danbrown.angels&demons-第84部分

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pt　inspiration…the　church　was　about　to　be　destroyed。　Surely　the　camerlegno　had　gone　mad。　
　Or　had　he？　
　For　a　fleeting　instant；　Chartrand's　soul　fluttered。　Holy　visions　and　divine　messages　had　always　seemed　like　wishful　delusions　to　him…the　product　of　overzealous　minds　hearing　what　they　wanted　to　hear…God　did　not　interact　directly！　
　A　moment　later；　though；　as　if　the　Holy　Spirit　Himself　had　descended　to　persuade　Chartrand　of　His　power；　Chartrand　had　a　vision。　
　Fifty　yards　ahead；　in　the　center　of　the　church；　a　ghost　appeared　。　。　。　a　diaphanous；　glowing　outline。　The　pale　shape　was　that　of　the　half…naked　camerlegno。　The　specter　seemed　transparent；　radiating　light。　Chartrand　staggered　to　a　stop；　feeling　a　knot　tighten　in　his　chest。　The　camerlegno　is　glowing！　The　body　seemed　to　shine　brighter　now。　Then；　it　began　to　sink　。　。　。　deeper　and　deeper；　until　it　disappeared　as　if　by　magic　into　the　blackness　of　the　floor。
　
　Langdon　had　seen　the　phantom　also。　For　a　moment；　he　too　thought　he　had　witnessed　a　magical　vision。　But　as　he　passed　the　stunned　Chartrand　and　ran　toward　the　spot　where　the　camerlegno　had　disappeared；　he　realized　what　had　just　happened。　The　camerlegno　had　arrived　at　the　Niche　of　the　Palliums…the　sunken　chamber　lit　by　ninety…nine　oil　lamps。　The　lamps　in　the　niche　shone　up　from　beneath；　illuminating　him　like　a　ghost。　Then；　as　the　camerlegno　descended　the　stairs　into　the　light；　he　had　seemed　to　disappear　beneath　the　floor。
　Langdon　arrived　breathless　at　the　rim　overlooking　the　sunken　room。　He　peered　down　the　stairs。　At　the　bottom；　lit　by　the　golden　glow　of　oil　lamps；　the　camerlegno　dashed　across　the　marble　chamber　toward　the　set　of　glass　doors　that　led　to　the　room　holding　the　famous　golden　box。
　What　is　he　doing？　Langdon　wondered。　Certainly　he　can't　think　the　golden　box…
　The　camerlegno　yanked　open　the　doors　and　ran　inside。　Oddly　though；　he　totally　ignored　the　golden　box；　rushing　right　past　it。　Five　feet　beyond　the　box；　he　dropped　to　his　knees　and　began　struggling　to　lift　an　iron　grate　embedded　in　the　floor。
　Langdon　watched　in　horror；　now　realizing　where　the　camerlegno　was　headed。　Good　God；　no！　He　dashed　down　the　stairs　after　him。　〃Father！　Don't！〃
　As　Langdon　opened　the　glass　doors　and　ran　toward　the　camerlegno；　he　saw　the　camerlegno　heave　on　the　grate。　The　hinged；　iron　bulkhead　fell　open　with　a　deafening　crash；　revealing　a　narrow　shaft　and　a　steep　stairway　that　dropped　into　nothingness。　As　the　camerlegno　moved　toward　the　hole；　Langdon　grabbed　his　bare　shoulders　and　pulled　him　back。　The　man's　skin　was　slippery　with　sweat；　but　Langdon　held　on。
　The　camerlegno　wheeled；　obviously　startled。　〃What　are　you　doing！〃　
　Langdon　was　surprised　when　their　eyes　met。　The　camerlegno　no　longer　had　the　glazed　look　of　a　man　in　a　trance。　His　eyes　were　keen；　glistening　with　a　lucid　determination。　The　brand　on　his　chest　looked　excruciating。
　〃Father；〃　Langdon　urged；　as　calmly　as　possible；　〃you　can't　go　down　there。　We　need　to　evacuate。〃　
　〃My　son；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　his　voice　eerily　sane。　〃I　have　just　had　a　message。　I　know…〃
