theonlybrotherworthyofaeasureofepathyinvanger’seyeswasthesicklygustav,whodiedoflungdiseasein1955.gustavhadneverbeeninterestedinpolitics,andheseeedtobesoesortofisanthropicartisticsoul,withabsolutelynointerestinbusinessorworkinginthevangercorporation.

  blokvistaskedvanger:“nowyouandharaldaretheonlyonesleft.whydidheovebacktohedeby？”

  “heovedhoein1979.heownsthathouse.”

  “itustfeelstrangelivingsoclosetoabrotherthatyouhate.”

  “idon’thateybrother.ifanything,iaypityhi.he’sapleteidiot,andhe’stheonewhohatese.”

  “hehatesyou？”

  “precisely.ithinkthat’swhyhecaebackhere.sothathecouldspendhislastyearshatingeatclosequarters.”

  “whydoeshehateyou？”

  “becauseigotarried.”

  “ithinkyou’regoingtohavetoexplainthat.”

  vangerhadlostcontactwithhisolderbrothersearlyon.hewastheonlybrothertoshowanaptitudeforbusiness—hewashisfather’slasthope.hehadnointerestinpoliticsandsteeredclearofuppsala.insteadhestudiedeconoicsinstockhol.afterheturnedeighteenhespenteverybreakandsuerholidayworkingatoneoftheofficeswithinthevangercorporationorworkingwiththeanageentofoneofitspanies.hebecaefailiarwithallthelabyrinthsofthefailybusiness.

  on10june,1941—intheidstofanall-outwar—vangerwassenttogeranyforasix-weekvisitatthevangercorporationbusinessofficesinhaburg.hewasonlytwenty-oneandthevanger’sgeranagent,apanyveteranbythenaeofherannlobach,washischaperoneandentor.

  “iwon’ttireyouwithallthedetails,butwheniwentthere,hitlerandstalinwerestillgoodfriendsandtherewasn’tyetaneasternfront.everyonestillbelievedthathitlerwasinvincible.therewasafeelingof…bothoptiisanddesperation.ithinkthosearetherightwords.morethanhalfacenturylater,it’sstilldifficul. comutwordstotheood.don’tgetewrong—iwasnotanazi,andinyeyeshitlerseeedlikesoeabsurdcharacterinanoperetta.butitwouldhavebeenalostipossiblenottobeinfectedbytheoptiisaboutthefuture,whichwasrifeaongordinarypeopleinhaburg.despitethefactthatthewarwasgettingcloser,andseveralbobingraidswerecarriedoutagainsthaburgduringthetieiwasthere,thepeopleseeedtothinkitwasostlyateporaryannoyance—thatsoontherewouldbepeaceandhitlerwouldestablishhisneuropa.peoplewantedtobelievethathitlerwasgod.that’swhatitsoundedlikeinthepropaganda.”

  vangeropenedoneofhisanyphotographalbus.

  “thisislobach.hedisappearedin1944,presuablylostinsoebobingraid.weneverknehathisfatewas.duringyweeksinhaburgibecaeclosetohi.iwasstayingwithhiandhisfailyinanelegantapartentinawell-to-doneighbourhoodofhaburg.wespenttietogethereveryday.hewasnooreanazithaniwas,butforconveniencehewasaeberoftheparty.hisebershipcardopeneddoorsandfacilitatedopportunitiesforthevangercorporation—andbusinesswaspreciselywhatwedid.webuiltfreightwagonsfortheirtrains—i’vealwayswonderedwhetheranyofourwagonsweredestinedforpoland.wesoldfabricfortheiruniforsandtubesfortheirradiosets—althoughofficiallywedidn’

  7

  提供

  tknohattheywereusingthegoodsfor.andlobachknewhowtolandacontract；hewasentertainingandgood-natured.theperfectnazi.graduallyibegantoseethathewasalsoaanwhowasdesperatelytryingtohideasecret.

  “intheearlyhoursofjune22in1941,lobachknockedonthedoorofybedroo.myroowasnexttohiswife’sbedroo,andhesignalledetobequiet,getdressed,andewithhi.wewentdownstairsandsatinthesokingsalon.lobachhadbeenupallnight.hehadtheradioon,andirealisedthatsoethingserioushadhappened.operationbarbarossahadbegun.geranyhadinvadedthesovietuniononmidsuereve.”vangergesturedinresignation.“lobachtookouttwoglassesandpouredagenerousaquavitforeachofus.hewasobviouslyshaken.wheniaskedhiwhatitalleant,herepliedwithforesightthatiteanttheendforgeranyandnazis.ionlyhalfbelievedhi—hitlerseeedundefeatable,afterall—butlobachandidrankatoasttothefallofgerany.thenheturnedhisattentio. comracticalatters.”

  blokvistnoddedtosignalthathewasstillfollowingthestory.

