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1872 年，菲利亚斯·福格 (Phileas Fogg) 先生住在伯灵顿花园萨维尔街 7 号，谢里登于 1814 年在此去世。他是改革俱乐部最引人注目的成员之一，尽管他似乎总是避免引起注意;一个神秘的人物，人们对他知之甚少，只知道他是一个见多识广的人。人们说他像拜伦——至少他的头是拜伦式的；但他是一个留着胡须、安静的拜伦，可以活一千年而不会变老。

菲利斯·福格当然是英国人，但更值得怀疑的是他是否是伦敦人。他从未在《Change》、《银行》、《城市》的会计室中出现过。没有任何船只曾驶入他所拥有的伦敦码头；他没有从事任何公共工作；他从来没有进入过任何一家法院律师学院，无论是圣殿律师学院、林肯律师学院还是格雷律师学院。他的声音也从未在大法官法庭、财政大臣、王座法庭或教会法庭中响起。他当然不是制造商；他是一名制造商。他既不是商人，也不是绅士农民。他的名字对于科学界和学术界来说很陌生，而且他从未参加过皇家学会或伦敦学会、工匠协会或艺术与科学学会的圣人审议活动。事实上，他不属于聚集在英国首都的众多社团，从谐波学会到昆虫学家学会，这些社团的成立主要目的是消灭有害昆虫。

菲利斯·福格是改革派的成员，仅此而已。

他进入这个高级俱乐部的方式很简单。

他是由巴林银行推荐的，并与巴林银行有公开信用。他的支票定期从他的账户活期存款中即期支付，账户总是充裕的。

菲利斯·福格很有钱吗？无疑。但那些最了解他的人无法想象他是如何发家致富的，而福格先生是最后一个向他申请这些信息的人。他并不奢侈，相反也不贪婪。因为，每当他知道出于崇高、有用或仁慈的目的需要金钱时，他就会悄悄地、有时甚至匿名地提供资金。简而言之，他是最不爱说话的人。他话很少，沉默寡言的样子更显得神秘。他的日常习惯很容易观察。但无论他做什么，都和他以前一直做的一模一样，以至于好奇的人都感到相当困惑。

他旅行过吗？这很有可能，因为似乎没有人比他更熟悉这个世界。没有一个地方如此僻静，以至于他似乎对它很熟悉。他经常用几句清晰的话纠正俱乐部成员提出的关于失踪和闻所未闻的旅行者的数千种猜想，指出真正的可能性，并且似乎具有某种第二眼的天赋，事件经常发生证明他的预测是正确的。他一定已经到处旅行了，至少在精神上是这样。

至少可以肯定的是，菲利斯·福格已经多年没有离开伦敦了。那些因比其他人更了解他而感到荣幸的人宣称，没有人可以假装在其他地方见过他。他唯一的消遣就是看报纸和打惠斯特球。他经常在这场游戏中获胜，作为一个沉默寡言的人，这与他的本性相一致。但他的奖金从未进入他的钱包，而是作为慈善基金保留。福格先生打球不是为了赢，而是为了打球。在他看来，这场比赛是一场竞赛，一场艰难的斗争，但却是一场静止的、不知疲倦的斗争，很符合他的口味。

据了解，菲利斯·福格没有妻子或孩子，这可能发生在最诚实的人身上。要么是亲戚，要么是亲近的朋友，这当然是比较不寻常的。他独自住在萨维尔街的房子里，没有人进入那里。一个仆人就足以为他服务。他在俱乐部吃早餐和晚餐，时间是在数学上固定的，在同一个房间，同一张桌子上，从不和其他会员一起吃饭，更不用说带客人了；午夜时分才回家，然后立即上床睡觉。他从未使用过改革派为其青睐的成员提供的舒适房间。他在萨维尔街的二十四小时里，有十个小时是在睡觉或上厕所。当他选择散步时，他会在铺有马赛克地板的门厅中以常规的步伐散步，或者在圆形画廊中散步，该画廊的圆顶由二十根红色斑岩爱奥尼亚柱支撑，并由蓝色油漆窗户照亮。当他吃早餐或晚餐时，俱乐部的所有资源——厨房和食品储藏室、黄油和奶制品——都有助于在他的餐桌上摆满他们最美味的商店；为他服务的是最严肃的侍者，他们穿着礼服外套，穿着天鹅皮鞋底的鞋子，用特制的瓷器和最好的亚麻布提供菜肴。俱乐部的醒酒器是用旧模具制作的，里面装着他的雪利酒、波特酒和肉桂红葡萄酒。而他的饮料则用冰块冰镇，令人耳目一新，这些冰块是花费巨资从美国湖泊运来的。

