第 26 部分阅读
he. compedbelowceciliavanger’shouseandstoleaglanceatthelightedwindowsonth. comfloor.thenhewenthoeandputonsoecoffeeofhisown.hewentintohisofficewhilehewaitedforittobrew.
beforehepresentedhiselfattheprisonhehadreturnedtheajorityofvanger’sdocuentationonharriet.ithadseeedwisenottoleaveitinaneptyhouse.nowtheshelveslookedbare.hehad,ofthereports,onlyfiveofvanger’sownnotes,andthesehehadtakenwithhitorull？kerandnowknewbyheart.henoticedanalbuonth. comshelfofthecasethathehadfotten.
hecarriedittothekitchentable.hepouredhiselfcoffeeandbegangoingthroughit.
theywerephotographsthathadbeentakenonthedayharrietdisappeared.thefirstofthewasthelastphotographofharriet,atthechildren’sdayparadeinhedestad.thenthereweresoe180crystal-clearpicturesofthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.hehadexainedtheiagesonebyonewithaagnifyingglassonseveraloasionspreviously.nowheturnedthepagesalostabsent-indedly；heknewhewasnotgoingtofindanythinghehadnotseenbefore.infacthefeltallofasuddenfedupwiththeunexplainabledisappearanceofharrietvangerandslaedthealbushut.
restlesslyhewenttothekitchenwindowandpeeredoutintothedarkness.
thenheturnedhisgazebacktothealbu.hecouldnothaveexplainedthefeeling,butathoughtflittedthroughhishead,asthoughhewerereactingtosoethinghehadjustseen.itwasasthoughaninvisiblecreaturehadwhisperedinhisear,akingthehairsonthebackofhisneckstandonend.
heopenedthealbuagain.hewentthroughitpagebypage,lookingatallthepicturesofthebridge.helookedattheyoungerversionofanoil-soakedhenrikvangerandayoungerharald,aanwhohehadstillnotet.thebrokenrailing,thebuildings,thewindowsandthevehiclesvisibleinthepictures.hecouldnotfailtoidentifyatwenty-year-oldceciliaintheidstoftheonlookers.shehadonalight-coloureddressandadarkjacketandwasinatleasttwentyofthephotographs.
hefeltafreshexciteent,andovertheyearsblokvisthadlearnedtotrusthisinstincts.theseinstinctswerereactingtosoethinginthealbu,buthecouldnotyetsaywhatitwas.
hewasstillatthekitchentableat11:00,staringonebyoneagainatthephotographswhenheheardthedooropen.
“mayiein？”itwasceciliavanger.withoutwaitingforananswershesatdownacrossfrohiatthetable.blokvisthadastrangefeelingofdéjàvu.shewasdressedinathin,loose,light-coloureddressandagreyish-bluejacket,clothesalostidenticaltothoseshewaswearinginthephotographsfro1966.
“you’retheonewho’stheproble,”shesaid.
blokvistraisedhiseyebrows.
“fivee,butyoutookebysurprisewhenyouknockedonthedoortonight.nowi’sounhappyican’tsleep.”
“whyareyouunhappy？”
“don’tyouknow？”
heshookhishead.
“ifitellyou,proiseyouwon’tlaugh.”
“proise.”
“wheniseducedyoulastwinteritwasanidiotic,ipulsiveact.iwantedtoenjoyyself,that’sall.thatfirstnightiwasquitedrunk,andihadnointentionofstartinganythinglong-terwithyou.thenitturnedintosoethingelse.iwantyoutoknowthatthoseweekswithyouasyoasionalloverweresoeofthehappiestinylife.”
“ithoughtitwaslovelytoo.”
“mikael,i’vebeenlyingtoyouandtoyselfthewholetie.i’veneverbeenparticularlyrelaxedaboutsex.i’vehadfivesexpartnersinyentirelife.oncewheniwastwenty-oneandadebutante.thenwithyhusband,whoietwheniwastwenty-fiveandwhoturnedouttobeabastard.andthenafewtieswiththreeguysietseveralyearsapart.butyouprovokedsoethingine.isiplycouldn’tgetenough.ithadsoethingtodowiththefactthatyou’resoundeanding.”
“cecilia,youdon’thaveto…”
“shh—don’tinterrupt,ori’llneverbeabletotellyouthis.”
blokvistsatinsilence.
“thedayyouleftforprisoniwasabsolutelyiserable.youweregone,asthoughyouhadneverexisted.itwasdarkhereintheguesthouse.itwascoldandeptyinybed.andthereiwas,anoldaidoffifty-sixagain.”
shesaidnothingforawhileandlookedblokvistintheeyes.