  “first,hehadnopossibilityofcontactingyfatherforinstructions,butonhisowninitiativehehaddecidedtocutshortyvisittogeranyandsendehoe.second,heaskedetodosoethingforhi.”

  vangerpointedtoayellowedportraitofadark-hairedwoan,inthree-quarterview.

  “lobachhadbeenarriedforfortyyears,butin1919heetawildlybeautifulwoanhalfhisage,andhefellhopelesslyinlovewithher.shewasapoor,sipleseastress.lobachcourtedher,andlikesoanyotherwealthyen,hecouldaffordtoinstallherinanapartentaconvenientdistancefrohisoffice.shebecaehisistress.in1921shehadadaughter,whowaschristenededith.”

  “richolderan,pooryoungwoan,andalovechild—thatcan’thavecauseduchofascandalintheforties,”blokvistsaid.

  “absolutelyright.ifithadn’tbeenforohing.thewoanwasjewish,andconsequentlylobachwasthefatherofajewintheidstofnazigerany.hewaswhattheycalleda‘traitortohisrace.’”

  “ah…thatdoeschangethesituation.whathappened？”

  “edith’sotherhadbeenpickedupin1939.shedisappeared,andwecanonlyguesswhatherfatewas.itwasknown,ofcourse,thatshehadadaughterwhowasnotyetincludedonanytransportlist,andwhowasnowbeingsoughtbythedepartentofthegestapowhosejobitwastotrackdownfugitivejews.inthesuerof1941,theweekthatiarrivedinhaburg,edith’sotherwassoehowlinkedtolobach,andhewassuonedforaninterview.heacknowledgedtherelationshipandhispaternity,buthestatedthathehadnoideawherehisdaughterightbe,andhehadnothadanycontactwithherintenyears.”

  “sowherewasthedaughter？”

  “ihadseenhereverydayinthelobachs’hoe.asweetandquiettwenty-year-oldgirlwhocleanedyrooandhelpedservedinner.by1937thepersecutionofthejewshadbeengoingonforseveralyears,andedith’sotherhadbeggedlobachforhelp.andhedidhelp—lobachlovedhisillegitiatechildjustasuchashislegitiatechildren.hehidherintheostunlikelyplacehecouldthinkof—rightinfrontofeveryone’snose.hehadarrangedforcounterfeitdocuents,andhehadtakenherinastheirhousekeeper.”

  “didhiswifeknohoshewas？”

  “no,itseeedshehadnoidea.ithadworkedforfouryears,butnowlobachfeltthenoosetightening.itwasonlyaatteroftiebeforethegestapowouldeknockingonthedoor.thenhewenttogethisdaughterandintroducedhertoeassuch.shewasveryshyanddidn’tevendarelookeintheeye.sheusthavebeenuphalfthenightwaitingtobecalled.lobachbeggedetosaveherlife.”

  “how？”

  “hehadarrangedthewholething.iwassupposedtobestayinganotherthreeweeksandthentotakethenighttraintocopenhagenandcontinuebyferryacrossthesound—arelativelysafetrip,eveninwartie.buttwodaysafterourconversationafreighterownedbythevangercorporationwastoleavehaburgheadedforsweden.lobachwantedtosendewiththefreighterinstead,toleavegeranywithoutdelay.thechangeinytravelplanshadtobeapprovedbythesecurityservice；itwasaforality,butnotaproble.butlobachwantedeonboardthatfreighter.”

  “togetherwithedith,ipresue.”

  “edithwassuggledonboard,hiddeninsideoneofthreehundredcratescontainingachinery.myjobwa. comrotectherifsheshouldbediscoveredwhilewewerestillingeranterritorialwaters,an. comreventthecaptainoftheshipfrodoinganythingstupid.otherwiseiwassupposedtowaituntilwewereagooddistancefrogeranybeforeiletherout.”

  “itsoundsterrifying.”

  “itsoundedsipletoe,butitturnedintoanightarejourney.thecaptainwascalledoskargranath,andhewasfarfropleasedtobeaderesponsibleforhiseployer’ssnottylittleheir.welefthaburgaround9:00intheeveninginlatejune.wewerejustakingourwayoutoftheinnerharbourwhentheair-raidsirenswentoff.abritishbobingraid—theheaviestihadthenexperienced,andtheharbourwas,ofcourse,theaintarget.butsoehoegotthrough,andafteranenginebreakdownandaiserablystorynightinine-filledwaterswearrivedthefollowingafternoonatkarlskrona.you’reprobablygoingtoaskewhathappenedtothegirl.”

  “ithinkiknow.”