如果以这种方式生活就是古怪的话，那么必须承认，古怪中也有一些好处。

萨维尔街的豪宅虽然不豪华，但却非常舒适。居住者的习惯对唯一的仆人要求很少，但菲利斯·福格要求他几乎超人的敏捷和规律。就在 2 月 XNUMX 日，他解雇了詹姆斯·福斯特，因为那个倒霉的年轻人给他送来的剃须水温度是八十四华氏度，而不是八十六华氏度。他正在等待他的继任者，他的继任者将在十一点到一点半之间到达家里。

菲利斯·福格端正地坐在扶手椅上，双脚并拢，就像阅兵中的掷弹兵一样，双手放在膝盖上，身体笔直，头直立；他目不转睛地注视着一座复杂的时钟，上面显示着时、分、秒、日、月和年。十一点半准时，福格先生会按照他的日常习惯，离开萨维尔街，返回改革区。

菲利斯·福格所在的舒适公寓的门就在这时响起，被解雇的仆人詹姆斯·福斯特出现了。

“新仆人，”他说。

一名三十岁左右的青年上前，躬身行礼。

“我相信你是法国人，”菲利亚斯·福格问道，“你的名字叫约翰？”

“让，如果先生愿意的话，”新来的人回答道，“让·路路通，这个姓氏一直伴随着我，因为我有一种天生的倾向，从一件事转向另一件事。我相信我是诚实的，先生，但是，坦白地说，我已经做过好几笔交易了。我曾经是一名巡回歌手，一名马戏团骑手，曾经像紧身衣一样跳马，像金发女郎一样在绳子上跳舞。后来我当了一名体操教授，以便更好地发挥我的才能；后来我在巴黎担任消防中士，参与了许多大火。但我五年前离开了法国，为了尝尝家庭生活的甜蜜，我在英国当了一名男仆。我发现自己格格不入，又听说菲利斯·福格先生是英国最严谨、最稳重的绅士，我来到福格先生身边，希望能和他一起过上平静的生活，甚至忘记了路路通的名字。”

“路路通适合我，”福格先生回答道。 “你被很好地推荐给我；我听到了关于你的好报告。你知道我的条件吗？”

“是的，先生。”

“好的！现在是几奌？”

“十一点二十二分，”路路通回答道，从口袋深处掏出一块巨大的银表。

“你太慢了，”福格先生说。

“请原谅，先生，这是不可能的——”

“你太慢了四分钟。不管;提及错误就足够了。从现在开始，2 月 XNUMX 日星期三上午十一点二十九分，你就为我服务了。”

菲利斯·福格站起来，左手拿起帽子，自然而然地戴在头上，然后一言不发地走了。

路路通听到街门关上了一次；这是他的新主人出去了。他听见门又关上了。轮到他的前任詹姆斯·福斯特离职了。路路通独自留在萨维尔街的房子里。

“天哪，”路路通有些慌乱地嘀咕道，“我在杜莎夫人蜡像馆见过像我的新主人一样活泼的人！”

可以说，杜莎夫人蜡像馆的“人物”是用蜡制成的，在伦敦参观人数众多。言语是让他们成为人类的唯一手段。

在与福克先生的简短会面中，路路通一直在仔细观察他。看上去是个四十岁左右的男人，五官俊美，身材高挑，身材匀称。他的头发和胡须都很淡，额头紧凑，没有皱纹，脸色相当苍白，牙齿漂亮。他的面容具有相相学家所称的“静中有动”的最高程度，这是一种行动而不是空谈的人的品质。福格先生冷静而冷漠，眼神清澈，似乎是安吉莉卡·考夫曼在画布上巧妙表现的英国式沉着的完美典范。从他日常生活的各个阶段来看，他提出了完美平衡的理念，就像乐华天文台一样精确调节。菲利斯·福格确实是精确的化身，甚至从他的手脚的表情中也能看出这一点。因为对于人类和动物来说，四肢本身就表达了激情。

