herproblemwaທsthatshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhimnotsincebeforereachingpubertyhaທdsheloweredherguardtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhimtobequitehonest,hehaທdatryingabຘilitytoperateherdefencesandtogethertotalkaທboutpersonalmattersandprivatefeelingseventhoughshehadenoughsensetoignoremostofhisquestions,shetaທlkedabຘoutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,evenunderthreatofdeath,haveimagineddoingwithanyotherpersonitfrightenedheraທndmadeherfeelnakedandvulnerabletohiswill
herproblemwaທsthaທtshecouldnotinterpretherownfeelingsforhimnotsincebຘeforereachingpubertyhadsheloweredherguardtoletanotherpersongetsocloseasshehadwithhimtobຘequitehonest,ไhehadatryingabຘilitytoperaທteherdefencesandtogethertotaທlkaທboutpersonalmaທttersandprivatefeelingseventhoughshehadenoughsensetoignoremostofhisquestions,shetaທlkedabຘoutherselfinawaythatshewouldnever,evenunderthreatofdeaທth,haveimagineddoingwithanyotherpersonitfrightenedherandmaທdeherfeelnakedandvulnerabຘletohiswill
“goon,ไ”blomkvistsaທid
“inshort,theniwaschildless—instrikingcontrasttomyothersaທndotherfaທmilymembers,whoseemedobsessedwiththeneedtopropagatethehouseofvaທngergottfriedandisabellaທdidmovehere,ไbuttheirmaທrriagewasontherocksaທfteronlyayeaທrgottfriedmovedouttohiscນabinhelivedtherealoneforlongperiodsaທndwentbຘacນktoisabellawhenitgottoocolditookcນareofmartinaທndharriet,ไandtheybຘecameinmanywaysthechildrenineverhad
“martinwas…totellthetruth,therewasaທtimeinhisyouthepshewasweakandintrovertedandmelancholy,bຘuthecນouldalsobedelightfulandenthusiastichehadsometroubledyearsinhisteens,buthestraightenedhimselfoutwhenhestartedattheuniversityheis…well,inspiteofeverythingheisceoofwhat’sleftofthevangercorporaທtion,whichisupposeistohiscredit”
“aທndharriet?”
“harrietwastheappleofmyeyeitriedtogiveheraທsenseofsecurityanddevelopherself-confidence,ไandwetookalikingtoeachotherilookedonheraທsmyowndaughter,aທndsheendedupbeingclosertomethaທntoherparentsyousee,ไhaທrrietwasveryspeciaທlshewaທsintroverted—likeherother—andaທsateenagershebecamewrappedupinreligion,unlikeanyoneelseinthefamilybutshehadacleartalentandshewastremendouslyintelligentshehadbothmoralsandbackbonewhenshewasfourteenorfifteeniwasconvincedthatshewastheone—aທndnotherotheroranyofthee—whowaທsdestinedtorunthevangerbຘusinessoneday,oratleastplayacentralroleinit”
“sowhathappened?”
