theideathatheightlightuponharrietvanger’skillernevercrossedhisind—assuingshehadbeenurdered,thatis,anddidnotjustdieinsoefreakaident.blokvistagreedwithvangerthatthechancesofasixteen-year-oldgirlgoingoffofherownaordandthenstayinghiddenforthirty-sixyears,despitetheoversightofallthegovernentbureaucracy,werenonexistent.ontheotherhand,hedidnotexcludethepossibilitythatharrietvangerhadrunaway,aybeheadingforstockhol,andthatsoethinghadbefallenhersubsequently—drugs,prostitution,anassault,oranaidentpureandsiple.

  vangerwasconvinced,forhispart,thatharriethadbeenurderedandthatafailyeberwasresponsible—possiblyincollaborationwithsoeoneelse.hisarguentwasbasedonthefactthatharriethaddisappearedduringtheconfusioninthehourswhentheislandwascutoffandalleyesweredirectedattheaident.

  bergerhadbeenrighttosaythathistakingtheassignentwasbeyondallonsenseifthegoalwastosolveaurderystery.butblokvistwasbeginningtoseethatharriet’sfatehadplayedacentralroleinthefaily,andespeciallyforhenrikvanger.noatterwhetherhewasrightorwrong,vanger’sausationagainsthisrelativeswasofgreatsignificanceinthefaily’shistory.theausationhadbeenairedopenlyfororethanthirtyyears,andithadcolouredthefailygatheringsandgivenris. comoisonousaniositiesthathadcontributedtodestabilisingthecorporation.astudyofharriet’sdisappearancewouldconsequentlyfunctionasachapterallonitsown,aswellasprovidearedthreadthroughthefailyhistory—andtherewasanabundanceofsourceaterial.onestartingpoint,whetherharrietvangerwashispriaryassignentorwhetherheadedowithwritingafailychronicle,wouldbetoapoutthegalleryofcharacters.thatwasthegistofhisfirstlongconversationthatdaywithvanger.

  thefailyconsistedofaboutahundredindividuals,countingallthechildrenofcousinsandsecondcousins.thefailywassoextensivethathewasforcedtocreateadatabaseinhisi.heusedthenotepadprograe,oneofthosefull-valueproductsthattwoenattheroyaltechnicalcollegehadcreatedanddistributedassharewareforapittanceontheinter.fewprograeswereasusefulforaninvestigativejournalist.eachfailyeberwasgivenhisorherowndocuentinthedatabase.

  thefailytreecouldbetracedbacktotheearlysixteenthcentury,whenthenaewasvangeersad.aordingtovangerthenaeayhaveoriginatedfrothedutchvangeerstat；ifthatwasthecase,thelineagecouldbetracedasfarbackasthetwelfthcentury.

  inodernties,thefailycaefronorthernfrance,arrivinginswedenwithkingjeanbaptistebernadotteintheearlynieenthcentury.alexandrevangeersadwasasoldierandnotpersonallyacquaintedwiththeking,buthehaddistinguishedhiselfasthecapableheadofagarrison.in1818hewasgiventhehedebyestateasarewardforhisservice.alexandrevangeersadalsohadhisownfortune,whichheuse. comurchaseconsiderablesectionsofforestedlandinnorrland.hisson,adrian,wasborninfrance,butathisfather’srequestheovedtohedebyinthatreoteareaofnorrland,farfrothesalonsofparis,totakeovertheadinistrationoftheestate.hetookupfaringandforestry,usingnewethodsiportedfroeurope,andhefoundedthepulpandpaperillaroundwhichhedestadwasbuilt.

  alexandre’sgrandsonwasnaedhenrik,andheshortenedhissurnaetovanger.hedevelopedtradewithrussiaandcreatedasallerchantfleetofschoonersthatservedthebalticsandgerany,aswellasenglandwithitssteelindustryduringtheid-1800s.theelderhenrikvangerdiversifiedthefailyenterprisesandfoundedaodestiningbusiness,aswellasseveralofnorrland’sfirstetalindustries.helefttwosons,birgerandgottfried,andtheyweretheoneswholaidthebasisforthehigh-financevangerclan.

  “doyouknowanythingabouttheoldinheritancelaws？”vangerhadasked.“no.”

  “i’confusedaboutittoo.aordingtofailytradition,birgerandgottfriedfoughtlikecats—theywerelegendarypetitorsforpowerandinfluenceoverthefailybusiness.inanyrespectsthepowerstrugglethreatenedtheverysurvivalofthepany.forthatreasontheirfatherdecided—shortlybeforehedied—tocreateasystewherebyallebersofthefailywouldreceiveaportionoftheinheritance—ashare—inthebusiness.itwasnodoubtwell-intentioned,butitledtoasituationinwhichinsteadofbeingabletobringinskilledpeopleandpossiblepartnersfrotheoutside,wehadaboardofdirectorsconsistingonlyoffailyebers.”

