danbrown.angels&demons-第48部分

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　Langdon　called　out。　〃Hello？〃
　〃You　think　he's　alive？〃　
　There　was　no　response　from　below。
　〃He's　not　moving；〃　Langdon　said。　〃But　he　looks　。　。　。〃　No；　impossible。　
　〃He　looks　what？〃　Vittoria　was　peering　over　the　edge　now　too。
　Langdon　squinted　into　the　darkness。　〃He　looks　like　he's　standing　up。〃
　Vittoria　held　her　breath　and　lowered　her　face　over　the　edge　for　a　better　look。　After　a　moment；　she　pulled　back。　〃You're　right。　He's　standing　up！　Maybe　he's　alive　and　needs　help！〃　She　called　into　the　hole。　〃Hello？！　Mi　puу　sentire？〃　
　There　was　no　echo　off　the　mossy　interior。　Only　silence。
　Vittoria　headed　for　the　rickety　ladder。　〃I'm　going　down。〃
　Langdon　caught　her　arm。　〃No。　It's　dangerous。　I'll　go。〃
　This　time　Vittoria　didn't　argue。
　
　66

　Chinita　Macri　was　mad。　She　sat　in　the　passenger's　seat　of　the　BBC　van　as　it　idled　at　a　corner　on　Via　Tomacelli。　Gunther　Glick　was　checking　his　map　of　Rome；　apparently　lost。　As　she　had　feared；　his　mystery　caller　had　phoned　back；　this　time　with　information。
　〃Piazza　del　Popolo；〃　Glick　insisted。　〃That's　what　we're　looking　for。　There's　a　church　there。　And　inside　is　proof。〃
　〃Proof。〃　Chinita　stopped　polishing　the　lens　in　her　hand　and　turned　to　him。　〃Proof　that　a　cardinal　has　been　murdered？〃
　〃That's　what　he　said。〃
　〃You　believe　everything　you　hear？〃　Chinita　wished；　as　she　often　did；　that　she　was　the　one　in　charge。　Videographers；　however；　were　at　the　whim　of　the　crazy　reporters　for　whom　they　shot　footage。　If　Gunther　Glick　wanted　to　follow　a　feeble　phone　tip；　Macri　was　his　dog　on　a　leash。　
　She　looked　at　him；　sitting　there　in　the　driver's　seat；　his　jaw　set　intently。　The　man's　parents；　she　decided；　must　have　been　frustrated　edians　to　have　given　him　a　name　like　Gunther　Glick。　No　wonder　the　guy　felt　like　he　had　something　to　prove。　Nonetheless；　despite　his　unfortunate　appellative　and　annoying　eagerness　to　make　a　mark；　Glick　was　sweet　。　。　。　charming　in　a　pasty；　Briddish；　unstrung　sort　of　way。　Like　Hugh　Grant　on　lithium。
　〃Shouldn't　we　be　back　at　St。　Peter's？〃　Macri　said　as　patiently　as　possible。　〃We　can　check　this　mystery　church　out　later。　Conclave　started　an　hour　ago。　What　if　the　cardinals　e　to　a　decision　while　we're　gone？〃
　Glick　did　not　seem　to　hear。　〃I　think　we　go　to　the　right；　here。〃　He　tilted　the　map　and　studied　it　again。　〃Yes；　if　I　take　a　right　。　。　。　and　then　an　immediate　left。〃　He　began　to　pull　out　onto　the　narrow　street　before　them。
　〃Look　out！〃　Macri　yelled。　She　was　a　video　technician；　and　her　eyes　were　sharp。　Fortunately；　Glick　was　pretty　fast　too。　He　slammed　on　the　brakes　and　avoided　entering　the　intersection　just　as　a　line　of　four　Alpha　Romeos　appeared　out　of　nowhere　and　tore　by　in　a　blur。　Once　past；　the　cars　skidded；　decelerating；　and　cut　sharply　left　one　block　ahead；　taking　the　exact　route　Glick　had　intended　to　take。　
　〃Maniacs！〃　Macri　shouted。
　Glick　looked　shaken。　〃Did　you　see　that？〃
　〃Yeah；　I　saw　that！　They　almost　killed　us！〃
　〃No；　I　mean　the　cars；〃　Glick　said；　his　voice　suddenly　excited。　〃They　were　all　the　same。〃
