sthatHarriethadstoppedtalkingaboutherself,stoppedgossiping,andstoppedconfidinginherfriends.
HarrietVangerhadbeenaChristian,inachild’ssenseoftheword—attendingSundayschool,sayingeveningprayers,andbeingconfirmed.Inherlastyearsheseemedtohavebeeyetmorereligious.ShereadtheBibleandwentregularlytochurch.ButshehadnotturnedtoHedebyIsland’spastor,OttoFalk,whowasafriendoftheVangerfamily.Instead,duringthespringshehadsoughtoutaPentecostalcongregationinHedestad.YetherinvolvementinthePentecostalchurchdidnotlastlong.AfteronlytwomonthssheleftthecongregationandinsteadbeganreadingsabouttheCatholicfaith.
Thereligiousinfatuationofateenager?Perhaps,butno-oneelseintheVangerfamilyhadeverbeennoticeablyreligious,anditwasdifficulttodiscernwhatimpulsesmayhaveguidedher.OneexplanationforherinterestinGodcould,ofcourse,havebeenthatherfatherhaddrownedthepreviousyear.MorellcametotheconclusionthatsomethinghadhappenedinHarriet’slifethatwastroublingheroraffectingher.Morell,likeVanger,haddevotedagreatdealoftimetotalkingtoHarriet’sfriends,tryingtofindsomeoneinwhomshemighthaveconfided.
SomemeasureofhopewaspinnedonAnitaVanger,twoyearsolderthanHarrietandthedaughterofHarald.Shehadspentthesummerof1966onHedebyIslandandtheywerethoughttobeclosefriends.ButAnitahadnosolidrmationtooffer.Theyhadhungouttogetherthatsummer,swimming,takingwalks,talkingaboutmovies,popbands,ands.HarriethadsometimesgonewithAnitawhenshetookdrivinglessons.Oncetheyhadgothappilydrunkonabottleofwiheystolefromthehouse.ForseveralweeksthetwoofthemhadalsostayedatGottfried’scabinontheverytipoftheisland.
ThequestionsaboutHarriet’sprivatethoughtsandfeelingsremainedunanswered.ButBlomkvistdidmakeanoteofadiscrepancyinthereport:thermationaboutherunmunicativeframeofmindcamechieflyfromherclassmates,andtoacertainextentfromthefamily.AnitaVangerhadnotthoughtofherasbeingintrovertedatall.HemadeanotetodiscussthismatterwithVangeratsomepoint.
Amoreconcretequestion,towhichMorellhaddevotedmuchmoreattention,wasasurprisingpageinHarriet