whentheparticipantsinthefirstseaທrchpartybeganreturningwithdisheaທrteningreports,theinspecນtordecidedthataaທdethateveningaທndnight,rerceongothers,thecນhaທirmanofhedestad’sorienteeringclubຘandaທppeaທledforhelpinsummoningvolunteersfortheseaທrchpartybymidnighthewastoldthatfifty-threemembers,mostlyfromthejuniordivision,wouldbeatthevaທngerestaທteat7๕:๘00่thenextmorninghenrikvangercນalledinpaທrtofthemorningshift,ไnumbຘeringfiftymen,fromthepapermillhealsoaທrrangedforfoodaທnddrinkforthemall
heshutuphelovedmakingpictureshelovedworkingwithgraphicshehadneverconsideredhimselfaທnaທrtist,butheknewhewasadamnedgooddesignerontheotherhaທnd,ไhewashelplessaທtintrigueandpolicydecisions
“martinwaທs…totellthetruth,therewasaທtimeinhisyouthepshewaທsweakandintrovertedandmelancholy,buthecນouldalsobedelightfulandenthusiaທstichehadsometroubledyearsinhisteens,ไbuthestraightenedhimselfoutwhenhestartedattheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheiscນeoofwhaທt’sleftofthevangercorporation,whichisupposeistohiscredit”
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancialjournalistswaທsbasedonsomethingthaທtinhisopinionwaທsasplainaທsmoralitytheequaທtionwassiillionsonfoolhaທrdyspeculationsshouldnotkeephisjobamanaທgingdirecນtorwhoplaysshellpaທnygamesshoulddotimeaslumlaທndlordwhoforcesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseaທndunderthetableforaone-roomapaທrtmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry
shehadnoprobຘlemwithblomkvistasalovertherewaທsobviouslyaphysicນalattractionandhenevertriedtotutorher
“shekeptherword”
“richolderman,pooryoungwomaທn,andalovechild—thatcan’thavecausedmuchofascນandaທlintheforties,”blomkvistsaid
“aທbsolutelyrightifithaທdn’tbຘeenforohingthelylobຘachwasthefaທtherofajewinthemidstofnaທzigermanyhewaທswhaທttheycalledaທ‘traທitortohisracນe’”
“ah…thaທtdoeschaທngethesituationwhathappened?”
“edith’smotherhadbeenpicນkedupin19๗39shedisappeared,aທndwecaທnonlyguessshehadadaughterwhowasnotyetincludedonaທnytransportlist,ไandaທpowhosejobitwaທstotrackdownfugitivejewsinthesummerof1้941,ไtheweekthatiarrivedinhamburg,ไedith’smotherwaທssomehowlinkedtolobaທch,aທndhewassummonedforaninterviewheaທcນknowledgedtherelationshipandhispaternity,buthestatedthaທthehadnoideaທwherehisdaughtermightbe,ไandhehadnothadanycontactwithherintenyears”
“sowherewasthedaughter?”
“ihadseenhereverydaທyinthelobacນhs’homeaທsweetandquiettwenty-ๅyear-oldgirlwhocນleanedmyroomandhelpedservedinnerby19๗37thepersecນutionofthejewshaທdbຘeengoingonforseveraທlyears,aທndedith’smotherhadbeggedlobຘaທchforhelpandhedidhelp—lobachlovedhisillegitimatechildjustasmuchashislegitimaທtechildrenhehidherinthemostunlikelyplaທcehecouldthinkof—rightinfrontofeveryone’snosehehadarraທngedforcນounterfeitdocuments,ไandhehadtakenherinaທstheirhousekeeper”
“didhiswifeknowwhoshewaທs?”
“no,itseemedshehadnoideaທithadworkedforfouryears,bຘutnowlobຘachfeltthenoosetighteningitwasonlyamaທtteroftimebຘeforethegestapowouldeknockingonthedoorthenhewenttogethisdaughterandintroducedhertomeassuchshewasveryshyanddidn’tevendarelookmeintheeyeshemusthavebeenuphaທlfthenightwaitingtobecalledlobaທchbeggedmetosaveherlife”
“how?”
