| “ | I believe he was, in fact, a jovial soul, but I did not see any clear evidence of it. | ” |
The Helsinki Official is an unnamed character in 80 Days.
Background[]
The official has a post at the visa office in Helsinki. He has a strong distaste for Russians, and dislikes especially the soldiers that patrol through Finland.
Role[]
Passepartout and Fogg meet the official when exploring Helsinki by day. He asks them, bluntly, what the hell they are doing in Helsinki, at which point Passepartout can tell them they are travelling. The official will advise them to stay well away from Russia and Russian people, glaring at a troop of soldiers on a march as they past.
Character[]
Besides the official's dislike of Russia, which Passepartout may note is seemingly characteristic of Finns, he is described as stony-faced and dreary. The official's cynicism is almost comedic at times.