ine Knights lived in the ruins； excavating in total secrecy through solid rock。
Sophie looked over。 〃And you said they discovered something？〃
〃They certainly did；〃 Langdon said； explaining how it had taken nine years； but the Knights had finally found what they had been searching for。 They took the treasure from the temple and traveled to Europe； where their influence seemed to solidify overnight。
Nobody was certain whether the Knights had blackmailed the Vatican or whether the Church simply tried to buy the Knights' silence； but Pope Innocent II immediately issued an unprecedented papal bull that afforded the Knights Templar limitless power and declared them 〃a law unto themselves〃—an autonomous army independent of all interference from kings and prelates； both religious and political。
With their new carte blanche from the Vatican； the Knights Templar expanded at a staggering rate； both in numbers and political force； amassing vast estates in over a dozen countries。 They began extending credit to bankrupt royals and charging interest in return； thereby establishing modern banking and broadening their wealth and influence still further。
By the 1300s； the Vatican sanction had helped the Knights amass so much power that Pope Clement V decided that something had to be done。 Working in concert with France's King Philippe IV； the Pope devised an ingeniously planned sting operation to quash the Templars and seize their treasure； thus taking control of the secrets held over the Vatican。 In a military maneuver worthy of the CIA； Pope Clement issued secret sealed orders to be opened simultaneously by his soldiers all across Europe on Friday； October 13 of 1307。
At dawn on the thirteenth； the documents were unsealed and their appalling contents revealed。 Clement's letter claimed that God had visited him in a vision and warned him that the Knights Templar were heretics guilty of devil worship； homosexuality； defiling the cross； sodomy； and other blasphemous behavior。 Pope Clement had been asked by God to cleanse the earth by rounding up all the Knights and torturing them until they confessed their crimes against God。 Clement's Machiavellian operation came off with clockwork precision。 On that day； countless Knights were captured； tortured mercilessly； and finally burned at the stake as heretics。 Echoes of the tragedy still resonated in modern culture； to this day； Friday the thirteenth was considered unlucky。
Sophie looked confused。 〃The Knights Templar were obliterated？ I thought fraternities of Templars still exist today？〃
〃They do； under a variety of names。 Despite Clement's false charges and best efforts to eradicate them； the Knights had powerful allies； and some managed to escape the Vatican purges。 The Templars' potent treasure trove of documents； which had apparently been their source of power； was Clement's true objective； but it slipped through his fingers。 The documents had long since been entrusted to the Templars' shadowy architects； the Priory of Sion； whose veil of secrecy had kept them safely out of range of the Vatican's onslaught。 As the Vatican closed in； the Priory smuggled their documents from a Paris preceptory by night onto Templar ships in La Rochelle。〃
〃Where did the documents go？〃
Langdon shrugged。 〃That mystery's answer is known only to the Priory of Sion。 Because the documents remain the source of constant investigation and speculation even today； they are believed to have been moved and rehidden several times。 Current speculation places the documents somewhere in the United Kingdom。〃
Sophie looked uneasy。
〃For a thousand years；〃 Langdon continued； 〃legends of this secret have been passed on。 The entire collection of documents； its power； and the secret it reveals have bee known by a single name—Sangreal。 Hundreds of books have been written about it； and few mysteries have caused as much interest among historians as the Sangreal。〃
〃The Sangreal？ Does the word have anything to do with the French word sang or Spanish sangre—meaning 'blood'？〃
Langdon nodded。 Blood was the backbone of the Sangreal； and yet not in the way Sophie probably imagined。 〃The legend is plicated； but the important thing to remember is that the Priory guards the proof； and is purportedly awaiting the right moment in history to reveal the truth。〃
〃What truth？ What secret could possibly be that powerful？〃
Langdon took a deep breath and gazed out at the underbelly of Paris leering in the shadows。 〃Sophie； the word Sangreal is an ancient word。 It has evolved over the years into another term。。。 a more modern name。〃 He paused。 〃When I tell you its modern name； you'll realize you already know a lot about it。 In fact； almost everyone on earth has heard the story of the Sangreal。〃
Sophie looked skeptical。 〃I've never heard of it。〃
〃Sure you have。〃 Langdon smiled。 〃You're just used to hearing it called by the name 'Holy Grail。' 〃
CHAPTER 38
Sophie scrutinized Langdon in the back of the taxi。 He's joking。 〃The Holy Grail？〃
Langdon nodded； his expression serious。 〃Holy Grail is the literal meaning of Sangreal。 The phrase derives from the French Sangraal； which evolved to Sangreal； and was eventually split into two words； San Greal。〃
Holy Grail。 Sophie was surprised she had not spotted the linguistic ties immediately。 Even so； Langdon's claim still made no sense to her。 〃I thought the Holy Grail was a cup。 You just told me the Sangreal is a collection of documents that reveals some dark secret。〃
〃Yes； but the Sangreal documents are only half of the Holy Grail treasure。 They are buried with the Grail itself。。。 and reveal its true meaning。 The documents gave the Knights Templar so much power because the pages revealed the true nature of the Grail。〃
