第 31 部分阅读
bergerhaddesignedeverything,puttinginglasspartitionstoakeseparatequartersforthreeoftheeployeesandanopenplanfortheothers.shehadtakenthelargestrooattheverybackforherself,andgivenblokvisthisownrooattheoppositeend.itwastheonlyroothatyoucouldlookintofrotheentry.no-onehadovedintoit,itseeed.
thethirdroowasslightlyapartfrotheothers,anditwasoupiedbysonnymagnusson,whohadbeenforseveralyearsmillenniu’sostsuessfuladvertisingsalesan.bergerhadhandpickedhi；sheofferedhiaodestsalaryandaission.overthepastyear,ithadnotadeanydifferencehowenergetichewasasasalesan,theiradvertisinginehadtakenabeatingandmagnusson’sinewithit.butinsteadoflookingelsewhere,hehadtightenedhisbeltandloyallystayedput.unlikee,whocausedthewholelandslide,blokvistthought.
hegatheredhiscourageandwalkedintotheoffice.itwasalostdeserted.hecouldseebergeratherdesk,telephonepressedtoherear.monikanilssonwasatherdesk,anexperiencedgeneralreporterspecialisinginpoliticalcoverage；shecouldbetheostjadedcynichehadeveret.she’dbeenatmillenniufornineyearsandwasthriving.henrycortezwastheyoungesteployeeontheeditorialstaff.hehadeasaninternstraightoutofjmktwoyearsago,sayingthathewantedtoworkatmillenniuandnowhereelse.bergerhadnobudgettohirehi,butsheofferedhiadeskinacornerandsoontookhionasaperanentdogsbody,andanonasastaffreporter.
bothutteredcriesofdelight.hereceivedkissesonthecheekandpatsontheback.atoncetheyaskedhiifhewasreturningtowork.no,hehadjust. compedbytosayhelloandhaveawordwiththeboss.
bergerwasgladtoseehi.sheaskedaboutvanger’scondition.blokvistknewnoorethanwhatfrodecouldtellhi:hisconditionwasinescapablyserious.
“sowhatareyoudoinginthecity？”
blokvistwasebarrassed.hehadbeenatmiltonsecurity,onlyafewstreetsaway,andhehaddecidedonsheeripulsetoein.itseeedtooplicatedtoexplainthathehadbeentheretohirearesearchassistantwhowasasecurityconsultantwhohadhackedintohisputer.insteadheshruggedandsaidhehadetostockholonvanger-relatedbusiness,andhewouldhavetogobacknorthatonce.heaskedhowthingsweregoingattheagazine.
“apartfrothegoodnewsontheadvertisingandthesubscriptionfronts,thereisonecloudonthehorizon.”
“whichis？”
“jannedahlan.”
“ofcourse.”
“ihadatalkwithhiinapril,afterwereleasedthenewsthathenrikhadbeeapartner.idon’tknowifit’sjustjanne’snaturetobenegativeorifthere’ssoethingoreseriousgoingon,ifhe’splayingsoesortofgae.”
“whathappened？”
“it’snothingicanputafingeron,ratherthatinolongertrusthi.afterwesignedtheagreeentwithvanger,christerandihadtodecidewhethertorthewholestaffthatwewerenolongeratriskofgoingunderthisautun,or…”
“ortotelljustachosenfew.”
“exactly.iaybeparanoid,butididn’twanttoriskhavingdahlanleakthestory.sowedecidedtorthewholestaffonthesaedaytheagreeentwasadepublic.whicheantthatwekeptthelidonitforoveraonth.”
“and？”
“well,thatwasthefirstpieceofgoodnewsthey’dhadinayear.everyonecheeredexceptfordahlan.iean—wedon’thavetheworld’sbiggesteditorialstaff.therewerethreepeoplecheering,plustheintern,andonepersonwhogothisnoseoutofjointbecausewehadn’ttoldeverybodyearlier.”
“hehadapoint…”
“iknow.butthethingis,hekeptonbitchingabouttheissuedayafterday,andoraleintheofficewasaffected.aftertwoweeksofthisshiticalledhiintoyofficeandtoldhitohisfacethatyreasonfornothavingredthestaffearlierwasthatididn’ttrusthitokeepthenewssecret.”
“howdidhetakeit？”
“hewasterriblyupset,ofcourse.istoodygroundandgavehianultiatu—eitherheha. comullhiselftogetherorstartlookingforanotherjob.”
“and？”
“hepulledhiselftogether.buthekeepstohiself,andthere’satensionbetweenhiandtheothers.christercan’tstandhi,andhedoesn’thideit.”
