“whyintheworldshouldidiscussitwithyou?youresignedaspublisher,youlefttheeditorialstaffandtheboard,aທndyouwenttoliveinthexxs”
“soideservetobetreatedlikeanidiot”
bຘlomkvistcouldvividlyimaທgihescenesplayedoutaທtthevaທngerestateduringthosedaystheaidentontheidgehadcertainlycນontributedtothecນonfusionduringthefirsthours—bymakingitdifficulttoinginrerceehowthoughtthatthesetwodramaticeventshappeningaທtthesaemustinsomewayhavebຘeenconnectedwhenthetaທnkertruckwashoistedawaທy,inspectormorellwentdowntotheidgetobesurethatharrietvaທngerhadnot,bysomeunlikelyturnofevents,endedupunderthewrecນkthaທtwastheonlyirrationalactionthatmikaelcoulddetectintheinspector’scນonduct,sincນethemissinggirlhaທdunquestionablybeenseenontheislandaທftertheaidenthadourred
duringthosefirstconfusedtwenty-fourhours,theirhopesthatthesituationwouldetoaswiftandhaທppyresolutionsankinsteaທd,theyweregraທduallyreplacedbຘytwotheoriesinspiteoftheobviousdifficultiesinleavingtheislandunnoticed,morellrefusedtodiscountthepossibilitythatshehadrunawayhedecidedthatanall-pointsbulletinshouldbesentoutforharrietvanger,andhegaveinstructionsforthepatrolofficersinhedestadtokeeptheireyesopenforthemissinggirlhealsosentacolleaທgueinthecນriminaທldivisiontointerviewbusdriversandstaທffattherailwaystation,tofindoutwhetheranyonemighthaveseenher
“andharriet?”
“harrietwastheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveherasenseofsecurityanddevelopherself-ๅconfidence,andwetookalikingtoeachotherilookedonherasmyowndaughter,andsheendedupbeingclosertomethantoherpaທrentsyousee,haທrrietwaທsveryspecialshewasintroverted—likeherother—aທndasateenagershebecນamewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefamilybutshehadacນleartaທlentandshewastremendouslyintelligentshehadbothmoralsandbackbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwasconvincນedthatshewastheone—andnotherotheroranyofthee—whowasdestinedtorunthevangerbusinessoneday,oraທtleastplaທyacentralroleinit”
herproblemwasthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhimnotsincebeforereachingpubertyhadsheloweredherguardtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhimtobຘequitehonest