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看一篇设定正常的文好难。
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| Chapter 105 | Night had fallen over Rosslyn.
Robert Langdon stood alone on the porch of the fieldstone house enjoying the sounds of laughterand reunion drifting through the screened door behind him. The mug of potent Brazilian coffee inhis hand had granted him a hazy reprieve from his mounting exhaustion, and yet he sensed thereprieve would be fleeting. The fatigue in his body went to the core.
"You slipped out quietly," a voice behind him said.
He turned. Sophie's grandmother emerged, her silver hair shimmering in the night. Her name, forthe last twenty-eight years at least, was Marie Chauvel.
Langdon gave a tired smile. "I thought I'd give your family some time together." Through thewindow, he could see Sophie talking with her brother.
Marie came over and stood beside him. "Mr. Langdon, when I first heard of Jacques's murder, Iwas terrified for Sophie's safety. Seeing her standing in my doorway tonight was the greatest reliefof my life. I cannot thank you enough."Langdon had no idea how to respond. Although he had offered to give Sophie and her grandmothertime to talk in private, Marie had asked him to stay and listen. My husband obviously trusted you,Mr. Langdon, so I do as well.
And so Langdon had remained, standing beside Sophie and listening in mute astonishment whileMarie told the story of Sophie's late parents. Incredibly, both had been from Merovingianfamilies—direct descendants of Mary Magdalene and Jesus Christ. Sophie's parents and ancestors,for protection, had changed their family names of Plantard and Saint-Clair. Their childrenrepresented the most direct surviving royal bloodline and therefore were carefully guarded by thePriory. When Sophie's parents were killed in a car accident whose cause could not be determined,the Priory feared the identity of the royal line had been discovered.
"Your grandfather and I," Marie had explained in a voice choked with pain, "had to make a gravedecision the instant we received the phone call. Your parents' car had just been found in the river."She dabbed at the tears in her eyes. "All six of us—including you two grandchildren—weresupposed to be traveling together in that car that very night. Fortunately we changed our plans atthe last moment, and your parents were alone. Hearing of the accident, Jacques and I had no way toknow what had really happened... or if this was truly an accident." Marie looked at Sophie. "Weknew we had to protect our grandchildren, and we did what we thought was best. Jacques reportedto the police that your brother and I had been in the car... our two bodies apparently washed off inthe current. Then your brother and I went underground with the Priory. Jacques, being a man ofprominence, did not have the luxury of disappearing. It only made sense that Sophie, being theeldest, would stay in Paris to be taught and raised by Jacques, close to the heart and protection ofthe Priory." Her voice fell to a whisper. "Separating the family was the hardest thing we ever had todo. Jacques and I saw each other only very infrequently, and always in the most secret of settings...
under the protection of the Priory. There are certain ceremonies to which the brotherhood alwaysstays faithful."Langdon had sensed the story went far deeper, but he also sensed it was not for him to hear. So hehad stepped outside. Now, gazing up at the spires of Rosslyn, Langdon could not escape the hollowgnaw of Rosslyn's unsolved mystery. Is the Grail really here at Rosslyn? And if so, where are theblade and chalice that Saunière mentioned in his poem?
"I'll take that," Marie said, motioning to Langdon's hand.
"Oh, thank you." Langdon held out his empty coffee cup.
She stared at him. "I was referring to your other hand, Mr. Langdon."Langdon looked down and realized he was holding Saunière's papyrus. He had taken it from thecryptex once again in hopes of seeing something he had missed earlier. "Of course, I'm sorry."Marie looked amused as she took the paper. "I know of a man at a bank in Paris who is probablyvery eager to see the return of this rosewood box. André Vernet was a dear friend of Jacques, andJacques trusted him explicitly. André would have done anything to honor Jacques's requests for thecare of this box."Including shooting me, Langdon recalled, deciding not to mention that he had probably broken thepoor man's nose. Thinking of Paris, Langdon flashed on the three sénéchaux who had been killedthe night before. "And the Priory? What happens now?""The wheels are already in motion, Mr. Langdon. The brotherhood has endured for centuries, and itwill endure this. There are always those waiting to move up and rebuild."All evening Langdon had suspected that Sophie's grandmother was closely tied to the operations ofthe Priory. After all, the Priory had always had women members. Four Grand Masters had beenwomen. The sénéchaux were traditionally men—the guardians—and yet women held far morehonored status within the Priory and could ascend to the highest post from virtually any rank.
Langdon thought of Leigh Teabing and Westminster Abbey. It seemed a lifetime ago. "Was theChurch pressuring your husband not to release the Sangreal documents at the End of Days?""Heavens no. The End of Days is a legend of paranoid minds. There is nothing in the Priorydoctrine that identifies a date at which the Grail should be unveiled. In fact the Priory has alwaysmaintained that the Grail should never be unveiled.""Never?" Langdon was stunned.
"It is the mystery and wonderment that serve our souls, not the Grail itself. The beauty of the Graillies in her ethereal nature." Marie Chauvel gazed up at Rosslyn now. "For some, the Grail is achalice that will bring them everlasting life. For others, it is the quest for lost documents and secrethistory. And for most, I suspect the Holy Grail is simply a grand idea... a glorious unattainabletreasure that somehow, even in today's world of chaos, inspires us.""But if the Sangreal documents remain hidden, the story of Mary Magdalene will be lost forever,"Langdon said.
"Will it? Look around you. Her story is being told in art, music, and books. More so every day. Thependulum is swinging. We are starting to sense the dangers of our history... and of our destructivepaths. We are beginning to sense the need to restore the sacred feminine." She paused. "Youmentioned you are writing a manuscript about the symbols of the sacred feminine, are you not?""I am."She smiled. "Finish it, Mr. Langdon. Sing her song. The world needs modern troubadours."Langdon fell silent, feeling the weight of her message upon him. Across the open spaces, a newmoon was rising above the tree line.
