第 48 部分阅读
theoodturnedcheerful.blokvistwonderedhowhewouldhavefeltifhewereoneofthesittinglisteningtoallthis.dubious？mostlikely.butapparentlyhestillhadsoe“trustcapital”aongmillenniu’ssallgroupofeployees.hehelduphishand.
“ifthisisgoingtowork,it’siportantthatwennerstr？believesthatmillenniuisonthevergeofcollapsebecauseidon’twanthitostartsoesortofretaliationorindeedgetridoftheevidencewhichweeantoexpose.sowe’regoingtostartwritingascriptthatyou’llfollowduringtheingonths.firstofall,it’siportantthatnothingwediscussheretodayiswrittendownorisreferredtoineails.wedon’tknowtowhatifanyextentdahlanhasbeendiggingaroundinourputers,andi’vebeeawarethatit’salaringlysipletoreadcoworkers’privateeail.so—we’regoingtodothisorally.ifyoufeeltheneedtoairanything,goandseechristerathoe.verydiscreetly.”
blokvistwrote“noeail”onthewhiteboard.
“second,iwantyoutostartsquabblingaongyourselves,plainingaboutewhendahlanisaround.don’texaggerate.justgiveyournaturalbitchyselvesfullrein.christer,iwantyouanderikatohaveaseriousdisagreeent.useyouriaginationandbesecretiveaboutthecause.”
hewrote“startbitching”onthewhiteboard.
“third,whenerikaeshoe,herjobwillbetoseetoitthatjannedahlanthinksouragreeentwiththevangercorporation—whichisinfactgivingusitsfullsupport—hasfallenthroughbecausehenrikvangerisseriouslyillandmartinvangerdiedinacarcrash.”
hewrotetheword“disration.”
“buttheagreeentreallyissolid？”nilssonsaid.
“believee,”blokvistsaid,“thevangercorporationwillgotogreatlengthstoensurethatmillenniusurvives.inafeeeks,let’ssayattheendofaugust,erikawillcallaeetingtowarnyouaboutlayoffs.youallknowthatit’sasca,andthattheonlyonewho’sgoingtobeleavingisdahlan.butstarttalkingaboutlookingfornewjobsandsaywhatalousyreferenceitistohavemillenniuonyourc.v.”
“andyoureallythinkthatthisgaewillendupsavingmillenniu？”magnussonsaid.
“iknowitwill.andsonny,iwantyo. comuttogetherafakereporteachonthshowingfallingadvertisingsalesandshowingthatthenuberofsubscribershasalsodropped.”
“thissoundsfun,”nilssonsaid.“shouldwekeepitinternalhereintheoffice,orshouldweleakittootherediatoo？”
“keepitinternal.ifthestoryshowsupanywhere,we’llknohoputitthere.inaveryfewonths,ifanyoneasksusaboutit,we’llbeabletotellthe:you’vebeenlisteningtobaselessruours,andwe’veneverconsideredclosingmillenniudown.thebestthingthatcouldhappenisfordahlantogooutandtipofftheotherassedia.ifyou’reabletogivedahlanatipaboutaplausiblebutfundaentallyidioticstory,souchthebetter.”
theyspentanhourconcoctingascriptanddividingupthevariousroles.
aftertheeetingblokvisthadcoffeewithmalatjavaonhorngatspuckeln.
“christer,it’sreallyiportantthatyoupickuperikaattheairportandfillherin.youhavetoconvincehe. comlayalongwiththegae.ifiknowher,she’llwanttoconfrontdahlaninstantly—butthatcan’thappen.idon’twantwennerstr？tohearanykindofbuzzandthenanagetoburytheevidence.”
“willdo.”
“andseetoitthaterikastaysawayfrohereailuntilsheinstallsthepgpencryptionprograeandlearnshowtouseit.it’sprettylikelythatthroughdahlan,wennerstr？isabletoreadeverythingweeailtoeachother.iwantyouandeveryoneelseintheeditorialofficestoinstallpgp.doitinanaturalway.getthenaeofaputerconsultanttocontactandhavehieovertoinspecttheworkandalltheputersintheoffice.lethiinstallthesoftwareasifitwereaperfectlynaturalpartoftheservice.”
“i’lldoybest.butmikael—whatareyouworkingon？”
“wennerstr？.”
“whatexactly？”
“forthetiebeing,thathastoreainysecret.”
mallookedunfortable.“i’vealwaystrustedyou,mikael.doesthiseanthatyoudon’ttruste？”
blokvistlaughed.
