第 14 部分阅读
bynoonhehadshoweredandeatenbreakfast.hewentresolutelyintohisofficeandtookdownthefirstbinderfrothepoliceinvestigation.thenhehesitated.frothegablewindowhecouldseesusanne’sbridgecafé.hestuffedthebinderintohisshoulderbagandputonhisoutdoorclothes.whenhereachedthecafé,hefounditbriingwithcustoers,andtherehehadtheanswertoaquestionthathadbeeninthebackofhisind:howcouldacafésurviveinabackwaterlikehedeby？susannespecialisedinchurchgoersandpresuablydidcoffeeandcakesforfuneralsandotherfunctions.
hetookawalkinstead.konsuwasclosedonsundays,andhecontinuedafewhundredyardstowardshedestad,whereheboughtnewspapersatapetrolstation.hespentanhourwalkingaroundhedeby,failiarisinghiselfwiththetownbeforethebridge.theareaclosesttothechurchandpastkonsuwasthecentre,witholderbuildings—two-storeystonestructureswhichblokvistguessedhadbeenbuiltinthe1910sor’20sandwhichforedashortainstreet.northoftheroadintotownwerewell-keptapartentbuildingsforfailieswithchildren.alongthewaterandtothesouthofthechurchwereostlysingle-failyhoes.hedebylookedtobearelativelywell-to-doareaforhedestad’sdecision-akersandcivilservants.
whenhereturnedtothebridge,theassaultonthecaféhadebbed,butsusannewasstillclearingdishesfrothetables.
“thesundayrush？”hesaidingreeting.
shenoddedasshetuckedalockofhairbehindoneear.“hi,mikael.”
“soyoureeberynae.”
“hardtofet,”shesaid.“ifollowedyourtrialontv.”
“theyhavetofillupthenewswithsoething,”heuttered,anddriftedovertothecornertablewithaviewofthebridge.whenheetsusanne’seyes,shesiled.
at3:00susanneannouncedthatshewasclosingthecaféfortheday.afterthechurchrush,onlyafewcustoershadeandgone.blokvisthadreadorethanafifthofthefirstbinderofthepoliceinvestigation.hestuckhisnoteintohisbagandwalkedbrisklyhoeacrossthebridge.
thecatwaswaitingonthesteps.helookedaround,wonderingwhosecatitwas.heletitinsideallthesae,sincethecatwasatleastsoesortofpany.
headeoneorevainattepttoreachberger.obviouslyshewasfuriouswithhistill.hecouldhavetriedcallingherdirectlineattheofficeorherhoenuber,buthehadalreadyleftenoughessages.instead,headehiselfcoffee,ovedthecatfartheralongthekitchenbench,andopenedthebinderonthetable.
hereadcarefullyandslowly,notwantingtoissanydetail.bylateevening,whenheclosedthebinder,hehadfilledseveralpagesofhisownnote—withreindersandquestionstowhichhehopedtofindanswersinsubsequentbinders.theaterialwasallarrangedinchronologicalorder.hecouldnottellwhethervangerhadreaniseditthatwayorwhetherthatwasthesysteusedbythepoliceatthetie.
thefirstpagewasaphotocopyofahandwrittenreportforheadedhedestadpoliceeergencycentre.theofficerwhohadtakenthecallhadsignedhisnaed.o.ryttinger,andblokvistassuedthe“d.o.”stoodfor“dutyofficer.”thecallerwashenrikvanger.hisaddressandtelephonenuberhadbeennoted.thereportwasdatedsunday,septeber25,1966,at11:14a..thetextwaslaconic:
callfrohrk.vanger,statingthathisbrother’sdaughterhasbeenissingfroherhoeonhedebyislandsincesaturdayafternoon.thecallerexpressedgreatconcern.
anotesentat11:20a..statedthatp-014hadbeensenttothesite.
anotherat11:35a..,inalesslegiblehandthanryttinger’s,insertedthatoff.magnussonreportsthatbridgetohedebyislandstillblocked.transp.byboat.inthearginanillegiblesignature.
at12:14p..ryttingerisback:telephoneconversationoff.magnussoninh-byconfirsthat16-year-oldharrietvangerissingsinceearlysaturdayafternoon.failyexpressedgreatconcern.notbelievedtohavesleptinherbedlastnight.couldnothaveleftislandduetoblockedbridge.noneoffailyebershasanyknowledgeastohv’swhereabouts.
at12:19p..:g.m.redbytelephoneaboutthesituation.
thelastnotewasrecordedat1:42p..:g.m.onsiteath-by；willtakeovertheatter.
