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！
cientist Abu Yusuf Ismail al…Kindi protected his secrets with an ingeniously conceived polyalphabetic substitution cipher。
Da Vinci； however； eschewed mathematics and cryptology for a mechanical solution。 The cryptex。 A portable container that could safeguard letters； maps； diagrams； anything at all。 Once information was sealed inside the cryptex； only the individual with the proper password could access it。
〃We require a password；〃 Sophie said； pointing out the lettered dials。 〃A cryptex works much like a bicycle's bination lock。 If you align the dials in the proper position； the lock slides open。 This cryptex has five lettered dials。 When you rotate them to their proper sequence； the tumblers inside align； and the entire cylinder slides apart。〃
〃And inside？〃
〃Once the cylinder slides apart； you have access to a hollow central partment； which can hold a scroll of paper on which is the information you want to keep private。〃
Langdon looked incredulous。 〃And you say your grandfather built these for you when you were younger？〃
〃Some smaller ones； yes。 A couple times for my birthday； he gave me a cryptex and told me a riddle。 The answer to the riddle was the password to the cryptex； and once I figured it out； I could open it up and find my birthday card。〃
〃A lot of work for a card。〃
〃No； the cards always contained another riddle or clue。 My grandfather loved creating elaborate treasure hunts around our house； a string of clues that eventually led to my real gift。 Each treasure hunt was a test of character and merit； to ensure I earned my rewards。 And the tests were never simple。〃
Langdon eyed the device again； still looking skeptical。 〃But why not just pry it apart？ Or smash it？ The metal looks delicate； and marble is a soft rock。〃
Sophie smiled。 〃Because Da Vinci is too smart for that。 He designed the cryptex so that if you try to force it open in any way； the information self…destructs。 Watch。〃 Sophie reached into the box and carefully lifted out the cylinder。 〃Any information to be inserted is first written on a papyrus scroll。〃
〃Not vellum？〃
Sophie shook her head。 〃Papyrus。 I know sheep's vellum was more durable and more mon in those days； but it had to be papyrus。 The thinner the better。〃
〃Okay。〃
〃Before the papyrus was inserted into the cryptex's partment； it was rolled around a delicate glass vial。〃 She tipped the cryptex； and the liquid inside gurgled。 〃A vial of liquid。〃
〃Liquid what？〃
Sophie smiled。 〃Vinegar。〃
Langdon hesitated a moment and then began nodding。 〃Brilliant。〃
Vinegar and papyrus； Sophie thought。 If someone attempted to force open the cryptex； the glass vial would break； and the vinegar would quickly dissolve the papyrus。 By the time anyone extracted the secret message； it would be a glob of meaningless pulp。
〃As you can see；〃 Sophie told him； 〃the only way to access the information inside is to know the proper five…letter password。 And with five dials； each with twenty…six letters； that's twenty…six to the fifth power。〃 She quickly estimated the permutations。 〃Approximately twelve million possibilities。〃
〃If you say so；〃 Langdon said； looking like he had approximately twelve million questions running through his head。 〃What information do you think is inside？〃
〃Whatever it is； my grandfather obviously wanted very badly to keep it secret。〃 She paused； closing the box lid and eyeing the five…petal Rose inlaid on it。 Something was bothering her。 〃Did you say earlier that the Rose is a symbol for the Grail？〃
〃Exactly。 In Priory symbolism； the Rose and the Grail are synonymous。〃
Sophie furrowed her brow。 〃That's strange； because my grandfather always told me the Rose meant secrecy。 He used to hang a rose on his office door at home when he was having a confidential phone call and didn't want me to disturb him。 He encouraged me to do the same。〃 Sweetie； her grandfather said； rather than lock each other out； we can each hang a rose—la fleur des secrets—on our door when we need privacy。 This way we learn to respect and trust each other。 Hanging a rose is an ancient Roman custom。
〃Sub rosa；〃 Langdon said。 〃The Romans hung a rose over meetings to indicate the meeting was confidential。 Attendees understood that whatever was said under the rose—or sub rosa—had to remain a secret。〃
Langdon quickly explained that the Rose's overtone of secrecy was not the only reason the Priory used it as a symbol for the Grail。 Rosa rugosa； one of the oldest species of rose； had five petals and pentagonal symmetry； just like the guiding star of Venus； giving the Rose strong iconographic ties to womanhood。 In addition； the Rose had close ties to the concept of 〃true direction〃 and navigating one's way。 The pass Rose helped travelers navigate； as did Rose Lines； the longitudinal lines on maps。 For this reason； the Rose was a symbol that spoke of the Grail on many levels—secrecy； womanhood； and guidance—the feminine chalice and guiding star that led to secret truth。
As Langdon finished his explanation； his expression seemed to tighten suddenly。
〃Robert？ Are you okay？〃
His eyes were riveted to the rosewood box。 〃Sub。。。 rosa；〃 he choked； a fearful bewilderment sweeping across his face。 〃It can't be。〃
〃What？〃
Langdon slowly raised his eyes。 〃Under the sign of the Rose；〃 he whispered。 〃This cryptex。。。 I think I know what it is。〃
CHAPTER 48
Langdon could scarcely believe his own supposition； and yet； considering who had given this stone cylinder to them； how he had given it to them； and now； the inlaid Rose on the container； Langdon could formulate only one conclusion。
I am holding the Priory keystone。
The legend was specific。
The keystone is an encoded stone that lies beneath the sign of the Rose。
〃Robert？〃 Sophie was watching him。 〃What's going on？〃
Langdon needed a moment to gather his thoughts。 〃Did your grandfather ever speak to you of something called la clef de vo？te？〃
〃The key to the vault？〃 Sophie translated。
〃No； that's the literal translation。 Clef de vo？te is a mon architectural term。 Vo？te refers not to a bank vault； but to a vault in an archway。 Like a vaulted ceiling。〃
〃But vaulted ceilings don't have keys。〃
