Ангелы и демоны

Chapter 55

           TheVenerableBedehadoncewrittenthattheholeinthePantheon’sroofhadbeenboredbydemonstryingtoescapethebuildingwhenitwasconsecratedbyBonifaceIV.

           "Andwhy,"Vittoriaaddedastheyenteredasmallercourtyard,"whywouldtheIlluminatiusethenameSantiifhewasreallyknownasRaphael?"

           "Youaskalotofquestions."

           "Mydadusedtosaythat."

           "Twopossiblereasons.One,thewordRaphaelhastoomanysyllables.Itwouldhavedestroyedthepoem’siambicpentameter."

           "Soundslikeastretch."

           Langdonagreed."Okay,thenmaybeusing‘Santi’wastomakethecluemoreobscure,soonlyveryenlightenedmenwouldrecognizethereferencetoRaphael."

           Vittoriadidn’tappeartobuythiseither."I’msureRaphael’slastnamewasverywellknownwhenhewasalive."

           "Surprisinglynot.Singlenamerecognitionwasastatussymbol.Raphaelshunnedhislastnamemuchlikepopstarsdotoday.TakeMadonna,forexample.Sheneveruseshersurname,Ciccone."

           Vittorialookedamused."YouknowMadonna’slastname?"

           Langdonregrettedtheexample.Itwasamazingthekindofgarbageamindpickeduplivingwith10,000adolescents.

           AsheandVittoriapassedthefinalgatetowardtheOfficeoftheSwissGuard,theirprogresswashaltedwithoutwarning.

           "Para!"avoicebellowedbehindthem.

           LangdonandVittoriawheeledtofindthemselveslookingintothebarrelofarifle.

           "Attento!"Vittoriaexclaimed,jumpingback."Watchitwith—"

           "Nonsportarti!"theguardsnapped,cockingtheweapon.

           "Soldato!"avoicecommandedfromacrossthecourtyard.Olivettiwasemergingfromthesecuritycenter

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