ihopethatyouwillaepthavingeshowuplikethis.ifyoudon’twanteontheboard,i’llunderstand,butidoassureyouthati’lldoallicantosupportmillenniu.iaingreatdebttoyou,andiwillalwayshavethebestofintentionsinthisregard.

  ietyourcolleagueerikaberger.i’notsurewhatshethoughtofe,andiwassurprisedtohearthatyouhadn’ttoldheraboutwhathappened.

  iwouldveryuchliketobeyourfriend.ifyoucanstandtohaveanythingoretodowiththevangerfaily.bestregards,harriet

  p.s.iunderstoodfroerikathatyou’replanningtotacklewennerstr？again.dirchfrodetoldehowhenrikpulledaswiftyonyou,astheysayinaustralia.whatcanisay？i’sorry.ifthere’sanythingicando,leteknow.

  fro

  to:

  hiharriet.ilefthedebyinabighurryandanoorkingonwhatireallyshouldhavebeenspendingytieonthisyear.you’llbeadvisedinplentyoftiebeforethearticlegoe. comress,butithinkicansaythattheproblesofthepastyearwillsoonbeover.

  ihopeyouanderikawillbefriends,and,ofcourse,ihavenoproblewithyoubeingonmillenniu’sboard.i’lltellerikaaboutwhathappened,ifyouthinkthat’swise.henrikwantedenevertosayanythingtoanyone.let’ssee,butrightnowidon’thavethetieortheenergyandineedalittledistancefirst.

  let’skeepintouch.best/mikael

  salanderwasnotespeciallyinterestedinwhatmikaelwaswriting.shelookedupfroherwhenblokvistsaidsoething,butatfirstshecouldnotakeitout.

  “sorry.iwastalkingaloud.isaidthatthisishorrible.”

  “what’shorrible？”

  “wennerstr？hadanaffairwithatwenty-two-year-oldwaitressandhegotherpregnant.haveyoureadhiscorrespondencewithhislawyer？”

  “mydearmikael—youhavetenyearsofcorrespondence,eails,agreeents,travelarrangeents,andgodknowswhatonthatharddrive.idon’tfindwennerstr？sofascinatingthati’dcrasixgigsofgarbageintoyhead.ireadthroughafractionofit,ostlytosatisfyycuriosity,andthatwasenoughtotellethathe’sagangster.”

  “ok.hegotherpregnantin1997.whenshewantedpensation,hislawyergotsoeootrytoconvincehertohaveanabortion.iassuetheintentionwastoofferherasuofoney,butshewasn’tinterested.thenthepersuadingendedupwiththeheavyholdingherunderwaterinabathuntilsheagreedtoleavewennerstr？inpeace.andwennerstr？’sidiotwritesallthistothelawyerinaneail—ofcourseencrypted,butevenso…itdoesn’tsayuchfortheiqofthisbunch.”

  “whathappenedtothegirl？”

  “shehadanabortion,andwennerstr？waspleased.”

  salandersaidnothingforteninutes.hereyeshadsuddenlyturneddark.

  “oneoreanwhohateswoen,”sheutteredatlast.

  sheborrowedthecdsandspentthenextfewdaysreadingthroughwennerstr？’seailsandotherdocuents.whileblokvistkeptworking,salanderwasupinthesleepingloftwithherpoweronherknees,ponderingwennerstr？’speculiarepire.

  anideahadourredtoherandshecouldnotletitgo.mostofallshewonderedwhyithadnotourredtohersooner.

  inlateoctobermikaelturnedoffhisputerwhenitwasonly11:00intheorning.heclibeduptothesleepingloftandhandedsalanderwhathehadwritten.thenhefellasleep.shewokehithateveningandgavehiheropinionofthearticle.

  justafter2:00intheorning,blokvistadethelastbackupofhiswork.

  thenextdayheclosedtheshuttersonthewindowsandlockedup.salander’sholidaywasover.theywentbacktostockholtogether.

  hebroughtupthesubjectastheyweredrinkingcoffeefropapercupsonthevaxholferry.

  “whatthetwoofusneedtodecideiswhattotellerika.she’sgoingtorefus. comublishthisifican’texplainhowigotholdoftheaterial.”

  erikaberger.blokvist’seditorinchiefandlong-tielover.salanderhadneveretherandwasnotsurethatshewantedtoeither.bergerseeedlikesoeindefinabledisturbanceinherlife.

  “whatdoessheknowaboute？”

  “nothing.”hesighed.“thefactisthati’vebeenavoidinghereversincethesuer.she’sveryfrustratedaboutthefactthaticouldn’ttellherwhathappenedinhedestad.sheknows,ofcourse,thati’vebeenstayingoutatsandhanandwritingthisstory,butshedoesn’tknohatit’sabout.”

