The Year of the Hare Read Online Free

restaurant completely deserted. Vatanen sat the hare on the chair next to him.
    The headwaiter observed it, menu in hand. “Strictly speaking, animals are not permitted in the restaurant.”
    “It’s not dangerous.”
    Vatanen ordered lunch for himself, and for the hare fresh lettuce, grated carrot, and pure water. The headwaiter gave a long look when Vatanen put the hare on the table to eat the lettuce out of the dish, but he didn’t go so far as to forbid it.
    After the meal Vatanen called his wife from the hall telephone.
    “So it’s you, is it?” she cried in a fury. “Where on earth are you? Get back here at once!”
    “I’ve been thinking, I may not come back at all.”
    “Oh, that’s what you’ve been thinking, is it? You’ve gone completely crazy. Now you have to come home. This lark’ll get you fired, too, that’s for certain. And besides, Antero and Kerttu are coming over tonight. What am I going to say to them?”
    “Say I’ve skedaddled. Then at least you won’t have to lie.”
    “How can I tell them something like that! What’ll they think? If you’re looking for a divorce, it won’t work, I can tell you! I’m not letting you off that way when you’ve ruined my life—eight years down the drain because of you! I was insane to marry you!”
    She began to cry.
    “Cry quicker, or the call’ll get too expensive.”
    “If you don’t come back here at once, I’ll get the police. That’ll teach you to stay at home!”
    “It’s hardly a case for the police.”
    “Believe me, I’ll phone up Antti Ruuhonen straight-away. That’ll show you I’ve got company.”
    Vatanen hung up.
    Then he called his friend Yrjö.
    “Listen, Yrjö. I’m willing to sell you the boat.”
    “You don’t mean it! Where are you calling from?”
    “I’m in the country, Heinola. I’m not planning to come back to Helsinki for the moment, and I need some cash. Do you still want it?”
    “Definitely. How much? Seven grand, was it?”
    “Okay, let’s say that. You can get the keys from the office. Bottom left-hand drawer of my desk—two keys on a blue plastic ring. Ask Leena. You know her, she can give them to you. Say I said so. Do you have the money?”
    “Yes, I do. Are you including the mooring?”
    “Yes, that’s included. Do it this way: go straight to my bank and pay off the rest of my loan.” Vatanen gave him his account number. “Then go to my wife. Give her two and a half thousand. Then send the remaining three thousand two hundred express to the bank in Heinola—same bank. Is that all right?”
    “And your charts come with the deal as well?”
    “They do. They’re at home, you can get them from my wife. Listen. Don’t land that boat on a rock. Take it easy for starters and you won’t get into trouble.”
    “Tell me, how do you have the heart to sell it? Have you lost your nerve?”
    “You could say that.”
    The following day, Vatanen was off to the Heinola bank, carrying his hare. His step was light, his manner carefree, as might be expected.
    Much has been said about the sixth sense, and the closer he got to the bank, the more distinctly he began to feel that matters weren’t quite as they should be. He was already on his guard when he got to the bank, though he had no idea what was awaiting him. He supposed that even a few days of freedom had sharpened his senses, an amusing thought that made him smile as he entered the bank.
    His intuition had been right.
    In the lobby, back to the door, sat his wife. His heart leaped; anger and fear flooded his body. Even the hare jumped.
    He dashed out again and ran down the street as fast as his legs would carry him. Oncomers stopped in astonishment to see a man bolting out of a bank with a basket and two small hare’s ears poking out of it. He tore to the end of the block, ducked down a side street, found a little tavern door, and slipped straight into the restaurant. He was out of breath.
    “If I’m not mistaken, sir, you’re Mr.