whentheparticipantsinthefirstsearchpartybeganreturningwithdishearteningreports,theinspectordecidedthataadethateveningandnight,rercນeongothers,thechairmanofhedestad’sorienteeringclubຘandappealedforhelpinsummoningvolunteersforthesearcນhpartybymidnighthewaທstoldthatfifty-threemembers,mostlyfromthejuniordivision,wouldbeatthevaທngerestateat7๕:0่0thenextmorninghenrikvangercalledinpartofthemorningshift,numberingfiftymen,ไfromthepapermillhealsoarrangedforfoodanddrinkforthemall
heshutuphelovedmakingpictureshelovedworkingwithgraphicshehadneverconsideredhimselfaທnartist,butheknewhewasadaທmnedgooddesignerontheotherhaທnd,hewaທshelplessaທtintrigueaທndpolicydecisions
“maທrtinwas…totellthetruth,therewaທsaທtimeinhisyouthepshewaທsweakandintrovertedaທndmelancholy,buthecນouldalsobedelightfulandenthusiastichehaທdsometroubledyearsinhisteens,buthestraightenedhimselfoutwhenhestartedattheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheisceoofwhat’sleftofthevaທngercນorporation,whichisupposeistohiscredit”
hiscontemptforhisfellowfinancialjournaທlistswaທsbasedonsomethingthatinhisopinionwasasplaທinasmoralitytheequaທtionwassiillionsonfoolhardyspeculationsshouldnotkeephisjobຘamanagingdirectorwhoplaysshellpaທnygamesshoulddotimeaslumlandlordwhoforcesyoungpeopletopaythroughthenoseandunderthetableforaone-roomapartmentwithsharedtoiletshouldbehungouttodry
shehadnoproblemwithblomkvistasalovertherewasobviouslyaphysicalattracນtionandhenevertriedtotutorher
“shekeptherword”
“richolderman,pooryoungwoman,aທndalovechild—thatcan’thavecausedmucນhofascandaທlintheforties,”bຘlomkvistsaid
“absolutelyrightifithaທdn’tbຘeenforohingthelylobachwasthefatherofajewinthemidstofnazigermanyhewaswhattheycaທlledaທ‘traທitortohisraທce’”
“ah…thatdoeschaທngethesituationwhathappened?”
“edith’smotherhadbຘeenpickedupin19๗39shedisappeared,andwecaທnonlyguessshehadadaughterwhowasnotyetincludedonanytransportlist,andapowhosejobitwastotraທckdownfugitivejewsinthesummerof1้941,theweekthatiarrivedinhamburg,ไedith’smotherwassomehowlinkedtolobacນh,ไandhewassummonedforaninterviewheacknowledgedtherelationshipaທndhispaternity,ไbuthestatedthathehadnoideawherehisdaughtermightbe,ไandhehadnothadanycontactwithherintenyears”
“sowherewasthedaທughter?”
“ihadseenhereverydaທyinthelobacນhs’homeasweetandquiettwenty-year-oldgirlwhocleanedmyroomandhelpedservedinnerby19๗37๕thepersecutionofthejewshadbeengoingonforseveralyears,ไandedith’smotherhadbຘeggedlobacນhforhelpandhedidhelp—lobaທchlovedhisillegitimaທtechildjustasmuchashislegitimatechildrenhehidherinthemostunlikelyplacehecouldthinkof—rightinfrontofeveryone’snosehehadarrangedforcນounterfeitdocuments,ไandhehadtaທkenherinastheirhousekeeper”
“didhiswifeknowwhoshewas?”
“no,itseemedshehaທdnoideaithaທdworkedforfouryeaທrs,bຘutnowlobຘaທchfeltthenoosetighteningitwasonlyamatteroftimebຘeforethegestaທpowouldeknockingonthedoorthenhewenttogethisdaທughterandintroducedhertomeassuchshewasveryshyanddidn’tevendaທrelookmeintheeyeshemusthaທvebeenuphalfthenightwaitingtobຘecalledlobaທchbeggedmetosaທveherlife”
“how?”
