The Sprawling 185-acre estate of Chateau Villette was situated twenty-five mins northwest ofParis covering the environs of Versailles.Designed by Fran.ois Mansart in 1668for the depend of Aufflay,it was men or women of Paris's most sizeable historical chateaux.Complete
nike air max
with two rectangular lakes andgardens made by Le N.tre,Chateau Villette was additional of the modest castle than a mansion.Theestate fondly acquired change out to be identified as la Petite Versailles.
Langdon brought the armored truck to some shuddering avoid near to the foot because of this mile-long driveway.
Beyond the imposing protection gate,Sir Leigh Teabing's residence went up by over a meadow in thedistance.The indication near to the gate was in English:PRIVATE PROPERTY.NO TRESPASSING.
As if to proclaim his home a British Isle unto itself,Teabing acquired not simply dispatched his evidence inEnglish,but he acquired set up his gate's intercom entry technique near to the right-hand aspect of the
truck—the passenger's aspect everywhere in Europe except England.
Sophie gave the misplaced
 cheap nike shoes

intercom an outlandish look."And if somebody arrives not obtaining a passenger?"
"Don't ask."Langdon acquired currently been by method of that with Teabing."He prefers items the way in which theyare at christian louboutin sale home."
Sophie rolled straight down her window."Robert,you'd additional strong do the talking."
Langdon shifted his position,leaning out around Sophie to standard mass media the intercom button.As he did,analluring whiff of Sophie's fragrance filled his nostrils,and he recognized how near they were.Hewaited there,awkwardly prone,while a cell phone started ringing near to christian louboutin shoes the scaled-down speaker.
Finally,the intercom cheap christian louboutin shoes crackled and an irritated the language accent spoke."Chateau Villette.Who iscalling?"
"This is Robert Langdon,"Langdon termed out,sprawled around Sophie's lap."I'm a buddy of SirLeigh Teabing.I require his help."
"My professional is sleeping.As was I.What is your business with him?"
"It is ordinarily a exclusive matter.One of excellent interest to him."
"Then i am self-confident he will probably be pleased to Christian louboutin 2011 obtain you covering the morning."
Langdon shifted his weight."It's very important."
"As is Sir Leigh's sleep.If you may be considered a friend,then you may be mindful he is in weak health."
Sir Leigh Teabing acquired endured from polio as becoming a child and now louboutin shoes 2011 wore leg braces and walked withcrutches,but Langdon acquired uncovered him this kind of a lively and multi-colored man on his last visit that it hardlyseemed an infirmity."If you would,please enlighten him i've uncovered new details about theGrail.Information that are not able to wait around until morning."
There was obviously a considerable pause.
Langdon and Sophie waited,the
air max shoes
truck idling loudly.
A complete instant passed.
Finally,someone spoke."My very good man,I daresay you may be however on Harvard standard Time."Thevoice was crisp and light.

Langdon grinned,recognizing the coarse British accent."Leigh,my apologies for waking you at thisobscene hour."
"My manservant tells christian louboutin sandals me that not simply have you been in Paris,but you talk because of this Grail."
"I believed that might probably get you outdoors of bed."
"And so it has."
"Any likelihood you'd probably open in the  nike shox
gate for an well-established friend?"
"Those who search for the facts are additional than friends.They are brothers."
Langdon rolled his eyesight at Sophie,well accustomed to Teabing's predilection for significant antics.
"Indeed i'll open in the gate,"Teabing proclaimed,"but main I require to christian louboutin pumps confirm your cardiovascular is true.Atest of one's honor.You will reply three questions."
Langdon groaned,whispering at Sophie."Bear with me here.As I mentioned,he's anything at every one of acharacter."
"Your main question,"Teabing declared,his
 air max 90
firmness Herculean."Shall I function you coffee,or tea?"
Langdon recognized Teabing's sensations concerning the united states of america phenomenon of coffee."Tea,"he replied.
"Earl Grey."
"Excellent.Your 2nd question.Milk or sugar?"
Langdon hesitated.
"Milk,"Sophie whispered in louboutin shoes his ear."I think the British give thought to milk."
"Milk,"Langdon said.
Silence.
"Sugar?"
Teabing made no reply.
Wait!Langdon now recalled the bitter beverage he acquired been served on his last visit and realizedthis query was obviously a trick."Lemon!"he declared."Earl Grey with lemon"

