Ignazio Busoni's Secret Role

The museum director helps Langdon steal the Dante death mask and hides it before dying of a heart attack.

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The Theft of the Mask

The Secret Meeting The Plan Ignazio Busoni, a Dante scholar and friend of Langdon, agrees to help him examine the Dante death mask. They arrange a private after-hours visit to the Palazzo Vecchio museum. The Discovery While examining the mask, Langdon finds something on the back. Busoni helps him remove the mask from the display case. They seal it in a bag and hide it in Busoni's briefcase. The Escape They leave the museum, but Busoni is followed by Vayentha. He manages to hide the mask in the Baptistry of San Giovanni before collapsing from a heart attack.

The Final Message

The Heart Attack The Collapse After hiding the mask, Busoni suffers a massive heart attack. He manages to call his secretary, Eugenia, and leaves a message for Langdon, saying "Paradise Twenty-five" and that the mask is safe. The Death Busoni dies in an alley near the Duomo. His body is found the next morning. The police initially suspect a heart attack, but the connection to the stolen mask is not immediately clear. The Legacy Busoni's clue leads Langdon to the Baptistry and eventually to the mask. His sacrifice is crucial to the investigation.

Night of March 17

Late night, March 17