他非常精确，从不着急，总是做好准备，脚步和动作都很简洁。他从不迈太多的步，总是抄近路到达目的地；他没有做出任何多余的动作，也没有看到他有任何的感动或激动。他是世界上最深思熟虑的人，但总是在准确的时刻到达目的地。

他独自生活，可以说，他脱离了一切社会关系。因为他知道在这个世界上必须考虑到摩擦，而摩擦会阻碍，所以他从不与任何人发生摩擦。

至于路路通，他是真正的巴黎人。自从他放弃自己的祖国前往英国当仆人以来，他一直在徒劳地寻找一位合他心意的主人。路路通绝不是莫里哀笔下那种眼神大胆、鼻子高高翘起的傻瓜。他是个诚实的小伙子，长着一张可爱的脸，嘴唇稍稍突出，举止温和，乐于助人，脑袋圆圆的，就像人们喜欢在朋友的肩膀上看到的那样。他的眼睛是蓝色的，肤色红润，身材几乎是肥胖的，体格健硕，身体肌肉发达，体力在年轻时的锻炼中得到了充分的发展。他的棕色头发有些凌乱。因为，据说古代雕塑家知道十八种整理密涅瓦头发的方法，而路路通却只熟悉一种自己的梳妆打扮：用大齿梳子梳三下就完成了他的梳妆打扮。

预测路路通活泼的天性会如何与福格先生相符，未免太草率了。无法判断这个新仆人是否会像他主人所要求的那样绝对有条不紊。仅凭经验就可以解决这个问题。路路通早年曾是个流浪者，现在渴望休息。但到目前为止，他还没有找到它，尽管他已经在十个英国房屋中服务过。但他无法在其中任何一个上扎根。他懊恼地发现他的主人总是异想天开、不规律，不断地在乡间奔跑，或者寻找冒险。他的最后一位主人、年轻的国会议员朗费里勋爵在干草市场的酒馆里度过了夜晚后，经常在早上被警察扛在肩上带回家。路路通出于对他所服务的绅士的尊重，对这种行为提出了温和的抗议。由于不受欢迎，他就告辞了。听说菲利斯·福格先生正在寻找一名仆人，而且他的生活一成不变，既不外出也不留宿，他确信这就是他要找的地方。正如我们所看到的，他提出了自己的要求，并被接受了。

十一点半，路路通发现自己独自一人在萨维尔街的房子里。他立即开始检查，从地窖到阁楼都搜遍了。如此干净、布置良好、庄严的宅邸令他满意。在他看来，它就像一个蜗牛的壳，由气体点燃和加热，足以满足这两个目的。当路路通到达二楼时，他立刻认出了自己要住的房间，而且他对此非常满意。电铃和传声筒提供了与下层的交流。壁炉架上立着一个电钟，和福格先生卧室里的电钟一模一样，两者在同一时刻敲击同一秒。 “那就好，就这样吧。”路路通自言自语道。

他突然发现挂在钟上的一张卡片，经过检查，证明是房子的日常事务程序。它包括对仆人的所有要求，从早上八点，菲利斯·福格准时起床，一直到十一点半，他离开家去改革俱乐部——所有的服务细节，茶和烤面包。八点二十三分，九点三十七分洗澡，十点差二十分钟上厕所。一切都经过规定和预见，从上午十一点半到午夜，即那位有条不紊的绅士休息的时间。

福格先生的衣柜用品充足，而且品味最好。每条裤子、外套和背心都有一个编号，表明一年中的时间和季节，轮流穿着它们；同样的系统也应用到了大师的鞋子上。简而言之，萨维尔街的房子在著名但放荡的谢里登统治下一定是一座混乱和不安的殿堂，但现在却是安逸、舒适和理想化的方法。没有书房，也没有书籍，这些对福格先生来说毫无用处。因为在改革时期，有两个图书馆为他服务，一个是一般文学图书馆，另一个是法律和政治图书馆。他的卧室里有一个中等大小的保险箱，其结构既防火又防盗。但路路通在任何地方都没有发现武器或狩猎武器；一切都背叛了最平静、最平和的习惯。

他把房子从上到下打量了一遍，搓了搓手，脸上洋溢着灿烂的笑容，高兴地说：“这正是我想要的！啊，我们会和睦相处的，福格先生和我！真是一个居家又正规的绅士啊！真机；好吧，我不介意为机器服务。”

