Chapter 71

           AstheHawkerleveledoff,withitsnoseaimedforEngland,Langdoncarefullyliftedtherosewoodboxfromhislap,wherehehadbeenprotectingitduringtakeoff.Now,ashesettheboxonthetable,hecouldsenseSophieandTeabingleaningforwardwithanticipation.

           Unlatchingthelidandopeningthebox,Langdonturnedhisattentionnottothelettereddialsofthecryptex,butrathertothetinyholeontheundersideoftheboxlid.Usingthetipofapen,hecarefullyremovedtheinlaidRoseontopandrevealedthetextbeneathit.SubRosa,hemused,hopingafreshlookatthetextwouldbringclarity.Focusingallhisenergies,Langdonstudiedthestrangetext.

           Afterseveralseconds,hebegantofeeltheinitialfrustrationresurfacing.«Leigh,Ijustcan’tseemtoplaceit.»

           FromwhereSophiewasseatedacrossthetable,shecouldnotyetseethetext,butLangdon’sinabilitytoimmediatelyidentifythelanguagesurprisedher.Mygrandfatherspokealanguagesoobscurethatevenasymbologistcan’tidentifyit?Shequicklyrealizedsheshouldnotfindthissurprising.ThiswouldnotbethefirstsecretJacquesSaunièrehadkeptfromhisgranddaughter.

           OppositeSophie,LeighTeabingfeltreadytoburst.Eagerforhischancetoseethetext,hequiveredwithexcitement,leaningin,tryingtoseearoundLangdon,whowasstillhunchedoverthebox.

           «Idon’tknow,»Langdonwhisperedintently.«MyfirstguessisaSemitic,butnowI’mnotsosure.MostprimarySemiticsincludenekkudot.Thishasnone.»

           «Probablyancient,»Teabingoffered.

           «Nekkudot?»Sophieinquired.