thenpastorfalkseeedtofetallaboutblokvistandstartedtalkingwiththeotherpatients.
hegotbacktohedebyislandjustafter2:00.hewalkedovertoceciliavanger’sandknockedonthedoor,butwithoutsuess.hetriedherobilenuberagainbutnoanswer.
heattachedonesokealartoawallinthekitchenandonenexttothefrontdoor.heputonefireextinguishernexttothewoodstovebesidethebedroodoorandanotheronebesidethebathroodoor.thenheadehiselflunch,whichconsistedofcoffeeandopensandwiches,andsatinthegarden,wherehewastypingupthenotesofhisconversationwithpastorfalk.whenthatwasdone,heraisedhiseyestothechurch.
hedeby’snewparsonagewasquiteanordinaryoderndwellingafewinutes’walkfrothechurch.blokvistknockedonthedoorat4:00andexplainedtopastormargaretastrandhthathehadetoseekadviceonatheologicalatter.margaretastrandhwasadark-hairedwoanofabouthisownage,dressedinjeansandaflannelshirt.shewasbarefootandhadpaintedtoenails.hehadrunintoherbeforeatsusanne’sbridgecaféonacoupleofoasionsandtalkedtoheraboutpastorfalk.hewasgivenafriendlyreceptionandinvitedtoeandsitinhercourtyard.
blokvisttoldherthathehadinterviewedottofalkandwhattheoldanhadsaid.pastorstrandhlistenedandthenaskedhitorepeatitwordforword.
“iwassenttoservehereinhedebyonlythreeyearsago,andi’veneveractuallyetpastorfalk.heretiredseveralyearsbeforethat,butibelievethathewasfairlyhigh-church.whathesaidtoyoueantsoethingonthelinesof‘keeptoscripturealone’—solascriptura—andthatitissufficientiascripturae.thislatterisanexpressionthatestablishesthesufficiencyofscriptureaongliteralbelievers.solafideeansfaithaloneorthetruefaith.”
“isee.”
“allthisisbasicdoga,sotospeak.ingeneralit’stheplatforofthechurchandnothingunusualatall.hewassayingquitesiply:‘readthebible—itwillprovidesufficientknowledgeandvouchesforthetruefaith.’”
mikaelfeltabitebarrassed.
“nowihavetoaskyouinwhatconnectionthisconversationourred,”shesaid.
“iwasaskinghiaboutapersonhehadetanyyearsago,soeonei’writingabout.”
“areligiousseeker？”
“soethingalongthatline.”
“ok.ithinkiunderstandthecontext.youtoldethatpastorfalksaidtwootherthings—that‘josefwillcertainlyexcludethe’andthat‘theywereneveraeptedintothecanon.’isitpossiblethatyouisunderstoodandthathesaidjosefusinsteadofjosef？it’sactuallythesaenae.”
“that’spossible,”blokvistsaid.“itapedtheconversationifyouwanttolistentoit.”
“no,idon’tthinkthat’snecessary.thesetwosentencesestablishfairlyunequivocallywhathewasalludingto.josefuswasajewishhistorian,andthesentence‘theywereneveraeptedintothecanon’ayhaveeantthattheywereneverinthehebrewcanon.”
“andthateans？”
shelaughed.
“pastorfalkwassayingthatthispersonwasenthralledbyesotericsources,specificallytheapocrypha.thegreekwordapokryphoseans‘hidden,’andtheapocryphaarethereforethehiddenswhichsoeconsiderhighlycontroversialandothersthinkshouldbeincludedintheoldtestaent.theyaretobias,judith,esther,baruch,sirach,thesofthemaabees,andsoeothers.”
“fiveyignorance.i’veheardaboutthesoftheapocryphabuthaveneverreadthe.what’sspecialaboutthe？”
“there’sreallynothingspecialabouttheatall,exceptthattheycaeintoexistencesoewhatlaterthantherestoftheoldtestaent.theapocryphaweredeletedfrothehebrewbible—notbecausejewishscholarsistrustedtheircontentbutsiplybecausetheywerewrittenafterthetiewhengod’srevelatoryworkwasconcluded.ontheotherhand,theapocryphaareincludedintheoldgreektranslationofthebible.they’renotconsideredcontroversialin,forexaple,theroancatholihurch.”