菲利斯·福格在十一点半关上家门，右脚放在左脚前面五百七十五次，左脚放在右脚前面五百七十六次，最后到达了改革俱乐部 (Reform Club) 是位于蓓尔美尔 (Pall Mall) 的一座雄伟建筑，其造价不可能低于三百万。他立即前往餐厅，餐厅的九扇窗户通向一个雅致的花园，那里的树木已经镀上了秋天的色彩。他在常坐的那张桌子旁就座，桌子的桌布已经为他铺好了。他的早餐包括一份配菜、一条配雷丁酱的烤鱼、一片猩红色的烤牛肉配蘑菇、一个大黄醋栗馅饼和一小块柴郡奶酪，整个过程是用几杯茶冲下去的。改革因此而闻名。十三分钟后，他起身，走向大厅，这是一间装饰着华丽画框的豪华公寓。一名跟班递给他一份未剪裁的《泰晤士报》，他开始剪裁，其技巧显示出他对这种微妙的操作很熟悉。菲利亚斯·福格一直专注于研读这份报纸，直到四点一刻，而他的下一个任务《标准》则让他一直忙到晚饭时间。晚餐和早餐一样过去了，福格先生再次出现在阅览室，并在六点差二十分钟来到蓓尔美尔街坐下。半小时后，几名改革派成员进来并聚集到壁炉旁，那里的煤火正在稳定地燃烧。他们是福格先生在惠斯特牌游戏中的常搭档：安德鲁·斯图尔特（Andrew Stuart），一名工程师；安德鲁·斯图尔特（Andrew Stuart），一名工程师；约翰·沙利文（John Sullivan）和塞缪尔·法伦丁（Samuel Fallentin），银行家；托马斯·弗拉纳根 (Thomas Flanagan)，酿酒师；英格兰银行董事之一高蒂尔·拉尔夫——都是富有且德高望重的人物，即使在一个由英国贸易和金融王子组成的俱乐部中也是如此。

“好吧，拉尔夫，”托马斯·弗拉纳根说，“那起抢劫案怎么样了？”

“哦，”斯图尔特回答道，“银行会赔钱的。”

“恰恰相反，”拉尔夫插话道，“我希望我们能抓到强盗。熟练的侦探已被派往美洲和欧洲大陆的所有主要港口，如果他从他们的指缝中溜走，他将是一个聪明的家伙。”

“但是你有关于强盗的描述吗？”斯图尔特问道。

“首先，他根本不是强盗，”拉尔夫肯定地回答道。

“什么！一个偷走五万五千英镑的人，不是强盗吗？”

“没有。”

“那么，也许他是一名制造商。”

“《每日电讯报》说他是一位绅士。”

说这句话的是菲利斯·福格，他的头现在从报纸后面探了出来。他向朋友们鞠了一躬，然后加入了谈话。构成其主题并成为全镇谈论的事件三天前发生在英格兰银行。一包价值五万五千英镑的钞票被从首席收银台上拿走，那位工作人员此刻正在登记三先令六便士的收据。当然，他的目光不可能无处不在。值得注意的是，英格兰银行对公众的诚实抱有令人感动的信心。没有守卫，也没有栅栏来保护它的宝藏；金、银、钞票自由暴露，任由先来者摆布。一位对英国习俗的敏锐观察者说，有一天，他在银行的一个房间里，出于好奇检查了一块重约七八磅的金锭。他拿起它，仔细检查，把它传递给他的邻居，他又传递给下一个人，依此类推，直到金锭从一只手传到另一只手，被转移到一个黑暗入口的尽头；半个小时也没有回到原处。与此同时，收银员连头都没抬一下。但就目前而言，事情进展得并不那么顺利。当“绘图室”的笨重钟声敲响五点时，那包钞票却不见踪影，这笔钱就转入了损益表。抢劫案一经发现，受两千英镑和百分之五悬赏的启发，精挑细选的侦探就赶紧前往利物浦、格拉斯哥、阿弗尔、苏伊士、布林迪西、纽约和其他港口。关于可能收回的金额。侦探们还负责严密监视那些乘火车到达或离开伦敦的人，并立即进行司法审查。

