第 28 部分阅读

aphotographeratanewspapertakesbetweentwoandtenrollsoffiladay.forbigevents,itcanbedoublethat.eachrollcontainsthirty-sixnegatives；soit’snotunusualforalocalnewspapertoauulateoverthreehundred-plusiageseachday,ofwhichonlyaveryfewarepublished.awell-aniseddepartentcutsuptherollsoffilandplacesthenegativesinsix-fraesleeves.arolltakesupaboutonepageinanegativebinder.abinderholdsabout110rolls.inayear,abouttwenty-fivebindersarefilledup.overtheyearsahugenuberofbindersisauulated,whichgenerallylackanyercialvalueandoverflowtheshelvesinthephotographicdepartent.ontheotherhand,everyphotographerandpicturesdepartentisconvincedthatthepicturescontainahistoricaldocuentationofincalculablevalue,sotheyneverthrowanythingaway.

thehedestadcourierwasfoundedin1922,andthepicturesdepartenthadexistedsince1937.thecourier’satticstoreroocontainedabout1,200binders,arranged,asblobergsaid,bydate.thenegativesfrosepteber1966werekepturcheapcardboardstoragebinders.

“howdowegoaboutthis？”blokvistsaid.“ireallyneedtositatalighttableandbeabletoakecopiesofanythingthatightbeofinterest.”

“wedon’thaveadarkrooanyore.everythingisscannedin.doyouknowhowtoworkanegativescanner？”

“yes,i’veworkedwithiagesandhaveanagfaneg.scannerofyown.iworkinphotoshop.”

“thenyouusethesaeequipentwedo.”

blobergtookhionaquicktourofthesalloffice,gavehiachairatalighttable,andswitchedonaputerandscanner.sheshowedhiwherethecoffeeachinewasinthecanteenarea.theyagreedthatblokvistcouldworkbyhiself,butthathehadtocallherwhenhewantedtoleavetheofficesothatshecouldeinandsetthealarsyste.thenshelefthiwithacheerful“havefun.”

thecourierhadhadtwophotographersbackthen.theonewhohadbeenondutythatdaywaskurtnylund,whoblokvistactuallyknew.nylundwasinhistwentiesin1966.thenheovedtostockholandbecaeafaousphotographerworkingbothfreelanceandasaneployeeofscanpixswedeninmarieberg.blokvisthadcrossedpathswithkurtnylundseveraltiesintheniies,whenmillenniuhadusediagesfroscanpix.hereeberedhiasanangularanwiththinninghair.onthedayoftheparadenylundhadusedadaylightfil,nottoofast,onewhichanynewsphotographersused.

blokvisttookoutthenegativesofthephotographsbytheyoungnylundandputtheonthelighttable.withaagnifyingglasshestudiedthefraebyfrae.readingnegativesisanartfor,requiringexperience,whichblokvistlacked.todeterinewhetherthephotographcontainedrationofvaluehewasgoingtohavetoscanineachiageandexaineitontheputerscreen.thatwouldtakehours.sofirsthedidaquitegeneralsurveyofthephotographsheightbeinterestedin.

hebeganbyrunningthroughalltheonesthathadbeentakenoftheaident.vanger’scollectionwasinplete.thepersonwhohadcopiedthecollection—possiblynylundhiself—hadleftoutaboutthirtyphotographsthatwereeitherblurredorofsuchpoorqualitythattheywerenotconsideredpublishable.

blokvistswitchedoffthecourier’sputerandpluggedtheagfascannerintohisowni.hespenttwohoursscanningintherestoftheiages.

onecaughthiseyeatonce.soetiebetween3:10and3:15p..,justatthetiewhenharrietvanished,soeonehadopenedthewindowinherroo.vangerhadtriedinvaintofindoutwhoitwas.blokvisthadaphotographonhisscreenthatusthavebeentakenatexactlytheoentthewindoasopened.therewereafigureandaface,albeitoutoffocus.hedecidedthatadetailedanalysiscouldwaituntilhehadfirstscannedalltheiages.

thenheexainedtheiagesofthechildren’sdaycelebrations.nylundhadputinsixrolls,aroundtwohundredshots.therewasanendlessstreaofchildrenwithballoons,grown-ups,streetlifewithhotdogvendors,theparadeitself,anartistonastage,andanawardpresentationofsoesort.

blokvistdecidedtoscanintheentirecollection.sixhourslaterhehadaportfolioofniyiages,buthewasgoingtohavetoeback.

at9:00hecalledbloberg,thankedher,andtookthebushoetohedebyisland.