  “h.”

  “inacoupleofhoursshe’llhavetheanuscript.thenshe’sgoingtogiveethethirddegree.thequestionis,whatshoulditellher？”

  “whatdoyouwanttotellher？”

  “i’dliketotellherthetruth.”

  salanderfrowned.

  “lisbeth,erikaandiarguealostallthetie.itseestobepartofhoeunicate.butshe’sabsolutelytrustworthy.you’reasource.shewouldratherdiethanrevealwhoyouare.”

  “howanyotherswouldyouhavetotell？”

  “absolutelyno-one.itwillgotothegravewitheanderika.butiwon’ttellheryoursecretifyoudon’twanteto.ontheotherhand,it’snotanoptionforetolietoerika,akeupsoesourcethatdoesn’texist.”

  salanderthoughtaboutituntiltheydockedbythegrandhotel.analysisofconsequences.reluctantlyshefinallygaveblokvistperissiontointroducehertoerika.heswitchedonhisobileandadethecall.

  bergerwaslunchingwithmalineriksson,whoshewasconsideringhiringasanagingeditor.erikssonwastwenty-nineyearsoldandhadbeenworkingasatepforfiveyears.shehadneverheldaperanentjobandhadstartedtodoubtthatsheeverwould.bergercalledherontheverydaythatmalin’slatesttepjobendedtoaskifshewouldliketoapplyforthemillenniuposition.

  “it’sateporarypostforthreeonths,”bergersaid.“butifthingsworkout,itcouldbeperanent.”

  “i’veheardruoursthatmillenniuishavingadifficulttie.”

  bergersiled.

  “youshouldn’tbelieveruours.”

  “thisdahlanthatiwouldbereplacing…”erikssonhesitated.“he’sgoingtoworkataagazineownedbyhans-erikwennerstr？…”

  bergernodded.“it’shardlyatradesecretthatwe’reinconflictwithwennerstr？.hedoesn’tlikepeoplewhoworkformillenniu.”

  “soifitakethejobatmillenniu,iwouldendupinthatcategorytoo.”

  “it’sverylikely,yes.”

  “butdahlangotajobwithmonopolyfinancialmagazine,didn’the？”

  “youightsaythatit’swennerstr？’swayofpayingforservicesrendered.areyoustillinterested？”

  erikssonnodded.

  “whendoyouwantetostart？”

  that’swhenblokvistcalled.

  sheusedherownkeytoopenthedoortohisapartent.itwasthefirsttiesincehisbriefvisittotheofficeatmidsuerthatshewaseetinghifacetoface.shewentintothelivingrooandfoundananorexicallythingirlsittingonthesofa,wearingawornleatherjacketandwithherfeetproppeduponthecoffeetable.atfirstshethoughtthegirlwasaboutfifteen,butthatwasbeforeshelookedintohereyes.shewasstilllookingatthiscreaturewhenblokvistcaeinwithacoffeepotandcoffeecake.

  “fiveeforbeingpletelyipossible,”hesaid.

  bergertiltedherhead.therewassoethingdifferentabouthi.helookedhaggard,thinnerthanshereebered.hiseyeshadashaedexpression,andforaoentheavoidedhergaze.sheglancedathisneck.shesawapaleredline,clearlydistinguishable.

  “i’vebeenavoidingyou.it’saverylongstory,andi’notproudofyroleinit.butwe’lltalkaboutthatlater…nowiwanttointroduceyoutothisyoungwoan.erika,thisislisbethsalander.lisbeth,erikaberger,editorinchiefofmillenniuandybestfriend.”

  salanderstudiedberger’selegantclothesandself-confidentanneranddecidedaftertensecondsthatshewasostlikelynotgoingtobeherbestfriend.

  theireetinglastedfivehours.bergertwiceadecallstocancelothereetings.shespentanhourreadingpartsoftheanuscriptthatblokvistputinherhands.shehadathousandquestionsbutrealisedthatitwouldtakeweeksbeforeshegottheanswered.theiportantthingwastheanuscript,whichshefinallyputdown.ifevenafractionoftheseclaiswereaurate,awholenewsituationhadeerged.

  bergerlookedatblokvist.shehadneverdoubtedthathewasanhonestperson,butnowshefeltdizzyandwonderedwhetherthewennerstr？affairhadbrokenhi—thatwhathehadbeenworkingonwasallafigentofhisiagination.blokvistwasatthatoentunpackingtwoboxesofprinted-outsourceaterial.bergerblanched.shewanted,ofcourse,toknowhowithadeintohispossession.