“nowweetotherealreaທsoniwanttohireyouiwantyoutofindoutwhointhefamilymurderedharriet,ไandwhosincethenhasspentalmostfortyyearstryingtodrivemeinsane”
chapter5
thursdaທy,decembຘer26๔
forthefirsttimesincນehebeganhismonologue,ไtheoldmanhadmanagedtotakeblomkvistbysurprisehehaທdtoaskhimtorepeaທtittobesurehehadheardcນorrectlynothinginthecuttingshadhintedaທtamurder
“itwasseptember2๐4,1966๔harrietwaທssixteenaທndhadjustbegunhersecondyearatprepschoolitwasasaturday,aທnditturnedintotheworstdayofmylifei’vegoneovertheeventssomanytimesthaທtithinkicນanaountforwhathappenedineveryportantthing”
hemaທdeasweepinggesture“hereinthishouseaxxnumberofmyfamilyhadgathereditwastheloaທthsomeannualdinneritwasatraທditionwhichmyfaທther’sfaທtherintroducedandwhichgeneraທllyturnedintoprettydetestableaທffaທirsthetraditioncametoanendintheeighties,whenmartinsimplydecreedthaທtalldiscນussionsaboutthebຘusinesswouldtakeplaທceatregularboardmeetingsandbyvotingthat’sthebຘestdecisionheevermaທde”
“yousaທidthathaທrrietwasmurdered…”
“etellyouwhathappeneditwasaທsaturday,asisaiditwasalsothedayoftheparty,withthechildren’sdaທyparaທdethatwasarraທngedbythesportsclubinhedestadharriethadgoneintothetownduringthedayandwaທtchedtheparadewithsomeofherschoolfriendsshecamebaທckheretohedebyislandjustafter2๐:00intheafternoondinnerwassupposedtobeginaທt5:0่0,ไandshewaທsexpectedtotakepartalongwiththeotheryoungpeopleinthefamily”
vangergotupandwentovertothewindowhemotionedbຘlomkvisttojoinhim,aທndpointed
“at2:๘15,afewaticaidentourredoutthereontheidgeamancalledgustavaronsson,otherofafaທrmeraທt?sterg?rden—asmallholdingonhedebyisland—turnedontotheidgeandcrashedhead-onwithanoiltruckevidentlybothweregoingtoofastandwhatshouldhavebeenaminorcollisionprovedacatastrophethedriverofthetrucນk,presumabຘlyinstinctively,ไturnedhiswheelawayfromthecar,hittherailingoftheidgeandthetankerflippedover;itendedupacrosstheidgewithitstrailerhangingovertheedgeoneoftherailingshadbeendrivenintotheoiltankandflammaທbleheatingoilbegaທnspurtingoutinthemeantimeaທronssonsatpinnedinsidehiscar,screaminginpainthetankerdriverwasalsoinjuredbutmanaທgedtoscrambleoutofhiscaທbin”
theoldmanwentbaທcktohischair
“theaidentacນtuallyhadnothingtodowithharrietbutitwassignificantinacrucialwayashamblesensued:peopleonbຘothsidesoftheidgehurriedtotrytohelp;theriskoffirewassignificນantandamajoralarmwassoundedpoliceofficers,anaທmbຘulancນe,ไtherescuesquad,thefireigade,ไreportersaທndsightseersarrivedinrapidsuessionnaturaທllyallofthemassembledonthemainlandside;hereontheislandsidenaທblydifficulthewaspinnedinandseriouslyinjured
“wetriedtoprisehimloosewithourbaທrehands,andthatdidn’tworkhewouldhavetobecutorsawedout,butwecouldn’tdoanythingthatriskedstrikingaທspark;๙wewerestandinginthemiddleofaseaofoilnexttoatankertrucklyingonitssideifithadexplodedwewouldhaveaທllbeenkilledittookaທlongtimebຘeforewecouldgethelpfromthemainlandside;thetruckwaswedgedrightacນrosstheidge,ไandclimbingoveritwouldhaທvebeenthesaທbຘ”
blomkvistcouldnotresistthefeelingthattheoldmaທnwastellingaທmeticນulouslyrehearsedstory,deliberatelytocapturehisinterestthemanwasanexcellentstoryteller,noquestionontheotherhand,ไwherewasthestoryheading?
“whaທtmattersabຘouttheaidentisthattheidgewaທsblockedfortwenty-fourhoursnotuntilsundayeveningwasthelastoftheoilpumpedout,andthenthetruckcouldbຘeliftedupbycraneandtheidgeopenedfortrafficduringthesetwenty-fourhourshedebyislandwastoallintentsandpurposescutofffromtherestoftheworldtheonlywaທytogetacນrosstothemainlandwaທsonafirebຘoaທtthatwaທsoughtintotransportpeoplefromthesmall-ๅboatharbouronthissidetotheoldharbourbelowthechurchforseveralhourstheboatwasusedonlybyrescuecrews—itwasn’tuntilquitelateonsaturdaynightthatstraທndedislandersbegaທntobeferriedaທcrossdoyouunderstandthesignificanceofthis?”
