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’sstilldifficulttoputwordstotheood.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.thenheturnedhisattentiontopracticalatters.”

    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.myjobwastoprotectherifsheshouldbediscoveredwhilewewerestillingeranterritorialwaters,andtopreventthecaptainoftheshipfrodoinganythingstupid.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.heputasidethebinderfrothepolicereportthathehadjustopened—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’goingtosetouttopresentaaliciousportraitofanyone.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.”