resent,butsheknewwhatshewasgoingtobuy.Inajunkshopshehadseenanumberofmetaladvertisingsignsfromthefifties,withembossedimages.OneofthesignsshowedElvisPresleywithaguitaronhishipandacartoonballoonwiththewordsHEARTBREAKHOTEL.Shehadnosenseforinteriordesign,butevenshecouldtellthatthesignwouldbeperfectforthecabininSandhamn.Itcost780kronor,andonprincipleshehaggledandgotthepriceknockeddownto700.Shehaditwrapped,putitunderherarm,andheadedovertohisplaceonBellmansgatan.
AtHornsgatanshehappenedtoglancetowardsKaffebarandsawBlomkvistingoutwithBergerintow.Hesaidsomething,andshelaughed,puttingherarmaroundhiswaistandkissinghischeek.TheyturneddownBr?nnkyrkagataninthedirectionofBellmansgatan.Theirbodylanguageleftnoroomformisinterpretations—itwasobviouswhattheyhadinmind.
ThepainwassoimmediateandsofiercethatLisbethstoppedinmid-stride,incapableofmovement.Partofherwantedtorushafterthem.ShewantedtotakethemetalsignandusethesharpedgetocleaveBerger’sheadintwo.Shedidnothingasthoughtsswirledthroughhermind.Analysisofconsequences.Finallyshecalmeddown.
“Whatapatheticfoolyouare,Salander,”shesaidoutloud.
Sheturnedonherheelandwenthometohernewlyspotlessapartment.AsshepassedZinkensdamm,itstartedtosnow.ShetossedElvisintoadumpster.
ANOTEABOUTTHEAUTHOR
StiegLarssonwastheeditorinchiefoftheantiracistmagazineExpo,andfortwentyyearsthegraphicseditorataSwedishnewsagency.Aleadingexpertonantidemocratic,right-wingextremistandNazianizations,hediedin2004.
THISISABORZOI
PUBLISHEDBYALFREDA.KNOPF
Translationcopyright?2008byRegKeeland
Allrightsreserved.PublishedintheUnitedStatesbyAlfredA.Knopf,adivisionofRandomHouse,Inc.,NewYork.
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OriginallypublishedinSwedenasM?nSomHatarKvinnorbyNorstedts,Stockholm,in2005.PublishedwithagreementofNorstedtsAgency.Copyright?2005byNorstedtsAgency.ThistranslationoriginallypublishedinGreatBritainbyMacLehosePress,animprintofQuercus,London.PublishedbyarrangementwithQuercusPublishingPLC.
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