Sophie hung up and dashed with Langdon onto the train。
CHAPTER 89
The immaculate cabin of Teabing's Hawker was now covered with steel shavings and smelled of pressed air and propane。 Bezu Fache had sent everyone away and sat alone with his drink and the heavy wooden box found in Teabing's safe。
Running his finger across the inlaid Rose； he lifted the ornate lid。 Inside he found a stone cylinder with lettered dials。 The five dials were arranged to spell SOFIA。 Fache stared at the word a long moment and then lifted the cylinder from its padded resting place and examined every inch。 Then； pulling slowly on the ends； Fache slid off one of the end caps。 The cylinder was empty。
Fache set it back in the box and gazed absently out the jet's window at the hangar； pondering his brief conversation with Sophie； as well as the information he'd received from PTS in Chateau Villette。 The sound of his phone shook him from his daydream。
It was the DCPJ switchboard。 The dispatcher was apologetic。 The president of the Depository Bank of Zurich had been calling repeatedly； and although he had been told several times that the captain was in London on business； he just kept calling。 Begrudgingly Fache told the operator to forward the call。
〃Monsieur Vernet；〃 Fache said； before the man could even speak； 〃I am sorry I did not call you earlier。 I have been busy。 As promised； the name of your bank has not appeared in the media。 So what precisely is your concern？〃
Vernet's voice was anxious as he told Fache how Langdon and Sophie had extracted a small wooden box from the bank and then persuaded Vernet to help them escape。 〃Then when I heard on the radio that they were criminals；〃 Vernet said； 〃I pulled over and demanded the box back； but they attacked me and stole the truck。〃
〃You are concerned for a wooden box；〃 Fache said； eyeing the Rose inlay on the cover and again gently opening the lid to reveal the white cylinder。 〃Can you tell me what was in the box？〃
〃The contents are immaterial；〃 Vernet fired back。 〃I am concerned with the reputation of my bank。 We have never had a robbery。 Ever。 It will ruin us if I cannot recover this property on behalf of my client。〃
〃You said Agent Neveu and Robert Langdon had a password and a key。 What makes you say they stole the box？〃
〃They murdered people tonight。 Including Sophie Neveu's grandfather。 The key and password were obviously ill…gotten。〃
〃Mr。 Vernet； my men have done some checking into your background and your interests。 You are obviously a man of great culture and refinement。 I would imagine you are a man of honor； as well。 As am I。 That said； I give you my word as manding officer of the Police Judiciaire that your box； along with your bank's reputation； are in the safest of hands。〃
CHAPTER 90
High in the hayloft at Chateau Villette； Collet stared at the puter monitor in amazement。 〃This system is eavesdropping on all these locations？〃
〃Yes；〃 the agent said。 〃It looks like data has been collected for over a year now。〃
Collet read the list again； speechless。
COLBERT SOSTAQUE—Chairman of the Conseil Constitutionnel
JEAN CHAFFéE—Curator； Musée du Jeu de Paume
EDOUARD DESROCHERS—Senior Archivist； Mitterrand Library
JACQUES SAUNIèRE—Curator； Musée du Louvre
MICHEL BRETON—Head of DAS （French Intelligence）
The agent pointed to the screen。 〃Number four is of obvious concern。〃
Collet nodded blankly。 He had noticed it immediately。 Jacques Saunière was being bugged。 He looked at the rest of the list again。 How could anyone possibly manage to bug these prominent people？ 〃Have you heard any of the audio files？〃
〃A few。 Here's one of the most recent。〃 The agent clicked a few puter keys。 The speakers crackled to life。 〃Capitaine； un agent du Département de Cryptographie est arrivé。〃
Collet could not believe his ears。 〃That's me！ That's my voice！〃 He recalled sitting at Saunière's desk and radioing Fache in the Grand Gallery to alert him of Sophie Neveu's arrival。
The agent nodded。 〃A lot of our Louvre investigation tonight would have been audible if someone had been interested。〃
〃Have you sent anyone in to sweep for the bug？〃
〃No need。 I know exactly where it is。〃 The agent went to a pile of old notes and blueprints on the worktable。 He selected a page and handed it to Collet。 〃Look familiar？〃
Collet was amazed。 He was holding a photocopy of an ancient schematic diagram； which depicted a rudimentary machine。 He was unable to read the handwritten Italian labels； and yet he knew what he was looking at。 A model for a fully articulated medieval French knight。
The knight sitting on Saunière's desk！
Collet's eyes moved to the margins； where someone had scribbled notes on the photocopy in red felt…tipped marker。 The notes were in French and appeared to be ideas outlining how best to insert a listening device into the knight。
CHAPTER 91
Silas sat in the passenger seat of the parked Jaguar limousine near the Temple Church。 His hands felt damp on the keystone as he waited for Rémy to finish tying and gagging Teabing in back with the rope they had found in the trunk。
Finally； Rémy climbed out of the rear of the limo； walked around； and slid into the driver's seat beside Silas。
〃Secure？〃 Silas asked。
Rémy chuckled； shaking off the rain and glancing over his shoulder through the open partition at the crumpled form of Leigh Teabing； who was barely visible in the shadows in the rear。 〃He's not going anywhere。〃
Silas could hear Teabing's muffled cries and realized Rémy had used some of the old duct tape to gag him。
〃Ferme ta gueule！〃 Rémy shouted over his shoulder at Teabing。 Reaching to a control panel on the elaborate dash； Rémy pressed a button。 An opaque partition raised behind them； sealing off the back。 Teabing disappeared； and his voice was silenced。 Rémy glanced at Silas。 〃I've been listening to his miserable whimpering long enough。〃
Minutes later； as the Jaguar stretch limo powered through the streets； Silas's cell phone rang。 The Teacher。 He answered excitedly。 〃Hello？〃
〃Silas；〃 the Teacher's familiar French accent said； 〃I am relieved to hear your voice。 This means you are safe。〃
Silas was equally forted to hear the Teacher。 It had been hours； and the operation had veered wildly off course。 Now； at last； it seemed to be back on track。 〃I have the keystone。〃
〃This is superb news；〃 the Teacher told him。 〃Is Rémy with you？〃
Silas was surprised to hear the Teacher use Rémy's name。 〃Yes。 Rémy freed me。〃
〃As I ordered him to do。 I am only sorry you had to endure captivity for so long。〃
〃Physical disfort has no meaning。 The important thing is that the keystone is ours。〃
〃Yes。 I need it delivered to me at once。 Time is of the essence。〃
Silas was eager to meet the Teacher face…to…face at last。 〃Yes； sir； I would be honored。〃
〃Silas； I would like Rémy to bring it to me。〃
Rémy？ Silas was crestfallen。 After everything Silas had done for the Teacher； he had believed he would be the one to hand over the prize。 The Teacher favors Rémy？
〃I sense your disappointment；〃 the Teacher said； 〃which tells me you do not understand my meaning。〃 He lowered his voice to a whisper。 〃You must believe that I would much prefer to receive the keystone from you—a man o