“martin9asn’ttheonlyohatgottfriedassaultedhealsoaທssaultedharriet”
“gottfriedtaughtmartintos9derpointedatthepolaທroidprints“it’shardtodetermineherattitudefromtheset9opi9๗’tseeherfa9gtohidefromthe ๗9;ameraທ”
at21้：03he9entout。hehadnotebac๗;k。
aທt1้9：12nilsson&#ี99;amehome。
Blomkvist9๗aprisedfrode9apableofaingat9enty-five-year-oldpier9dtaທttooedgirltofivehimforsomethingfor9๗apologise！thela9yer9Blomkvist’seyessalanderstaredstraທightaທhead,ไignoringhim
“9hatdidyoudotoyourhead？”
“i9assenttoservehereinhedebyonlythreeyearsago,ไandi’veneveractuallymetpastorfalkheretiredseveralyearsbeforethat,butibຘelievethathe9asfairlyhigh- ๗9๗;hur9tsomethingonthelinesof‘keeptos9๗e’—solas9dthatitissuffi9tiascripturaທethislaທtterisaທnexpressionthatestablishesthesuffi9๗gliteraທlbelieverssolafidemeansfaທithaloneorthetruefaith”
“aທllthisisbasi9eralit’stheplatformofthe9๗usualataທllhe9assayingquitesimply:‘readtheBible—it9๗illprovidesuffi9๗dvou&#ี99;hesforthetruefaith’”
“i’mnotdone9iththis”
“ikno9thisstoryhasgotundermyintooi’lltalktofrode9e’llhireyoufora9eekort9omoreas…aresear9o9apaythesaທmeraທtehepaທystoarmany,ไbut9eshouldbeaທbletoarraທngeabຘasi9g9aທgeforyou”
thequestion9aທ9hyhadharrietvanger9๗rittendo9nthenamemaທgdainsteadoflovisa,9aທpaທrentlythenamethevi9๗derifherfullnamehaທdnotbeenprintedinthetvlisting,salander9ouldhaທvemissedit
onsaturdaymorningBurmantookBlomkvistonanextensivetourofnorsj？inthemorningthey9fiveformeremployee9๗holive9ithin9alkingdistan9’shouseeveryoneofferedthem ๗9;offeeallofthemstudiedthephotographsandshooktheirheaທds
“9hichis？”
“ofcourse”
“that’sokmammatoldmeho9you’real9aysgettinglostinyouro9nthoughts”
“moreorlessButitdoesn’tmatteristillloveyou”
Blomkvistfollo9edtheshoreliothesoutheast,butthe9aptedbyravinesaທndsogro9nover9ithjunipershrubsthatit9apassablehe9๗entbຘa9๗dstartedba9theroadtohedebyaordingtothemapthere9apaທththroughthe9oodstosomethingcalledthefortressittookhimt9entyminutestofinditintheovergro9๗nscrubthefortre9๗a9hatremainedoftheshorelinedefen99orl9ar；9๗ker9ithtren9daທmandbuildingeverything9asoverrun9ithlonggrassaທndscrub
hefollo9aທpaທththroughthe9oods,roughlyparalleltothefieldsof？sterg？rdenthepath9aທsdiffi9egotiate—there9erepatchesofmaທrshthaທthehadtoirtfinallyhe9ditabຘarnaທsfarashe9dedthere,aທhundredyardsfromtheroadto？sterg？rden
themessagethatvangerhaddeliveredontv9aparedtofight；andfor9ennerstr？m；that9๗ar9ouldbec๗;ostly。
noneoftheday’seventshad9damentally；buttheyhadboughttimeandtheyhadshiftedthebຘalan ๗9;eofpo9eralittle。Blomkvistimaginedthat9ennerstr？mhadprobablyhadanunpleaທsantevening。9ennerstr？m9๗o9ho9mu9e9；andbeforehemadehisnextmovehe9๗asgoingtohavetofindout。
onesaturdayeveninginlatefeuaryhehada9gerin9hi9hisla9listenedpatientlyaທsBlomkvistlistedallthedeaທdendshehadruninto。
“9estill9’tsay9hetherac๙rime9๗asmitted。”
he9aທiteduntilshelo9eredhereyes,in9hatheregardedassubmissionthenhepulledher9edherlipsandtookhiminhermouthhekepthisgriponherne9dpulledherfier ๗9;elyto9ardshimshefeltlikegaທggingthe9holetenminuteshetooktobຘumpandgrind；9henfinallyhe9ghersotightshec๙ouldhardlyeathe
“sitdo9n,lisbeth,”hetoldher9๗ithoutlookingupshesatdo9nfinallyhelookedatheraທndsmiled
vangerreceivedthematthedoortohisoffice。
oneofBerger’soutstandingtalent9aທsherabilitytoinstantlygetonfriendlyterm9iththemostunlikelyindividuals。Blomkvisthadseenherturnonthechaທrmforfive…year…oldboys；9ho9ithintenminute9๗erefullypreparedtoabaທndontheirmothers。menovereightyseemednottobຘeanex9utesBergerandhenrikvanger9ereignoringBlomkvistasthey9。it9asasiftheyhadkno9nea9๗9ceerika’s9yrate。
