How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
Sophie furrowed her brow. "That's strange, because my grandfather always told me the Rose meant secrecy. He used to hang a rose on his office door at home when he was having a confidential phone call and didn't want me to disturb him. He encouraged me to do the same." Sweetie, her grandfather said, rather than lock each other out, we can each hang a rose— la fleur des secrets— on our door when we need privacy. This way we learn to respect and trust each other. Hanging a rose is an ancient Roman custom.
"Sub rosa," Langdon said. "The Romans hung a rose over meetings to indicate the meeting was confidential. Attendees understood that whatever was said under the rose— or sub rosa— had to remain a secret." (47.50)
This is a little more classy than the old sock-on-the-door signal that is so popular with frat boys and sitcoms.
Quote #8
Sophie felt the hairs stand up on her arms. "But how could a secret that big be kept quiet all of these years?"
"Heavens!" Teabing said. "It has been anything but quiet! The royal bloodline of Jesus Christ is the source of the most enduring legend of all time – the Holy Grail. Magdalene's story has been shouted from the rooftops for centuries in all kinds of metaphors and languages. Her story is everywhere once you open your eyes." (58.98-99)
So…is it actually a secret, then? If the truth has been out there in a bunch of different forms (including a documentary produced by Teabing himself), is it really that hush-hush? Just because they don't have access to the definitive proof (yet…) doesn't mean they couldn't proclaim the truth anyway.
Quote #9
In the echoes of Teabing's words, Sophie heard another voice speaking. Sophie, I must tell you the truth about your family. She realized she was trembling. Could this possibly be that truth her grandfather had wanted to tell her? That her family had been murdered? What did she truly know about the crash that took her family? Only sketchy details. Even the stories in the newspaper had been vague. An accident? Bedtime stories? Sophie flashed suddenly on her grandfather's overprotectiveness, how he never liked to leave her alone when she was young. Even when Sophie was grown and away at university, she had the sense her grandfather was watching over. She wondered if there had been Priory members in the shadows throughout her entire life, looking after her. (99.28)
This is why Sophie hates secrets so much. She's always had that sneaking suspicion that her grandfather—the person she trusted most in the world—was keeping something from her, and that's not a fun feeling to have. No one likes to be left in the dark, especially about something as important as family.