　〃Camerlegno！〃　It　was　Chartrand　and　the　others。　They　came　dashing　down　the　stairs　into　the　room；　lit　by　Macri's　camera。　
　When　Chartrand　saw　the　open　grate　in　the　floor；　his　eyes　filled　with　dread。　He　crossed　himself　and　shot　Langdon　a　thankful　look　for　having　stopped　the　camerlegno。　Langdon　understood；　had　read　enough　about　Vatican　architecture　to　know　what　lay　beneath　that　grate。　It　was　the　most　sacred　place　in　all　of　Christendom。　Terra　Santa。　Holy　Ground。　Some　called　it　the　Necropolis。　Some　called　it　the　Catabs。　According　to　accounts　from　the　select　few　clergy　who　had　descended　over　the　years；　the　Necropolis　was　a　dark　maze　of　subterranean　crypts　that　could　swallow　a　visitor　whole　if　he　lost　his　way。　It　was　not　the　kind　of　place　through　which　they　wanted　to　be　chasing　the　camerlegno。　
　〃Signore；〃　Chartrand　pleaded。　〃You're　in　shock。　We　need　to　leave　this　place。　You　cannot　go　down　there。　It's　suicide。〃
　The　camerlegno　seemed　suddenly　stoic。　He　reached　out　and　put　a　quiet　hand　on　Chartrand's　shoulder。　〃Thank　you　for　your　concern　and　service。　I　cannot　tell　you　how。　I　cannot　tell　you　I　understand。　But　I　have　had　a　revelation。　I　know　where　the　antimatter　is。〃
　Everyone　stared。
　The　camerlegno　turned　to　the　group。　〃Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church。　That　was　the　message。　The　meaning　is　clear。〃
　Langdon　was　still　unable　to　prehend　the　camerlegno's　conviction　that　he　had　spoken　to　God；　much　less　that　he　had　deciphered　the　message。　Upon　this　rock　I　will　build　my　church？　They　were　the　words　spoken　by　Jesus　when　he　chose　Peter　as　his　first　apostle。　What　did　they　have　to　do　with　anything？
　Macri　moved　in　for　a　closer　shot。　Glick　was　mute；　as　if　shell…shocked。　
　The　camerlegno　spoke　quickly　now。　〃The　Illuminati　have　placed　their　tool　of　destruction　on　the　very　cornerstone　of　this　church。　At　the　foundation。〃　He　motioned　down　the　stairs。　〃On　the　very　rock　upon　which　this　church　was　built。　And　I　know　where　that　rock　is。〃
　Langdon　was　certain　the　time　had　e　to　overpower　the　camerlegno　and　carry　him　off。　As　lucid　as　he　seemed；　the　priest　was　talking　nonsense。　A　rock？　The　cornerstone　in　the　foundation？　The　stairway　before　them　didn't　lead　to　the　foundation；　it　led　to　the　necropolis！　〃The　quote　is　a　metaphor；　Father！　There　is　no　actual　rock！〃　
　The　camerlegno　looked　strangely　sad。　〃There　is　a　rock；　my　son。〃　He　pointed　into　the　hole。　〃Pietro　и　la　pietra。〃　
　Langdon　froze。　In　an　instant　it　all　came　clear。
　The　austere　simplicity　of　it　gave　him　chills。　As　Langdon　stood　there　with　the　others；　staring　down　the　long　staircase；　he　realized　that　there　was　indeed　a　rock　buried　in　the　darkness　beneath　this　church。　
　Pietro　и　la　pietra。　Peter　is　the　rock。　
　Peter's　faith　in　God　was　so　steadfast　that　Jesus　called　Peter　〃the　rock〃…the　unwavering　disciple　on　whose　shoulders　Jesus　would　build　his　church。　On　this　very　location；　Langdon　realized…Vatican　Hill…Peter　had　been　crucified　and　buried。　The　early　Christians　built　a　small　shrine　over　his　tomb。　As　Christianity　spread；　the　shrine　got　bigger；　layer　upon　layer；　culminating　in　this　colossal　basilica。　The　entire　Catholic　faith　had　been　built；　quite　literally；　upon　St。　Peter。　The　rock。