正如《每日电讯报》所说，有充分理由认为小偷不属于专业乐队。抢劫案发生当天，有人看到一位穿着考究、彬彬有礼、一副富裕神态的绅士在犯罪发生的付款室里来回走动。对他的描述很容易就获得并发送给侦探们。一些充满希望的人，拉尔夫就是其中之一，并没有对他的被捕感到绝望。报纸和俱乐部都报道了这件事，各地的人们都在讨论成功追捕的可能性。改革俱乐部尤其激动，其几名成员是银行官员。

拉尔夫不承认侦探们的工作很可能会白费，因为他认为所提供的奖品将极大地激发他们的热情和积极性。但斯图尔特远没有分享这种信心。当他们坐在惠斯特牌桌前时，他们继续争论这个问题。斯图尔特和弗拉纳根一起演奏，而菲利斯·福格则与法伦汀搭档。随着比赛的进行，谈话停止了，除了橡胶之间的谈话，当谈话再次恢复时。

“我坚持认为，”斯图亚特说，“机会对小偷有利，他一定是个精明的家伙。”

“好吧，但是他能飞到哪里呢？”拉尔夫问道。 “没有一个国家对他来说是安全的。”

“ P！”

“那么他能去哪里呢？”

“哦，我不知道。世界足够大了。”

“曾经有过一次，”菲利斯·福格低声说道。 “停，先生，”他补充道，把卡片递给托马斯·弗拉纳根。

这场讨论在橡胶比赛中结束，之后斯图尔特开始继续讨论。

“‘一次’是什么意思？世界变小了吗？”

“当然，”拉尔夫回答道。 “我同意福格先生的观点。世界变得越来越小，因为现在一个人绕行一周的速度比一百年前快十倍。这就是为什么寻找这个小偷的行动更有可能成功。”

“还有为什么小偷可以更容易逃脱。”

“斯图尔特先生，玩得好点，”菲利斯·福格说。

但难以置信的斯图尔特并不相信，当手完成后，急切地说：“拉尔夫，你有一种奇怪的方法来证明世界已经变小了。所以，因为你可以在三个月内完成它——”

“八十天后，”菲利斯·福格打断道。

“确实如此，先生们，”约翰·沙利文补充道。 “大印度半岛铁路罗塔尔至阿拉哈巴德之间的路段开通仅八十天。以下是《每日电讯报》的估计：

从伦敦经 Mont Cenis 前往苏伊士
布林迪西，乘火车和轮船……………….. 7 天
从苏伊士到孟买，乘轮船……………….. 13”
从孟买到加尔各答，乘火车………………。 3”
从加尔各答到香港，乘轮船…………。 13”
从香港到横滨（日本），乘轮船...... 6”
从横滨到旧金山，乘轮船…………22”
从旧金山到纽约，乘火车…………。 7”
从纽约到伦敦，乘轮船和铁路…….. 9”
---
总共……………………………………80天。”

“是的，八十天后！”斯图尔特惊呼道，他在兴奋中做了一笔错误的交易。 “但这并没有考虑到恶劣天气、逆风、沉船、铁路事故等。”

“都包括在内，”菲利亚斯·福格回答道，尽管有讨论，但他仍然继续演奏。

“但是假设印度人或印第安人拉起了铁轨，”斯图尔特回答道。 “假设他们拦住火车，抢劫行李车，剥削乘客的头皮！”

“都包括在内，”福格平静地反驳道。他扔下牌时补充道：“两张王牌。”

轮到发牌的斯图尔特把它们收集起来，继续说道：“从理论上讲，你是对的，福格先生，但实际上——”

“实际上也是如此，斯图尔特先生。”

“我希望看到你在八十天内做到这一点。”

“这取决于你。我们走吧？

“上天保佑我吧！但我敢打四千英镑的赌注，在这种条件下进行这样的旅行是不可能的。”

“恰恰相反，很有可能，”福格先生回答道。

“嗯，那就办吧！”

“八十天环游地球一周？”

“是的。”

“没有比这更好的事情了。”

“什么时候？”

“立刻。只是我警告你，我会以你的代价来做这件事。”

“这太荒谬了！”斯图尔特喊道，他开始对他朋友的坚持感到恼火。 “来吧，我们继续游戏。”

“那么，重新开始吧，”菲利斯·福格说道。 “有一个虚假的交易。”

