第 22 部分阅读
“wasn’tthereanyonewhowantedtohelpharriet？”
“henrik,ofcourse.intheendsheovedintohishouse.butdon’tfetthathewaspreoupiedplayingtheroleofthebigindustrialist.hewasusuallyofftravellingsoewhereanddidn’thavealotoftietospendwithharrietandmartin.iissedalotofthisbecauseiwasinuppsalaandtheninstockhol—andletetellyou,ididn’thaveaneasychildhoodyselfwithharaldasyfather.inhindsighti’verealisedthattheproblewasthatharrietneverconfidedinanyone.shetriedhardtokeepupappearancesandpretendthattheywereonebighappyfaily.”
“denial.”
“yes.butshechangedwhenherfatherdrowned.shecouldnolongerpretendthateverythingwasok.upuntilthenshewas…idon’tknowhowtoexplainit:extreelygiftedandprecocious,butonthewholearatherordinaryteenager.duringthelastyearshewasstillbrilliant,gettin. comarksineveryexaandsoon,butitseeedasifshedidn’thaveanysoul.”
“howdidherfatherdrown？”
“intheostprosaicwaypossible.hefelloutofarowingboatrightbelowhiscabin.hehadhistrousersopenandanextreelyhighalcoholcontentinhisblood,soyoucanjustiaginehowithappened.martinwastheonewhofoundhi.”
“ididn’tknowthat.”
“it’sfunny.martinhasturnedouttobeareallyfineperson.ifyouhadaskedethirty-fiveyearsago,iwouldhavesaidthathewastheoneinthefailywhoneededpsychiatriare.”
“whyso？”
“harrietwasn’ttheonlyonewhosufferedilleffectsfrothesituation.foranyyearsmartinwassoquietandintrovertedthathewaseffectivelyantisocial.bothchildrenhadaroughtieofit.iean,wealldid.ihadyownprobleswithyfather—iassueyourealisethathe’sstarkravingad.mysister,anita,hadthesaeproble,asdidalexander,ycousin.itwastoughbeingyounginthevangerfaily.”
“whathappenedtoyoursister？”
“shelivesinlondon.shewentthereintheseventiestoworkinaswedishtravelagency,andshestayed.shearriedsoeone,neverevenintroducedhitothefaily,andanontheyseparated.todayshe’sasenioranagerofbritishairways.sheandigetalongfine,butwearenotuchincontactandonlyseeeachothereveryotheryearorso.sheneverestohedestad.”
“whynot？”
“aninsanefather.isn’tthatexplanationenough？”
“butyoustayed.”
“idid.alongwithbirger,ybrother.”
“thepolitician.”
“areyouakingfunofe？birgerisolderthananitaande.we’veneverbeenveryclose.inhisowneyeshe’safantasticallyiportantpoliticianwithafutureinparliaentandaybeinisterialrank,iftheconservativesshouldwin.inpointoffacthe’saoderatelytalentedlocalcouncillorinareotecornerofsweden,whichwillprobablybeboththehighpointandthewholeextentofhiscareer.”
“ohingthattickleseaboutthevangerfailyisthatyouallhavesuchlowopinionsofeachother.”
“that’snotreallytrue.i’veryfondofmartinandhenrik.andialwaysgotonwellwithysister,forallthatweseldoseeeachother.idetestisabellaandcan’tabidealexander.andineverspeaktoyfather.sothat’saboutfifty-fiftyinthefaily.birgeris…well,oreofapopousfatheadthanabadperson.butiseewhatyouean.lookatitthisway:ifyou’reaeberofthevangerfaily,youlearnearlyontospeakyourind.wedosaywhatwethink.”
“ohyes,i’venoticedthatyouallgetstraighttothepoint.”blokviststretchedouthishandtotouchherbreast.“iwasn’therefifteeninutesbeforeyouattackede.”
“tobehonest,i’vebeenwonderinghowyouwouldbeinbedeversinceifirstsawyou.anditfeltrighttotryitout.”
forthefirsttieinherlifesalanderfeltastrongneedtoasksoeoneforadvice.theproblewasthataskingforadviceeantthatshewouldhavetoconfideinsoeone,whichinturnwouldeanrevealinghersecrets.whoshouldshetell？shewassiplynotverygoodatestablishingcontactwithotherpeople.
aftergoingthroughheraddressinherind,shehad,strictlyspeaking,tenpeoplewhoightbeconsideredhercircleofacquaintances.
shecouldtalktoplague,whowasoreorlessasteadypresenceinherlife.buthewasdefinitelynotafriend,andhewasthelastpersononearthwhowouldbeabletohelpsolveherproble.notanoption.
