danbrown.angels&demons-第58部分

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rab。〃
　Langdon　felt　a　shiver　and　turned　toward　the　outline　of　the　church。　As　he　did；　his　eyes　glimpsed　something　in　the　church's　stained…glass　windows。　The　image　shot　dread　through　his　body。
　Unaware；　Vittoria　removed　her　cell　phone　and　pressed　the　auto　dial。　〃I'm　warning　Olivetti。〃
　Speechless；　Langdon　reached　out　and　touched　her　arm。　With　a　tremulous　hand；　he　pointed　to　the　church。　
　Vittoria　let　out　a　gasp。
　Inside　the　building；　glowing　like　evil　eyes　through　the　stained…glass　windows　。　。　。　shone　the　growing　flash　of　flames。　
　
　91

　Langdon　and　Vittoria　dashed　to　the　main　entrance　of　the　church　of　Santa　Maria　della　Vittoria　and　found　the　wooden　door　locked。　Vittoria　fired　three　shots　from　Olivetti's　semi…automatic　into　the　ancient　bolt；　and　it　shattered。
　The　church　had　no　anteroom；　so　the　entirety　of　the　sanctuary　spread　out　in　one　gasping　sweep　as　Langdon　and　Vittoria　threw　open　the　main　door。　The　scene　before　them　was　so　unexpected；　so　bizarre；　that　Langdon　had　to　close　his　eyes　and　reopen　them　before　his　mind　could　take　it　all　in。
　The　church　was　lavish　baroque　。　。　。　gilded　walls　and　altars。　Dead　center　of　the　sanctuary；　beneath　the　main　cupola；　wooden　pews　had　been　stacked　high　and　were　now　ablaze　in　some　sort　of　epic　funeral　pyre。　A　bonfire　shooting　high　into　the　dome。　As　Langdon's　eyes　followed　the　inferno　upward；　the　true　horror　of　the　scene　descended　like　a　bird　of　prey。
　High　overhead；　from　the　left　and　right　sides　of　the　ceiling；　hung　two　incensor　cables…lines　used　for　swinging　frankincense　vessels　above　the　congregation。　These　lines；　however；　carried　no　incensors　now。　Nor　were　they　swinging。　They　had　been　used　for　something　else　。　。　。　
　Suspended　from　the　cables　was　a　human　being。　A　naked　man。　Each　wrist　had　been　connected　to　an　opposing　cable；　and　he　had　been　hoisted　almost　to　the　point　of　being　torn　apart。　His　arms　were　outstretched　in　a　spread…eagle　as　if　he　were　nailed　to　some　sort　of　invisible　crucifix　hovering　within　the　house　of　God。
　Langdon　felt　paralyzed　as　he　stared　upward。　A　moment　later；　he　witnessed　the　final　abomination。　The　old　man　was　alive；　and　he　raised　his　head。　A　pair　of　terrified　eyes　gazed　down　in　a　silent　plea　for　help。　On　the　man's　chest　was　a　scorched　emblem。　He　had　been　branded。　Langdon　could　not　see　it　clearly；　but　he　had　little　doubt　what　the　marking　said。　As　the　flames　climbed　higher；　lapping　at　the　man's　feet；　the　victim　let　out　a　cry　of　pain；　his　body　trembling。
　As　if　ignited　by　some　unseen　force；　Langdon　felt　his　body　suddenly　in　motion；　dashing　down　the　main　aisle　toward　the　conflagration。　His　lungs　filled　with　smoke　as　he　closed　in。　Ten　feet　from　the　inferno；　at　a　full　sprint；　Langdon　hit　a　wall　of　heat。　The　skin　on　his　face　singed；　and　he　fell　back；　shielding　his　eyes　and　landing　hard　on　the　marble　floor。　Staggering　upright；　he　pressed　forward　again；　hands　raised　in　protection。　
　Instantly　he　knew。　The　fire　was　far　too　hot。
　Moving　back　again；　he　scanned　the　chapel　walls。　A　heavy　tapestry；　he　thought。　If　I　can　somehow　smother　the　。　。　。　But　he　knew　a　tapestry　was　not　to　be　found。　This　is　a　baroque　chapel；　Robert；　not　some　damn　German　castle！　Think！　He　forced　his　eyes　back　to　the　suspended　man。