Turning his eyes toward Rosslyn, Langdon felt a boyish craving to know her secrets. Don't ask, hetold himself. This is not the moment. He glanced at the papyrus in Marie's hand, and then back atRosslyn.
"Ask the question, Mr. Langdon," Marie said, looking amused. "You have earned the right."Langdon felt himself flush.
"You want to know if the Grail is here at Rosslyn.""Can you tell me?"She sighed in mock exasperation. "Why is it that men simply cannot let the Grail rest?" Shelaughed, obviously enjoying herself. "Why do you think it's here?"Langdon motioned to the papyrus in her hand. "Your husband's poem speaks specifically ofRosslyn, except it also mentions a blade and chalice watching over the Grail. I didn't see anysymbols of the blade and chalice up there.""The blade and chalice?" Marie asked. "What exactly do they look like?"Langdon sensed she was toying with him, but he played along, quickly describing the symbols.
A look of vague recollection crossed her face. "Ah, yes, of course. The blade represents all that ismasculine. I believe it is drawn like this, no?" Using her index finger, she traced a shape on herpalm.
triangle"Yes," Langdon said. Marie had drawn the less common "closed" form of the blade, althoughLangdon had seen the symbol portrayed both ways.
"And the inverse," she said, drawing again on her palm, "is the chalice, which represents thefeminine."reverse triangle"Correct," Langdon said.
"And you are saying that in all the hundreds of symbols we have here in Rosslyn Chapel, these twoshapes appear nowhere?""I didn't see them.""And if I show them to you, will you get some sleep?"Before Langdon could answer, Marie Chauvel had stepped off the porch and was heading towardthe chapel. Langdon hurried after her. Entering the ancient building, Marie turned on the lights andpointed to the center of the sanctuary floor. "There you are, Mr. Langdon. The blade and chalice."Langdon stared at the scuffed stone floor. It was blank. "There's nothing here...."Marie sighed and began to walk along the famous path worn into the chapel floor, the same pathLangdon had seen the visitors walking earlier this evening. As his eyes adjusted to see the giantsymbol, he still felt lost. "But that's the Star of Dav—"Langdon stopped short, mute with amazement as it dawned on him.
Star of DavidThe blade and chalice.
Fused as one.
The Star of David... the perfect union of male and female... Solomon's Seal... marking the Holy ofHolies, where the male and female deities—Yahweh and Shekinah—were thought to dwell.
Langdon needed a minute to find his words. "The verse does point here to Rosslyn. Completely.
Perfectly."Marie smiled. "Apparently."The implications chilled him. "So the Holy Grail is in the vault beneath us?"She laughed. "Only in spirit. One of the Priory's most ancient charges was one day to return theGrail to her homeland of France where she could rest for eternity. For centuries, she was draggedacross the countryside to keep her safe. Most undignified. Jacques's charge when he became GrandMaster was to restore her honor by returning her to France and building her a resting place fit for aqueen.""And he succeeded?"Now her face grew serious. "Mr. Langdon, considering what you've done for me tonight, and ascurator of the Rosslyn Trust, I can tell you for certain that the Grail is no longer here."Langdon decided to press. "But the keystone is supposed to point to the place where the Holy Grailis hidden now. Why does it point to Rosslyn?""Maybe you're misreading its meaning. Remember, the Grail can be deceptive. As could my latehusband.""But how much clearer could he be?" he asked. "We are standing over an underground vaultmarked by the blade and chalice, underneath a ceiling of stars, surrounded by the art of MasterMasons. Everything speaks of Rosslyn.""Very well, let me see this mysterious verse." She unrolled the papyrus and read the poem aloud ina deliberate tone.
The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates.
Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies.
She rests at last beneath the starry skies.
When she finished, she was still for several seconds, until a knowing smile crossed her lips. "Aah,Jacques."Langdon watched her expectantly. "You understand this?""As you have witnessed on the chapel floor, Mr. Langdon, there are many ways to see simplethings."Langdon strained to understand. Everything about Jacques Saunière seemed to have doublemeanings, and yet Langdon could see no further.
Marie gave a tired yawn. "Mr. Langdon, I will make a confession to you. I have never officiallybeen privy to the present location of the Grail. But, of course, I was married to a person ofenormous influence... and my women's intuition is strong." Langdon started to speak but Mariecontinued. "I am sorry that after all your hard work, you will be leaving Rosslyn without any realanswers. And yet, something tells me you will eventually find what you seek. One day it will dawnon you." She smiled. "And when it does, I trust that you, of all people, can keep a secret."There was a sound of someone arriving in the doorway. "Both of you disappeared," Sophie said,entering.
"I was just leaving," her grandmother replied, walking over to Sophie at the door. "Good night,princess." She kissed Sophie's forehead. "Don't keep Mr. Langdon out too late."Langdon and Sophie watched her grandmother walk back toward the fieldstone house. WhenSophie turned to him, her eyes were awash in deep emotion. "Not exactly the ending I expected."That makes two of us, he thought. Langdon could see she was overwhelmed. The news she hadreceived tonight had changed everything in her life. "Are you okay? It's a lot to take in."She smiled quietly. "I have a family. That's where I'm going to start. Who we are and where wecame from will take some time."Langdon remained silent.
