第 52 部分阅读
bergerandmalweretakingcareoftheannualchristasarrangeentswhileblokvistsatinerika’schair,drinkinggl？ggandlookingon.allthestaffandanyoftheregularfreelancerswouldreceiveachristasgift—thisyearashoulderbagwiththenewmillenniupublishinghouselogo.afterwrappingthepresents,theysatdowntowriteandstapabout200cardstosen. comrintingpanies,photographers,andediacolleagues.
blokvisttriedforthelongesttietowithstandtheteptationbutfinallyhecouldn’tresist.hepickeduptheverylastcardandwrote:merrychristasandhappynewyear.thanksforyoursplendideffortsduringthepastyear.
hesignedhisnaeandaddressedthecardtojannedahlan,c/otheeditorialofficesofmonopolyfinancialmagazine.
whenblokvistgothoethateveningtherewasaslipnotifyinghiofapostalpackage.hewen. comickitupthenextorning,openingitwhenhegottotheoffice.thepackagecontainedaosquito-repellentstickandabottleofreiersholsaquavit.thecardread:ifyoudon’thaveotherplans,i’llbedockedatarholaonmidsuereve.itwassignedrobertlindberg.
traditionallythemillenniuofficeswereclosedtheweekbeforechristasandthroughthenewyear’sholiday.thisyearitdidnotworkoutthatway.thestrainonthesallstaffhadbeenenorous,andjournalistswerestillcallingfroallovertheworldonadailybasis.itwasthedaybeforechristasevewhenblokvist,alostbychance,happenedtoreadanarticleinthefinancialtiessuingupthefindingsoftheinternationalbankingissionthathadbeenestablishedinallhastetoscrutinisethecollapseofthewennerstr？epire.thearticlesaidthattheissionwasworkingonthehypothesisthatwennerstr？hadprobablybeentippedoffatthelastinuteabouttheipendingdisclosures.
hisaountatbankofkroenenfeldinthecayanislands,containing￥260illion—approxiately2.5billionswedishkronor—hadbeeneptiedthedaybeforemillenniupublisheditsexposé.
theoneyhadbeenspreadoveranuberofaounts,andonlywennerstr？personallycouldakewithdrawals.hedidnothavetobepresentatthebank；itwasenoughforh. comresentaseriesofclearingcodesinordertotransfertheoneytoanybankintheworld.theoneyhadbeentransferredtoswitzerland,whereafealeassociatehadconvertedthefundsintoanonyousprivatebonds.alltheclearingcodeswereinorder.
europolhadlaunchedasearchforthewoanwhohadusedastolenbritishpassportinthenaeofmonicasholesandwhowassaidtohavelivedalifeofluxuryatoneofzurich’sostexpensivehotels.arelativelyclearpicture,consideringthatitcaefroasurveillancecaera,showedashortwoanwithablondepage-boy,widelips,andproinentbreastswearingfashionabledesignerclothesandgoldjewellery.
blokviststudiedthepicture,givingitfirstaquickglanceandthenlookingatitwithincreasingsuspicion.afterseveralsecondsheruagedinhisdeskforaagnifyingglassandtriedtoakeoutthedetailsofthefacialfeaturesinthenewspaper’sscreenediage.
atlastheputdownthepaperandsatthere,speechless,forseveralinutes.thenhestartedlaughingsohystericallythatmalstuckhisheadroundthedoortofindoutwhatwasgoingon.
ontheorningofchristaseveblokvistwentoutto？rstatoseehisex-wifeandhisdaughter,pernilla,andexchangegifts.pernillagottheputershewanted,whichblokvistandmonicahadboughttogether.blokvistgotatiefromonicaandadetectivenovelby？keedwardsonfrohisdaughter.unlikethepreviouschristas,theywereinhighspiritsbecauseoftheedia
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draathathadbeenplayingoutaroundmillenniu.
theyhadlunchtogether.blokviststoleasidelongglanceatpernilla.hehadnotseenhisdaughtersincesheturneduptovisithiinhedestad.herealisedthathehadfailedtodiscussheraniaforthatsectinskellefte？withherother.hecouldnottellthethatitwashisdaughter’sobviouslyprofoundknowledgeofthebiblethathadsethiontherighttrackregardingharrietvanger’sdisappearance.hehadnottalkedtohisdaughtersincethen.
hewasnotagoodfather.
hekissedhisdaughtergoodbyeafterthelunchandetsalanderatslussen.theywentouttosandhan.theyhadnotseenuchofeachothersincethemillenniubobexploded.theyarrivedlateonchristaseveandstayedfortheholidays.
