danbrown.angels&demons-第55部分

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　Now　or　never；　Robert；　a　voice　urged。　Just　like　the　leg　press　in　the　Harvard　gym。　
　With　dizzying　exertion；　he　planted　his　feet　against　the　wall　behind　him；　braced　his　arms　and　chest　against　the　stack；　and　pushed。　Nothing　happened。　
　Fighting　for　air；　he　repositioned　and　tried　again；　extending　his　legs。　Ever　so　slightly；　the　stack　moved。　He　pushed　again；　and　the　stack　rocked　forward　an　inch　or　so　and　then　back。　Langdon　took　advantage　of　the　motion；　inhaling　what　felt　like　an　oxygenless　breath　and　heaving　again。　The　shelf　rocked　farther。
　Like　a　swing　set；　he　told　himself。　Keep　the　rhythm。　A　little　more。　
　Langdon　rocked　the　shelf；　extending　his　legs　farther　with　each　push。　His　quadriceps　burned　now；　and　he　blocked　the　pain。　The　pendulum　was　in　motion。　Three　more　pushes；　he　urged　himself。　
　It　only　took　two。
　There　was　an　instant　of　weightless　uncertainty。　Then；　with　a　thundering　of　books　sliding　off　the　shelves；　Langdon　and　the　shelf　were　falling　forward。　
　Halfway　to　the　ground；　the　shelf　hit　the　stack　next　to　it。　Langdon　hung　on；　throwing　his　weight　forward；　urging　the　second　shelf　to　topple。　There　was　a　moment　of　motionless　panic；　and　then；　creaking　under　the　weight；　the　second　stack　began　to　tip。　Langdon　was　falling　again。　
　Like　enormous　dominoes；　the　stacks　began　to　topple；　one　after　another。　Metal　on　metal；　books　tumbling　everywhere。　Langdon　held　on　as　his　inclined　stack　bounced　downward　like　a　ratchet　on　a　jack。　He　wondered　how　many　stacks　there　were　in　all。　How　much　would　they　weigh？　The　glass　at　the　far　end　was　thick　。　。　。　
　Langdon's　stack　had　fallen　almost　to　the　horizontal　when　he　heard　what　he　was　waiting　for…a　different　kind　of　collision。　Far　off。　At　the　end　of　the　vault。　The　sharp　smack　of　metal　on　glass。　The　vault　around　him　shook；　and　Langdon　knew　the　final　stack；　weighted　down　by　the　others；　had　hit　the　glass　hard。　The　sound　that　followed　was　the　most　unwele　sound　Langdon　had　ever　heard。
　Silence。
　There　was　no　crashing　of　glass；　only　the　resounding　thud　as　the　wall　accepted　the　weight　of　the　stacks　now　propped　against　it。　He　lay　wide…eyed　on　the　pile　of　books。　Somewhere　in　the　distance　there　was　a　creaking。　Langdon　would　have　held　his　breath　to　listen；　but　he　had　none　left　to　hold。
　One　second。　Two　。　。　。　
　Then；　as　he　teetered　on　the　brink　of　unconsciousness；　Langdon　heard　a　distant　yielding　。　。　。　a　ripple　spidering　outward　through　the　glass。　Suddenly；　like　a　cannon；　the　glass　exploded。　The　stack　beneath　Langdon　collapsed　to　the　floor。　
　Like　wele　rain　on　a　desert；　shards　of　glass　tinkled　downward　in　the　dark。　With　a　great　sucking　hiss；　the　air　gushed　in。
　
　Thirty　seconds　later；　in　the　Vatican　Grottoes；　Vittoria　was　standing　before　a　corpse　when　the　electronic　squawk　of　a　walkie…talkie　broke　the　silence。　The　voice　blaring　out　sounded　short　of　breath。　〃This　is　Robert　Langdon！　Can　anyone　hear　me？〃
　Vittoria　looked　up。　Robert！　She　could　not　believe　how　much　she　suddenly　wished　he　were　there。　
　The　guards　exchanged　puzzled　looks。　One　took　a　radio　off　his　belt。　〃Mr。　Langdon？　You　are　on　channel　three。　The　mander　is　waiting　to　hear　from　you　on　channel　one。〃
　〃I　know　he's　on　channel　one；　damn　it！　I　don't　want　to　speak　to　him。　I　want　the　camerlegno。　Now！　Somebody　find　him　for　me。〃
　
　In　the　obscurity　of　the　Secret　Archives；　Langdon　stood　amidst　shattered　glass　and　tried　to　catch　his　breath。　He　felt　a　warm　liquid　on　his　left　hand　and　knew　he　was　bleeding。　The　camerlegno's　voice　spoke　at　once；　startling　Langdon。
