danbrown.angels&demons-第86部分

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d。　She　sensed　this　was　a　sign　from　God。　The　priest　could　see　the　happiness　in　her　eyes　and　agreed。　A　year　later　she　had　a　child　through　the　miracle　of　artificial　insemination　。　。　。　
　〃This　cannot　。　。　。　be　true；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　panicked；　hoping　it　was　the　morphine　washing　over　his　senses。　Certainly　he　was　hearing　things。
　Mortati　now　had　tears　in　his　eyes。　〃Carlo；　this　is　why　His　Holiness　has　always　had　an　affection　for　the　sciences。　He　felt　he　owed　a　debt　to　science。　Science　let　him　experience　the　joys　of　fatherhood　without　breaking　his　vow　of　celibacy。　His　Holiness　told　me　he　had　no　regrets　except　one…that　his　advancing　stature　in　the　church　prohibited　him　from　being　with　the　woman　he　loved　and　seeing　his　infant　grow　up。〃　
　Camerlegno　Carlo　Ventresca　felt　the　madness　setting　in　again。　He　wanted　to　claw　at　his　flesh。　How　could　I　have　known？　
　〃The　Pope　mitted　no　sin；　Carlo。　He　was　chaste。〃
　〃But　。　。　。〃　The　camerlegno　searched　his　anguished　mind　for　any　kind　of　rationale。　〃Think　of　the　jeopardy　。　。　。　of　his　deeds。〃　His　voice　felt　weak。　〃What　if　this　whore　of　his　came　forward？　Or；　heaven　forbid；　his　child？　Imagine　the　shame　the　church　would　endure。〃
　Mortati's　voice　was　tremulous。　〃The　child　has　already　e　forward。〃　
　Everything　stopped。
　〃Carlo　。　。　。　？〃　Mortati　crumbled。　〃His　Holiness's　child　。　。　。　is　you。〃　
　At　that　moment；　the　camerlegno　could　feel　the　fire　of　faith　dim　in　his　heart。　He　stood　trembling　on　the　altar；　framed　by　Michelangelo's　towering　Last　Judgment。　He　knew　he　had　just　glimpsed　hell　itself。　He　opened　his　mouth　to　speak；　but　his　lips　wavered；　soundless。
　〃Don't　you　see？〃　Mortati　choked。　〃That　is　why　His　Holiness　came　to　you　in　the　hospital　in　Palermo　when　you　were　a　boy。　That　is　why　he　took　you　in　and　raised　you。　The　nun　he　loved　was　Maria　。　。　。　your　mother。　She　left　the　nunnery　to　raise　you；　but　she　never　abandoned　her　strict　devotion　to　God。　When　the　Pope　heard　she　had　died　in　an　explosion　and　that　you；　his　son；　had　miraculously　survived　。　。　。　he　swore　to　God　he　would　never　leave　you　alone　again。　Carlo；　your　parents　were　both　virgins。　They　kept　their　vows　to　God。　And　still　they　found　a　way　to　bring　you　into　the　world。　You　were　their　miraculous　child。〃
　The　camerlegno　covered　his　ears；　trying　to　block　out　the　words。　He　stood　paralyzed　on　the　altar。　Then；　with　his　world　yanked　from　beneath　him；　he　fell　violently　to　his　knees　and　let　out　a　wail　of　anguish。　
　
　Seconds。　Minutes。　Hours。　
　Time　seemed　to　have　lost　all　meaning　inside　the　four　walls　of　the　chapel。　Vittoria　felt　herself　slowly　breaking　free　of　the　paralysis　that　seemed　to　have　gripped　them　all。　She　let　go　of　Langdon's　hand　and　began　moving　through　the　crowd　of　cardinals。　The　chapel　door　seemed　miles　away；　and　she　felt　like　she　was　moving　underwater　。　。　。　slow　motion。
　As　she　maneuvered　through　the　robes；　her　motion　seemed　to　pull　others　from　their　trance。　Some　of　the　cardinals　began　to　pray。　Others　wept。　Some　turned　to　watch　her　go；　their　blank　expressions　turning　slowly　to　a　foreboding　cognition　as　she　moved　toward　the　door。　She　had　almost　reached　the　back　of　the　crowd　when　a　hand　caught　her　arm。　The　touch　was　frail　but　resolute。　She　turned；　face　to　face　with　a　wizened　cardinal。　His　visage　was　clouded　by　fear。
　〃No；〃　the　man　whispered。　〃You　cannot。〃
　Vittoria　stared；　incredulous。