“isee.”
“however,theyarecontroversialintheprotestantchurch.duringthereforation,theologianslookedtotheoldhebrewbible.martinlutherdeletedtheapocryphafrothereforation’sbibleandlatercalvindeclaredthattheapocryphaabsolutelyustnotserveasthebasisforconvictionsinattersoffaith.thustheircontentscontradictorinsoewayconflictwithclaritasscripturae—theclarityofscripture.”
“inotherwords,censoreds.”
“quiteright.forexaple,theapocryphaclaithatagianbepractisedandthatliesincertaincasesaybeperissible,andsuchstateents,ofcourse,upsetdogaticinterpretersofscripture.”
“soifsoeonehasapassionforreligion,it’snotunthinkablethattheapocryphawillpopupontheirreadinglist,orthatsoeonelikepastorfalkwouldbeupsetbythis.”
“exactly.encounteringtheapocryphaisalostunavoidableifyou’restudyingthebibleorthecatholicfaith,andit’sequallyprobablethatsoeonewhoisinterestedinesotericaingeneralightreadthe.”
“youdon’thappentohaveacopyoftheapocrypha,doyou？”
shelaughedagain.abright,friendlylaugh.
“ofcourseido.theapocryphawereactuallypublishedasastatereportfrothebibleissionintheeighties.”
aranskywonderedwhatwasgoingonwhensalanderaskedtospeaktohiinprivate.heshutthedoorbehindherandotionedhertothevisitor’schair.shetoldhithatherworkformikaelblokvistwasdone—thelawyerwouldbepayingherbeforetheendoftheonth—butthatshehaddecidedtokeeponwiththisparticularinvestigation.blokvisthadofferedheraconsiderablyhighersalaryforaonth.
“iaself-eployed,”salandersaid.“untilnowi’venevertakenajobthatyouhaven’tgivene,inkeepingwithouragreeent.whatiwanttoknowiswhatwillhappentoourrelationshipifitakeajobonyown？”
aranskyshrugged.
“you’reafreelancer,youcantakeanyjobyouwantandchargewhatyouthinkit’sworth.i’justgladyou’reakingyourownoney.itwould,however,bedisloyalofyoutotakeonclientsyoufindthroughus.”
“ihavenoplanstodothat.i’vefinishedthejobaordingtothecontractwesignedwithblokvist.whatthisisaboutisthatiwanttostayonthecase.i’devendoitfornothing.”
“don’teverdoanythingfornothing.”
“youknohatiean.iwanttoknoherethisstoryisgoing.i’veconvincedblokvisttoaskthelawyertokeepeonasaresearchassistant.”
shepassedtheagreeentovertoaransky,whoreadrapidlythroughit.
“withthissalaryyouightaswellbeworkingforfree.lisbeth,you’vegottalent.youdon’thavetoworkforsallchange.youknowyoucanakeahellofalotorewitheifyoueonboardfull-tie.”
“idon’twanttoworkfull-tie.but,dragan,yloyaltyistoyou.you’vebeengreattoesinceistartedhere.iwanttoknowifacontractlikethisisokwithyou,thattherewon’tbeanyfrictionbetweenus.”
“isee.”hethoughtforaoent.“it’s100percentok.thanksforasking.ifanyoresituationslikethiscropupinthefuturei’dappreciateitifyouaskedesotherewon’tbeanyisunderstandings.”
salanderthoughtoverwhethershehadanythingtoadd.shefixedhergazeonaransky,sayingnotaword.insteadshejustnoddedandthenstoodupandleft,asusualwithnofarewellgreeting.
shegottheanswershewantedandinstantlylostinterestinaransky.hesiledtohiself.thatshehadevenaskedhiforadvicearkedanewhighpointinhersocialisationprocess.