salander’ssexlifewasn’tquiteasodestasshehadledadvokatbjurantobelieve.ontheotherhand,sexhadalwaysourredonherconditionsandatherinitiative.shehadhadoverfiftypartnerssincetheageoffifteen.thattranslatedintoapproxiatelyfivepartnersperyear,whichwasokforasinglegirlwhohadetoregardsexasanenjoyablepastie.butshehadhadostofthesecasualpartnersduringatwo-yearperiod.thosewerethetuultuousyearsinherlateteenswhensheshouldhaveeofage.
therewasatiewhensalanderhadstoodatacrossroadsanddidnotreallyhavecontroloverherownlife—whenherfuturecouldhavetakentheforofanotherseriesofcaseentriesaboutdrugs,alcohol,andcustodyinvariousinstitutions.aftersheturnedtwentyandstartedworkingatmiltonsecurity,shehadcaleddownappreciablyand—shethought—hadgotagriponherlife.
shenolongerfeltthenee. comleaseanyonewhoboughtherthreebeersinapub,andshedidnotexperiencetheslightestdegreeofself-fulfilentbygoinghoewithsoedrunkwhosenaeshecouldnotreeber.duringthepastyearshehadhadonlyoneregularsexpartner—hardlyproiscuous,ashercaseentriesduringherlateteenshaddesignatedher.
forher,sexhadostoftenbeenwithoneofaloosegroupoffriends；shewasnotreallyaeber,butshewasaeptedbecausesheknewcillanorén.sheetcillainherlateteenswhen,atpalgren’sinsistence,shewastryingtogettheschoolcertificateshehadfaile. comleteatkovux.cillahadplu-redhairstreakedwithblack,blackleathertrousers,aringinhernose,andasanyrivetsonherbeltassalander.theyhadglaredsuspiciouslyateachotherduringthefirstclass.
forsoereasonsalanderdidnotunderstand,theyhadstartedhangingouttogether.salanderwasnottheeasiestpersontobefriendswith,andespeciallynotduringthoseyears,butcillaignoredhersilencesandtookheralongtothebar.throughcilla,shehadbeeaeberof“evilfingers,”whichhadstartedasasuburbanbandconsistingoffourteenagegirlsinenskedewhowereintohardrock.tenyearslater,theywereagroupoffriendswhoetatkvarnenontuesdaynightstotalktrashaboutboysanddiscussfeinis,thepentagra,usic,andpoliticswhiletheydranklargequantitiesofbeer.theyalsoliveduptotheirnae.
salanderfoundherselfonthefringeofthegroupandrarelycontributedtothetalk,butshewasaeptedforwhoshewas.shecouldeandgoasshepleasedandwasallowedtositinsilenceoverherbeerallevening.shewasalsoinvitedtobirthdaypartiesandchristasgl？ggcelebrations,thoughsheusuallydidn’tgo.
duringthefiveyearsshehungoutwith“evilfingers,”thegirlsbegantochange.theirhaircolourbecaelessextree,andtheclothingcaeoreoftenfrotheh＆ap；mboutiquesratherthanfrofunkymyrorna.theystudiedorworked,andoneofthegirlsbecaeaother.salanderfeltasifsheweretheonlyonewhohadnotchangedabit,whichcouldalsobeinterpretedasthatshewassiplyarkingtieandgoingnowhere.
buttheystillhadfun.iftherewasoneplacewhereshefeltanysortofgroupsolidarity,itwasinthepanyofthe“evilfingers”and,byextension,withtheguyswhowerefriendswiththegirls.
“evilfingers”wouldlisten.theywouldalsostandupforher.buttheyhadnocluethatsalanderhadadistrictcourtorderdeclaringhernonposentis.shedidn’twantthetobeeyeingherthewrongway,too.notanoption.
apartfrothat,shedidnothaveasingleex-classateinheraddress.shehadnoworkorsupportgrouporpoliticalcontactsofanykind.sowhocouldsheturntoandtellaboutherprobles？
thereightbeoneperson.shedeliberatedforalongtieaboutwhethersheshouldconfideindraganaransky.hehadtoldherthatifsheneededhelpwithanything,sheshouldnothesitatetoetohi.andshewassurethatheeantit.
aranskyhadgropedheroietoo,butithadbeenafriendlygroping,noillintentions,andnotadeonstrationofpower.buttoaskhiforhelpwentagainstthegrain.hewasherboss,anditwouldputherinhisdebt.salandertoyedwiththeideaofhowherlifewouldtakeshapeifaranskywereherguardianinsteadofbjuran.shesiled.theideawasnotunpleasant,butaranskyighttaketheassignentsoseriouslythathewouldsotherherwithattention.thatwas…well,possiblyanoption.
