Although the spartan¹ room in the brownstone on Rue² La Bruyère had witnessed a lot of suffering,Silas doubted anything could match the anguish³ now gripping his pale body. I was deceived.

　　Everything is lost.

　　Silas had been tricked. The brothers had lied, choosing death instead of revealing their true secret.

　　Silas did not have the strength to call the Teacher. Not only had Silas killed the only four peoplewho knew where the keystone was hidden, he had killed a nun⁴ inside Saint-Sulpice. She wasworking against God! She scorned the work of Opus Dei!

　　A crime of impulse, the woman's death complicated matters greatly. Bishop⁵ Aringarosa had placedthe phone call that got Silas into Saint-Sulpice; what would the abbé think when he discovered thenun was dead? Although Silas had placed her back in her bed, the wound on her head was obvious.

　　Silas had attempted to replace the broken tiles in the floor, but that damage too was obvious. Theywould know someone had been there.

　　Silas had planned to hide within Opus Dei when his task here was complete. Bishop Aringarosawill protect me. Silas could imagine no more blissful existence than a life of meditation⁶ and prayerdeep within the walls of Opus Dei's headquarters in New York City. He would never again set footoutside. Everything he needed was within that sanctuary⁷. Nobody will miss me. Unfortunately,Silas knew, a prominent man like Bishop Aringarosa could not disappear so easily.

　　I have endangered the bishop. Silas gazed blankly at the floor and pondered taking his own life.

　　After all, it had been Aringarosa who gave Silas life in the first place... in that small rectory inSpain, educating him, giving him purpose.

　　"My friend," Aringarosa had told him, "you were born an albino. Do not let others shame you forthis. Do you not understand how special this makes you? Were you not aware that Noah himselfwas an albino?""Noah of the Ark?" Silas had never heard this.

点击收听单词发音  

1 spartan
adj.简朴的，刻苦的；n.斯巴达；斯巴达式的人
参考例句：
Their spartan lifestyle prohibits a fridge or a phone.他们不使用冰箱和电话，过着简朴的生活。 The rooms were spartan and undecorated.房间没有装饰，极为简陋。

2 rue
n.懊悔，芸香，后悔；v.后悔，悲伤，懊悔
参考例句：
You'll rue having failed in the examination.你会悔恨考试失败。 You're going to rue this the longest day that you live.你要终身悔恨不尽呢。

3 anguish
n.(尤指心灵上的)极度痛苦，烦恼
参考例句：
She cried out for anguish at parting.分手时，她由于痛苦而失声大哭。 The unspeakable anguish wrung his heart.难言的痛苦折磨着他的心。

4 nun
n.修女，尼姑
参考例句：
I can't believe that the famous singer has become a nun.我无法相信那个著名的歌星已做了修女。 She shaved her head and became a nun.她削发为尼。

5 bishop
n.主教，（国际象棋）象
参考例句：
He was a bishop who was held in reverence by all.他是一位被大家都尊敬的主教。 Two years after his death the bishop was canonised.主教逝世两年后被正式封为圣者。

6 meditation
n.熟虑，（尤指宗教的）默想，沉思，（pl.）冥想录
参考例句：
This peaceful garden lends itself to meditation.这个恬静的花园适于冥想。 I'm sorry to interrupt your meditation.很抱歉，我打断了你的沉思。

7 sanctuary
n.圣所，圣堂，寺庙；禁猎区，保护区
参考例句：
There was a sanctuary of political refugees behind the hospital.医院后面有一个政治难民的避难所。 Most countries refuse to give sanctuary to people who hijack aeroplanes.大多数国家拒绝对劫机者提供庇护。

8 destined
adj.命中注定的；(for)以…为目的地的
参考例句：
It was destined that they would marry.他们结婚是缘分。 The shipment is destined for America.这批货物将运往美国。