船说 TheonlybrotherworthyofaeasureofepathyinVangerseyeswasthesicklyGustav,whodiedoflungdiseasein1955.Gustavhadneverbeeninterestedinpolitics,andheseeedtobesoesortofisanthropicartisticsoul,withabsolutelynointerestinbusinessorworkingintheVangerCorporation.
BlokvistaskedVanger:“NowyouandHaraldaretheonlyonesleft.WhydidheovebacktoHedeby”
“Heovedhoein1979.Heownsthathouse.”
“Itustfeelstrangelivingsoclosetoabrotherthatyouhate.”
“Idonthateybrother.Ifanything,Iaypityhi.Hesapleteidiot,andhestheonewhohatese.”
“Hehatesyou”
“Precisely.Ithinkthatswhyhecaebackhere.Sothathecouldspendhisstyearshatingeatclosequarters.”
“Whydoeshehateyou”
“BecauseIgotarried.”
“Ithinkyouregoingtohavetoexpinthat.”
Vangerhadlostcontactwithhisolderbrothersearlyon.Hewastheonlybrothertoshowanaptitudeforbusinesshewashisfatherssthope.HehadnointerestinpoliticsandsteeredclearofUppsa.InsteadhestudiedeconoicsinStockhol.AfterhetuedeighteenhespenteverybreakandsuerholidayworkingatoneoftheofficeswithintheVangerCorporationorworkingwiththeanageentofoneofitspanies.Hebecaefailiarwithallthebyrinthsofthefailybusiness.
On10June,1941intheidstofanalloutwarVangerwassenttoGeranyforasixweekvisitattheVangerCorporationbusinessofficesinHaburg.HewasonlytwentyoneandtheVangersGeranagent,apanyveteranbythenaeofHerannLobach,washischaperoneandentor.
“Iwonttireyouwithallthedetails,butwhenIwentthere,HitlerandStalinwerestillgoodfriendsandtherewasntyetanEasteFront.EveryonestillbelievedthatHitlerwasinvincible.Therewasafeelingofbothoptiisanddesperation.Ithinkthosearetherightwords.Morethanhalfacenturyter,itsstilldifficulutwordstotheood.DontgetewrongIwasnotaNazi,andinyeyesHitlerseeedlikesoeabsurdcharacterinanoperetta.Butitwouldhavebeenalostipossiblenottobeinfectedbytheoptiisaboutthefuture,whichwasrifeaongordinarypeopleinHaburg.Despitethefactthatthewarwasgettingcloser,andseveralbobingraidswerecarriedoutagainstHaburgduringthetieIwasthere,thepeopleseeedtothinkitwasostlyateporaryannoyancethatsoontherewouldbepeaceandHitlerwouldestablishhisNeuropa.PeoplewantedtobelievethatHitlerwasGod.Thatswhatitsoundedlikeinthepropaganda.”
Vangeropenedoneofhisanyphotographalbus.
“ThisisLobach.Hedisappearedin1944,presuablylostinsoebobingraid.Weneverknehathisfatewas.DuringyweeksinHaburgIbecaeclosetohi.IwasstayingwithhiandhisfailyinanelegantapartentinawelltodoneighbourhoodofHaburg.Wespenttietogethereveryday.HewasnooreaNazithanIwas,butforconveniencehewasaeberoftheparty.HisebershipcardopeneddoorsandfacilitatedopportunitiesfortheVangerCorporationandbusinesswaspreciselywhatwedid.WebuiltfreightwagonsfortheirtrainsIvealwayswonderedwhetheranyofourwagonsweredestinedforPond.Wesoldfabricfortheiruniforsandtubesfortheirradiosetsalthoughofficiallywedidn
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tknohattheywereusingthegoodsfor.AndLobachknewhowtondacontract；hewasentertainingandgoodnatured.TheperfectNazi.GraduallyIbegantoseethathewasalsoaanwhowasdesperatelytryingtohideasecret.
“IntheearlyhoursofJune22in1941,Lobachknockedonthedoorofybedroo.Myroowasnexttohiswifesbedroo,andhesignalledetobequiet,getdressed,andewithhi.Wewentdownstairsandsatinthesokingsalon.Lobachhadbeenupallnight.Hehadtheradioon,andIrealisedthatsoethingserioushadhappened.OperationBarbarossahadbegun.GeranyhadinvadedtheSovietUniononMidsuerEve.”Vangergesturedinresignation.“Lobachtookouttwogssesandpouredagenerousaquavitforeachofus.Hewasobviouslyshaken.WhenIaskedhiwhatitalleant,herepliedwithforesightthatiteanttheendforGeranyandNazis.IonlyhalfbelievedhiHitlerseeedundefeatable,afterallbutLobachandIdrankatoasttothefallofGerany.Thenhetuedhisattentioracticatters.”
Blokvistnoddedtosignalthathewasstillfollowingthestory.
“First,hehadnopossibilityofcontactingyfatherforinstructions,butonhisowninitiativehehaddecidedtocutshortyvisittoGeranyandsendehoe.Second,heaskedetodosoethingforhi.”
