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〃The woman whom you behold is love！〃 The women called； raising their orbs again。
The men responded； 〃She has her dwelling in eternity！〃
The chanting grew steady again。 Accelerating。 Thundering now。 Faster。 The participants stepped inward and knelt。
In that instant； Sophie could finally see what they were all watching。
On a low； ornate altar in the center of the circle lay a man。 He was naked； positioned on his back； and wearing a black mask。 Sophie instantly recognized his body and the birthmark on his shoulder。 She almost cried out。 Grand…père！ This image alone would have shocked Sophie beyond belief； and yet there was more。
Straddling her grandfather was a naked woman wearing a white mask； her luxuriant silver hair flowing out behind it。 Her body was plump； far from perfect； and she was gyrating in rhythm to the chanting—making love to Sophie's grandfather。
Sophie wanted to turn and run； but she couldn't。 The stone walls of the grotto imprisoned her as the chanting rose to a fever pitch。 The circle of participants seemed almost to be singing now； the noise rising in crescendo to a frenzy。 With a sudden roar； the entire room seemed to erupt in climax。 Sophie could not breathe。 She suddenly realized she was quietly sobbing。 She turned and staggered silently up the stairs； out of the house； and drove trembling back to Paris。
CHAPTER 75
The chartered turboprop was just passing over the twinkling lights of Monaco when Aringarosa hung up on Fache for the second time。 He reached for the airsickness bag again but felt too drained even to be sick。
Just let it be over！
Fache's newest update seemed unfathomable； and yet almost nothing tonight made sense anymore。 What is going on？ Everything had spiraled wildly out of control。 What have I gotten Silas into？ What have I gotten myself into！
On shaky legs； Aringarosa walked to the cockpit。 〃I need to change destinations。〃
The pilot glanced over his shoulder and laughed。 〃You're joking； right？〃
〃No。 I have to get to London immediately。〃
〃Father； this is a charter flight； not a taxi。〃
〃I will pay you extra； of course。 How much？ London is only one hour farther north and requires almost no change of direction； so—〃
〃It's not a question of money； Father； there are other issues。〃
〃Ten thousand euro。 Right now。〃
The pilot turned； his eyes wide with shock。 〃How much？ What kind of priest carries that kind of cash？〃
Aringarosa walked back to his black briefcase； opened it； and removed one of the bearer bonds。 He handed it to the pilot。
〃What is this？〃 the pilot demanded。
〃A ten…thousand…euro bearer bond drawn on the Vatican Bank。〃
The pilot looked dubious。
〃It's the same as cash。〃
〃Only cash is cash；〃 the pilot said； handing the bond back。
Aringarosa felt weak as he steadied himself against the cockpit door。 〃This is a matter of life or death。 You must help me。 I need to get to London。〃
The pilot eyed the bishop's gold ring。 〃Real diamonds？〃
Aringarosa looked at the ring。 〃I could not possibly part with this。〃
The pilot shrugged； turning and focusing back out the windshield。
Aringarosa felt a deepening sadness。 He looked at the ring。 Everything it represented was about to be lost to the bishop anyway。 After a long moment； he slid the ring from his finger and placed it gently on the instrument panel。
Aringarosa slunk out of the cockpit and sat back down。 Fifteen seconds later； he could feel the pilot banking a few more degrees to the north。
Even so； Aringarosa's moment of glory was in shambles。
It had all begun as a holy cause。 A brilliantly crafted scheme。 Now； like a house of cards； it was collapsing in on itself。。。 and the end was nowhere in sight。
CHAPTER 76
Langdon could see Sophie was still shaken from recounting her experience of Hieros Gamos。 For his part； Langdon was amazed to have heard it。 Not only had Sophie witnessed the full…blown ritual； but her own grandfather had been the celebrant。。。 the Grand Master of the Priory of Sion。 It was heady pany。 Da Vinci； Botticelli； Isaac Newton； Victor Hugo； Jean Cocteau。。。 Jacques Saunière。
〃I don't know what else I can tell you；〃 Langdon said softly。