eventhoughshewaswellawareofwhatawoen’scrisiscentrewasfor,itneverourredtohertoturntooneherself.crisiscentresexisted,inhereyes,forvictis,andshehadneverregardedherselfasavicti.consequently,heronlyreainingoptionwastodowhatshehadalwaysdone—takeattersinherownhandsandsolveherproblesonherown.thatwasdefinitelyanoption.
anditdidnotbodewellforherradvokatnilsbjuran.
chapter13
thursday,february20–friday,march7
duringthelastweekoffebruarysalanderactedasherownclient,withbjuran,n.,born1950,asahigh-priorityspecialproject.sheworkedalostsixteenhourseverydaydoingaorethoroughpersonalinvestigationthanshehadeverdonebefore.sheadeuseofallthearchivesandpublicdocuentsshecouldlayherhandson.sheinvestigatedhiscircleofrelativesandfriends.shelookedathisfinancesandappedouteverydetailofhisupbringingandcareer.
theresultswerediscouraging.
hewasalawyer,eberofthebarassociation,andauthorofarespectablylong-windedbutexceptionallytediousdissertationonfinancelaw.hisreputationwasspotless.advokatbjuranhadneverbeencensured.ononlyoneoasionwashereportedtothebarassociation—hewasausednearlytenyearsagoofbeingtheiddleaninanunder-the-tablepropertydeal,buthehadbeenabl. comrovehisinnocence.hisfinanceswereingoodorder；bjuranwaswell-to-do,withatleast10illionkronorinassets.hepaidoretaxesthanheowed,wasaeberofgreenpeaceandanestyinternational,andhedonatedoneytotheheartandlungassociation.hehadrarelyappearedintheassedia,althoughonseveraloasionshehadsignedhisna. comublicappeal
9
sforpoliticalprisonersinthethirdworld.helivedinafive-rooapartentonupplandsgatannearodenplan,andhewasthesecretaryofhisco-opapartentassociation.hewasdivorcedandhadnochildren.
salanderfocusedonhisex-wife,whosenaewaselena.shewasborninpolandbuthadlivedallherlifeinsweden.sheworkedatarehabilitationcentreandwasapparentlyhappilyrearriedtooneofbjuran’sforercolleagues.nothingusefulthere.thebjuranarriagehadlastedfourteenyears,andthedivorcewentthroughwithoutdisputes.
advokatbjuranregularlyactedasasupervisorforyouthswhogotintotroublewiththelaw.hehadbeentrusteeforfouryouthsbeforehebecaesalander’sguardian.allofthesecasesinvolvedinors,andtheassignentscaetoanendwithacourtdecisionwhentheycaeofage.oneoftheseclientsstillconsultedbjuraninhisroleasadvokat,sotheredidnotseetobeanyaniositythereeither.ifbjuranhadbeensysteaticallyexploitinghiswards,therewasnosignofit,andnoatterhowdeeplysalanderprobed,shecouldfindnotraceofwrongdoing.allfourhadestablishedlivesfortheselveswithaboyfriendorgirlfriend；theyallhadjobs,placestolive,andco-opdebitcards.
shecalledeachofthefourclients,introducingherselfasasocialwelfaresecretaryworkingonastudyabouthowchildrenhithertounderthecareofatrusteefaredlaterinlifeparedtootherchildren.yes,naturally,everyonewillbeanonyous.shehadputtogetheraquestionnairewithtenquestions,whichsheaskedonthetelephone.severalofthequestionsweredesignedtogettherespondentstogivetheirviewsonhoellthetrusteeshiphadfunctioned—iftheyhadanyopinionsabouttheirowntrustee,advokatbjuranwasn’tit？no-onehadanythingbadtosayabouthi.
whensalanderpletedherferreting,shegatheredupthedocuentsinabagfroicaandputitoutwiththetwentybagsofoldnewspapersoutthehall.bjuranwasapparentlybeyondreproach.therewasnothinginhispastthatshecoulduse.sheknewbeyondadoubtthathewasacreepandapig,butshecouldfindnothin. comroveit.
itwastietoconsideranotheroption.afteralltheanalysesweredone,onepossibilityreainedthatstartedtolookoreandoreattractive—oratleastseeedtobeatrulyrealisticalternative.theeasiestthingwouldbeforbjuransiplytodisappearfroherlife.aquickheartattack.endofproble.thecatchwasthatnotevendisgustingfifty-three-year-oldenhadheartattacksatherbeckandcall.
butthatsortofthingcouldbearranged.