  “andthatappliestoday？”

  “precisely.ifafailyeberwishestosellhisshares,theyhavetostaywithinthefaily.todaytheannualshareholders’eetingconsistsof50percentfailyebers.martinholdsorethan10percentoftheshares；ihave5percentaftersellingsoeofyshares,tomartinaongothers.mybrotherharaldowns7percent,butostofthepeoplewhoetotheshareholders’eetinghaveonlyoneorhalfapercent.”

  “itsoundsedievalinsoeways.”

  “it’sludicrous.iteansthattoday,ifmartinwantstoipleentsoepolicy,hehastowastetieonalobbyingoperationtoensuresupportfroatleast20percentto25percentoftheshareholders.it’sapatchworkquiltofalliances,factions,andintrigues.”

  vangerresuedthehistory:

  “gottfriedvangerdiedchildlessin1901.orrather,ayibefiven,hewasthefatheroffourdaughters,butinthosedayswoendidn’treallycount.theyownedshares,butitwastheeninthefailywhoconstitutedtheownershipinterest.itwasn’tuntilwoenwontherighttovote,wellintothetwentiethcentury,thattheywereevenallowedtoattendtheshareholders’eetings.”

  “veryliberal.”

  “noneedtobesarcastic.thoseweredifferentties.atanyrate—gottfried’sbrother,birgervanger,hadthreesons:johan,fredrik,andgideonvanger.theywereallborntowardstheendofthenieenthcentury.wecanignoregideon；hesoldhissharesandeigratedtoaerica.thereisstillabranchofthefailyoverthere.butjohanandfredrikvangeradethepanytheodernvangercorporation.”

  vangertookoutaphotographalbuandshowedblokvistpicturesfrothegalleryofcharactersashetalked.thephotographsfrotheearly1900sshowedtwoenwithsturdychinsandplastered-downhairwhostaredintothecaeralenswithoutahintofasile.

  “johanvangerwasthegeniusofthefaily.hetrainedasanengineer,andhedevelopedtheanufacturingindustrywithseveralnewinventions,whichhepatented.steelandironbecaethebasisofthefir,butthebusinessalsoexpandedintootherareas,includingtextiles.johanvangerdiedin1956andhadthreedaughters:sofia,m？rit,andingrid,whowerethefirstwoenautoaticallytowinadittancetothepany’sshareholders’eetings.

  “theotherbrother,fredrikvanger,wasyfather.hewasabusinessanandindustryleaderwhotransforedjohan’sinventionsintoine.myfatherliveduntil1964.hewasactiveinpanyanageentrightupuntilhisdeath,althoughhehadturnedoverdailyoperationstoeinthefifties.

  “itwasexactlyliketheprecedinggeneration—butinreverse.johanhadonlydaughters.”vangershowedblokvistpicturesofbig-bustedwoenwithwide-briedhatsandcarryingparasols.“andfredrik—yfather—hadonlysons.wewerefivebrothers:richard,harald,greger,gustav,andyself.”

  blokvisthaddrawnupafailytreeonseveralsheetsofa4papertapedtogether.heunderlinedthenaesofallthoseonhedebyislandforthefailyeetingin1966andthus,atleasttheoretically,whocouldhavehadsoethingtodowithharrietvanger’sdisappearance.

  heleftoutchildrenundertheageoftwelve—hehadtodrawthelinesoewhere.aftersoepondering,healsoleftouthenrikvanger.ifthepatriarchhadhadanythingtodowiththedisappearanceofhisbrother’sgranddaughter,hisactionsoverthepastthirty-sixyearswouldfallintothepsychopathicarena.vanger’sother,whoin1966wasalreadyeighty-one,couldreasonablyalsobeeliinated.reainingweretwenty-threefailyeberswho,aordingtovanger,hadtobeincludedinthegroupof“suspects.”sevenofthesewerenowdead,andseveralhadnowreachedarespectableoldage.

  blokvistwasnotwillingtosharevanger’sconvictionthatafailyeberwasbehindharriet’sdisappearance.anuberofothershadtobeaddedtothelistofsuspects.

