The Lost Symbol Chapter 30-32

Part 30 SB level. Senate storm cellar. Robert Langdon's claustrophobia held him all the more firmly with each rushing venture of their drop. As they moved further into the structure's unique establishment, the air turned out to be overwhelming, and the ventilation appeared to be nonexistent. The dividers down here were a lopsided mix of stone and yellow block. Chief Sato composed on her BlackBerry as they strolled. Langdon detected a doubt in her watched way, however the inclination was rapidly getting corresponding. Sato still hadn't disclosed to him how she knew Langdon was here this evening. An issue of national security? He made some hard memories seeing any connection between old supernatural quality and national security. On the other hand, he made some hard memories seeing quite a bit of anything about this circumstance. Subside Solomon endowed me with a charm . . . a cheated insane person fooled me into carrying it to the Capitol and needs me to utilize it to open an otherworldly entry . . . perhaps in a room called SBB13. Not actually a reasonable picture. As they proceeded, Langdon attempted to shake from his psyche the horrendous picture of Peter's inked hand, changed into the Hand of the Mysteries. The horrifying picture was joined by Peter's voice: The Ancient Mysteries, Robert, have brought forth numerous legends . . . in any case, that doesn't mean they themselves are fiction. Notwithstanding a lifelong considering mysterious images and history, Langdon had consistently battled mentally with the possibility of the Ancient Mysteries and their powerful guarantee of apotheosis. Honestly, the verifiable record contained undeniable proof that mystery intelligence had been gone down through the ages, obviously having come out of the Mystery Schools in early Egypt. This information moved underground, reemerging in Renaissance Europe, where, as per most records, it was endowed to a world class gathering of researchers inside the dividers of Europe's chief logical think tankâ€the Royal Society of Londonâ€enigmatically nicknamed the Invisible College. This covered â€Å"college† immediately turned into a cerebrum trust of the world's most illuminated minds†those of Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Robert Boyle, and even Benjamin Franklin. Today, the rundown of present day â€Å"fellows† was no less impressiveâ€Einstein, Hawking, Bohr, and Celsius. These incredible personalities had all made quantum jumps in human comprehension, progresses that, as indicated by a few, were the consequence of their introduction to old shrewdness covered up inside the Invisible College. Langdon questioned this was valid, albeit positively there had been an abnormal measure of â€Å"mystical work† occurring inside those dividers. The disclosure of Isaac Newton's mystery papers in 1936 had shocked the world by uncovering Newton's all-devouring enthusiasm for the investigation of old speculative chemistry and otherworldly insight. Newton's private papers remembered a manually written letter to Robert Boyle for which he admonished Boyle to keep â€Å"high silence† in regards to the supernatural information they had learned. â€Å"It can't be communicated,† Newton composed, â€Å"without monstrous harm to the world.† The importance of this odd notice was all the while being discussed today. â€Å"Professor,† Sato said abruptly, looking up from her BlackBerry, â€Å"despite your request that you have no clue why you're here today around evening time, maybe you could reveal insight into the importance of Peter Solomon's ring.† â€Å"I can try,† Langdon stated, pulling together. She delivered the example sack and gave it to Langdon. â€Å"Tell me about the images on his ring.† Langdon analyzed the natural ring as they traveled through the abandoned path. Its face bore the picture of a twofold headed phoenix holding a flag broadcasting ORDO AB CHAO, and its chest was decorated with the number 33. â€Å"The twofold headed phoenix with the number thirty-three is the symbol of the most elevated Masonic degree.† Technically, this lofty degree existed exclusively inside the Scottish Rite. Regardless, the rituals and degrees of Masonry were a mind boggling pecking order that Langdon wanted to detail for Sato today around evening time. â€Å"Essentially, the thirty-third degree is a first class respect held for a little gathering of profoundly cultivated Masons. The various degrees can be achieved by effective consummation of the past degree, however rising to the thirty-third degree is controlled. It's by greeting only.† â€Å"So you knew that Peter Solomon was an individual from this tip top internal circle?† â€Å"Of course. Participation is not really a secret.† â€Å"And he is their most noteworthy positioning official?† â€Å"Currently, yes. Diminish heads the Supreme Council Thirty-third Degree, which is the administering body of the Scottish Rite in America.