“ofcourseitrustyou.butrightnowi’involvedinratherseriouscriinalactivitiesthatcouldgetetwoyearsinprison.it’sthenatureofyresearchthat’salittledubious…i’playingwiththesaeunderhandethodsaswennerstr？uses.idon’twantyouorerikaoranyoneelseatmillenniutobeinvolvedinanyway.”
“you’reakingeawfullynervous.”
“staycool,christer,andtellerikathatthestoryisgoingtobeabigone.reallybig.”
“erikawillinsistonknowingwhatyou’reworkingon…”
mikaelthoughtforasecond.thenhesiled.
“tellherthatsheadeitverycleartoeinthespringwhenshesignedacontractwithhenrikvangerbehindybackthati’nowjustanordinaryortalfreelancerwhonolongersitsontheboardandhasnoinfluenceonmillenniupolicy.whicheansthatinolongerhaveanyobligationtokeepherred.butiproisethatifshebehavesherself,i’llgiveherfir. comtiononthestory.”
“she’sgoingtogothroughtheroof,”malsaidcheerfully.
blokvistknewthathehadnotbeenentirelyhonestwithmal.hewasdeliberatelyavoidingberger.theostnaturalthingwouldhavebeentocontactheratonceandtellherabouttherationinhispossession.buthedidnotwanttotalktoher.adozentieshehadstoodwithhisobileinhishand,startingtocallher.eachtiehechangedhisind.
heknehattheproblewas.hecouldnotlookherintheeyes.
thecover-upinwhichhehadparticipatedinhedestadwasunfivablefroaprofessionalpointofview.hehadnoideahowhecouldexplainittoherwithoutlying,andiftherewasohinghehadneverthoughtofdoing,itwaslyingtoerikaberger.
aboveall,hedidnothavetheenergytodealwiththatprobleatthesaetieashewastacklingwennerstr？.soheputoffseeingher,turnedoffhisobile,andavoidedtalkingtoher.butheknewthatthereprievecouldonlybeteporary.
rightaftertheeditorialeeting,mikaelovedouttohiscabininsandhan；hehadn’tbeenthereinoverayear.hisbaggageincludedtwoboxesofprintoutsandthecdsthatsalanderhadgivenhi.hestockeduponfood,lockedthedoor,openedhisi,andstartedwriting.eachdayhetookashortwalk,boughtthenewspapers,andshoppedforgroceries.theguestarinawasstillfilledwithyachts,andyoungpeoplewhohadborrowedtheirfather’sboatwereusuallysittinginthedivers’bar,drinkingtheselvessilly.blokvistscarcelytookinhissurroundings.hesatinfrontofhisputeroreorlessfrotheoentheopenedhiseyesuntilhefellintobedatnight,exhausted.
encryptedeailfroeditorinchie. comublisheronleaveofabsence:mikael.iwanttoknohat’sgoingon—goodgrief,i’veebackfroholidaytototalchaos.thenewsaboutjannedahlanandthisdoublegaeyou’veeupwith.martinvangerdead.harrietvangeralive.what’sgoingoninhedeby？whereareyou？isthereastory？whydon’tyouansweryourobile？/e.
p.s.iunderstoodtheinsinuationthatchristerrelayedwithsuchglee.you’regoingtohavetoeatyourwords.areyouseriouslycrosswithe？
p.p.s.iatrustingyouforthetiebeing,butyouaregoingtohavetogiveproof—youreeber,thestuffthatstandsupincourt—onj.d.
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hiricky.no,forgod’ssake,i’notcross.fiveefornotkeepingyouupdated,butthepastfewonthsofylifehavebee. comsy-turvy.i’lltellyoueverythingwhenweseeeachother,butnotbyeail.i’atsandhan.thereisastory,butthestoryisnotharrietvanger.i’goingtobegluedtoyputerhereforawhile.thenit’llbeover.truste.hugsandkisses.m.
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sandhan？i’ingtoseeyouiediately.
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notrightnow.waitacoupleofweeks,atleastuntili’vegotthestoryanised.besides,i’expectingpany.
