Chapter 76

           LangdoncouldseeSophiewasstillshakenfromrecountingherexperienceofHierosGamos.Forhispart,Langdonwasamazedtohaveheardit.NotonlyhadSophiewitnessedthefull-blownritual,butherowngrandfatherhadbeenthecelebrant…theGrandMasterofthePrioryofSion.Itwasheadycompany.DaVinci,Botticelli,IsaacNewton,VictorHugo,JeanCocteau…JacquesSaunière.

           «Idon’tknowwhatelseIcantellyou,»Langdonsaidsoftly.

           Sophie’seyeswereadeepgreennow,tearful.«Heraisedmelikehisowndaughter.»

           Langdonnowrecognizedtheemotionthathadbeengrowinginhereyesastheyspoke.Itwasremorse.Distantanddeep.SophieNeveuhadshunnedhergrandfatherandwasnowseeinghiminanentirelydifferentlight.

           Outside,thedawnwascomingfast,itscrimsonauragatheringoffthestarboard.Theearthwasstillblackbeneaththem.

           «Victuals,mydears?»Teabingrejoinedthemwithaflourish,presentingseveralcansofCokeandaboxofoldcrackers.Heapologizedprofuselyforthelimitedfareashedoledoutthegoods.«Ourfriendthemonkisn’ttalkingyet,»hechimed,«butgivehimtime.»Hebitintoacrackerandeyedthepoem.«So,mylovely,anyheadway?»HelookedatSophie.«Whatisyourgrandfathertryingtotellushere?Wherethedevilisthisheadstone?ThisheadstonepraisedbyTemplars.»Sophieshookherheadandremainedsilent.WhileTeabingagaindugintotheverse,LangdonpoppedaCokeandturnedtothewindow,histhoughtsawashwithimagesofsecretritualsandunbrokencodes.AheadstonepraisedbyTemplarsisthekey.Hetookalongsipfromthecan.