  ittookawhiletoconvinceherthatthisoddgirl,whohadsaidnotonewordduringtheeeting,hadunliitedaesstowennerstr？’sputer.andnotjusthis—shehadalsohackedintotheputersofseveralofhislawyersandcloseassociates.

  berge

  19

  提供

  r’siediatereactionwasthattheycouldnotusetheaterialsinceithadbeenobtainedthroughillegaleans.

  but,ofcourse,theycoulduseit.blokvistpointedoutthattheyhadnoobligationtoexplainhowtheyhadacquiredtheaterial.theycouldjustaswellhaveasourcewithaesstowennerstr？’sputerwhohadburnedeverythingonhisharddrivetoacd.

  finallybergerrealisedwhataweaponshehadinherhands.shefeltexhaustedandstillhadquestions,butshedidnotknoheretobegin.atlastsheleanedbackagainstthesofaandthrewoutherhands.

  “mikael,whathappenedupinhedestad？”

  salanderlookedupsharply.blokvistansweredwithaquestion.

  “howareyougettingalongwithharrietvanger？”

  “fine.ithink.i’veethertwice.christerandidroveuptohedestadforaboardeetinglastweek.wegotdrunkonwine.”

  “andtheboardeeting？”

  “shekeptherword.”

  “ricky,iknowyou’refrustratedthati’vebeenduckingyouandingupwithexcusesnottotellyouwhathappened.youandihaveneverhadsecretsfroeachother,andallofasuddenthere’ssixonthsofylifethati’…notpreparedtotellyouabout.”

  bergeretblokvist’sgaze.sheknewhiinsideandout,butwhatshesawinhiseyeswassoethingshehadneverseenbefore.hewasbegginghernottoask.salanderwatchedtheirwordlessdialogue.shewasnopartofit.

  “wasitthatbad？”

  “itwasworse.i’vebeendreadingthisconversation.iproisetotellyou,buti’vespentseveralonthssuppressingyfeelingswhilewennerstr？hasabsorbedallyattention…i’stillnotready.i’dpreferitifharriettoldyouinstead.”

  “what’sthatarkaroundyourneck？”

  “lisbethsavedylifeupthere.ifitweren’tforher,i’dbedead.”

  berger’seyeswidened.shestaredatthegirlintheleatherjacket.

  “andrightnowyouneedtoetoanagreeentwithher.sheisoursource.”

  bergersatforatie,thinking.thenshedidsoethingthatastonishedblokvistandstartledsalander；shesurprisedevenherself.thewholetieshehadbeensittingatmikael’sliving-rootable,shehadfeltsalander’seyesonher.ataciturngirlwithhostilevibrations.

  bergerstoodupandwentaroundthetableandthrewherarsaroundthegirl.salandersquiredlikeaworabouttobeputonahook.

  chapter29

  saturday,noveber1–tuesday,noveber25

  salanderwassurfingthroughwennerstr？’scyber-epire.shehadbeenstaringatherputerscreenforalostelevenhours.theideathathadaterialisedinsoeunexplorednookofherbrainduringthelastweekatsandhanhadgrownintoaanicpreoupation.forfourweeksshehadisolatedherselfinherapartentandignoredanyunicationfroaransky.shehadspenttwelvehoursadayinfrontofherputer,soedaysore,andtherestofherwakinghoursshehadbroodedoverthesaeproble.

  duringthepastonthshehadhadinterittentcontactwithblokvist.hetoowaspreoupied,busyatthemillenniuoffices.theyhadconferredbytelephoneacoupleoftieseachweek,andshehadkepthiupdatedonwennerstr？’scorrespondenceandotheractivities.

  forthehundredthtieshewentovereverydetail.shewasnotafraidthatshehadissedanything,butshewasnotsurethatshehadunderstoodhoweveryoneoftheintricateconnectionsfittedtogether.

  thisuch-discussedepirewaslikealiving,forless,pulsatinganisthatkeptchangingshape.itconsistedofoptions,bonds,shares,partnerships,loaninterest,ineinterest,deposits,bankaounts,payenttransfers,andthousandsofothereleents.anincrediblylargeproportionoftheassetswasdepositedinpost-office-boxpaniesthatownedoneanother.