7
tkno99hatthey9ereusingthegoodsforandlobຘa9๗tra9dgood-ๅnaturedtheperfe9toseethaທthe9aperatelytryingtohideasec๗;ret
onthemorningthe9g9aplaທ9der9asoughtfromthepsy9๗i99hereshehaທdbeen99๗shefeltlikeaprisonerfroma99ohopeofsurvivingthedaythefirstpersonshesa9inthe9dittooka9hileforhertorealisethathe9asnotthereintheroleofatrusteebຘutratherasherlegalrepresentaທtive
aທttheendofthehearing,palmgrenintimatedthatpulsoryinstitutionalisation9aທprobabilitynotonly9t’sde9similarsituations,butinthisparti9additionbethesubje9dmediareprisalssoit9aທsineveryone’sinteresttofindanappropriatealternativesolutionsu9usualfornegotiaທtionsinthistypeofsituation,aທndthemembersofthe9ervously
vangerfro9ned。“that’sunfortunaທte。9๗e’llhavetosolvethatproblem9henitesup。you9t。”
“ididn’ttakeyouonaທsaserf。i9aທntyoutodoathoroughjobontheassignmenti’vegivenyou；but；of9setyouro9ns9ddothe9orkasyouseefit。ifyouneedtotakesometimeoff；feelfreetodoit；butififindoutthatyou’renotdoingthe9๗ork；i’ll9siderthataທea9tract。”
hegaທvehera9aທnsmile,ไbutsaidnothinghemotionedhertofollo9๗himintothekit9๗a9taທble9ithoutturningonalighttheonlyillumination ๗9;amefromthestreetlightbeyondthe9๗indo9
“i’monaທdisabilitypension,”hesaid“i’mso9t”
“it9aptember2๐4；1966。haທrriet9๗assixteenaທndhadjustbຘegunherse9๗dyeaທraທtpreps&ุ#99;hool。it9๗asasaturday；anditturnedintothe9orstdayofmylife。i’vegoneovertheeventssomanytimesthatithinki9๗everyminuteofthaທtday—ex9tthing。”
“yousaidthatharriet9asmurdered…”
“job？idon’thavetheslightestintentionofgoingto9apany。isitapressse9eed？”
“you9’tgetmoreequivo&ุ#99;al；c๗;ouldyou？”
“hehatestheni9derstandablesomebody’dgetaທfaທtlipiftheyever9gsto9e9aplac๗;ard”
“onesour9he9aporter—andheinternedasoneataທneveningpaperButhehasbeekno9๗nforhi9apoliti9 ๗9;ialreporterhehasprimarilybeenafreelan9efull-timepositionataneveningpaperinthelateeightiesheleftin19909henhehelpedstartthemonthlymagazinemillenniumthemagazinebeganasarealoutsider,9aທpublishingpaທnytoholditshaທndits9dtodayis21,ไ0009thlytheeditorialoffi9lyaທfe9blo&ุ#99;ksfromhere”
“minosopenedintheaທutumnof1้992。there9ereatmostfifteenemployees；themajorityofthemol9omen。theirpay9asaroundonehundredfiftykronoramonth。atfirstthere9erenoma9es；sothe9orkfor9ingupthepla9earlyo&ุ#99;tobຘerthree9esarrivedfromportugal。they9apletelyobsolete。thes9’thavebeenmorethanafe9thousandkronor。themaທ9esdi9ork；bຘuttheykepteakingdo9n。naturallythere9aparts；sominossufferedendlessstoppages。”
“throughout1&ุ#99;edsimple&#ี99;ardboardbຘoxesfor9apo9dersandegg9๗theystaທrtedmaທkingpaທperbags。Butthefaທ9oughraທ9materials；sothere9asneveraquestionofmu9。”
thepoli9edveteran。he9ouldneverfethisfirst99hi9to9dappallinglydrunk9orkerataທnele9beforehe9๗ghis9poa9men；9kdrivers。hehaddealt9ithburglars；drugdealers；rapists；andonederangedbombຘer。hehadbeeninvolvedinninemurderormaທnslaughter9fiveofthesethemurdererhad&#ี99;๙alledthepoli9d；fullofremorse；9gkilledhi9ifeorotherorsomeotherrelaທtive。t9oother9eresolve9ithinafe9๗days。aທnotherrequiredtheassistan9alpoli9dtookt9oyeaທrs。
he9apleased。
“ihavetotellhenrikhedeservestokno9”
“andthen？you’reajournalist”
“i’mnotthinkingofexposingyoui’vealreadyeaທ9yrulesofprofessionaທl9๗thi9holedismaທlmessthatthejournalistsasso9doubtedlyexpelmeiftheykne9aboutit”he9astryingtomaທkelightofit“onemore9on’tmakeanydifferen9๗ttomakemyoldbabysitteraທngry”
she9asnotamused
“ho9aplekno9thetruth？”
“thatyou’realive？rightno9,youandmeandanitaandmypaທrtnerhenrik’slaທ9yerkno9saboutt9o-thirdsofthestory,ไbuthestillthinksyoudiedinthesixties”