"Indeed."Teabing sounded profoundly amused now."And finally,I require to produce fundamentally the most grave ofinquiries."Teabing paused after nike dunks
which it spoke covering the solemn tone."In which calendar year do a Harvard scullerlast outrow an Oxford man at Henley?"
Langdon acquired no idea,but he could picture only men or women rationale the query acquired been asked."Surelysuch a travesty has for no cheap christian louboutin shoes rationale occurred."
The gate clicked open."Your cardiovascular is true,my friend.You may rather nicely pass."
Confused,she stood a moment and listened.The only sound she heard was the cool Normandy airletting out a low moan as it swirled through the valley.
No music.
No voices.
Nothing.
In the silence of the woods,Sophie hurried to the side of the house and clambered up on awoodpile,pressing her face to the living room window.What she saw inside made no sense at all.
"Nobody's here!"
The entire first floor looked deserted.
Where are all the people?
Heart racing,Sophie ran to the woodshed and got the spare key her grandfather kept hidden underthe kindling box.She ran to the front door and christian louboutin shoes let herself in.As she stepped into the deserted foyer,the control panel for the security system started blinking red—a warning that the entrant had tenseconds to type the proper code before the security alarms went off.
He has the alarm on during a party?
Sophie quickly typed the code and deactivated the system.
Entering,she found the entire house uninhabited.Upstairs too.As she descended again to thedeserted living room,she stood a moment in the silence,wondering what could possibly behappening.
It was then that Sophie heard it.
Muffled voices.And  cheap christian louboutin shoes they seemed to be coming from underneath her.Sophie could not imagine.
Crouching,she put her ear to the floor and listened.Yes,the sound was definitely coming frombelow.The voices seemed to be singing,or...chanting?She was frightened.Almost more eeriethan the sound itself was the realization that this house did not even have a basement.
At least none I've ever seen.
Turning now and scanning the living room,Sophie's eyes fell to the only object in the entire
 air max 90
housethat seemed out of place—her grandfather's favorite antique,a sprawling Aubusson tapestry.Itusually hung on the east wall beside the fireplace,but tonight it had been pulled aside on its brass
rod,exposing the wall behind it.
Walking toward the bare wooden wall,Sophie sensed the chanting getting louder.Hesitant,sheleaned her ear against the wood.The voices were clearer now.People were definitely chanting...
intoning words Sophie could not discern.
The space behind this wall is hollow!
Feeling around the edge of louboutin shoes the panels,Sophie found a recessed fingerhold.It was discreetlycrafted.A sliding door.Heart pounding,she placed her finger in the slot and pulled it.Withnoiseless precision,the heavy wall slid sideways.From out of the darkness beyond,the voicesechoed up.
Sophie slipped through the door and found herself on a rough-hewn stone staircase that spiraleddownward.She'd been coming to this house since she was a child and yet had no idea this staircaseeven existed!
As she descended,the air grew cooler.The voices clearer.She heard men and women now.Herline of sight was limited by the spiral of the staircase,but the last step was
air max shoes
now rounding into view.
Beyond it,she could see a small patch of the basement floor—stone,illuminated by the flickeringorange blaze of firelight.
Holding her breath,Sophie  nike shox
inched down another few steps and crouched down to look.It took herseveral seconds to process what she was seeing.
The room was a grotto—a coarse chamber that appeared to have been hollowed from the granite ofthe hillside.The only light came from torches on the walls.In the glow of the flames,thirty or sopeople stood in a circle in the center of the room.
I'm dreaming,Sophie told christian louboutin sandals herself.A dream.What else could this be?
Everyone in the room was wearing a mask.The women were dressed in white gossamer gowns andgolden shoes.Their masks were white,and in their hands they carried golden orbs.The men worelong black tunics,and their masks were black.They looked like pieces in a giant chess set.
Everyone in the circle rocked back and forth and chanted in christian louboutin pumps reverence to something on the floorbefore them...something Sophie could not see.
The chanting grew steady again.Accelerating.Thundering now.Faster.The participants took astep inward and knelt.In that instant,Sophie louboutin shoes 2011 could finally see what they all were witnessing.Evenas she staggered back in horror,she felt the image searing itself into her memory forever.
Overtaken by nausea,Sophie spun,clutching at the stone walls as she christian louboutin sale clambered back up the stairs.
Pulling the door closed,she fled the deserted house,and drove in a tearful stupor back to Paris.

