第 46 部分阅读
“harriettalkedwithareporterfrothecourier.herstoryisthatsheranawayfrohoebecauseshedidn’tgetalongwithherfaily,butthatsheobviouslyhasdonewellintheworldsinceshe’stheheadofaverysubstantialenterprise.”
blokvistwhistled.
“idiscoveredthattherewasoneyinaustraliansheep,butididn’tknowthestationwasdoingthatwell.”
“hersheepstationisgoingsuperbly,butthatisn’theronlysourceofine.thecochrancorporationisinining,opals,anufacturing,transport,electronics,andalotofotherthingstoo.”
“wow！sowhat’sgoingtohappennow？”
“honestly,idon’tknow.peoplehavebeenturningupallday,andthefailyhasbeentogetherforthefirsttieinyears.they’reherefrobothfredrikandjohanvanger’ssides,andquiteafewfrotheyoungergenerationtoo—theonesintheirtwentiesandup.thereareprobablyaroundfortyvangersinhedestadthisevening.halfoftheareatthehospitalwearingouthenrik；theotherhalfareatthegrandhoteltalkingtoharriet.”
“harrietustbethebigsensation.howanyoftheknowaboutmartin？”
“sofarit’sjuste,henrik,andharriet.wehadalongtalktogether.martinand…youruncoveringofhisunspeakablelife,it’sovershadowingjustabouteverythingforusattheoent.ithasbroughtanenorouscrisisforthepanytoahead.”
“icanunderstandthat.”
“thereisnonaturalheir,butharrietisstayinginhedestadforawhile.thefailywillworkoutwhoownswhat,howtheinheritanceistobedividedandsoon.sheactuallyhasashareofitthatwouldhavebeenquitelargeifshehadbeenherethewholetie.it’sanightare.”
mikaellaughed.frodewasnotlaughingatall.
“isabellahadacollapseatthefuneral.she’sinthehospitalnow.henriksayshewon’tvisither.”
“goodforhenrik.”
“however,anitaisingoverfrolondon.iatocallafailyeetingfornextweek.itwillbethefirsttieintwenty-fiveyearsthatshe’sparticipated.”
“whowillbethenewceo？”
“birgerisafterthejob,buthe’soutofthequestion.what’sgoingtohappenisthathenrikwillstepinasceoprotefrohissickbeduntilwehireeithersoeonefrooutsideorsoeonefrowithinthefaily…”
blokvistraisedhiseyebrows.
“harriet？youcan’tbeserious.”
“whynot？we’retalkingaboutanexceptionallypetentandrespectedbusinesswoan.”
“shehasapanyinaustraliatolookafter.”
“true,buthersonjeffcochranisindingthestoreinherabsence.”
“he’sthestudsanageronasheepranch.ifiunderstoodtheattercorrectly,heseestoitthatthecorrectsheepatewitheachother.”
“healsohasadegreeineconoicsfrooxfordandalawdegreefromelbourne.”
blokvistthoughtaboutthesweaty,uscularanwithhisshirtoffwhohaddrivenhiintoandthroughtheravine；hetriedtoiaginehiinapinstripesuit.whynot？
“allofthiswilltaketietoworkout,”frodesaid.“butshewouldbeaperfectceo.withtherightsupportteashecouldrepresentawholenewdealforthepany.”
“shedoesn’thavetheexperience…”
“that’strue.shecan’tjustpopupoutoforeorlessnowhereandstarticro-anagingthepany.butthevangercorporationisinternational,andwecouldcertainlyhaveanaericanceowhodoesn’tspeakawordofswedish…it’sonlybusiness,whenall’ssaidanddone.”
“soonerorlateryou’regoingtohavetofaceuptotheprobleofmartin’sbaseent.”
“iknow.butwecan’tsayanythingwithoutdestroyingharriet…i’gladi’nottheonewhohastoakethedecisionaboutthis.”
“danit,dirch,youwon’tbeabletoburythefactthatmartinwasaserialkiller.”
“mikael,i’ina…veryunfortableposition.”
“telle.”
“ihaveaessagefrohenrik.hethanksyoufortheoutstandingworkyoudidandsaysthatheconsidersthecontractfulfilled.thateansheisreleasingyoufroanyfurtherobligationsandthatyounolongerhavetoliveorworkhereinhedestad,etc.so,takingeffectiediately,youcanovebacktostockholanddevoteyourselftoyourotherpursuits.”
“hewantsetovanishfrothescene,isthatthegistofit？”
“absolutelynot.hewantsyoutovisithiforaconversationaboutthefuture.hesayshehopesthathisinvolveentontheboardofmillenniucanproceedwithoutrestrictions.but…”
frodelookedevenoreunfortable,ifthatwaspossible.
