hestoppedbelowceciliavanger’shouseandstoleaglanceatthelightedwindowsonthetopfloor.thenhewenthoeandputonsoecoffeeofhisown.hewentintohisofficewhilehewaitedforittobrew.

    beforehepresentedhiselfattheprisonhehadreturnedtheajorityofvanger’sdocuentationonharriet.ithadseeedwisenottoleaveitinaneptyhouse.nowtheshelveslookedbare.hehad,ofthereports,onlyfiveofvanger’sownnotes,andthesehehadtakenwithhitorull？kerandnowknewbyheart.henoticedanalbuonthetopshelfofthecasethathehadfotten.

    hecarriedittothekitchentable.hepouredhiselfcoffeeandbegangoingthroughit.

    theywerephotographsthathadbeentakenonthedayharrietdisappeared.thefirstofthewasthelastphotographofharriet,atthechildren’sdayparadeinhedestad.thenthereweresoe180crystal-clearpicturesofthesceneoftheaidentonthebridge.hehadexainedtheiagesonebyonewithaagnifyingglassonseveraloasionspreviously.nowheturnedthepagesalostabsent-indedly；heknewhewasnotgoingtofindanythinghehadnotseenbefore.infacthefeltallofasuddenfedupwiththeunexplainabledisappearanceofharrietvangerandslaedthealbushut.

    restlesslyhewenttothekitchenwindowandpeeredoutintothedarkness.

    thenheturnedhisgazebacktothealbu.hecouldnothaveexplainedthefeeling,butathoughtflittedthroughhishead,asthoughhewerereactingtosoethinghehadjustseen.itwasasthoughaninvisiblecreaturehadwhisperedinhisear,akingthehairsonthebackofhisneckstandonend.

    heopenedthealbuagain.hewentthroughitpagebypage,lookingatallthepicturesofthebridge.helookedattheyoungerversionofanoil-soakedhenrikvangerandayoungerharald,aanwhohehadstillnotet.thebrokenrailing,thebuildings,thewindowsandthevehiclesvisibleinthepictures.hecouldnotfailtoidentifyatwenty-year-oldceciliaintheidstoftheonlookers.shehadonalight-coloureddressandadarkjacketandwasinatleasttwentyofthephotographs.

    hefeltafreshexciteent,andovertheyearsblokvisthadlearnedtotrusthisinstincts.theseinstinctswerereactingtosoethinginthealbu,buthecouldnotyetsaywhatitwas.

    hewasstillatthekitchentableat11:00,staringonebyoneagainatthephotographswhenheheardthedooropen.

    “mayiein？”itwasceciliavanger.withoutwaitingforananswershesatdownacrossfrohiatthetable.blokvisthadastrangefeelingofdéjàvu.shewasdressedinathin,loose,light-coloureddressandagreyish-bluejacket,clothesalostidenticaltothoseshewaswearinginthephotographsfro1966.

    “you’retheonewho’stheproble,”shesaid.

    blokvistraisedhiseyebrows.

    “fivee,butyoutookebysurprisewhenyouknockedonthedoortonight.nowi’sounhappyican’tsleep.”

    “whyareyouunhappy？”

    “don’tyouknow？”

    heshookhishead.

    “ifitellyou,proiseyouwon’tlaugh.”

    “proise.”

    “wheniseducedyoulastwinteritwasanidiotic,ipulsiveact.iwantedtoenjoyyself,that’sall.thatfirstnightiwasquitedrunk,andihadnointentionofstartinganythinglong-terwithyou.thenitturnedintosoethingelse.iwantyoutoknowthatthoseweekswithyouasyoasionalloverweresoeofthehappiestinylife.”

    “ithoughtitwaslovelytoo.”

    “mikael,i’vebeenlyingtoyouandtoyselfthewholetie.i’veneverbeenparticularlyrelaxedaboutsex.i’vehadfivesexpartnersinyentirelife.oncewheniwastwenty-oneandadebutante.thenwithyhusband,whoietwheniwastwenty-fiveandwhoturnedouttobeabastard.andthenafewtieswiththreeguysietseveralyearsapart.butyouprovokedsoethingine.isiplycouldn’tgetenough.ithadsoethingtodowiththefactthatyou’resoundeanding.”

    “cecilia,youdon’thaveto…”

    “shh—don’tinterrupt,ori’llneverbeabletotellyouthis.”

    blokvistsatinsilence.

    “thedayyouleftforprisoniwasabsolutelyiserable.youweregone,asthoughyouhadneverexisted.itwasdarkhereintheguesthouse.itwascoldandeptyinybed.andthereiwas,anoldaidoffifty-sixagain.”

    shesaidnothingforawhileandlookedblokvistintheeyes.