　〃The　antimatter　is　on　St。　Peter's　tomb；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　his　voice　crystalline。　
　Despite　the　seemingly　supernatural　origin　of　the　information；　Langdon　sensed　a　stark　logic　in　it。　Placing　the　antimatter　on　St。　Peter's　tomb　seemed　painfully　obvious　now。　The　Illuminati；　in　an　act　of　symbolic　defiance；　had　located　the　antimatter　at　the　core　of　Christendom；　both　literally　and　figuratively。　The　ultimate　infiltration。　
　〃And　if　you　all　need　worldly　proof；〃　the　camerlegno　said；　sounding　impatient　now；　〃I　just　found　that　grate　unlocked。〃　He　pointed　to　the　open　bulkhead　in　the　floor。　〃It　is　never　unlocked。　Someone　has　been　down　there　。　。　。　recently。〃　
　Everyone　stared　into　the　hole。
　An　instant　later；　with　deceptive　agility；　the　camerlegno　spun；　grabbed　an　oil　lamp；　and　headed　for　the　opening。
　
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　The　stone　steps　declined　steeply　into　the　earth。　
　I'm　going　to　die　down　here；　Vittoria　thought；　gripping　the　heavy　rope　banister　as　she　bounded　down　the　cramped　passageway　behind　the　others。　Although　Langdon　had　made　a　move　to　stop　the　camerlegno　from　entering　the　shaft；　Chartrand　had　intervened；　grabbing　Langdon　and　holding　on。　Apparently；　the　young　guard　was　now　convinced　the　camerlegno　knew　what　he　was　doing。　
　After　a　brief　scuffle；　Langdon　had　freed　himself　and　pursued　the　camerlegno　with　Chartrand　close　on　his　heels。　Instinctively；　Vittoria　had　dashed　after　them。
　Now　she　was　racing　headlong　down　a　precipitous　grade　where　any　misplaced　step　could　mean　a　deadly　fall。　Far　below；　she　could　see　the　golden　glow　of　the　camerlegno's　oil　lamp。　Behind　her；　Vittoria　could　hear　the　BBC　reporters　hurrying　to　keep　up。　The　camera　spotlight　threw　gnarled　shadows　beyond　her　down　the　shaft；　illuminating　Chartrand　and　Langdon。　Vittoria　could　scarcely　believe　the　world　was　bearing　witness　to　this　insanity。　Turn　off　the　damn　camera！　Then　again；　she　knew　the　light　was　the　only　reason　any　of　them　could　see　where　they　were　going。
　As　the　bizarre　chase　continued；　Vittoria's　thoughts　whipped　like　a　tempest。　What　could　the　camerlegno　possibly　do　down　here？　Even　if　he　found　the　antimatter？　There　was　no　time！
　Vittoria　was　surprised　to　find　her　intuition　now　telling　her　the　camerlegno　was　probably　right。　Placing　the　antimatter　three　stories　beneath　the　earth　seemed　an　almost　noble　and　merciful　choice。　Deep　underground…much　as　in　Z…lab…an　antimatter　annihilation　would　be　partially　contained。　There　would　be　no　heat　blast；　no　flying　shrapnel　to　injure　onlookers；　just　a　biblical　opening　of　the　earth　and　a　towering　basilica　crumbling　into　a　crater。　
　Was　this　Kohler's　one　act　of　decency？　Sparing　lives？　Vittoria　still　could　not　fathom　the　director's　involvement。　She　could　accept　his　hatred　of　religion　。　。　。　but　this　awesome　conspiracy　seemed　beyond　him。　Was　Kohler's　loathing　really　this　profound？　Destruction　of　the　Vatican？　Hiring　an　assassin？　The　murders　of　her　father；　the　Pope；　and　four　cardinals？　It　seemed　unthinkable。　And　how　had　Kohler　managed　all　this　treachery　withi