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Dan brown the da vinci code. "The Da Vinci Code" Dan Brown

Fragment of the painting by L. da Vinci "Portrait of Mrs. Lisa Giocondo"

Very briefly The investigation into the murder of a Louvre worker reveals many mysteries related to Mary Magdalene.

At the Louvre late in the evening, the curator Jacques Saunière is murdered, whose body is disfigured by strange signs. The police believe that the victim so slashed himself. His killer, Siles, calls a certain Teacher and reports that the four people who told him the same information before they died have been removed. A certain brotherhood has created a cornerstone on which it is encrypted with signs where the secret of this brotherhood is kept. All four of those killed testified that the map was in the Saint-Sulpice church in Paris. The teacher demands to get this card urgently.

The police turn to Robert Langdon, professor of religious symbolism at Harvard University, for help. Having never known Langdon before, Saunière made an appointment for the professor who had arrived in Paris the day before.

The Bishop of Aringaros, the father-chairman of the Opus Dei brotherhood, flies from New York to Rome. Recently, a special group has been watching the brotherhood, as some of its members have been seen in unseemly acts, but the brotherhood is under the auspices of the Vatican. Recently some members of the fraternity have been attacked. Aringarosa receives word that Siles has found the keystone.

Langdon is brought to the Louvre for the crime scene. According to the police, Saunière was in his office when he was attacked. He ran into the gallery and set off the alarm, ripping a painting off the wall. The entrance to the gallery was blocked by a lowered grate, and the killer shot at the curator through it. Saunière crawled quite a distance and died. The police found him naked, lying on his back with his arms and legs outstretched. In the center of the abdomen was drawn five pointed star- pentacle. In the darkness, purple letters and numbers were visible next to the corpse. The killer disappeared without a trace.

The sister of the Saint-Sulpice church, Sandrine, meets the representative of Opus Dei who has arrived in Paris.

Trying to decipher what was written, Langdon comes to the conclusion that Saunière copied famous painting Leonardo da Vinci "Vitruvian Man"

The investigating captain, Bezu Fache, passes the pictures with signs to the cryptography department, and the cryptographer Sophie Neve from the judicial police arrives at the crime scene. She informs Langdon that he is in danger.

Aringarosa meets with Siles, whose life he once saved, and with the Master.

Sophie informs Fache that the set of numbers is the Fibbonacci sequence. Seizing the moment, she meets alone with Langdon and tells him that he is the first suspect in the murder, so a special tracking beacon was planted in his pocket. In addition to the secret signs written near the body, there was an inscription that Fache erased: Saunière asked to find Langdon. The inscription was not intended for the police, but for her, since she is Saunière's granddaughter.

Sophie was orphaned at the age of four. Her parents, grandmother and younger brother died in a car accident, and the girl was raised by her grandfather. Ten years ago, returning home without warning, she found her grandfather in the company of strange people worshiping some object and performing strange rites. Sophie broke up with him. Since then, they have not seen each other, although her grandfather asked her to meet.

With Sophie's help, Langdon manages to escape the Louvre. After carefully rereading the entry, Langdon comes to the conclusion that it is an anagram of the words "Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa", and the Fibonacci sequence is a cipher.

Sophie is left alone in the Louvre. She wants to find the "Mona Lisa" and find out what kind of mysterious message her grandfather left her.

Siles comes to Saint-Sulpice. He asks Sister Sandrine to leave him alone to pray. Hidden, Sister Sandrine watches him.

Sophie arrives at the crime scene. Langdon does not run away, but returns to her. After thinking, they come to the conclusion that the symbol of a secret society that Sophie had once seen with her grandfather was encrypted in the inscription near the deceased. Examining the glass on the painting "Mona Lisa", they see the inscription in blood - one of the fundamental principles of the brotherhood.

Sophie examines another painting by Leonardo da Vinci, Madonna in the Grotto. There she finds unusual shape the key that she once saw with her grandfather as a child, and which should open a box with many secrets. On the key they see the address.

Langdon is arrested by a Louvre security agent, but Sophie saves him.

Silas, thinking that he is alone in the church, takes the Bible out of its hiding place to find out where the keystone is. Sister Sandrine calls the contact members of the fraternity and finds out that they have all been killed.

Sophie and Langdon escape the police. Langdon talks about the Priory of Zion, whose seal is on the key. The Templars handed over to the brotherhood important secret documents brought from Jerusalem to Europe, which dealt with the Holy Grail.

Finding nothing, Silas kills Sandrine's sister.

Aringarosa receives from the Vatican a large sum.

A Swiss bank is located at the address indicated on the key. Sophie and Langdon find the safe but don't know the account number. The president of the branch of the bank, Andre, knows that they are suspected of murder, their pictures have already been distributed by Interpol. Sophie tells him what happened. The police who followed them arrive at the bank. Berne agrees to help hide, he does not need problems on the territory of the bank, and Saunière was his friend. Langdon remembers the inscription next to the body of the deceased - this is the account number.

The safe contains a box with the symbol of the Priory of Sion on the lid. Taking the box with him, Berne takes the fugitives out of the bank unnoticed.

Siles repents to the Teacher that he did not complete the task, but he reassures him: he knows to whom Sauniere passed the information.

Inside the box is a cryptex, a cylinder with discs. The cryptex was invented by Leonardo da Vinci, but Saunière liked to carve such things out of wood. After reflecting and learning from Sophie about the rite she saw as a child, Langdon comes to the conclusion that Saunière was one of the highest members of society entrusted with the secret, and the cryptex indicates where the Grail is located. There must be three more people dedicated to the secret, apparently Sauniere felt some kind of danger if he wanted to entrust the secret to his granddaughter and him.

Hearing on the radio that Sophie and Langdon are accused of killing three more people, Berne demands that they hand over what Saunière entrusted him to guard. Sophie and Langdon escape, leaving Berne alone in the woods. Langdon guesses that a traitor has infiltrated the brotherhood. He decides to turn to the outstanding scientist Lew Teabing, who is studying the Holy Grail. Teabing will become interested in the critpex and will not give them up to the police.

After listening to Sophie and Langdon, Teabing shows them a painting by Leonardo da Vinci " The Last Supper". Each of the thirteen participants in the supper has their own bowl, but the Bible and other legends believe that the Grail appeared here. Teabing believes that the Grail is not an object, but a person, and a woman, as a symbol feminine- vessel. This woman is depicted in the painting, and she is Mary Magdalene.