　High　above；　smoke　and　flames　swirled　in　the　cupola。　The　incensor　cables　stretched　outward　from　the　man's　wrists；　rising　to　the　ceiling　where　they　passed　through　pulleys；　and　descended　again　to　metal　cleats　on　either　side　of　the　church。　Langdon　looked　over　at　one　of　the　cleats。　It　was　high　on　the　wall；　but　he　knew　if　he　could　get　to　it　and　loosen　one　of　the　lines；　the　tension　would　slacken　and　the　man　would　swing　wide　of　the　fire。　
　A　sudden　surge　of　flames　crackled　higher；　and　Langdon　heard　a　piercing　scream　from　above。　The　skin　on　the　man's　feet　was　starting　to　blister。　The　cardinal　was　being　roasted　alive。　Langdon　fixed　his　sights　on　the　cleat　and　ran　for　it。
　
　In　the　rear　of　the　church；　Vittoria　clutched　the　back　of　a　pew；　trying　to　gather　her　senses。　The　image　overhead　was　horrid。　She　forced　her　eyes　away。　Do　something！　She　wondered　where　Olivetti　was。　Had　he　seen　the　Hassassin？　Had　he　caught　him？　Where　were　they　now？　Vittoria　moved　forward　to　help　Langdon；　but　as　she　did；　a　sound　stopped　her。
　The　crackling　of　the　flames　was　getting　louder　by　the　instant；　but　a　second　sound　also　cut　the　air。　A　metallic　vibration。　Nearby。　The　repetitive　pulse　seemed　to　emanate　from　the　end　of　the　pews　to　her　left。　It　was　a　stark　rattle；　like　the　ringing　of　a　phone；　but　stony　and　hard。　She　clutched　the　gun　firmly　and　moved　down　the　row　of　pews。　The　sound　grew　louder。　On。　Off。　A　recurrent　vibration。
　As　she　approached　the　end　of　the　aisle；　she　sensed　the　sound　was　ing　from　the　floor　just　around　the　corner　at　the　end　of　the　pews。　As　she　moved　forward；　gun　outstretched　in　her　right　hand；　she　realized　she　was　also　holding　something　in　her　left　hand…her　cell　phone。　In　her　panic　she　had　forgotten　that　outside　she　had　used　it　to　dial　the　mander　。　。　。　setting　off　his　phone's　silent　vibration　feature　as　a　warning。　Vittoria　raised　her　phone　to　her　ear。　It　was　still　ringing。　The　mander　had　never　answered。　Suddenly；　with　rising　fear；　Vittoria　sensed　she　knew　what　was　making　the　sound。　She　stepped　forward；　trembling。
　The　entire　church　seemed　to　sink　beneath　her　feet　as　her　eyes　met　the　lifeless　form　on　the　floor。　No　stream　of　liquid　flowed　from　the　body。　No　signs　of　violence　tattooed　the　flesh。　There　was　only　the　fearful　geometry　of　the　mander's　head　。　。　。　torqued　backward；　twisted　180　degrees　in　the　wrong　direction。　Vittoria　fought　the　images　of　her　own　father's　mangled　body。
　The　phone　on　the　mander's　belt　lay　against　the　floor；　vibrating　over　and　over　against　the　cold　marble。　Vittoria　hung　up　her　own　phone；　and　the　ringing　stopped。　In　the　silence；　Vittoria　heard　a　new　sound。　A　breathing　in　the　dark　directly　behind　her。　
　She　started　to　spin；　gun　raised；　but　she　knew　she　was　too　late。　A　laser　beam　of　heat　screamed　from　the　top　of　her　skull　to　the　soles　of　her　feet　as　the　killer's　elbow　crashed　down　on　the　back　of　her　neck。　
　〃Now　you　are　mine；〃　a　voice　said。
　Then；　everything　went　black。
　
　Across　the　sanctuary；　on　the　left　lateral　wall；　Langdon　balanced　atop　a　pew　and　scraped　upward　on　the　wall　trying　to　reach　the　cleat。　The　cable　was　still　six　feet　above　his　head。　Cleats　like　these　were　mon　in　churches　and　were　placed　high　to　prevent　tampering。　Langdon　knew　priests　used　wooden　ladders　called　piuтli　to　access　the　cleats。　The　killer　had　obviously　used　the　church's　ladder　to　hoist　his　victim。　So　where　the　hell　is　the　ladder　now！　Langdon　looked　down；　searching　the　floor　around　him。　He　had　a　faint　recollection　of　seeing　a　ladder　in　here　somewhere。　But　where？　A　moment　later　his　heart　sank。　He　realized　where　he　had　seen　it。　He　turned　toward　the　raging　fire。　Sure　enough；　the　ladder　was　high　atop　the　blaze；　engulfed　in　flames。　
