and that the greatest story ever told is； in fact； the greatest story ever sold〃
Langdon did not respond。
〃I'll tell you what happens if the documents get out；〃 Teabing said。 〃The Vatican faces a crisis of faith unprecedented in its two…millennia history。〃
After a long silence； Sophie said； 〃But if it is the Church who is responsible for this attack； why would they act now？ After all these years？ The Priory keeps the Sangreal documents hidden。 They pose no immediate threat to the Church。〃
Teabing heaved an ominous sigh and glanced at Langdon。 〃Robert； I assume you are familiar with the Priory's final charge？〃
Langdon felt his breath catch at the thought。 〃I am。〃
〃Miss Neveu；〃 Teabing said； 〃the Church and the Priory have had a tacit understanding for years。 That is； the Church does not attack the Priory； and the Priory keeps the Sangreal documents hidden。〃 He paused。 〃However； part of the Priory history has always included a plan to unveil the secret。 With the arrival of a specific date in history； the brotherhood plans to break the silence and carry out its ultimate triumph by unveiling the Sangreal documents to the world and shouting the true story of Jesus Christ from the mountaintops。〃
Sophie stared at Teabing in silence。 Finally； she too sat down。 〃And you think that date is approaching？ And the Church knows it？〃
〃A speculation；〃 Teabing said； 〃but it would certainly provide the Church motivation for an all…out attack to find the documents before it was too late。〃
Langdon had the uneasy feeling that Teabing was making good sense。 〃Do you think the Church would actually be capable of uncovering hard evidence of the Priory's date？〃
〃Why not—if we're assuming the Church was able to uncover the identities of the Priory members； then certainly they could have learned of their plans。 And even if they don't have the exact date； their superstitions may be getting the best of them。〃
〃Superstitions？〃 Sophie asked。
〃In terms of prophecy；〃 Teabing said； 〃we are currently in an epoch of enormous change。 The millennium has recently passed； and with it has ended the two…thousand…year…long astrological Age of Pisces—the fish； which is also the sign of Jesus。 As any astrological symbologist will tell you； the Piscean ideal believes that man must be told what to do by higher powers because man is incapable of thinking for himself。 Hence it has been a time of fervent religion。 Now； however； we are entering the Age of Aquarius—the water bearer—whose ideals claim that man will learn the truth and be able to think for himself。 The ideological shift is enormous； and it is occurring right now。〃
Langdon felt a shiver。 Astrological prophecy never held much interest or credibility for him； but he knew there were those in the Church who followed it very closely。 〃The Church calls this transitional period the End of Days。〃
Sophie looked skeptical。 〃As in the end of the world？ The Apocalypse？〃
〃No。〃 Langdon replied。 〃That's a mon misconception。 Many religions speak of the End of Days。 It refers not to the end of the world； but rather the end of our current age—Pisces； which began at the time of Christ's birth； spanned two thousand years； and waned with the passing of the millennium。 Now that we've passed into the Age of Aquarius； the End of Days has arrived。〃
〃Many Grail historians；〃 Teabing added； 〃believe that if the Priory is indeed planning to release this truth； this point in history would be a symbolically apt time。 Most Priory academics； myself included； anticipated the brotherhood's release would coincide precisely with the millennium。 Obviously； it did not。 Admittedly； the Roman calendar does not mesh perfectly with astrological markers； so there is some gray area in the prediction。 Whether the Church now has inside information that an exact date is looming； or whether they are just getting nervous on account of astrological prophecy； I don't know。 Anyway； it's immaterial。 Either scenario explains how the Church might be motivated to launch a preemptive attack against the Priory。〃 Teabing frowned。 〃And believe me； if the Church finds the Holy Grail； they will destroy it。 The documents and the relics of the blessed Mary Magdalene as well。〃 His eyes grew heavy。 〃Then； my dear； with the Sangreal documents gone； all evidence will be lost。 The Church will have won their age…old war to rewrite history。 The past will be erased forever。〃
Slowly； Sophie pulled the cruciform key from her sweater pocket and held it out to Teabing。
Teabing took the key and studied it。 〃My goodness。 The Priory seal。 Where did you get this？〃
〃My grandfather gave it to me tonight before he died。〃
Teabing ran his fingers across the cruciform。 〃A key to a church？〃
She drew a deep breath。 〃This key provides access to the keystone。〃
Teabing's head snapped up； his face wild with disbelief。 〃Impossible！ What church did I miss？ I've searched every church in France！〃
〃It's not in a church；〃 Sophie said。 〃It's in a Swiss depository bank。〃
Teabing's look of excitement waned。 〃The keystone is in a bank？〃
〃A vault；〃 Langdon offered。
