“IstayedinAnitasrooinStockholforafeeeks.Anitahadherownoney,whichshegenerouslylente.Shealsogaveeherpassport.Welookedalostexactlylikeeachother,andallIhadtodowasdyeyhairblonde.ForfouryearsIlivedinaconventinItalyIwasntanun.Thereareconventswhereyoucanrentaroocheap,tohavepeaceandquiettothink.ThenIetSpencerCochran.Hewassoeyearsolder；hedjustfinishedhisdegreeinEngndandwashitchhikingaroundEurope.Ifellinlove.Hedidtoo.Thatsalltherewastoit.AnitaVangerarriedhiin1971.Iveneverhadanyregrets.Hewasawonderfun.Verysadly,hediedeightyearsago,andIbecaetheownerofthestation.”
“ButyourpassportsurelysoeoneshouldhavediscoveredthatthereweretwoAnitaVangers”
“No,whyshouldtheyASwedishgirlnaedAnitaVangerwhosarriedtoSpencerCochran.WhethershelivesinLondonorAustraliaakesnodifference.TheoneinLondonhasbeenSpencerCochransestrangedwife.TheoneinAustraliawashisveryuchpresentwife.TheydontatchupputerfilesbetweenCanberraandLondon.Besides,IsoongotanAustralianpassportunderyarriednae.Thearrangeentfunctionedperfectly.TheonlythingthatcouldhaveupsetthestorywasifAnitaherselfwantedtogetarried.MyarriagehadtoberegisteredintheSwedishnationalregistrationfiles.”
“Butsheneverdid.”
“Shecisthatsheneverfoundanyone.ButIknowthatshediditforysake.Shesbeenatruefriend.”
“Whatwasshedoinginyourroo”
“Iwasntveryrationalthatday.IwasafraidofMartin,butaslongashewasinUppsa,Icouldpushtheprobleoutofyind.ThentherehewasinHedestad,andIrealisedthatIdneverbesafetherestofylife.IwentbackandforthbetweenwantingtotellUncleHenrikandwantingtoflee.WhenHenrikdidnthavetietotalktoe,Ijustwanderedrestlesslyaroundthevilge.OfcourseIknowthattheaidentonthebridgeovershadowedeverythingelseforeveryone,butnotfore.Ihadyownprobles,andIwashardlyevenawareoftheaident.Everythingseeedunreal.ThenIranintoAnita,whowasstayinginaguestcottageinthepoundwithGerdaandAlexander.ThatwaswhenIadeupyind.Istayedwithherthewholetieanddidntdaregooutside.ButtherewasohingIhadtotakewitheIhadwrittendowneverythingthathappenedinadiary,andIneededafewclothes.Anitagotthefore.”
“Isupposeshecouldntresisttheteptationtolookoutattheaidentscene.”Blokvistthoughtforaoent.“WhatIdontunderstandiswhyyoudidntjustgotoHenrik,asyouhadintended.”
“Whydoyouthink”
“IreallydontknortinwouldhavebeenreovediediatelyprobablysenttoAustraliaforsoesortoftherapyortreatent.”
“Youhaventunderstoodwhathappened.”
UptothispointBlokvisthadonlyreferredtoGottfriedssexuassaultonMartin,leavingHarrietsroleoutofit.
“GottfriedolestedMartin,”hesaidcautiously.“Isuspectthathealsoolestedyou.”
HarrietVangerdidnotoveauscle.Thenshetookadeepbreathandburiedherfaceinherhands.IttookfivesecondsbeforeJeffwasbesideher,askingifeverythingwasallright.Harrietlookedathiandgavehiafaintsile.ThensheastonishedBlokvistbystandingupandgivingherstudsanagerahugandakissonthecheek.ShetuedtoBlokvistwithherararoundJeffsshoulder.
“Jeff,thisisMikael,anoldfriendfrothepast.Hesbroughtproblesandbadnews,butwerenotgoingtoshoottheessenger.Mikael,thisisJeffCochran,yoldestson.Ialsohaveanothersonandadaughter.”
BlokviststooduptoshakehandswithJeff,sayingthathewassorrytohavebroughtbadnewswhichhadupsethisother.HarrietexchangedafeordswithJeffandthensenthiaway.Shesatdownagainandseeedtohaveadeadecision.
“Noorelies.Iaeptthatitsallover.InsoesenseIvebeenwaitingforthisdaysince1966.ForyearsIwasterrifiedthatsoeoneighteuptoeandsayynae.ButyouknohatAllofasuddenIdontcareanyore.Mycriefallsoutsidethestatuteofliitations.AndIdontgiveashitwhatpeoplethinkaboute.”
“Crie”saidMikael.
Shegavehianurgentlook,buthestilldidntunderstandwhatshewastalkingabout.
“Iwassixteen.Iwasscared.Iwasashaed.Iwasdesperate.Iwasallone.TheonlyoneswhoknewthetruthwereAnitaandMartin.IhadtoldAnitaaboutthesexuassaults,butIdidnthavethecouragetotellherthatyfatherwasalsoaninsanekillerofwoen.Anitahadneverknownaboutthat.ButIdidtellheraboutthecriethatIittedyself.Itwassohorriblethatwhenitcaedowntoit,IdidntdaretellHenrik.IprayedtoGodtofivee.AndIhidinsideaconventforseveralyears.”
“Harriet,yourfatherwasarapistandaurderer.Itwasntyourfault.”
