iancaldwell&dustinthomason.theruleoffour-第25章

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hen　left　alone；　exactly　how　little　they　know　about　each　other。　So　I　insisted　on　public　places…weekends　at　eating　clubs；　weeknights　at　the　student　center…and　agreed　to　meet　at　bedrooms　and　library　nooks　only　when　I　thought　I　detected　something　more　in　Katie's　voice；　the　e…hither　registers　I　flattered　myself　I　could　hear。
　As　usual；　it　was　Katie　who　had　to　straighten　me　out。
　〃e　on；〃　she　told　me　one　night。　〃We're　going　to　dinner　together。〃
　〃Whose　club？〃　I　asked。
　〃A　restaurant。　Your　choice。〃
　We'd　been　together　for　less　than　two　weeks；　there　were　still　too　many　parts　of　her　I　didn't　know。　A　long　dinner　alone　sounded　risky。
　〃Did　you　want　to　ask　Karen　or　Trish　to　e　along？〃　I　asked。　Her　two　roommates　in　Holder　had　been　fail…safe　pany。　Trish；　in　particular；　who　never　seemed　to　eat；　dependably　talked　through　any　meal。
　Katie's　back　was　turned　to　me。　〃We　could　ask　Gil　to　e　too；〃　she　said。
　〃Sure。〃　It　struck　me　as　an　odd　bination；　but　there　was　safety　in　numbers。
　〃What　about　Charlie？〃　she　asked。　〃He's　always　hungry。〃
　Finally　I　realized　she　was　being　sarcastic。
　〃What's　the　problem；　Tom？〃　she　said；　turning　back　to　me。　〃You're　afraid　other　people　will　see　us　alone？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃I　bore　you？〃
　〃Of　course　not。〃
　〃Then　what？　You　think　we'll　find　out　we　don't　know　each　other　very　well？〃
　I　hesitated。　〃Yes。〃
　Katie　seemed　amazed　that　I　meant　it。
　〃What's　my　sister's　name？〃　she　said　finally。
　〃I　don't　know。〃
　〃Am　I　religious？〃
　〃I'm　not　sure。〃
　〃Do　I　steal　money　from　the　tip　jar　at　the　coffee　shop　when　I'm　short　on　change？〃
　〃Probably。〃
　Katie　leaned　in；　smiling。　〃There。　You　survived。〃
　I'd　never　been　with　someone　who　was　so　confident　about　getting　to　know　me。　She　never　seemed　to　doubt　the　pieces　would　fit。
　〃Now　let's　go　to　dinner；〃　she　said；　pulling　me　by　the　hand。
　We　never　looked　back。
　　
　Eight　days　after　my　dream　about　the　satyr；　Paul　came　to　me　with　news。　〃I　was　right；〃　he　said　proudly。　〃Parts　of　the　book　are　written　in　cipher。〃
　〃How'd　you　figure　it　out？〃
　〃Cornuta…the　word　Jerome　used　to　give　Moses　horns…is　the　answer　Francesco　wanted。　But　most　of　the　normal　techniques　for　using　a　word　as　a　cipher　don't　work　in　the　Hypnerotomachia。　Look　。　。　。〃
　He　showed　me　a　sheet　of　paper　he'd　prepared；　with　two　lines　of　letters　running　parallel　to　each　other。
　
　〃Here's　a　very　basic　cipher　alphabet；〃　he　said。　〃The　top　row　is　what　you　call　the　plaintext；　the　bottom　row　is　the　ciphertext。　Notice　how　the　ciphertext　begins　with　our　keyword；　cornuta？　After　that；　it's　just　a　regular　alphabet；　with　the　letters　from　cornuta　removed　so　they　don't　get　duplicated。〃
　〃How　does　it　work？〃
　Paul　picked　up　a　pencil　from　his　desk　and　began　circling　letters。　〃Say　you　wanted　to　write　'hello'　using　this　cornuta　cipher。　You　would　start　with　the　plaintext　alphabet　on　top　and　find　'H；'　then　look　at　its　equivalent　in　ciphertext　below　it。　In　this　case；　'H'　corresponds　to　'B。'　You　do　that　with　the　rest　of　the　letters；　and　'hello'　bees　'buggj。'　〃
　〃That's　how　Colonna　used　cornuta？〃
　〃No。　By　the　fifteenth　and　sixteenth　centuries；　Italian　courts　had　much　more　sophisticated　systems。　Alberti；　who　wrote　the　architecture　treatise　I　showed　you　last　week；　also　invented　polyalphabetic　cryptography。　The　cipher　alphabet　changes　every　few　letters。　It's　much　harder。〃
　I　point　to　his　sheet　of　paper。　〃But　Colonna　couldn't　have　used　anything　like　that。　It　just　makes　gibberish。　The　whole　book　would　be　full　of　words　like　'buggj。'　〃
　Paul's　eyes　lit　up。　〃Exactly。　plex　encipherment　methods　don't　produce　readable　text。　But　the　Hypnerotomachia　is　different。　Its　ciphertext　still　reads　like　a　book。〃
　〃So　Colonna　used　the　riddles　instead　of　a　cipher。〃