　〃This　is　Camerlegno　Ventresca。　What's　going　on？〃
　Langdon　pressed　the　button；　his　heart　still　pounding。　〃I　think　somebody　just　tried　to　kill　me！〃
　There　was　a　silence　on　the　line。
　Langdon　tried　to　calm　himself。　〃I　also　know　where　the　next　killing　is　going　to　be。〃
　The　voice　that　came　back　was　not　the　camerlegno's。　It　was　mander　Olivetti's：　〃Mr。　Langdon。　Do　not　speak　another　word。〃
　
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　Langdon's　watch；　now　smeared　with　blood；　read　9：41　P。M。　as　he　ran　across　the　Courtyard　of　the　Belvedere　and　approached　the　fountain　outside　the　Swiss　Guard　security　center。　His　hand　had　stopped　bleeding　and　now　felt　worse　than　it　looked。　As　he　arrived；　it　seemed　everyone　convened　at　once…Olivetti；　Rocher；　the　camerlegno；　Vittoria；　and　a　handful　of　guards。　
　Vittoria　hurried　toward　him　immediately。　〃Robert；　you're　hurt。〃
　Before　Langdon　could　answer；　Olivetti　was　before　him。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　I'm　relieved　you're　okay。　I'm　sorry　about　the　crossed　signals　in　the　archives。〃
　〃Crossed　signals？〃　Langdon　demanded。　〃You　knew　damn　well…〃
　〃It　was　my　fault；〃　Rocher　said；　stepping　forward；　sounding　contrite。　〃I　had　no　idea　you　were　in　the　archives。　Portions　of　our　white　zones　are　cross…wired　with　that　building。　We　were　extending　our　search。　I'm　the　one　who　killed　power。　If　I　had　known　。　。　。〃
　〃Robert；〃　Vittoria　said；　taking　his　wounded　hand　in　hers　and　looking　it　over；　〃the　Pope　was　poisoned。　The　Illuminati　killed　him。〃
　Langdon　heard　the　words；　but　they　barely　registered。　He　was　saturated。　All　he　could　feel　was　the　warmth　of　Vittoria's　hands。
　The　camerlegno　pulled　a　silk　handkerchief　from　his　cassock　and　handed　it　to　Langdon　so　he　could　clean　himself。　The　man　said　nothing。　His　green　eyes　seemed　filled　with　a　new　fire。
　〃Robert；〃　Vittoria　pressed；　〃you　said　you　found　where　the　next　cardinal　is　going　to　be　killed？〃
　Langdon　felt　flighty。　〃I　do；　it's　at　the…〃
　〃No；〃　Olivetti　interrupted。　〃Mr。　Langdon；　when　I　asked　you　not　to　speak　another　word　on　the　walkie…talkie；　it　was　for　a　reason。〃　He　turned　to　the　handful　of　assembled　Swiss　Guards。　〃Excuse　us；　gentlemen。〃
　The　soldiers　disappeared　into　the　security　center。　No　indignity。　Only　pliance。
　Olivetti　turned　back　to　the　remaining　group。　〃As　much　as　it　pains　me　to　say　this；　the　murder　of　our　Pope　is　an　act　that　could　only　have　been　acplished　with　help　from　within　these　walls。　For　the　good　of　all；　we　can　trust　no　one。　Including　our　guards。〃　He　seemed　to　be　suffering　as　he　spoke　the　words。
　Rocher　looked　anxious。　〃Inside　collusion　implies…〃
　〃Yes；〃　Olivetti　said。　〃The　integrity　of　your　search　is　promised。　And　yet　it　is　a　gamble　we　must　take。　Keep　looking。〃　
　Rocher　looked　like　he　was　about　to　say　something；　thought　better　of　it；　and　left。
　The　camerlegno　inhaled　deeply。　He　had　not　said　a　word　yet；　and　Langdon　sensed　a　new　rigor　in　the　man；　as　if　a　turning　point　had　been　reached。　
　〃mander？〃　The　camerlegno's　tone　was　impermeable。　〃I　am　going　to　break　conclave。〃
　Olivetti　pursed　his　lips；　looking　dour。　〃I　advise　against　it。　We　still　have　two　hours　and　twenty　minutes。〃
　〃A　heartbeat。〃
　Olivetti's　tone　was　now　challenging　〃What　do　you　intend　to　do？　Evacuate　the　cardinals　single…handedly？〃
　〃I　intend　to　save　this　church　with　whatever　power　God　has　given　me。　How　I　proceed　is　no　longer　your　concern。〃