blokvistwasentertainingpany,asalways,butsalanderhadanuneasyfeelingthathewaslookingatherwithanespeciallyoddexpressionwhenshepaidbacktheloanwithachequefor120,000kronor.
theytookawalktotrovillandback,hadchristasdinnerattheinn,andwentbacktothecabinwheretheylitafireinthewoodstove,putonanelviscd,anddevotedtheselvestosoeplainoldsex.whensalanderfrotietotiecaeupforair,shetriedtoanalyseherfeelings.
shehadnoproblewithblokvistasalover.therewasobviouslyaphysicalattraction.andhenevertriedtotutorher.
herproblewasthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhi.notsincebeforereachingpubertyhadsheloweredherguardtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhi.tobequitehonest,hehadatryingabilit. comerateherdefencesandtogethertotalkaboutpersonalattersandprivatefeelings.eventhoughshehadenoughsensetoignoreostofhisquestions,shetalkedaboutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,evenunderthreatofdeath,haveiagineddoingwithanyotherperson.itfrightenedherandadeherfeelnakedandvulnerabletohiswill.
atthesaetie—whenshelookeddownathissluberingforandlistenedtohisnoring—shefeltthatshehadneverbeforeinherlifehadsuchatrustinanotherhuanbeing.shekneithabsolutecertaintythatmikaelwouldneverusewhatheknewabouthertohurther.itwasnotinhisnature.
theonlythingtheyneverdiscussedwastheirrelationshiptoeachother.shedidnotdare,andblokvistneverbroachedthesubject.
atsoepointontheorningoftheseconddayshecaetoaterrifyingrealisation.shehadnoideahowithadhappenedorhowshewassupposedtocopewithit.shewasinloveforthefirsttieinherlife.
thathewasalosttwiceheragedidnotbotherher.nordidthefactthatattheoenthewasoneoftheostnewsworthypeopleinsweden,andhispicturewasevenonthecoverofnewsweek—thatwasalljustsoapopera.butblokvistwasnoeroticfantasyordaydrea.itwouldhavetoetoanend.itcouldnotpossiblyworkout.whatdidheneedherfor？maybeshewasjustawa. comassthetiewhilehewaitedforsoeonewhoselifewasnotafuckingrathole.
whatshehadrealisedwasthatlovewasthatoentwhenyourheartwasabouttoburst.
whenblokvistwokeuplatethatorning,shehadadecoffeeandbeenouttobuybreakfastrolls.hejoinedheratthetableandnoticedatoncethatsoethinginherattitudehadchanged—shewasabitorereserved.whenheaskedherifanythingwaswrong,shegavehianeutral,unprehendinglook.
onthefirstdaybetweenchristasandnewyear’s,blokvisttookthetrainuptohedestad.hewaswearinghiswarestclothesandhisproperwintershoeswhenfrodeethiatthestationandquietlycongratulatedhiontheediasuess.itwasthefirsttiesinceaugustthathehadvisitedhedestad,anditwasalostexactlyoneyearagosincehehadvisiteditforthefirsttie.theychattedpolitely,buttherewasalsoagreatdealthathadgoneunsaidbetweenthe,andblokvistfeltunfortable.
everythinghadbeenprepared,andthebusinesswithfrodetookonlyafewinutes.frodeofferedtodeposittheoneyinaconvenientforeignbankaount,butblokvistinsistedthatitshouldbepaidlikeanoral,legitiatefeetohispany.
“ican’taffordanyothertypeofpayent,”hesaidcurtlywhenfrodepersisted.
thepurposeofhisvisitwasnotsolelyfinancial.blokvisthadleftclothes,s,andanuberofhisownthingsinthecottagewhenheandsalanderhadabandonedhedebyingreathaste.
vangerwasstillfrailafterhisillness,buthewasathoe.hewasbeinglookedafterbyaprivatenurse,whorefusedtoallowhitotakelongwalks,orwalkupstairs,ordiscussanythingthatightupsethi.duringtheholidayshehadalsoedownwithaslightcoldandwasorderedtobed.
“besideswhich,she’sexpensive,”vangerplained.
blokvistknewthattheoldancouldaffordanysuchexpense—consideringhowanykronorhehadwrittenoffhistaxesallhislife.vangergavehiasullenlookuntilhestartedlaughing.
“whatthehell,youwerewortheverykrona.iknewyouwouldbe.”
“totellyouthetruth,ineverthoughti’dsolveit.”
