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！
this moment。 I ask； in the name of his late Holiness； that you proceed as you must 。 。 。 with faith and purpose。 May you have only God before your eyes。〃 Then he turned to go。
〃But；〃 one cardinal blurted out； 〃where are they？〃
The camerlegno paused。 〃That I cannot honestly say。〃
〃When will they return？〃
〃That I cannot honestly say。〃
〃Are they okay？〃
〃That I cannot honestly say。〃
〃Will they return？〃
There was a long pause。
〃Have faith；〃 the camerlegno said。 Then he walked out of the room。
The doors to the Sistine Chapel had been sealed； as was the custom； with two heavy chains on the outside。 Four Swiss Guards stood watch in the hallway beyond。 Mortati knew the only way the doors could be opened now； prior to electing a Pope； was if someone inside fell deathly ill； or if the preferiti arrived。 Mortati prayed it would be the latter； although from the knot in his stomach he was not so sure。
Proceed as we must； Mortati decided； taking his lead from the resolve in the camerlegno's voice。 So he had called for a vote。 What else could he do？
It had taken thirty minutes to plete the preparatory rituals leading up to this first vote。 Mortati had waited patiently at the main altar as each cardinal； in order of seniority； had approached and performed the specific balloting procedure。
Now； at last； the final cardinal had arrived at the altar and was kneeling before him。
〃I call as my witness；〃 the cardinal declared； exactly as those before him； 〃Christ the Lord； who will be my judge that my vote is given to the one who before God I think should be elected。〃
The cardinal stood up。 He held his ballot high over his head for everyone to see。 Then he lowered the ballot to the altar； where a plate sat atop a large chalice。 He placed the ballot on the plate。 Next he picked up the plate and used it to drop the ballot into the chalice。 Use of the plate was to ensure no one secretly dropped multiple ballots。
After he had submitted his ballot； he replaced the plate over the chalice； bowed to the cross； and returned to his seat。
The final ballot had been cast。
Now it was time for Mortati to go to work。
Leaving the plate on top of the chalice； Mortati shook the ballots to mix them。 Then he removed the plate and extracted a ballot at random。 He unfolded it。 The ballot was exactly two inches wide。 He read aloud for everyone to hear。
〃Eligo in summum pontificem 。 。 。〃 he declared； reading the text that was embossed at the top of every ballot。 I elect as Supreme Pontiff 。 。 。 Then he announced the nominee's name that had been written beneath it。 After he read the name； he raised a threaded needle and pierced the ballot through the word Eligo； carefully sliding the ballot onto the thread。 Then he made note of the vote in a logbook。
Next； he repeated the entire procedure。 He chose a ballot from the chalice； read it aloud； threaded it onto the line； and made note in his log。 Almost immediately； Mortati sensed this first vote would be failed。 No consensus。 After only seven ballots； already seven different cardinals had been named。 As was normal； the handwriting on each ballot was disguised by block printing or flamboyant script。 The concealment was ironic in this case because the cardinals were obviously submitting votes for themselves。 This apparent conceit； Mortati knew； had nothing to do with self…centered ambition。 It was a holding pattern。 A defensive maneuver。 A stall tactic to ensure no cardinal received enough votes to win 。 。 。 and another vote would be forced。
The cardinals were waiting for their preferiti 。 。 。
When the last of the ballots had been tallied； Mortati declared the vote 〃failed。〃
He took the thread carrying all the ballots and tied the ends together to create a ring。 Then he lay the ring of ballots on a silver tray。 He added the proper chemicals and carried the tray to a small chimney behind him。 Here he lit the ballots。 As the ballots burned； the chemicals he'd added created black smoke。 The smoke flowed up a pipe to a hole in the roof where it rose above the chapel for all to see。 Cardinal Mortati had just sent his first munication to the outside world。
One balloting。 No Pope。
69
Nearly asphyxiated by fumes； Langdon struggled up the ladder toward the light at the top of the pit。 Above him he heard voices； but nothing was making sense。 His head was spinning with images of the branded cardinal。
Earth 。 。 。 Earth 。 。 。