“don’ttelle,dirch…henolongerwantsetowriteahistoryofthevangerfaily.”
dirchfrodenodded.hepickedupanote,openedit,andpusheditovertomikael.
“hewroteyouthisletter.”
dearmikael,
ihavenothingbutrespectforyourintegrity,andidon’tintendtoinsultyoubytryingtotellyouwhattowrite.youaywriteandpublishwhateveryoulike,andiwon’texertanypressureonyouwhatsoever.
ourcontractreainsvalid,ifyouwanttocontinue.youhaveenoughaterialtofinishthechronicleofthevangerfaily.
mikael,i’veneverbeggedanyoneforanythinginyentirelife.i’vealwaysthoughtthatapersonshouldfollowhisoralsandhisconvictions.thistieihavenochoice.
ia,withthisletter,beggingyou,bothasafriendandaspartownerofmillenniu,torefrainfropublishingthetruthaboutgottfriedandmartin.iknowthat’swrong,butiseenowayoutofthisdarkness.ihavetochoosebetweentwoevils,andinthiscasetherearenowinners.
ibegyounottowriteanythingthatwouldfurtherhurtharriet.youknowfirst-handwhatit’sliketobethesubjectofaediacapaign.thecapaignagainstyouwasofquiteodestproportions.youcansurelyiaginewhatitwouldbelikeforharrietifthetruthweretoeout.shehasbeentorentedforfortyyearsandshouldn’thavetosufferanyoreforthedeedsthatherbrotherandherfatheritted.andibegyoutothinkthroughtheconsequencesthisstoryighthaveforthethousandsofeployeesinthepany.thiscouldcrushherandannihilateus.
henrik
“henrikalsosaysthatifyourequirepensationforfinanciallossesthatayarisefroyourrefrainingfropublishingthestory,heisentirelyopentodiscussion.youcansetanyfinancialdeandsyouthinkfit.”
“henrikvangeristryingtoshuteup.tellhithatiwishhehadnevergivenethisoffer.”
“thesituationisjustastroublesoeforhenrikasitisforyou.helikesyouveryuchandconsidersyouhisfriend.”
“henrikvangerisacleverbastard,”blokvistsaid.hewassuddenlyfurious.“hewantstohushupthestory.he’splayingonyeotionsandheknowsilikehitoo.andwhathe’salsosayingisthatihaveafreehan. comublish,andifidosohewouldhavetorevisehisattitudetowardsmillenniu.”
“everythingchangedwhenharrietsteppedontothestage.”
“andnowhenrikisfeelingoutwhatypricetagightbe.idon’tintendtohangharrietouttodry,butsoebodyhastosaysoethingaboutthewoenwhodiedinmartin’sbaseent.dirch,wedon’tevenknowhowanywoenhetorturedandslaughtered.whoisgoingtospeakupontheirbehalf？”
salanderlookedupfroherputer.hervoicewasalostinaudibleasshesaidtofrode,“isn’tthereanyoneinyourpanywho’sgoingtotrytoshuteup？”
frodelookedastonished.onceagainhehadanagedtoignoreherexistence.
“ifmartinvangerwerealiveatthisoent,iwouldhavehunghiouttodry,”shewenton.“whateveragreeentmikaeladewithyou,iwouldhavesenteverydetailabouthitothenearesteveningpaper.andificould,iwouldhavestuckhidowninhisowntortureholeandtiedhitothattableandstuckneedlesthroughhisballs.unfortunatelyhe’sdead.”
sheturnedtoblokvist.
“i’satisfiedwiththesolution.nothingwedocanrepairtheharthatmartinvangerdidtohisvictis.butaninterestingsituationhaseup.you’reinapositionwhereyoucancontinuetoharinnocentwoen—especiallythatharrietwhoyousowarlydefendedinthecaronthewayuphere.soyquestiontoyouis:whichisworse—thefactthatmartinvangerrapedheroutinthecabinorthatyou’regoingtodoitinprint？youhaveafinedilea.maybetheethicsitteeofthejournalistsassociationcangiveyousoeguidance.”
shepaused.blokvistcouldnoteethergaze.hestareddownatthetable.
“buti’notajournalist,”shesaidatlast.
“whatdoyouwant？”dirchfrodeasked.
“martinvideotapedhisvictis.iwantyoutodoyourdanedesttoidentifyasanyasyoucanandseetoitthattheirfailiesreceivesuitablepensation.andtheniwantthevangercorporationtodonate2illionkronorannuallyandinperpetuitytothenationalanisationforwoen’scrisiscentresandgirls’crisiscentresinsweden.”
frodeweighedthepricetagforainute.thenhenodded.