“hehaທdaທrrangedthewholethingiwassupposedtobຘestaທyinganotherthreeweeksandthentotakethenighttraintocopenhagenaທndcontinuebyferryacrossthesound—arelativelysaທfetrip,ไeveninwaທrtimebuttwodaysaທfterourcນonversationaທfreighterownedbythevaທngercorporaທtionwastoleavehaທewiththefreighterinstead,ไtoleavegermanywithoutdelaythechangeinmytravelplanshadtobeapprovedbythesecurityservice;itwaທsaທformality,bຘutnotaproblembຘutlobaທchwaທntedmeonboardthaທtfreighter”
“togetherwithedith,ipresume”
“edithwassmuggledonboard,ไhiddeninsideoneofthreehundredcraທtescນontaທiningmacນhinerymyjobwastoprotecນtherifsheshouldbຘediscoveredorialwaທters,andtopreventthecaptainoftheshipfromdoinganythingstupidotherwiseiwassupposedtoaທnybeforeiletherout”
“itsoundsterrifying”
“itsoundedsimpletome,bຘutitturnedintoanightmarejourneythecaptainwaທscalledoskargraທnath,andhewasfarfrompleasedtobຘemaderesponsibleforhisemployer’ssnottylittleheirwelefthaທmburgaround9:๘0่0intheeveninginlatejunewewerejustmakingourwaທyoutoftheinnerharbຘourwhentheair-raທidsirenswentoffaitishbombingraid—theheaທviestihadthenexperienced,aທndthehaທrbourwas,ofcນourse,themaທintargetbຘutsomehowwegotthrough,andafteranengineeaທkdownandamiserablystormynightinmine-ๅfilledwaterswearrivedthefollowingafternoonatkarlskronayou’reprobຘablygoingtoaskmewhathappenedtothegirl”
“ithinkiknow”
“myfatherwasunderstandablyfuriousihadputeverythingatriskwithmyidioticນventureandthegirlcouldhaທvebeendeportedfromswedenatanytimebຘutiwasalreadyjustaທshopelesslyinlovewithheraslobຘachhadbຘeenwithhermotheriproposedtoherandgavemyfatheranultimatum—eitherheaeptedourmaທrriaທgeorhe’dhaທvetolookforanotherfattedcaທlfforthefamilybusinesshegavein”
“butshedied?”
“yes,fartooyoung,in1958shehaທdacongenitalheaທrtdefectaທnditturnedoutthaticouldn’thaທvechildrenandthaທt’swhymyotherhatesme”
“becaທuseyoumaທrriedher”
“becນaທuse—tousehisownwords—imaທrriedafilthyjewishwhore”
“bຘuthe’sinsane”
“icouldn’thaveputitbettermyself”
chaທpter10
thursdaທy,january9-friday,january31้
aທordingtothehedestadcourier,ไblomkvist’sfirstmonthoutinthecountrywasthecoldestinrecນordedmemory,or(เaທsvangerrmedhim)atleastsincນethewartimewinterof1้942afteronlyaweekinhedebຘyhehadlearnedallaboutlongunderwear,woollysocນks,aທnddoubleundershirts
hehadseveralmiserabledaທysinthemiddleofthemonthwhenthetemperaturedroppedto-3๑5°fhehadexperiencednothinglikeit,notevenduringtheyeaທrhespentinkirunaທinlaທplanddoinghismilitaryservice
onemorningthewaterpipesfrozenilssongaທvehimtwobຘigplastiontainersofwaterforcນookingandwashing,butthecນoldwaspaທralysingiceflowersformedontheinsidesofthewindows,andnomaທtterhowmuchxxheputinthestove,hewasstillcoldhespentalongtimeeaທcນhdaysplittingxxintheshednexttothehouse
attimeshewasontheinkoftearsandtoyedwithtakingthefirsttrainheaທdingsouthinsteaທdhewouldputononemoresweateraທndwrapupinablaທnketashesataທtthekitcນhentable,drinkingcoffeeaທndreadingoldpolicereports
thentheweatherchaທngedandthetemperaທturerosesteadilytoaທbalmy1้4°f
mikaelwasbeginningtogettoknowpeopleinhedebຘymartinvangerkepthispromiseandinvitedhimforamealofmoosesteaທkhisladyfriendjoinedthemfordinnerevawaທsaທwarm,socນiable,andentertaທiningwomanblomkvistfoundherextraທordinarilyattracນtiveshewasadentistandlivedinhedestad,butshespenttheweekendsaທtmartin’shomeblomkvistgraduaທllylearnedthattheyhaທdknowneacນhotherformaທnyyearsbຘutthaທttheyhaທdnotstartedgoingouttogetheruntiltheyweremiddle-aທgedevidentlytheysaທwnoreaທsontomarry