According to various documents and ancient Dead Sea Scrolls, between Jesus and Mary Magdalene were romantic relationship they were spouses. The blood in the Grail is the child of Jesus carried by Mary Magdalene. The Church hid this fact and declared Mary Magdalene a harlot, which was not true.

To save the child, Mary fled to France and gave birth to a girl, Sarah, there. Documents about the life of Jesus, Mary and Sarah were hidden and found by the Templars. The search for the Grail is the search for the tomb of Mary Magdalene.

The family of Jesus developed, united with the family of French kings and founded Paris.

Teabing's servant Remy informs the master that the police are looking for Langdon and Sophie. To prevent Teabing from handing them over to the authorities, Langdon shows him the cryptex. This is seen by Siles sneaking under his window. Meanwhile, the police arrive at Teabing's house.

On reflection, Teabing, Sophie and Langdon come to the conclusion that Saunière passed the secret of the brotherhood to Sophie, since everyone else who knew her was killed. The killer must be sent by the Church.

Teabing is examining the cryptex, while Langdon is in another room examining the box. In it, he finds a piece of wood with an inscription in a language unknown to him, but then Siles hits him on the back of the head. Threatening Sophie and Teabing with a gun, Siles demands to give him the cryptex. Teabing knocks the gun out of him.

The police break into Teabing's house, but Teabing, Remy, Sophie and Landox, taking Siles, manage to escape. Langdon doesn't understand how Silas could have found them.

Teabing offers to fly everyone to England on his plane. After thinking about the cryptex, the fugitives decide that they need to find the tomb of the Templars, and the encrypted word is Sophia. There is another cryptex in the cryptex along with a note saying that you need to find the grave of a knight buried by the Pope in London and take the orb there.

Upon hearing the news, Aringarosa realizes what he has gotten Siles into and decides to fly to London.

Having deceived the English police, Teabing, along with Langdon, Sophie, Remy and Siles, go to the knight's grave in the church where the Templars are buried. While Teabing is at the church with Sophie and Langdon, Remy, who works for the Master and expects to receive a large sum of money, frees Silas. Silesa breaks into the church with a gun, demanding to give him the cornerstone. Langdon threatens to break the cryptex. Remy then puts a gun to Teabing's temple, and Langdon hands over the cryptex. Remy takes Teabing away and lets Sophie go with Langdon.

Teabing's house is being searched by the police. It turns out that his servant Remy was once involved in petty theft. The police also discovered a system of listening to people.

Sophie reports Teabing's kidnapping to the police. Captain Fache is talking to her from France. He apologizes for the accusations and wants to meet with the fugitives.

Siles receives a call from the Master and asks Remy to bring him the stone to the Opus Dei residence.

At the Royal Library Research Center, Sophie and Langdon meet librarian Pamela Guettem.

Leaving Remi with Teabing tied up in the car, Siles arrives at the residence. A teacher comes to the car, whom no one has seen before. He kills Remy after taking the critpex.

Pamela studies the documents and comes to the conclusion that the knight is Isaac Newton, Great master The Priory of Sion, which was cursed by the Church. Newton was buried in Westminster Abbey by the philosopher Alexander Pop, whose name and the word "Dad" are spelled the same.

Siles is arrested at the Opus Dei residence. During his detention, he resists and accidentally wounds the Bishop of Arangaros.

Sophie and Langdon visit Newton's grave, worrying about Teabing. They are seen by the hidden Teacher. Sophie and Langdon see an inscription on a tombstone that reveals where Teabing is.

At the indicated location, they find Teabing aiming a pistol at them. This is the Teacher who organized the murder of Saunière, Sophie's family and other people so that no one would know the secret of the Grail. Teabing faked a conversation with Remy and Silas, tricking them. Now he wants to seize the secret of the cryptex.

Silas drags the wounded bishop to get help. A few months ago, it was proposed to Aringaros that Opus Dei should be released from the custody of the Vatican. When the bishop refused, a certain Teacher called him and offered to assist in the search for the sacred relic. The Bishop regrets ordering Siles to obey the Master.

Trying to outsmart each other, Teabing and Langdon figure out what the orb on the grave means - an apple. But then the police arrest Teabing.

Siles dies from his wound.

Langdon and Sophie arrive in Scotland, at the church pointed to by the last entry in the cryptex. There they meet a woman who has exactly the same box. The woman turns out to be Sophie's grandmother, who has been living under a different name for many years. Sophie's younger brother lives with her grandmother. Grandmother and brother did not go then in the car and after the incident were forced to hide.

Sophie has a family, and Langdon has to leave. They agree to meet soon in Florence.

Current page: 1 (total book has 34 pages) [accessible reading excerpt: 19 pages]

Dan Brown
The Da Vinci Code

And again dedicated to Blythe ... Even more than ever

about the author

Dan Brown was born in 1965 in New Hampshire (USA), his father was a professor of mathematics, and his mother was a professional musician. He graduated from Philips-Exeter Academy and Amherst College, then moved to California where he began his career as a songwriter, musician and performer, releasing several CDs of his recordings. In 1993, Dan Brown returned to New Hampshire and began teaching English at Amherst College. In 1995, he and his wife published 187 Men to Stay Away from: A Guide for Romantically Frustrated Women. In 1998, the writer, who has always been interested in philosophy, the history of religion, cryptography and secret organizations, published his first thriller novel, Digital Fortress. His further works were also created at the "junction of genres": in 2000, the intellectual conspiracy detective Angels and Demons saw the light, and in 2001 the thriller Deception Point was released. In 2003, the adventures of Professor Robert Langdon from "Angels and Demons" were continued by the novel "The Da Vinci Code" - on the first day after publication it was sold in the amount of 6 thousand copies, and the total world circulation of Dan Brown's bestsellers, translated into 40 languages, approaching 8 million copies. The writer is also engaged in journalism, regularly publishes in Newsweek, TIME, Forbes, People, GQ, The New Yorker, and appears on various popular radio and television programs.

Data

Priory 1
The priory, or signoria, is the city government of a number of medieval towns-communes. In the Masonic tradition, the Grand Priory is a division in the leadership system of one of the denominations of Freemasonry (Temple, Hospital). - Note. Ed.

Sion is a secret European society founded in 1099, a real organization. In 1975 in the Paris national library handwritten scrolls known as " Secret dossiers”, which revealed the names of many members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo da Vinci.

The personal prelature of the Vatican, known as the "Opus Dei", is a Catholic sect that professes deep piety. Infamous for her brainwashing, violence, and dangerous "mortification" rituals. The Opus Dei cult has just completed the $47 million construction of its New York headquarters at 243 Lexington Avenue.

The book presents accurate descriptions works of art, architecture, documents and secret rituals.

Prologue

Paris, Louvre 21.46

The famous curator Jacques Sauniere staggered under the vaulted arch of the Grand Gallery and rushed to the first painting that caught his eye, the canvas of Caravaggio. He grabbed the gilded frame with both hands and began to pull it towards himself until the masterpiece fell off the wall and collapsed on the seventy-year-old old man Saunière, burying him under him.

As Saunière had predicted, a metal grating came down with a roar, blocking access to this hall. The parquet floor shook. Somewhere in the distance, an alarm siren blared.

For several seconds the curator lay motionless, gasping for air and trying to figure out what light he was in. I am still alive. Then he crawled out from under the canvas and began to frantically look around in search of a place where he could hide.

- Do not move.

The curator, who was on all fours, went cold, then slowly turned around.

Only fifteen feet away, behind bars, stood the imposing and formidable figure of his pursuer. Tall, broad-shouldered, with pale skin and sparse white hair. The whites of the eyes are pink, and the pupils are a menacing dark red. The albino took a pistol out of his pocket, thrust the long barrel through the hole between the iron bars, and aimed at the curator. "You mustn't run," he said in a hard-to-detect accent. “Now tell me, where is it?”

“But I already told you,” the curator stammered, still on all fours helplessly. “I have no idea what you're talking about.

- Lie! The man was motionless and looked at him with the unblinking gaze of terrible eyes, in which red sparks gleamed. “You and your brothers have something that does not belong to you.

The Curator winced. How can he know?

– And today this item will find its true owners. So tell me where he is and stay alive. - The man lowered the barrel a little lower, now it was aimed directly at the handler's head. "Or is it a secret you're willing to die for?"

Sauniere held his breath.

The man tilted his head slightly and took aim.

Saunière raised his hands helplessly.

“Wait,” he muttered. - I'll tell you everything I know. And the curator spoke, choosing his words carefully. This lie he had rehearsed many times, and each time he prayed that he would not have to resort to it.

When he finished, his pursuer smiled smugly.

- Yes. That is what others have told me.

Other? Saunière was mentally surprised.

“I found them too,” said the albino. - All three. And they confirmed what you just said.

That cannot be! For the true identity of the curator and the identity of his three sénéchaux 2
Old servants, servants (fr.). - Note here and below. per.

were as sacred and inviolable as ancient mystery that they kept. But then Saunière guessed: three of his sénéchaux, faithful to their duty, told the same legend before their death as he did. That was part of the plan.

The man took aim again.

“So when you die, I'll be the only person in the world who knows the truth.

Truth!.. The curator instantly caught the terrible meaning of this word, the whole horror of the situation became clear to him. If I die, no one will ever know the truth. And he, driven by the instinct of self-preservation, tried to find shelter.

A shot rang out, the curator limply sank to the floor. The bullet hit him in the stomach. He tried to crawl ... with difficulty overcoming the terrible pain. Slowly he raised his head and peered through the bars at his killer.

Now he was aiming for his head.

Sauniere closed his eyes, fear and regret tormented him.

The click of a blank shot echoed down the corridor.

Sauniere opened his eyes.

The albino looked at his weapon with mocking bewilderment. I wanted to reload it, then, apparently, changed my mind, pointed to Saunière's stomach with a grin:

- I did my job.

The curator lowered his eyes and saw a bullet hole on a white linen shirt. It was framed in a red ring of blood and was several inches below the sternum. Stomach! A cruel miss: the bullet hit not in the heart, but in the stomach. The curator was a veteran of the Algerian war and had seen many painful deaths. He will live another fifteen minutes, and the acids from the stomach, seeping into the chest cavity, will slowly poison him.

“Pain, you know, it’s good, monsieur,” said the albino. And left.

Left alone, Jacques Sauniere glanced at the iron bars. He was trapped, the doors wouldn't open for another twenty minutes. And by the time someone arrives to help, he will already be dead. But it was not his own death that frightened him at the moment.

I must convey the secret.

Trying to get to his feet, he saw before him the faces of his three murdered brothers. He remembered the generations of other brothers, the mission they carried out, carefully passing the secret to their descendants.

An unbreakable chain of knowledge.

And now, despite all the precautions... despite all the tricks, he, Jacques Sauniere, remained the only link in this chain, the only keeper of the secret.

Trembling, he finally stood up.

I have to find some way... He was locked in the Grand Gallery, and there was only one person in the world to whom the torch of knowledge could be passed. Sauniere looked at the walls of his luxurious dungeon. They were adorned with a collection of world-famous paintings, they seemed to be looking down at him, smiling like old friends.

Grimacing in pain, he called for help with all his strength and skill. The task ahead of him will require concentration and take away all the seconds of his life allotted to the last.

Chapter 1

Robert Langdon did not wake up immediately.

Somewhere in the darkness, a telephone rang. But the call sounded unusually sharp, piercing. He fumbled on the bedside table and switched on the night lamp. He squinted at the furnishings: a velvet-lined Renaissance bedroom, Louis XVI furniture, hand-painted frescoed walls, a huge mahogany four-poster bed. Where the hell am I?

On the back of the chair hung a jacquard robe with the monogram HOTEL RITZ, PARIS.

The fog in my head began to gradually dissipate. Langdon picked up the phone.

Squinting, Langdon glanced at the desk clock. They showed 12.32 at night. He slept for only an hour and was barely alive from fatigue.

- It's the porter, monsieur. Sorry to disturb you, but you have a visitor. He says he has urgent business.

Langdon was still confused. Visitor? His eyes fell on a crumpled piece of paper on the bedside table. It was a small poster.

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY OF PARIS

has the honor to invite

to meet Robert Langdon,

professor of religious symbolism

Harvard University

Langdon groaned softly. The evening lecture was accompanied by a slide show: pagan symbolism, reflected in the stonework of the cathedral at Chartres, and it certainly did not appeal to conservative professors. Or maybe the most religious scientists will even ask him out and put him on the first flight to America.

