was her guardian, the late Advokat Nils Bjurman. The following facts should be taken into account at this juncture..." Ekstrom pointed at the text in front of him. "In the investigation carried out by the Violent Crimes Division, there was nothing in Advokat Bjurman's past to support the credibility of Lisbeth Salander's account. Bjurman was never convicted of any crime. He has never been reported to the police or been the subject of an investigation. He had previously been a guardian or trustee to several other young people, none of whom have claimed that they were subjected to any sort of attack. On the contrary, they assert that Bjurman invariably behaved correctly and kindly towards them."
Ekstrom turned a page.
"It is also my duty to remind the court that Lisbeth Salander has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. This is a young woman with a documented violent tendency, who since her early teens has had serious problems in her interactions with society. She spent several years in a children's psychiatric institution and has been under guardianship since the age of eighteen. However regrettable this may be, there are reasons for it. Lisbeth Salander is a danger to herself and to those around her. It is my conviction that she does not need a prison sentence. She needs psychiatric care."
He paused for effect.
"Discussing a young person's mental state is an innately disagreeable task. So much is an invasion of privacy, and her mental state becomes the subject of interpretation. In this case, however, we have Lisbeth Salander's own confused world view on which to base our decision. It becomes manifestly clear in what she has termed her 'autobiography'. Nowhere is her want of a foothold in reality as evident as it is here. In this instance we need no witnesses or interpretations to invariably contradict one another. We have her own words. We can judge for ourselves the credibility of her assertions."
His gaze fell on Salander. Their eyes met. She smiled. She looked malicious. Ekstrom frowned.
"Does Advokat Giannini have anything to say?" Judge Iversen said.
"No," Giannini said. "Other than that Prosecutor Ekstrom's conclusions are nonsensical."
The afternoon session began with the cross-questioning of witnesses. The first was Ulrika von Liebenstaahl from the guardianship agency. Ekstrom had called her to the stand to establish whether complaints had ever been lodged against Advokat Bjurman. This was strongly denied by von Liebenstaahl. Such assertions were defamatory.
"There exists a rigorous supervision of guardianship cases. Advokat Bjurman had been active on behalf of the guardianship agency for almost twenty years before he was so shockingly murdered."
She gave Salander a withering look, despite the fact that Salander was not accused of murder; it had already been established that Bjurman was murdered by Ronald Niedermann.
"In all these years there has not been a single complaint against Advokat Bjurman. He was a conscientious person who evidenced a deep commitment to his wards."
"So you don't think it's plausible that he would have subjected Lisbeth Salander to aggravated sexual assault?"
"I think that statement is ridiculous. We have monthly reports from Advokat Bjurman, and I personally met him on several occasions to go over the assignment."
"Advokat Giannini has presented a request that Lisbeth Salander's guardianship be rescinded, effective immediately."
"No-one is happier than we who work at the agency when a guardianship can be rescinded. Unfortunately we have a responsibility, which means that we have to follow the appropriate regulations. For the agency's part, we are required in accordance with normal protocol to see to it that Lisbeth Salander is declared fit by a psychiatric expert before there can be any talk of changes to her legal status."
"I understand."
"This means that she has to submit to a psychiatric examination. Which, as everyone knows, she has refused to do."
The questioning of Ulrika von Liebenstaahl lasted for about forty minutes, during which time Bjurman's monthly reports were examined.
Giannini asked only one question before Ulrika von Liebenstaahl was dismissed.
"Were you in Advokat Bjurman's bedroom on the night of 7 to 8 March, 2003?"
"Of course not."
"In other words, you haven't the faintest idea whether my client's statement is true or not?"
"The accusation against Advokat Bjurman is preposterous."
"That is your opinion. Can you give him an alibi or in any other way document that he did not assault my client?"
"That's impossible, naturally. But the probability - "
"Thank you. That will be all," Giannini said.
Blomkvist met his sister at Milton's offices near Slussen at around 7.00 to go through the day's proceedings.
"It was pretty much as expected," Giannini said. "Ekstrom