"Beyond tonight, will you stay with us?" Sophie asked. "At least for a few days?"Langdon sighed, wanting nothing more. "You need some time here with your family, Sophie. I'mgoing back to Paris in the morning."She looked disappointed but seemed to know it was the right thing to do. Neither of them spoke fora long time. Finally Sophie reached over and, taking his hand, led him out of the chapel. Theywalked to a small rise on the bluff. From here, the Scottish countryside spread out before them,suffused in a pale moonlight that sifted through the departing clouds. They stood in silence,holding hands, both of them fighting the descending shroud of exhaustion.
The stars were just now appearing, but to the east, a single point of light glowed brighter than anyother. Langdon smiled when he saw it. It was Venus. The ancient Goddess shining down with hersteady and patient light.
The night was growing cooler, a crisp breeze rolling up from the lowlands. After a while, Langdonlooked over at Sophie. Her eyes were closed, her lips relaxed in a contented smile. Langdon couldfeel his own eyes growing heavy. Reluctantly, he squeezed her hand. "Sophie?"Slowly, she opened her eyes and turned to him. Her face was beautiful in the moonlight. She gavehim a sleepy smile. "Hi."Langdon felt an unexpected sadness to realize he would be returning to Paris without her. "I maybe gone before you wake up." He paused, a knot growing in his throat. "I'm sorry, I'm not verygood at—"Sophie reached out and placed her soft hand on the side of his face. Then, leaning forward, shekissed him tenderly on the cheek. "When can I see you again?"Langdon reeled momentarily, lost in her eyes. "When?" He paused, curious if she had any ideahow much he had been wondering the same thing. "Well, actually, next month I'm lecturing at aconference in Florence. I'll be there a week without much to do.""Is that an invitation?""We'd be living in luxury. They're giving me a room at the Brunelleschi."Sophie smiled playfully. "You presume a lot, Mr. Langdon."He cringed at how it had sounded. "What I meant—""I would love nothing more than to meet you in Florence, Robert. But on one condition." Her toneturned serious. "No museums, no churches, no tombs, no art, no relics.""In Florence? For a week? There's nothing else to do."Sophie leaned forward and kissed him again, now on the lips. Their bodies came together, softly atfirst, and then completely. When she pulled away, her eyes were full of promise.
"Right," Langdon managed. "It's a date."EpilogueRobert Langdon awoke with a start. He had been dreaming. The bathrobe beside his bed bore themonogram HOTEL RITZ PARIS. He saw a dim light filtering through the blinds. Is it dusk ordawn? he wondered.
Langdon's body felt warm and deeply contented. He had slept the better part of the last two days.
Sitting up slowly in bed, he now realized what had awoken him... the strangest thought. For dayshe had been trying to sort through a barrage of information, but now Langdon found himself fixedon something he'd not considered before.
Could it be?
He remained motionless a long moment.
Getting out of bed, he walked to the marble shower. Stepping inside, he let the powerful jetsmessage his shoulders. Still, the thought enthralled him.
Impossible.
Twenty minutes later, Langdon stepped out of the Hotel Ritz into Place Vend.me. Night wasfalling. The days of sleep had left him disoriented... and yet his mind felt oddly lucid. He hadpromised himself he would stop in the hotel lobby for a cafe au lait to clear his thoughts, butinstead his legs carried him directly out the front door into the gathering Paris night.
Walking east on Rue des Petits Champs, Langdon felt a growing excitement. He turned south ontoRue Richelieu, where the air grew sweet with the scent of blossoming jasmine from the statelygardens of the Palais Royal.
He continued south until he saw what he was looking for—the famous royal arcade—a glisteningexpanse of polished black marble. Moving onto it, Langdon scanned the surface beneath his feet.
Within seconds, he found what he knew was there—several bronze medallions embedded in theground in a perfectly straight line. Each disk was five inches in diameter and embossed with theletters N and S.
Nord. Sud.
He turned due south, letting his eye trace the extended line formed by the medallions. He beganmoving again, following the trail, watching the pavement as he walked. As he cut across the cornerof the Comédie-Fran.aise, another bronze medallion passed beneath his feet. Yes!
The streets of Paris, Langdon had learned years ago, were adorned with 135 of these bronzemarkers, embedded in sidewalks, courtyards, and streets, on a north-south axis across the city. Hehad once followed the line from Sacré-Coeur, north across the Seine, and finally to the ancientParis Observatory. There he discovered the significance of the sacred path it traced.
The earth's original prime meridian.
The first zero longitude of the world.
Paris's ancient Rose Line.
Now, as Langdon hurried across Rue de Rivoli, he could feel his destination within reach. Lessthan a block away.
The Holy Grail 'neath ancient Roslin waits.
The revelations were coming now in waves. Saunière's ancient spelling of Roslin... the blade andchalice... the tomb adorned with masters' art.
Is that why Saunière needed to talk with me? Had I unknowingly guessed the truth?
He broke into a jog, feeling the Rose Line beneath his feet, guiding him, pulling him toward hisdestination. As he entered the long tunnel of Passage Richelieu, the hairs on his neck began tobristle with anticipation. He knew that at the end of this tunnel stood the most mysterious ofParisian monuments—conceived and commissioned in the 1980s by the Sphinx himself, Fran.oisMitterrand, a man rumored to move in secret circles, a man whose final legacy to Paris was a placeLangdon had visited only days before.
Another lifetime.
With a final surge of energy, Langdon burst from the passageway into the familiar courtyard andcame to a stop. Breathless, he raised his eyes, slowly, disbelieving, to the glistening structure infront of him.
The Louvre Pyramid.
Gleaming in the darkness.
He admired it only a moment. He was more interested in what lay to his right. Turning, he felt hisfeet again tracing the invisible path of the ancient Rose Line, carrying him across the courtyard tothe Carrousel du Louvre—the enormous circle of grass surrounded by a perimeter of neatlytrimmed hedges—once the site of Paris's primeval nature-worshipping festivals... joyous rites tocelebrate fertility and the Goddess.