“Sorry,” Langdon replied, “but I’m very tired and—”

Mais, monsieur 3
But, monsieur (fr.).

, the porter continued to insist, lowering his voice to an intimate whisper. Your guest is a very influential person.

Langdon had no doubts about it. Books on religious painting and cult symbolism made him a kind of celebrity in the art world, only with a minus sign. And last year, Langdon's notoriety was only increased by his involvement in a rather ambiguous incident in the Vatican, which was widely covered by the press. And since then, he was simply overcome by all sorts of unrecognized historians and dilettantes from art, and he was brought down by the crowd.

“Please,” Langdon did his best to be polite, “write down the name and address of this person.” And tell him I'll try to call him on the Thursday before we leave Paris. OK? Thank you! - And he hung up before the receptionist had a chance to object.

He sat up in bed and frowned at the hotel diary on the table, the cover of which bore the now-mocking inscription: "SLEEP LIKE A BABY IN THE CITY OF LIGHTS, SWEET DREAMS AT THE RITZ HOTEL, PARIS." He turned away and looked wearily into the tall mirror on the wall. The man reflected there was almost a stranger. Tousled, tired.

You need to get some rest, Robert.

It turned out to be especially difficult Last year, and this is reflected in the appearance. Usually so alive blue eyes dimmed and looked sad. The cheekbones and dimpled chin were shaded by stubble. The hair at the temples was silvery gray, moreover, the gray hairs flashed even in the thick black hair. And although all the female colleagues assured him that gray hair suits him terribly, emphasizes the learned look, he himself was not at all delighted.

You should have seen me at the Boston Store now!

Last month, to Langdon's amazement and some dismay, The Boston Magazine named him one of the city's ten most "intriguing" people, a dubious honor that has been the subject of constant ridicule from Harvard colleagues. And now, three thousand miles from home, the honor given to him by the magazine turned into a nightmare that haunted him even at a lecture at the University of Paris.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” the host announced to the crowded hall called the Dauphin's Pavilion, “our today's guest needs no introduction. He is the author of many books, including: "The Symbolism of Secret Sects", "The Art of Intellectuals: The Lost Language of Ideograms". And if I say that it was from his pen that "Religious Iconology" came out, then I will not reveal to you a big secret. For many of you, his books have become textbooks.

The students nodded vigorously in agreement.

– And today I wanted to present it to you, outlining such an impressive curriculum vitae 4
Circle of life (lat.).

this man. But…” she glanced playfully at Langdon, who was sitting at the presidium table, “one of our students just provided me with even more, so to speak, intriguing introduction.

And she showed me a Boston magazine.

Langdon winced. Where the hell did she get it?

The host began to read out excerpts from a completely idiotic article, and Langdon sank deeper and deeper into the chair. Thirty seconds later, the audience was already giggling with might and main, and the lady did not let up.

“Mr. Langdon’s refusal to tell the media about his unusual role in last year's meeting in the Vatican definitely helped him score points in the fight for entry into the top ten "intriguers"". - Here she stopped and turned to the audience: - Do you want to listen to more?

The response was a round of applause. No, someone has to stop her thought Langdon. And she read a new passage:

“While Professor Langdon isn't quite as stunning as some of our younger applicants, at 40 plus he has the full charm of a scientist. And his charm only emphasizes the low baritone, which, according to the students, acts “just like chocolate on the ears.”

The hall erupted with laughter.

Langdon managed a shy smile. He knew what was coming next, a passage on "Harrison Ford in Harris Tweed." And since today he recklessly dressed up in a tweed jacket from Harris and a turtleneck from Burbury, he decided to urgently take some action.

“Thank you, Monique,” Langdon said as he rose and stepped off the podium. – This Boston magazine definitely employs people endowed with the gift artistic word. They should write novels. He sighed and looked around the audience. - And if I only find out who brought this magazine here, I will demand to throw the bastard out.

Everyone laughed together again.

- Well, my friends, as everyone knows, I came to you today to talk about the power of symbols ...

The ringing of the phone interrupted Langdon's thoughts.

He sighed resignedly and picked up the phone.

As expected, it was the porter again.

“Mr. Langdon, once again I apologize for disturbing you. But I'm calling to inform you that a guest is on his way to your room. So I thought it might be better to warn you.

Langdon woke up completely.

“So you sent him to my room?”

“I beg your pardon, monsieur, but a man of such rank ... I just thought that I had no right to stop him.”

“Who is he, after all?”

But the porter had already hung up.

And almost immediately there was a loud knock on the door. Langdon rose reluctantly from the bed, his bare feet sinking into the thick, fluffy carpet. He put on a bathrobe and walked towards the door.

- Who's there?

"Mr. Langdon?" I need to speak with you. The man spoke English with an accent, his voice harsh and authoritative. “I am Lieutenant Jerome Collet. From the Central Directorate of the Judicial Police.

Langdon froze. Central Directorate of the Judicial Police, or CUSP for short? He knew that this organization in France is about the same as the FBI in the USA.

Without removing the chain, he opened the door a few inches. A thin face with inexpressive, as if erased features looked at him. And the man in the blue uniform was incredibly thin.

- May I come in? Kollet asked.

Langdon hesitated, feeling the lieutenant's gaze on him.

– And what, exactly, is the matter?

“My captain needs your help. Expertise in one particular case.

- Right now? Langdon was surprised. "But it's already past midnight."

– This evening you were supposed to meet with the curator of the Louvre, am I correctly informed?

Langdon had a disturbing premonition. Indeed, he and the Honorable Jacques Saunière had arranged to meet after the lecture and chat over drinks, but the curator never showed up.

- Yes. But how do you know?

We found your name on his desk calendar.

"I hope he's all right?"

The agent sighed and slipped the Polaroid snapshot into the slot.

Seeing the photo made Langdon go cold.

- Photo taken less than an hour back. Within the walls of the Louvre.

Langdon stared at the chilling scene, and his disgust and indignation expressed itself in an angry exclamation:

“But who could do such a thing?!”

“That's what we want to find out. And we hope you will help us, given your knowledge of religious symbolism and the intention to meet Saunière.

