danbrown.angels&demons- 第90节

　
　Outside　the　door　to　the　Pope's　office；　Rocher　allowed　his　guards　to　take　standard　precautions　before　letting　Kohler　in。　Their　handheld　metal　detector　was　rendered　worthless　by　the　myriad　of　electronic　devices　on　Kohler's　wheelchair。　The　guards　frisked　him　but　were　obviously　too　ashamed　of　his　disability　to　do　it　properly。　They　never　found　the　revolver　affixed　beneath　his　chair。　Nor　did　they　relieve　him　of　the　other　object　。　。　。　the　one　that　Kohler　knew　would　bring　unforgettable　closure　to　this　evening's　chain　of　events。　
　When　Kohler　entered　the　Pope's　office；　Camerlegno　Ventresca　was　alone；　kneeling　in　prayer　beside　a　dying　fire。　He　did　not　open　his　eyes。
　〃Mr。　Kohler；〃　the　camerlegno　said。　〃Have　you　e　to　make　me　a　martyr？〃
　
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　All　the　while；　the　narrow　tunnel　called　Il　Passetto　stretched　out　before　Langdon　and　Vittoria　as　they　dashed　toward　Vatican　City。　The　torch　in　Langdon's　hand　threw　only　enough　light　to　see　a　few　yards　ahead。　The　walls　were　close　on　either　side；　and　the　ceiling　low。　The　air　smelled　dank。　Langdon　raced　on　into　the　darkness　with　Vittoria　close　at　his　heels。　
　The　tunnel　inclined　steeply　as　it　left　the　Castle　St。　Angelo；　proceeding　upward　into　the　underside　of　a　stone　bastion　that　looked　like　a　Roman　aqueduct。　There；　the　tunnel　leveled　out　and　began　its　secret　course　toward　Vatican　City。
　As　Langdon　ran；　his　thoughts　turned　over　and　over　in　a　kaleidoscope　of　confounding　images…Kohler；　Janus；　the　Hassassin；　Rocher　。　。　。　a　sixth　brand？　I'm　sure　you've　heard　about　the　sixth　brand；　the　killer　had　said。　The　most　brilliant　of　all。　Langdon　was　quite　certain　he　had　not。　Even　in　conspiracy　theory　lore；　Langdon　could　think　of　no　references　to　any　sixth　brand。　Real　or　imagined。　There　were　rumors　of　a　gold　bullion　and　a　flawless　Illuminati　Diamond　but　never　any　mention　of　a　sixth　brand。
　〃Kohler　can't　be　Janus！〃　Vittoria　declared　as　they　ran　down　the　interior　of　the　dike。　〃It's　impossible！〃
　Impossible　was　one　word　Langdon　had　stopped　using　tonight。　〃I　don't　know；〃　Langdon　yelled　as　they　ran。　〃Kohler　has　a　serious　grudge；　and　he　also　has　some　serious　influence。〃
　〃This　crisis　has　made　CERN　look　like　monsters！　Max　would　never　do　anything　to　damage　CERN's　reputation！〃
　On　one　count；　Langdon　knew　CERN　had　taken　a　public　beating　tonight；　all　because　of　the　Illuminati's　insistence　on　making　this　a　public　spectacle。　And　yet；　he　wondered　how　much　CERN　had　really　been　damaged。　Criticism　from　the　church　was　nothing　new　for　CERN。　In　fact；　the　more　Langdon　thought　about　it；　the　more　he　wondered　if　this　crisis　might　actually　benefit　CERN。　If　publicity　were　the　game；　then　antimatter　was　the　jackpot　winner　tonight。　The　entire　planet　was　talking　about　it。　
　〃You　know　what　promoter　P。　T。　Barnum　said；〃　Langdon　called　over　his　shoulder。　〃　'I　don't　care　what　you　say　about　me；　just　spell　my　name　right！'　I　bet　people　are　already　secretly　lining　up　to　license　antimatter　technology。　And　after　they　see　its　true　power　at　midnight　tonight　。　。　。〃
　〃Illogical；〃　Vittoria　said。　〃Publicizing　scientific　breakthroughs　is　not　about　showing　destructive　power！　This　is　terrible　for　antimatter；　trust　me！〃
　Langdon's　torch　was　fading　now。　〃Then　maybe　it's　all　much　simpler　than　that。　Maybe　Kohler　gambled　that　the　Vatican　would　keep　the　antimatter　a　secret…refusing　to　empower　the　Illuminati　by　confirming　the　weapon's　existence。　Kohler　expected　the　Vatican　to　be　their　usual　tight…lipped　selves　about　the　threat；　but　the　camerlegno　changed　the　rules。〃
　Vittoria　was　silent　as　they　dashed　down　the　tunnel。
　Suddenly　the　scenario　was　making　more　sense　to　Langdon。　〃Yes！　Kohler　never　counted　on　the　camerlegno's　reaction。　The　camerlegno　broke　the　Vatican　tradition　of　secrecy　and　went　public　about　the　crisis。　He　was　dead　honest。　He　put　the　antimatter　on　TV；　for　God's　sake。　It　was　a　brilliant　response；　and　Kohler　never　expected　it。　And　the　irony　of　the　whole　thing　is　that　the　Illuminati　attack　backfired。　It　inadvertently　produced　a　new　church　leader　in　the　camerlegno。　And　now　Kohler　is　ing　to　kill　him！〃