thenextpagerevealedthattheinitials“g.m.”referredtodetectiveinspectorgustafmorell,whoarrivedathedebyislandbyboatandtheretookoverand,preparingaforalreportonthedisappearanceofharrietvanger.unliketheinitialnotationswiththeirneedlessabbreviations,morell’sreportswerewrittenonatypewriterandinveryreadableprose.thefollowingpagesrecountedwhateasureshadbeentaken,withanobjectivityandwealthofdetailthatsurprisedblokvist.
morellhadfirstinterviewedhenrikvangeralongwithisabellavanger,harriet’sother.thenhetalkedinturnwithulrikavanger,haraldvanger,gregervanger,harriet’sbrothermartinvanger,andanitavanger.blokvistcaetotheconclusionthattheseinterviewshadbeenconductedaordingtoascaleofdecreasingiportance.
ulrikavangerwashenrikvanger’sother,andevidentlysheheldastatusparabletothatofadowagerqueen.ulrikalivedatthevangerestateandwasabl. comrovidenoration.shehadgoobedearlyonthepreviousnightandhadnotseenharrietforseveraldays.sheappearedtohaveinsistedoneetingdetectiveinspectormorellsolelytogiveairtoheropinionthatthepolicehadtoactatonce,iediately.
haraldvangerrankedasnubertwoonthelist.hehadseenharrietonlybrieflywhenshereturnedfrothefestivitiesinhedestad,buthehadnotseenhersincetheaidentonthebridgeourredandhehadnoknowledgeofwheresheightbeatpresent.
gregervanger,brotherofhenrikandharald,statedthathehadseentheissingsixteen-year-oldinhenrikvanger’sstudy,askingtospeakwithhenrikafterhervisittohedestadearlierintheday.gregervangerstatedthathehadnotspokenwithherhiself,erelygivenheragreeting.hehadnoideawheresheightbefound,butheexpressedtheviewthatshehadprobably,thoughtlessly,goovisitsoefriendwithouttellinganyoneandwouldreappearsoon.whenaskedhowsheightinthatcasehavelefttheisland,heofferednoanswer.
martinvangerwasinterviewedinacursoryfashion.hewasinhisfinalyearatthepreparatoryschoolinuppsala,wherehelivedinthehoeofharaldvanger.therewasnorooforhiinharald’scar,sohehadtakenthetrainhoetohedeby,arrivingsolatethathewasstrandedonthewrongsideofthebridgeaidentandcouldnotcrossuntillateintheeveningbyboat.hewasinterviewedinthehopethathissisterighthaveconfidedinhiandperhapsgivenhisoeclueifshewasthinkingofrunningaway.thequestionwasetwithprotestsfroharrietvanger’sother,butatthatoentinspectormorellwasperhapsthinkingthatharriet’shavingrunawaywouldbethebesttheycouldhopefor.butmartinhadnotspokenwithhissistersincethesuerholidayandhadnorationofvalue.
anitavanger,daughterofharaldvanger,waserroneouslylistedasharriet’s“firstcousin.”shewasinherfirstyearattheuniversityinstockholandhadspentthesuerinhedeby.shewasalostthesaeageasharrietandtheyhadbeeclosefriends.shestatedthatshehadarrivedattheislandwithherfatheronsaturdayandwaslookingforwardtoseeingharriet,butshehadnothadtheopportunitytofindher.anitastatedthatshefeltuneasy,andthatitwasnotlikeharriettogooffwithouttellingthefaily.henrikandisabellavangerconfiredthatthiswasthecase.
whileinspectormorellwasinterviewingfailyebers,hehadtoldmagnussonandbergan—patrol014—toanisethefirstsearchpartywhiletherewasstilldaylight.thebridgewasstillclosedtotraffic,soitwasdifficulttocallinrerceents.thegroupconsistedofaboutthirtyavailableindividuals,enandwoenofvaryingages.theareastheysearchedthatafternoonincludedtheunoupiedhousesatthefishingharbour,theshorelineatthepointandalongthesound,thesectionofwoodsclosesttothevillage,andthehillcalleds？derbergetbehindthefishingharbour.thelatterwassearchedbecausesoeonehadputforwardthetheorythatharrietighthavegoneuptheretogetagoodviewofthesceneonthebridge.patrolswerealsosentoutto？sterg？rdenandtogottfried’scabinontheothersideoftheisland,whichharrietoasionallyvisited.
butthesearchwasfruitless；itwasnotcalledoff
6
提供
untillongafterdarkfell,at10:00atnight.theteperatureovernightdroppedtofreezing.