“whatdoyoususpectdahlanofdoing？”
“idon’tknow.wehiredhiayearago,whenwewerefirsttalkingabouttroublewithwennerstr？.ican’tproveathing,butihaveanastyfeelingthathe’snotworkingforus.”
“trustyourinstincts.”
“maybehe’sjustasquarepeginaroundholewhojusthappenstobepoisoningtheatosphere.”
“it’spossible.butiagreethatweadeaistakewhenwehiredhi.”
halfanhourlaterhewasonhiswaynorthacrossthelocksatslusseninthecarhehadborrowedfrofrode’swife.itwasaten-year-oldvolvosheneverused.blokvisthadbeengivenleavetoborrowitwheneverheliked.
itwasthetinydetailsthathecouldeasilyhaveissedifhehadnotbeenalert:soepapersnotasevenlystackedashereebered；abindernotquiteflushontheshelf；hisdeskdrawerclosedalltheway—hewaspositivethatitwasaninchopenwhenheleft.
soeonehadbeeninsidehiscottage.
hehadlockedthedoor,butitwasanordinaryoldlockthatalostanyonecouldpickwithascrewdriver,andwhoknewhowanykeyswereincirculation.hesysteaticallysearchedhisoffice,lookingforwhatightbeissing.afterawhilehedecidedthateverythingwasstillthere.
neverthelesssoeonehadbeeninthecottageandgohroughhispapersandbinders.hehadtakenhisputerwithhi,sotheyhadnotbeenabletoaessthat.twoquestionsarose:whowasit？andhowuchhadhisvisitorbeenabletofindout？
thebindersbelongedtothepartofvanger’scollectionthathebroughtbacktotheguesthouseafterreturningfroprison.therewasnothingofthenewaterialinthe.hisnotesinthedeskwouldreadlikecodetotheuninitiated—butwasthepersonwhohadsearchedhisdeskuninitiated？
inaplasticfolderontheiddleofthedeskhehadputacopyofthedatelistandacopyoftheverses.thatwasserious.itwouldtellwhoeveritwasthatthedatecodewascracked.
sowhowasit？
vangerwasinthehospital.hedidnotsuspectanna.frode？hehadalreadytoldhiallthedetails.ceciliavangerhadcancelledhertriptofloridaandwasbackfrolondon—alongwithhersister.blokvisthadonlyseenheronce,drivinghercaracrossthebridgethedaybefore.martinvanger.haraldvanger.birgervanger—hehadturnedupforafailygatheringtowhichblokvisthadnotbeeninvitedonthedayaftervanger’sheartattack.alexandervanger.isabellavanger.
whohadfrodetalkedto？whatighthehaveletslipthistie？howanyoftheanxiousrelativeshadpickeduponthefactthatblokvisthadadeabreakthroughinhisinvestigation？
itwasafter8:00.hecalledthelocksithinhedestadandorderedanewlock.thelocksithsaidthathecouldeoutthefollowingday.blokvistsaidhewouldpaydoubleifhecaeatonce.theyagreedthathewouldeataround10:30thatnightandinstallanewdeadboltlock.
blokvistdrovetofrode’shouse.hiswifeshowedhiintothegardenbehindthehouseandofferedhiacoldpilsner,whichhegratefullyaepted.heaskedhowhenrikvangerwas.
frodeshookhishead.
“theyoperatedonhi.hehadblockagesinhiscoronaryarteries.thedoctorssaythatthenextfewdaysarecritical.”
theythoughtaboutthisforawhileastheydranktheirpilsners.
“youhaven’ttalkedtohi,isuppose？”
“no.he’snotwellenoughtotalk.howdiditgoinstockhol？”
“thesalandergirlaeptedthejob.here’sthecontractfromiltonsecurity.youhavetosignitandputitinthepost.”
frodereadthroughthedocuent.
“she’sexpensive,”hesaid.
“henrikcanaffordit.”
frodenodded.hetookapenoutofhisbreastpocketandscrawledhisnae.