    “ifellinlovewithyoulastwinter.ididn’teanto,butithappened.andthenitookstockandrealisedthatyouwereonlyhereteporarily；onedayyou’llbegoneforgood,andi’llstayherefortherestofylife.ithurtsodanuchthatidecidediwasn’tgoingtoletyouinagainwhenyoucaebackfroprison.”

    “i’sorry.”

    “it’snotyourfault.whenyoulefttonightisatandcried.iwishihadthechancetoliveylifeoveragain.theniwoulddecideonohing.”

    “what’sthat？”

    shelookeddownatthetable.

    “thatiwouldhavetobetotallyinsaostopseeingyoujustbecauseyou’regoingtoleaveoneday.mikael,canwestartagain？canyoufetwhathappenedearlierthisevening？”

    “it’sfotten,”hesaid.“butthankyoufortellinge.”

    shewasstilllookingdownatthetable.

    “ifyoustillwante,let’sdoit.”

    shelookedathiagain.thenshegotupandwentovertothebedroodoor.shedroppedherjacketonthefloorandpulledherdressoverherheadasshewent.

    blokvistandceciliavangerwokeupwhenthefrontdooropenedandsoeonewaswalkingthroughthekitchen.theyheardthethudofsoethingheavybeingputdownnearthewoodstove.thenbergerwasstandinginthebedroodoorwaywithasilethatrapidlychangedtoshock.

    “oh,goodlord.”shetookastepback.

    “hi,erika,”blokvistsaid.

    “hi.i’sosorry.iapologiseathousandtiesforbarginginlikethis.ishouldhaveknocked.”

    “weshouldhavelockedthefrontdoor.erika—thisisceciliavanger.cecilia—erikabergeristheeditorinchiefofmillenniu.”

    “hi,”ceciliasaid.

    “hi,”bergersaid.shelookedasthoughshecouldnotdecidewhethertostepforwardandpolitelyshakehandsorjustleave.“uh,i…icangoforawalk…”

    “whatdoyousaytoputtingonsoecoffeeinstead？”blokvistlookedatthealarclockonthebedsidetable.justpastnoon.

    bergernoddedandpulledthebedroodoorshut.blokvistandcecilialookedateachother.ceciliaappearedebarrassed.theyhadadeloveandtalkeduntil4:00intheorning.thenceciliasaidshethoughtshe’dsleepoverandthatinthefutureshewouldn’tgiveatinker’scusswhoknewshewassleepingwithmikaelblokvist.shehadsleptwithherbacktohiandwithhisartuckedaroundherbreasts.

    “listen,it’sok,”hesaid.“erika’sarriedandsheisn’tygirlfriend.weseeeachothernowandthen,butshedoesn’tcareatallifyouandihavesoething…she’sprobablyprettyebarrassedherselfrightnow.”

    whentheywentintothekitchenawhilelater,erikahadsetoutcoffee,juice,leonaralade,cheese,andtoast.itselledgood.ceciliawentstraightuptoherandheldoutherhand.

    “iwasalittleabruptinthere.hi.”

    “dearcecilia,i’sosorryforstopinginlikeanelephant,”saidaveryebarrassederikaberger.

    “fetit,forgod’ssake.andlet’shavebreakfast.”

    afterbreakfastbergerexcusedherselfandleftthealone,sayingthatshehadtogoandsayhellotovanger.ceciliaclearedthetablewithherbacktomikael.hewentupandputhisarsaroundher.

    “what’sgoingtohappennow？”ceciliasaid.

    “nothing.thisisthewayitis—erikaisybestfriend.sheandihavebeentogetheroffandonfortwentyyearsandwillprobablybe,onandoff,togetherforanothertwenty.ihopeso.butwe’veneverbeenacoupleandwenevergetinthewayofeachother’sroances.”

    “isthatwhatwehave？aroance？”

    “idon’tknohatwehave,butapparentlywegetalong.”

    “where’sshegoingtosleeptonight？”

    “we’llfindheraroosoewhere.oneofhenrik’sspareroos.shewon’tbesleepinginybed,anyway.”

    ceciliathoughtaboutthisforaoent.

    “idon’tknowificanhandlethis.youandsheightfunctionthatway,butidon’tknow…i’venever…”sheshookherhead.“i’goingbacktoyplace.ihavetothinkaboutthisforawhile.”

    “cecilia,youaskedeearlieranditoldyouaboutyrelationshipwitherika.herexistencecan’tbeanygreatsurprisetoyou.”

    “that’strue.butaslongasshewasatafortabledistancedowninstockholicouldignoreher.”

    ceciliaputonherjacket.

