Chapter 61 Chapter 60

Two blocks from the Pantheon, Langdon and Victoria made their way on foot, passing a line of taxis whose drivers were still asleep in the front seats.Snooze time is also eternal in the Eternal City—the ubiquitous public doze extends the siesta, which originated in ancient Spain. Langdon tried to focus his thoughts, but the situation was too bizarre for him to grasp rationally. Six hours ago he was sleeping soundly in Cambridge, but now he is in Europe, embroiled in a surreal contest between ancient giants, with a semi-automatic weapon in his Helix tweed suit, he He was also arm in arm with a woman he had just met.

He looks at Victoria.She looked ahead intently.She held him with strength in her hand—the strength of an independent and determined woman.Her fingers wrapped around his with a natural trust that felt comfortable, without hesitation.Langdon felt a growing attraction.Come on, he said to himself. Victoria seemed to sense his unease. "Relax," she said, without turning her head. "We should look like newlyweds." "I'm relaxed." "You're pinching my hand." Langdon blushed suddenly and relaxed his hands. "Breathe through your eyes," she said.

"what?" "It relaxes the muscles. It's called." "A piranha?" "It's not fish, it's pranayama. Leave it alone." They rounded the bend to the Circus, and the Pantheon stood before them.Langdon looked up, as always, in awe.The Pantheon, the temple dedicated to all the gods.Pagan gods.God of nature and the earth.From the outside the building looked even lower than he remembered.The vertical columns and triangular portico almost conceal the circular vault behind.Still, the bold inscription on the entrance convinced him they were in the right place.Inscription on the wall: MAGRIPPA LFCOS TERTIuM FECIT.As usual, Langdon translated with great interest: , Built during the third term of consul.

How humble, he thought, looking around again.Sparse tourists wandered around with video cameras, while others sat at the open-air café Tazzaoro enjoying some of the best iced coffee in Rome.As Olivetti tells it, four heavily armed Roman policemen stood at attention at the entrance to the Pantheon. "It looks so quiet," Victoria said. Langdon nodded, but he felt uneasy.Now that he was standing here in person, the whole scene seemed grotesque.While Victoria plainly believed he was right, he realized he was putting everyone here in danger.The poetry of the Illuminati still echoes.You step from Sandy's mound, where there is a devil's den.Yes, he told himself, here it is, Santee's grave.He stood many times under the skylight of the Pantheon, at the tomb of the great Raphael.

"What time is it?" Victoria asked. Langdon checked his watch. "Seven fifty minutes before the killer shows up." "I hope these people are all right," Victoria said, looking at the scattered tourists who entered the Pantheon. "If anything happens in this dome, we're going to be attacked from multiple sides." As they walked toward the entrance, Langdon exhaled heavily. The gun felt heavy in his pocket. He wondered what would happen if the police searched and found the weapon, but the officers didn't pay him much attention. glance.Obviously, this disguise is very convincing.

Langdon whispered to Victoria, "What if it goes off fire?" "Don't you believe me?" "Trust you? I barely know you." Victoria frowned. "But here, I feel like we're newlyweds."

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