  “myfatherwasunderstandablyfurious.ihadputeverythingatriskwithyidioticventure.andthegirlcouldhavebeendeportedfroswedenatanytie.butiwasalreadyjustashopelesslyinlovewithheraslobachhadbeenwithherother.iproposedtoherandgaveyfatheranultiatu—eitherheaeptedourarriageorhe’dhavetolookforanotherfattedcalfforthefailybusiness.hegavein.”

  “butshedied？”

  “yes,fartooyoung,in1958.shehadacongenitalheartdefect.anditturnedoutthaticouldn’thavechildren.andthat’swhyybrotherhatese.”

  “becauseyouarriedher.”

  “because—tousehisownwords—iarriedafilthyjewishwhore.”

  “buthe’sinsane.”

  “icouldn’thaveputitbetteryself.”

  chapter10

  thursday,january9-friday,january31

  aordingtothehedestadcourier,blokvist’sfirstonthoutinthecountrywasthecoldestinrecordedeory,oratleastsincethewartiewinterof1942.afteronlyaweekinhedebyhehadlearnedallaboutlongunderwear,woollysocks,anddoubleundershirts.

  hehadseveraliserabledaysintheiddleoftheonthwhentheteperaturedroppedto-35°f.hehadexperiencednothinglikeit,notevenduringtheyearhespentinkirunainlaplanddoinghisilitaryservice.

  oneorningthewaterpipesfroze.nilssongavehitwobigplastiontainersofwaterforcookingandwashing,butthecoldwasparalysing.iceflowersforedontheinsidesofthewindows,andnoatterhowuchwoodheputinthestove,hewasstillcold.hespentalongtieeachdaysplittingwoodintheshednexttothehouse.

  attieshewasonthebrinkoftearsandtoyedwithtakingthefirsttrainheadingsouth.insteadhewouldputononeoresweaterandwrapupinablanketashesatatthekitchentable,drinkingcoffeeandreadingoldpolicereports.

  thentheweatherchangedandtheteperaturerosesteadilytoabaly14°f.

  mikaelwasbeginningtogettoknowpeopleinhedeby.martinvangerkepthisproiseandinvitedhiforaealofoosesteak.hisladyfriendjoinedthefordinner.evawasawar,sociable,andentertainingwoan.blokvistfoundherextraordinarilyattractive.shewasadentistandlivedinhedestad,butshespenttheweekendsatmartin’shoe.blokvistgraduallylearnedthattheyhadknowneachotherforanyyearsbutthattheyhadnotstartedgoingouttogetheruntiltheywereiddle-aged.evidentlytheysawnoreasontoarry.

  “she’sactuallyydentist,”saidmartinwithalaugh.

  “andarryingintothiscrazyfailyisn’treallyything,”evasaid,pattingmartinaffectionatelyontheknee.

  martinvanger’svillawasfurnishedinblack,white,andchroe.therewereexpensivedesignerpiecesthatwouldhavedelightedtheconnoisseurchristermal.thekitchenwasequippedtoaprofessionalchef’sstandard.inthelivingrootherewasahigh-endstereowithanipressivecollectionofjazzrecordsfrotoydorseytojohncoltrane.martinvangerhadoney,andhishoewasbothluxuriousandfunctional.itwasalsoipersonal.theartworkonthewallswasreproductionsandposters,ofthesortfoundinikea.theshelves,atleastinthepartofthehousethatblokvistsaw,housedaswedishencyclopediaandsoecoffeetablesthatpeopleighthavegivenhiaschristaspresents,forwantofabetteridea.allinall,hecoulddiscernonlytwopersonalaspectsofmartinvanger’slife:usicandcooking.his3,000orsolpsspokefortheoneandtheothercouldbededucedfrothefactofmartin’sstoachbulgingoverhisbelt.

  theanhiselfwasaixtureofsiplicity,shrewdness,andaiability.ittooknogreatanalyticalskilltoconcludethatthecorporateceowasaanwithprobles.astheylistenedto“nightintunisia,”theconversationwasdevotedtothevangercorporation,andmartinadenosecretofthefactthatthepanywasfightingforsurvival.hewascertainlyawarethathisguestwasafinancialreporterwhohehardlyknew,yethediscussedtheinternalproblesofhispanysoopenlythatitseeedreckless.perhapsheassuedthatblokvistwasoneofthefailysincehewasworkingforhisgreat-uncle；andliketheforerceo,martintooktheviewthatthefailyebersonlyhadtheselvestoblaeforthesituationinwhichthepanyfounditself.ontheotherhand,heseeedalostausedbyhisfaily’sincorrigiblefolly.evanoddedbutpassednojudgeentofherown.theyhadobviouslybeenoverthesaegroundbefore.