〃Actually they do。 Every stone archway requires a central； wedge…shaped stone at the top which locks the pieces together and carries all the weight。 This stone is； in an architectural sense； the key to the vault。 In English we call it a keystone。〃 Langdon watched her eyes for any spark of recognition。
Sophie shrugged； glancing down at the cryptex。 〃But this obviously is not a keystone。〃
Langdon didn't know where to begin。 Keystones as a masonry technique for building stone archways had been one of the best…kept secrets of the early Masonic brotherhood。 The Royal Arch Degree。 Architecture。 Keystones。 It was all interconnected。 The secret knowledge of how to use a wedged keystone to build a vaulted archway was part of the wisdom that had made the Masons such wealthy craftsmen； and it was a secret they guarded carefully。 Keystones had always had a tradition of secrecy。 And yet； the stone cylinder in the rosewood box was obviously something quite different。 The Priory keystone—if this was indeed what they were holding—was not at all what Langdon had imagined。
〃The Priory keystone is not my specialty；〃 Langdon admitted。 〃My interest in the Holy Grail is primarily symbologic； so I tend to ignore the plethora of lore regarding how to actually find it。〃
Sophie's eyebrows arched。 〃Find the Holy Grail？〃
Langdon gave an uneasy nod； speaking his next words carefully。 〃Sophie； according to Priory lore； the keystone is an encoded map。。。 a map that reveals the hiding place of the Holy Grail。〃
Sophie's face went blank。 〃And you think this is it？〃
Langdon didn't know what to say。 Even to him it sounded unbelievable； and yet the keystone was the only logical conclusion he could muster。 An encrypted stone； hidden beneath the sign of the Rose。
The idea that the cryptex had been designed by Leonardo da Vinci—former Grand Master of the Priory of Sion—shone as another tantalizing indicator that this was indeed the Priory keystone。 A former Grand Master's blueprint。。。 brought to life centuries later by another Priory member。 The bond was too palpable to dismiss。
For the last decade； historians had been searching for the keystone in French churches。 Grail seekers； familiar with the Priory's history of cryptic double…talk； had concluded la clef de vo？te was a literal keystone—an architectural wedge—an engraved； encrypted stone； inserted into a vaulted archway in a church。 Beneath the sign of the Rose。 In architecture； there was no shortage of roses。 Rose windows。 Rosette reliefs。 And； of course； an abundance of cinquefoils—the five…petaled decorative flowers often found at the top of archways； directly over the keystone。 The hiding place seemed diabolically simple。 The map to the Holy Grail was incorporated high in an archway of some forgotten church； mocking the blind churchgoers who wandered beneath it。
〃This cryptex can't be the keystone；〃 Sophie argued。 〃It's not old enough。 I'm certain my grandfather made this。 It can't be part of any ancient Grail legend。〃
〃Actually；〃 Langdon replied； feeling a tingle of excitement ripple through him； 〃the keystone is believed to have been created by the Priory sometime in the past couple of decades。〃
Sophie's eyes flashed disbelief。 〃But if this cryptex reveals the hiding place of the Holy Grail； why would my grandfather give it to me？ I have no idea how to open it or what to do with it。 I don't even know what the Holy Grail is！〃
Langdon realized to his surprise that she was right。 He had not yet had a chance to explain to Sophie the true nature of the Holy Grail。 That story would have to wait。 At the moment； they were focused on the keystone。
If that is indeed what this is。。。。
Against the hum of the bulletproof wheels beneath them； Langdon quickly explained to Sophie everything he had heard about the keystone。 Allegedly； for centuries； the Priory's biggest secret—the location of the Holy Grail—was never written down。 For security's sake； it was verbally transferred to each new rising sénéchal at a clandestine ceremony。 However； at some point during the last century； whisperings began to surface that the Priory policy had changed。 Perhaps it was on account of new electronic eavesdropping capabilities； but the Priory vowed never again even to speak the location of the sacred hiding place。
〃But then how could they pass on the secret？〃 Sophie asked。
〃That's where the keystone es in；〃 Langdon explained。 〃When one of the top four members died； the remaining three would choose from the lower echelons the next candidate to ascend as sénéchal。 Rather than telling the new sénéchal where the Grail was hidden； they gave him a test through which he could prove he was worthy。〃
Sophie looked unsettled by this； and Langdon suddenly recalled her mentioning how her grandfather used to make treasure hunts for her—preuves de mérite。 Admittedly； the keystone was a similar concept。 Then again； tests like this were extremely mon in secret societies。 The best known was the Masons'； wherein members ascended to higher degrees by proving they could keep a secret and by performing rituals and various tests of merit over many years。 The tasks became progressively harder until they culminated in a successful candidate's induction as thirty…second…degree Mason。
〃So the keystone is a preuve de mérite；〃 Sophie said。 〃If a rising Priory sénéchal can open it； he proves himself worthy of the information it holds。〃
Langdon nodded。 〃I forgot you'd had experience with this sort of thing。〃
〃Not only with my grandfather。 In cryptology； that's called a 'self…authorizing language。' That is； if you're smart enough to read it； you're permitted to know what is being said。〃
Langdon hesitated a moment。 〃Sophie； you realize that if this is indeed the keystone； your grandfather's access to it implies he was exceptionally powerful within the Priory of Sion。 He would have to have been one of the highest four members。〃
Sophie sighed。 〃He was powerful in a secret society。 I'm certain of it。 I can only assume it was the Priory。〃
Langdon did a double take。 〃You knew he was in a secret society？〃
〃I saw some things I wasn't supposed to see ten years ago。 We haven't spoken since。〃 She paused。 〃My