Langdon stared at the picture, and outrage was replaced by fear. It's a disgusting sight, but that's not the only thing. He had an uneasy feeling of deja vu 5
I've seen this somewhere before.

Just over a year ago, Langdon received a photograph of a corpse and a similar request for help. And twenty-four hours later he almost lost his life, and it happened in the Vatican. No, this picture is completely different, but, nevertheless, there was a clear similarity in the script.

The agent glanced at his watch.

“My captain is waiting, sir.

But Langdon didn't hear him. His eyes were still focused on the picture.

– This symbol is here, and then the fact that the body is so strange…

- Is he poisoned? 1.
Is he poisoned?– Located? ( positioned?) – N.

the agent suggested.

Langdon nodded, winced, and looked up at him.

“I just can’t imagine who could have done something like this…”

The agent darkened.

“You don't understand, Mr. Langdon. What you see in the picture…” Here he faltered. “In short, Monsieur Saunière did this to himself.

Chapter 2

About a mile from the Ritz, an albino named Silas limped through the gate in front of a sumptuous red-brick mansion on Rue La Bruyère. The spiked garter of human hair he wore on his hip was painful, but his soul sang with joy. Still, he served the Lord gloriously. Pain, it's only good.

He entered the mansion, ran around the vestibule with red eyes. And then he began to quietly climb the stairs, trying not to wake his sleeping comrades. The door to his bedroom was open, locks were forbidden here. He entered and closed the door behind him.

The furnishings in the room were spartan - a bare plank floor, a simple pine chest of drawers, a linen mattress in the corner that served as a bed. Here Silas was only a guest, but at home, in New York, he had about the same cell. The Lord gave me shelter and a purpose in life. For today, at least, Silas felt like he was paying off his debts. Hastily went to the chest of drawers, pulled out the bottom drawer, found a mobile phone there and dialed a number.

“Master, I have returned.

– Speak! - commandingly said the interlocutor.

All four are finished. With three sénéchaux… and the Grand Master himself.

There was a pause in the receiver, as if the interlocutor offered a brief prayer to God.

“In that case, I assume you got the information?”

All four confessed. Regardless of one another.

- And you believed them?

- They said the same thing. This is hardly a coincidence.

The interlocutor exhaled excitedly into the phone:

- Great! I was afraid that the fraternity's inherent desire for secrecy would prevail here.

“Well, the prospect of death is a strong motivation.

- So, my student, tell me at last what I so wanted to know.

Silas knew that the information he received from the victims would come across as a bombshell.

“Master, all four have confirmed the existence of the clef de voûte… the legendary keystone.

He distinctly heard how the person at the other end of the line held his breath, felt the excitement that took possession of the Teacher.

- Foundation stone. Exactly what we assumed. According to legend, the brotherhood created the clef de voûte, or keystone, map. It was a stone plate with signs engraved on it describing where greatest secret Brotherhood… This information had such explosive power that protecting it became the raison d'être of the Brotherhood itself.

“Well, now that we have the stone,” the Teacher said, “there is only one, the last step left.

We are even closer than you think. The cornerstone here in Paris.

- In Paris? Incredible! Even a little too easy.

Silas recounted the events of the previous evening to him. He told how each of the four victims, seconds before death, tried to redeem their wicked life by betraying all the secrets of the brotherhood. And everyone told Silas the same thing: that the cornerstone was very ingeniously hidden in a secluded place, in one of the oldest churches in Paris - Eglise de Saint-Sulpice.

- In the walls of the house of the Lord! the Teacher exclaimed. How dare they make fun of us!

“They have been doing this for centuries.

The teacher fell silent, as if wanting to enjoy the moment of triumph. And then he said:

“You have done our Creator a great service. We have been waiting for this hour for centuries. You must get this stone for me. Immediately. Today! I hope you understand how high the stakes are?

Silas understood, but the Master's demand seemed impossible.

“But this church is like a fortified fortress. Especially at night. How will I get there?

And then, in the confident tone of a man with great power and influence, the Teacher explained to him how to do it.

Silas hung up and felt his skin tingle with excitement.

One hour, he reminded himself, grateful to the Master for giving him the opportunity to inflict penance on himself before entering the abode of the Lord. I must cleanse my soul from the sins committed today. However, today's sins were committed with a good purpose. Wars against the enemies of the Lord have been going on for centuries. Forgiveness was secured.

Even so, Silas knew that absolution required sacrifice.

He drew the curtains, stripped naked, and knelt in the center of the room. Then he lowered his eyes and looked at the spiked garter around his thigh. All true followers of The Way wore such garters, a strap studded with sharpened metal spikes that cut into the flesh with every movement and reminded of the suffering of Jesus. Pain also helped to restrain carnal impulses.

Even though Silas had worn his thong for over two hours today, he knew it was an unusual day. And so he grabbed the buckle and tightened the strap, wincing in pain as the spikes dug even deeper into his flesh. He closed his eyes and began to revel in this pain that brings cleansing.

Pain is only good Silas mentally uttered the words from the sacred mantra of Father José Maria Escrivá, the Master of all teachers. Although Escrivá himself died in 1975, his wise words continued to be whispered by thousands of devoted servants around the globe, especially when they knelt down and performed the sacred ritual known as "mortification".

Then Silas turned and looked down at the crudely woven rope in small knots, neatly coiled on the floor at his feet. The nodules were stained with gore. Anticipating even greater purging pain, Silas spoke short prayer. Then he grabbed one end of the rope, closed his eyes, and lashed his back over his shoulder, feeling the knots scratch his skin. He lashed again, harder. And for a long time continued self-flagellation.

– Castigo corpus meum 6
I punish my body (lat.).

Finally, he felt blood running down his back.

"The world has gone mad. The Michelin guides to Paris have been thrown away. Nobody in the Vatican is interested in the Pope's sermons anymore. In London, tourists who have forgotten about the grave of Princess Diana crowd near the majestic gravestone of Sir Isaac Newton. Tens of millions of people from more than forty countries of the world are looking for the main treasure of the Christian civilizations driven by the Book.
This book is not Holy Scripture at all, as it might seem at first glance.
It's about about the novel by American writer Dan Brown "The Da Vinci Code"

I allowed myself to begin tales of my journey to the shores foggy Albion with a lengthy quote from the article Maksim Kononenko ("Network Writer of the Year" 2003/2004, etc., etc., etc., aka Mr. Parker) due to the fact that, by chance, she was among these "tens of millions". I had just read this bestseller and then, quite unexpectedly, my business trip to London broke off.