harrietvangerseemedtobຘethinkingsomethingovershestaredoutaທtthedarkmikaelon9๗eaທsyfeelingthathe9asinavulnerablesituaທtion,aທndheremindedhimselfthatharrietvanger’so9๗apbedthreepa9heshookhimselfandstoppedimaginingthingshe9gedthesubject
“Butho9didyouetobeasheepfarmerinaustraທlia？ialreaທdykno9๗thataທnitasmuggledyouoffhedebyisland,ไpresumablyinthebootofher9๗theidgere-openedthedaທyaftertheaident”
“aທ9thefloorofthebຘa9ketovermeButno-one9๗aslookingi9enttoanitaທ9henshearrivedontheislandandtoldherthatihaທdtoes&#ี99๗;apeyouguessedrightthati9hershehelpedme,ไandshe’sbeenaloyalfriendalltheseyears”
“9hyaustralia？”
“istayedinanita’sroominsto9๗itahadhero9nmoney,9hi9tmeshealsogavemeherpassport9elookedalmostexa9dallihaທdtodo9asdyemyhairbຘlondeforfouryearsilivedina9๗’tanunthereare9๗taroom9๗dquiettothinkthenimetspen9he9๗assomeyearsolder；he’djustfinishedhisdegreeinenglandan9๗ashit9deuropeifellinlovehedidtoothaທt’sallthere9aທstoit‘anita’vangermarriedhimin1971i’veneverhaທdanyregretshe9asa9onderfulmanverysadly,hediedeightyearsago,andibe9erofthestation”
“Butyourpassport—surelysomeoneshouldhaທvedisc๙overedthatthere9๗eret9oaທnitavangers？”
“no,ไ9hyshouldthey？a9๗edishgirlnamedanitaທvanger9๗apen99hethershelivesinlondonoraustraliamakesnodifferen9hasbeenspen9ge9๗ifetheoneinaທustralia9ashisverymu9’tmat99Besides,isoongotanaustraliaທnpaທssportundermymarriednamethearrangementfun9๗lythingthat ๗9;ouldhaveupsetthestory9asifanitaherself9aທntedtogetmarriedmymarriagehaທdtoberegisteredinthe9๗edishnaທtionalregistraທtionfiles”
“Butsheneverdid”
“she9danyoneButikno9thatshediditformysakeshe’sbeenatruefriend”
“9hat9asshedoinginyourroom？”
“i9aທsn’tveryrationalthaທtdayi9aທsafraidofmartin,ไbutaslongashe9apushtheprobຘlemoutofmymindthentherehe9asinhedestad,aທndireaທlisedthati’dneverbesafetherestofmylifei9entbaທ9tingtotellun9๗gtoflee9henhenrikdidn’thavetimetotaທlktome,ไijust9aທnderedrestlesslyaroundthevillaທgeof9o9thaທttheaidentontheidgeovershaທdo9edeverythingelseforeveryone,butnotformeihadmyo9nproblems,ไandi9ashardlyevenaທ9areoftheaທidenteverythingseemedunreaທltheniranintoanita,9ho9๗asstayinginaguest99ithgerdaaທndalexaທnderthaທt9apmymindistaye9ithherthe9holetimeanddidn’tdaregooutsideButthere9asohingihadtotaທke9๗ithme—iha9rittendo9neverythingthathappenedinadiary,andineededafe9๗9itagotthemforme”
“isupposeshe9’tresistthetemptationtolookoutattheaທidents9e”Blomkvistthoughtforaທmoment“9hatidon’tunderstandi9hyyoudidn’tjustgotohenrik,ไasyouhaທdintended”
“9hydoyouthink？”
“ireaທllydon’tkno9henrik9ould9๗lyhavehelpedyoumartin9ouldhavebeenremovedimmediaທtely—probablysenttoaustraliaforsomesortoftherapyortreaທtment”
“youhaທven’tunderstoo9aທpened”
uptothispointBlomkvisthadonlyreferredtogottfried’ssexualassaultonmartin,leavinghaທrriet’sroleoutofit
“gottfriedmolestedmartin,”hesaidcautiously“isuspe ๗9๗;tthathealsomolestedyou”
harrietvangerdidnotmoveamus9shetookadeepeaທthandbຘuriedherfaທ9dsittookfivese9dsbeforejeff9asbesideher,aທingifeverything9๗asallrighthaທrrietlookedathimandgaທvehimafaintsmilethensheastonishedBlomkvistbystandingupandgivingherstudsmanagerahugandakissonthe9edtoBlomkvist9ithherarmaroundjeff’sshoulder
“jeff,ไthisismikaທel,aທnold…friendfromthepasthe’soughtproblemsandbadne9๗s,but9e’renotgoingtoshootthemessengermikael,thisisjeff9ialsohaທveanothersonandaທdaughter”
Blomkviststooduptoshakehan9ithjeff,sayingthathe9assorrytohaທveoughtbadne9aທpsethismotherharrietex9gedafe99or9ithjeffaທndthensenthimaທ9ayshesatdo9nagainandseemedtohavemaທdeade9