“canyoulivewiththat,mikael？”salandersaid.
blokvistfeltonlydespair.hisprofessionallifehehaddevotedtouncoveringthingswhichotherpeoplehadtriedtohide,andhecouldnotbepartytothecoveringupoftheappallingcriesittedinmartinvanger’sbaseent.hewhohadlabastedhiscolleaguesfornotpublishingthetruth,herehesat,discussing,negotiatingeven,theostacabrecover-uphehadeverheardof.
hesatinsilenceforalongtie.thenhenoddedhisassent.
“sobeit,”frodesaid.“andwithregardtohenrik’sofferforfinancialpensation…”
“hecanshoveituphisbackside,anddirch,iwantyoutoleavenow.iunderstandyourposition,butrightnowi’sofuriouswithyouandhenrikandharrietthatifyoustayanylongerweightnotbefriendsanyore.”
frodeadenoovetogo.
“ican’tleaveyet.i’notdone.ihaveanotheressagetodeliver,andyou’renotgoingtolikethisoneeither.henrikisinsistingthatitellyoutonight.youcangouptothehospitalandflayhitoorroworningifyouwish.”
blokvistlookedupandstaredathi.
frodewenton.“thishasgottobethehardestthingi’veeverdoneinylife.butithinkthatonlypletecandourwithallthecardsonthetablecansavethesituationnow.”
“soit’scandouratlast,isit？”
“whenhenrikconvincedyoutotakethejoblastchristas,”dirchsaid,ignoringhissarcas,“neitherhenorithoughtthatanythingwouldeofit.thatwasexactlywhathesaid,buthewantedtogiveitonelasttry.hehadanalysedyoursituation,particularlywiththehelpofthereportthatfr？kensalanderputtogether.heplayedonyourisolation,heofferedgoodpay,andheusedtherightbait.”
“wennerstr？.”
frodenodded.
“youwerebluffing？”
“no,no,”frodesaid.
salanderraisedaneyebroithinterest.
“henrikisgoingtoakegoodoneverythingheproised.he’sarranginganinterviewandisgoingpublicwithadirectassaultonwennerstr？.youcanhaveallthedetailslater,butroughlythesituationisthis:whenwennerstr？waseployedinthefinancedepartentofthevangercorporation,hespentseveralillionkronorspeculatingonforeigncurrency.thiswaslongbeforeforeignexchangefuturesbecaetherage.hedidthiswithoutauthority.onedealafteranotherwentbad,andhewassittingtherewithalossofsevenillionkronorthathetriedtocoverup.partlybycookingthesandpartlybyspeculatingevenharder.itinevitablycaetolightandhewassacked.”
“didheakeanyprofithiself？”
“ohyes,headeoffwithabouthalfaillionkronor,whichironicallyenoughbecaetheseedoneyforthewennerstr？group.wehavedocuentationforallofthis.youcanusetherationhoweveryoulike,andhenrikwillbackuptheausationspublicly.but…”
“but,andit’sabigbut,dirch,therationisworthless,”blokvistsaid,slainghisfistonthetable.“itallhappenedthirty-plusyearsagoandit’saclosed.”
“you’llgetconfirationthatwennerstr？isacrook.”
“thatwillannoywennerstr？whenitesout,butitwon’tdaagehianyorethanadirecthitfroapeashooter.he’sgoingtoshufflethedeckbyputtingoutapressreleasesayingthathenrikvangerisanoldhas-beenwho’sstilltryingtostealsoebusinessfrohi,andthenhe’llprobablyclaithathewasactingonordersfrohenrik.evenifhecan’tprovehisinnocence,hecanlaydownenoughsokescreensthatno-onewilltakethestoryseriously.”
frodelookedunhappy.
“youconnede,”blokvistsaid.
“thatwasn’tourintention.”
“iblaeyself.iwasgraspingatstraws,andishouldhaverealiseditwassoethinglikethat.”helaughedabruptly.“henrikisanoldshark.hewassellingaproductandtoldewhatiwantedtohear.it’stieyouwent,dirch.”
