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This piece of shit？ Bought it for twenty euro from a Taiwanese street vendor in St。 Germain des Prés。 I'll sell it to you for forty。〃
The agent paused and finally stepped aside。 〃No thanks。 Have a safe trip。〃
Vernet did not breathe again until the truck was a good fifty meters down the street。 And now he had another problem。 His cargo。 Where do I take them？
CHAPTER 46
Silas lay prone on the canvas mat in his room； allowing the lash wounds on his back to clot in the air。 Tonight's second session with the Discipline had left him dizzy and weak。 He had yet to remove the cilice belt； and he could feel the blood trickling down his inner thigh。 Still； he could not justify removing the strap。
I have failed the Church。
Far worse； I have failed the bishop。
Tonight was supposed to be Bishop Aringarosa's salvation。 Five months ago； the bishop had returned from a meeting at the Vatican Observatory； where he had learned something that left him deeply changed。 Depressed for weeks； Aringarosa had finally shared the news with Silas。
〃But this is impossible！〃 Silas had cried out。 〃I cannot accept it！〃
〃It is true；〃 Aringarosa said。 〃Unthinkable； but true。 In only six months。〃
The bishop's words terrified Silas。 He prayed for deliverance； and even in those dark days； his trust in God and The Way never wavered。 It was only a month later that the clouds parted miraculously and the light of possibility shone through。
Divine intervention； Aringarosa had called it。
The bishop had seemed hopeful for the first time。 〃Silas；〃 he whispered； 〃God has bestowed upon us an opportunity to protect The Way。 Our battle； like all battles； will take sacrifice。 Will you be a soldier of God？〃
Silas fell to his knees before Bishop Aringarosa—the man who had given him a new life—and he said； 〃I am a lamb of God。 Shepherd me as your heart mands。〃
When Aringarosa described the opportunity that had presented itself； Silas knew it could only be the hand of God at work。 Miraculous fate！ Aringarosa put Silas in contact with the man who had proposed the plan—a man who called himself the Teacher。 Although the Teacher and Silas never met face…to…face； each time they spoke by phone； Silas was awed； both by the profundity of the Teacher's faith and by the scope of his power。 The Teacher seemed to be a man who knew all； a man with eyes and ears in all places。 How the Teacher gathered his information； Silas did not know； but Aringarosa had placed enormous trust in the Teacher； and he had told Silas to do the same。 〃Do as the Teacher mands you；〃 the bishop told Silas。 〃And we will be victorious。〃
Victorious。 Silas now gazed at the bare floor and feared victory had eluded them。 The Teacher had been tricked。 The keystone was a devious dead end。 And with the deception； all hope had vanished。
Silas wished he could call Bishop Aringarosa and warn him； but the Teacher had removed all their lines of direct munication tonight。 For our safety。
Finally； overing enormous trepidation； Silas crawled to his feet and found his robe； which lay on the floor。 He dug his cell phone from the pocket。 Hanging his head in shame； he dialed。
〃Teacher；〃 he whispered； 〃all is lost。〃 Silas truthfully told the man how he had been tricked。
〃You lose your faith too quickly；〃 the Teacher replied。 〃I have just received news。 Most unexpected and wele。 The secret lives。 Jacques Saunière transferred information before he died。 I will call you soon。 Our work tonight is not yet done。〃
CHAPTER 47
Riding inside the dimly lit cargo hold of the armored truck was like being transported inside a cell for solitary confinement。 Langdon fought the all too familiar anxiety that haunted him in confined spaces。 Vernet said he would take us a safe distance out of the city。 Where？ How far？
Langdon's legs had gotten stiff from sitting cross…legged on the metal floor； and he shifted his position； wincing to feel the blood pouring back into his lower body。 In his arms； he still clutched the bizarre treasure they had extricated from the bank。
〃I think we're on the highway now；〃 Sophie whispered。
Langdon sensed the same thing。 The truck； after an unnerving pause atop the bank ramp； had moved on； snaking left and right for a minute or two； and was now accelerating to what felt like top speed。 Beneath them； the bulletproof tires hummed on smooth pavement。 Forcing his attention to the rosewood box in his arms； Langdon laid the precious bundle on the floor； unwrapped his jacket； and extracted the box； pulling it toward him。 Sophie shifted her position so they were sitting side by side。 Langdon suddenly felt like they were two kids huddled over a Christmas present。
In contrast to the warm colors of the rosewood box； the inlaid rose had been crafted of a pale wood； probably ash； which shone clearly in the dim light。 The Rose。 Entire armies and religions had been built on this symbol； as had secret societies。 The Rosicrucians。 The Knights of the Rosy Cross。
〃Go ahead；〃 Sophie said。 〃Open it。〃
Langdon took a deep breath。 Reaching for the lid； he stole one more admiring glance at the intricate woodwork and then； unhooking the clasp； he opened the lid； revealing the object within。
Langdon had harbored several fantasies about what they might find inside this box； but clearly he had been wrong on every account。 Nestled snugly inside the box's heavily padded interior of crimson silk lay an object Langdon could not even begin to prehend。
Crafted of polished white marble； it was a stone cylinder approximately the dimensions of a tennis ball can。 More plicated than a simple column of stone； however； the cylinder appeared to have been assembled in many pieces。 Six doughnut…sized disks of marble had been stacked and affixed to one another within a delicate brass framework。 It looked like some kind of tubular； multiwheeled kaleidoscope。 Each end of the cylinder was affixed with an end cap； also marble； making it impossible to see inside。 Having heard liquid within； Langdon assumed the cylinder was hollow。
As mystifying as the construction of the cylinder was； however； it was the engravings around the tube's circumference that drew Langdon's primary focus。 Each of the six disks had been carefully carved with the same unlikely series of letters—the entire alphabet。 The lettered cylinder reminded Langdon of one of his childhood toys—a rod threaded with lettered tumblers that could be rotated to spell different words。
〃Amazing； isn't it？〃 Sophie whispered。
Langdon glanced up。 〃I don't know。 What the hell is it？〃
Now there was a glint in Sophie's eye。 〃My grandfather used to craft these as a hobby。 They were invented by Leonardo da Vinci。〃
Even in the diffuse light； Sophie could see Langdon's surprise。
〃Da Vinci？〃 he muttered； looking again at the canister。
〃Yes。 It's called a cryptex。 According to my grandfather； the blueprints e from one of Da Vinci's secret diaries。〃
〃What is it for？〃
Considering tonight's events； Sophie knew the answer might have some interesting implications。 〃It's a vault；〃 she said。 〃For storing secret information。〃
Langdon's eyes widened further。
Sophie explained that creating models of Da Vinci's inventions was one of her grandfather's best…loved hobbies。 A talented craftsman who sp