The true nature of the Grail？ Sophie felt even more lost now。 The Holy Grail； she had thought； was the cup that Jesus drank from at the Last Supper and with which Joseph of Arimathea later caught His blood at the crucifixion。 〃The Holy Grail is the Cup of Christ；〃 she said。 〃How much simpler could it be？〃
〃Sophie；〃 Langdon whispered； leaning toward her now； 〃according to the Priory of Sion； the Holy Grail is not a cup at all。 They claim the Grail legend—that of a chalice—is actually an ingeniously conceived allegory。 That is； that the Grail story uses the chalice as a metaphor for something else； something far more powerful。〃 He paused。 〃Something that fits perfectly with everything your grandfather has been trying to tell us tonight； including all his symbologic references to the sacred feminine。〃
Still unsure； Sophie sensed in Langdon's patient smile that he empathized with her confusion； and yet his eyes remained earnest。 〃But if the Holy Grail is not a cup；〃 she asked； 〃what is it？〃
Langdon had known this question was ing； and yet he still felt uncertain exactly how to tell her。 If he did not present the answer in the proper historical background； Sophie would be left with a vacant air of bewilderment—the exact expression Langdon had seen on his own editor's face a few months ago after Langdon handed him a draft of the manuscript he was working on。
〃This manuscript claims what？〃 his editor had choked； setting down his wineglass and staring across his half…eaten power lunch。 〃You can't be serious。〃
〃Serious enough to have spent a year researching it。〃
Prominent New York editor Jonas Faukman tugged nervously at his goatee。 Faukman no doubt had heard some wild book ideas in his illustrious career； but this one seemed to have left the man flabbergasted。
〃Robert；〃 Faukman finally said； 〃don't get me wrong。 I love your work； and we've had a great run together。 But if I agree to publish an idea like this； I'll have people picketing outside my office for months。 Besides； it will kill your reputation。 You're a Harvard historian； for God's sake； not a pop schlockmeister looking for a quick buck。 Where could you possibly find enough credible evidence to support a theory like this？〃
With a quiet smile Langdon pulled a piece of paper from the pocket of his tweed coat and handed it to Faukman。 The page listed a bibliography of over fifty titles—books by well…known historians； some contemporary； some centuries old—many of them academic bestsellers。 All the book titles suggested the same premise Langdon had just proposed。 As Faukman read down the list； he looked like a man who had just discovered the earth was actually flat。 〃I know some of these authors。 They're。。。 real historians！〃
Langdon grinned。 〃As you can see； Jonas； this is not only my theory。 It's been around for a long time。 I'm simply building on it。 No book has yet explored the legend of the Holy Grail from a symbologic angle。 The iconographic evidence I'm finding to support the theory is； well； staggeringly persuasive。〃
Faukman was still staring at the list。 〃My God； one of these books was written by Sir Leigh Teabing—a British Royal Historian。〃
〃Teabing has spent much of his life studying the Holy Grail。 I've met with him。 He was actually a big part of my inspiration。 He's a believer； Jonas； along with all of the others on that list。〃
〃You're telling me all of these historians actually believe。。。〃 Faukman swallowed； apparently unable to say the words。
Langdon grinned again。 〃The Holy Grail is arguably the most sought…after treasure in human history。 The Grail has spawned legends； wars； and lifelong quests。 Does it make sense that it is merely a cup？ If so； then certainly other relics should generate similar or greater interest—the Crown of Thorns； the True Cross of the Crucifixion； the Titulus—and yet； they do not。 Throughout history； the Holy Grail has been the most special。〃 Langdon grinned。 〃Now you know why。〃
Faukman was still shaking his head。 〃But with all these books written about it； why isn't this theory more widely known？〃
〃These books can't possibly pete with centuries of established history； especially when that history is endorsed by the ultimate bestseller of all time。〃
Faukman's eyes went wide。 〃Don't tell me Harry Potter is actually about the Holy Grail。〃
〃I was referring to the Bible。〃
Faukman cringed。 〃I knew that。〃
〃Laissez…le！〃 Sophie's shouts cut the air inside the taxi。 〃Put it down！〃
Langdon jumped as Sophie leaned forward over the seat and yelled at the taxi driver。 Langdon could see the driver was clutching his radio mouthpiece and speaking into it。
Sophie turned now and plunged her hand into the pocket of Langdon's tweed jacket。 Before Langdon knew what had happened； she had yanked out the pistol； swung it around； and was pressing it to the back of the driver's head。 The driver instantly dropped his radio； raising his one free hand overhead。
〃Sophie！〃 Langdon choked。 〃What the hell—〃
〃Arrêtez！〃 Sophie manded the driver。
Trembling； the driver obeyed； stopping the car and putting it in park。
It was then that Langdon heard the metallic voice of the taxi pany's dispatcher ing from the dashboard。 〃。。。qui s'appette Agent Sophie Neveu。。。〃 the radio crackled。 〃Et un Américain； Robert Langdon。。。〃
Langdon's muscles turned rigid。 They found us already？
〃Descendez；〃 Sophie demanded。
The trembling driver kept his arms over his head as he got out of his taxi and took several steps backward。
Sophie had rolled down her window and now aimed the gun outside at the bewildered cabbie。 〃Robert；〃 she