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inthatcase,ofcoursei’llstayaway.butihavetoknohat’sgoingon.henrikvangerhasbeeceoagain,andhedoesn’tanswerycalls.ifthedealwithvangerisoff,iabsolutelyneedtoknow.ricky
p.s.whoisshe？
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firstofall:noquestionofhenrikpullingout.butheisstillworkingonlyashortday,andi’guessingthatthechaosaftermartin’sdeathandharriet’sresurrectionistakingitstollonhisstrength.
second:millenniuwillsurvive.i’workingontheostiportantreportofourlives,andwhenwepublishit,it’sgoingtosinkwennerstr？onceandforall.
third:mylifeisupanddownrightnow,butasforyouandeandmillenniu—nothinghaschanged.truste.kisses/mikael.
p.s.i’llintroduceyouassoonasanopportunitypresentsitself.
whensalanderwentouttosandhanshefoundanunshavenandhollow-eyedblokvist,whogaveheraquickhugandaskedhertoakesoecoffeeandwaitwhilehefinishedwhathewaswriting.
salanderlookedaroundhiscabinanddecidedalostatoncethatshelikedit.itwasrightnexttoajetty,withthewaterthreepacesfrothedoor.itwasonlyfifteenbyeighteenfeetbutithadsuchahighceilingthattherewasspaceforasleepingloft.shecouldstandupstraightthere,just.blokvistwouldhavetostoop.thebedwaswideenoughforbothofthe.
thecabinhadonelargewindowfacingthewater,rightnexttothefrontdoor.thatwaswherehiskitchentablestood,doublingashisdesk.onthewallnearthedeskwasashelfwithacdplayerandabigcollectionofelvisandhardrock,whichwasnotsalander’sfirstchoice.
inacornerwasawoodstoveadeofsoapstonewithaglazedfront.therestofthesparsefurnishingsconsistedofalargewardrobeforclothesandlinenandasinkthatalsofunctionedasawashingalcovebehindashowercurtain.nearthesinkwasasallwindowononesideofthecabin.underthespiralstairstotheloftblokvisthadbuiltaseparatespaceforapostingtoilet.thewholecabinwasarrangedlikethecabinonaboat,withclevercubbyholesforstowingthings.
duringherpersonalinvestigationofmikaelblokvist,salanderhadfoundoutthathehadreodelledthecabinandbuiltthefurniturehiself—aconclusiondrawnfrotheentsofanacquaintancewhohadsentmikaelaneailaftervisitingsandhanandwasipressedbyhishandiwork.everythingwasclean,unpretentious,andsiple,borderingonspartan.shecouldseewhyhelovedthiscabininsandhansouch.
aftertwohourssheanagedtodistractmikaelenoughthatheturnedoffhisputerinfrustration,shaved,andtookheroutforaguidedtour.itwasrainingandwindy,andtheyquicklyretreatedtotheinn.blokvisttoldherwhathewaswriting,andsalandergavehiacdwithupdatesfrowennerstr？’sputer.
thenshetookhiuptotheloftandanagedtogethisclothesoffanddistracthievenfurther.shewokeuplatethatnighttofindherselfalone.shepeereddownfrotheloftandsawhisittinghunchedoverhisputer.shelaythereforalongtie,leaningononehand,watchinghi.heseeedhappy,andshetoofeltstrangelycontentwithlife.
salanderstayedonlyfivedaysbeforeshewentbacktostockholtodoajobforaransky.shespentelevendaysontheassignent,adeherreport,andthenreturnedtosandhan.thestackofprintedpagesnexttomikael’siwasgrowing.
thistieshestayedforfourweeks.theyfellintoaroutine.theygotupat8:00,atebreakfast,andspentanhourtogether.thenmikaelworkedintentlyuntillateintheafternoon,whentheytookawalkandtalked.salanderspentostofthedaysinbed,eitherreadingsorsurfingtheusingblokvist’sadslode.shetriednottodisturbhiduringtheday.theyatedinnerratherlateandonlythendidsalandertaketheinitiativeandforcehiuptothesleepingloft,whereshesawtoitthathedevotedallhisattentiontoher.
itwasasifshewereontheveryfirstholidayofherlife.
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him.it’snowofficial.jannedahlanhasresignedandstartsworkingatmonopolyfinancialmagazineinthreeweeks.i’vedoneasyouaskedandsaidnothing,andeveryoneisgoingaroundplayingonkeygaes.e.
p.s.theyseetobehavingfun.henryandlottahadafightandstartedthrowingthingsateachotheracoupleofdaysago.they’vebeenessingwithdahlan’sheadsoblatantlythatican’tunderstandhowhecanissseeingthatit’sallaput-upjob.
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wishhigoodluckfroe,willyou,andlethigostraightaway.butlockupthesilverware.hugsandkisses/m.
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ihavenoanagingeditortwoweeksbeforeweg. comress,andyinvestigativereporterissittingoutinsandhanrefusingtotalktoe.micke,i’onyknees.canyouein？/erika.
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holdoutanothercoupleofweeks,thenwe’llbehoefree.andstartplanningforadeceberissuethat’sgoingtobeunlikeanythingwe’veeverdone.thepiecewilltakeup40pages.m.