Sophie's eyes were a deep green now； tearful。 〃He raised me like his own daughter。〃
Langdon now recognized the emotion that had been growing in her eyes as they spoke。 It was remorse。 Distant and deep。 Sophie Neveu had shunned her grandfather and was now seeing him in an entirely different light。
Outside； the dawn was ing fast； its crimson aura gathering off the starboard。 The earth was still black beneath them。
〃Victuals； my dears？〃 Teabing rejoined them with a flourish； presenting several cans of Coke and a box of old crackers。 He apologized profusely for the limited fare as he doled out the goods。 〃Our friend the monk isn't talking yet；〃 he chimed； 〃but give him time。〃 He bit into a cracker and eyed the poem。 〃So； my lovely； any headway？〃 He looked at Sophie。 〃What is your grandfather trying to tell us here？ Where the devil is this headstone？ This headstone praised by Templars。〃
Sophie shook her head and remained silent。
While Teabing again dug into the verse； Langdon popped a Coke and turned to the window； his thoughts awash with images of secret rituals and unbroken codes。 A headstone praised by Templars is the key。 He took a long sip from the can。 A headstone praised by Templars。 The cola was warm。
The dissolving veil of night seemed to evaporate quickly； and as Langdon watched the transformation； he saw a shimmering ocean stretch out beneath them。 The English Channel。 It wouldn't be long now。
Langdon willed the light of day to bring with it a second kind of illumination； but the lighter it became outside； the further he felt from the truth。 He heard the rhythms of iambic pentameter and chanting； Hieros Gamos and sacred rites； resonating with the rumble of the jet。
A headstone praised by Templars。
The plane was over land again when a flash of enlightenment struck him。 Langdon set down his empty can of Coke hard。 〃You won't believe this；〃 he said； turning to the others。 〃The Templar headstone—I figured it out。〃
Teabing's eyes turned to saucers。 〃You know where the headstone is？〃
Langdon smiled。 〃Not where it is。 What it is。〃
Sophie leaned in to hear。
〃I think the headstone references a literal stone head；〃 Langdon explained； savoring the familiar excitement of academic breakthrough。 〃Not a grave marker。〃
〃A stone head？〃 Teabing demanded。
Sophie looked equally confused。
〃Leigh；〃 Langdon said； turning； 〃during the Inquisition； the Church accused the Knights Templar of all kinds of heresies； right？〃
〃Correct。 They fabricated all kinds of charges。 Sodomy； urination on the cross； devil worship； quite a list。〃
〃And on that list was the worship of false idols； right？ Specifically； the Church accused the Templars of secretly performing rituals in which they prayed to a carved stone head。。。 the pagan god—〃
〃Baphomet！〃 Teabing blurted。 〃My heavens； Robert； you're right！ A headstone praised by Templars！〃
Langdon quickly explained to Sophie that Baphomet was a pagan fertility god associated with the creative force of reproduction。 Baphomet's head was represented as that of a ram or goat； a mon symbol of procreation and fecundity。 The Templars honored Baphomet by encircling a stone replica of his head and chanting prayers。
〃Baphomet；〃 Teabing tittered。 〃The ceremony honored the creative magic of sexual union； but Pope Clement convinced everyone that Baphomet's head was in fact that of the devil。 The Pope used the head of Baphomet as the linchpin in his case against the Templars。〃
Langdon concurred。 The modern belief in a horned devil known as Satan could be traced back to Baphomet and the Church's attempts to recast the horned fertility god as a symbol of evil。 The Church had obviously succeeded； although not entirely。 Traditional American Thanksgiving tables still bore pagan； horned fertility symbols。 The cornucopia or 〃horn of plenty〃 was a tribute to Baphomet's fertility and dated back to Zeus being suckled by a goat whose horn broke off and magically filled with fruit。 Baphomet also appeared in group photographs when some joker raised two fingers behind a friend's head in the V…symbol of horns； certainly few of the pranksters realized their m