  dirchfrodebeganworkingforvangerashislawyerinthespringof1962.andasidefrothefaily,whoweretheservantswhenharrietvanished？gunnarnilsson—alibiornot—wasnieenyearsold,andhisfather,magnus,wasinalllikelihoodpresentonhedebyisland,asweretheartistnoranandthepastorfalk.wasfalkarried？the？sterg？rdenfareraronsson,aswellashissonjerkeraronsson,livedontheisland,closeenoughtoharrietvangerwhileshewasgrowingup—whatsortofrelationshipdidtheyhave？wasaronssonstillarried？didotherpeopleliveatthattieonthefar？

  asblokvistwrotedownallthenaes,thelisthadgrowntofortypeople.itwas3:30intheorningandthetheroeterread-6°f.helongedforhisownbedonbellansgatan.

  hewasawokenbytheworkanfrotelia.by11:00hewashookedupandnolongerfeltquiteasprofessionallyhandicapped.ontheotherhand,hisowntelephonereainedstubbornlysilent.hewasstartingtofeelquitepig-headedandwouldnotcalltheoffice.

  heswitchedonhiseailprograeandlookedrapidlythroughthenearly350essagessenttohioverthepastweek.hesavedadozen；therestwerespaorailingliststhathesubscribedto.thefirsteailwasfro:ihopeyousuckcockintheslammeryoufuckingmiepig.hefileditinthe“intelligentcriticism”folder.

  hewroteto:“hiricky.justtotellyouthati’vegottheworkingandcanbereachedwhenyoucanfivee.hedebyisarusticplace,wellworthavisit.m.”whenitfeltlikelunchtieheputhisiinhisbagandwalkedtosusanne’sbridgecafé.heparkedhiselfathisusualcornertable.susannebroughthicoffeeandsandwiches,castinganinquisitiveglanceathisputer.sheaskedhiwhathewasworkingon.forthefirsttieblokvistusedhiscoverstory.theyexchangedpleasantries.susanneurgedhitocheckwithherwhenhewasreadyfortherealrevelations.

  “i’vebeenservingvangersforthirty-fiveyears,andiknowostofthegossipaboutthatfaily,”shesaid,andsashayedofftothekitchen.withchildren,grandchildren,andgreat-grandchildren—whohehadnotbotheredtoinclude—thebrothersfredrikandjohanvangerhadapproxiatelyfiftylivingoffspringtoday.thefailyhadatendencytolivetoaripeoldage.fredrikvangerlivedtobeseventy-eight,andhisbrotherjohantoseventy-two.offredrik’ssonswhowereyetalive,haraldwasniy-twoandhenrikwaseighty-two.

  theonlyexceptionwasgustav,whodiedoflungdiseaseattheageofthirty-seven.vangerhadexplainedthatgustavhadalwaysbeensicklyandhadgonehisownway,neverreallyfittinginwiththerestofthefaily.heneverarriedandhadnochildren.

  theotherswhohaddiedyounghadsuubedtootherfactorsthanillness.richardvangerwaskilledinthewinterwar,onlythirty-threeyearsold.gottfriedvanger,harriet’sfather,haddrownedtheyearbeforeshedisappeared.andharrietherselfwasonlysixteen.mikaeladenoteofthestrangesyetryinthatparticularbranchofthefaily—grandfather,father,anddaughterhadallbeenstruckbyisfortune.richard’sonlyreainingdescendantwasmartinvangerwho,atfifty-four,wasstillunarried.butvangerhadexplainedthathisnepheasaveritableheritwithawoanwholivedinhedestad.

  blokvistnotedtwofactorsinthefailytree.thefirstwasthatnovangerhadeverdivorcedorrearried,eveniftheirspousehaddiedyoung.hewonderedhowonthatwas,intersofstatistics.ceciliavangerhadbeenseparatedfroherhusbandforyears,butapparently,theywerestillarried.

  theotherpeculiaritywasthatwhereasfredrikvanger’sdescendants,includinghenrik,hadplayedleadingrolesinthebusinessandlivedpriarilyinornearhedestad,johanvanger’sbranchofthefaily,whichproducedonlydaughters,hadarriedanddispersedtostockhol,mal？,andg？teborabroad.andtheyonlycaetohedestadforsuerholidaysortheoreiportanteetings.thesingleexceptionwasingridvanger,whoseson,gunnarkarlan,livedinhedestad.hewastheeditorinchiefofthehedestadcourier.

  thinkingasaprivatedetectiveight,vangerthoughtthattheunderlyingotiveforharriet’surderightbefoundinthestructureofthepany—thefactthatearlyonhehadadeitknownthatharrietwasspecialtohi；theotiveighthavebeentoharvangerhiself,orperhapsharriethaddiscoveredsoesensitiverationconcerningthepanyandtherebybecaeathreattosoeone.thesewereerespeculations；nevertheless,inthisannerhehadidentifiedacircleconsistingofthirteenindividualswhoheconsideredtobeofpotentialinterest.