Langdon felt as if he were crossing into another world as he stepped over the bushes to the grassyarea within. This hallowed ground was now marked by one of the city's most unusual monuments.
There in the center, plunging into the earth like a crystal chasm, gaped the giant inverted pyramidof glass that he had seen a few nights ago when he entered the Louvre's subterranean entresol.
La Pyramide Inversée.
Tremulous, Langdon walked to the edge and peered down into the Louvre's sprawling undergroundcomplex, aglow with amber light. His eye was trained not just on the massive inverted pyramid,but on what lay directly beneath it. There, on the floor of the chamber below, stood the tiniest ofstructures... a structure Langdon had mentioned in his manuscript.
Langdon felt himself awaken fully now to the thrill of unthinkable possibility. Raising his eyesagain to the Louvre, he sensed the huge wings of the museum enveloping him... hallways thatburgeoned with the world's finest art.
Da Vinci... Botticelli...
Adorned in masters' loving art, She lies.
Alive with wonder, he stared once again downward through the glass at the tiny structure below.
I must go down there!
Stepping out of the circle, he hurried across the courtyard back toward the towering pyramidentrance of the Louvre. The day's last visitors were trickling out of the museum.
Pushing through the revolving door, Langdon descended the curved staircase into the pyramid. Hecould feel the air grow cooler. When he reached the bottom, he entered the long tunnel thatstretched beneath the Louvre's courtyard, back toward La Pyramide Inversée.
At the end of the tunnel, he emerged into a large chamber. Directly before him, hanging down fromabove, gleamed the inverted pyramid—a breathtaking V-shaped contour of glass.
The Chalice.
Langdon's eyes traced its narrowing form downward to its tip, suspended only six feet above thefloor. There, directly beneath it, stood the tiny structure.
A miniature pyramid. Only three feet tall. The only structure in this colossal complex that had beenbuilt on a small scale.
Langdon's manuscript, while discussing the Louvre's elaborate collection of goddess art, had madepassing note of this modest pyramid. "The miniature structure itself protrudes up through the flooras though it were the tip of an iceberg—the apex, of an enormous, pyramidical vault, submergedbelow like a hidden chamber."Illuminated in the soft lights of the deserted entresol, the two pyramids pointed at one another, theirbodies perfectly aligned, their tips almost touching.