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40pages！！！areyououtofyourind？
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it’sgoingtobeaspecialissue.ineedthreeoreweeks.couldyoudothefollowing:findagoodprinterthatcanproduceapaperbackquicklyandcheaply.andbytheway,we’regoingtoneedcapita. comrintourfirst.kisses/mikael
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specialissue.publisher.money.yes,aster.anythingelseicandoforyou？dancenakedatslussplan？/e.
p.s.iassueyouknohatyou’redoing.butwhatdoidoaboutdahlan？
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don’tdoanythingaboutdahlan.tellhihe’sfreetogorightawayandyouaren’tsureyoucanpayhiswagesanyway.monopolyisn’tgoingtosurviveforlong.bringinorefreelanceaterialforthisissue.andhireanewanagingeditor,forgod’ssake./m.
p.s.slussplan？it’sadate.
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slussplan—inyourdreas.butwe’vealwaysdohehiringtogether./ricky.
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andwe’vealwaysagreedaboutwhoweshouldhire.wewillthistietoo,noatterwhoyouchoose.we’regoingtoscupperwennerstr？.that’sthewholestory.justletefinishthisinpeace./m.
inearlyoctobersalanderreadanarticleontheintereditionofthehedestadcourier.shetoldblokvistaboutit.isabellavangerhaddiedafterashortillness.shewasournedbyherdaughter,harrietvanger,latelyreturnedfroaustralia.
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himikael.
harrietvangercaetoseeeattheofficetoday.shecalledfiveinutesbeforeshearrived,andiwastotallyunprepared.abeautifulwoan,elegantclothesandacoolgaze.
shecaetotellethatshe’llbereplacingmartinvangerashenrik’srepresentativeonourboard.shewaspoliteandfriendlyandassuredethatthevangercorporationhadnoplanstobackoutoftheagreeent.onthecontrary,thefailystandsfullybehindhenrik’sobligationstotheagazine.sheaskedforatouroftheeditorialoffices,andshewantedtoknowhowiseethesituation.
itoldherthetruth.thatitfeelsasifidon’thavesolidgroundunderyfeet,thatyouhaveforbiddenetoetosandhan,andthatidon’tknohatyou’reworkingon,otherthanthatyouareplanningtosinkwennerstr？.sheraisedaneyebrowandsiledandaskedifihaddoubtsthatyou’dsueed.whatwasisupposedtosaytothat？isaidthatiwouldsleepalittleeasierifiknewexactlywhatyouwerewriting.jeez,ofcourseitrustyou.butyou’redrivingecrazy.
iaskedherifsheknehatyouwereworkingon.shedenieditbutsaidthatitwasheripressionthatyouwereextreelyresourceful,withaninnovativewayofthinking.
isaidthatialsogatheredthatsoethingdraatichadhappenedupinhedestadandthatiwaseversoslightlycuriousaboutthestoryregardingharrietvangerherself.inshort,ifeltlikeanidiot.sheaskedewhetheryoureallyhadn’ttoldeanything.shesaidthatsheunderstoodthatyouandihaveaspecialrelationshipandthatyouwouldundoubtedlytellethestorywhenyouhadtie.thensheaskedifshecouldtruste.whatwasisupposedtosay？she’sonthemillenniuboard,andyou’velefteheretotallyinthedark.
thenshesaidsoethingodd.sheaskedenottojudgeeitherheroryoutooharshly.shesaidsheowedyousoesortofdebtofgratitude,andshewouldreallylikeitifsheandicouldalsobefriends.thensheproisedtotellethestorysoedayifyoucouldn’tdoit.halfanhouragosheleft,andi’stillinadaze.ithinkilikeher,butwhoisthisperson？/erika
p.s.iissyou.ihaveafeelingthatsoethingnastyhappenedinhedestad.christersaysthatyouhaveastrangearkonyourneck.
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hiricky.thestoryaboutharrietissoiserablyawfulthatyoucan’teveniagineit.itwouldbegreatifshecouldtellyouaboutitherself.icanhardlybringyselftothinkaboutit.
bytheway,youcantrusther.shewastellingthetruthwhenshesaidthatsheowesadebtofgratitudetoe—andbelievee,shewillneverdoanythingtoharmillenniu.beherfriendifyoulikeher.shedeservesrespect.andshe’sahellofabusinesswoan./m.
thenextdaymikaelreceivedanothereail.
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himikael.i’vebeentryingtofindtietowritetoyouforseveralweeksnow,butitseesthereareneverenoughhoursintheday.youleftsosuddenlyfrohedebythatineverhadachancetosaygoodbye.
sinceyreturntosweden,ydayshavebeenfilledwithb