  blokvist’sconversationwithvangerthedaybeforehadbeenilluinatingononeotherpoint.frothestarttheoldanhadtalkedtoblokvistaboutsoanyebersofhisfailyinaconteptuousanddenigratinganner.itstruckhiasodd.blokvistwonderedwhetherthepatriarch’ssuspicionsabouthisfailyhadwarpedhisjudgeentintheatterofharriet’sdisappearance,butnowhewasstartingtorealisethatvangerhadadeanaazinglysoberassessent.

  theiagethatwaseergingrevealedafailythatwassociallyandfinanciallysuessful,butinalltheoreordinaryaspectswasquiteclearlydysfunctional.

  henrikvanger’sfatherhadbeenacold,insensitiveanwhosiredhischildrenandthenlethiswifelookaftertheirupbringingandwelfare.untilthechildrenreachedtheageofsixteentheybarelysawtheirfatherexceptatspecialfailygatheringswhentheywereexpectedtobepresentbutalsoinvisible.henrikcouldnotreeberhisfathereverexpressinganyforoflove,eveninthesallestway.onthecontrary,thesonwasoftentoldthathewasinpetentandwasthetargetofdevastatingcriticis.corporalpunishentwasseldoused；itwasn’tnecessary.theonlytieshehadwonhisfather’srespectcaelaterinlife,throughhisacplishentswithinthevangercorporation.

  theoldestbrother,richard,hadrebelled.afteranarguent—thereasonforwhichwasneverdiscussedinthefaily—theboyhadovedtouppsalatostudy.therehadbeensowntheseedsofthethenazicareerwhichvangerhadalreadyentioned,andwhichwouldeventuallyleadtothefinnishtrenches.whattheoldanhadnotentionedpreviouslywasthattwootherbrothershadhadsiilarcareers.

  in1930haraldandgregerhadfollowedinrichard’sfootstepstouppsala.thetwohadbeenclose,butvangerwasnotsuretowhatextenttheyhadspenttiewithrichard.itwasquiteclearthatthebrothersalljoinedperengdahl’sfascistoveent,thenewsweden.haraldhadloyallyfollowedperengdahlovertheyears,firsttosweden’snationalunion,thentotheswedishoppositiongroup,andfinallythenewswedishmoveentafterthewar.haraldcontinuedtobeaeberuntilengdahldiedintheniies,andforcertainperiodshewasoneofthekeycontributorstothehibernatingswedishfascistoveent.

  haraldvangerstudiededicineinuppsalaandlandedalostiediatelyincirclesthatwereobsessedwithracehygieneandracebiology.foratieheworkedattheswedishracebiologyinstitute,andasaphysicianhebecaeaproinentcapaignerforthesterilisationofundesirableeleentsinthepopulation.

  quote,henrikvanger,tape2,02950:

  haraldwentevenfurther.in1937heco-authored—underapseudony,thankgod—aentitledthepeople’sneweurope.ididn’tfindthisoutuntiltheseventies.ihaveacopythatyoucanread.itustbeoneoftheostdisgustingseverpublishedintheswedishlanguage.haraldarguednotonlyforsterilisationbutalsoforeuthanasia—activelyputtingtodeathpeoplewhooffendedhisaesthetictastesanddidn’tfithisiageoftheperfectswedishrace.inotherwords,hewasappealingforwholesaleurderinatextthatwaswritteninipeableacadeicproseandcontainedalltherequirededicalarguents.getridofthosewhoarehandicapped.don’tallowthesaaipeopletospread；theyhaveamongolianinfluence.peoplewhoareentallyillwouldregarddeathasaforofliberation,wouldn’tthey？loosewoen,vagrants,gypsies,andjews—youcaniagine.inybrother’sfantasies,auschwitzcouldhavebeenlocatedindalarna.

  afterthewargregervangerbecaeasecondary-schoolteacherandeventuallytheheadasterofthehedestadpreparatoryschool.vangerthoughtthathenolongerbelongedtoanypartyafterthewarandhadgivenupnazis.hediedin1974,anditwasn’tuntilhewentthroughhisbrother’scorrespondencethathelearnedthatinthefiftiesgregerhadjoinedthepoliticallyineffectualbuttotallycrackpotsectcalledthenordicnationalparty.hehadreainedaeberuntilhisdeath.

  quote,henrikvanger,tape2,04167:

  consequently,threeofybrotherswerepoliticallyinsane.howsickweretheyinothe