duringtheafternooninspectormorellsetuphisheadquartersinadrawingroothathenrikvangerhadputathisdisposalonthegroundfloorofthevangerestateoffice.hehadundertakenanuberofeasures.
inthepanyofisabellavanger,hehadexainedharriet’srooandtriedtoascertainwhetheranythingwasissing:clothes,asuitcase,orthelike,whichwouldindicatethatharriethadrunawayfrohoe.isabella,anoteiplied,hadnotbeenhelpfulanddidnotseetobefailiarwithherdaughter’swardrobe.sheoftenworejeans,buttheyalllookthesae,don’tthey？harriet’spursewasonherdesk.itcontainedid,awalletholdingninekronorandfifty？re,ab,airror,andahandkerchief.aftertheinspection,harriet’sroowaslocked.
morellhadsuonedorepeopletobeinterviewed,failyebersandeployees.alltheinterviewswereeticulouslyreported.
whentheparticipantsinthefirstsearchpartybeganreturningwithdishearteningreports,theinspectordecidedthataoresysteaticsearchhadtobeade.thateveningandnight,rerceentswerecalledin.morellcontacted,aongothers,thechairanofhedestad’sorienteeringclubandappealedforhelpinsuoningvolunteersforthesearchparty.byidnighthewastoldthatfifty-threeebers,ostlyfrothejuniordivision,wouldbeatthevangerestateat7:00thenextorning.henrikvangercalledinpartoftheorningshift,nuberingfiftyen,frothepaperill.healsoarrangedforfoodanddrinkfortheall.
blokvistcouldvividlyiagihescenesplayedoutatthevangerestateduringthosedays.theaidentonthebridgehadcertainlycontributedtotheconfusionduringthefirsthours—byakingitdifficulttobringinrerceents,andalsobecausepeoplesoehowthoughtthatthesetwodraaticeventshappeningatthesaeplaceandclosetothesaetieustinsoewayhavebeenconnected.whenthetankertruckwashoistedaway,inspectormorellwentdowntothebridgetobesurethatharrietvangerhadnot,bysoeunlikelyturnofevents,endedupunderthewreck.thatwastheonlyirrationalactionthatmikaelcoulddetectintheinspector’sconduct,sincetheissinggirlhadunquestionablybeenseenontheislandaftertheaidenthadourred.
duringthosefirstconfusedtwenty-fourhours,theirhopesthatthesituationwouldetoaswiftandhappyresolutionsank.instead,theyweregraduallyreplacedbytwotheories.inspiteoftheobviousdifficultiesinleavingtheislandunnoticed,morellrefusedtodiscountthepossibilitythatshehadrunaway.hedecidedthatanall-pointsbulletinshouldbesentoutforharrietvanger,andhegaveinstructionsforthepatrolofficersinhedestadtokeeptheireyesopenfortheissinggirl.healsosentacolleagueinthecriinaldivisiontointerviewbusdriversandstaffattherailwaystation,tofindoutwhetheranyoneighthaveseenher.
asthenegativereportscaein,itbecaeincreasinglylikelythatharrietvangerhadfallenvictitosoesortofisfortune.thistheoryendedupdoinatingtheinvestigativeworkofthefollowingdays.
thebigsearchpartytwodaysafterherdisappearancewasapparently,asfarasblokvistcouldtell,carriedouteffectively.policeandfirefighterswhohadexperiencewithsiilaroperationshadanisedthesearch.hedebyislanddidhavesoepartsthatwerealostinaessible,butitwasneverthelessasallarea,andtheislandwassearchedwithafine-toothbinoneday.apoliceboatandtwovolunteerpetterssonboatsdidwhattheycouldtosearchthewatersaroundtheisland.
onthefollowingdaythesearchwascontinuedwithdecreasedanpower.patrolsweresentouttoakeasecondsweepoftheparticularlyruggedterrain,aswellasanareaknownas“thefortress”—anow-abandonedbunkersystethatwasbuiltduringthesecondworldwar.thatdaytheyalsosearchedcubbyholes,wells,vegetablecellars,outhouses,andatticsinthevillage.
acertainfrustrationcouldbereadintheofficialnoteswhenthesearchwascalledoffonthethirddayafterthegirl’sdisappearance.morellwas,ofcourse,notyetawareofit,butatthatoenthehadactuallyreachedasfarintheinvestigationashewouldeverget.hewaspuzzledandstruggledtoidentifythenaturalnextsteporanyplacewherethesearchoughttobepursued.harrietvangerseeedtohavedissolvedintothinair,andhenrikvanger’syearsoftorenthadbegun.
chapter9
monday,january6–wednesday,january8
blokvistkeptreadinguntilthesallhoursanddidnotgetupuntillateonepiphanyday.anavyblue,late-odelvolvowasparkedoutsidevanger’shouse.evenashereachedforthedoorhandle,thedoorwasopenedbyaanonhiswayout.theyalostcollided.theanseeedtobeinahurry.