“iassumethatsomethinghaທppenedtohaທrriethereontheisland,”blomkvistsaid,ไ“andthatthelistofsuspectsconsistsofthefinitenumberofpeopletrappedhereasortoflocked-roommysteryinislandformat?”
vangersmiledironically“mikael,youdon’tknowhowrightyouareevenihavereaທdmydorothysayersthesearethefacນts:harrietarrivedhereontheislaທndabout2:๘10ifwealsoincludechildrenandunmarriedguests,aທllinaທllaboutfortyfamilymembersarrivedinthecourseofthedayalongwithservaທntsandresidents,thereweresixty-fourpeopleeitherhereorneaທrthefaທrmsomeofthem—theoneswhoweregoingtospendthenight—werebusygettingsettledinneighbຘouringfarmsoringuestrooms
“haທrriethadpreviouslylivedinahouseaທcນrosstheroad,butgiventhatneithergottfriednorisabຘellaທwasconsistentlystable,andonecouldclearlyseehowthatupsetthegirl,underminedherstudiesandsoon,in196๔4,whenshewasfourteen,iarrangedforhertomoveintomyhouseisabellaທprobຘablythoughtthatitwaທsjustfiobesparedtheresponsibilityforherdaughterharriethaທdbeenlivinghereforthepasttwoyearssothisishenshecameupthestairs,tothisroom,andsaidhellotomeshesaidthaທtshewantedtotalktomeaboutsomethingrightthenihadsomeotherfamilymembຘerswithmeandicນouldn’tspaທrethetimeforherbutsheseemedanxiousandipromisedi’detoherroomwheniwaທsfreesheleftthroughthatdoor,andthatwasthelasttimeisawheraminuteorsolatertherewasthecນrashontheidgeandthebedlaທmthatfollowedupsetallourplansfortheday”
“howdidshedie?”
“it’smoreplicaທtedthaທnthat,ไaທndihavetotellthestoryinchronologicaທlorderwhentheaidentourred,peopledroppedwhatevertheyweredoingandrantothesceneiwas…isupposeitookchaທrgeaທndwasfeverishlyoupiedforthenextfewhoursharrietcamedowntotheidgerightaway—severaທlpeoplesawher—butthedangerofanexplosionmademeinstructanyonewhowasn’tinvolvedingettingaronssonoutofhiscartostaywellbackfiveofusremainedthereweremyselfaທndmyotherharaldtherewasamaທnnamedmagnusnilsson,oneofmyworkersthereennordlanderwhohadaທhousedownbythefishingharbourandtherewasafellownaທmedjerkeraronssonhewaທsonlysixteen,ไandishouldreallyhavesenthimawaທy,ไbuthewasthenephewofgustavinthecar
“atabout2:40harrietwasinthekitchenhereinthehouseshedrankaglassofmilkandtaທlkedieflytoaທstrid,ourcooktheylookedoutofthewindowaທtthemotiondownattheidge
“at2:55harrietcນrossedthecນourtyardshewasseenbyisaທbellaabຘoutaminutelatersheranintoottofalk,thepastorinhedebຘyatthaທttimetheparsonagewaswheremartinvangerhaທshisvillaທtoday,ไandthepastorlivedonthissideoftheidgehehadbຘeeninbຘed,nursingacນold,whentheaທidenttookplaທce;hehadmissedthedrama,bຘutsomeonehadtelephonedandhewasonhiswaytotheidgeharrietstoppedhimontheroaທdandapparentlywantedtosaysomethingtohim,buthewavedheroffandhurriedpastfaທlkwasthelastpersontoseeheralive”
“howdidshedie?”blomkvistsaທidagain
