Chapter 22

           Kneelinginthefirstpew,Silaspretendedtoprayashescannedthelayoutofthesanctuary.Saint-Sulpice,likemostchurches,hadbeenbuiltintheshapeofagiantRomancross.Itslongcentralsection–thenave–leddirectlytothemainaltar,whereitwastransverselyintersectedbyashortersection,knownasthetransept.Theintersectionofnaveandtranseptoccurreddirectlybeneaththemaincupolaandwasconsideredtheheartofthechurch…hermostsacredandmysticalpoint.

           Nottonight,Silasthought.Saint-Sulpicehideshersecretselsewhere.

           Turninghisheadtotheright,hegazedintothesouthtransept,towardtheopenareaoffloorbeyondtheendofthepews,totheobjecthisvictimshaddescribed.

           Thereitis.

           Embeddedinthegraygranitefloor,athinpolishedstripofbrassglistenedinthestone…agoldenlineslantingacrossthechurch’sfloor.Thelineboregraduatedmarkings,likearuler.Itwasagnomon,Silashadbeentold,apaganastronomicaldevicelikeasundial.Tourists,scientists,historians,andpagansfromaroundtheworldcametoSaint-Sulpicetogazeuponthisfamousline.

           TheRoseLine.

           Slowly,Silaslethiseyestracethepathofthebrassstripasitmadeitswayacrossthefloorfromhisrighttoleft,slantinginfrontofhimatanawkwardangle,entirelyatoddswiththesymmetryofthechurch.Slicingacrossthemainaltaritself,thelinelookedtoSilaslikeaslashwoundacrossabeautifulface.