Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 10)

Around the World in 80 Days

'Colonel Stamp Proctor.'

The human tide now swept by, after overturning Fix,

who speedily got upon his feet again, though with tattered

clothes. Happily, he was not seriously hurt. His travelling

overcoat was divided into two unequal parts, and his

trousers resembled those of certain Indians, which fit less

compactly than they are easy to put on. Aouda had

escaped unharmed, and Fix alone bore marks of the fray in

his black and blue bruise.

'Thanks,' said Mr. Fogg to the detective, as soon as

they were out of the crowd.

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 9)

Around the World in 80 Days

'True. Well, if I can't take you as a servant, I can as a

clown. You see, my friend, in France they exhibit foreign

clowns, and in foreign parts French clowns.'

'Ah!'

'You are pretty strong, eh?'

'Especially after a good meal.'

'And you can sing?'

'Yes,' returned Passepartout, who had formerly been

wont to sing in the streets.

'But can you sing standing on your head, with a top

spinning on your left foot, and a sabre balanced on your

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 8)

Around the World in 80 Days

chance should direct the steps of the unfortunate servant,

whom he had so badly treated, in this direction; in which

case an explanation the reverse of satisfactory to the

detective must have ensued. But the Frenchman did not

appear, and, without doubt, was still lying under the

stupefying influence of the opium.

John Bunsby, master, at length gave the order to start,

and the Tankadere, taking the wind under her brigantine,

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 7)

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Around the World in 80 Days

too late for the Yokohama boat, would almost inevitably

cause the loss of the wager. But this man of nerve

manifested neither impatience nor annoyance; it seemed as

if the storm were a part of his programme, and had been

foreseen. Aouda was amazed to find him as calm as he had

been from the first time she saw him.

Fix did not look at the state of things in the same light.

The storm greatly pleased him. His satisfaction would have

been complete had the Rangoon been forced to retreat

before the violence of wind and waves. Each delay filled

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 6)

Around the World in 80 Days

where Passepartout would have been proud to see his

country's flag flying, were hidden from their view in the

darkness.

Calcutta was reached at seven in the morning, and the

packet left for Hong Kong at noon; so that Phileas Fogg

had five hours before him.

According to his journal, he was due at Calcutta on the

25th of October, and that was the exact date of his actual

arrival. He was therefore neither behind-hand nor ahead

of time. The two days gained between London and

Bombay had been lost, as has been seen, in the journey

across India. But it is not to be supposed that Phileas Fogg

regretted them.

117 of 339

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 5)

Around the World in 80 Days

Mr. Fogg would only lose a part of the forty-eight hours

saved since the beginning of the tour. Kiouni, resuming

his rapid gait, soon descended the lower spurs of the

Vindhias, and towards noon they passed by the village of

Kallenger, on the Cani, one of the branches of the

Ganges. The guide avoided inhabited places, thinking it

safer to keep the open country, which lies along the first

depressions of the basin of the great river. Allahabad was

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 4)

IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT

IS ONLY TOO GLAD TO GET

OFF WITH THE LOSS OF HIS

SHOES

Everybody knows that the great reversed triangle of

land, with its base in the north and its apex in the south,

which is called India, embraces fourteen hundred thousand

square miles, upon which is spread unequally a population

of one hundred and eighty millions of souls. The British

Crown exercises a real and despotic dominion over the

larger portion of this vast country, and has a governor-

general stationed at Calcutta, governors at Madras,

Bombay, and in Bengal, and a lieutenant-governor at

Around the World in 80 by Jules Verne (page 3)

Around the World in 80 Days

'No, Mr. Fix,' replied the consul. 'She was bespoken

yesterday at Port Said, and the rest of the way is of no

account to such a craft. I repeat that the Mongolia has

been in advance of the time required by the company's

regulations, and gained the prize awarded for excess of

speed.'

'Does she come directly from Brindisi?'

'Directly from Brindisi; she takes on the Indian mails

there, and she left there Saturday at five p.m. Have

patience, Mr. Fix; she will not be late. But really, I don't

Around the World in 80 Days(page 2)

whole being washed down with several cups of tea, for

which the Reform is famous. He rose at thirteen minutes

to one, and directed his steps towards the large hall, a

sumptuous apartment adorned with lavishly-framed

paintings. A flunkey handed him an uncut Times, which

he proceeded to cut with a skill which betrayed familiarity

with this delicate operation. The perusal of this paper

absorbed Phileas Fogg until a quarter before four, whilst

the Standard, his next task, occupied him till the dinner

hour. Dinner passed as breakfast had done, and Mr. Fogg

re-appeared in the reading-room and sat down to the Pall

Mall at twenty minutes before six. Half an hour later

several members of the Reform came in and drew up to

the fireplace, where a coal fire was steadily burning. They

were Mr. Fogg's usual partners at whist: Andrew Stuart, an

engineer; John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, bankers;

Around the World in 80 Days(page 1)

Chapter I

IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG

AND PASSEPARTOUT

ACCEPT EACH OTHER, THE

ONE AS MASTER, THE

OTHER AS MAN

Mr. Phileas Fogg lived, in 1872, at No. 7, Saville Row,

Burlington Gardens, the house in which Sheridan died in

1814. He was one of the most noticeable members of the

Reform Club, though he seemed always to avoid

attracting attention; an enigmatical personage, about

whom little was known, except that he was a polished

man of the world. People said that he resembled Byron—

at least that his head was Byronic; but he was a bearded,

tranquil Byron, who might live on a thousand years

without growing old.