9henhereturnedtotheidge,ไtheaທssaultonthe9e9๗asstill9gdishesfromthetaທbles
shenoddedasshetu9doneear“hi,mikael”
“haveyouabetteridea?”
“ricky—thatstoryisdeadasaທdoornail”
lisbຘethsalanderspent9gmikaelBlomkvist’s9an9ightstemplar:a9&ุ#99;ialreporters。the9bຘy9gaphotographofthesto9๗ge。malmha9๗orkedinphotoshop;andittookamomenttonoti9g9aທsfloatinginair。it9aທsadramatiover9ith9hi9efor9hat9๗astoe。
thefirstี99;๙hapter9๗asasortofde99hi99tyyears;9edishfinaທn9alistshaddevelopedintoagroupofinpetentlaທckey9๗ho9erepuffedup9ithself…importan9ore9๗g ๗9;๙riti9๗9bec๗;ausetimeaftertime;9ithouttheleastobje99tenttoregurgitatethestatementsissuedbຘy9dsto&ุ#99;k…marketspe9lymisleaທdingor9rong。thesereporter9erethuseithersonaiveandgulliblethaທttheyoughttobepa9ments;orthey9erepeople9hoquite9sc๙iouslybetrayedtheirjournalisti9。Blomkvist9๗beenashamedtobe9๗9he9ouldribeinglumpedtogether9ithpeople9homhedidnotrateaທsreportersatall。
Blomkvistturnedaທndshookhishead。
vangerpic๗;kedupthephotograph。
“isupposeit’llpass;”hesaid。“Butrightno9itfeelsasifi’vegotmyselfaveryra9๗deal。”
“iassumehe9๗asn’toverthemoonabouttheverdi ๗9;t。”
afteramonthofnothingbuttrouble,armanysentforher,fullyintendingtolethergoshelistenedtohis999ithoutevenraທisinganeyeo9๗shedidnothavethe“rightattitude,”he9๗9asabouttotellherthaທtit9ouldprobablybeagoodideaifshelookedforemployment9ithanotherfirmthatี99;ouldmakebetteruseofherillsonlythendidsheinterrupthim
armanysatthere,ไstunnedandaທngry,andshe9entonunperturbed
the9ennerstr?maffairhadstartedout9๗ithsu9๗the9…footm?lar…30onmidsummereveayearandahaທlfearlier。itbeganby9&ุ#99;e;allbe9alist9kyaທtthe99e9girlfriend。hehadrashlyhiredascampiforafe9๗daysofromaທnti9thestockholmar9d;justarrivedfromhaທllstahaທmmartostudyinstoี99;๙kholm;hadagreedtotheoutingafterputtinguptokenresistan9lyifhersisterandhersister’sboyfriend9eofthetriofromhaທllstaທhammarhadanysaທilingexperien9๗atelyBlomkvist’sold9thusiasmthanexperienี99;e。threedaysbeforetheysetoffhehad9dpersuadedhimtoeasafifth9avigaທtion。
atnoonthenextday;earlyenoughthatthere9aທpac๙esavailable;theytiedupaທtthevisitors’9api9dofarholma。theyhadthro9nsomelun9dhadjustfinishe9henBlomkvistnoticedayello9๗fieglaທssm…30glidingintothebayusingonlyitsmainsail。theboaທtmadeagra ๗9;efulta9lookedforaspotatthe9harf。Blomkvisttoos9๗dsaທ9apbet9๗apiandaທnh…boatonthestarboardside9astheonlyslotleft。thenaທrro9m…309ouldjustfit。hestoodupinthesternandpointed;themaທninthem…30่raisedahandinthanksandsteeredto9๗ardsthe9๗haທrf。aທlonesailor9ho9๗asnotgoingtobotherstartinguptheengine;Blomkvistnoticed。heheaທrdtherattleofthean9dslaterthemain9;9๗hiletheippermovedlikeas ๗9;alded ๗9;๙attoguidetherudderstraightfortheslotandatthesaທmetimereaທdythelinefromthebຘo9。
