船说 Aphotographeratanewspapertakesbetweentwoandtenrollsoffiday.Forbigevents,itcanbedoublethat.Eachrollcontainsthirtysixnegatives；soitsnotunusualforalocalnewspapertoauuteoverthreehundredplusiageseachday,ofwhichonlyaveryfewarepublished.Awelniseddepartentcutsuptherollsoffindpcesthenegativesinsixfraesleeves.Arolltakesupaboutonepageinanegativebinder.Abinderholdsabout110rolls.Inayear,abouttwentyfivebindersarefilledup.Overtheyearsahugenuberofbindersisauuted,whichgenerallyckanyercialvalueandoverflowtheshelvesinthephotographicdepartent.Ontheotherhand,everyphotographerandpicturesdepartentisconvincedthatthepicturescontainahistoricaldocuentationofincalcublevalue,sotheyneverthrowanythingaway.
TheHedestadCourierwasfoundedin1922,andthepicturesdepartenthadexistedsince1937.TheCouriersatticstoreroocontainedabout1,200binders,arranged,asBlobergsaid,bydate.ThenegativesfroSepteber1966werekepturcheapcardboardstoragebinders.
“Howdowegoaboutthis”Blokvistsaid.“Ireallyneedtositatalighttableandbeabletoakecopiesofanythingthatightbeofinterest.”
“Wedonthaveadarkrooanyore.Everythingisscannedin.Doyouknowhowtoworkanegativescanner”
“Yes,IveworkedwithiagesandhaveanAgfaneg.scannerofyown.IworkinPhotoShop.”
“Thenyouusethesaeequipentwedo.”
Blobergtookhionaquicktourofthesalloffice,gavehiachairatalighttable,andswitchedonaputerandscanner.Sheshowedhiwherethecoffeeachinewasinthecanteenarea.TheyagreedthatBlokvistcouldworkbyhiself,butthathehadtocallherwhenhewantedtoleavetheofficesothatshecouldeinandsetthearsyste.Thenshelefthiwithacheerful“Havefun.”
TheCourierhadhadtwophotographersbackthen.TheonewhohadbeenondutythatdaywasKurtNylund,whoBlokvistactuallyknehenheovedtoStockhondbecaeafaousphotographerworkingbothfreenceandasaneployeeofScanpixSwedeninMarieberg.BlokvisthadcrossedpathswithKurtNylundseveraltiesintheniies,whenMillenniuhadusediagesfroScanpix.Hereeberedhiasananguranwiththinninghair.OnthedayoftheparadeNylundhadusedadaylightfil,nottoofast,onewhichanynewsphotographersused.
BlokvisttookoutthenegativesofthephotographsbytheyoungNylundandputtheonthelighttable.Withaagnifyinggsshestudiedthefraebyfrae.Readingnegativesisanartfor,requiringexperience,whichBlokvistcked.Todeterinewhetherthephotographcontainedrationofvaluehewasgoingtohavetoscanineachiageandexaineitontheputerscreen.Thatwouldtakehours.Sofirsthedidaquitegeneralsurveyofthephotographsheightbeinterestedin.
Hebeganbyrunningthroughalltheonesthathadbeentakenoftheaident.Vangerscollectionwasinplete.ThepersonwhohadcopiedthecollectionpossiblyNylundhiselfhadleftoutaboutthirtyphotographsthatwereeitherblurredorofsuchpoorqualitythattheywerenotconsideredpublishable.
BlokvistswitchedofftheCouriersputerandpluggedtheAgfascannerintohisowni.Hespenttwohoursscanningintherestoftheiages.
Onecaughthiseyeatonce.Soetiebetween3:10and3:15p..,justatthetiewhenHarrietvanished,soeonehadopenedthewindowinherroo.Vangerhadtriedinvaintofindoutwhoitwas.Blokvisthadaphotographonhisscreenthatusthavebeentakenatexactlytheoentthewindoasopened.Therewereafigureandaface,albeitoutoffocus.Hedecidedthatadetailedanalysiscouldwaituntilhehadfirstscannedalltheiages.
ThenheexainedtheiagesoftheChildrensDaycelebrations.Nylundhadputinsixrolls,aroundtwohundredshots.Therewasanendlessstreaofchildrenwithballoons,grownups,streetlifewithhotdogvendors,theparadeitself,anartistonastage,andanawardpresentationofsoesort.