“ifellinlovewithyoulastwinter.ididn’teanto,butithappened.andthenitookstockandrealisedthatyouwereonlyhereteporarily；onedayyou’llbegoneforgood,andi’llstayherefortherestofylife.ithurtsodanuchthatidecidediwasn’tgoingtoletyouinagainwhenyoucaebackfroprison.”
“i’sorry.”
“it’snotyourfault.whenyoulefttonightisatandcried.iwishihadthechancetoliveylifeoveragain.theniwoulddecideonohing.”
“what’sthat？”
shelookeddownatthetable.
“thatiwouldhavetobetotallyinsao. comseeingyoujustbecauseyou’regoingtoleaveoneday.mikael,canwestartagain？canyoufetwhathappenedearlierthisevening？”
“it’sfotten,”hesaid.“butthankyoufortellinge.”
shewasstilllookingdownatthetable.
“ifyoustillwante,let’sdoit.”
shelookedathiagain.thenshegotupandwentovertothebedroodoor.shedroppedherjacketonthefloorandpulledherdressoverherheadasshewent.
blokvistandceciliavangerwokeupwhenthefrontdooropenedandsoeonewaswalkingthroughthekitchen.theyheardthethudofsoethingheavybeingputdownnearthewoodstove.thenbergerwasstandinginthebedroodoorwaywithasilethatrapidlychangedtoshock.
“oh,goodlord.”shetookastepback.
“hi,erika,”blokvistsaid.
“hi.i’sosorry.iapologiseathousandtiesforbarginginlikethis.ishouldhaveknocked.”
“weshouldhavelockedthefrontdoor.erika—thisisceciliavanger.cecilia—erikabergeristheeditorinchiefofmillenniu.”
“hi,”ceciliasaid.
“hi,”bergersaid.shelookedasthoughshecouldnotdecidewhethertostepforwardandpolitelyshakehandsorjustleave.“uh,i…icangoforawalk…”
“whatdoyousa. comuttingonsoecoffeeinstead？”blokvistlookedatthealarclockonthebedsidetable.justpastnoon.
bergernoddedandpulledthebedroodoorshut.blokvistandcecilialookedateachother.ceciliaappearedebarrassed.theyhadadeloveandtalkeduntil4:00intheorning.thenceciliasaidshethoughtshe’dsleepoverandthatinthefutureshewouldn’tgiveatinker’scusswhoknewshewassleepingwithmikaelblokvist.shehadsleptwithherbacktohiandwithhisartuckedaroundherbreasts.
“listen,it’sok,”hesaid.“erika’sarriedandsheisn’tygirlfriend.weseeeachothernowandthen,butshedoesn’tcareatallifyouandihavesoething…she’sprobablyprettyebarrassedherselfrightnow.”
whentheywentintothekitchenawhilelater,erikahadsetoutcoffee,juice,leonaralade,cheese,andtoast.itselledgood.ceciliawentstraightuptoherandheldoutherhand.
“iwasalittleabruptinthere.hi.”
“dearcecilia,i’sosorryfor. cominginlikeanelephant,”saidaveryebarrassederikaberger.
“fetit,forgod’ssake.andlet’shavebreakfast.”
afterbreakfastbergerexcusedherselfandleftthealone,sayingthatshehadtogoandsayhellotovanger.ceciliaclearedthetablewithherbacktomikael.hewentupandputhisarsaroundher.
“what’sgoingtohappennow？”ceciliasaid.
“nothing.thisisthewayitis—erikaisybestfriend.sheandihavebeentogetheroffandonfortwentyyearsandwillprobablybe,onandoff,togetherforanothertwenty.ihopeso.butwe’veneverbeenacoupleandwenevergetinthewayofeachother’sroances.”
“isthatwhatwehave？aroance？”
“idon’tknohatwehave,butapparentlywegetalong.”
“where’sshegoingtosleeptonight？”
“we’llfindheraroosoewhere.oneofhenrik’sspareroos.shewon’tbesleepinginybed,anyway.”
ceciliathoughtaboutthisforaoent.
“idon’tknowificanhandlethis.youandsheightfunctionthatway,butidon’tknow…i’venever…”sheshookherhead.“i’goingbacktoyplace.ihavetothinkaboutthisforawhile.”
“cecilia,youaskedeearlieranditoldyouaboutyrelationshipwitherika.herexistencecan’tbeanygreatsurprisetoyou.”
“that’strue.butaslongasshewasatafortabledistancedowninstockholicouldignoreher.”
ceciliaputonherjacket.