　He　nodded。　〃It's　called　steganography。　Like　writing　a　message　in　invisible　ink：　the　idea　is　that　nobody　knows　it's　there。　Francesco　bined　cryptography　and　steganography。　He　hid　riddles　inside　a　normal…sounding　story；　where　they　wouldn't　stand　out。　Then　he　used　the　riddles　to　create　deciphering　techniques；　to　make　it　harder　to　understand　his　message。　In　this　case；　all　you　have　to　do　is　count　the　number　of　letters　in　cornuta；　which　is　seven；　then　string　together　every　seventh　letter　in　the　text。　It's　not　that　different　from　using　the　first　word　of　every　chapter。　Just　a　matter　of　knowing　the　right　intervals。〃
　〃That　worked？　Every　seventh　letter　in　the　book？〃
　Paul　shook　his　head。　〃Not　the　whole　book。　Just　a　part。　And　no；　it　didn't　work　at　first。　I　kept　ing　up　with　nonsense。　The　problem　is　figuring　out　where　to　start。　If　you　choose　every　seventh　letter　beginning　with　the　first　one；　you　get　a　pletely　different　result　than　if　you　choose　every　seventh　letter　beginning　with　the　second　one。　That's　where　the　riddle's　answer　plays　a　role　again。〃
　He　pulled　another　page　from　his　pile；　this　one　a　photocopy　of　an　original　page　from　the　Hypnerotomachia。
　〃Right　here；　in　the　middle　of　this　chapter；　is　the　word　cornuta；　spelled　out　in　the　text　of　the　book　itself。　If　you　begin　with　the　'C'　in　cornuta；　and　write　down　every　seventh　letter　for　the　next　three　chapters；　that's　how　you　find　Francesco's　plaintext。　The　original　was　in　Latin；　but　I　translated　it。〃　He　handed　me　another　sheet。　〃Look。〃
　
　Good　reader；　this　past　year　has　been　the　most　trying　I　have　endured。　Separated　from　my　family；　I　have　had　only　the　good　of　mankind　to　fort　me；　and　while　traveling　the　waters　I　have　seen　how　flawed　that　good　can　be。　If　it　is　true；　what　Pico　said；　that　man　is　pregnant　with　all　possibilities；　that　he　is　a　great　miracle；　as　Hermes　Trismegistus　claimed；　then　where　is　the　proof？　I　am　surrounded　on　one　side　by　the　greedy　and　the　ignorant；　who　hope　to　profit　by　following　me；　and　on　the　other　side　by　the　jealous　and　the　falsely　pious；　who　hope　to　profit　by　my　destruction。
　But　you；　reader；　are　faithful　to　what　I　believe；　or　you　could　not　have　found　what　I　have　hidden　here。　You　are　not　among　those　who　destroy　in　God's　name；　for　my　text　is　their　foe；　and　they　are　my　enemy。　I　have　traveled　broadly　in　search　of　a　vessel　for　my　secret；　a　way　to　preserve　it　against　time。　A　Roman　by　birth；　I　was　raised　in　a　city　built　for　all　ages。　The　walls　and　bridges　of　the　emperors　stand　after　a　thousand　years；　and　the　words　of　my　ancient　countrymen　have　multiplied；　reprinted　today　by　Aldus　and　his　colleagues　at　their　presses。　Inspired　by　these　creators　of　the　old　world；　I　have　chosen　the　same　vessels：　a　book　and　a　great　work　of　stones。　Together　they　house　what　I　will　give　to　you；　reader；　if　you　can　understand　my　meaning。
　To　learn　what　I　wish　to　tell；　you　must　know　the　world　as　we　have　known　it；　who　studied　it　most　of　any　men　in　our　time。　You　must　prove　yourself　a　lover　of　wisdom；　and　of　man's　potential；　so　that　I　will　know　you　are　no　enemy。　For　there　is　an　evil　abroad；　and　even　we；　the　princes　of　our　day；　do　fear　it。
　Carry　on；　then；　reader。　Strive　wisely　for　my　meaning。　Poliphilo's　journey　grows　harder；　as　does　mine；　but　I　have　much　more　to　tell。
　
　I　turned　the　sheet　over；　looking　for　more。　〃Where's　the　rest　of　it？〃
　〃That's　it；〃　he　said。　〃We　have　to　solve　more　to　get　more。〃
　I　looked　at　the　page；　then　up　at　him　in　amazement。　In　the　back　of　my　mind；　from　a　corner　of　unsettled　thoughts；　came　a　tapping　noise；　the　sound　my　father　always　made　when　he　was　excited。　His　fingers　would　drum　the　rhythm　of　Corelli's　Christmas　Concerto；　twice　as　fast　as　any　allegro　movement；　on　whatever　surface　he　could　find。
　〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　I　asked；　trying　to　stay　afloat　in　the　present。