  thefinancialpundits’ostinflatedanalysesofthewennerstr？groupestiateditsvalueatorethan900billionkronor.thatwasabluff,oratleastafigurethatwasgrosslyexaggerated.obviouslywennerstr？hiselfwasbynoeanspoor.shecalculatedtherealassetstobeworthbetween90and100billionkronor,whichwasnothingtosneezeat.athoroughauditoftheentirecorporationwouldtakeyears.allinallsalanderhadidentifiedclosetothreethousandseparateaountsandbankholdingsallovertheworld.wennerstr？wasdevotinghiselftofraudthatwassoextensiveitwasnolongererelycriinal—itwasbusiness.

  soewhereinthewennerstr？anistherewasalsosubstance.threeassetskeptshowingupinthehierarchy.thefixedswedishassetswereunassailableandgenuine,availabl. comublicscrutiny,balancesheets,andaudits.theaericanfirwassolid,andabankinnewyorkservedasthebaseforallliquidcapital.thestorywasinthebusinesswiththepost-office-boxpaniesinplacessuchasgibraltarandcyprusandmacao.wennerstr？waslikeaclearinghousefortheillegalweaponstrade,oneylaunderingforsuspectenterprisesincolobia,andextreelyunorthodoxbusinessesinrussia.

  ananonyousaountinthecayanislandswasunique；itwaspersonallycontrolledbywennerstr？butwasnotconnectedtoanypanies.afewhundredthsofapercentofeverydealthatwennerstr？adewouldbesiphonedintothecayanislandsviathepost-office-boxpanies.

  salanderworkedinatrance-likestate.theaount—click—eail—click—balancesheets—click.shenoteddownthelatesttransfers.shetrackedasalltransactioninjapantosingaporeandonvialuxebourgtothecayanislands.sheunderstoodhowitworked.itwasasifshewerepartoftheipulsesincyberspace.sallchanges.thelatesteail.onebriefessageofsoewhatperipheralinterestwassentat10:00p..thepgpencryptionprograewasajokeforanyonewhowasalreadyinsidehisputerandcouldreadtheessageinplaintext:

  bergerhas. compedarguingabouttheads.hasshegivenupordoesshehavesoethingcooking？yoursourceattheeditorialofficesassuredusthattheywereonthebrinkofruin,butitsoundsasiftheyjusthiredanewperson.findoutwhat’shappening.blokvisthasbeenworkingatsandhanforthepastfeeeks,butno-oneknowswhathe’swriting.he’sbeenseenattheeditorialofficesthepastfewdays.canyouarrangeforanadvancecopyofthenextissue？/hew/

  nothingdraatic.lethiworry.yourgooseiscooked,oldan.

  at5:30intheorningsheturnedoffherputerandgotoutanewpackofcigarettes.shehaddrunkfour,no,fivecokesduringthenight,andnowshegotoutasixthandwenttositonthesofa.shewaswearingonlyknickersandawashed-outcaouflageshirtadvertisingsoldieroffortuneagazine,withtheslogankillthemallandletgodsortthemout.sherealisedthatshewascold,soshereachedforablanket,whichshewrappedaroundherself.

  shefelthigh,asifshehadconsuedsoeinappropriateandpresuablyillegalsubstance.shefocusedhergazeonthestreetlapoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileherbrainworkeda. comspeed.maa—click—sister—click—mii—click—holgerpalgren.evilfingers.andaransky.thejob.harrietvanger.click.martinvanger.click.thegolfclub.click.thelawyerbjuran.click.everysinglefuckingdetailthatshecouldn’tfetevenifshetried.

  shewonderedwhetherbjuranwouldevertakehisclothesoffinfrontofawoanagain,andifhedid,hoashegoingtoexplainthetattoosonhisstoach？andthenexttiehewenttothedoctorhoouldheavoidtakingoffhisclothes？

  andmikaelblokvist.click.

  sheconsideredhitobeagoodperson,possiblywithapracticalpigplexthatwassoetiesalittletooapparent.andhewasunbearablynaivewithregardtocertaineleentaryoralissues.hehadanindulgentandfivingpersonalitythatlookedforexplanationsandexcusesforthewaypeoplebehaved,andhewouldnevergetitthattheraptorsoftheworldunderstoodonlyonelanguage.shefeltalostawkwardlyprotectivewhenevershethoughtofhi.

  shedidnotreeberfallingasleep,butshewokeupat9:00a..withacrickinherneckandwithherheadleaningagainstthewallbehindthesofa.shetotteredtothebedrooandfellbacktosleep.

  itwaswithoutadoubtthebiggeststoryoftheirlives.forthefirsttieinayearandahalf,bergerwashappyinthewaythatonlyaneditorwhohasaspectacularscoopintheovencanbe.sheandblokvistwerepolishingthearticleonelasttiewhensalandercalledhionhisobile.

  “ifottosaythatwennerstr？isstartingtogetw