danbrown.angels&demons-第37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！


　〃What？　That　Elvis　Presley　was　just　elected　Pope？〃
　〃Dial　into　the　BBC　database；　will　you？〃　Glick's　adrenaline　was　pumping　now。　〃I　want　to　see　what　other　stories　we've　run　on　these　guys。〃
　〃What　guys？〃
　〃Indulge　me。〃
　Macri　sighed　and　pulled　up　the　connection　to　the　BBC　database。　〃This'll　take　a　minute。〃
　Glick's　mind　was　swimming。　〃The　caller　was　very　intent　to　know　if　I　had　a　cameraman。〃
　〃Videographer。〃
　〃And　if　we　could　transmit　live。〃
　〃One　point　five　three　seven　megahertz。　What　is　this　about？〃　The　database　beeped。　〃Okay；　we're　in。　Who　is　it　you're　looking　for？〃
　Glick　gave　her　the　keyword。
　Macri　turned　and　stared。　〃I　sure　as　hell　hope　you're　kidding。〃
　
　52

　The　internal　organization　of　Archival　Vault　10　was　not　as　intuitive　as　Langdon　had　hoped；　and　the　Diagramma　manuscript　did　not　appear　to　be　located　with　other　similar　Galilean　publications。　Without　access　to　the　puterized　Biblion　and　a　reference　locator；　Langdon　and　Vittoria　were　stuck。
　〃You're　sure　Diagramma　is　in　here？〃　Vittoria　asked。
　〃Positive。　It's　a　confirmed　listing　in　both　the　Uficcio　della　Propaganda　delle　Fede…〃
　〃Fine。　As　long　as　you're　sure。〃　She　headed　left；　while　he　went　right。
　Langdon　began　his　manual　search。　He　needed　every　bit　of　self…restraint　not　to　stop　and　read　every　treasure　he　passed。　The　collection　was　staggering。　The　Assayer　。　。　。　The　Starry　Messenger　。　。　。　The　Sunspot　Letters　。　。　。　Letter　to　the　Grand　Duchess　Christina　。　。　。　Apologia　pro　Galileo　。　。　。　On　and　on。
　It　was　Vittoria　who　finally　struck　gold　near　the　back　of　the　vault。　Her　throaty　voice　called　out；　〃Diagramma　della　Veritа！〃　
　Langdon　dashed　through　the　crimson　haze　to　join　her。　〃Where？〃
　Vittoria　pointed；　and　Langdon　immediately　realized　why　they　had　not　found　it　earlier。　The　manuscript　was　in　a　folio　bin；　not　on　the　shelves。　Folio　bins　were　a　mon　means　of　storing　unbound　pages。　The　label　on　the　front　of　the　container　left　no　doubt　about　the　contents。
　
　DIAGRAMMA　DELLA　VERITA　
　Galileo　Galilei；　1639　
　
　Langdon　dropped　to　his　knees；　his　heart　pounding。　〃Diagramma。〃　He　gave　her　a　grin。　〃Nice　work。　Help　me　pull　out　this　bin。〃
　Vittoria　knelt　beside　him；　and　they　heaved。　The　metal　tray　on　which　the　bin　was　sitting　rolled　toward　them　on　castors；　revealing　the　top　of　the　container。
　〃No　lock？〃　Vittoria　said；　sounding　surprised　at　the　simple　latch。
　〃Never。　Documents　sometimes　need　to　be　evacuated　quickly。　Floods　and　fires。〃
　〃So　open　it。〃
　Langdon　didn't　need　any　encouragement。　With　his　academic　life's　dream　right　in　front　of　him　and　the　thinning　air　in　the　chamber；　he　was　in　no　mood　to　dawdle。　He　unsnapped　the　latch　and　lifted　the　lid。　Inside；　flat　on　the　floor　of　the　bin；　lay　a　black；　duck…cloth　pouch。　The　cloth's　breathability　was　critical　to　the　preservation　of　its　contents。　Reaching　in　with　both　hands　and　keeping　the　pouch　horizontal；　Langdon　lifted　it　out　of　the　bin。
　〃I　expected　a　treasure　chest；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃Looks　more　like　a　pillowcase。〃
