Silent House by Orhan Pamuk Read Free Book Online

coffeehouse this evening to tell everyone about “the fox.” Well, don’t worry about it, Hasan. I didn’t; I started to climb up the hill.
    As I watched the trucks and cars going quickly by to catch the car ferry at Cennethisar or Darica, I enjoyed feeling as though I were alone, and I yearned to have an adventure. There are lots of things that do happen in life and lots that could, but you’re just left waiting for them. It seemed to me that those things I wanted were coming very slowly, and when they did happen it wasn’t the way I’d wanted and planned; they’d all taken too long, as if to annoy me, and then suddenly you’d look, and they’d have already passed. Like those cars going by. They started to irritate me, especially since I was watching to see if one of them might stop and save me the bother of having to climb the hill in this heat, but nobody cares in this world. I started to eat my peach, but it didn’t make things any better.
    If only it were winter, I’d want to walk all by myself on the beach right now, go in the open door without worrying about anybody else. The waves would come and crash on the beach, and every once in a while I would scramble and run back to keep my shoes from getting wet as I walked along and thought about my life, how I would absolutely be an important person one day, how not only all those guys but the girls too would look at me differently then. I wouldn’t need anybody else if it were winter. But there’s school in the winter, goddamn it, and those crappy teachers …
    Then I saw the white Anadol coupe going up the hill. As it slowly got closer I realized that they were in it, but instead of waving to them I turned and hid my face. They went right by without realizing it was me. As they passed I thought for a moment maybe I was mistaken, because Nilgün wasn’t that pretty when we were little! But who else could the driver be except that fatso Faruk. Then I figured out where I’d go instead of home: I’d go down the hill, linger around their door, maybe I’d see my uncle the dwarf, and he’d ask me in,and if I wasn’t too embarrassed I’d go inside, I’d say hello, maybe I’d even kiss their grandmother’s hand, then I’d say, did you recognize me, I’m all grown up. Sure, they’d say, we recognized you, we were really good friends when we were little, weren’t we, we’d talk and talk, we were friends when we were little, we’d talk and maybe I’d forget about this foul mood I’m in.

4

Faruk at the Wheel

    A s the Anadol slowly made its way up the hill I asked:
    “Did you all recognize him?”
    “Who?” said Nilgün.
    “The one in blue walking on the side of the road. He knew us right off.”
    “The tall one?” said Nilgün. She turned around and looked back, but we were far away by now. “Who was it?”
    “Hasan!”
    “Hasan who?” said Nilgün, at a loss.
    “Recep’s nephew.”
    “He’s gotten so big!” said Nilgün, surprised. “I didn’t recognize him.”
    “Shame on you!” said Metin. “Your childhood friend.”
    “Well, why didn’t you recognize him then?” said Nilgün.
    “I didn’t even see him. But as soon as Faruk said something I knew who it was.”
    “Good for you!” said Nilgün. “You’re so smart!”
    “You mean that I’ve completely changed this past year, that’swhat you mean,” said Metin. “But you’re the one who’s forgotten her own past.”
    “You’re talking nonsense.”
    “All those books you read make you forget everything!” said Metin.
    “Don’t be a smart aleck!” said Nilgün.
    They stopped talking. Then there was a long silence. We went up the hill where ugly new concrete buildings were being built every year, passing between the gradually disappearing vineyards, cherry orchards, and fig trees.
    The portable radio was playing some random “light Western pop.” When we saw the sea and Cennethisar in the distance, I sensed from the silence something of the excitement we’d