  martinaeptedthestorythatblokvisthadbeenhiredtowriteafailychronicle,andheinquiredhowtheworkwasgoing.blokvistsaidwithasilethathewashavingtheosttroublereeberingthenaesofalltherelatives.heaskedifheightebacktodoaninterviewinduecourse.twiceheconsideredturningtheconversationtotheoldan’sobsessionwithharriet’sdisappearance.vangerusthavepesteredherbrotherwithhistheories,andmartinustrealisethatifblokvistwasgoingtowriteaboutthevangers,hecouldnotignorethefactthatonefailyeberhadvanishedindraatiircustances.butmartinshowednosignofwantingtodiscussthesubject.

  theeveningended,afterseveralroundsofvodka,at2:00intheorning.blokvistwasfairlydrunkasheskiddedthethreehundredyardstotheguesthouse.ithadbeenapleasantevening.

  oneafternoonduringblokvist’ssecondweekinhedebytherewasaknockonthedoor.heputasidethebinderfrothepolicereportthathehadju. comened—thesixthintheseries—andclosedthedoortohisofficebeforeheopenedthefrontdoortoablondewoanwellwrappedupagainstthecold.

  “hi.ijustthoughti’deandsayhello.i’ceciliavanger.”

  theyshookhandsandhegotoutthecoffeecups.cecilia,daughterofharaldvanger,appearedtobeanopenandengagingwoan.blokvistreeberedthatvangerhadspokenofherappreciatively；hehadalsosaidthatshewasnotonspeakingterswithherfather,hernext-doorneighbour.theychattedforawhilebeforeshebroughtupthereasonforhervisit.

  “iunderstandthatyou’rewritingaaboutthefaily,”shesaid.“i’notsurethaticarefortheidea.iwantedtoseewhatsortofpersonyouare.”

  “well,henrikvangerhirede.it’shisstory,sotospeak.”

  “andourgoodhenrikisn’texactlyneutralinhisattitudetowardsthefaily.”

  blokviststudiedher,unsurewhatshewasgettingat.“you’reopposedtohavingawrittenaboutthevangerfaily？”

  “ididn’tsaythat.anditdoesn’treallyatterwhatithink.butbynowyouusthaverealisedthatithasn’talwaysbeenplainsailingtobepartofthisfaily.”

  blokvisthadnoideawhatvangerhadsaidorhowuchceciliaknewabouthisassignent.hethrewouthishands.

  “i’contractedbyyouruncletowriteafailychronicle.hehassoeverycolourfulviewsaboutebersofthefaily,buti’llbestickingstrictlytowhatcanbedocuented.”

  ceciliavangersiledbutwithoutwarth.“whatiwanttoknowis:willihavetogointoexileoreigratewhentheesout？”

  “idon’texpectso,”blokvistsaid.“peoplewillbeabletotellthesheepfrothegoats.”

  “likeyfather,forinstance？”

  “yourfatherthefaousnazi？”blokvistsaid.

  ceciliavangerrolledhereyes.“myfatheriscrazy.ionlyseehiafewtiesayear.”

  “whydon’tyouwanttoseehi？”

  “waitainute—beforeyoustartinaskingalotofquestions…areyouplanningtoquoteanythingisay？orcanicarryonanoralconversationwithyou？”

  “myjobistowriteastartingwithalexandrevangeersad’sarrivalinswedenwithbernadotteandgoinguptothepresent.it’stocoverthebusinessepireoveranydecades,butitwillalsodiscusswhytheepireisindifficultyanditwilltouchontheaniositythatexistswithinthefaily.insuchasurveyit’sipossibletoavoidhavingsoedirtylinenfloattothesurface.butthatdoesn’teanthati’goingtosetou. comresentaaliciousportraitofanyone.forexaple,i’veetmartinvanger；heseestoeaverysypatheticperson,andthat’showi’goingtodescribehi.”

  ceciliavangerdidnotreply.

  “whatiknowaboutyouisthatyou’reateacher…”

  “it’sactuallyworsethanthat—i’theheadistressofhedestadpreparatoryschool.”

  “i’sorry.iknowthatyouruncleisfondofyou,thatyou’rearriedbutseparated…andthat’saboutallsofar.sodopleasegoaheadandtalktoewithoutfearofbeingquoted.i’surei’lleknockingonyourdoorsoedaysoon.thenitwillbeanofficialinterview,andyoucanchoosewhetheryouwanttoansweryquestionsornot.”

  “soicantalktoyouthenornow…offtherecord,astheysay？”

  “ofcourse.”

  “andthisisofftherecord？”

  “ofcourse.thisisasocialvisitafterall.”

  “ok.thencaniaskyousoething？”

  “please.”