“ihavenointentionofthankingyou,”vangersaid.
“ididn’texpectyouwould.i’justheretotellyouthaticonsiderthejobdone.”
vangercurledhislips.“youhaven’tfinishedthejob,”hesaid.
“iknowthat.”
“youhaven’twrittenthevangerfailychronicle,whichwasagreed.”
“iknowthat.i’notgoingtowriteit.infact,ican’twriteit.ican’twriteaboutthevangerfailyandleaveouttheostcentraleventofthepastdecades.howcouldiwriteachapteraboutmartin’speriodasceoandpretendthatidon’tknohat’sinhisbaseent？ialsocan’twritethestorywithoutdestroyingharriet’slifealloveragain.”
“iunderstandyourdilea,andi’gratefulforthedecisionthatyou’veade.”
“congratulations.you’veanagedtocorrupte.i’goingtodestroyallynotesandthetaperecordingsi’veadeofourconversations.”
“idon’tthinkthatyou’vebeencorrupted,”vangersaid.
“that’swhatitfeelslike.andithinkthat’swhatitis.”
“youhadtochoosebetweenyourroleasajournalistandyourroleasahuanbeing.icouldneverhaveboughtyoursilence.andi’quitecertainthatyouwouldhaveexposedusifharriethadturnedoutinsoewaytohavebeeniplicated,orifyouthoughtiwasacretin.”
blokvistdidnotreply.
“we’vetoldceciliathewholestory.frodeandiwillsoonbegone,andharrietisgoingtoneedsupportfrosoeoneinthefaily.ceciliawillplayanactiveroleontheboard.sheandharrietwillbeinchargeofthefirfronowon.”
“howdidshetakeit？”
“shewasveryshaken.shewentabroadforawhile.iwasevenafraidshewouldn’teback.”
“butshedid.”
“martinwasoneofthefewpeopleinourfailythatceciliaalwaysgotalongwith.itwasveryhardforhertofindoutthetruthabouthi.shealsoknowsnohatyoudidforthefaily.”
blokvistshrugged.
“sothankyou,mikael,”vangersaid.
“besides,icouldn’twritethestorybecausei’vehadituptoherewiththevangerfaily.buttelle,howdoesitfeeltobeceoagain？”
“it’sonlyteporary,but…iwishiwereyounger.i’onlyworkingthreehoursaday.alltheeetingsareheldinthisroo,anddirchhassteppedinagainasyenforcerifanyoneactsup.”
“thejuniorexecutivesustbequakingintheirboots.ittookeawhiletorealisethatdirchwasn’tjustanoldsweetieofafinancialadviserbutalsosoeonewhosolvesproblesforyou.”
“exactly.butalldecisionsareadewithharriet,andshe’stheonewho’sdoingthelegworkintheoffice.”
“howarethingsgoingforher？”
“sheinheritedbothherbrother’sandherother’sshares.shecontrolsabout33percentofthecorporation.”
“isthatenough？”
“idon’tknow.birgeristryingtotripherup.alexanderhasseenthathehasachancetoakeanipactandhasalliedhiselfwithbirger.mybrotherharaldhascancerandwon’tliveuchlonger.hewastheonlyreainingpersonwithlargeshareholdingsof7percent,whichhischildrenwillinherit.ceciliaandanitawillbeonharriet’sside.”
“thentogetheryou’llcontrol,what,45percent.”
“thatkindofvotingcartelhasneverexistedwithinthefailybefore.plentyofshareholderswithoneandtwopercentwillvoteagainstus.harrietisgoingtosueedeasceoinfebruary.”
“thatwon’takeherhappy.”
“no,butit’snecessary.wehavetotakeinsoenewpartnersandnewblood.wealsohavethechancetocollaboratewithherpanyinaustralia.therearepossibilities.”
“where’sharriettoday？”
“you’reoutofluck.she’sinlondon.butshewouldveryuchliketoseeyou.”
“i’llseeheratourboardeetinginjanuaryifshe’sgoingtotakeyourplace.”
“iknow.”
“ithinkthatsherealisesthatiwillneverdiscusswhathappenedinthesixtieswithanyoneexceptforerikaberger,andidon’tseewhyerikaneedstoknow.”
“shedoes.you’reapersonwithorals,mikael.”
“butalsotellherthateverythingshedoesfronowoncouldendupintheagazine.thevangercorporationwon’thaveafreepassfroscrutiny.”