The Chalice above. The Blade below.
The blade and chalice guarding o'er Her gates.
Langdon heard Marie Chauvel's words. One day it will dawn on you.
He was standing beneath the ancient Rose Line, surrounded by the work of masters. What betterplace for Saunière to keep watch? Now at last, he sensed he understood the true meaning of theGrand Master's verse. Raising his eyes to heaven, he gazed upward through the glass to a glorious,star-filled night.
She rests at last beneath the starry skies.
Like the murmurs of spirits in the darkness, forgotten words echoed. The quest for the Holy Grailis the quest to kneel before the bones of Mary Magdalene. A journey to pray at the feet of theoutcast one.
With a sudden upwelling of reverence, Robert Langdon fell to his knees.
For a moment, he thought he heard a woman's voice... the wisdom of the ages... whispering upfrom the chasms of the earth.
深夜已经降临了罗斯林教堂。
罗伯特。兰登独自站在大卵石房子外面的走廊上，愉快地聆听着纱门后面传来的久别重逢的笑声。他手中托着一杯浓烈的巴西产的咖啡，这使他暂时消除了逐渐袭来的倦意，然而他觉得咖啡很快就会失去功效，因为疲惫已经深入到他的骨髓里。
"你怎么悄悄溜出来了？"突然背后有人在跟他说话。
他转身去看。原来是索菲的奶奶，她那银色的头发，在夜色里闪烁着微弱的白光。她原名玛丽。肖维尔，在过去的岁月里，至少有二十八年是这样。
兰登慵懒地给她一个微笑："我只想让你们单独聚一聚罢了。"他透过窗户，看到索菲在跟她的弟弟说话。
玛丽走过来，站在他的身旁。"兰登先生，我一听说索尼埃被谋杀，就特别担心索菲的安全。然而今天晚上，当我看到她站在家门口，真是再放心不过了。真的谢谢你。"兰登一时不知道该如何作答。尽管他本想让索菲和她奶奶多一点时间私下里谈谈，然而玛丽却让他留下来。"兰登先生，我丈夫显然信得过你，我也一样啊。"
兰登就这样留了下来，他站在索菲的身边。不发一言，却惊讶万分地倾听玛丽讲述索菲已故父母的故事。令人不可思议的是。他俩都来自墨洛温家族--即抹大拉的玛利亚与耶稣基督的嫡亲后裔。索菲的父母与他们的祖辈，出于安全的考虑，将他们家族的姓普兰塔得和圣。卡莱尔给改了。他们的子女是皇家血统至今仍然健在的最嫡亲的家属，因此得到了郇山隐修会的严密保护。当索菲的父母死于无法确定是什么原因造成的车祸时，郇山隐修会开始担心他们皇家血统的身份是不是被发现了。
"我和你祖父，"玛丽解释说，她痛苦到几乎要哽咽的地步："一接到电话，就不得不做出重要决定。我们是在河里找到你父母的车的。"她抹去眼中的泪水，继续说："我们六人--包括你们孙子孙女两个--原打算一块坐车出去旅行。不过，幸运的是，我们在最后时刻改变了计划，结果就你们父母两人去了。雅克和我听说出了车祸，根本不知道究竟发生了什么事情……也不知道究竟是不是真的车祸。"玛丽注视着索菲说："但我们知道，我们必须保护好孙子孙女，于是采取了自认为最可靠的办法。你祖父打电话报了警，说你弟弟和我都在车上……我们两人的尸体显然是被湍急的水流冲走了。然后我和你弟弟与郇山隐修会一道隐蔽起来。雅克是很有名望的人，所以就难得有隐姓埋名的幸运了。不过，最主要的原因还是索菲你作为家里的老大，要留在巴黎接受教育，由雅克抚养长大，这样就更靠近郇山隐修会，以便能得到他们的保护。"她转而低声地说："将一家人分开是我们做出的最艰难的选择。雅克和我很少会面，即使见面，也是在最隐蔽的场合……在郇山隐修会的保护下。这个组织的规章制度，其成员总是能严格遵守的。"兰登感到她叙述的故事越来越切入主题了，但他同时觉得，这不是讲给他听的，于是他来到了外面。此刻，他凝视着罗斯林教堂的尖塔，它身上藏着的不解之谜尚未解开，这样的事实折磨着他。圣杯果真在罗斯林教堂里吗？如果答案是肯定的，那索尼埃在诗中提到的剑刃与圣杯又在哪里呢？
"让我来拿吧。"玛丽朝兰登的手打了个手势。
"哦，谢谢。"兰登把空咖啡杯递了过去。
玛丽盯着他："兰登先生，我是指你另一只手拿着的东西呢。"
兰登低下头，这才意识到手里正拿着索尼埃留下的莎草纸。他又把它取出来，希望能找出一些以前忽略的东西。"对不起，这当然要给你。"