“yes？canihelpyou？”
“i’heretoseehenrikvanger,”blokvistsaid.
thean’seyesbrightened.hesiledandstuckouthishand.“youustbemikaelblokvist,theonewho’sgoingtohelphenrikwiththefailychronicle,right？”
theyshookhands.vangerhadapparentlybegunspreadingblokvist’scoverstory.theanwasoverweight—theresult,nodoubt,oftooanyyearsofnegotiatinginofficesandconferenceroos—butblokvistnoticedatoncethelikeness,thesiilaritybetweenhisfaceandharrietvanger’s.
“i’martinvanger,”theansaid.“weletohedestad.”
“thankyou.”
“isawyouontvawhileago.”
“everybodyseestohaveseeneontv.”
“wennerstr？is…notverypopularinthishouse.”
“henrikentionedthat.i’waitingtoheartherestofthestory.”
“hetoldeafewdaysagothathe’dhiredyou.”martinvangerlaughed.“hesaiditwasprobablybecauseofwennerstr？thatyoutookthejobuphere.”
blokvisthesitatedbeforedecidingtotellthetruth.“thatwasoneiportantreason.buttobehonest,ineededtogetawayfrostockhol,andhedestadcroppedupattherightoent.atleastithinkso.ican’tpretendthatthecourtcaseneverhappened.andanyway,i’goingtohavetog. comrison.”
martinvangernodded,suddenlyserious.“canyouappeal？”
“itwon’tdoanygood.”
vangerglancedathiswatch.
“ihavetobeinstockholtonight,soiusthurryaway.i’llbebackinafewdays.eoverandhavedinner.i’dreallyliketohearwhatactuallywentonduringthattrial.henrikisupstairs.gorightin.”
vangerwassittingonasofainhisofficewherehehadthehedestadcourier,dagensindustri,svenskadagbladet,andbothnationaleveningpapersonthecoffeetable.
“iranintomartinoutside.”
“rushingofftosavetheepire,”vangersaid.“coffee？”
“yes,please.”blokvistsatdown,wonderingwhyvangerlookedsoaused.
“you’reentionedinthepaper.”
vangershovedacrossoneoftheeveningpapers,openatapagewiththeheadline“mediashortcircuit.”thearticlewaswrittenbyacolunistwhohadpreviouslyworkedformonopolyfinancialmagazine,akinganaeforhiselfasonewhocheerfullyridiculedeveryonewhofeltpassionateaboutanyissueorwhostucktheirneckout.feinists,antiracists,andenvironentalactivistscouldallreckononreceivingtheirshare.thewriterwasnotknownforespousingasingleconvictionofhisown.now,severalweeksafterthetrialinthewennerstr？affair,hewasbringinghisfiretobearonmikaelblokvist,whohedescribedasapleteidiot.erikabergerwasportrayedasaninpetentediabibo:
aruouriscirculatingthatmillenniuisonthevergeofcollapseinspiteofthefactthattheeditorinchiefisafeinistwhowearsini-skirtsandpoutsherlipsontv.forseveralyearstheagazinehassurvivedontheiagethathasbeensuessfullyarketedbytheeditors—youngreporterswhoundertakeinvestigativejournalisandexposethescoundrelsofthebusinessworld.thisadvertisingtrickayworkwithyounganarchistswhowanttohearjustsuchaessage,butitdoesn’twashinthedistrictcourt.askalleblokvistrecentlyfoundout.
blokvistswitchedonhisobileandcheckedtoseeifhehadanycallsfroberger.therewerenoessages.vangerwaitedwithoutsayinganything.blokvistrealisedthattheoldanwasallowinghitobreakthesilence.
“he’saoron,”blokvistsaid.
vangerlaughed,buthesaid:“thataybe.buthe’snottheonewhowassentencedbythecourt.”
“that’strue.andheneverwillbe.heneversaysanythingoriginal；healwaysjustjupsonthebandwagonandcaststhefinalstoneintheostdaagingtershecangetawaywith.”
“i’vehadanyeneiesovertheyears.ifthere’sohingi’velearned,it’sneverengageinafightyou’resuretolose.ontheotherhand,neverletanyonewhohasinsultedyougetawaywithit.bideyourtieandstrikebackwhenyou’reinapositionofstrength—evenifyounolongerneedtostrikeback.”
“thankyouforyourwis