“i’llwarnher.”
blokvistleftvangerwhenhestartedtodozeoff.hepackedhisbelongingsintotwosuitcases.asheclosedthedoortothecottageforthelasttie,hepausedandthenwentovertocecilia’shouseandknocked.shewasnothoe.hetookouthispocketcalendar,toreoutapage,andwrote:iwishyouallthebest.trytofivee.mikael.heputthenoteinherletterbox.anelectrihristascandleshoneinthekitchenwindowofmartinvanger’septyhouse.
hetookthelasttrainbacktostockhol.
duringtheholidayssalandertunedouttherestoftheworld.shedidnotanswerhertelephoneandshedidnotturnonherputer.shespenttwodayswashinglaundry,scrubbing,andcleaningupherapartent.year-oldpizzaboxesandnewspaperswerebundledupandcarrieddownstairs.shedraggedoutatotalofsixblackrubbishbagsandtwentypaperbagsfullofnewspapers.shefeltasifshehaddecidedtostartanewlife.shethoughtaboutbuyinganewapartent—whenshefoundsoethingsuitable—butfornowheroldplacewouldbeoredazzlinglycleanthanshecouldeverreeber.
thenshesatasifparalysed,thinking.shehadneverinherlifefeltsuchalonging.shewantedmikaelblokvisttoringthedoorbelland…whatthen？liftherofftheground,holdherinhisars？passionatelytakeherintothebedrooandtearoffherclothes？no,shereallyjustwantedhispany.shewantedtohearhisaythathelikedherforwhoshewas.thatshewassoeonespecialinhisworldandinhislife.shewantedhitogivehersoegestureoflove,notjustoffriendshipandpanionship.i’flippingout,shethought.
shehadnofaithinherself.blokvistlivedinaworldpopulatedbypeoplewithrespectablejobs,peoplewithorderlylivesandlotsofgrown-uppoints.hisfriendsdidthings,wentontv,andshapedtheheadlines.whatdoyouneedefor？salander’sgreatestfear,whichwassohugeandsoblackthatitwasofphobicproportions,wasthatpeoplewouldlaughatherfeelings.andallofasuddenallhercarefullyconstructedself-confidenceseeedtocruble.
that’swhensheadeupherind.ittookherseveralhourstoobilisethenecessarycourage,butshehadtoseehiandtellhihowshefelt.
anythingelsewouldbeunbearable.
sheneededsoeexcusetoknockonhisdoor.shehadnotgivenhianychristaspresent,butsheknehatshewasgoingtobuy.inajunkshopshehadseenanuberofetaladvertisingsignsfrothefifties,withebossediages.oneofthesignsshowedelvispresleywithaguitaronhishipandacartoonballoonwiththewordsheartbreakhotel.shehadnosenseforinteriordesign,butevenshecouldtellthatthesignwouldbeperfectforthecabininsandhan.itcost780kronor,andonprincipleshehaggledandgotthepriceknockeddownto700.shehaditwrapped,putitunderherar,andheadedovertohisplaceonbellansgatan.
athornsgatanshehappenedtoglancetowardskaffebarandsawblokvistingoutwithbergerintow.hesaidsoething,andshelaughed,puttingherararoundhiswaistandkissinghischeek.theyturneddownbr？nnkyrkagataninthedirectionofbellansgatan.theirbodylanguageleftnorooforisinterpretations—itwasobviouswhattheyhadinind.
thepainwassoiediateandsofiercethatlisbeth. compedinid-stride,incapableofoveent.partofherwantedtorushafterthe.shewantedtotaketheetalsignandusethesharpedgetocleaveberger’sheadintwo.shedidnothingasthoughtsswirledthroughherind.analysisofconsequences.finallyshecaleddown.
“whatapatheticfoolyouare,salander,”shesaidoutloud.
sheturnedonherheelandwenthoetohernewlyspotlessapartent.asshepassedzinkensda,itstartedtosnow.shetossedelvisintoadupster.
anoteabouttheauthor
stieglarssonwastheeditorinchiefoftheantiracistagazineexpo,andfortwentyyearsthegraphicseditorataswedishnewsagency.aleadingexpertonantideocratic,right-wingextreistandnazianizations,hediedin2004.
thisisaborzoi
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aaknopf.
originallypublishedinswedenasm？nsohatarkvinnorbynorstedts,stockhol,in2005.publishedwithagreeentofnorstedtsagency.copyright？2005bynorstedtsagency.thistranslationoriginallypublishedingreatbritainbymaclehosepress,aniprintofquercus,london.publishedbyarrangeentwithquercuspublishingplc.
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