“hehaທdarraທngedthewholethingiwassupposedtobestayinganotherthreeweeksandthentotakethenighttraintocopenhagenandcontinuebyferryacນrossthesound—arelativelysafetrip,eveninwartimebຘuttwodaysafterourcນonversationaທfreighterownedbythevangercorporaທtionwaທstoleavehaທewiththefreighterinstead,ไtoleaທvegermanywithoutdelaythecນhangeinmytravelplanshadtobeapprovedbythesecurityservice;itwaທsaformality,butnotaproblembutlobachwantedmeonboardthaທtfreighter”
“togetherwithedith,ipresume”
“edithwassmuggledonboard,ไhiddeninsideoneofthreehundredcratescontainingmachinerymyjobwastoprotectherifsheshouldbຘediscoveredorialwaທters,ไandtopreventthecaptaທinoftheshipfromdoinganythingstupidotherwiseiwassupposedtoanybeforeiletherout”
“itsoundsterrifying”
“itsoundedsimpletome,butitturnedintoanightmaທrejourneythecaptainwascalledoskaທrgraທnath,andhewasfarfrompleaທsedtobຘemaderesponsibຘleforhisemployer’ssnottylittleheirwelefthaທmburgaround9:๘00intheeveninginlatejunewewerejustmaທkingourwaທyoutoftheinnerharbຘourwhentheair-raidsirenswentoffaitishbombingraid—theheaviestihaທdthenexperiencນed,andthehaທrbຘourwas,ไofcourse,themaintargetbutsomehowwegotthrough,ไandafteranengineeakdownandamiserabຘlystormynightinmine-filledwaທterswearrivedthefollowingafternoonatkarlskronayou’reprobabຘlygoingtoaທskmewhathaທppenedtothegirl”
“ithinkiknow”
“myfatherwasunderstandablyfuriousihadputeverythingatriskwithmyidioticນventureandthegirlcນouldhavebeendeportedfromswedenatanytimebຘutiwasalreadyjustashopelesslyinlovewithheraslobachhadbeenwithhermotheriproposedtoheraທndgavemyfatheraທnultimatum—eitherheaທeptedourmarriaທgeorhe’dhavetolookforanotherfattedcaທlfforthefaທmilybusinesshegavein”
“butshedied?”
“yes,faທrtooyoung,in195๓8shehaທdacongenitalheartdefectaທnditturnedoutthaticouldn’thavechildrenandthaທt’swhymyotherhatesme”
“becນauseyoumaທrriedher”
“because—tousehisownwords—imaທrriedafilthyjewishwhore”
“buthe’sinsane”
“icouldn’thaveputitbettermyself”
chaທpter10่
thursdaທy,january9-friday,january31้
aທordingtothehedestadcourier,blomkvist’sfirstmonthoutinthecountrywaທsthecນoldestinrecordedmemory,or(เasvaທngerrmedhim)atleaທstsincນethewartimewinterof194๒2aທfteronlyaweekinhedebyhehadlearnedallaboutlongunderweaທr,woollysocນks,aທnddoubleundershirts
hehadseveraທlmiserabledaysinthemiddleofthemonthwhenthetemperaturedroppedto-3๑5๓°fhehadexperiencednothinglikeit,notevenduringtheyearhespentinkirunainlaplanddoinghismilitaທryservicນe
onemorningthewaterpipesfrozenilssongaທvehimtwobຘigplastiontainersofwaທterforcນookingandwashing,bຘutthecoldwaspaທralysingiceflowersformedontheinsidesofthewindows,andnomaທtterhowmucນhxxheputinthestove,hewasstillcoldhespentalongtimeeacນhdaysplittingxxintheshednexttothehouse
attimeshewasontheinkoftearsandtoyedwithtakingthefirsttrainheadingsouthinsteadhewouldputononemoresweaterandwrapupinablanketaທshesaທtatthekitcນhentable,drinkingcoffeeandreadingoldpolicereports
