Round the World in Eighty Days. Verne Jules

by his servant.

      "Well, what do you think, sir?" said the detective.

      "I think he looks a perfectly honest man," replied the Consul.

      "That may be," said Fix; "but that is not the point. Do you not perceive that this cool gentleman answers in every particular to the description of the thief sent out?"

      "I grant you that; but you know all descriptions – "

      "I will settle the business," replied Fix. "It strikes me that the servant is more get-at-able than the master. Besides, he is a Frenchman, and cannot help chattering. I will return soon, sir." As he finished speaking, the detective left the Consul's office in search of Passe-partout.

      Meanwhile, Mr. Fogg, having left the Consul's house, proceeded down to the quay. There he gave his servant some instructions, and then put off in a boat to the Mongolia, and descended to his cabin. Taking out his note-book, he made the following entries:

      Left London, Wednesday, 2nd October, at 8.45 p.m.

      Reached Paris, Thursday, at 8.40 a.m.

      Arrived at Turin, viâ Mont Cenis, Friday, 4th October, 6.35 a.m.

      Left Turin, Friday, at 7.20 a.m.

      Arrived at Brindisi, Saturday, 5th October, 4 p.m.

      Embarked on Mongolia, Saturday, 5 p.m.

      Reached Suez, Wednesday, 9th October, 11 a.m.

      Total of hours occupied in the journey, 158-1/4, or 6-1/2 days.

      Mr. Fogg made these entries in a journal ruled in columns, commencing on the 2nd of October, and so on to the 21st of December, which indicated respectively the month, the day of the month, and the day of the week, as well as the days at which he was due at the principal places en route– as, for instance, Paris, Brindisi, Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York, Liverpool, London. There was also a column in which the gain or loss upon the stipulated time could be entered against each place. This methodical arrangement of dates showed Mr. Fogg whether he was in advance or behindhand, and contained all necessary information.

      So on that occasion, Wednesday, the 9th of October, was recorded as the day of his arrival at Suez, and he perceived at a glance that he had neither gained nor lost so far.

      He then had his luncheon sent into his cabin. It did not occur to him to go and look at the town; he was one of those gentlemen who are quite content to see foreign countries through the eyes of their servants.

      CHAPTER VIII

      In which Passe-partout talks a little more than he ought to have done.

      It was not very long before Fix rejoined Passe-partout on the quay. The latter was looking about him, as he did not feel he was debarred from seeing all he could.

      "Well, my friend," said Fix, as he came up to him, "has your passport been viséd all right?"

      "Ah! it is you," replied the valet. "I am much obliged to you. Yes, everything was in order."

      "And now you are seeing something of the place, I suppose?"

      "Yes, but we are going on so fast that it seems to me like a dream.

      And so we are in Suez, are we?"

      "Yes, you are."

      "In Egypt?"

      "In Egypt, most decidedly."

      "And in Africa?"

      "Yes, in Africa."

      "Well now," replied Passe-partout, "I could scarcely believe it. In Africa, actually in Africa. Just fancy. I had not the slightest idea that we should go beyond Paris, and all I saw of that beautiful city was from 7.20 a.m. to 8.40, between the terminus of the Northern Railway and the terminus of the Lyons line, and this through the windows of a fiacre as we drove through the rain. I am very sorry for it. I should like to have seen Pére La Chaise and the Circus in the Champs Elysées again."

      "You are in a very great hurry then?" said the detective.

      "No, I am not in the least hurry," replied Passe-partout. "It is my master. By-the-way, I must buy some shirts and a pair of shoes. We came away without any luggage except a small carpet-bag."

      "I will take you to a bazaar where you will find everything you want."

      "Really, sir," replied Passe-partout, "you are extremely good-natured."

      So they started off together, Passe-partout talking all the time.

      "I must take very good care I do not lose the steamer," said he.

      "Oh, you have plenty of time," replied Fix; "it is only twelve o'clock."

      Passe-partout drew out his great watch. "Twelve o'clock," said he.

      "Nonsense. It is fifty-two minutes past nine."

      "Your watch is slow," replied Fix.

      "Slow, my watch slow; why this watch has come to me from my grandfather. It is an heirloom, and does not vary five minutes in a year. It is a regular chronometer."

      "I see how it is," replied Fix; "you have got London time, which is about two hours slower than Suez time. You must take care to set your watch at twelve o'clock in every country you visit."

      "Not a bit of it," said Passe-partout, "I am not going to touch my watch."

      "Well, then, it won't agree with the sun."

      "I can't help that. So much the worse for the sun; it will be wrong then." And the brave fellow put his watch back in his pocket with a contemptuous gesture.

      After a few minutes' pause, Fix remarked, "You must have left London very suddenly?"

      "I believe you. Last Wednesday evening at eight o'clock, Mr. Fogg came home from his club, and in three-quarters of an hour afterwards we started."

      "But where is your master going to?"

      "Straight ahead – he is going round the world."

      "Going round the world!" exclaimed Fix.

      "Yes, in eighty days. He says it is for a wager, but between ourselves, I don't believe a word of it. It is not common-sense. There must be some other reason."

      "This master of yours is quite an original, I should think."

      "Rather," replied the valet.

      "Is he very rich?"

      "He must be; and he carries a large sum with him, all in new bank-notes. He never spares expense. He promised a large reward to the engineer of the Mongolia if he reached Bombay well in advance of time."

      "Have you known your master long?"

      "Oh dear no," replied Passe-partout. "I only entered his service the very day we left."

      The effect which all these replies had upon the suspicious nature of the detective may be imagined.

      The hurried departure from London, so soon after the robbery, the large sum in bank-notes, the haste to reach India, under the pretext of an eccentric bet, all confirmed Fix, and not unnaturally, in his previously conceived ideas. He made up his mind to pump the Frenchman a little more, and make certain that the valet knew no more concerning his master than that he lived alone in London, was reported to be very rich, though no one knew from whence his fortune was derived, and that he was a very mysterious man, etc. But at the same time. Fix felt sure that Phileas Fogg would not land at Suez, and would really go on to Bombay.

      "Is Bombay far off?" asked Passe-partout.

      "Pretty well. It is ten days' steaming from here."

      "And whereabouts is Bombay?"

      "It is in India."

      "In Asia?"

      "Naturally."

      "The devil! I was going to say that there is something on my mind, and that is my burner."

      "What burner?"

      "Why, my gas-burner, which I forgot to turn off when I left London, and which is still alight