“Iknowthat.Myfatherolestedeforayear.IdideverythingtoavoidbuthewasyfatherandIcouldntrefusetohaveanythingtodowithhiwithoutgivinghisoeexpnation.SoIliedandpyedaroleandtrieretendthateverythingwasOK.AndIadesurethatsoeoneelsewasalwaysaroundwhenIsawhi.Myotherknehathewasdoing,ofcourse,butshedidntcare.”
“Isabelknew”
Harrietsvoicetookonanewharshness.
“Ofcoursesheknew.NothingeverhappenedinourfailywithoutIsabelknowing.Butsheignoredeverythingthatwasunpleasantorshowedherinabadlight.Myfathercouldhaverapedeintheiddleofthelivingroorightbeforehereyesandshewouldnthavenoticed.Shewasincapableofacknowledgingthatanythingwaswronginherlifeorine.”
“Iveether.Shesnotyfavouriteinthefaily.”
“Shesbeenlikethatherwholelife.Iveoftenwonderedaboutyparentsretionship.IrealisedthattheyrarelyoraybeneverhadsexwitheachotherafterIwasbo.Myfatherhadwoen,butforsoestrangereasonhewasafraidofIsabel.Hestayedawayfroher,buthecouldntgetadivorce.”
“NoonedoesintheVangerfaily.”
Sheughedforthefirsttie.
“No,theydont.ButthepointisthatIcouldntbringyselftosayanything.Thewholeworldwouldhavefoundout.Myschootes,allyretives”
“Harriet,Isosorry.”
“Iwasfourteenwhenherapedethefirsttie.Andduringthenextyearhewouldtakeeouttohiscabin.ManytiesMartincaealong.HeforcedbotheandMartintodothingswithhi.AndheheldyarswhileMartinhadhiswaywithe.Whenyfatherdied,Martinwasreadytotakeoverhisrole.Heexpectedetobeehisloverandhethoughtitwasperfectlynaturalforetosubittohi.AtthattieInolongerhadanychoice.IwasforcedtodowhatMartinsaid.Iwasridofoorentoronlytondintheclutchesofanother,andtheonlythingIcoulddowastoakesuretherewasneveranoasionwhenIwasalonewithhi”
“Henrikwouldhave”
“Youstilldontunderstand.”
Sheraisedhervoice.Blokvistsawthatseveraloftheenatthenexttentwerelookingathi.Sheloweredhervoiceagainandleanedtowardshi.
“Allthecardsareonthetable.Youllhavetoworkouttherest.”
Shestoodupandgottwoorebeers.Whenshecaeback,Mikaelsaidasinglewordtoher.
“Gottfried.”
Shenodded.
“OnAugust7,1965,yfatherforcedetogoouttohiscabin.Henrikwasaway.Myfatherwasdrinking,andhetriedtoforcehiselfone.Buthecouldntgetitupandheflewintoadrunkenrage.Hewasalwaysroughandviolenttowardsewhenwewerealone,butthistiehecrossedtheline.Heurinatedone.Thenhestartedtellingewhathewasgoingtodotoe.Thatnighthetoldeaboutthewoenhehadkilled.Hewasbraggingaboutit.HequotedfrotheBible.Thiswentonforanhour.Ididntunderstandhalfofwhathewassaying,butIrealisedthathewastotally,absolutelysick.”
Shetookagulpofherbeer.
“Soetiearoundidnighthehadafit.Hewastotallyinsane.Wewereupinthesleepingloft.HeputaTshirtaroundyneckandpulleditastightashecould.Ibckedout.Idonthavetheslightestdoubtthathereallywastryingtokille,andforthefirsttiethatnightheanageletetherape.”
HarrietlookedatBlokvist.Hereyesentreatedhitounderstand.
“ButhewassodrunkthatsoehowIanagedtogetaway.Ijupeddownfrotheloftandfled.IwasnakedandIranwithoutthinking,andendeduponthejettybythewater.Hecaestaggeringaftere.”
Blokvistsuddenlywishedthatshewouldnottellhianythingore.
“Iwasstrongenoughtoshoveanolddrunkintothewater.Iusedanoartoholdhiunderuntilhewasntstrugglinganyore.Itdidnttakelong.”
Whensheped,thesilencewasdeafening.
“AndwhenIlookedup,therestoodMartin.Helookedterrified,butatthesaetiehewasgrinning.Idontknowhowlonghewasoutsidethecabin,spyingonus.FrothatoentIwasathisercy.Hecaeuptoe,grabbedebythehair,andledebacktothecabintoGottfriedsbed.Hetiedeupandrapedewhileourfatherwasstillfloatinginthewater.AndIcouldntevenofferanyresistance.”
Blokvistclosedhiseyes.HewasterriblyashaedandwishedthathehadleftHarrietVangerinpeace.Buthervoicehadtakenonanewforce.
“Frothatdayon,Iwasinhispower.Ididwhathetoldetodo.Ifeltparalysed,andtheonlythingthatsavedysanitywasthatIsabeloraybeitwasUncleHenrikdecidedthatMartinneededachangeofsceneryafterhisfatherstragicdeath,soshesenthitoUppsa.Ofcoursethiswasbecausesheknehathewasdoingtoe,anditwasherwayofsolvingtheproble.YoucanbetthatMartinwasdisappointed.DuringthenextyearhewashoeonlyfortheChristasholiday.Ianagedtokeepawayfrohi.IwentwithHenrikonatriptoCopenhagenbetweenChristasandNewYears.Andduringthesuerholiday,Anitawasthere.Iconfidedinher,andshestayedwithethewholetie,akingsurethathedidnteneare.”
“UntilyousawhionJvgsga船说