“thissituationisludicrous,”shesaidwithasile.“eoverfordinnertonight.bringerika.ithinki’goingtolikeher.”
erikahadalreadysolvedtheprobleofwheretosleep.onpreviousoasionswhenshehadbeenuptohedebytovisitvangershehadstayedinoneofhisspareroos,andsheaskedhistraightoutifshecouldborrowtherooagain.henrikcouldscarcelyconcealhisdelight,andheassuredherthatshewasweleatanytie.
withtheseforalitiesoutoftheway,blokvistandbergerwentforawalkacrossthebridgeandsatontheterraceofsusanne’sbridgecaféjustbeforeclosingtie.
“i’reallypissedoff,”bergersaid.“idriveallthewayupheretoweleyoubacktofreedoandfindyouinbedwiththetownfeefatale.”
“i’sorryaboutthat.”
“howlonghaveyouandmissbigtits…”bergerwavedherindexfinger.
“froaboutthetievangerbecaepartowner.”
“aha.”
“whatdoyouean,aha？”
“justcurious.”
“cecilia’sagoodwoan.ilikeher.”
“i’notcriticising.i’justpissedoff.candywithinreachandthenihavetogoonadiet.hoasprison？”
“likeanuneventfulholiday.howarethingsattheagazine？”
“better.forthefirsttieinayeartheadvertisingrevenueisontherise.we’rewaybelowthistielastyear,butwe’veturnedthecorner.thankstohenrik.buttheweirdthingisthatsubscriptionsaregoinguptoo.”
“theytendtofluctuate.”
“byacoupleofhundredonewayortheother.butwe’vepickedupthreethousandinthepastquarter.atfirstithoughtitwasjustluck,butnewsubscriberskeepingin.it’sourbiggestsubscriptionjupever.atthesaetie,ourexistingsubscribersarerenewingprettyconsistentlyacrosstheboard.noneofuscanunderstandit.wehaven’trunanyadcapaigns.christerspentaweekdoingspotchecksonwhatsortofdeographicisshowingup.first,they’reallbrand-newsubscribers.second,70percentofthearewoen.norallyit’stheotherwayaround.third,thesubscriberscanbedescribedasiddle-inewhite-collarworkersfrothesuburbs:teachers,iddleanageent,civilserviceworkers.”
“thinkit’stheiddle-classrevoltagainstbigcapital？”
“idon’tknow.butifthiskeepsup,it’lleanasignificantshiftinoursubscriberprofile.wehadaneditorialconferencetwoweeksagoanddecidedtostartrunningnewtypesofaterialintheagazine.iwantorearticlesonprofessionalattersassociatedwithtco,theswedishconfederationofprofessionaleployees,andalsooreinvestigativereportingonwoen’sissues,forinstance.”
“don’tchangetoouch,”blokvistsaid.“ifwe’regettingnewsubscriberstheniteansthattheylikewhatwe’rerunningalready.”
ceciliahadalsoinvitedvangertodinner,possiblytoreducetheriskoftroubleso. comicsofconversation.shehadadeavenisonstew.bergerandvangerspentagooddealofthetiediscussingmillenniu’sdevelopentandthenewsubscribers,butgraduallytheconversationovedontootheratters.bergersuddenlyturnedtoblokvistatonepointandaskedhihowhisworkwasingalong.
“i’countingonhavingadraftofthefailychroniclepleteinaonthforhenriktolookat.”
“achronicleinthespiritoftheaddasfaily,”ceciliasaid.
“itdoeshavecertainhistoricalaspects,”blokvistconceded.
ceciliaglancedatvanger.
“mikael,henrikisn’treallyinterestedinafailychronicle.hewantsyoutosolvetheysteryofharriet’sdisappearance.”
blokvistdidnotsayaword.eversincehehadbegunhisrelationshipwithceciliahehadtalkedfairlyopenlyaboutharrietwithher.ceciliahadalreadydeducedthatthiswashisrealassignent,eventhoughheneverforallyadittedit.hehadcertainlynevertoldhenrikthatheandceciliahaddiscussedthesubject.vanger’sbushyeyebrowsdrewtogetherabit.erikawassilent.
“mydearhenrik,”ceciliasaid.“i’notstupid.idon’tknohatsortofagreeentyouandmikaelhave,buthisstayhereinhedebyisaboutharriet.itis,isn’tit？”
vangernoddedandglancedatblokvist.
“itoldyoushewassharp.”heturnedtoberger.“ipresuethatmikaelhasexplainedtoyouwhathe’sworkingonhereinhedeby.”
shenodded.
“andipresueyouthinkit’sasenselessundertaking.no,youdon’thavetoanswerthat.itisanabsurdandsenselesstask.butihavetofindout.”
“ihavenoopinionontheatter,”bergersaiddiploatically.