Vangerpointedtoayellowedportraitofadarkhairedwoan,inthreequarterview.
“Lobachhadbeenarriedforfortyyears,butin1919heetawildlybeautifulwoanhalfhisage,andhefellhopelesslyinlovewithher.Shewasapoor,sipleseastress.Lobachcourtedher,andlikesoanyotherwealthyen,hecouldaffordtoinstallherinanapartentaconvenientdistancefrohisoffice.Shebecaehisistress.In1921shehadadaughter,whowaschristenedEdith.”
“Richolderan,pooryoungwoan,andalovechildthatcanthavecauseduchofascandalintheforties,”Blokvistsaid.
“Absolutelyright.Ifithadntbeenforohing.ThewoanwasJewish,andconsequentlyLobachwasthefatherofaJewintheidstofNaziGerany.Hewaswhattheycalledatraitortohisrace.”
“AhThatdoeschangethesituation.Whathappened”
“Edithsotherhadbeenpickedupin1939.Shedisappeared,andwecanonlyguesswhatherfatewas.Itwasknown,ofcourse,thatshehadadaughterwhowasnotyetincludedonanytransportlist,andwhowasnowbeingsoughtbythedepartentoftheGestapowhosejobitwastotrackdownfugitiveJews.Inthesuerof1941,theweekthatIarrivedinHaburg,EdithsotherwassoehowlinkedtoLobach,andhewassuonedforaninterview.Heacknowledgedtheretionshipandhispateity,buthestatedthathehadnoideawherehisdaughterightbe,andhehadnothadanycontactwithherintenyears.”
“Sowherewasthedaughter”
“IhadseenhereverydayintheLobachshoe.Asweetandquiettwentyyearoldgirlwhocleanedyrooandhelpedservedinner.By1937thepersecutionoftheJewshadbeengoingonforseveralyears,andEdithsotherhadbeggedLobachforhelp.AndhedidhelpLobachlovedhisillegitiatechildjustasuchashislegitiatechildren.Hehidherintheostunlikelypcehecouldthinkofrightinfrontofeveryonesnose.Hehadarrangedforcounterfeitdocuents,andhehadtakenherinastheirhousekeeper.”
“Didhiswifeknohoshewas”
“No,itseeedshehadnoidea.Ithadworkedforfouryears,butnowLobachfeltthenoosetightening.ItwasonlyaatteroftiebeforetheGestapowouldeknockingonthedoor.Thenhewenttogethisdaughterandintroducedhertoeassuch.Shewasveryshyanddidntevendarelookeintheeye.Sheusthavebeenuphalfthenightwaitingtobecalled.Lobachbeggedetosaveherlife.”
“How”
“Hehadarrangedthewholething.IwassupposedtobestayinganotherthreeweeksandthentotakethenighttraintoCopenhagenandcontinuebyferryacrossthesoundaretivelysafetrip,eveninwartie.ButtwodaysafterourconversationafreighterownedbytheVangerCorporationwastoleaveHaburgheadedforSweden.Lobachwantedtosendewiththefreighterinstead,toleaveGeranywithoutdey.Thechangeinytravelpnshadtobeapprovedbythesecurityservice；itwasaforality,butnotaproble.ButLobachwantedeonboardthatfreighter.”
“TogetherwithEdith,Ipresue.”
“Edithwassuggledonboard,hiddeninsideoneofthreehundredcratescontainingachinery.MyjobwarotectherifsheshouldbediscoveredwhilewewerestillinGeranterritorialwaters,anreventthecaptainoftheshipfrodoinganythingstupid.OtherwiseIwassupposedtowaituntilwewereagooddistancefroGeranybeforeIletherout.”
“Itsoundsterrifying.”
“Itsoundedsipletoe,butittuedintoanightarejouey.ThecaptainwascalledOskarGranath,andhewasfarfropleasedtobeaderesponsibleforhiseployerssnottylittleheir.WeleftHaburgaround9:00intheeveninginteJune.Wewerejustakingourwayoutoftheinnerharbourwhentheairraidsirenswentoff.ABritishbobingraidtheheaviestIhadthenexperienced,andtheharbourwas,ofcourse,theaintarget.Butsoehoegotthrough,andafteranenginebreakdownandaiserablystorynightininefilledwaterswearrivedthefollowingafteoonatKarlskrona.Youreprobablygoingtoaskewhathappenedtothegirl.”
“IthinkIknow.”
“Myfatherwasunderstandablyfurious.Ihadputeverythingatriskwithyidioticventure.AndthegirlcouldhavebeendeportedfroSwedenatanytie.ButIwasalreadyjustashopelesslyinlovewithherasLobachhadbeenwithherother.Iproposedtoherandgaveyfatheranultiatueitherheaeptedourarriageorhedhavetolookforanotherfattedcalfforthefailybusiness.Hegavein.”
“Butshedied”
“Yes,fartooyoung,in1958.Shehadacongenitalheartdefect.AndittuedoutthatIcouldnthavechildren.Andthatswhyybrotherhatese.”
“Becauseyouarriedher.”
“BecausetousehisownwordsIarriedafilthyJewishwhore.”
“Buthesinsane.”