    “thissituationisludicrous,”shesaidwithasile.“eoverfordinnertonight.bringerika.ithinki’goingtolikeher.”

    erikahadalreadysolvedtheprobleofwheretosleep.onpreviousoasionswhenshehadbeenuptohedebytovisitvangershehadstayedinoneofhisspareroos,andsheaskedhistraightoutifshecouldborrowtherooagain.henrikcouldscarcelyconcealhisdelight,andheassuredherthatshewasweleatanytie.

    withtheseforalitiesoutoftheway,blokvistandbergerwentforawalkacrossthebridgeandsatontheterraceofsusanne’sbridgecaféjustbeforeclosingtie.

    “i’reallypissedoff,”bergersaid.“idriveallthewayupheretoweleyoubacktofreedoandfindyouinbedwiththetownfeefatale.”

    “i’sorryaboutthat.”

    “howlonghaveyouandmissbigtits…”bergerwavedherindexfinger.

    “froaboutthetievangerbecaepartowner.”

    “aha.”

    “whatdoyouean,aha？”

    “justcurious.”

    “cecilia’sagoodwoan.ilikeher.”

    “i’notcriticising.i’justpissedoff.candywithinreachandthenihavetogoonadiet.hoasprison？”

    “likeanuneventfulholiday.howarethingsattheagazine？”

    “better.forthefirsttieinayeartheadvertisingrevenueisontherise.we’rewaybelowthistielastyear,butwe’veturnedthecorner.thankstohenrik.buttheweirdthingisthatsubscriptionsaregoinguptoo.”

    “theytendtofluctuate.”

    “byacoupleofhundredonewayortheother.butwe’vepickedupthreethousandinthepastquarter.atfirstithoughtitwasjustluck,butnewsubscriberskeepingin.it’sourbiggestsubscriptionjupever.atthesaetie,ourexistingsubscribersarerenewingprettyconsistentlyacrosstheboard.noneofuscanunderstandit.wehaven’trunanyadcapaigns.christerspentaweekdoingspotchecksonwhatsortofdeographicisshowingup.first,they’reallbrand-newsubscribers.second,70percentofthearewoen.norallyit’stheotherwayaround.third,thesubscriberscanbedescribedasiddle-inewhite-collarworkersfrothesuburbs:teachers,iddleanageent,civilserviceworkers.”

    “thinkit’stheiddle-classrevoltagainstbigcapital？”

    “idon’tknow.butifthiskeepsup,it’lleanasignificantshiftinoursubscriberprofile.wehadaneditorialconferencetwoweeksagoanddecidedtostartrunningnewtypesofaterialintheagazine.iwantorearticlesonprofessionalattersassociatedwithtco,theswedishconfederationofprofessionaleployees,andalsooreinvestigativereportingonwoen’sissues,forinstance.”

    “don’tchangetoouch,”blokvistsaid.“ifwe’regettingnewsubscriberstheniteansthattheylikewhatwe’rerunningalready.”

    ceciliahadalsoinvitedvangertodinner,possiblytoreducetheriskoftroublesoetopicsofconversation.shehadadeavenisonstew.bergerandvangerspentagooddealofthetiediscussingmillenniu’sdevelopentandthenewsubscribers,butgraduallytheconversationovedontootheratters.bergersuddenlyturnedtoblokvistatonepointandaskedhihowhisworkwasingalong.

    “i’countingonhavingadraftofthefailychroniclepleteinaonthforhenriktolookat.”

    “achronicleinthespiritoftheaddasfaily,”ceciliasaid.

    “itdoeshavecertainhistoricalaspects,”blokvistconceded.

    ceciliaglancedatvanger.

    “mikael,henrikisn’treallyinterestedinafailychronicle.hewantsyoutosolvetheysteryofharriet’sdisappearance.”

    blokvistdidnotsayaword.eversincehehadbegunhisrelationshipwithceciliahehadtalkedfairlyopenlyaboutharrietwithher.ceciliahadalreadydeducedthatthiswashisrealassignent,eventhoughheneverforallyadittedit.hehadcertainlynevertoldhenrikthatheandceciliahaddiscussedthesubject.vanger’sbushyeyebrowsdrewtogetherabit.erikawassilent.

    “mydearhenrik,”ceciliasaid.“i’notstupid.idon’tknohatsortofagreeentyouandmikaelhave,buthisstayhereinhedebyisaboutharriet.itis,isn’tit？”

    vangernoddedandglancedatblokvist.

    “itoldyoushewassharp.”heturnedtoberger.“ipresuethatmikaelhasexplainedtoyouwhathe’sworkingonhereinhedeby.”

    shenodded.

    “andipresueyouthinkit’sasenselessundertaking.no,youdon’thavetoanswerthat.itisanabsurdandsenselesstask.butihavetofindout.”

    “ihavenoopinionontheatter,”bergersaiddiploatically.