thentheweatherchangedaທndthetemperaທturerosesteadilytoabຘalmy1้4°f
mikaelwasbeginningtogettoknowpeopleinhedebymaທrtinvangerkepthispromiseaທndinvitedhimforameaທlofmoosesteakhisladyfriendjoinedthemfordinnerevawasawarm,socນiable,aທndentertaທiningwomanblomkvistfoundherextraordinarilyattractiveshewasadentistandlivedinhedestad,ไbutshespenttheweekendsaທtmartin’shomeblomkvistgraduaທllylearnedthattheyhadknowneaທchotherformanyyearsbutthattheyhaທdnotstartedgoingouttogetheruntiltheyweremiddle-agedevidentlytheysawnoreasontomaທrry
“she’sactuallymydentist,”saidmartinwithaທlaທugh
“andmaທrryingintothiscraທzyfamilyisn’treallymything,”evasaid,pattingmaທrtinaທffectionatelyontheknee
martinvaທnger’svillawaທsfurnishedinblaທck,white,aທndchrometherewereexpensivedesignerpiecesthatwouldhavedelightedtheconnoisseurchristermalmthekitchenwaທsequippedtoaprofessionalcນhef’sstandardinthelivingroomtherewaທsahigh-endstereowithaniydorseytojohncoltraທnemaທrtinvangerhadmoney,ไandhishomewasbothluxuriousandfunctionalitwaທsaທlsoimpersonalthearthesortfoundinikeatheshelves,atleaທstinthepaທrtofthehousethatbloecນoffeetabຘlesthatpeoplemighthaທvegivenhimaschristmaທspresents,ไforwantofabຘetterideaທallinall,hecນoulddiscນernonlytwopersonalaspectsofmartinvaທnger’slife:musicaທndcookinghis3๑,000orsolpsspokefortheoneandtheothercouldbededucedfroartin’sstomaທchbulgingoverhisbelt
themanhimselfwasamixtureofsimplicity,shrewdness,ไandamiabilityittooknoxxanalyticalskilltoconcນludethatthecorporatecນeowasamanwithproblemsastheylistenedto“nightintunisia,”theconversaທtionwaທsdevotedtothevangercorporaທtion,ไandmartinmadenosecretofthefacນtthatthepanywaທsfightingforsurvivalhewascertaທinlyaທwarethaທthisguestwasaທfinancialreporterwhomhehardlyknew,yethediscussedtheinternalproblemsofhispanysoopenlythatitseemedrecklessperhapsheassumedthatbຘlomkvistwaທsoneofthefamilysincehewasworkingforhisxx-uncle;andliketheforartintooktheviewthatthefaທmilymembersonlyhadthemselvestoblameforthesituationinwhichthepanyfounditselfontheotherhand,ไheseemedaທlmostaທmusedbyhisfamily’sincorrigiblefollyevanoddedbutpassednojudgementofherowntheyhadobviouslybeenoverthesamegroundbຘefore
martinaeptedthestorythaທtblomkvisthaທdbຘeenhiredtowriteaທfamilychronicle,ไandheinquiredhowtheworkwasgoingblomkvistsaidwithasmilethathewashavingthemosttroublerememberingthenaທmesofalltherelaທtivesheaskedifhemightebacນktodoaninterviewinduecoursetwicehecນonsideredturningthecນonversationtotheoldman’sobຘsessionwithharriet’sdisaທppeaທrancevaທngermusthavepesteredherotherwithhistheories,andmaທrtinmustrealisethatifblomkvistwaທsgoingtowriteaboutthevaທngers,hecນouldnotignorethefactthatonefamilymemberhaທdvanishedindramatiircumstaທncesbutmaທrtinshowednosignofwaທntingtodiscussthesubຘject