　Olivetti　straightened。　〃Whatever　you　intend　to　do　。　。　。〃　He　paused。　〃I　do　not　have　the　authority　to　restrain　you。　Particularly　in　light　of　my　apparent　failure　as　head　of　security。　I　ask　only　that　you　wait。　Wait　twenty　minutes　。　。　。　until　after　ten　o'clock。　If　Mr。　Langdon's　information　is　correct；　I　may　still　have　a　chance　to　catch　this　assassin。　There　is　still　a　chance　to　preserve　protocol　and　decorum。〃
　〃Decorum？〃　The　camerlegno　let　out　a　choked　laugh。　〃We　have　long　since　passed　propriety；　mander。　In　case　you　hadn't　noticed；　this　is　war。〃
　A　guard　emerged　from　the　security　center　and　called　out　to　the　camerlegno；　〃Signore；　I　just　got　word　we　have　detained　the　BBC　reporter；　Mr。　Glick。〃　
　The　camerlegno　nodded。　〃Have　both　he　and　his　camerawoman　meet　me　outside　the　Sistine　Chapel。〃
　Olivetti's　eyes　widened。　〃What　are　you　doing？〃
　〃Twenty　minutes；　mander。　That's　all　I'm　giving　you。〃　Then　he　was　gone。
　
　When　Olivetti's　Alpha　Romeo　tore　out　of　Vatican　City；　this　time　there　was　no　line　of　unmarked　cars　following　him。　In　the　back　seat；　Vittoria　bandaged　Langdon's　hand　with　a　first…aid　kit　she'd　found　in　the　glove　box。
　Olivetti　stared　straight　ahead。　〃Okay；　Mr。　Langdon。　Where　are　we　going？〃
　
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　Even　with　its　siren　now　affixed　and　blaring；　Olivetti's　Alpha　Romeo　seemed　to　go　unnoticed　as　it　rocketed　across　the　bridge　into　the　heart　of　old　Rome。　All　the　traffic　was　moving　in　the　other　direction；　toward　the　Vatican；　as　if　the　Holy　See　had　suddenly　bee　the　hottest　entertainment　in　Rome。
　Langdon　sat　in　the　backseat；　the　questions　whipping　through　his　mind。　He　wondered　about　the　killer；　if　they　would　catch　him　this　time；　if　he　would　tell　them　what　they　needed　to　know；　if　it　was　already　too　late。　How　long　before　the　camerlegno　told　the　crowd　in　St。　Peter's　Square　they　were　in　danger？　The　incident　in　the　vault　still　nagged。　A　mistake。
　Olivetti　never　touched　the　brakes　as　he　snaked　the　howling　Alpha　Romeo　toward　the　Church　of　Santa　Maria　della　Vittoria。　Langdon　knew　on　any　other　day　his　knuckles　would　have　been　white。　At　the　moment；　however；　he　felt　anesthetized。　Only　the　throbbing　in　his　hand　reminded　him　where　he　was。　
　Overhead；　the　siren　wailed。　Nothing　like　telling　him　we're　ing；　Langdon　thought。　And　yet　they　were　making　incredible　time。　He　guessed　Olivetti　would　kill　the　siren　as　they　drew　nearer。　
　Now　with　a　moment　to　sit　and　reflect；　Langdon　felt　a　tinge　of　amazement　as　the　news　of　the　Pope's　murder　finally　registered　in　his　mind。　The　thought　was　inconceivable；　and　yet　somehow　it　seemed　a　perfectly　logical　event。　Infiltration　had　always　been　the　Illuminati　powerbase…rearrangements　of　power　from　within。　And　it　was　not　as　if　Popes　had　never　been　murdered。　Countless　rumors　of　treachery　abounded；　although　with　no　autopsy；　none　was　ever　confirmed。　Until　recently。　Academics　not　long　ago　had　gotten　permission　to　X…ray　the　tomb　of　Pope　Celestine　V；　who　had　allegedly　died　at　the　hands　of　his　overeager　successor；　Boniface　VIII。　The　researchers　had　hoped　the　X…ray　might　reveal　some　small　hint　of　foul　play…a　broken　bone　perhaps。　Incredibly；　the　X…ray　had　revealed　a　ten…inch　nail　driven　into　the　Pope's　skull。
　Langdon　now　recalled　a　series　of　news　clippings　fellow　Illuminati　buffs　had　sent　him　years　ago。　At　first　he　had　thought　the　clippings　were　a　prank；　so　he'd　gone　to　the　Harvard　microfiche　collection　to　confirm　the　articles　were　authentic。　Incredibly；　they　were。　He　now　kept　them　on　his　bulleti