hewasbackat9:00onsundayorning.theofficeswerestilleptywhenbloberglethiin.hehadnotrealisedthatitwasthewhitsuntideholidayweekend,andthattherewouldnotbeanewspaperuntiltuesday.hespenttheentiredayscanningiages.at6:00intheeveningtherewerestillfortyshotsleftofchildren’sday.blokvisthadinspectedthenegativesanddecidedthatclose-upsofcutechildren’sfacesorpicturesofapainterappearingonstageweresiplynotgeraohisobjective.whathehadscannedinwasthestreetlifeandcrowds.

blokvistspentthewhitsuntideholidaygoingoverthenewaterial.headetwodiscoveries.thefirstfilledhiwithdisay.thesecondadehispulsebeatfaster.

thefirstwasthefaceinharrietvanger’swindow.thephotographhadaslightotionblurandwasthusexcludedfrotheoriginalset.thephotographerhadstoodonthechurchhillandsightedtowardsthebridge.thebuildingswereinthebackground.mikaelcroppedtheiagetoincludethewindowalone,andthenheexperientedwithadjustingthecontrastandincreasingthesharpnessuntilheachievedwhathethoughtwasthebestqualityhecouldget.

theresultwasagrainypicturewithainialgreyscalethatshowedacurtain,partofanar,andadiffusehalf-oon-shapedfacealittlewayinsidetheroo.

thefacewasnotharrietvanger’s,whohadraven-blackhair,butapersonwithlighterhaircolour.

itwasipossibletodiscernclearfacialfeatures,buthewascertainitwasawoan；thelighterpartofthefacecontinueddowntoshoulderlevelandindicatedawoan’sflowinghair,andshewaswearinglight-colouredclothes.

hecalculatedherheightinrelationtothewindow:itwasawoanaboutfivefootseven.

heclickedontootheriagesfrobehindtheaidentandonepersonfittedthedescription—thetwenty-year-oldceciliavanger.

nylundhadtakeneighteenshotsfrothewindowofsundstr？’shaberdashery.harrietwasinseventeenofthe.

sheandherclassateshadarrivedatj？rnv？gsgatanatthesaetienylundhadbeguntakinghispictures.blokvistreckonedthatthephotographswereshotoveraperiodoffiveinutes.inthefirstpictures,harrietandherfriendswereingdownthestreetintothefrae.inphotographs2–7theywerestandingstillandwatchingtheparade.thentheyhadovedaboutsixyardsdownthestreet.inthelastpicture,whichayhavebeentakenaftersoetiehadpassed,thegirlshadgone.

blokvisteditedaseriesofpicturesinwhichhecroppedth. comhalfofharrietandprocessedthetoachievethebestcontrast.heputthepicturesinaseparatefolder,openedthegraphionverterprograe,andstartedtheslideshowfunction.theeffectwasajerkysilentfilinwhicheachiagewasshownfortwoseconds.

harrietarrives,iageinprofile.harriet. comsandlooksdownatthestreet.harrietturnsherfacetowardsthestreet.harri. comensherouthtosaysoethingtoherfriend.harrietlaughs.harriettouchesherearwithherlefthand.harrietsiles.harrietsuddenlylookssurprised,herfaceat0°angletotheleftofthecaera.harriet’seyeswidenandshehas. compedsiling.harriet’southbeesathinline.harrietfocuseshergaze.inherfacecanberead…what？sorrow,shock,fury？harrietlowershereyes.harrietisgone.

blokvistplayedthesequenceoverandover.

itconfiredwithsoeforcethetheoryhehadforulated.soethinghappenedonj？rnv？gsgatan.

sheseessoething—soeone—ontheothersideofthestreet.shereactswithshock.shecontactsvangerforaprivateconversationwhichneverhappens.shevanisheswithoutatrace.

soethinghappened,butthephotographsdidnotexplainwhat.

at2:00ontuesdayorningblokvisthadcoffeeandsandwichesatthekitchenbench.hewassiultaneouslydownheartedandexhilarated.againstallexpectationshehadturnedupnewevidence.theonlyproblewasthatalthoughitshedlightonthechainofeventsitbroughthinotoneiotaclosertosolvingtheystery.

hethoughtlongandhardaboutwhatrolececiliavangerighthaveplayedinthedraa.vangerhadrelentlesslychartedtheactivitiesofallpersonsinvolvedthatday,andceciliahadbeennoexception.shewaslivinginuppsala,butshearrivedinhedebytwodaysbeforethatfatefulsaturday.shestayedwithisabellavanger.shehadsaidthatsheightpossiblyhaveseenharrietearlythatorning,butthatshehadnotspokentoher.shehaddrivenintohedestadonsoeerrand.shehadnotseenharrietthere,andshecaebacktohedebyislandaround1:00,aboutthetienylundwastakinghispicturesonj？rnv？gsgatan.shechangedandatabout2:00helpedtosetthetableforthebanquetthatevening.

