Chapter 55

           LangdonandVittoriaexplodedontothecourtyardoutsidetheSecretArchives.ThefreshairfeltlikeadrugasitflowedintoLangdon’slungs.Thepurplespotsinhisvisionquicklyfaded.Theguilt,however,didnot.Hehadjustbeenaccomplicetostealingapricelessrelicfromtheworld’smostprivatevault.Thecamerlegnohadsaid,Iamgivingyoumytrust.

           "Hurry,"Vittoriasaid,stillholdingthefolioinherhandandstridingatahalf-jogacrossViaBorgiainthedirectionofOlivetti’soffice.

           "Ifanywatergetsonthatpapyrus—"

           "Calmdown.Whenwedecipherthisthing,wecanreturntheirsacredFolio5."

           Langdonacceleratedtokeepup.Beyondfeelinglikeacriminal,hewasstilldazedoverthedocument’sspellbindingimplications.JohnMiltonwasanIlluminatus.HecomposedthepoemforGalileotopublishinFolio5…farfromtheeyesoftheVatican.

           Astheyleftthecourtyard,VittoriaheldoutthefolioforLangdon."Youthinkyoucandecipherthisthing?Ordidwejustkillallthosebraincellsforkicks?"

           Langdontookthedocumentcarefullyinhishands.Withouthesitationheslippeditintooneofthebreastpocketsofhistweedjacket,outofthesunlightanddangersofmoisture."Ideciphereditalready."

           Vittoriastoppedshort."Youwhat?"

           Langdonkeptmoving.

           Vittoriahustledtocatchup."Youreaditonce!Ithoughtitwassupposedtobehard!"

           Langdonknewshewasright,andyethehaddecipheredthesegnoinasinglereading.Aperfectstanzaofiambicpentameter,andthefirstaltarofsciencehadrevealeditselfinpristineclarity.