“ofcourseyoudo.”heturnedtoblokvist.“telle.haveyoufoundanythingatallthatighttakeusforward？”
blokvistavoidedeetingvanger’sgaze.hethoughtinstantlyofthecold,unplaceablecertaintyhehadhadthenightbefore.thefeelinghadbeenwithhiallday,buthehadhadnotietoworkhiswaythroughthealbuagain.atlasthelookedupatvangerandshookhishead.
“ihaven’tfoundasinglething.”
theoldanscrutinisedhiwithaperatinglook.herefrainedfroenting.
“idon’tknowaboutyouyoungpeople,”hesaid,“butforeit’stietogotobed.thankyoufordinner,cecilia.goodnight,erika.doseeebeforeyouleavetoorrow.”
whenvangerhadclosedthefrontdoor,silencesettledoverthe.itwasceciliawhospokefirst.
“mikael,whatwasallthatabout？”
“iteansthathenrikisassensitiv. comeople’sreactionsasaseisograph.lastnightwhenyoucaetothecottageiwaslookingthroughanalbu.”
“yes？”
“isawsoething.idon’tknohatitwasyet.itwassoethingthatalostbecaeanidea,butiissedit.”
“sowhatwereyouthinkingabout？”
“ijustcan’ttellyou.andthenyouarrived.”
ceciliablushed.sheavoidedberger’sgazeandwentou. comutonsoecoffee.
itwasawarandsunnyday.newgreenshootswereappearing,andblokvistcaughthiselfhuingtheoldsongofspring,“blossotieising.”itwasmondayandbergerhadleftearly.
whenhehadgooprisoninid-march,snowstillcoveredtheland.nowthebircheswereturninggreenandthelawnaroundhiscabinwaslush.forthefirsttiehehadachancetolookaroundallofhedebyisland.at8:00hewentoverandaskedtoborrowatherosfroanna.hespokebrieflywithvanger,whowasjustup,andwasgivenhisapoftheisland.hewantedtogetacloserlookatgottfried’scabin.vangertoldhithatthecabinwasownedbymartinvangernowbutthatithadstoodostlyvacantovertheyears.oasionallysoerelativewouldborrowit.
blokvistjustanagedtocatchmartinbeforeheleftforwork.heaskedifheightborrowthekey.martingavehianausedsile.
“ipresuethefailychroniclehasnowreachedthechapteraboutharriet.”
“ijustwanttotakealook…”
martincaebackwiththekeyinainute.
“isitokthen？”
“asfarasi’concerned,youcanoveinthereifyouwant.exceptforthefactthatit’sstuckrightattheotherendoftheisland,it’sactuallyanicerspotthanthecottageyou’rein.”
blokvistadecoffeeandsandwiches.hefilledabottlewithwaterbeforehesetoff,stuffinghispiiclunchinarucksackheslungoveroneshoulder.hefollowedanarrow,partiallyovergrownpaththatranalongthebayonthenorthsideofhedebyisland.gottfried’scabinwasonapointaboutoneandahalfilesfrothevillage,andittookhionlyhalfanhourtocoverthedistanceataleisurelypace.
martinvangerhadbeenright.whenblokvistcaearoundthebendofthenarrowpath,ashadedareabythewateropenedup.therewasaarvellousviewoftheinlettothehederiver,hedestadarinatotheleft,andtheindustrialharbourtotheright.
hewassurprisedthatno-onehadwantedtooveintogottfried’scabin.itwasarusticstructureadeofhorizontaldark-stainedtiberwithatileroofandgreenfraes,andwithasallporchatthefrontdoor.theaintenanceofthecabinhadbeenneglected.thepaintaroundthedoorsandwindowswasflakingoff,andwhatshouldhavebeenalawnwasscrubayardhigh.clearingitwouldtakeonewholeday’shardworkwithscytheandsaw.
blokvistunlockedthedoorandunscrewedtheshuttersoverthewindowsfrotheinside.thefraeworkseeedtobeanoldbarnoflessthan1,300squarefeet.theinsidewasfinishedwithplanksandconsistedofoneroowithbigwindowsfacingthewateroneithersideofthefrontdoor.astaircaseledtoanopensleepingloftattherearofthecabinthatcoveredhalfthespace.beneaththestairswasanichewithapropanegasstove,acounter,andasink.thefurnishingswerebasic；builtintothewalltotheleftofthedoortherewasbench,aricketydesk,andaboveitacasewithteakshelves.fartherdownonthesaesidewasabroadwardrobe.totherightofthedoorwasaroundtablewithfivewoodenchairs；afireplacestoodintheiddleofthesidewall.
thecabinhadnoelectricity；insteadtherewereseveralkerosenelaps.inon