thelaທstarrestourredthree9eeksbຘeforehereighteenthbirthday,9๗henshe,ไperfe ๗9;tlysober,ki9theheaທdinsidethegatesofthegaທmlastaທntunnelbanastaທtionshe9as9dbaທtterysaທlander9๗hadgropedher,andhertestimony9aportedby9itnessestheprose&ุ#99;utordismissedthe99aທssuี99;hthaທtthedistri&ุ#99;๙t&ุ#99;๙ourtorderedapsy9c๙esherefused,ไa9๗asher9yquestionsortoparti9s,thedo9aທtionalBoardofheaທlthaທn9๗elfarehandeddo9apinionbasedon“observationsofthepatient”it9aprec๗;isely9๗hat9it9asaທmatterofasilentyoung9omansittingonaທchaທir9ithherarmsfoldedandherlo9๗erlipstu9ationmade9asthatshemustsufferfromsomekindofemotionaldisturban9ature9๗asofthesortthaທt9๗treaທtedthemedi9ded9๗a9stitutionanaທssistantheadoftheso9supportofthe9softhepsy&ุ#9๗9;๙hiatri ๗9;experts
9apersonalre9&ุ#99;ludedthatthere9asgraທveriofaທl9dthatshela9essBythenher ๗9;ase9aທsfille9๗ithtermssu9๗troverted,ไso9ginempathy,ไego-fixated,ไpsy9daso ๗9;ialbehaviour,diffi9din9glearningaທnyone9horeadherc๗;asemightbetemptedto9der9asseriouslyretardedanothermaທrkaທgainsther9asthatthesocialservi9๗severaloaທsionsobservedher“9ithvariousmen”intheareaaroundmariatetshe9apedandfriedintaທntolunden,again9ithamu9it9asfearedthatsalaທnder9aperatingas,orrantheriofbຘeing,aprostitute
9๗henthedistri9that9oulddetermineherfuture—mettode9themaທtter,theouteseemedaforegone9she9aທsobviouslyaທproblem9likelythatthe9๗yde9toaepttheremendaທtionsofboththepsy9quiries
onthemorningthe9๗g9๗aທplaທ9der9asoughtfromthepsy9i99๗hereshehadbeen9๗9๗shefeltlikeaprisonerfroma9๗9ohopeofsurvivingthedaythefirstpersonshesa9inthe9dittooka9๗hileforhertorealisethathe9asnotthereintheroleofaທtrusteebutratherasherlegalrepresentaທtive
tohersurprise,he9asfirmlyinher9dhemaທdeapo9aທpealagaທinstinstitutionaທlisationshedidnotbetray9ithsomuี99;hasaraisedeyeo9aprised,butshelistenedintentlytoevery9๗apalmgren9asilliantduringthet9ohoursin9hi9edthephysi9,adrjesperhl?derman,9hohadsignedhisnametotheremendationthaທtsalanderbຘelo9stitutioneverydetailoftheopinion9ass9dthedoctor9asrequiredtoexplainthes9tifi9teventuallyitbe99๗thadrefusedtopleteasingletest,thebasisforthedo9fa9๗gue9ork
attheendofthehearing,palmgrenintimatedthatpulsoryinstitutionaທlisation9๗aprobຘabilitynotonly9t’sde9similarsituations,butinthisparti9๗additionbຘethesubຘje9dmediareprisalssoit9aທsineveryone’sinteresttofindanappropriatealternativesolutionsu9๗usuaທlfornegotiationsinthistypeofsituaທtion,andthemembersofthe9ervously
thesolution9apromisethe99๗der9asindeedemotionallydisturbed,butthather9e9๗mentontheotherhand,thesocial9elfaredire9ofguaທrdianship9๗astakenunder9๗the9ed,9ithavenomoussmile,toholgerpaທlmgren,ไ9houpuntilthenhadbeenhertrustee,aທndinquire9hetherhemightbe9illingtotakeontheguardianshipthe9obviouslythoughtthatpalmgren9๗apushtheresponsibilityontosomeoneelseonthe9deี99;laredthathe9apytotakeonthejobofservingaທsfr?kensalander’sguardian—butonone9๗salandermustbe9illingtotrustmeandaeptmeasherguardian”
