Chapter 58

           Teabing’s»study»waslikenostudySophiehadeverseen.Sixorseventimeslargerthaneventhemostluxuriousofofficespaces,theknight’scabinetdetravailresembledanungainlyhybridofsciencelaboratory,archivallibrary,andindoorfleamarket.Litbythreeoverheadchandeliers,theboundlesstilefloorwasdottedwithclusteredislandsofworktablesburiedbeneathbooks,artwork,artifacts,andasurprisingamountofelectronicgear–computers,projectors,microscopes,copymachines,andflatbedscanners.

           «Iconvertedtheballroom,»Teabingsaid,lookingsheepishasheshuffledintotheroom.«Ihavelittleoccasiontodance.»

           Sophiefeltasiftheentirenighthadbecomesomekindoftwilightzonewherenothingwasassheexpected.«Thisisallforyourwork?»

           «Learningthetruthhasbecomemylife’slove,»Teabingsaid.«AndtheSangrealismyfavoritemistress.»

           TheHolyGrailisawoman,Sophiethought,hermindacollageofinterrelatedideasthatseemedtomakenosense.«YousaidyouhaveapictureofthiswomanwhoyouclaimistheHolyGrail.»

           «Yes,butitisnotIwhoclaimsheistheGrail.ChristHimselfmadethatclaim.»«Whichoneisthepainting?»Sophieasked,scanningthewalls.»Hmmm…»Teabingmadeashowofseemingtohaveforgotten.«TheHolyGrail.TheSangreal.TheChalice.»Hewheeledsuddenlyandpointedtothefarwall.Onithunganeight-foot-longprintofTheLastSupper,thesameexactimageSophiehadjustbeenlookingat.«Theresheis!»

           Sophiewascertainshehadmissedsomething.«That’sthesamepaintingyoujustshowedme.»

           Hewinked.