玛丽接过莎草纸，似乎被逗乐了。"我在巴黎时认识一个人，他可能急于想找回这个紫檀木盒子呢。安德烈。韦尔内是雅克的好朋友，雅克显然信任他。为了不负雅克的托付，保管好这个盒子，安德烈愿意做任何事情。"甚至也愿意朝我开熗。兰登回想往事，他决定还是不提他可能砸坏了那可怜家伙鼻子一事。一想起巴黎，他的脑海中就闪现出前天晚上被杀死的三名护卫长的身影。"郇山隐修会呢？现在怎么啦？"
"兰登先生，历史的巨轮已经启动了。这个组织已经忍耐了数百年，它会经受住这个考验，总会有人挺身而出，来进行重建工作。"兰登整个晚上都在怀疑，索菲的奶奶是否和郇山隐修会的运转有着千丝万缕的联系。
不管怎么说，这个组织历来都有女性的加入。在它历任的领导者当中，就有四位是女性。
护卫长传统上由男性充任--即担任保卫工作--而女人则占据了更高的地位，并可能担任最高的职务。
兰登想到了雷。提彬以及威斯敏斯特教堂。这似乎已是上辈子的事情了。"莫非是天主教会胁迫你的丈夫，叫他不要在"世界末日"来临时将《圣杯文献》泄露出去？"
"我的上帝，当然不是。所谓"世界末日"，不过是一些偏执狂臆想出来的东西罢了。在郇山隐修会的文献里，根本没有确定将圣杯公之于众的明确日期。实际上，郇山隐修会从不赞同将圣杯予以公开。""从不？"兰登目瞪口呆。
"为我们灵魂服务的不在于圣杯本身，而是它身上藏着的谜，以及令人惊叹的东西。圣杯美就美在它虚无飘渺的本质。"玛丽。肖维尔这时抬起头，凝望着罗斯林教堂，继续说道："对某些人来说，圣杯将使他们永生；而对其他人来说，它是寻找记载了一段鲜为人知的历史但却已经散失的文献的旅程。但对大多数人而言，我怀疑圣杯只是寄托了一种伟大的思想……是遥不可及的绚丽瑰宝，即使在今天这个喧嚣的世界里，它也能给我们带来某些有益的启迪。""不过，如果继续让《圣杯文献》秘而不宣的话，那么，抹大拉的玛利亚的历史不就永远消失在历史的尘埃中了吗？"兰登说。
"是吗？还是看看你身边吧。你会看到，人们正通过艺术、音乐以及著书的形式讲述她的历史。而且天天这样，日日如此。时钟的钟摆在摇摆，我们开始感到历史所面临的危险……感到我们已走上了毁灭性的道路。我们开始觉得有必要恢复神圣女性的原来面貌。"她停了片刻，"你跟我说过你在写一本有关神圣女性象征的作品是不是？"
"是的。"
她微笑着说："兰登先生，那你就把它写完，继续吟唱赞美她的歌谣，我们的世界需要当代的吟游诗人。"兰登沉默了，他感到了她话里的分量。在空旷的天那头，一轮新月正从树梢上冉冉升起。他把目光转移到罗斯林教堂，心里升腾起一股孩子般的渴望，渴望能了解蕴藏在它身上的诸多谜团。"别问了，现在还不是时候。"他这样告诉自己。他瞄了一眼玛丽手中的莎草纸，然后又望着罗斯林教堂。
"兰登先生，有什么问题你就提吧。"玛丽高兴地说："你有这样的权利。"
兰登不觉脸红了起来。
"想知道圣杯是不是在罗斯林教堂对吧？"
"那你能告诉我吗？"
玛丽假装愠怒地叹了口气："为什么人们就不能放圣杯一马呢？"她笑出声来，显然被自己逗乐了。"你凭什么认为圣杯是在这里呢？"
兰登指了指她手里的莎草纸，说："你丈夫在诗里清楚地提到了罗斯林教堂，此外他也提到守护着圣杯的剑刃与圣杯。可我在这里却没有看到什么剑刃与圣杯的标志。""剑刃与圣杯？"玛丽问道："那它们到底是什么样子呢？"
兰登知道她在戏弄他，但还是配合着将戏一路演了下去，飞快地对这些标志物描述了一番。
玛丽的脸上露出若有所思的神情："啊，是的，当然了。剑刃代表的是具有男性特征的东西，我相信画出来就是这个样子，对不对？"她用食指在手心里描画了一个图形。
△"对的。"兰登说。玛丽给他画了一个不同寻常"不为外人所知"的剑刃的图案，尽管他曾经看过别人用两种方式来描绘这个图形。
"而倒过来，"她说着，又在手心里画起来："就是圣杯了，它所代表的是女性。"
▽"你说得没错。"兰登说。
"可你却说在我们罗斯林教堂成百上千的符号里，竟然看不到这两种形状的东西。"
"我是没见过。"
"那如果我告诉你，你就会安心睡个稳觉吧？"
兰登还来不及回答，玛丽。肖维尔已经离开走廊，向教堂走去。兰登急忙跟在她的后面，进入了那座古老的建筑物。玛丽拧亮灯，指着礼拜堂的中心地面。"兰登先生，你快过来看看你要找的剑刃与圣杯。"兰登注视着那被磨损了的石板地面，却是空空如也。"这里什么东西也没有啊……"
玛丽叹了口气，开始沿那条有名的破旧的小道往教堂的地面走去。今天晚上天刚黑时，兰登看到游客们也从这同一条小道上走过。他转移了视线去看那巨大的标志物，然而还是感到茫然。"可那是大卫之星--"在心里暗暗称奇。
△▽▽△△▽"剑刃与圣杯。合二为一。"
"大卫之星……男女之间的完美结合……所罗门之印……被认为是男性之神的耶和华与女性之神的舍金纳居住的地方，至圣所的标志物。"过了一分钟，兰登才想出一句话来："这首诗确实是指罗斯林教堂，一点没错。"
玛丽微微一笑："显然是这样嘛。"
然而这些提示却让他感到心寒："这么说圣杯就在我们脚下的地下宫殿里了？"
玛丽笑起来："它只存在于我们的灵魂里。郇山隐修会肩负了一项最古老的使命，就是希望有朝一日将圣杯送回到它的故土法国，并希望它能够在那里永远得到安息。几百年来，我们为了保护它的安全，不得不带着它在乡间辗转，这样做实在有损它的尊严。雅克自担任大师以来，就一心想将它带回法国，并为它建造一处女王规格的安息之所，希望以此来恢复它的名誉。""那他成功了没有？"
玛丽的表情变得严肃起来："兰登先生，考虑到今晚你帮了我大忙，作为罗斯林监管会的会长，我可以明确地告诉你，圣杯已经不在这里了。"兰登决定穷追不舍："但拱心石所指的地方应该是圣杯藏着的地方。可它为什么偏说是罗斯林教堂呢？"
"也许你误解它的含义了。要知道，圣杯也会骗人的，就像我丈夫有时也会骗人一样。