asanalibi—ifthatiswhatitwas—itwasratherfeeble.thetieswereapproxiate,especiallytheatterofwhenshehadgotbacktohedebyisland,butvangerhadnotfoundanythingtoindicatethatshewaslying.ceciliavangerwasoneofthosepeopleinthefailythatvangerlikedbest.andshehadbeenhislover.howcouldhebeobjective？hecertainlycouldnotiagineherasaurderer.

nowahithertounknownphotographwastellinghithatshehadliedwhenshesaidthatshehadneverbeeninharriet’sroothatday.blokvistwrestledwiththepossiblesignificanceofthat.

andifyouliedaboutthat,whatelsedidyoulieabout？

hewentthroughinhisindwhatheknewaboutcecilia.anintrovertedpersonobviouslyaffectedbyherpast.livedalone,hadnosexlife,haddifficultygettingclos. comeople.keptherdistance,andwhensheletloosetherewasnorestraint.shechoseastrangerforalover.hadsaidthatsheendeditbecauseshewasunabletolivewiththeideathathewouldgofroherlifeasunexpectedlyashehadappeared.blokvistsupposedthatthereasonshehaddaredtostartanaffairwithhiwaspreciselythathewasonlythereforawhile.shedidnothavetobeafraidhewouldchangeherlifeinanylong-terway.

hesighedandpushedtheaateurpsychologyaside.

headetheseconddiscoveryduringthenight.thekeytotheysterywaswhatitwasthatharriethadseeninhedestad.hewouldneverfindthatoutunlesshecouldinventatieachineandstandbehindher,lookingoverhershoulder.

andthenhehadathought.heslappedhisforeheadandopenedhisi.heclickedontotheuncroppediagesintheseriesonj？rnv？gsgatanand…there！

behindharrietandaboutayardtoherrightwereayoungcouple,theaninastripedsweaterandthewoaninapalejacket.shewasholdingacaera.whenblokvistenlargedtheiageitlookedtobeakodakinstaaticwithflash—acheapholidaycaeraforpeoplewhoknownothingaboutphotography.

thewoanwasholdingthecaeraatchinlevel.thensheraiseditandtookapictureoftheclowns,justasharriet’sexpressionchanged.

blokvistparedthecaera’spositionwithharriet’slineofvision.thewoanhadtakenapictureofexactlywhatharrietwaslookingat.

hisheartwasbeatinghard.heleanedbackandpluckedhiscigarettesoutofhisbreastpocket.soeonehadtakenapicture.hoouldheidentifyandfindthewoan？couldhegetholdofhersnapshot？hadtherolleverbeendeveloped,andifsodidtheprintsstillexist？

heopenedthefolderwithnylund’sphotographsfrothecrowd.forthenextcoupleofhoursheenlargedeachoneandscrutiniseditonesquareinchatatie.hedidnotseethecoupleagainuntiltheverylastpictures.nylundhadphotographedanotherclownwithballoonsinhishandposinginfrontofhiscaeraandlaughingheartily.thephotographsweretakeninacarparkbytheentrancetothesportsfieldwherethecelebrationwasbeingheld.itusthavebeenafter2:00intheafternoon.rightafterthatnylundhadreceivedthealaraboutthecrashonthebridgeandbroughthisportraitsofchildren’sdaytoarapidclose.

thewoanwasalosthidden,buttheaninthestripedsweaterwasclearlyvisible,inprofile.hehadkeysinhishandandwasbendingtoopenacardoor.thefocuswasontheclownintheforeground,andthecarwasabitfuzzy.thenuberplatewaspartlyhiddenbuthecouldseethatitstartedwith“ac3.”

nuberplatesinthesixtiesbeganwithacodeindicatingthecounty,andasachildblokvisthadeorisedthecountycodes.“ac”wasforv？sterbotten.

thenhespottedsoethingelse.onthebackwindoasastickerofsoesort.hezooedin,butthetextdissolvedinablur.hecroppedoutthestickerandadjustedthecontrastandsharpness.ittookhiawhile.hestillcouldnotreadthewords,butheatteptedtofigureoutwhattheletterswere,basedonthefuzzyshapes.manyletterslookedsurprisinglysiilar.an“o”couldbeistakenfora“d,”a“b”foran“e,”andsoon.afterworkingwithapenandpaperandexcludingcertainletters,hewasleftwithanunreadabletext,inoneline.