“it’sagoodthingthati’signingitwhilehe’sstillalive.couldyouputitintheletterboxatkonsuonyourwayhoe？”
blokvistwasinbedbyidnight,buthecouldnotsleep.untilnowhisworkonhedebyislandhadseeedlikeresearchonahistoricalcuriosity.butifsoeonewassufficientlyinterestedinwhathewasdoingtobreakintohisoffice,thenthesolutionhadtobeclosertothepresentthanhehadthought.
thenitourredtohithattherewereotherswhoightbeinterestedinwhathewasworkingon.vanger’ssuddenappearanceontheboardofmillenniuhadnotgoneunnoticedbywennerstr？.orwasthisparanoia？
mikaelgotoutofbedandwenttostandnakedatthekitchenwindow,gazingatthechurchontheothersideofthebridge.helitacigarette.
hecouldn’tfigureoutlisbethsalander.shewasaltogetherodd.longpausesintheiddleoftheconversation.herapartentwasessy,borderingonchaotic.bagsfilledwithnewspapersinthehall.akitchenthathadnotbeencleanedortidiedinyears.clotheswerescatteredinheapsonthefloor.shehadobviouslyspenthalfthenightinabar.shehadlovebitesonherneckandshehadclearlyhadpanyovernight.shehadheavenknowshowanytattoosandtwopiercingsonherfaceandaybeinotherplaces.shewasweird.
aranskyassuredhithatshewastheirverybestresearcher,andherreportonhiwasexcruciatinglythorough.astrangegirl.
salanderwassittingatherpower,butshewasthinkingaboutmikaelblokvist.shehadneverinheradultlifeallowedanyoocrossherthresholdwithoutanexpressinvitation,andshecouldcountthoseshehadinvitedononehand.blokvisthadnonchalantlybargedintoherlife,andshehadutteredonlyafewlaeprotests.
notonlythat,hehadteasedher.
undernoralcircustancesthatsortofbehaviourwouldhaveadeherentallycockapistol.butshehadnotfeltaniotaofthreatoranysortofhostilityfrohisside.hehadgoodreasontoreadhertheriotact,evenreporthertothepolice.insteadhehadtreatedevenherhackingintohisputerasajoke.
thathadbeentheostsensitivepartoftheirconversation.blokvistseeedtobedeliberatelynotbroachingthesubject,andfinallyshecouldnothelpaskingthequestion.
“yousaidthatyouknehatidid.”
“you’vebeeninsideyputer.you’reahacker.”
“howdoyouknowthat？”salanderwasabsolutelypositivethatshehadleftnotracesandthathertrespassingcouldnotbediscoveredbyanyoneunless. comsecurityconsultantsatdownandscannedtheharddriveatthesaetieasshewasaessingtheputer.
“youadeaistake.”
shehadquotedfroatextthatwasonlyonhisputer.
salandersatinsilence.finallyshelookedupathi,hereyesexpressionless.
“howdidyoudoit？”heasked.
“mysecret.whatareyouthinkingofdoingaboutit？”
mikaelshrugged.
“whatcanido？”
“it’sexactlywhatyoudoasajournalist.”
“ofcourse.andthat’swhywejournalistshaveahicsitteethatkeepstrackoftheoralissues.wheniwriteanarticleaboutsoebastardinthebankingindustry,ileaveout,forinstance,hisorherprivatelife.idon’tsaythataferisalesbianorgetsturnedonbyhavingsexwithherdogoranythinglikethat,evenifithappenstobetrue.bastardstoohavearighttotheirprivatelives.doesthatakesense？”
“yes.”
“soyouencroachedonyintegrity.myeployerdoesn’tneedtoknohoihavesexwith.that’sybusiness.”
salander’sfacewascreasedbyacrookedsile.
“youthinkishouldn’thaveentionedthat？”
“inycaseitdidn’takealotofdifference.halfthecityknowsaboutyrelationshipwitherika.butit’saatterofprinciple.”
“inthatcase,itightauseyoutoknowthatialsohaveprinciplesparabletoyourethicsittee’s.icallthesalander’sprinciples.oneoftheisthatabastardisalwaysabastard,andificanhurtabastardbydiggingupshitabouthi,thenhedeservesit.”
“ok,”blokvistsaid.“myreasoningisn’ttoodifferentfroyours,but…”
“butthethingisthatwhenidoapi,ialsolookatwhatithinkabouttheperson.i’notneutral.ifthepersonseeslikeagoodsort,iighttonedownyreport.”
“really？”
“inyourcaseitoneditdown.icouldhavewrittenaaboutyoursexlife.icouldhaveentionedtofrodethaterikabergerhasapastinclubxtreeandplayedaroundwithbdsmintheeighties—whichwouldhaveproptedcertainunavoidablenotionsaboutyoursexlifeandhers.”
blokvistetsalander’sgaze.afteraoenthelaughed.
“you’rereallyeticulous,aren’tyou？whydidn’tyouputitinthereport？”
“youareadultswhoobviouslylikeeachother.whatyoudoinbedisnobody’sbusiness,andtheonlythingiwouldhaveachievedbytalkingaboutherwastohurtbothofyou,o. comrovidesoeonewithblackailaterial.idon’tknowfrode—therationcouldhaveendedupwithwennerstr？.”