Here is what they write about this novel:
"Paul McCartney, in an interview before the concert, admitted that he was almost afraid to forget the words "Yesterday": he is now reading The Da Vinci Code and is unable to think about anything else."

"Wow!!!" meows the New York Times Review of Books reviewer, but then pulls herself together: "Jaw falls off." "If your pulse while reading this novel does not start to beat like crazy - immediately see a therapist!" - her colleagues throw coal.

"The Da Vinci Code is not even a bestseller of the year, but of the decade; an adult analogue of Harry Potter." The story begins with the fact that in the Louvre, right in front of the Mona Lisa, the curator of the museum is killed. The signs he left point to the American specialist in religions and symbols, Robert Langdon. But the granddaughter of the murdered man, the cryptographer Sophie, does not believe in the guilt of the American and, together with him, is taken to solve the puzzles of the dead grandfather. It turns out that the grandfather, like da Vinci, was the master of the secret order of the guardians of the Grail (the Priory of Sion). Discoveries are becoming more and more sensational: the Grail is not a cup, but...
Jesus was not a bachelor, but a husband...
on the "Last Supper" is not painted St. Peter, but ...

For a whole week, part of the day I diligently engaged in the work assigned to me, and the rest of the time I spent as a "wild" tourist.
In fact, for those who want to visit all the places described in the novel, the famous publishing house Penguin has released the 256-page "Overview Guide to The Da Vinci Code" which can be purchased at any bookstore in the UK for £4.99.

However, the title of "wild" had to be somehow justified and I armed myself with the usual Holborn card taken from the hotel counter.
Dudki! It was not so easy to understand the terrible mixture of streets, lanes and names!

With a circle, I marked the place I needed, and went for reconnaissance (oh, a beautiful word!).
Quoting Brown:
"It was almost half past seven on Langdon's watch when he, along with Sophie and Teabing, got off the limousine on Inner Temple Lane...."
Here is the street:

I went there through the Middle Temple parallel to it.

This is a pedestrian street. See the entrance at the bottom? This is the entrance from Fleet Street.
"A tree-lined path that ran between buildings led them to a small courtyard in front of Temple Church..."

(All the pictures of this format placed in this article were taken by me. The digital camera was tested Canon PowerShot A520

"One of the oldest churches in London was built of Cayenne stone..."

"Low, round in shape, with a nave protruding from one side, it looked more like a fortress or a military outpost than a place where God is worshiped...."

"Consecrated on February 10, 1185 by Heraclius, Patriarch of Jerusalem, the Temple Church successfully survived eight centuries of political battles, withstood the great fire of London and the First World War, but was badly damaged by bombs dropped by the Luftwaffe in 1940. After the war, it was completely restored .. .."

The simplicity of the circle, Langdon thought, admiring the building he had seen for the first time. The architecture is simple, even primitive, without any frills, and the structure resembles the Roman castle of Sant'Angelo rather than an exquisite pantheon. although it does not hide the original pagan form of the structure .... "

My attention was drawn to the ad posted on the door.

It said that the local rector gave brief lectures on Fridays explaining the events described in the book The Da Vinci Code.

For my "happiness" instead of Friday at this point in space, Thursday was in full swing ...

"The entrance to the church was a stone niche, in which a massive wooden door was visible. To the left of it hung a bulletin board with a schedule of concerts and church services that seemed completely out of place here ..."

The board, as you can see, is there. Although, for some reason right.

"The rounded room seemed to have been created for pagan ceremonies. The only stone bench along the walls went around the floor in a circle, leaving the center empty..."

Photos interior decoration churches taken

On the floor were carved stone statues of life-sized knights. The knights in armor, with shields and swords, looked so natural that Langdon had a terrible thought for a moment: they lay down to rest, and someone crept up, covered them with plaster and walled them up alive, It was clear that these figures are very ancient, have suffered a lot from time to time, and at the same time each is unique in its own way: different armor, different arrangement of arms and legs, different signs on shields. And the faces don't look the same either...

"All the stone knights who found their eternal rest in the Temple Church were lying on their backs, their heads resting on rectangular "pillows" of stone..."

"Looking at the stone knights, Sophie noted the differences and similarities between them. Each knight lay on his back, but three had their legs extended, and the other two were crossed ....
Examining the robes, Sophie noticed that two of the knights wore tunics over their armor, and three wore long cloaks ... Then Sophie noticed another, last and most obvious difference: the position of the hands. Two knights were clutching swords in their hands, two were praying, and the third was lying with his arms extended along his body .... "

“When Sophie reached the second group, she saw that it was identical to the first. And here the knights lay in different poses, in armor and with weapons. All except the last, the tenth.
She ran up to him and stopped dead in her tracks.
No stone cushion. No armor. No tunic. No sword.
- Robert! Lew! she called, and her voice echoed through the vaults. Look, there's something missing!
The men raised their heads and immediately walked towards her...
“Looks like the knight himself is missing here.
The men approached and stared in bewilderment at the tenth grave. Here, instead of a knight lying on the floor, there was a stone coffin. It was trapezoidal in shape, tapered towards the foot and was covered on top with a conical pointed lid.
Why wasn't this knight put on display? Langdon asked.
"Amazing..." Teabing muttered, stroking his chin. - Completely forgot about this oddity. Haven't been here for many years.
“It looks like this coffin,” Sophie said, “was carved out of stone around the same time and by the same sculptor as the figures of the other nine knights. So why is this particular knight resting in a coffin?
Teabing shook his head.
- One of the mysteries of this church. As far as I remember, no one has yet found any acceptable explanation ... "

The heroes of the story went on to further search for answers to their questions, and I followed them...

To the grave Sir Isaac Newton .

The fact is that the abbey has been serving as the tomb of the rulers for many centuries. the greatest people England. The name of this genius (after all, he was both a physicist, and a mathematician, and an astronomer, a very serious alchemist, a member of parliament, the head of the mint, etc., etc., etc.) and a great original are often associated with the legend of a fallen apple, which supposedly led to the discovery of the law gravity. Newton's idleness in the orchard caused among scientists myriad imitations. People lay under the trees for hours, expecting that they, too, would be hit on the head with the fruit and overshadowed. All to no avail. Nature itself knows who, when and with what to hit on the head...