blokvistcarriedonhisaffairwithheadistressceciliavangerwiththegreatestdiscretion.shehadthreerules:shedidn’twantanyooknowtheywereeeting；shewantedhitoeoveronlywhenshecalledandwasintheood；andshedidn’twanthitostayallnight.
herpassionsurprisedandastonishedhi.whenheranintoheratsusanne’s,shewasfriendlybutcoolanddistant.whentheyetinherbedroo,shewaswildlypassionate.
blokvistdidnotwan. comryintoherpersonallife,buthehadbeenhire. comryintothepersonallivesofeveryoneinthevangerfaily.hefelttornandatthesaetiecurious.onedayheaskedvangerwhoshehadbeenarriedtoandwhathadhappened.heaskedthequestionwhiletheywerediscussingthebackgroundofalexanderandbirger.
“cecilia？idon’tthinkshehadanythingtodowithharriet.”
“telleaboutherbackground.”
“sheovedbackhereaftergraduatingandstartedworkingasateacher.sheetaanbythenaeofjerrykarlsson,whounfortunatelyworkedforthevangercorporation.theyarried.ithoughtthearriagewasahappyone—anywayinthebeginning.butafteracoupleofyearsibegantoseethatthingswerenotastheyshouldbe.heistreatedher.itwastheusualstory—hebeatherandsheloyallydefendedhi.finallyhehitheroietooany.shewasseriouslyhurtandendedupinthehospital.iofferedyhelp.sheovedoutheretohedebyislandandhasrefusedtoseeherhusbandsince.iadesurehewasfired.”
“buttheyarestillarried？”
“it’saquestionofhowyoudefineit.idon’tknohyshehasn’tfiledfordivorce.butshehasneverwantedtorearry,soisupposeithasn’tadeanydifference.”
“thiskarlsson,didhehaveanythingtodowith…”
“…withharriet？no,hewasn’tinhedestadin1966,andhewasn’tyetworkingforthefir.”
“ok.”
“mikael,i’fondofcecilia.shecanbetrickytodealwith,butshe’soneofthegoodpeopleinyfaily.”
salanderdevotedawee. comlanningnilsbjuran’sdeise.sheconsidered—andrejected—variousethodsuntilshehadnarroweditdowntoafewrealisticscenariosfrowhichtochoose.noactingonipulse.
onlyoneconditionhadtobefulfilled.bjuranhadtodieinsuchawaythatsheherselfcouldneverbelinkedtothecrie.thefactthatshewouldbeincludedinanyeventualpoliceinvestigationshetookforgranted；soonerorlaterhernaewouldshowupwhenbjuran’sresponsibilitieswereexained.butshewasonlyonepersoninawholeuniverseofpresentandforerclients,shehadethionlyfourties,andtherewouldnotbeanyindicationthathisdeathevenhadaconnectionwithanyofhisclients.therewereforergirlfriends,relatives,casualacquaintances,colleagues,andothers.therewasalsowhatwasusuallydefinedas“randoviolence,”whentheperpetratorandvictididnotknoweachother.
ifhernaecaeup,shewouldbeahelpless,inpetentgirlwithdocuentsshowinghertobeentallydeficient.soitwouldbeanadvantageifbjuran’sdeathourredinsuchaplicatedannerthatitwouldbehighlyunlikelythataentallyhandicappedgirlcouldbetheperpetrator.
sherejectedtheoptionofusingagun.acquiringagunwouldbenogreatproble,butthepolicewereawfullygoodattrackingdownfirears.
sheconsideredaknife,whichcouldbepurchasedatanyhardwarestore,butdecidedagainstthattoo.evenifsheturnedupwithoutwarninganddrovetheknifeintohisback,therewasnoguaranteethathewoulddieinstantlyandwithoutakingasound,orthathewoulddieatall.worse,itightprovokeastruggle,whichcouldattractattention,andbloodcouldstainherclothes,beevidenceagainsther.
shethoughtaboutusingabobofsoesort,butitwouldbeuchtooplicated.buildingthebobitselfwouldnotbeaproble—theinterwasfullofanualsonhowtoakethedeadliestdevices.itwouldbedifficult,ontheotherhand,tofindaplac. comutthebobsothatinnocentpassersbywouldnotbehurt.besides,therewasagainnoguaranteethathewouldactuallydie.
thetelephonerang.
“hi,lisbeth.dragan.i’vegotajobforyou.”
“idon’thavetie.”
“thisisiportant.”
“i’busy.”
sheputdownthereceiver.
finallyshesettledonpoison.thechoicesurprisedher,butoncloserconsiderationitwasperfect.
salanderspentseveraldaysbingtheinter.th