　〃So　they　were　maniacs　with　no　imagination。〃
　〃The　cars　were　also　full。〃
　〃So　what？〃
　〃Four　identical　cars；　all　with　four　passengers？〃
　〃You　ever　heard　of　carpooling？〃
　〃In　Italy？〃　Glick　checked　the　intersection。　〃They　haven't　even　heard　of　unleaded　gas。〃　He　hit　the　accelerator　and　peeled　out　after　the　cars。　
　Macri　was　thrown　back　in　her　seat。　〃What　the　hell　are　you　doing？〃
　Glick　accelerated　down　the　street　and　hung　a　left　after　the　Alpha　Romeos。　〃Something　tells　me　you　and　I　are　not　the　only　ones　going　to　church　right　now。〃
　
　67

　The　descent　was　slow。
　Langdon　dropped　rung　by　rung　down　the　creaking　ladder　。　。　。　deeper　and　deeper　beneath　the　floor　of　the　Chigi　Chapel。　Into　the　Demon's　hole；　he　thought。　He　was　facing　the　side　wall；　his　back　to　the　chamber；　and　he　wondered　how　many　more　dark；　cramped　spaces　one　day　could　provide。　The　ladder　groaned　with　every　step；　and　the　pungent　smell　of　rotting　flesh　and　dampness　was　almost　asphyxiating。　Langdon　wondered　where　the　hell　Olivetti　was。
　Vittoria's　outline　was　still　visible　above；　holding　the　blowtorch　inside　the　hole；　lighting　Langdon's　way。　As　he　lowered　himself　deeper　into　the　darkness；　the　bluish　glow　from　above　got　fainter。　The　only　thing　that　got　stronger　was　the　stench。
　Twelve　rungs　down；　it　happened。　Langdon's　foot　hit　a　spot　that　was　slippery　with　decay；　and　he　faltered。　Lunging　forward；　he　caught　the　ladder　with　his　forearms　to　avoid　plummeting　to　the　bottom。　Cursing　the　bruises　now　throbbing　on　his　arms；　he　dragged　his　body　back　onto　the　ladder　and　began　his　descent　again。　
　Three　rungs　deeper；　he　almost　fell　again；　but　this　time　it　was　not　a　rung　that　caused　the　mishap。　It　was　a　bolt　of　fear。　He　had　descended　past　a　hollowed　niche　in　the　wall　before　him　and　suddenly　found　himself　face　to　face　with　a　collection　of　skulls。　As　he　caught　his　breath　and　looked　around　him；　he　realized　the　wall　at　this　level　was　honeybed　with　shelflike　openings…burial　niches…all　filled　with　skeletons。　In　the　phosphorescent　light；　it　made　for　an　eerie　collage　of　empty　sockets　and　decaying　rib　cages　flickering　around　him。
　Skeletons　by　firelight；　he　grimaced　wryly；　realizing　he　had　quite　coincidentally　endured　a　similar　evening　just　last　month。　An　evening　of　bones　and　flames。　The　New　York　Museum　of　Archeology's　candlelight　benefit　dinner…salmon　flambй　in　the　shadow　of　a　brontosaurus　skeleton。　He　had　attended　at　the　invitation　of　Rebecca　Strauss…one…time　fashion　model　now　art　critic　from　the　Times；　a　whirlwind　of　black　velvet；　cigarettes；　and　not…so…subtly　enhanced　breasts。　She'd　called　him　twice　since。　Langdon　had　not　returned　her　calls。　Most　ungentlemanly；　he　chided；　wondering　how　long　Rebecca　Strauss　would　last　in　a　stink…pit　like　this。
　Langdon　was　relieved　to　feel　the　final　rung　give　way　to　the　spongy　earth　at　the　bottom。　The　ground　beneath　his　shoes　felt　damp。　Assuring　himself　the　walls　were　not　going　to　close　in　on　him；　he　turned　into　the　crypt。　It　was　circular；　about　twenty　feet　across。　Breathing　through　his　sleeve　again；　Langdon　turned　his　eyes　to　the　body。　In　the　gloom；　the　image　was　hazy。　A　white；　fleshy　outline。　Facing　the　other　direction。　Motionless。　Silent。