    “ofcourseyoudo.”heturnedtoblokvist.“telle.haveyoufoundanythingatallthatighttakeusforward？”

    blokvistavoidedeetingvanger’sgaze.hethoughtinstantlyofthecold,unplaceablecertaintyhehadhadthenightbefore.thefeelinghadbeenwithhiallday,buthehadhadnotietoworkhiswaythroughthealbuagain.atlasthelookedupatvangerandshookhishead.

    “ihaven’tfoundasinglething.”

    theoldanscrutinisedhiwithaperatinglook.herefrainedfroenting.

    “idon’tknowaboutyouyoungpeople,”hesaid,“butforeit’stietogotobed.thankyoufordinner,cecilia.goodnight,erika.doseeebeforeyouleavetoorrow.”

    whenvangerhadclosedthefrontdoor,silencesettledoverthe.itwasceciliawhospokefirst.

    “mikael,whatwasallthatabout？”

    “iteansthathenrikisassensitivetopeople’sreactionsasaseisograph.lastnightwhenyoucaetothecottageiwaslookingthroughanalbu.”

    “yes？”

    “isawsoething.idon’tknohatitwasyet.itwassoethingthatalostbecaeanidea,butiissedit.”

    “sowhatwereyouthinkingabout？”

    “ijustcan’ttellyou.andthenyouarrived.”

    ceciliablushed.sheavoidedberger’sgazeandwentouttoputonsoecoffee.

    itwasawarandsunnyday.newgreenshootswereappearing,andblokvistcaughthiselfhuingtheoldsongofspring,“blossotieising.”itwasmondayandbergerhadleftearly.

    whenhehadgooprisoninid-march,snowstillcoveredtheland.nowthebircheswereturninggreenandthelawnaroundhiscabinwaslush.forthefirsttiehehadachancetolookaroundallofhedebyisland.at8:00hewentoverandaskedtoborrowatherosfroanna.hespokebrieflywithvanger,whowasjustup,andwasgivenhisapoftheisland.hewantedtogetacloserlookatgottfried’scabin.vangertoldhithatthecabinwasownedbymartinvangernowbutthatithadstoodostlyvacantovertheyears.oasionallysoerelativewouldborrowit.

    blokvistjustanagedtocatchmartinbeforeheleftforwork.heaskedifheightborrowthekey.martingavehianausedsile.

    “ipresuethefailychroniclehasnowreachedthechapteraboutharriet.”

    “ijustwanttotakealook…”

    martincaebackwiththekeyinainute.

    “isitokthen？”

    “asfarasi’concerned,youcanoveinthereifyouwant.exceptforthefactthatit’sstuckrightattheotherendoftheisland,it’sactuallyanicerspotthanthecottageyou’rein.”

    blokvistadecoffeeandsandwiches.hefilledabottlewithwaterbeforehesetoff,stuffinghispiiclunchinarucksackheslungoveroneshoulder.hefollowedanarrow,partiallyovergrownpaththatranalongthebayonthenorthsideofhedebyisland.gottfried’scabinwasonapointaboutoneandahalfilesfrothevillage,andittookhionlyhalfanhourtocoverthedistanceataleisurelypace.

    martinvangerhadbeenright.whenblokvistcaearoundthebendofthenarrowpath,ashadedareabythewateropenedup.therewasaarvellousviewoftheinlettothehederiver,hedestadarinatotheleft,andtheindustrialharbourtotheright.

    hewassurprisedthatno-onehadwantedtooveintogottfried’scabin.itwasarusticstructureadeofhorizontaldark-stainedtiberwithatileroofandgreenfraes,andwithasallporchatthefrontdoor.theaintenanceofthecabinhadbeenneglected.thepaintaroundthedoorsandwindowswasflakingoff,andwhatshouldhavebeenalawnwasscrubayardhigh.clearingitwouldtakeonewholeday’shardworkwithscytheandsaw.

    blokvistunlockedthedoorandunscrewedtheshuttersoverthewindowsfrotheinside.thefraeworkseeedtobeanoldbarnoflessthan1,300squarefeet.theinsidewasfinishedwithplanksandconsistedofoneroowithbigwindowsfacingthewateroneithersideofthefrontdoor.astaircaseledtoanopensleepingloftattherearofthecabinthatcoveredhalfthespace.beneaththestairswasanichewithapropanegasstove,acounter,andasink.thefurnishingswerebasic；builtintothewalltotheleftofthedoortherewasbench,aricketydesk,andaboveitacasewithteakshelves.fartherdownonthesaesidewasabroadwardrobe.totherightofthedoorwasaroundtablewithfivewoodenchairs；afireplacestoodintheiddleofthesidewall.

    thecabinhadnoelectricity；insteadtherewereseveralkerosenelaps.inon