“mikael…i’sorrythat…”
“dirch.go.”
salanderdidnotknohethertogoovertoblokvistortoleavehiinpeace.hesolvedtheprobleforherbypickinguphisjacketwithoutawordandslaingthedoorbehindhi.
fororethananhourshewaitedrestlesslyinthekitchen.shefeltsobadthatsheclearedthetableandwashedthedishes—arolesheusuallylefttoblokvist.shewentregularlytothewindowtoseeiftherewasanysignofhi.finallyshewassonervousthatsheputonherjacketandwentouttolookforhi.
firstshewalkedtothearina,wherelightswerestilloninthecabins,buttherewasnosignofhi.shefollowedthepathalongthewaterwheretheyusuallytooktheireveningwalks.martinvanger’shousewasdarkandalreadylookedabandoned.shewentouttotherocksatthepointwheretheyhadoftensattalking,andthenshewentbackhoe.hestillhadnotreturned.
shewenttothechurch.stillnosign.shewasatalosstoknohattodo.thenshewentbacktoherotorcycleandgotaflashlightfrothesaddlebagandsetoffalongthewateragain.ittookherawhiletowindherwayalongthehalf-overgrownroad,andevenlongertofindthepathtogottfried’scabin.itlooedoutofthedarknessbehindsoetreeswhenshehadalostreachedit.hewasnotontheporchandthedoorwaslocked.
shehadturnedtowardsthevillagewhenshe. compedandwentback,allthewayouttothepoint.shecaughtsightofblokvist’ssilhouetteinthedarknessontheendofthejettywhereharrietvangerhaddrownedherfather.shesighedwithrelief.
heheardherasshecaeoutontothejetty,andheturnedaround.shesatdownnexttohiwithoutaword.atlasthebrokethesilence.
“fivee.ihadtobealoneforawhile.”
“iknow.”
shelittwocigarettesandgavehione.blokvistlookedather.salanderwastheostasocialhuanbeinghehadeveret.usuallysheignoredanyatteptonhisparttotalkaboutanythingpersonal,andshehadneveraeptedasingleexpressionofsypathy.shehadsavedhislife,andnowshehadtrackedhiouthereinthenight.heputanararoundher.
“nowiknohatypriceis,”hesaid.“we’veforsakenthosegirls.they’regoingtoburythewholestory.everythinginmartin’sbaseentwillbevacuuedintooblivion.”
salanderdidnotanswer.
“erikawasright,”hesaid.“iwouldhavedoneoregoodifi’dgoosparaonthandthenehoerefreshedandtakenonwennerstr？.i’vewastedalltheseonths.”
“ifyou’dgoospain,martinvangerwouldstillbeoperatinginhisbaseent.”
theysattogetherforalongtiebeforehesuggestedthattheygohoe.
blokvistfellasleepbeforesalander.shelayawakelisteningtohibreathe.afterawhileshewenttothekitchenandsatinthedarkonthekitchenbench,sokingseveralcigarettesasshebrooded.shehadtakenitforgrantedthatvangerandfrodeightconhi.itwasintheirnature.butitwasblokvist’sproble,nothers.orwasit？
atlastsheadeadecision.shestubbedouthercigaretteandwentintothebedroo,turnedonthelap,andshookmikaelawake.itwas2:30intheorning.
“what？”
“i’vegotaquestion.situp.”
blokvistsatup,drunkwithsleep.
“whenyouwereindicted,whydidn’tyoudefendyourself？”
blokvistrubbedhiseyes.helookedattheclock.
“it’salongstory,lisbeth.”
“i’vegottie.telle.”
hesatforalongwhile,ponderingwhatheshouldsay.finallyhedecidedonthetruth.
“ihadnodefence.therationinthearticlewaswrong.”
“whenihackedyourputerandreadyoureailexchangewithberger,therewereplentyofreferencestothewennerstr？affair,butyoutwokeptdiscussingpracticaldetailsaboutthetrialandnothingaboutwhatactuallyhappened.whatwasitthatwentwrong？”
“lisbeth,ican’tlettherealstorygetout.ifellintoatrap.erikaandiarequiteclearthatitwoulddaageourcredibilityevenfurtherifwetoldanyonewhatreallyhappened.”
“listen,kalleblokvist,yesterdayafternoonyousatherepreachingaboutfriendshipandtrustandst
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uff.i’notgoin. comutthestoryonthe.”
blokvistprotested.itwastheiddleofthenight.hecouldnotfacethinkingaboutthewholethingnow.shewentonstubbornlysittingthereuntilhegavein.hewenttothebathrooandwashedhisfaceandputthecoffeepoton.thenhecaebacktothebedandtoldherabouthowhisoldschoolfriendrobertlindberg,inayellowm？lar-30intheguestarinainarhola,hadarousedhiscuriosity.
“youeanthatyourbuddywaslying？”
“no,notatall.hetoldeexactlywhatheknew,andicouldverifyeachandeverywordindocuentsfrotheauditatsib.ievenwenttopolandandphotographedthesheet-etalshackwherethishugebigminospanywashoused.iinterviewedseveralofthepeoplewhohadbeeneployedatthepa