That night,with her life shattered by disillusionment and betrayal,she packed her belongings andleft her home.On the  louboutin shoes uk dining room table,she left a note.
I WAS THERE.DON'T TRY TO FIND ME.
Beside the note,she laid the old spare key from the chateau's woodshed.
"Sophie!Langdon's voice intruded."Stop!Stop!"
Emerging from the memory,Sophie Christian louboutin 2011 slammed on the brakes,skidding to a halt."What?Whathappened?!"
Langdon pointed down the long street before them.
When she saw it,Sophie's blood went cold.A hundred yards ahead,the intersection was
 cheap nike shoes

  blockedby a couple of DCPJ police Christian Louboutin Slingback cars,parked askew,their purpose obvious.They've sealed off AvenueGabriel!
Langdon gave a grim sigh."I take it the embassy is off-limits this evening?"
Down the street,the two DCPJ officers who stood beside their cars were now staring in theirdirection,apparently curious about christian louboutin outlet the headlights that had halted so abruptly up the street fromthem.
Okay,Sophie,turn around very slowly.
Putting the SmartCar
nike air max
in reverse,she performed a composed three-point turn and reversed herdirection.As she drove away,she heard the sound of squealing tires behind them.Sirens blared tolife.
Cursing,Sophie slammed down the accelerator.

The U.S.Embassy in Paris is a compact complex on Avenue Gabriel,just north of the Champs-
Elysées.The three-acre compound is considered U.S.soil,meaning
 air max 90
all those who stand on it aresubject to the same laws  louboutin shoes 2011 and protections as they would encounter standing in the United States.
The embassy's night operator was reading Time magazine's International Edition when the sound ofher phone interrupted.
"U.S.Embassy,"she answered.
"Good evening."The caller spoke English accented with French."I need some assistance."Despitethe politeness of the man's words,his tone sounded gruff and official."I was told you had christian louboutin outlet a phonemessage for me on your Christian louboutin 2011 automated system.The louboutin shoes name is Langdon.Unfortunately,I have forgottenmy three-digit access code.If you could help me,I would be most grateful."
The operator paused,confused."I'm sorry,sir.Your message must be quite old.That system wasremoved two years ago for security precautions.Moreover,all the access codes were five-digit.
Who told you we had a message for you?"
"You have no automated
air max shoes
phone system?"
"No,sir.Any message for you would be handwritten in our  nike shox

 services department.What was yourname again?"
But the man had hung up.
Bezu Fache felt dumbstruck as he paced the banks of Christian Louboutin Slingback the Seine.He was certain he had seenLangdon dial a local number,enter a three-digit code,and then listen to a recording.But if Langdondidn't
nike air max




 phone the embassy,then who cheap christian louboutin shoes the hell did he call?
It was at that moment,eyeing his cellular phone,that Fache realized the answers were in the palmof his hand.Langdon used my phone to  
nike dunks
place that call.
Keying into the cell phone's menu,Fache pulled up the list of recently dialed numbers and foundthe call Langdon had placed.
A Paris exchange,followed by the three-digit code 454.
Redialing the phone number,Fache waited as the line began ringing.

Finally a woman's voice answered."Bonjour,christian louboutin shoes vous êtes bien chez Sophie Neveu,"the recordingannounced."Je suis absente pour le moment,mais..."
Fache's blood was boiling as he typed the numbers 4...5...4.