redandalsoangrywithhimselfforhavingsoobviouslymisjudgedher.Hehadtakenherforstupid,maybeevenretarded.Hehadnotexpectedthatagirlwhohadcutsomanyclassesinschoolthatshedidnotgraduatecouldwriteareportsogrammaticallycorrect.Italsocontaineddetailedobservationsandrmation,andhequitesimplycouldnotprehendhowshecouldhaveacquiredsuchfacts.
HecouldnotimagihatanyoneelseatMiltonSecuritywouldhaveliftedexcerptsfromtheconfidentialjournalofadoctoratawomen’scrisiscentre.Whenheaskedherhowshehadmanagedthat,shetoldhimthatshehadnointentionofburninghersources.ItbecameclearthatSalanderwasnotgoingtodiscussherworkmethods,eitherwithhimorwithanyoneelse.Thisdisturbedhim—butnotenoughforhimtoresistthetemptationtotesther.
Hethoughtaboutthematterforseveraldays.HerecalledHolgerPalmgren’ssayingwhenhehadsenthertohim,“Everyonedeservesachance.”HethoughtabouthisownMuslimupbringing,whichhadtaughthimthatitwashisdutytoGodtohelptheoutcasts.OfcoursehedidnotbelieveinGodandhadnotbeeninamosquesincehewasateenager,butherecognisedLisbethSalanderasapersoninneedofresolutehelp.Hehadnotdonemuchalongtheselinesoverthepastfewdecades.
InsteadofgivingSalandertheboot,hesummonedherforameetinginwhichhetriedtoworkoutwhatmadethedifficultgirltick.Hisimpressionwasconfirmedthatshesufferedfromsomeseriousemotionalproblem,buthealsodiscoveredthatbehindhersullenfacadetherewasanunusualintelligence.Hefoundherpricklyandirksome,butmuchtohissurprisehebegantolikeher.
OverthefollowingmonthsArmanskytookSalanderunderhiswing.Intruth,hetookheronasasmallsocialproject.Hegaveherstraightforwardresearchtasksandtriedtogiveherguidelinesonhowtoproceed.Shewouldlistenpatientlyandthensetofftocarryouttheassignmentjustasshesawfit.HeaskedMilton’stechnicaldirectortogiveherabasiourseinITscience.Theysattogetherallafternoonuntilhereportedbackthatsheseemedtohaveabetterunderstandingofputersthanmostofthestaff.
Butdespitedevelopmentdiscussions,offersofin-housetraining,andotherformsofenticement,itwasevidentthatSalanderhadnointentionofadapti