　Another　cardinal　was　at　her　side　now。　〃We　must　think　before　we　act。〃　
　And　another。　〃The　pain　this　could　cause　。　。　。〃
　Vittoria　was　surrounded。　She　looked　at　them　all；　stunned。　〃But　these　deeds　here　today；　tonight　。　。　。　certainly　the　world　should　know　the　truth。〃
　〃My　heart　agrees；〃　the　wizened　cardinal　said；　still　holding　her　arm；　〃and　yet　it　is　a　path　from　which　there　is　no　return。　We　must　consider　the　shattered　hopes。　The　cynicism。　How　could　the　people　ever　trust　again？〃　
　Suddenly；　more　cardinals　seemed　to　be　blocking　her　way。　There　was　a　wall　of　black　robes　before　her。　〃Listen　to　the　people　in　the　square；〃　one　said。　〃What　will　this　do　to　their　hearts？　We　must　exercise　prudence。〃
　〃We　need　time　to　think　and　pray；〃　another　said。　〃We　must　act　with　foresight。　The　repercussions　of　this　。　。　。〃
　〃He　killed　my　father！〃　Vittoria　said。　〃He　killed　his　own　father！〃
　〃I'm　certain　he　will　pay　for　his　sins；〃　the　cardinal　holding　her　arm　said　sadly。
　Vittoria　was　certain　too；　and　she　intended　to　ensure　he　paid。　She　tried　to　push　toward　the　door　again；　but　the　cardinals　huddled　closer；　their　faces　frightened。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　she　exclaimed。　〃Kill　me？〃　
　The　old　men　blanched；　and　Vittoria　immediately　regretted　her　words。　She　could　see　these　men　were　gentle　souls。　They　had　seen　enough　violence　tonight。　They　meant　no　threat。　They　were　simply　trapped。　Scared。　Trying　to　get　their　bearings。
　〃I　want　。　。　。〃　the　wizened　cardinal　said；　〃。　。　。　to　do　what　is　right。〃
　〃Then　you　will　let　her　out；〃　a　deep　voice　declared　behind　her。　The　words　were　calm　but　absolute。　Robert　Langdon　arrived　at　her　side；　and　she　felt　his　hand　take　hers。　〃Ms。　Vetra　and　I　are　leaving　this　chapel。　Right　now。〃
　Faltering；　hesitant；　the　cardinals　began　to　step　aside。
　〃Wait！〃　It　was　Mortati。　He　moved　toward　them　now；　down　the　center　aisle；　leaving　the　camerlegno　alone　and　defeated　on　the　altar。　Mortati　looked　older　all　of　a　sudden；　wearied　beyond　his　years。　His　motion　was　burdened　with　shame。　He　arrived；　putting　a　hand　on　Langdon's　shoulder　and　one　on　Vittoria's　as　well。　Vittoria　felt　sincerity　in　his　touch。　The　man's　eyes　were　more　tearful　now。
　〃Of　course　you　are　free　to　go；〃　Mortati　said。　〃Of　course。〃　The　man　paused；　his　grief　almost　tangible。　〃I　ask　only　this　。　。　。〃　He　stared　down　at　his　feet　a　long　moment　then　back　up　at　Vittoria　and　Langdon。　〃Let　me　do　it。　I　will　go　into　the　square　right　now　and　find　a　way。　I　will　tell　them。　I　don't　know　how　。　。　。　but　I　will　find　a　way。　The　church's　confession　should　e　from　within。　Our　failures　should　be　our　own　to　expose。〃
　Mortati　turned　sadly　back　toward　the　altar。　〃Carlo；　you　have　brought　this　church　to　a　disastrous　juncture。〃　He　paused；　looking　around。　The　altar　was　bare。　
　There　was　a　rustle　of　cloth　down　the　side　aisle；　and　the　door　clicked　shut。
　The　camerlegno　was　gone。
　
　134　

　Camerlegno　Ventresca's　white　robe　billowed　as　he　moved　down　the　hallway　away　from　the　Sistine　Chapel。　The　Swiss　Guards　had　seemed　perplexed　when　he　emerged　all　alone　from　the　chapel　and　told　them　he　needed　a　moment　of　solitude。　But　they　had　obeyed；　letting　him　go。　
　Now　as　he　rounded　the　corner　and　left　their　sight；　the　camerlegno　felt　a　maelstrom　of　emotions　like　nothing　he　thought　possible　in　human　experience。　He　had　poisoned　the　man　he　called　〃Holy　Father；〃　the　man　who　addressed　him　as　〃my　son。〃　The　camerlegno　had　always　believed　the　words　〃father〃　and　〃son〃　were　religious　tradition；　but　now　he　knew　the　diabolical　truth…the　words　had　been　literal。　