　Advancing　through　the　murkiness　of　the　crypt；　Langdon　tried　to　make　sense　of　what　he　was　looking　at。　The　man　had　his　back　to　Langdon；　and　Langdon　could　not　see　his　face；　but　he　did　indeed　seem　to　be　standing。
　〃Hello？〃　Langdon　choked　through　his　sleeve。　Nothing。　As　he　drew　nearer；　he　realized　the　man　was　very　short。　Too　short　。　。　。　
　〃What's　happening？〃　Vittoria　called　from　above；　shifting　the　light。
　Langdon　did　not　answer。　He　was　now　close　enough　to　see　it　all。　With　a　tremor　of　repulsion；　he　understood。　The　chamber　seemed　to　contract　around　him。　Emerging　like　a　demon　from　the　earthen　floor　was　an　old　man　。　。　。　or　at　least　half　of　him。　He　was　buried　up　to　his　waist　in　the　earth。　Standing　upright　with　half　of　him　below　ground。　Stripped　naked。　His　hands　tied　behind　his　back　with　a　red　cardinal's　sash。　He　was　propped　limply　upward；　spine　arched　backward　like　some　sort　of　hideous　punching　bag。　The　man's　head　lay　backward；　eyes　toward　the　heavens　as　if　pleading　for　help　from　God　himself。
　〃Is　he　dead？〃　Vittoria　called。
　Langdon　moved　toward　the　body。　I　hope　so；　for　his　sake。　As　he　drew　to　within　a　few　feet；　he　looked　down　at　the　upturned　eyes。　They　bulged　outward；　blue　and　bloodshot。　Langdon　leaned　down　to　listen　for　breath　but　immediately　recoiled。　〃For　Christ's　sake！〃
　〃What！〃　
　Langdon　almost　gagged。　〃He's　dead　all　right。　I　just　saw　the　cause　of　death。〃　The　sight　was　gruesome。　The　man's　mouth　had　been　jammed　open　and　packed　solid　with　dirt。　〃Somebody　stuffed　a　fistful　of　dirt　down　his　throat。　He　suffocated。〃
　〃Dirt？〃　Vittoria　said。　〃As　in　。　。　。　earth？〃　
　Langdon　did　a　double　take。　Earth。　He　had　almost　forgotten。　The　brands。　Earth；　Air；　Fire；　Water。　The　killer　had　threatened　to　brand　each　victim　with　one　of　the　ancient　elements　of　science。　The　first　element　was　Earth。　From　Santi's　earthly　tomb。　Dizzy　from　the　fumes；　Langdon　circled　to　the　front　of　the　body。　As　he　did；　the　symbologist　within　him　loudly　reasserted　the　artistic　challenge　of　creating　the　mythical　ambigram。　Earth？　How？　And　yet；　an　instant　later；　it　was　before　him。　Centuries　of　Illuminati　legend　whirled　in　his　mind。　The　marking　on　the　cardinal's　chest　was　charred　and　oozing。　The　flesh　was　seared　black。　La　lingua　pura　。　。　。　
　Langdon　stared　at　the　brand　as　the　room　began　to　spin。
　
　
　
　〃Earth；〃　he　whispered；　tilting　his　head　to　see　the　symbol　upside　down。　〃Earth。〃
　Then；　in　a　wave　of　horror；　he　had　one　final　cognition。　There　are　three　more。
　
　68

　Despite　the　soft　glow　of　candlelight　in　the　Sistine　Chapel；　Cardinal　Mortati　was　on　edge。　Conclave　had　officially　begun。　And　it　had　begun　in　a　most　inauspicious　fashion。
　Half　an　hour　ago；　at　the　appointed　hour；　Camerlegno　Carlo　Ventresca　had　entered　the　chapel。　He　walked　to　the　front　altar　and　gave　opening　prayer。　Then；　he　unfolded　his　hands　and　spoke　to　them　in　a　tone　as　direct　as　anything　Mortati　had　ever　heard　from　the　altar　of　the　Sistine。　
　〃You　are　well　aware；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　〃that　our　four　preferiti　are　not　present　in　conclave　at　this　moment。