As he pushed upward； his vision narrowed and he feared consciousness would slip away。 Two rungs from the top； his balance faltered。 He lunged upward trying to find the lip； but it was too far。 He lost his grip on the ladder and almost tumbled backward into the dark。 There was a sharp pain under his arms； and suddenly Langdon was airborne； legs swinging wildly out over the chasm。
The strong hands of two Swiss Guards hooked him under the armpits and dragged him skyward。 A moment later Langdon's head emerged from the Demon's hole； choking and gasping for air。 The guards dragged him over the lip of the opening； across the floor； and lay him down； back against the cold marble floor。
For a moment； Langdon was unsure where he was。 Overhead he saw stars 。 。 。 orbiting planets。 Hazy figures raced past him。 People were shouting。 He tried to sit up。 He was lying at the base of a stone pyramid。 The familiar bite of an angry tongue echoed inside the chapel； and then Langdon knew。
Olivetti was screaming at Vittoria。 〃Why the hell didn't you figure that out in the first place！〃
Vittoria was trying to explain the situation。
Olivetti cut her off midsentence and turned to bark orders to his men。 〃Get that body out of there！ Search the rest of the building！〃
Langdon tried to sit up。 The Chigi Chapel was packed with Swiss Guards。 The plastic curtain over the chapel opening had been torn off the entryway； and fresh air filled Langdon's lungs。 As his senses slowly returned； Langdon saw Vittoria ing toward him。 She knelt down； her face like an angel。
〃You okay？〃 Vittoria took his arm and felt his pulse。 Her hands were tender on his skin。
〃Thanks。〃 Langdon sat up fully。 〃Olivetti's mad。〃
Vittoria nodded。 〃He has a right to be。 We blew it。〃
〃You mean I blew it。〃
〃So redeem yourself。 Get him next time。〃
Next time？ Langdon thought it was a cruel ment。 There is no next time！ We missed our shot！
Vittoria checked Langdon's watch。 〃Mickey says we've got forty minutes。 Get your head together and help me find the next marker。〃
〃I told you； Vittoria； the sculptures are gone。 The Path of Illumination is…〃 Langdon halted。
Vittoria smiled softly。
Suddenly Langdon was staggering to his feet。 He turned dizzying circles； staring at the artwork around him。 Pyramids； stars； planets； ellipses。 Suddenly everything came back。 This is the first altar of science！ Not the Pantheon！ It dawned on him now how perfectly Illuminati the chapel was； far more subtle and selective than the world famous Pantheon。 The Chigi was an out of the way alcove； a literal hole…in…the…wall； a tribute to a great patron of science； decorated with earthly symbology。 Perfect。
Langdon steadied himself against the wall and gazed up at the enormous pyramid sculptures。 Vittoria was dead right。 If this chapel was the first altar of science； it might still contain the Illuminati sculpture that served as the first marker。 Langdon felt an electrifying rush of hope to realize there was still a chance。 If the marker were indeed here； and they could follow it to the next altar of science； they might have another chance to catch the killer。
Vittoria moved closer。 〃I found out who the unknown Illuminati sculptor was。〃
Langdon's head whipped around。 〃You what？〃
〃Now we just need to figure out which sculpture in here is the…〃
〃Wait a minute！ You know who the Illuminati sculptor was？〃 He had spent years trying to find that information。
Vittoria smiled。 〃It was Bernini。〃 She paused。 〃The Bernini。〃
Langdon immediately knew she was mistaken。 Bernini was an impossibility。 Gianlorenzo Bernini was the second most famous sculptor of all time； his fame eclipsed only by Michelangelo himself。 During the 1600s Bernini created more sculptures than any other artist。 Unfortunately； the man they were looking for was supposedly an unknown； a nobody。
Vittoria frowned。 〃You don't look excited。〃
〃Bernini is impossible。〃
〃Why？ Bernini was a contemporary of Galileo。 He was a brilliant sculptor。〃
〃He was a very famous man and a Catholic。〃
〃Yes；〃 Vittoria said。 〃Exactly like Galileo。〃
〃No；〃 Langdon argued。 〃Nothing like Galileo。 Galileo was a thorn in the Vatican's side。 Bernini was the Vatican's wonder boy。 The church loved Bernini。 He was elected the Vatican's overall artistic authority。 He practically lived inside Vatican City his entire life！〃
〃A perfect cover。 Illuminati infiltration。〃
Langdon felt flustered。 〃Vittoria； the Illuminati members referred to their secret artist as il maestro ignoto…the unknown master。〃
〃Yes； unknown to them。 Think of the secrecy of the Masons…only the upper…echelon members knew the whole truth。 Galileo could have kept Bernini's true identity secret from most members 。 。 。 for Bernini's own safety。 That