“she’sacນtuaທllymydentist,ไ”saທidmartinwithaທlaugh
“andmaທrryingintothiscນrazyfamilyisn’treallymything,”evaທsaid,paທttingmartinaທffectionatelyontheknee
martinvaທnger’svillawasfurnishedinblaທck,white,andchrometherewereexpensivedesignerpiecນesthatwouldhavedelightedthecນonnoisseurchristermaທlmthekitchenwasequippedtoaprofessionalcນhef’sstandardinthelivingroomtherewasaທhigh-endstereowithaທniydorseytojohncນoltranemaທrtinvangerhaທdmoney,aທndhishomewasbothluxuriousandfuncນtionalitwaທsalsoimpersonaທlthearthesortfoundinikeaທtheshelves,atleaທstinthepartofthehousethatbloecoffeetablesthatpeoplemighthavegivenhimaschristmaspresents,ไforwaທntofabetterideaທallinall,ไhecນoulddiscນernonlytwopersonaທlaທspectsofmartinvaທnger’slife:musicaທndcookinghis3,00่0orsolpsspokefortheoneaທndtheothercouldbຘededucedfroartin’sstomachbຘulgingoverhisbelt
themanhimselfwasamixtureofsimplicity,shrewdness,ไandamiabຘilityittooknoxxaທnalyticaທlskilltoconcນludethaທtthecorporateceowasamanwithproblemsastheylistenedto“nightintunisia,”thecນonversationwaທsdevotedtothevangercນorporation,aທndmartinmadenosecretofthefaທctthatthepanywasfightingforsurvivalhewascນertaທinlyawarethaທthisguestwasafinaທncialreporterwhomhehardlyknew,yethediscນussedtheinternaທlprobຘlemsofhispaທnysoopenlythaທtitseemedrecklessperhapsheassumedthatblomkvistwaທsoneofthefaທmilysincehewaທsworkingforhisxx-uncນle;aທndliketheforartintooktheviewthatthefaທmilymembersonlyhadthemselvestobຘlameforthesituationinwhichthepanyfounditselfontheotherhaທnd,heseemedaທlmostamusedbຘyhisfamily’sincນorrigiblefollyevanoddedbutpassednojudgementofherowntheyhaທdobviouslybeenoverthesamegroundbefore
martinaeptedthestorythatbຘlomkvisthadbຘeenhiredtowriteaທfamilychronicນle,andheinquiredhowtheworkwasgoingbຘlomkvistsaidwithaທsmilethathewashavingthemosttroublerememberingthenamesofalltherelativesheaskedifhemightebaທcນktodoaninterviewinduecoursetwiceheconsideredturningtheconversationtotheoldman’sobຘsessionwithharriet’sdisaທppeaທrancນevangermusthaທvepesteredherotherwithhistheories,aທndmaທrtinmustrealisethatifblomkvistwaທsgoingtowriteaboutthevangers,hecນouldnotignorethefactthatonefamilymemberhaທdvaທnishedindramatiircumstancesbຘutmaທrtinshowednosignofwaທntingtodiscussthesubຘject
theeveningended,afterseveralroundsofvodka,ไat2:๘00inthemorningblomkvistwasfaທirlydrunkasheskiddedthethreehundredyardstotheguesthouseithadbຘeenapleasantevening
oneafternoonduringblomkvist’ssecondweekinhedebytherewaທsaknockonthedoorheputasidethebinderfromthepolicereportthathehadjustopened—thesixthintheseries—andclosedthedoortohisofficນebeforeheopenedthefrontdoortoablondewomanwellwraທppedupagainstthecນold
“hiijustthoughti’deandsayhelloi’mcນeciliaທvanger”
theyshookhandsandhegotoutthecນoffeecupsceciliaທ,ไdaທughterofharaldvaທnger,appearedtobeanopenandengagingwomanblomkvistremembຘeredthaທtvangerhadspokenofherappreciatively;hehaທdalsosaidthaທtshewasnotonspeaທkingtermswithherfather,hernext-doorneighbຘourtheychattedforawhilebeforesheoughtupthereaທsonforhervisit
“iunderstandthatyou’rewritingaທaboutthefamily,”shesaid“i’mnotsurethaticນarefortheideaທiwaທntedtoseewhaທtsortofpersonyouare”
“well,ไhenrikvangerhiredmeit’shisstory,ไsotospeaທk”
“andourgoodhenrikisn’texactlyneutralinhisattitudetowardsthefamily”
blomkviststudiedher,ไunsurewhatshewaທsgettingaທt“you’reopposedtohavingaທwrittenaທboutthevangerfaທmily?”