　But　the　thought　occurred　to　me　anyway；　putting　the　discovery　in　perspective：　Arcangelo　Corelli　finished　his　concerto　in　the　early　days　of　classical　music；　more　than　one　hundred　years　before　Beethoven's　Ninth　Symphony。　Even　in　Corelli's　day；　though；　Colonna's　message　had　been　awaiting　its　first　reader　for　more　than　two　centuries。
　〃The　same　thing　you　are；〃　Paul　said。　〃We're　going　to　find　Francesco's　next　riddle。〃
　
　Chapter　13
　
　Every　hallway　in　Dod　is　empty　as　Gil　and　I　return　to　the　room；　numbed　by　the　long　walk　north　from　the　parking　lot。　An　airy　silence　prevails　throughout　the　building。　Between　the　Nude　Olympics　and　the　Easter　festivities；　every　soul　is　accounted　for。
　I　turn　on　the　television　for　word　of　what's　happened。　The　local　networks　carry　the　Nude　Olympics　on　the　late　news；　after　there's　been　time　to　edit　the　footage；　and　the　runners　in　Holder　Courtyard　float　across　the　screen　in　a　blur　of　whites；　blinking　under　the　glass　like　fireflies　trapped　in　a　jar。
　At　last　the　female　news　anchor　returns　to　the　screen。
　〃We　have　breaking　news　on　our　top　story。〃
　Gil　emerges　from　his　bedroom　to　listen。
　〃Earlier　tonight　we　reported　to　you　about　what　may　be　a　related　incident　at　Princeton　University。　At　this　hour　the　accident　at　Dickinson　Hall；　which　some　witnesses　describe　as　a　fraternity　stunt　gone　wrong；　has　taken　a　tragic　turn。　Officials　at　Princeton　Medical　Center　confirm　that　the　man；　reportedly　a　university　student；　has　died。　In　a　prepared　statement；　Borough　Police　Chief　Daniel　Stout　repeated　that　investigators　would　continue　to　examine　the　possibility　that；　quote；　nonaccidental　factors　had　played　a　role。　In　the　meantime；　university　administrators　are　asking　students　to　remain　in　their　rooms；　or　to　travel　in　groups　if　they　need　to　be　outside　tonight。〃
　In　the　studio；　the　anchor　turns　to　her　cohost。　〃Clearly　a　difficult　situation；　given　what　we　saw　earlier　at　Holder　Hall。〃　Returning　to　the　camera；　she　adds；　〃We'll　be　ing　back　to　this　story　later　in　the　hour。〃
　〃He　died？〃　Gil　repeats；　unable　to　believe　it。　〃But　I　thought　Charlie　。　。　。〃　He　lets　the　thought　trail　off。
　〃A　university　student；〃　I　say。
　Gil　looks　up　at　me　after　a　long　silence。　〃Don't　think　like　that；　Tom。　Charlie　would've　called。〃
　Against　the　far　wall；　the　framed　picture　I　bought　for　Katie　sits　at　an　unfortable　cant。　I　dial　Taft's　office；　just　as　Gil　returns　from　his　bedroom　and　hands　me　a　bottle　of　wine。
　〃What's　this？〃　I　ask。
　The　phone　at　the　Institute　rings　over　and　over。　Nothing。
　Gil　steps　toward　the　makeshift　bar　he　keeps　in　the　corner　of　the　room；　grabbing　two　wineglasses　and　a　corkscrew。　〃I　need　to　relax。〃
　There's　still　no　answer　at　Taft's；　so　I　reluctantly　put　down　the　receiver。　I'm　just　about　to　tell　Gil　how　sick　I　feel；　when　I　glance　over　and　realize　that　he　looks　even　worse。
　〃What's　wrong？〃　I　ask。
　He　tops　the　glasses　off。　Taking　one　in　his　hand；　he　raises　it　to　me；　then　takes　a　sip。
　〃Have　some；〃　he　says。　〃It's　good。〃
　〃Sure；〃　I　say；　wondering　if　he　just　wants　someone　to　drink　with。　But　the　thought　of　wine　is　turning　my　stomach。
　He　waits；　so　I　nip　at　my　share。　The　burgundy　stings　going　down；　but　it　has　the　opposite　effect　on　Gil。　The　more　he's　got　in　him；　the　better　he　starts　to　look。
　I　tip　my　glass　back。　Snow　rolls　across　the　pools　of　light　from　the　post　lanterns　in　the　distance。　Gil　drains　his　second　glass。
　〃Take　it　easy；　chief；〃　I　say；　trying　to　sound　nice　about　it。　〃You　don't　want　to　have　a　hangover　at　the　ball。〃
　〃Yeah；　right；〃　he　says。　〃I　have　to　be　at　the　caterer's　tomorrow　by　nine。　I　should've　told　them　I　don't　even　go　to　class　that　early。〃
　It　es　out　sharp；　and　Gil　seems　to　catch　himself。　Picking　up　the　remote　from　the　floor；　he　says；　〃Let's　see　if　there's　anything　else　on。〃
　Three　differ