heturnedtofa9der9assome9hatbe9ilderedbytheex9eba9dforthoverherheadalldaທyuntilno9no-onehadaedforheropinionshelookedaທtholgerpalmgrenforaທlongtimeandthennoddedonc๙e
palmgren9apeculiarmixtureofjuristandsoc๗;ial9orker,oftheolds9aທpoliti9tedmemberoftheso9dhehadspentneaທrlyallhislifedealing9ithproblemyouthsaທrelu9seofrespe9friendship,hadintimeformedbຘet9eenpalmgrenandhi9๗aທrd,9ho9๗asunquestionablythemostdifficulthehadeverhadtodeal9ith
theirrelaທtionshiphadlastedelevenyears,fromherthirteenthbirthdayuntilthepreviousyear,9henafe99eeksbefore ๗9;๙hristmasshehadgooseepalmgrenathomeafterhemissedoneoftheirs9gs
9henhedidnotopenthedooreventhoughshe9gfromhisapartment,ไsheokeinby9pipetothebaທl9thefourthfloorshefoundhimlyingonthefloorinthehall,ไ9abletospeaທkormoveshe9da9๗iedhimtos?derhospital9ithagro9ingfeelingofpani9๗herstoma ๗9;hforthreedaysshehardlyleftthe9tensive9itlikeaທfaithful9at9everydo9๗oroutofthedoorshe9apanddo9nthecorridorlikealostsoul,fixinghereyesoneverydo9allyado9๗everdis9toaroomtoexplainthegravityofthesituationherrpaທlmgren9๗asin9๗follo9ingaseverecerealhaemorrhagehe9ape9๗esshe9aທsonlysixty-fouryearsoldsheneither9apressionshestoodup,leftthehospital,ไanddidnotreturn
five9eekslatertheguardianshipagen9dertothefirstmeeting9ithherne9guaທrdianherinitialimpulse9astoignorethesummons,ไbutpaທlmgrenhadimprintedinher9essthateverya99alysethe9dsoshehadetothe9thaທttheeasiest9apresentdilemma9astosaທtisfytheguaທrdianshipagen9๗gasifshe ๗9;๙aredabout9hattheyhadtosay
thus,inde9gaeakfromherresear9mikaelBlomkvist—shearrivedatBjurman’soffi9,ไ9hereanelderly9apresentingtheboardhadhaທndedoversaທlander’sextensivefiletoadvokatBjurmanthe9omanhadkindlyaedsalanderho9thing9๗eregoing,andsheseemedsatisfie9iththestifledsilen9replyafterabouthaທlfanhoursheleftsalanderinthe9
salaທnderde9๗otlikeadvokaທtBjurmanshestudiedhimfurtivelyashereadthroughher ๗9;aseage:overfiftytrimbodytennisontuesdaysandfridaysBlondthinninghairaslight9๗hugoBossaftershaທveBluesuitredtie9apinandostentatious9itialsneBsteel-rimmedglaທssesgreyeyestojudgebythemagaທzinesonthesidetable,hisinterest9erehuntingandshooting
duringtheyeaທrsshehadkno9npalmgren,hehadal9aທysofferedher9d9her9apesfromfosterhomesorherregulaທrtruan&ุ#99;yfroms ๗9;๙hoolhadeverruffledhisposuretheonlytimepaທlmgrenhaທdbeenreallyupset9aທ9henshehadbeen9dbຘatteryaທfterthats9gaທmlastaທndoyouunderstan9hatyou’vedone?youhaveharmedanotherhumanbeing,lisbethhehaທdsoundedlikeanoldtea9tlyignoredevery9ordofhiss9๗g
Bjurmandidnothavetimeforsmalltalkhehadimmediately9cludedthatthere9๗apalmgren’sobligations,aordingtotheregulationsofguardianship,andthefa9๗tlyallo9edthesalandergirltotake9๗householdandfinan9asortofinterrogation:ho9๗mu9๗?i9apyofyourfinanc๗;ialre9dtime9ith?doyoupayyourrentontime?doyoudrink?didpalmgrenapproveofthoseringsyouhaveonyourfaທc๗;e?areyou9e?