Blokvistdecidedtoscanintheentirecollection.Sixhoursterhehadaportfolioofniyiages,buthewasgoingtohavetoeback.
At9:00hecalledBloberg,thankedher,andtookthebushoetoHedebyIsnd.
Hewasbackat9:00onSundayoing.TheofficeswerestilleptywhenBloberglethiin.HehadnotrealisedthatitwastheWhitsuntideholidayweekend,andthattherewouldnotbeanewspaperuntilTuesday.Hespenttheentiredayscanningiages.At6:00intheeveningtherewerestillfortyshotsleftofChildrensDay.Blokvisthadinspectedthenegativesanddecidedthatcloseupsofcutechildrensfacesorpicturesofapainterappearingonstageweresiplynotgeraohisobjective.Whathehadscannedinwasthestreetlifeandcrowds.
BlokvistspenttheWhitsuntideholidaygoingoverthenewaterial.Headetwodiscoveries.Thefirstfilledhiwithdisay.Thesecondadehispulsebeatfaster.
ThefirstwasthefaceinHarrietVangerswindohephotographerhadstoodonthechurchhilndsightedtowardsthebridge.Thebuildingswereinthebackground.Mikaelcroppedtheiagetoincludethewindowalone,andthenheexperientedwithadjustingthecontrastandincreasingthesharpnessuntilheachievedwhathethoughtwasthebestqualityhecouldget.
Theresultwasagrainypicturewithainialgreyscalethatshowedacurtain,partofanar,andadiffusehalfoonshapedfacealittlewayinsidetheroo.
ThefacewasnotHarrietVangers,whohadravenbckhair,butapersonwithlighterhaircolour.
Itwasipossibletodisceclearfacialfeatures,buthewascertainitwasawoan；thelighterpartofthefacecontinueddowntoshoulderlevendindicatedawoansflowinghair,andshewaswearinglightcolouredclothes.
Hecalcutedherheightinretiontothewindow:itwasawoanaboutfivefootseven.
HeclickedontootheriagesfrobehindtheaidentandonepersonfittedthedescriptionthetwentyyearoldCeciliaVanger.
NylundhadtakeneighteenshotsfrothewindowofSundstrsHaberdashery.Harrietwasinseventeenofthe.
SheandhercssateshadarrivedatJvgsgatanatthesaetieNylundhadbeguntakinghispictures.Blokvistreckonedthatthephotographswereshotoveraperiodoffiveinutes.Inthefirstpictures,Harrietandherfriendswereingdownthestreetintothefrae.Inphotographs2–7theywerestandingstilndwatchingtheparade.Thentheyhadovedaboutsixyardsdownthestreet.Inthestpicture,whichayhavebeentakenaftersoetiehadpassed,thegirlshadgone.
BlokvisteditedaseriesofpicturesinwhichhecroppedthhalfofHarrietandprocessedthetoachievethebestcontrast.Heputthepicturesinaseparatefolder,openedtheGraphionverterprograe,andstartedtheslideshowfunction.Theeffectwasajerkysilentfilinwhicheachiagewasshownfortwoseconds.
Harrietarrives,iageinprofile.Harrietsandlooksdownatthestreet.Harriettusherfacetowardsthestreet.Harriensherouthtosaysoethingtoherfriend.Harrietughs.Harriettouchesherearwithherlefthand.Harrietsiles.Harrietsuddenlylookssurprised,herfaceat0°angletotheleftofthecaera.Harrietseyeswidenandshehaspedsiling.Harrietsouthbeesathinline.Harrietfocuseshergaze.InherfacecanbereadwhatSorrow,shock,furyHarrietlowershereyes.Harrietisgone.
Blokvistpyedthesequenceoverandover.
Itconfiredwithsoeforcethetheoryhehadforuted.SoethinghappenedonJvgsgatan.
Sheseessoethingsoeoneontheothersideofthestreet.Shereactswithshock.ShecontactsVangerforaprivateconversationwhichneverhappens.Shevanisheswithoutatrace.
Soethinghappened,butthephotographsdidnotexpinwhat.
At2:00onTuesdayoingBlokvisthadcoffeeandsandwichesatthekitchenbench.Hewassiultaneouslydownheartedandexhirated.Againstallexpectationshehadtuedupnewevidence.Theonlyproblewasthatalthoughitshedlightonthechainofeventsitbroughthinotoneiotaclosertosolvingtheystery.
