“Icouldnthaveputitbetteryself.”
CHAPTER10
Thursday,January9Friday,January31
AordingtotheHedestadCourier,Blokvistsfirstonthoutinthecountrywasthecoldestinrecordedeory,oratleastsincethewartiewinterof1942.AfteronlyaweekinHedebyhehadleaedalboutlongunderwear,woollysocks,anddoubleundershirts.
Hehadseveraliserabledaysintheiddleoftheonthwhentheteperaturedroppedto35°F.Hehadexperiencednothinglikeit,notevenduringtheyearhespentinKirunainLapnddoinghisilitaryservice.
Oneoingthewaterpipesfroze.Nilssongavehitwobigpstiontainersofwaterforcookingandwashing,butthecoldwasparalysing.Iceflowersforedontheinsidesofthewindows,andnoatterhowuchwoodheputinthestove,hewasstillcold.Hespentalongtieeachdaysplittingwoodintheshednexttothehouse.
Attieshewasonthebrinkoftearsandtoyedwithtakingthefirsttrainheadingsouth.Insteadhewouldputononeoresweaterandwrapupinabnketashesatatthekitchentable,drinkingcoffeeandreadingoldpolicereports.
Thentheweatherchangedandtheteperaturerosesteadilytoabaly14°F.
MikaelwasbeginningtogettoknowpeopleinHedeby.MartinVangerkepthisproiseandinvitedhiforaealofoosesteak.Hisdyfriendjoinedthefordinner.Evawasawar,sociable,andentertainingwoan.Blokvistfoundherextraordinarilyattractive.ShewasadentistandlivedinHedestad,butshespenttheweekendsatMartinshoe.Blokvistgraduallyleaedthattheyhadknowneachotherforanyyearsbutthattheyhadnotstartedgoingouttogetheruntiltheywereiddleaged.Evidentlytheysawnoreasontoarry.
“Shesactuallyydentist,”saidMartinwithaugh.
“Andarryingintothiscrazyfailyisntreallyything,”Evasaid,pattingMartinaffectionatelyontheknee.
MartinVangersvilwasfuishedinbck,white,andchroe.TherewereexpensivedesignerpiecesthatwouldhavedelightedtheconnoisseurChristerMal.Thekitchenwasequippedtoaprofessionalchefsstandard.InthelivingrootherewasahighendstereowithanipressivecollectionofjazzrecordsfroToyDorseytoJohnColtrane.MartinVangerhadoney,andhishoewasbothluxuriousandfunctional.Itwasalsoipersonal.Theartworkonthewallswasreproductionsandposters,ofthesortfoundinIKEA.Theshelves,atleastinthepartofthehousethatBlokvistsaw,housedaSwedishencyclopediaandsoecoffeetablesthatpeopleighthavegivenhiasChristaspresents,forwantofabetteridea.Allinall,hecoulddisceonlytwopersonaspectsofMartinVangerslife:usicandcooking.His3,000orsoLPsspokefortheoneandtheothercouldbededucedfrothefactofMartinsstoachbulgingoverhisbelt.
Theanhiselfwasaixtureofsiplicity,shrewdness,andaiability.IttooknogreatanalyticalskilltoconcludethatthecorporateCEOwasaanwithprobles.Astheylistenedto“NightinTunisia,”theconversationwasdevotedtotheVangerCorporation,andMartinadenosecretofthefactthatthepanywasfightingforsurvival.Hewascertainlyawarethathisguestwasafinancialreporterwhohehardlyknew,yethediscussedtheintealproblesofhispanysoopenlythatitseeedreckless.PerhapsheassuedthatBlokvistwasoneofthefailysincehewasworkingforhisgreatuncle；andliketheforerCEO,Martintooktheviewthatthefailyebersonlyhadtheselvestobeforthesituationinwhichthepanyfounditself.Ontheotherhand,heseeedalostausedbyhisfailysincorrigiblefolly.Evanoddedbutpassednojudgeentofherown.Theyhadobviouslybeenoverthesaegroundbefore.