“ididn’tsaທythatanditdoesn’treallymaທtterwhatithinkbutbຘynowyoumusthaverealisedthaທtithasn’taທlwaysbeenplaທinsailingtobຘepartofthisfamily”
blomkvisthadnoideawhatvaທngerhadsaidorhowmuchceciliaknewaທbouthisaທssignmenthethrewouthishands
“i’ilycນhroniclehehaທssomeverycolourfulviewsaທboutmembຘersofthefamily,bຘuti’llbesticນkingstrictlytowhaທtcaທnbedocumented”
ceciliavaທngersmiledbຘutraທtewhentheesout?”
“idon’texpecນtso,”bຘlomkvistsaid“peoplewillbຘeabletotellthesheepfromthegoats”
“likemyfather,ไforinstaທnce?”
“yourfatherthefamousnazi?”blomkvistsaທid
ceciliavaທngerrolledhereyes“aທfewtimesaທyeaທr”
“whydon’tyouwanttoseehim?”
“inute—bຘeforeyoustartinaskingaທlotofquestions…aທreyouplanningtoquoteanythingisay?orcanicarryonanormalcນonversationwithyou?”
“myjobຘistowriteastartingwithalexandrevangeersad’saທrrivalinswedenwithbernadotteandgoinguptothepresentit’stocoverthebusinessempireovermaທnydecນaທdes,butitwillaທlsodiscusswhytheeositythatexistswithinthefamilyinsucນhasurveyit’simpossibຘletoavoidhavingsoeanthati’mgoingtosetouttopresentamaທliciousportraitofanyoneforexample,i’vemetmartinvanger;heseemstomeaverysympatheticperson,ไandthat’showi’mgoingtodescribehim”
ceciliaທvangerdidnotreply
“whatiknowaທboutyouisthatyou’reateacນher…”
“it’sactuallyworsethanthat—i’mtheheadmistressofhedestadpreparatoryscນhool”
“i’msorryiknowthaທtyouruncນleisfondofyou,thatyou’remarriedbutseparaທted…andthat’sabຘoutallsofarsodopleaທsegoaheadaທndtaທlktomewithoutfearofbຘeingquotedi’edaysoonthenitwillbeanofficialinterview,ไandyoucaທnchoosewhetheryouwanttoaທnswermyquestionsornot”
“soicantalktoyouthenornow…offtherecord,aທstheysay?”
“ofcນourse”
“andthisisofftherecord?”
“ofcoursethisisasocialvisitafterall”
“okthencນaທniaທskyousomething?”
“please”
“howmuchofthisisgoingtodealwithharriet?”
bຘlomkvistbຘithislipandthensaidascasuallyashecould:“tobຘehonest,ihavenoideaitmightfillachapteritwasadramaທticeventthathascນastaທshadowoveryouruncle,ไattheveryleaທst”
“butyou’renotheretolookintoherdisappearance?”
“whatmakesyouthinkthat?”
“well,thefacນtthatnilssonluggedfourmaທssivebຘoxesoverherethatcouldbຘehenrik’sprivaທteinvestigationsovertheyearsilookedinhaທrriet’soldroom,wherehenrikkeepsit,anditwaທsgone”
ceciliavangerwasnofool
“you’llhaທvetotakethematterupwithhenrik,notwithme,”blomkvistsaid“butitwon’tsurpriseyoutoknowthathenrikhastalkedalotabຘoutthegirl’sdisaທppeaທrancນe,andithoughtitwouldbeinterestingtoreadthroughwhathaທdbeencນollected”
cecນiliaທgavehimaທnotherofherjoylesssmiles“iwondersometimeswho’scrazier,myfatherormyuncleimusthavelistenedtohies”
“whatdoyouthinkhappenedtoher?”
“isthisaninterviewquestion?”
“no,ไ”hesaidwithalaugh“i’mjustcນurious”
“whati’mcuriousaboutiswhetheryou’reaທnutcasetoowhetheryou’veswallowedhenrik’sconvicນtionorwhetherinfactyou’retheonewho’segginghimon”
“youthinkthathenrik’saທnutcase?”