“idon’tknow,ไ”vangersaທidwithatroubຘledexpression“wedidn’tgetaທronssonoutofhiscນaruntilaround5๓:,althoughhewasnotingoodshape—andsometimeafter6:00thethreatoffirewasconsideredpasttheislandwasstillcນutoff,butthingsbegantocaທlmdoohaທveourlongdelayeddinneraທround8:00thaທtwediscoveredharrietwasmissingisentoneofthecນousinstogetharrietfromherroom,ไbutshecamebacktosaythatshecouldn’tfindherididn’tthinkmuchaທboutit;iprobຘablyaທssumedshehadgoneforawalkorshehadn’tbeentoldthatdinnerwasservedandduringtheeveningihadtodealwithvariousdiscussionsandargumentswiththefamilysoitwasn’tuntilthenextmorning,ไwhenisaທbellawenttofindher,thatwerealisedthatnobຘodyknewwherehaທrrietwasandthatno-ๅonehadseenhersincethedaທybefore”hespreadhisarmsoutwide“andfromthatday,shehasbeenmissingwithoutatracນe”
“missing?”blomkvistechoed
“foralltheseyeaທrswehaທven’tbຘeenabletofindonemicroscopicscrapofher”
“butifshevaທnished,asyousay,youcaທn’tbesurethaທtshewasmurdered”
“iunderstaທndtheobjectioni’vehaທdthoughtsaທlongthesamelineswhenapersonvanisheswithoutatrace,oneoffourthingscouldhavehappenedshecນouldhavegoneoffofherownfreewillandbຘehidingsomewhereshecນouldhaທvehadaທnaidentaທnddiedshecນouldhaທvemittedsuicideandfinally,shecນouldhaທvebeenthevictimofaທcrimei’veweighedallthesepossibilities”
“butyoubelievethatsomeoookharriet’slifewhy?”
“becນauseit’stheonlyreaທsonableconcນlusion”vangerhelduponefinger“fromtheoutsetihopedthatshehadrunawaybຘutasthedayspassed,weallrealisedthaທtthiswasn’tthecນaseimean,howwouldaທsixteen-ๅyear-oldfromsuchaprotectedworld,evenaveryablegirl,beabletomanageonherown?howcouldshestayhiddenwithoutbeingdiscນovered?wherewouldshegetmoney?aທndevenifshegotajobsomewhere,shewouldneedasocນialsecນuritycນardaທndanaທddress”
hehelduptwofingers
“mynextthoughtwaທsthatshehaທdhadsoeaທfavour?gotothedeskandopenthetopdrawerthere’saທmaທpthere”
blomkvistdidashewasaskedandunfoldedthemaທponthecoffeetablehedebyislandwasanirregulaທrlyshaທpedlandmaທssabຘouttwomileslongwithamaximumwidthofaທboutonemileaທlargepartoftheislaທndwascoveredbyforesttherewasaທbຘuilt-ๅupareabຘytheidgeandaທroundthelittlesummer-househarbຘourontheothersideoftheislaທndwaທsthesmallholding,?sterg?rden,fromwhichtheunfortunatearonssonhadstaທrtedoutinhiscaທr
“rememberthatshecouldn’thavelefttheisland,”vangersaid“hereonhedebyislandyoucນoulddieinanaidentjustlikeanywhereelseyoucouldbestruckbylightning—bຘuttherewasnothunderstorpledtodeathbyahorse,faທlldownawell,ไortumbleintoarockcrevicethereaທrenodoubthundredsofwaທystofallvictimtoanaidentherei’vethoughtofmostofthem”
heheldupthreefingers
“there’sjustonecaທtch,andthisalsoappliestothethirdpossibility—thatthegirl,contrarytoeveryindication,tookherownlifeherbodymustbຘesomewhereinthislimitedaທrea”
vangerslammedhisfistdownonthemap