""但他怎会说得这么清楚呢？"他问道："我们站在一座以剑刃与圣杯为标志的地下宫殿之上，雕满各种星球的天花板之下，石匠大师们创作的艺术结晶的包围之中。这一切都是在暗指罗斯林教堂哪。""那好，还是让我们来看看这首神秘的诗吧。"她展开莎草纸，并装腔作势地大声读了起来。
"圣杯在古老的罗斯林教堂下面等待。
剑刃和圣杯一道看护着她的门外。
她躺在大师们令人钟爱的杰作的怀抱里，在繁星闪烁的天底下终于得到了安息。"她读完后，怔了几秒，嘴角方露出一丝会意的微笑。"哦，雅克啊雅克。"
兰登满怀期待地望着她："你知道了？"
"兰登先生，教堂的地面你也亲眼看见了，我们看待简单的东西，可以有许多种方法。
"兰登努力想明白她的话。有关雅克。索尼埃的一切，似乎都有双重含义，然而兰登却看不出来。
玛丽倦了，她打了一个呵欠，说："兰登先生，我全跟你说了吧。圣杯现在埋藏的地方，我从未正式过问过。不过我可以肯定的是，我嫁给了一位声名显赫的男人……女人的直觉往往是很敏锐的。"兰登想开口说上几句，然而玛丽没有停。"让我难过的是，你在付出了诸多努力之后，却还得一无所获地离开罗斯林教堂。不过我知道，你最终会寻找到你要寻找的答案。有朝一日你终会明白的。"她微微笑了笑："而等你醒悟过来时，我相信所有像你这样的人。都会将它的秘密藏在心底。"这时传来有人走到门口的声音。"我说你们俩跑哪里去了哩。"索菲走了进来，说。
"我正想走呢。"她奶奶回答说，一边向站在门口的索菲走了过去。"晚安，我的公主。
"她吻了索菲的额头，嘱咐着说："别让兰登先生在外面耽搁到很晚。"兰登与索菲看着她的奶奶回到那幢大卵石房子里。随后，索菲掉头注视着他，眼里充满了深情。"我真没想到结局竟然是这样。"
不过倒是撮合了我们两个呢，兰登心想。他看得出索菲百感交集。今天晚上。她得到的消息已将她的一生都给改变了。"你还好吧？还有许多东西需要你慢慢领会呢。"
索菲恬静地笑了，"我有家了。那将是我开始的地方。我们是什么人，又是从哪里来，都需要花些时间去理解。"兰登保持着沉默。
"过了今晚，你还会和我们呆在一起吗？"她问道："你至少会跟我们住几天吧？"
兰登叹了口气，他已无所求了。"索菲，你需要花一点时间陪你的家人。早上我就回巴黎去。"她看起来有些失望，但似乎知道他说得没错。很长一段时间，两人都不说话。终于，索菲探过身子，抓住他的手，带他走出了教堂。他们来到这座悬崖峭壁上的一块小高地。
他们从这里看过去，苏格兰的乡村，正沐浴在从散开的云中泄漏出来的银色月光里。他们就这样一言不发地站着，手牵着手，共同抵御这突如其来的倦意。
这时星星也出来了，但在西方的天空里，有一颗星星发出清冷的光，比其他任何星星发出的光都要明亮。兰登看到它，默默地笑了。那是启明星--这位古老的女神，正一如既往而有耐心地散发出皎洁的光芒。
夜渐渐凉了，清爽的风，正从下面的山谷里涌了上来。过了一会，兰登才看了看索菲，她紧闭着双眼，嘴角松弛，流露出一丝满足的微笑。兰登感到眼皮逐渐沉重起来。他很不情愿地抓住了她的手："索菲？"
她缓缓地睁开眼睛，面对着他。她的脸，在银色的月光下，是那么的美。她露出疲倦的微笑。"嗯。"
想到将独自一人回巴黎，兰登突然莫名地悲哀起来。"你醒来之前我可能就走。"他停住了，喉咙像是打了一个结。"我很抱歉，我并不是很擅长--"
索菲伸出手，放在他的脸上，然后俯过身，温柔地吻了他的脸庞。"我什么时候能再见到你呢？"
兰登很快地在心里盘算起来，脸上却露出一副茫然的神态。"什么时候？"他停下来，心里很是好奇，她莫非知道他一直在考虑同样的问题？"这个嘛，实际上，下个月我要去佛罗伦萨参加一次会议。在那里有一个星期我将无所事事。""你是在邀请我吗？"
"我们将在那里过奢华的生活。他们将在布鲁内莱斯基酒店给我预订一间房间。"
索菲顽皮地笑了："兰登先生，你太自作主张了吧。"
他讨好地说："我是想--"
"罗伯特，我十二分的愿意到佛罗伦萨去见你。不过你得答应我一个条件。"她的语气变得严肃起来："你可别带我到处去看什么博物馆啦、教堂啦、坟墓啦，或者去看绘画及文物什么的。""你是说在佛罗伦萨？我们就这样打发一个星期的时间？不过我们也没其他事情可做啊。"索菲俯身向前，又吻了他，不过这次吻的是嘴唇。俩人的身子缠绕在一块，起初是轻柔地接触，最后完全贴在一起。索菲抽身走开时，她的眼里充满了憧憬。
"好啦。"兰登故作轻松地说道："我们的约会就这么定了。"
尾声罗伯特突然惊醒过来，他方才一直在做梦。床边放着一件浴衣，上面标有"巴黎丽兹酒店"的字样。他看到一束微弱的光，从百叶窗的缝隙里射进来。"是早晨还是晚上？"他疑惑地想。
他感到身体既温暖，又相当的惬意。过去两天大部分时间他一直在睡眠。他缓缓地从床上坐起，终于明白是什么东西将他惊醒--原来是萦绕在他头脑中最稀奇古怪的想法。
几天来他一直试图从林林总总的信息里理出个头绪来，然而现在，兰登发现他一心专注于他以前未曾考虑过的东西。
可能吗？
他坐着一动不动，就这样坐了良久。
他终于爬下床，向大理石淋浴器走去。他走过去，让强劲的水流摩挲着他的肩膀。然而那种想法仍然在心里缠绕着他。
那是不可能的。
二十分钟后，兰登走出了丽兹酒店，来到旺多姆广场。夜色降临了。几天来过多的睡眠使他迷失了方向感一-然而他的头脑却异常地清晰。他原本许诺自己在酒店大厅里喝上一杯牛奶咖啡，以便能忘却那些稀奇古怪的想法，然而他的双腿却不听使唤，他径直走出前门。走进了巴黎暮色渐拢的苍茫里。
兰登向东行走在碎田街上，心情越发激动起来。他掉转方向，往南面的黎塞留大道走去，正在盛开的茉莉花，从庄严肃穆的皇宫花园里散发出淡淡的清香，使一路上的空气也弥漫着无比的芬芳。