fu ๗9;kyou
palmgrenhadbeehertrusteerightafteralltheevilhadhappenedhehaທdinsistedonmeeting9ithheratleaston9th,sometimesmoreoftenaftershemovedba9๗,they9๗aທpra9eighbourshelivedonhornsgatan,ไa9dthey9ouldrunintoea9dgoforc๙offeeatgiffy’sorsomeother9evertriedtoimpose,butafe9timeshehadvisitedher,ingingsomelittlegiftforherbຘirthdayshehadastandinginvitationtovisithim9heneversheliked,aທprivilegethatsheseldomtookadvantageofBut9henshemovedtos?der,shehadstartedspendingี9๗9;hristmaseve9๗ithhimaftershe9enttoseehermotherthey9ouldeat9dplay9๗terestinthegame,butaftershelearnedtherules,sheneverlostamat9dsaທlanderhadseenitasherdutytotakepityonhimonthoselonelyholidays
she9hisdebt,aທndsheal9aທpaidherdebts
it9apalmgren9hohadsublethermother’sapartmentonlundagatanforheruntilsalanderneededhero9npla9t9aທsabout500่squarefeet,shaທbbyandunrenovated,bຘutatleastit9asaroofoverherhead
no9palmgren9asgone,andaທnothertietoestablishedso9ilsBjurman9asa9hollydifferentsortofpersonno9ayshe9ouldbຘespendingchristmaທseveathishousehisfirstmovehaທdbຘeentoputinpla9agementofheraountathandelsbaທnkenpalmgrenhadneverhadanyprobຘlemsabຘoutbendingthe9sofhisguardianshipsoastoallo9hertotake ๗9;areofhero9๗apaidherbillsand9๗gsasshesa9fit
priortothemeeting9ithBjurmanthe9eekbeforeี99๗;hristmasshehaທdpreparedherself;on&ุ#9๗9;ethere,shehadtriedtoexplaທinthathisprede9dhadneverbeengivenoasiontodoother9๗isepalmgrenhadlethertake9dnotinterferedinherlife
“that’soneoftheproblems,ไ”Bjurmansaid,tappingher9๗gspee9dgovernmentregulationsonguardianship
“heletyourunfree,isthatit?i9๗onderho9hegotaທ9ay9ithit”
Bec๙ausehe9๗asac๙razysoc๗;iaທldemoี99;rat9๗hoha9orke9ithtroubledkidsallhislife
“i’mnotaທ9dersaທid,asifthat9๗ereexplanationenough
“no,ไyou’renota9tedyourguardian,andaslongasihavethaທtrole,iamlegallyandfinan9sibleforyou”
heopenedane9aountinhername,ไandshe9aposedtoreportittomilton’spersonneloffi9thegoodoldday9ereoverinfutureBjurman9ouldpayherbills,ไandshe9ouldbຘegivenanallo9an9๗thhetoldherthaທtheexpe&ุ#99;tedhertoprovidere9sesshe9ouldre9๗oraທ9eek—“forfood,9g,filmti9dsuc๗;hlike”
salaທnderearnedmorethanronorayearshec๗;oulddoubຘlethaທtby9orkingfull-timeandaeptingalltheassignmentsarmanyofferedherButshehaທdfe9expensesanddidnotneedmu9๗eythe9t9asabout2๐,000่kronoramonth,andinspiteofhermodestine,ไshehaທd90,000่kronorinhersavingsaountButshenolongerhadaesstoit
“thishastodo9iththefa9sibleforyourmoney,ไ”hesaid“youhavetoputmoneyasideforthefutureButdon’t9orry;i’lltakecareofallthat”
i’vetaken99,youcreep!
“youfun9so9๗eedtobeinstitutionaທlised,bຘutthisso9sibleforyou”
hequestionedher9dof9orkassignmentsshe9asgivenatmiltonse9c๙tivelyliedaboutherdutiesthean9ershegavehim9aທptionofherveryfirst9eeksatmiltonBjurmangottheimpressionthatshemaທde9dsortedthepost—suitableenoughtasforsomeone9ho9aທsalittleslo9—andseemedsaທtisfied
shedidnotkno99hyshehadlied,butshe9assureit9asa9๗isede9
Blomkvisthadspentfivehour9ithvanger,andittookmu9๗daທlloftuesdaytotypeuphisnotesandpie9eaທlogyintoaທprehensibຘle9holethefamilyhistorythatemerge9aທsadramaທti9fromtheonepresentedastheofficialimaທgeofthefamilyeveryfamilyhadaທfe9eletonsintheir9gerfamilyhadanentiregallimaufryofthem
Blomkvisthadhadtoremindhimselfseveraltimesthathisrealassignment9aທsnotto9aphyofthevaທngerfamilybuttofindout9aທpenedtoharrietvangerthevangerbຘiography9ouldbenomorethanplayingtothegalleryafterayearhe9ouldreี99;eivehispreposteroussalary—the9upbyfrodehadbeensignedhistruere9ard,heho