〃A bank vault？〃 Teabing shook his head violently。 〃That's impossible。 The keystone is supposed to be hidden beneath the sign of the Rose。〃
〃It is；〃 Langdon said。 〃It was stored in a rosewood box inlaid with a five…petal Rose。〃
Teabing looked thunderstruck。 〃You've seen the keystone？〃
Sophie nodded。 〃We visited the bank。〃
Teabing came over to them； his eyes wild with fear。 〃My friends； we must do something。 The keystone is in danger！ We have a duty to protect it。 What if there are other keys？ Perhaps stolen from the murdered sénéchaux？ If the Church can gain access to the bank as you have—〃
〃Then they will be too late；〃 Sophie said。 〃We removed the keystone。〃
〃What！ You removed the keystone from its hiding place？〃
〃Don't worry；〃 Langdon said。 〃The keystone is well hidden。〃
〃Extremely well hidden； I hope！〃
〃Actually；〃 Langdon said； unable to hide his grin； 〃that depends on how often you dust under your couch。〃
The wind outside Chateau Villette had picked up； and Silas's robe danced in the breeze as he crouched near the window。 Although he had been unable to hear much of the conversation； the word keystone had sifted through the glass on numerous occasions。
It is inside。
The Teacher's words were fresh in his mind。 Enter Chateau Villette。 Take the keystone。 Hun no one。
Now； Langdon and the others had adjourned suddenly to another room； extinguishing the study lights as they went。 Feeling like a panther stalking prey； Silas crept to the glass doors。 Finding them unlocked； he slipped inside and closed the doors silently behind him。 He could hear muffled voices from another room。 Silas pulled the pistol from his pocket； turned off the safety； and inched down the hallway。
CHAPTER 63
Lieutenant Collet stood alone at the foot of Leigh Teabing's driveway and gazed up at the massive house。 Isolated。 Dark。 Good ground cover。 Collet watched his half…dozen agents spreading silently out along the length of the fence。 They could be over it and have the house surrounded in a matter of minutes。 Langdon could not have chosen a more ideal spot for Collet's men to make a surprise assault。
Collet was about to call Fache himself when at last his phone rang。
Fache sounded not nearly as pleased with the developments as Collet would have imagined。 〃Why didn't someone tell me we had a lead on Langdon？〃
〃You were on a phone call and—〃
〃Where exactly are you； Lieutenant Collet？〃
Collet gave him the address。 〃The estate belongs to a British national named Teabing。 Langdon drove a fair distance to get here； and the vehicle is inside the security gate； with no signs of forced entry； so chances are good that Langdon knows the occupant。〃
〃I'm ing out；〃 Fache said。 〃Don't make a move。 I'll handle this personally。〃
Collet's jaw dropped。 〃But Captain； you're twenty minutes away！ We should act immediately。 I have him staked out。 I'm with eight men total。 Four of us have field rifles and the others have sidearms。〃
〃Wait for me。〃
〃Captain； what if Langdon has a hostage in there？ What if he sees us and decides to leave on foot？ We need to move now！ My men are in position and ready to go。〃
〃Lieutenant Collet； you will wait for me to arrive before taking action。 That is an order。〃 Fache hung up。
Stunned； Lieutenant Collet switched off his phone。 Why the hell is Fache asking me to wait？ Collet knew the answer。 Fache； though famous for his instinct； was notorious for his pride。 Fache wants credit for the arrest。 After putting the American's face all over the television； Fache wanted to be sure his own face got equal time。 Collet's job was simply to hold down the fort until the boss showed up to save the day。
As he stood there； Collet flashed on a second possible explanation for this delay。 Damage control。 In law enforcement； hesitating to arrest a fugitive only occurred when uncertainty had arisen regarding the suspect's guilt。 Is Fache having second thoughts that Langdon is the right man？ The thought was frightening。 Captain Fache had gone out on a limb tonight to arrest Robert Langdon—surveillance cachée； Interpol； and now television。 Not even the great Bezu Fache would survive the political fallout if he had mistakenly splashed a prominent American's face all over French television； claiming he was a murderer。 If Fache now realized he'd made a mistake； then it made perfect sense that he would tell Collet not to make a move。 The last thing Fache needed was for Collet to storm an innocent Brit's private estate and take Langdon at gunpoint。
Moreover； Collet realized； if Langdon were innocent； it explained one of this case's strangest paradoxes： Why had Sophie Neveu； the granddaughter of the victim； helped the alleged killer escape？ Unless Sophie knew Langdon was falsely charged。 Fache had posited all kinds of explanations tonight to explain Sophie's odd behavior； including that Sophie； as Saunière's sole heir； had persuaded her secret lover Robert Langdon to kill off Saunière for the inheritance money。 Saunière； if he had suspected this； might have left the police the message P。S。 Find Robert Langdon。 Collet was fairly certain something else was going on here。 Sophie Neveu seemed far too solid of character to be mixed up in something that sord