　Like　that　fateful　night　weeks　ago；　the　camerlegno　now　felt　himself　reeling　madly　through　the　darkness。　
　
　It　was　raining　the　morning　the　Vatican　staff　banged　on　the　camerlegno's　door；　awakening　him　from　a　fitful　sleep。　The　Pope；　they　said；　was　not　answering　his　door　or　his　phone。　The　clergy　were　frightened。　The　camerlegno　was　the　only　one　who　could　enter　the　Pope's　chambers　unannounced。　
　The　camerlegno　entered　alone　to　find　the　Pope；　as　he　was　the　night　before；　twisted　and　dead　in　his　bed。　His　Holiness's　face　looked　like　that　of　Satan。　His　tongue　black　like　death。　The　Devil　himself　had　been　sleeping　in　the　Pope's　bed。　
　The　camerlegno　felt　no　remorse。　God　had　spoken。　
　Nobody　would　see　the　treachery　。　。　。　not　yet。　That　would　e　later。　
　He　announced　the　terrible　news…His　Holiness　was　dead　of　a　stroke。　Then　the　camerlegno　prepared　for　conclave。
　
　Mother　Maria's　voice　was　whispering　in　his　ear。　〃Never　break　a　promise　to　God。〃
　〃I　hear　you；　Mother；〃　he　replied。　〃It　is　a　faithless　world。　They　need　to　be　brought　back　to　the　path　of　righteousness。　Horror　and　Hope。　It　is　the　only　way。〃
　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　〃If　not　you　。　。　。　then　who？　Who　will　lead　the　church　out　of　darkness？〃
　Certainly　not　one　of　the　preferiti。　They　were　old　。　。　。　walking　death　。　。　。　liberals　who　would　follow　the　Pope；　endorsing　science　in　his　memory；　seeking　modern　followers　by　abandoning　the　ancient　ways。　Old　men　desperately　behind　the　times；　pathetically　pretending　they　were　not。　They　would　fail；　of　course。　The　church's　strength　was　its　tradition；　not　its　transience。　The　whole　world　was　transitory。　The　church　did　not　need　to　change；　it　simply　needed　to　remind　the　world　it　was　relevant！　Evil　lives！　God　will　overe！　
　The　church　needed　a　leader。　Old　men　do　not　inspire！　Jesus　inspired！　Young；　vibrant；　powerful　。　。　。　MIRACULOUS。　
　
　〃Enjoy　your　tea；〃　the　camerlegno　told　the　four　preferiti；　leaving　them　in　the　Pope's　private　library　before　conclave。　〃Your　guide　will　be　here　soon。〃
　The　preferiti　thanked　him；　all　abuzz　that　they　had　been　offered　a　chance　to　enter　the　famed　Passetto。　Most　unmon！　The　camerlegno；　before　leaving　them；　had　unlocked　the　door　to　the　Passetto；　and　exactly　on　schedule；　the　door　had　opened；　and　a　foreign…looking　priest　with　a　torch　had　ushered　the　excited　preferiti　in。　
　The　men　had　never　e　out。
　They　will　be　the　Horror。　I　will　be　the　Hope。
　
　No　。　。　。　I　am　the　horror。　
　
　The　camerlegno　staggered　now　through　the　darkness　of　St。　Peter's　Basilica。　Somehow；　through　the　insanity　and　guilt；　through　the　images　of　his　father；　through　the　pain　and　revelation；　even　through　the　pull　of　the　morphine　。　。　。　he　had　found　a　brilliant　clarity。　A　sense　of　destiny。　I　know　my　purpose；　he　thought；　awed　by　the　lucidity　of　it。　
　From　the　beginning；　nothing　tonight　had　gone　exactly　as　he　had　planned。　Unforeseen　obstacles　had　presented　themselves；　but　the　camerlegno　had　adapted；　making　bold　adjustments。　Still；　he　had　never　imagined　tonight　would　end　this　way；　and　yet　now　he　saw　the　preordained　majesty　of　it。　
　It　could　end　no　other　way。　
　Oh；　what　terror　he　had　felt　in　the　Sistine　Chapel；　wondering　if　God　had　forsaken　him！　Oh；　what　deeds　He　had　ordained！　He　had　fallen　to　his　knees；　awash　with　doubt；　his　ears　straining　for　the　voice　of　God　but　hearing　only　silence。　He　had　begged　for　a　sign。　Guidance。　Direction。　Was　this　God's　will？　The　church　destroyed　by　scandal　and　a