True, modern researchers claim that no apple fell on the head of Isaac Isaakovich, and he himself invented the story about this in order to hide his addiction to the occult sciences, for which in those harsh times they could have been sent to the gallows. Yes, yes, he was also the Abbot and Grand Master of the Priory of Sion! At one time, this position was held by such famous people like Sandro Botticelli, Leonardo Da Vinci, Robert Boyle, Victor Hugo, Claude Debussy, Jean Cocteau....
Unfortunately, according to the local code, it is strictly forbidden to take pictures inside the premises, and you, my dear readers, will have to be content with the pictures I found on the abbey website and just on the Internet.
Sir Isaac Newton is buried in a place of honor.

In the northern part of the central nave in the left triangular niche is his tomb, on which a luxurious tombstone by the sculptor is installed. Michael Risbrack .

Here is a quote from The Da Vinci Code:
"On a massive black marble sarcophagus stood a sculpture of a great scientist in a classic suit. He proudly leaned on an impressive pile of his own works - "Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy", "Optics", "Theology", "Chronology" and others.
At Newton's feet, two winged boys were unrolling a scroll. Right behind him rose an ascetically simple and austere pyramid. And although the pyramid looked rather out of place here, not she herself, but geometric figure, located approximately in the middle of it, attracted especially close attention Teachers.
Ball .
The teacher did not stop puzzling over Saunière's riddle.Find the ball from the grave ...
A massive ball protruded from the pyramid in the form of a bas-relief, it depicted all kinds of celestial bodies- constellations, zodiac signs, comets, stars and planets. And it was crowned with an allegorical image of the goddess Astronomy under a whole scattering of stars ... "

On the sarcophagus we will also see an image of another group of boys using tools related to Newton's mathematical and optical work (including a telescope and a prism) and his activities as a Mint Manager.

During the restoration work in 1834, Edward Blore altered the framing structures somewhat, and in this form we see the tomb today....

Those interested in the details can take a tour of Westminster Abbey using this interactive map . And, and admire the circular panoramas of the interior decoration of the room.

This is the end of this little trip to London. For those who have already read this book, it will, of course, be understandable, well, and for those who have not read it yet, maybe they will also want to join the "tens of millions" ....

Although, for the sake of fairness, I will quote excerpts from abusive critical articles about this book:
"She does not have any literary merit. There are no bright heroes in her, and the images actors flat and poster. There is almost no action in this book.

“Here everyone is chasing something: the Templars, the Pope, anything - but not plausibility. The whole police force of Paris is not able to catch up with the smart car: Brown's heroes function as if inside the Zenonian aporia about Achilles and the tortoise And when the main coordinates - space and time - are devalued, then why on earth should one believe an obviously superficially erudite author when he undertakes to decipher the symbolism of the pentacle and talk about the line in Leonardo?

"Yes, this is a very dynamic novel, something happens all the time in it - but when you close the book, you understand that nothing has happened here. The needle is in the egg, the egg is in the duck, the duck is in the chest, the chest is on the tree - and so on ad infinitum, one code leading to another, another to a third, a third to 33. It is not surprising that when you reach the last page, you are much more pleased with the fact that this meaningless chain has been completed than you are interested in why nothing has been found ."

"The Da Vinci Code" - novel written American writer and journalist Dan Brown

The protagonist, Dr. Robert Langdon, professor of religious symbolism at Harvard University, must unravel the murder case of Jacques Saunière, curator of the Louvre. Sauniere's body was found inside the Louvre, naked and positioned in the same way as in the famous drawing by Leonardo da Vinci "Vitruvian Man", with an encrypted inscription on his torso. This inscription indicates that the key to the murder mystery must be sought inside famous works Leonardo da Vinci. An analysis of Leonardo's works such as the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper greatly helps in solving this riddle. At the same time, Robert meets Jacques Sauniere's granddaughter, Sophie Neveu. Her family (mother, father, brother, grandmother) died in a car accident. Now Sophie and Robert have to unravel many secrets and mysteries. But CUSP Captain Bezu Fache believes that it was Langdon who killed Jacques Saunière. Robert and Sophie have to refute this.

The main character of the novel has to solve two main riddles:

What secret was Saunière protecting, and why was he killed?
Who killed Saunière and who planned this murder?