“andyoudon’twan. comrovidewennerstr？withration？”
“ifihadtochoosebetweenyouandhi,i’dprobablyendupinyourcourt.”
“erikaandihavea…ourrelationshipis…”
“please,ireallydon’tgiveatossaboutwhatsortofrelationshipyouhave.butyouhaven’tansweredyquestion:whatdoyouplantodoaboutyhackingintoyourputer？”
“lisbeth,i’notheretoblackailyou.i’heretoaskyoutohelpedosoeresearch.youcansayyesorno.ifyousayno,fine,i’llfindsoeoneelseandyou’llneverhearfroeagain.”
chapter19
thursday,june19–sunday,june29
whilehewaitedforwordonwhethervangerwasgoin. comullthroughornot,blokvistspentthedaysgoingoverhisaterials.hekeptinclosetouchwithfrode.onthursdayeveningfrodebroughthithenewsthattheiediatecrisisseeedtobeover.
“iwasabletotalktohiforawhiletoday.hewantstoseeyouassoonaspossible.”
soitwasthat,around1:00ontheafternoonofmidsuereve,blokvistdrovetohedestadhospitalandwentinsearchoftheward.heencounteredanangrybirgervanger,whoblockedhisway.henrikcouldnotpossiblyreceivevisitors,hesaid.
“that’sodd,”blokvistsaid,“henriksentwordsayingthatheexpresslywantedtoseeetoday.”
“you’renotaeberofthefaily；youhavenobusinesshere.”
“you’reright.i’notaeberofthefaily.buti’workingforhenrikvanger,anditakeordersonlyfrohi.”
thisighthaveledtoaheatedexchangeiffrodehadnotatthatoenteoutofvanger’sroo.
“oh,thereyouare.henrikhasbeenaskingafteryou.”
frodeheldopenthedoorandblokvistwalkedpastbirgerintotheroo.
vangerlookedtohaveagedtenyears.hewaslyingwithhiseyeshalfclosed,anoxygentubeinhisnose,andhishairoredishevelledthanever.anurse. compedblokvist,puttingahandfirlyonhisar.
“twoinutes.noore.anddon’tupsethi.”blokvistsatonavisitor’schairsothathecouldseevanger’sface.hefeltatendernessthatastonishedhi,andhestretchedouthishandtogentlysqueezetheoldan’shand.
“anynews？”thevoicewasweak.
blokvistnodded.
“i’llgiveyouareportassoonasyou’rebetter.ihaven’tsolvedtheysteryyet,buti’vefoundorenewstuffandi’followingupanuberofleads.inaweek,perhapstwo,i’llbeabletotelltheresults.”
theostvangercouldanagewastoblink,indicatingthatheunderstood.
“ihavetobeawayforafewdays.”
henrikraisedhiseyebrows.
“i’notjupingship.ihavesoeresearchtodo.i’vereachedanagreeentwithdirchthatishouldreporttohi.isthatokwithyou？”
“dirchis…yan…inallatters.”
blokvistsqueezedvanger’shandagain.
“mikael…ifidon’t…iwantyouto…finishthejob.”
“iwillfinishthejob.”
“dirchhas…full…”
“henrik,iwantyoutogetbetter.i’dbefuriouswithyouifyouwentanddiedafteri’veadesuchprogress.”
“twoinutes,”thenursesaid.
“nexttiewe’llhavealongtalk.”
birgervangerwaswaitingforhiwhenhecaeout.he. compedhibylayingahandonhisshoulder.
“idon’twantyoubotheringhenrikanyore.he’sveryill,andhe’snotsupposedtobeupsetordisturbed.”
“iunderstandyourconcern,andisypathise.andi’notgoingtoupsethi.”
“everyoneknowsthathenrikhiredyo. comokearoundinhislittlehobby…harriet.dirchsaidthathenrikbecaeveryupsetafteraconversationyouhadwithhibeforehehadtheheartattack.heevensaidthatyouthoughtyouhadcausedtheattack.”
“idon’tthinksoanyore.henrikhadsevereblockagesinhisarteries.hecouldhavehadaheartattackjustbyhavingapee.i’sureyouknowthatbynow.”
“iwantfulldisclosureintothislunacy.thisisyfailyyou’reuckingaroundin.”
“itoldyou,iworkforhenrik,notforthefaily.”
birgervangerwasapparentlynotusedtohavinganyonestanduptohi.foraoenthestaredatblokvistwithanexpressionthatwaspresuablyeanttoinst