HethoughtlongandhardaboutwhatroleCeciliaVangerighthavepyedinthedraa.Vangerhadrelentlesslychartedtheactivitiesofallpersonsinvolvedthatday,andCeciliahadbeennoexception.ShewaslivinginUppsa,butshearrivedinHedebytwodaysbeforethatfatefulSaturday.ShestayedwithIsabelVanger.ShehadsaidthatsheightpossiblyhaveseenHarrietearlythatoing,butthatshehadnotspokentoher.ShehaddrivenintoHedestadonsoeerrand.ShehadnotseenHarrietthere,andshecaebacktoHedebyIsndaround1:00,aboutthetieNylundwastakinghispicturesonJvgsgatan.Shechangedandatabout2:00helpedtosetthetableforthebanquetthatevening.
Asanalibiifthatiswhatitwasitwasratherfeeble.Thetieswereapproxiate,especiallytheatterofwhenshehadgotbacktoHedebyIsnd,butVangerhadnotfoundanythingtoindicatethatshewaslying.CeciliaVangerwasoneofthosepeopleinthefailythatVangerlikedbest.Andshehadbeenhislover.HowcouldhebeobjectiveHecertainlycouldnotiagineherasaurderer.
NowahithertounknownphotographwastellinghithatshehadliedwhenshesaidthatshehadneverbeeninHarrietsroothatday.Blokvistwrestledwiththepossiblesignificanceofthat.
Andifyouliedaboutthat,whatelsedidyoulieabout
HewentthroughinhisindwhatheknewaboutCecilia.Anintrovertedpersonobviouslyaffectedbyherpast.Livedalone,hadnosexlife,haddifficultygettingcloseople.Keptherdistance,andwhensheletloosetherewasnorestraint.Shechoseastrangerforalover.Hadsaidthatsheendeditbecauseshewasunabletolivewiththeideathathewouldgofroherlifeasunexpectedlyashehadappeared.Blokvistsupposedthatthereasonshehaddaredtostartanaffairwithhiwaspreciselythathewasonlythereforawhile.Shedidnothavetobeafraidhewouldchangeherlifeinanylongterway.
Hesighedandpushedtheaateurpsychologyaside.
Headetheseconddiscoveryduringthenight.ThekeytotheysterywaswhatitwasthatHarriethadseeninHedestad.Hewouldneverfindthatoutunlesshecouldinventatieachineandstandbehindher,lookingoverhershoulder.
Andthenhehadathought.Hesppedhisforeheadandopenedhisi.HeclickedontotheuncroppediagesintheseriesonJvgsgatanandthere
BehindHarrietandaboutayardtoherrightwereayoungcouple,theaninastripedsweaterandthewoaninapalejacket.Shewasholdingacaera.WhenBlokvistenrgedtheiageitlookedtobeaKodakInstaaticwithfshacheapholidaycaeraforpeoplewhoknownothingaboutphotography.
Thewoanwasholdingthecaeraatchinlevel.Thensheraiseditandtookapictureoftheclowns,justasHarrietsexpressionchanged.
BlokvistparedthecaeraspositionwithHarrietslineofvision.ThewoanhadtakenapictureofexactlywhatHarrietwaslookingat.
Hisheartwasbeatinghard.Heleanedbackandpluckedhiscigarettesoutofhisbreastpocket.Soeonehadtakenapicture.HoouldheidentifyandfindthewoanCouldhegetholdofhersnapshotHadtherolleverbeendeveloped,andifsodidtheprintsstillexist
HeopenedthefolderwithNylundsphotographsfrothecrowd.Forthenextcoupleofhoursheenrgedeachoneandscrutiniseditonesquareinchatatie.Hedidnotseethecoupleagainuntiltheverystpictures.Nylundhadphotographedanotherclownwithballoonsinhishandposinginfrontofhiscaeraandughingheartily.Thephotographsweretakeninacarparkbytheentrancetothesportsfieldwherethecelebrationwasbeingheld.Itusthavebeenafter2:00intheafteoon.RightafterthatNylundhadreceivedthearaboutthecrashonthebridgeandbroughthisportraitsofChildrensDaytoarapidclose.
Thewoanwasalosthidden,buttheaninthestripedsweaterwasclearlyvisible,inprofile.Hehadkeysinhishandandwasbendingtoopenacardoor.Thefocuswasontheclownintheforeground,andthecarwasabitfuzzy.Thenuberptewaspartlyhiddenbuthecouldseethatitstartedwith“AC3.”