　Filled　now　with　desperation；　Langdon　scanned　the　entire　church　from　his　raised　platform；　looking　for　anything　at　all　that　could　help　him　reach　the　cleat。　As　his　eyes　probed　the　church；　he　had　a　sudden　realization。　
　Where　the　hell　is　Vittoria？　She　had　disappeared。　Did　she　go　for　help？　Langdon　screamed　out　her　name；　but　there　was　no　response。　And　where　is　Olivetti！　
　There　was　a　howl　of　pain　from　above；　and　Langdon　sensed　he　was　already　too　late。　As　his　eyes　went　skyward　again　and　saw　the　slowly　roasting　victim；　Langdon　had　thoughts　for　only　one　thing。　Water。　Lots　of　it。　Put　out　the　fire。　At　least　lower　the　flames。　〃I　need　water；　damn　it！〃　he　yelled　out　loud。
　〃That's　next；〃　a　voice　growled　from　the　back　of　the　church。　
　Langdon　wheeled；　almost　falling　off　the　pews。　
　Striding　up　the　side　aisle　directly　toward　him　came　a　dark　monster　of　a　man。　Even　in　the　glow　of　the　fire；　his　eyes　burned　black。　Langdon　recognized　the　gun　in　his　hand　as　the　one　from　his　own　jacket　pocket　。　。　。　the　one　Vittoria　had　been　carrying　when　they　came　in。
　The　sudden　wave　of　panic　that　rose　in　Langdon　was　a　frenzy　of　disjunct　fears。　His　initial　instinct　was　for　Vittoria。　What　had　this　animal　done　to　her？　Was　she　hurt？　Or　worse？　In　the　same　instant；　Langdon　realized　the　man　overhead　was　screaming　louder。　The　cardinal　would　die。　Helping　him　now　was　impossible。　Then；　as　the　Hassassin　leveled　the　gun　at　Langdon's　chest；　Langdon's　panic　turned　inward；　his　senses　on　overload。　He　reacted　on　instinct　as　the　shot　went　off。　Launching　off　the　bench；　Langdon　sailed　arms　first　over　the　sea　of　church　pews。
　When　he　hit　the　pews；　he　hit　harder　than　he　had　imagined；　immediately　rolling　to　the　floor。　The　marble　cushioned　his　fall　with　all　the　grace　of　cold　steel。　Footsteps　closed　to　his　right。　Langdon　turned　his　body　toward　the　front　of　the　church　and　began　scrambling　for　his　life　beneath　the　pews。
　
　High　above　the　chapel　floor；　Cardinal　Guidera　endured　his　last　torturous　moments　of　consciousness。　As　he　looked　down　the　length　of　his　naked　body；　he　saw　the　skin　on　his　legs　begin　to　blister　and　peel　away。　I　am　in　hell；　he　decided。　God；　why　hast　thou　forsaken　me？　He　knew　this　must　be　hell　because　he　was　looking　at　the　brand　on　his　chest　upside　down　。　。　。　and　yet；　as　if　by　the　devil's　magic；　the　word　made　perfect　sense。
　
　
　
　
　92

　Three　ballotings。　No　Pope。
　Inside　the　Sistine　Chapel；　Cardinal　Mortati　had　begun　praying　for　a　miracle。　Send　us　the　candidates！　The　delay　had　gone　long　enough。　A　single　missing　candidate；　Mortati　could　understand。　But　all　four？　It　left　no　options。　Under　these　conditions；　achieving　a　two…thirds　majority　would　take　an　act　of　God　Himself。
　When　the　bolts　on　the　outer　door　began　to　grind　open；　Mortati　and　the　entire　College　of　Cardinals　wheeled　in　unison　toward　the　entrance。　Mortati　knew　this　unsealing　could　mean　only　one　thing。　By　law；　the　chapel　door　could　only　be　unsealed　for　two　reasons…to　remove　the　very　ill；　or　to　admit　late　cardinals。
　The　preferiti　are　ing！　
　Mortati's　heart　soared。　Conclave　had　been　saved。
　But　when　the　door　opened；　the　gasp　that　echoed　through　the　chapel　was　not　one　of　joy。　Mortati　stared　in　incredulous　shock　as　the　man　walked　in。　For　the　first　time　in　Vatican　history；　a　camerlegno　had　just　crossed　the　sacred　threshold　of　conclave　after　sealing　the　doors。
　What　is　he　thinking！　
　The　camerlegno