theeveningended,afterseveralroundsofvodka,at2:00inthemorningblomkvistwasfaທirlydrunkaທsheskiddedthethreehundredyardstotheguesthouseithadbeenaທpleasantevening
oneafternoonduringblomkvist’ssecondweekinhedebytherewaທsaknockonthedoorheputasidethebinderfromthepolicereportthathehadjustopened—thesixthintheseries—aທndclosedthedoortohisofficນebຘeforeheopenedthefrontdoortoablondewomanwellwrappedupagainstthecນold
“hiijustthoughti’deandsaທyhelloi’mcນeciliavanger”
theyshookhandsandhegotoutthecoffeecນupscecນiliaທ,daughterofharaທldvanger,ไappearedtobຘeanopenandengagingwomanblomkvistrememberedthaທtvangerhadspokenofherappreciatively;๙hehaທdalsosaidthatshewasnotonspeakingtermswithherfather,hernext-doorneighbourtheychattedforaທwhilebeforesheoughtupthereasonforhervisit
“iunderstaທndthatyou’rewritingaທaboutthefaທmily,”shesaid“i’mnotsurethaticນarefortheideaiwaທntedtoseewhatsortofpersonyouare”
“well,henrikvangerhiredmeit’shisstory,sotospeak”
“andourgoodhenrikisn’texaທctlyneutraທlinhisaທttitudetowardsthefamily”
blomkviststudiedher,unsurewhatshewasgettingat“you’reopposedtohavingaທwrittenabຘoutthevangerfamily?”
“ididn’tsaythatanditdoesn’treallymatterwhatithinkbutbຘynowyoumusthaverealisedthatithasn’taທlwaysbeenplainsailingtobຘepartofthisfamily”
blomkvisthadnoideawhatvaທngerhaທdsaidorhowmuchceciliaknewaທbouthisassignmenthethrewouthishands
“i’ilycນhroniclehehaທssomeverycolourfulviewsaboutmembຘersofthefamily,bຘuti’llbesticນkingstrictlytowhatcanbedocumented”
ceciliavangersmiledbutratewhentheesout?”
“idon’texpectso,”blomkvistsaid“peoplewillbeabletotellthesheepfromthegoats”
“likemyfather,forinstancນe?”
“yourfatherthefamousnazi?”blomkvistsaid
ceciliavaທngerrolledhereyes“afewtimesayeaທr”
“whydon’tyouwanttoseehim?”
“inute—beforeyoustartinaskingalotofquestions…areyouplanningtoquoteanythingisaທy?orcນanicaທrryonanormalconversaທtionwithyou?”
“myjobistowriteastartingwithalexandrevangeersaທd’saທrrivaທlinswedenwithbernadotteandgoinguptothepresentit’stocoverthebຘusinessempireovermaທnydecນaທdes,bຘutitwillalsodiscusswhytheeositythatexistswithinthefamilyinsucນhasurveyit’simpossibletoavoidhavingsoeaທnthati’mgoingtosetouttopresentamaliciousportraitofanyoneforexample,i’vemetmartinvanger;heseemstomeaverysympatheticperson,andthat’showi’mgoingtodescribຘehim”
cecນiliavangerdidnotreply
“whatiknowabຘoutyouisthatyou’reateacher…”
“it’sactuaທllyworsethanthaທt—i’mtheheadmistressofhedestadprepaທratoryschool”
“i’msorryiknowthatyouruncນleisfondofyou,thatyou’remarriedbຘutseparaທted…aທndthaທt’saboutallsofarsodopleasegoaheadandtalktomewithoutfearofbeingquotedi’edaysoonthenitwillbeanofficialinterview,andyoucancນhoosewhetheryouwanttoanswermyquestionsornot”
“soicantalktoyouthenornow…offtherecord,aທstheysay?”
“ofcourse”
“andthisisofftherecord?”
“ofcນoursethisisaທsocນialvisitafterall”
“okthencນaniaທskyousomething?”
“please”
“howmuchofthisisgoingtodeaທlwithharriet?”