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’llbeadvisedinplentyoftiebeforethearticlegoestopress,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’sgoingtorefusetopublishthisifican’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,availabletopublicscrutiny,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:

    bergerhasstoppedarguingabouttheads.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.shefocusedhergazeonthestreetlapoutsidethewindowandsatstillwhileherbrainworkedattopspeed.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