MartinaeptedthestorythatBlokvisthadbeenhiredtowriteafailychronicle,andheinquiredhowtheworkwasgoing.Blokvistsaidwithasilethathewashavingtheosttroublereeberingthenaesofalltheretives.Heaskedifheightebacktodoaninterviewinduecourse.TwiceheconsideredtuingtheconversationtotheoldansobsessionwithHarrietsdisappearance.Vangerusthavepesteredherbrotherwithhistheories,andMartinustrealisethatifBlokvistwasgoingtowriteabouttheVangers,hecouldnotignorethefactthatonefailyeberhadvanishedindraatiircustances.ButMartinshowednosignofwantingtodiscussthesubject.
Theeveningended,afterseveralroundsofvodka,at2:00intheoing.Blokvistwasfairlydrunkasheskiddedthethreehundredyardstotheguesthouse.Ithadbeenapleasantevening.
OneafteoonduringBlokvistssecondweekinHedebytherewasaknockonthedoor.Heputasidethebinderfrothepolicereportthathehadjuenedthesixthintheseriesandclosedthedoortohisofficebeforeheopenedthefrontdoortoablondewoanwellwrappedupagainstthecold.
“Hi.IjustthoughtIdeandsayhello.ICeciliaVanger.”
Theyshookhandsandhegotoutthecoffeecups.Cecilia,daughterofHaraldVanger,appearedtobeanopenandengagingwoan.BlokvistreeberedthatVangerhadspokenofherappreciatively；hehadalsosaidthatshewasnotonspeakingterswithherfather,heextdooeighbour.Theychattedforawhilebeforeshebroughtupthereasonforhervisit.
“Iunderstandthatyourewritingaaboutthefaily,”shesaid.“InotsurethatIcarefortheidea.Iwantedtoseewhatsortofpersonyouare.”
“Well,HenrikVangerhirede.Itshisstory,sotospeak.”
“AndourgoodHenrikisntexactlyneutralinhisattitudetowardsthefaily.”
Blokviststudiedher,unsurewhatshewasgettingat.“YoureopposedtohavingawrittenabouttheVangerfaily”
“Ididntsaythat.AnditdoesntreallyatterwhatIthink.Butbynowyouusthaverealisedthatithasntalwaysbeenpinsailingtobepartofthisfaily.”
BlokvisthadnoideawhatVangerhadsaidorhowuchCeciliaknewabouthisassignent.Hethrewouthishands.
“Icontractedbyyouruncletowriteafailychronicle.Hehassoeverycolourfulviewsaboutebersofthefaily,butIllbestickingstrictlytowhatcanbedocuented.”
CeciliaVangersiledbutwithoutwarth.“WhatIwanttoknowis:willIhavetogointoexileoreigratewhentheesout”
“Idontexpectso,”Blokvistsaid.“Peoplewillbeabletotellthesheepfrothegoats.”
“Likeyfather,forinstance”
“YourfatherthefaousNazi”Blokvistsaid.
CeciliaVangerrolledhereyes.“Myfatheriscrazy.Ionlyseehiafewtiesayear.”
“Whydontyouwanttoseehi”
“WaitainutebeforeyoustartinaskingalotofquestionsAreyoupnningtoquoteanythingIsayOrcanIcarryonanoralconversationwithyou”
“MyjobistowriteastartingwithAlexandreVangeersadsarrivalinSwedenwithBeadotteandgoinguptothepresent.Itstocoverthebusinessepireoveranydecades,butitwillsodiscusswhytheepireisindifficultyanditwilltouchontheaniositythatexistswithinthefaily.Insuchasurveyitsipossibletoavoidhavingsoedirtylinenfloattothesurface.ButthatdoesnteanthatIgoingtosetouresentaaliciousportraitofanyone.Forexaple,IveetMartinVanger；heseestoeaverysypatheticperson,andthatshowIgoingtodescribehi.”
CeciliaVangerdidnotreply.
“WhatIknowaboutyouisthatyoureateacher”
“ItsactuallyworsethanthatItheheadistressofHedestadpreparatoryschool.”
“Isorry.Iknowthatyouruncleisfondofyou,thatyourearriedbutseparatedandthatsaboutallsofar.Sodopleasegoaheadandtalktoewithoutfearofbeingquoted.IsureIlleknockingonyourdoorsoedaysoon.Thenitwillbeanofficialinterview,andyoucanchoosewhetheryouwanttoansweryquestionsoot.”
“SoIcantalktoyouthenoowofftherecord,astheysay”
“Ofcourse.”
“Andthisisofftherecord”
“Ofcourse.Thisisasocialvisitafterall.”
“OK.ThencanIaskyousoething”
“Please.”船说