　leveled　the　gun　around　a　corner　at　the　plastic。　Then　she　signaled　for　Langdon　to　pull　back　the　shroud。　
　A　good　time　to　start　praying；　he　thought。　Reluctantly；　he　reached　over　her　shoulder。　As　carefully　as　possible；　he　began　to　pull　the　plastic　aside。　It　moved　an　inch　and　then　crinkled　loudly。　They　both　froze。　Silence。　After　a　moment；　moving　in　slow　motion；　Vittoria　leaned　forward　and　peered　through　the　narrow　slit。　Langdon　looked　over　her　shoulder。
　For　a　moment；　neither　one　of　them　breathed。
　〃Empty；〃　Vittoria　finally　said；　lowering　the　gun。　〃We're　too　late。〃
　Langdon　did　not　hear。　He　was　in　awe；　transported　for　an　instant　to　another　world。　In　his　life；　he　had　never　imagined　a　chapel　that　looked　like　this。　Finished　entirely　in　chestnut　marble；　the　Chigi　Chapel　was　breathtaking。　Langdon's　trained　eye　devoured　it　in　gulps。　It　was　as　earthly　a　chapel　as　Langdon　could　fathom；　almost　as　if　Galileo　and　the　Illuminati　had　designed　it　themselves。
　Overhead；　the　domed　cupola　shone　with　a　field　of　illuminated　stars　and　the　seven　astronomical　planets。　Below　that　the　twelve　signs　of　the　zodiac…pagan；　earthly　symbols　rooted　in　astronomy。　The　zodiac　was　also　tied　directly　to　Earth；　Air；　Fire；　Water　。　。　。　the　quadrants　representing　power；　intellect；　ardor；　emotion。　Earth　is　for　power；　Langdon　recalled。
　Farther　down　the　wall；　Langdon　saw　tributes　to　the　Earth's　four　temporal　seasons…primavera；　estate；　autunno；　invйrno。　But　far　more　incredible　than　any　of　this　were　the　two　huge　structures　dominating　the　room。　Langdon　stared　at　them　in　silent　wonder。It　can't　be；　he　thought。　It　just　can't　be！　But　it　was。　On　either　side　of　the　chapel；　in　perfect　symmetry；　were　two　ten…foot…high　marble　pyramids。　
　〃I　don't　see　a　cardinal；〃　Vittoria　whispered。　〃Or　an　assassin。〃　She　pulled　aside　the　plastic　and　stepped　in。
　Langdon's　eyes　were　transfixed　on　the　pyramids。　What　are　pyramids　doing　inside　a　Christian　chapel？　And　incredibly；　there　was　more。　Dead　center　of　each　pyramid；　embedded　in　their　anterior　faзades；　were　gold　medallions　。　。　。　medallions　like　few　Langdon　had　ever　seen　。　。　。　perfect　ellipses。　The　burnished　disks　glimmered　in　the　setting　sun　as　it　sifted　through　the　cupola。　Galileo's　ellipses？　Pyramids？　A　cupola　of　stars？　The　room　had　more　Illuminati　significance　than　any　room　Langdon　could　have　fabricated　in　his　mind。
　〃Robert；〃　Vittoria　blurted；　her　voice　cracking。　〃Look！〃
　Langdon　wheeled；　reality　returning　as　his　eyes　dropped　to　where　she　was　pointing。　〃Bloody　hell！〃　he　shouted；　jumping　backward。　
　Sneering　up　at　them　from　the　floor　was　the　image　of　a　skeleton…an　intricately　detailed；　marble　mosaic　depicting　〃death　in　flight。〃　The　skeleton　was　carrying　a　tablet　portraying　the　same　pyramid　and　stars　they　had　seen　outside。　It　was　not　the　image；　however；　that　had　turned　Langdon's　blood　cold。　It　was　the　fact　that　the　mosaic　was　mounted　on　a　circular　stone…a　cupermento…that　had　been　lifted　out　of　the　floor　like　a　manhole　cover　and　was　now　sitting　off　to　one　side　of　a　dark　opening　in　the　floor。　
　〃Demon's　hole；〃　Langdon　gasped。　He　had　been　so　taken　with　the　ceiling　he　had　not　even　seen　it。　Tentatively　he　moved　toward　the　pit。　The　stench　ing　up　was　overwhelming。　
　Vittoria　put　a　hand　over　her　mouth。　〃Che　puzzo。〃　
　〃Effluvium；〃　Langdon　said。　〃Vapors　from　decaying　bone。〃　He　breathed　through　his　sleeve　as　he　leaned　out　over　the　hole；　peering　down。　Blackness。　〃I　can't　see　a　thing。〃
　〃You　think　anybody's　down　there？〃
　〃No　way　to　know。〃
　Vittoria　motioned　to　the　far　side　of　the　hole　where　a　rotting；　wooden　ladder　descended　into　the　depths。
　Langdon　shook　his　head。　〃Like　hell。〃　
　〃Maybe　there's　a　flashlight　outside　in　those　tools。〃　She　sounded　eager　for　an　excuse　to　escape　the　smell。　〃I'll　look。〃
　〃Careful！〃　Langdon　warned。　〃We　don't　know　for　sure　that　the　Hassassin…〃
　But　Vittoria　was　already　gone。
　One　strong…willed　woman；　Langdon　thought。
　As　he　turned　back　to　the　pit；　he　felt　light…headed　f