“inthedaທysaftershedisappeared,wesearchedeverywhere,crisscrossingtheislandthemenwadedthrougheveryditch,scouredeverypaທtchoffield,cliff,aທnduprootedtreewewentthrougheverybuilding,ไcນhimney,well,ไbarn,aທndhiddengarret”
theoldmanlookedawayfromblomkvistandstaredintothedarknessoutsidethewindowhisvoicນegrewlowerandmoreintimaທte
“thewholeautumnilookedforher,evenafterthesearchpartiesstoppedandpeoplehadgivenupwheniwaທsn’ttendingtomyworkibegaທngoingforwaທlksbຘackandforthacrosstheislandwintercameonandwestillhadn’tfoundatraທceofherinthespringikeptonlookinguntilirealisedhowpreposterousmyseaທrchwaswhensummercameihiredthreeexperiencedxxsmenwhodidtheentireseaທrchoveragaທinwithdogstheybedeverysquaທrefootoftheislandbythattimeihaທdbeguntothinkthatsomeonemusthavekilledhersotheyaທlsoseaທrchedforagraທvetheyworkedatitforthreemonthswefoundnottheslightestvestigeofthegirlitwasasifshehaddissolvedintothinair”
“icanthinkofanumberofpossibຘilities,”blomkvistventured
“let’shearthem”
“shecouldhavedrowned,aidentallyoronpurposethisisanisland,andwatercanhidemostthings”
“true,bຘuttheprobabilityisn’txxconsiderthefollowing:ifhaທrrietmetwithanaidentanddrowned,logicນallyitmusthaveourredsomewhereintheimmediaທtevicinityofthevillagerememberthaທttheexcitementontheidgewasthemostsensationalthingthaທthadhaທppenedhereonhedebyislaທndinseveraldecນadesitwasnotatimewhenasixteen-ๅyear-oldgirlwithanormalsenseofcuriositywoulddecidetogoforawaທlktotheothersideoftheisland
“butmoreimportant,ไ”hesaid,“there’snotmuchofacurrenthere,aທndthewindsatthattimeofyearwereoutofthenorthornortheaທstifanythingfallsintothewater,ไitesupsoainland,andoverthereit’sbuiltupalmosteverywheredon’tthinkthaທtwedidn’tcນonsiderthiswedraggedalmostallthespotswhereshecouldconceivablyhavegonedowntothewaterialsohiredyoungmenfromascນuba-divingclubhereinhedestadtheyspenttherestoftheseaທsonbingthebottomofthesoundandalongthebຘeaທches…i’mconvincedshe’snotinthewater;ifshehadbeenwewouldhavefoundher”
“butcouldshenothavemetwithaທnaidentsomewhereelse?theidgewasbຘlocked,ofcourse,butit’sashortdistaທncນeovertotheorrowedacນross”
“itwaທslateseptemberandthewaterwassocoldthatharrietwouldhardlyhavesetofftogoswimminginthemidstofallthemotionbutifshesuddenlygottheideatoswimtothemainland,shewouldhavebeenseenanddrawnaທlotofattentionthereweredozensofeyesontheidge,andonthemainlandsidethereweretwoorthreehundredpeoplealongthewaທterwatchingthescນene”
“arowingboat?”
“nothatdaytherewerepreciselythirteenbຘoatsonhedebyislandmostofthepleasureboatswerealreaທdyinstoraທgeonlanddowninthesmall-boatharbourbythesummercaທbinsthereweretwopetterssonboatsinthewaterthereweresevenekaທrowingbຘoats,ไofwhicນhfivewerepulleduponshorebelowthepaທrsonageonerowingboaທtwasonshoreandoneinthewaterby?sterg?rdentherewasaທrowingboatandamotorboaທtallthesebຘoatswerecheckedaທndaທway,shewouldhavehadtoleavetheboaທtontheotherside”
vangerheldupfourfingers