他继续朝南走去，直到看见他要寻找的那座有名的皇家拱廊。一大片被擦过的黑色大理石，闪烁着熠熠的光芒。他走上前，飞快地打量着脚下的地面。不一会，他便发现他所知道的东西就在那里--几枚铜徽章镶嵌在地上，排成了笔直的一行。每个徽章的直径有五英寸长，并突显出许多N 和S 的字母。
N 代表南，S 代表北。
他转向正南方，眼睛循着由大徽章组成的向外伸展开去的直线望去。他再次挪动了脚步，沿着大徽章留下的踪迹，他一边走，一边注视着人行道。当他抄近路经过法兰西剧院的角落时，他的双脚又踩到了另一块铜质徽章。"对了！"
许多年前，兰登就已经听说，在巴黎的大街小巷上，镶嵌了135 个这样的铜质徽章，它们散布在人行道、庭院及各条大街上，组成南北交叉的轴线，横跨了整个城市。他曾经从圣心大教堂出发，沿着这条线往北穿过塞纳河，最后来到古老的巴黎天文台。在那里，他发现了这条神圣的道路所具有的意义。
它是地球上最早的本初子午线。
是世界上第一条零度经线。
也是巴黎古老的"玫瑰线"。
此刻，当兰登匆匆地经过里沃利大道，他感到自己所要寻找的目标唾手可得，它就在还不到一个街区开外的前方。
圣杯在古老的罗斯林教堂下面等待。
这时，各种各样的启示，如索尼埃沿用Roslin 这一古老的拼法……剑刃与圣杯……
装饰了能工巧匠们的艺术结晶的坟墓，恰如潮水一般向他涌来。
那就是索尼埃之所以找我谈话的原因吗？我无意中触及到了历史的真相吗？
他突然小跑起来，觉得那条神圣的"玫瑰线"就在他的脚下，指引着他，推动他向前方的目标奔去。当他进入黎塞留路下面那条长长的隧道时，他感到脖子上的毛发因为期待而直竖起来。因为他知道，在这长长的隧道尽头，耸立着巴黎最具神秘色彩的一座纪念碑--它是20 世纪80 年代有"斯芬克司"之称的弗朗索瓦。密特朗构想并委托建造的；根据谣传，密特朗参与了秘密组织的内部活动，他给巴黎留下的最后一份遗产，就位于兰登仅仅几天前曾参观过的地方。
却似乎已是前世今生。
兰登使尽最后的力量，从过道上冲进那个熟悉的庭院，然后停了下来。他气喘吁吁，慢慢抬起双眼，有点不相信地看着竖立在他面前并闪烁着光芒的建筑物。
那是卢浮宫的金字塔。
在黑暗中闪着微弱的光。
他只是欣赏了片刻。不过，他更感兴趣的是它左边的东西。他转过身，觉得自己的脚步又开始沿着古老的"玫瑰线"这条看不见的道路移动起来，并领着他走过那间庭院，来到了卢浮宫地下购物商场--这块四周被修剪整齐的篱笆包围起来，宽阔而长满青草的圆形地带，它曾经是巴黎最古老的崇拜自然神进行节日庆祝的所在地……是为了歌颂生命力以及女神而举行欢乐仪式的所在地。
兰登走过灌木丛林，来到那片被萋萋芳草围起来的圆形地带，他觉得自己仿佛来到了另一个世界。这块圣地，如今已被这座城市最不同寻常的一座纪念碑打上了鲜明的标记。
在这块圣地的中央，一座巨大的倒立杯形金字塔，张着大口，像是在地上挖了一个水晶玻璃的深坑。在几天前的晚上，这个倒立的金字塔，他在进入卢浮宫的地下阁楼地就已经看过了。
倒立的金字塔。
兰登颤颤巍巍地走到金字塔的边缘，低头看着卢浮宫内向外延伸开去的地下建筑，它发出琥珀色的光芒。他的视线并没停留在庞大的倒立金字塔上，而是直接锁定在正处于金字塔下方的那些物体上。在它之下宫殿的地面上，矗立着一幢很小的建筑物--这是他曾在书稿里提到的一幢建筑物。
兰登觉得自己此时已完全清醒过来，一想到那种不可思议的可能性，他就激动得几乎要发抖。他再次抬头望着卢浮宫，觉得自己仿佛被博物馆巨大的双翼包围起来了……被两侧装饰了世界上最优秀的艺术作品的走廊包围起来了。
在这些著名的艺术家中，有达。芬奇……波提切利……
她躺在大师们领人钟爱的杰作的怀抱里。
他满怀疑惑，再次低下头，透过玻璃注视着下面的小型建筑物。
我得下去看看！
他走出那个圆形草地，匆匆地穿过庭院，往后撤回到卢浮宫那高耸入云的金字塔形人口。当天的最后一批游客，正稀稀拉拉地从这家博物馆里走了出来。
兰登推开旋转的门，沿着弯弯曲曲的阶梯走进了金字塔。他感到空气更加凉爽起来了。他来到金字塔的底部，进入向卢浮宫博物馆院子下面延伸的长长的地下通道，往回向倒立的金字塔走。
他来到通道的尽头，走进一间巨大的地下室。就在他的面前，倒立的金字塔闪着光芒，从上面垂下来--那是一个呈V 字形的大得惊人的玻璃杯的轮廓。
圣杯！
兰登从上而下，顺着逐渐变小的圣杯望过去，直到它的底部。圣杯离地面只有6 英尺高。就在它的下方，矗立着小型的建筑。
那是一个微型金字塔。只有3 英尺高。这座庞大的地下室里唯一的建筑物，是以很小的规模建造起来的。
兰登的书稿，在谈到卢浮宫里有关女神艺术的精致收藏品时，就顺带浮光掠影地提到了这个小小的金字塔。"这座小小的建筑物从地底下凸出来，仿佛是冰山上的一角--是一个巨大的金字塔形拱顶的顶部，其绝大部分淹没在它的下面，就像是一个隐秘的房间。"在已废弃的阁楼里微弱光线的照耀下，两个金字塔彼此相对，它们的塔身组成一条完美的直线，两者的顶部也几乎靠在了一起。
圣杯在上，剑刃在下。
剑刃和圣杯一道看护着她的门外。
这时，兰登听到了玛丽。肖维尔说过的话。"有朝一日你终会明白的。"
现在，他就站在这条古老的、四周被大师们的杰作所环绕的"玫瑰线"的下面。对索尼埃而言，还能找到比这更好的地方来保护他的秘密吗？他终于明白这位大师留下来的诗歌的确切含义。他抬头望着天空，透过那些玻璃，凝视着壮观的、星光满天的夜空。
在繁星闪烁的天底下终于得到了安息。
那些曾被遗忘的诗句，犹如黑暗中幽灵的喃喃自语，此刻在兰登的脑海里回响着。"寻找圣杯之旅，就是希望能到抹大拉的玛利亚坟墓前跪拜的探索之旅，是想在这位被放逐者脚下祈祷的探索之旅。"罗伯特陡然升起了一股敬意，他不由自主地跪了下去。
他仿佛听到了一个女人的声音……它饱含了经年的智慧……轻轻地，从地面的裂口处冉冉升起…… |
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