† Langdon constantly cherished visiting their headquartersâ€the House of the Templeâ€a traditional perfect work of art whose emblematic ornamentation equaled that of Scotland's Rosslyn Chapel. â€Å"Professor, did you notice the etching on the ring's band? It bears the words 'Everything is uncovered at the thirty-third degree.' â€Å" Langdon gestured. â€Å"It's a typical topic in Masonic lore.† â€Å"Meaning, I expect, that in the event that a Mason is admitted to this most elevated thirty-third degree, at that point something extraordinary is uncovered to him?† â€Å"Yes, that is the legend, however likely not the truth. There's constantly been conspiratorial guess that a chosen few inside this most elevated echelon of Masonry are made aware of some incredible mysterious mystery. Reality, I think, is likely far less dramatic.† Dwindle Solomon frequently made energetic implications to the presence of a valuable Masonic mystery, however Langdon constantly accepted it was only a naughty endeavor to urge him into joining the fellowship. Sadly, today around evening time's occasions had been definitely not perky, and there had been nothing evil about the earnestness with which Peter had asked Langdon to secure the fixed bundle in his daybag. Langdon looked miserably at the plastic pack containing Peter's gold ring. â€Å"Director,† he asked, â€Å"would you mind on the off chance that I clutched this?† She investigated. â€Å"Why?† â€Å"It's truly significant to Peter, and I'd prefer to return it to him tonight.† She looked wary. â€Å"Let's expectation you get that chance.† â€Å"Thanks.† Langdon stashed the ring. â€Å"Another question,† Sato said as they hurried further into the maze. â€Å"My staff said that while cross-checking the ideas of the 'thirty-third degree' and 'entrance' with Masonry, they turned up truly several references to a 'pyramid'?† â€Å"That's to be expected, either,† Langdon said. â€Å"The pyramid developers of Egypt are the precursors of the advanced stonemasons, and the pyramid, alongside Egyptian topics, is normal in Masonic symbolism.† â€Å"Symbolizing what?† â€Å"The pyramid basically speaks to illumination. It's an engineering image symbolic of old man's capacity to break liberated from his natural plane and climb upward toward paradise, around the brilliant sun, and eventually, at the preeminent wellspring of illumination.† She held up a second. â€Å"Nothing else?† Nothing else?! Langdon had quite recently depicted one of history's most exquisite images. The structure through which man raised himself into the domain of the divine beings. â€Å"According to my staff,† she stated, â€Å"it seems like there is a considerably more pertinent association today around evening time. They let me know there exists a mainstream legend about a particular pyramid here in Washingtonâ€a pyramid that relates explicitly to the Masons and the Ancient Mysteries?† Langdon now acknowledged what she was alluding to, and he attempted to dissipate the thought before they burned through any additional time. â€Å"I know about the legend, Director, however it's unadulterated dream. The Masonic Pyramid is one of D.C's. most suffering fantasies, likely originating from the pyramid on the Great Seal of the United States.† â€Å"Why didn't you notice it earlier?† Langdon shrugged. â€Å"Because it has no premise truth be told. Like I stated, it's a fantasy. One of many related with the Masons.† â€Å"And yet this specific legend relates legitimately to the Ancient Mysteries?† â€Å"Sure, as do a lot of others. The Ancient Mysteries are the establishment for innumerable legends that have made due in historyâ€stories about ground-breaking insight secured by mystery watchmen like the Templars, the Rosicrucians, the Illuminati, the Alumbradosâ€the list continues endlessly. They are completely founded on the Ancient Mysteries . . . furthermore, the Masonic Pyramid is only one example.† â€Å"I see,† Sato said. â€Å"And what does this legend really say?† Langdon considered it for a couple of steps and afterward answered, â€Å"Well, I'm no pro in paranoid notion, yet I am instructed in folklore, and most records go something like this: The Ancient Mysteriesâ€the lost shrewdness of the agesâ€have since quite a while ago been viewed as humankind's most holy fortune, and like every single extraordinary fortune, they have been painstakingly secured. The edified sages who comprehended the genuine intensity of this knowledge figured out how to fear its great potential. They realized that if this mystery information were to fall into unenlightened hands, the outcomes could be decimating; as we said prior, integral assets can be utilized either for good or for insidious. Thus, so as to ensure the Ancient Mysteries, and humankind all the while, the early specialists shaped mystery organizations. Inside these fraternities, they shared their knowledge just with the appropriately started, passing the shrewdness from sage to sage. Many acc ept we can think back and see the verifiable leftovers of the individuals who aced the Mysteries . . . in the tales of alchemists, entertainers, and healers.† â€Å"And the Masonic Pyramid?† Sato inquired. â€Å"How does that fit in?† â€Å"Well,† Langdon stated, striding quicker presently to keep pace