　〃Follow　me；〃　he　said。　Holding　the　bag　before　him　like　a　sacred　offering；　Langdon　walked　to　the　center　of　the　vault　where　he　found　the　customary　glass…topped　archival　exam　table。　Although　the　central　location　was　intended　to　minimize　in…vault　travel　of　documents；　researchers　appreciated　the　privacy　the　surrounding　stacks　afforded。　Career…making　discoveries　were　uncovered　in　the　top　vaults　of　the　world；　and　most　academics　did　not　like　rivals　peering　through　the　glass　as　they　worked。
　Langdon　lay　the　pouch　on　the　table　and　unbuttoned　the　opening。　Vittoria　stood　by。　Rummaging　through　a　tray　of　archivist　tools；　Langdon　found　the　felt…pad　pincers　archivists　called　finger　cymbals…oversized　tweezers　with　flattened　disks　on　each　arm。　As　his　excitement　mounted；　Langdon　feared　at　any　moment　he　might　awake　back　in　Cambridge　with　a　pile　of　test　papers　to　grade。　Inhaling　deeply；　he　opened　the　bag。　Fingers　trembling　in　their　cotton　gloves；　he　reached　in　with　his　tongs。
　〃Relax；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃It's　paper；　not　plutonium。〃
　Langdon　slid　the　tongs　around　the　stack　of　documents　inside　and　was　careful　to　apply　even　pressure。　Then；　rather　than　pulling　out　the　documents；　he　held　them　in　place　while　he　slid　off　the　bag…an　archivist's　procedure　for　minimizing　torque　on　the　artifact。　Not　until　the　bag　was　removed　and　Langdon　had　turned　on　the　exam　darklight　beneath　the　table　did　he　begin　breathing　again。
　Vittoria　looked　like　a　specter　now；　lit　from　below　by　the　lamp　beneath　the　glass。　〃Small　sheets；〃　she　said；　her　voice　reverent。
　Langdon　nodded。　The　stack　of　folios　before　them　looked　like　loose　pages　from　a　small　paperback　novel。　Langdon　could　see　that　the　top　sheet　was　an　ornate　pen　and　ink　cover　sheet　with　the　title；　the　date；　and　Galileo's　name　in　his　own　hand。
　In　that　instant；　Langdon　forgot　the　cramped　quarters；　forgot　his　exhaustion；　forgot　the　horrifying　situation　that　had　brought　him　here。　He　simply　stared　in　wonder。　Close　encounters　with　history　always　left　Langdon　numbed　with　reverence　。　。　。　like　seeing　the　brushstrokes　on　the　Mona　Lisa。
　The　muted；　yellow　papyrus　left　no　doubt　in　Langdon's　mind　as　to　its　age　and　authenticity；　but　excluding　the　inevitable　fading；　the　document　was　in　superb　condition。　Slight　bleaching　of　the　pigment。　Minor　sundering　and　cohesion　of　the　papyrus。　But　all　in　all　。　。　。　in　damn　fine　condition。　He　studied　the　ornate　hand　etching　of　the　cover；　his　vision　blurring　in　the　lack　of　humidity。　Vittoria　was　silent。
　〃Hand　me　a　spatula；　please。〃　Langdon　motioned　beside　Vittoria　to　a　tray　filled　with　stainless…steel　archival　tools。　She　handed　it　to　him。　Langdon　took　the　tool　in　his　hand。　It　was　a　good　one。　He　ran　his　fingers　across　the　face　to　remove　any　static　charge　and　then；　ever　so　carefully；　slid　the　blade　beneath　the　cover。　Then；　lifting　the　spatula；　he　turned　over　the　cover　sheet。　
　The　first　page　was　written　in　longhand；　the　tiny；　stylized　calligraphy　almost　impossible　to　read。　Langdon　immediately　noticed　that　there　were　no　diagrams　or　numbers　on　the　page。　It　was　an　essay。
　〃Heliocentricity；〃　Vittoria　said；　translating　the　heading　on　folio　one。　She　scanned　the　text。　〃Looks　like　Galileo　renouncing　the　geocentric　model　once　and　for　all。　Ancient　Italian；　though；　so　no　promises　on　the　translation。〃