　〃Max　is　a　bastard；〃　Vittoria　declared；　〃but　he　is　not　a　murderer。　And　he　would　never　have　been　involved　in　my　father's　assassination。〃　
　In　Langdon's　mind；　it　was　Kohler's　voice　that　answered。　Leonardo　was　considered　dangerous　by　many　purists　at　CERN。Fusing　science　and　God　is　the　ultimate　scientific　blasphemy。　〃Maybe　Kohler　found　out　about　the　antimatter　project　weeks　ago　and　didn't　like　the　religious　implications。〃
　〃So　he　killed　my　father　over　it？　Ridiculous！　Besides；　Max　Kohler　would　never　have　known　the　project　existed。〃
　〃While　you　were　gone；　maybe　your　father　broke　down　and　consulted　Kohler；　asking　for　guidance。　You　yourself　said　your　father　was　concerned　about　the　moral　implications　of　creating　such　a　deadly　substance。〃
　〃Asking　moral　guidance　from　Maximilian　Kohler？〃　Vittoria　snorted。　〃I　don't　think　so！〃　
　The　tunnel　banked　slightly　westward。　The　faster　they　ran；　the　dimmer　Langdon's　torch　became。　He　began　to　fear　what　the　place　would　look　like　if　the　light　went　out。　Black。
　〃Besides；〃　Vittoria　argued；　〃why　would　Kohler　have　bothered　to　call　you　in　this　morning　and　ask　for　help　if　he　is　behind　the　whole　thing？〃
　Langdon　had　already　considered　it。　〃By　calling　me；　Kohler　covered　his　bases。　He　made　sure　no　one　would　accuse　him　of　nonaction　in　the　face　of　crisis。　He　probably　never　expected　us　to　get　this　far。〃
　The　thought　of　being　used　by　Kohler　incensed　Langdon。　Langdon's　involvement　had　given　the　Illuminati　a　level　of　credibility。　His　credentials　and　publications　had　been　quoted　all　night　by　the　media；　and　as　ridiculous　as　it　was；　the　presence　of　a　Harvard　professor　in　Vatican　City　had　somehow　raised　the　whole　emergency　beyond　the　scope　of　paranoid　delusion　and　convinced　skeptics　around　the　world　that　the　Illuminati　brotherhood　was　not　only　a　historical　fact；　but　a　force　to　be　reckoned　with。
　〃That　BBC　reporter；〃　Langdon　said；　〃thinks　CERN　is　the　new　Illuminati　lair。〃
　〃What！〃　Vittoria　stumbled　behind　him。　She　pulled　herself　up　and　ran　on。　〃He　said　that！？〃
　〃On　air。　He　likened　CERN　to　the　Masonic　lodges…an　innocent　organization　unknowingly　harboring　the　Illuminati　brotherhood　within。〃
　〃My　God；　this　is　going　to　destroy　CERN。〃
　Langdon　was　not　so　sure。　Either　way；　the　theory　suddenly　seemed　less　far…fetched。　CERN　was　the　ultimate　scientific　haven。　It　was　home　to　scientists　from　over　a　dozen　countries。　They　seemed　to　have　endless　private　funding。　And　Maximilian　Kohler　was　their　director。
　Kohler　is　Janus。
　〃If　Kohler's　not　involved；〃　Langdon　challenged；　〃then　what　is　he　doing　here？〃
　〃Probably　trying　to　stop　this　madness。　Show　support。　Maybe　he　really　is　acting　as　the　Samaritan！　He　could　have　found　out　who　knew　about　the　antimatter　project　and　has　e　to　share　information。〃
　〃The　killer　said　he　was　ing　to　brand　the　camerlegno。〃
　〃Listen　to　yourself！　It　would　be　a　suicide　mission。　Max　would　never　get　out　alive。〃
　Langdon　considered　it。　Maybe　that　was　the　point。
　
　The　outline　of　a　steel　gate　loomed　ahead；　blocking　their　progress　down　the　tunnel。　Langdon's　heart　almost　stopped。　When　they　approached；　however；　they　found　the　ancient　lock　hanging　open。　The　gate　swung　freely。
　Langdon　breathed　a　sigh　of　relief；　realizing　as　he　had　suspected；　that　the　ancient　tunnel　was　in　use。　Recently。　As　in　today。　He　now　had　little　doubt　that　four　terrified　cardinals　had　been　secreted　through　here　earlier。　
　They　ran　on。　Langdon　could　now　hear　the　sounds　of　chaos　to　his　left。　It　was　St。　Peter's　Square。　They　were　getting　close。
　They　hit　another　gate；　this　one　heavier。　It　too　was　unlocked。　The　sound　of　St。　Peter's　Square　faded　behind　them　now；　and　Langdon　sensed　they　had　passed　through　the　outer　wall　of　Vatican　City。　He　wondered　where　inside　the　Vatican　this　ancient　passage　would　conclude。　In　the　gardens？　In　the　basilica？　In　the　papal　residence？　
　Then；　without　warning；　the　tunnel　ended。　
　The　cumbrous　door　blocking　their　way　was　a　thick　wall　of　riveted　iron。　Even　by　the　last　flickers　of　his　torch；　Langdon　could　see　that　the　portal　was　perfectly　smooth…no　handles；　no　knobs；　no　keyholes；　no　hinges。　No　entry。
　He　felt　a　surge　of　panic。　In　architect…speak；　this　rare　kind　of　door　was　called　a　senza　chi