rj？nikrifarik

hestaredattheiageuntilhiseyesbegantowater.thenhesawthetext.“norsj？snickerifabrik,”followedbyfiguresinasallersizethatwereutterlyipossibletoread,probablyatelephonenuber.

chapter17

wednesday,june11–saturday,june14

blokvistgothelpwiththethirdjigsawpiecefroanunexpectedquarter.

afterworkingontheiagespracticallyallnighthesleptheavilyuntilwellintotheafternoon.heawokewithaheadache,tookashower,andwalkedtosusanne’sforbreakfast.heoughttohavegooseevangerandreportwhathehaddiscovered.instead,whenhecaeback,hewenttocecilia’shouseandknockedonthedoor.heneededtoaskherwhyshehadliedtohiaboutbeinginharriet’sroo.no-onecaetothedoor.

hewasjustleavingwhenheheard:“yourwhoreisn’thoe.”

golluhadeergedfrohiscave.hewasoncetall,alostsixfootsix,butnowsostoopedwithagethathiseyeswerelevelwithblokvist’s.hisfaceandneckweresplotchedwithdarkliverspots.hewasinhispyjaasandabrowndressinggown,leaningonacane.helookedlikeacentralcastingnastyoldan.

“whatdidyousay？”

“isaidthatyourwhoreisn’thoe.”

blokviststeppedsoclosethathewasalostnosetonosewithharaldvanger.

“you’retalkingaboutyourowndaughter,youfuckingpig.”

“i’nottheonewhoessneakingoverhereinthenight,”haraldsaidwithatoothlesssile.heselledfoul.blokvistsidesteppedhiandwentdowntheroadwithoutlookingback.hefoundvangerinhisoffice.

“i’vejusthadthepleasureofeetingyourbrother,”mikaelsaid.

“harald？well,well,so,he’sventuredout.hedoesthatacoupleoftiesayear.”

“iwasknockingoncecilia’sdoorwhenthisvoicebehindesaid,quote,yourwhoreisn’thoe,unquote.”

“thatsoundslikeharald,”vangersaidcally.

“hecalledhisowndaughterawhore,forgod’ssake.”

“he’sbeendoingthatforyears.that’swhytheydon’ttalkuch.”

“whydoeshecallherthat？”

“cecilialosthervirginitywhenshewastwenty-one.ithappenedhereinhedestadafterasuerroance,theyearafterharrietdisappeared.”

“and？”

“theanshefellinlovewithwascalledpetersauelsson.hewasafinancialassistantatthevangercorporation.abrightboy.todayheworksforabb.thekindofaniwouldhavebeenproudtohaveasyson-in-lawifshewereydaughter.haraldeasuredhisskullorcheckedhisfailytreeorsoethinganddiscoveredthathewasone-quarterjewish.”

“goodlord.”

“he’scalledherawhoreeversince.”

“heknewthatceciliaandihave…”

“everybodyinthevillageprobablyknowsthatwiththepossibleexceptionofisabella,becauseno-oneinhisrightindwouldtellheranything,andthankheavensshe’sniceenoughtogotobedat8:00everynight.haraldontheotherhandhaspresuablybeenfollowingeverystepyoutake.”

blokvistsatdown,lookingfoolish.

“youeanthateveryoneknows…”

“ofcourse.”

“andyoudon’tind？”

“mydearmikael,it’sreallynoneofybusiness.”

“whereiscecilia？”

“theschoolterisover.shewenttolondononsaturdaytovisithersister,andafterthatshe’shavingaholidayin…h,ithinkitwasflorida.she’llbebackinaboutaonth.”

blokvistfeltevenorefoolish.

“we’vesortofputourrelationshiponholdforawhile.”

“soiunderstand,butit’sstillnoneofybusiness.how’syourworkingalong？”

blokvistpouredhiselfacupofcoffeefrovanger’stheros.

“ithinki’vefoundsoenewaterial.”

hetookhisioutofhisshoulderbagandscrolledthroughtheseriesofiagesshowinghowharriethadreactedonj？rnv？gsgatan.heexplainedhowhehadfoundtheotherspectatorswiththecaeraandtheircarwiththenorsj？carpentryshopsign.whenhewasfinishedvangerwantedtoseeallthepicturesagain.whenhelookedupfrotheputerhisfacewasgrey.blokvistwassuddenlyalaredandputahandonvanger’sshoulder.vangerwavedhiawayandsatinsilenceforawhile.

“you’vedonewhatithoughtwasipossible.you’veturnedupsoethingpletelynew.whatareyougoingtodonext？”

“iagoingtolookforthatsnapshot,ifitstillexists.”

hedidnotentionthefaceinthewindow.

harald