　〃Forget　it；〃　Langdon　said。　〃We're　looking　for　math。　The　pure　language。〃　He　used　the　spatula　tool　to　flip　the　next　page。　Another　essay。　No　math　or　diagrams。　Langdon's　hands　began　to　sweat　inside　his　gloves。
　〃Movement　of　the　Planets；〃　Vittoria　said；　translating　the　title。
　Langdon　frowned。　On　any　other　day；　he　would　have　been　fascinated　to　read　it；　incredibly　NASA's　current　model　of　planetary　orbits；　observed　through　high…powered　telescopes；　was　supposedly　almost　identical　to　Galileo's　original　predictions。　
　〃No　math；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃He's　talking　about　retrograde　motions　and　elliptical　orbits　or　something。〃
　Elliptical　orbits。　Langdon　recalled　that　much　of　Galileo's　legal　trouble　had　begun　when　he　described　planetary　motion　as　elliptical。　The　Vatican　exalted　the　perfection　of　the　circle　and　insisted　heavenly　motion　must　be　only　circular。　Galileo's　Illuminati；　however；　saw　perfection　in　the　ellipse　as　well；　revering　the　mathematical　duality　of　its　twin　foci。　The　Illuminati's　ellipse　was　prominent　even　today　in　modern　Masonic　tracing　boards　and　footing　inlays。
　〃Next；〃　Vittoria　said。
　Langdon　flipped。
　〃Lunar　phases　and　tidal　motion；〃　she　said。　〃No　numbers。　No　diagrams。〃
　Langdon　flipped　again。　Nothing。　He　kept　flipping　through　a　dozen　or　so　pages。　Nothing。　Nothing。　Nothing。　
　〃I　thought　this　guy　was　a　mathematician；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃This　is　all　text。〃
　Langdon　felt　the　air　in　his　lungs　beginning　to　thin。　His　hopes　were　thinning　too。　The　pile　was　waning。　
　〃Nothing　here；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃No　math。　A　few　dates；　a　few　standard　figures；　but　nothing　that　looks　like　it　could　be　a　clue。〃
　Langdon　flipped　over　the　last　folio　and　sighed。　It；　too；　was　an　essay。
　〃Short　book；〃　Vittoria　said；　frowning。
　Langdon　nodded。
　〃Merda；　as　we　say　in　Rome。〃
　Shit　is　right；　Langdon　thought。　His　reflection　in　the　glass　seemed　mocking；　like　the　image　staring　back　at　him　this　morning　from　his　bay　window。　An　aging　ghost。　〃There's　got　to　be　something；〃　he　said；　the　hoarse　desperation　in　his　voice　surprising　him。　〃The　segno　is　here　somewhere。　I　know　it！〃
　〃Maybe　you　were　wrong　about　DIII？〃
　Langdon　turned　and　stared　at　her。
　〃Okay；〃　she　agreed；　〃DIII　makes　perfect　sense。　But　maybe　the　clue　isn't　mathematical？〃
　〃Lingua　pura。　What　else　would　it　be？〃
　〃Art？〃
　〃Except　there　are　no　diagrams　or　pictures　in　the　book。〃
　〃All　I　know　is　that　lingua　pura　refers　to　something　other　than　Italian。　Math　just　seems　logical。〃
　〃I　agree。〃
　Langdon　refused　to　accept　defeat　so　quickly。　〃The　numbers　must　be　written　longhand。　The　math　must　be　in　words　rather　than　equations。〃　
　〃It'll　take　some　time　to　read　all　the　pages。〃
　〃Time's　something　we　don't　have。　We'll　have　to　split　the　work。〃　Langdon　flipped　the　stack　back　over　to　the　beginning。　〃I　know　enough　Italian　to　spot　numbers。〃　Using　his　spatula；　he　cut　the　stack　like　a　deck　of　cards　and　lay　the　first　half…dozen　pages　in　front　of　Vittoria。　〃It's　in　here　somewhere。　I'm　sure。〃
　Vittoria　reached　down