With the help of the inscriptions left by Jacques Saunière on his body and on the Mona Lisa, Sophie and Robert find the key that Sophie saw as a child in her grandfather's box. Sophie decides to smuggle Langdon to the American embassy. But they are blocked by the police. Sophie manages to get away from them on her smart. They abandon her car and hail a taxi. In a taxi, they see the address on the key: 24 RYU AKSO. The couple travel there and discover a depository bank in Zurich. Langdon and Sophie open the safe with a key and an access code (it turned out to be a Fibonacci Series). In it they find a box. Meanwhile, the guard on duty recognized Langdon and Sophie as being wanted by Interpol. Bank President André Vernet, learning that Sophie is the granddaughter of Jacques Saunière, takes them to the forest in a banking car. In the car, Langdon opens the box and sees a cryptex, opening which he hopes to get the keystone - a map to the Holy Grail. But Vernet learns that, besides Sauniere, 3 more people were killed, and Sophie and Robert are also blamed for the death of these people, and stops believing in their innocence; threatening with a gun, he demands to give the box. Langdon cunningly disarms the enemy. The professor, along with Sophie, leave the forest in an armored car and go to Chateau Villette, where Sir Lew Teabing, who is a specialist in the Grail and in the Priory of Sion, lives. Teabing, along with Langdon, tells Sophie the story of the Grail. Meanwhile, Teabing's butler, Remy, sees pictures of Sophie and Langdon marked "wanted" on TV. He tells Teabing about it. Knight wants to kick them out, but Sophie says they have a keystone. Teabing is interested. Together they examine the cryptex and Langdon discovers a secret hole in the box. Suddenly, Langdon is attacked by Silas, the monk from Opus Dei who killed Jacques Saunière. The monk stuns Langdon and demands the keystone from Sophie and Teabing. Teabing pretends to give it, but hits Silas with his crutch in the leg, and he passes out, as he wears metal garters that pacify the call of the flesh by digging into the body, causing severe pain. Teabing and Sophie bring Langdon back to consciousness. Meanwhile, Collet and his agents learn that Langdon and Sophie are at Teabing's. They arrive at Chateau Villette. Collet is ready to start the assault, but then Fache calls him and orders him not to start the assault on the mansion until he arrives. But Colle hears the shot fired by Silos. The lieutenant, at his own peril and risk, decides to launch an assault against Fache's orders. But Teabing, Sophie, Langdon, Remy escape with a bound Silas in a Range Rover. They go to Le Bourget airport to fly to the UK. On the plane, Langdon opens the box once more. It had an inscription. Sophie determined that it was an inscription in English, but it was written in mirror reflection. It turned out to be a riddle. Langdon and Lew were able to guess the keyword. They got a name Sofia. Inside the cryptex was a small black cryptex. On it was another encrypted poem, which said that you need to find the grave of a knight buried by the Pope. Meanwhile in France, Fache orders a call to the Kent Police to surround Biggin Hill Airport. The police inform the pilot of the aircraft that there has been a gas leak, and that they need to land not in the hangar, but near the terminal. Under pressure from Teabing, the pilot still sits down in the hangar. Robert, Sophie and the monk manage to hide in the car by the time the police arrive. The police do not detect the presence of strangers on the plane and let Teabing go. In the car, Teabing says he knows where the knight's grave is. She is in the Temple. The servant boy notices that the church only has the tombstones of the knights, not their graves. Suddenly, Silas bursts into the church. It was untied by Remy, who was at one with him. The monk demanded a cryptex, but Langdon refused to give it to him. Then Remy intervenes. He takes Teabing hostage. Langdon gives the cryptex to Silas, but Remy and Silas won't let Teabing go. They take him away with them. After that, Remy meets with the mysterious Master, for whom he works. The teacher kills him as an unnecessary witness. Meanwhile, Langdon and Sophie arrive at King's College. They, along with Pamela Guettem, are looking for information about the knight buried by the Pope. It turns out that this is Isaac Newton, but he was buried not by the Pope, but by Alexander Pop, it's just that in English, Pope and Pop are spelled the same. Langdon and Sophie travel to his grave in Westminster Abbey, where they discover an inscription indicating that Teabing is with the kidnappers and they are waiting for them in the garden. Langdon and Sophie go there, but Teabing stops them on their way. He is the Teacher. It was he who organized the murders of Saunière and other people. Teabing, at gunpoint, demands that Langdon open the cryptex. Langdon says he knows the answer, but wants Sophie released first. Teabing realizes that Langdon didn't crack the code. Then Langdon drops the cryptex. Teabing rushes after the cryptex but fails to catch it. In fact, Langdon cracked the code. keyword turned out to be the word Apple. Teabing arrests Beza Fache.

The novel has several parallel storylines involving various characters. At the end of the book, all of the storylines come together in Roslyn Chapel and are resolved.

Unraveling the riddle requires solving a series of puzzles. The secret lies in the location of the Holy Grail, in secret society, the so-called Priory of Sion, and in the Knights Templar. The Catholic organization Opus Dei also plays an important role in the plot.

Sion is a secret European society founded in 1099, a real organization.

In 1975, handwritten scrolls known as the "Secret Files" were discovered in the Paris National Library, revealing the names of many members of the Priory of Sion, including Sir Isaac Newton, Botticelli, Victor Hugo and Leonardo da Vinci.

The book provides accurate descriptions of works of art, architecture, documents and secret rituals.

Paris, Louvre 21.46

As Saunière had predicted, a metal grating came down with a roar, blocking access to this hall. The parquet floor shook. Somewhere in the distance, an alarm siren blared.

- Do not move.

The curator, who was on all fours, went cold, then slowly turned around.

"You mustn't run," he said in a hard-to-detect accent. “Now tell me, where is it?”

“But I already told you,” the curator stammered, still on all fours helplessly. “I have no idea what you're talking about.

- Lie! The man was motionless and looked at him with the unblinking gaze of terrible eyes, in which red sparks gleamed. “You and your brothers have something that does not belong to you.

The Curator winced. How can he know?

Sauniere held his breath.

The man tilted his head slightly and took aim.

Saunière raised his hands helplessly.

When he finished, his pursuer smiled smugly.

- Yes. That is what others have told me.

Other? Saunière was mentally surprised.

“I found them too,” said the albino. - All three. And they confirmed what you just said.

That cannot be! For the true identity of the curator and the identity of his three sénéchaux were as sacred and inviolable as the ancient secret they held. But then Sauniere guessed: three of his senechaux, faithful to their duty, told the same legend before their death as he did. That was part of the plan.

The man took aim again.

“So when you die, I'll be the only person in the world who knows the truth.

Now he was aiming for his head.

Sauniere closed his eyes, fear and regret tormented him.

The click of a blank shot echoed down the corridor.

Sauniere opened his eyes.

The albino looked at his weapon with mocking bewilderment. I wanted to reload it, then, apparently, changed my mind, pointed to Saunière's stomach with a grin:

- I did my job.

“Pain, you know, it’s good, monsieur,” said the albino.

I must convey the secret.

An unbreakable chain of knowledge.

And now, despite all the precautions... despite all the tricks, he, Jacques Sauniere, remained the only link in this chain, the only keeper of the secret.

Trembling, he finally stood up.

I have to find some way...

He was locked in the Grand Gallery, and there was only one person in the world to whom the torch of knowledge could be passed. Sauniere looked at the walls of his luxurious dungeon. They were adorned with a collection of world-famous paintings, they seemed to be looking down at him, smiling like old friends.

Grimacing in pain, he called for help with all his strength and skill. The task ahead of him will require concentration and take away all the seconds of his life allotted to the last.

Robert Langdon did not wake up immediately.

Where the hell am I?

On the back of the chair hung a jacquard robe with the monogram HOTEL RITZ, PARIS.

The fog in my head began to gradually dissipate.

Langdon picked up the phone.

Squinting, Langdon glanced at the desk clock. They showed 12.32 at night. He slept for only an hour and was barely alive from fatigue.

- It's the porter, monsieur. Sorry to disturb you, but you have a visitor. He says he has urgent business.

Langdon was still confused. Visitor? His eyes fell on a crumpled piece of paper on the bedside table. It was a small poster.

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