斯图尔特用发烧的手拿起了包。然后突然又把它们放下了。

“好吧，福格先生，”他说，“事情就是这样：我愿意打四千块赌注。”

“冷静点，我亲爱的斯图尔特，”法伦丁说。 “这只是个玩笑。”

“当我说我要打赌时，”斯图尔特回答道，“我是认真的。”

“好吧，”福格先生说。他转向其他人，继续说道：“我在巴林银行有两万美元的存款，我愿意用它来冒险。”

“两万镑！”沙利文喊道。 “两万英镑，一不小心就会损失掉！”

“不可预见的事情并不存在。”菲利斯·福格平静地回答道。

“但是，福格先生，八十天只是对行程最短时间的估计。”

“充分利用最低限度就足以解决一切问题。”

“但是，为了不超过它，你必须以数学方式从火车跳到轮船上，然后再从轮船跳到火车上。”

“我会跳——从数学角度来说。”

“你开玩笑吧。”

“一个真正的英国人在谈论打赌这样严肃的事情时不会开玩笑，”菲利斯·福格严肃地回答道。 “我愿意与任何希望我在八十天内环游世界的人打赌，赌注是两万英镑；一千九百二十小时，即十一万五千二百分钟。你接受吗？”

“我们接受，”斯图尔特、法伦丁、沙利文、弗拉纳根和拉尔夫先生相互协商后回答道。

“很好，”福格先生说。 “火车九点差一刻出发前往多佛。我会接受的。

“就在今天晚上吗？”斯图尔特问道。

“就在今天晚上，”菲利斯·福格回答道。他拿出一本袖珍年鉴，补充道：“今天是 2 月 21 日星期三，我将于 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期六，也就是 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期六，也就是 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期三之前，在改革俱乐部的这个房间里到达伦敦。晚上九点；否则，现在以我的名义存入巴林银行的两万英镑将属于你们，事实上，先生们，这是正确的。这是一张金额的支票。”

六方立即起草并签署了一份打赌备忘录，期间菲利斯·福格保持着坚忍的镇静。他当然不是赌赢，只赌了两万英镑，即他一半的财产，因为他预见到他可能需要花费另一半来完成这个困难的，甚至可以说是遥不可及的项目。至于他的对手，他们似乎很激动。与其说是因为他们的赌注价值，不如说是因为他们对在对他们的朋友来说如此困难的条件下下注有一些顾虑。

时钟敲响了七点，球队提出暂停比赛，以便福格先生做好出发的准备。

“我现在已经准备好了。”他平静地回答。 “钻石是王牌：先生们，玩得好。”

菲利亚斯·福格在惠斯特赢得了二十几尼，并与他的朋友告别后，于七点二十五分离开了改革俱乐部。

路路通认真地研究了自己的职责安排，他非常惊讶地发现他的主人在这个不习惯的时间出现，表现得不准确。因为按照规定，他要到午夜才准时到达萨维尔街。

福格先生回到自己的卧室，大声喊道：“路路通！”

路路通没有回答。被叫的不可能是他；现在时机不对。

“路路通！”福格先生重复道，但没有提高声音。

路路通出现了。

“我已经给你打过两次电话了，”他的主人说道。

“但现在还不是午夜，”另一个回答道，并展示了他的手表。

“我知道这;我不怪你。十分钟后我们就出发前往多佛和加来。”

路路通圆圆的脸上露出了困惑的笑容。显然他没有理解他的主人。

“先生要离家出走吗？”

“是的，”菲利斯·福格回答道。 “我们要环游世界。”

路路通睁大眼睛，扬起眉毛，举起双手，看上去快要崩溃了，他惊得目瞪口呆。

“周游世界！”他低声说道。

“八十天后，”福格先生回答道。 “所以我们一刻也不能浪费。”

“但是箱子呢？”路路通喘着粗气，不自觉地从右向左摇了摇头。

“我们不会有行李箱；我只有一个地毯袋，里面有两件衬衫和三双袜子，你也一样。我们会在路上买衣服。带上我的雨衣和旅行斗篷，还有一些结实的鞋子，尽管我们很少走路。赶快！”

路路通试图回复，但无法回复。他走出去，爬上自己的房间，一屁股坐在椅子上，嘀咕道：“那就好！而我，本想保持安静！”

他机械地开始准备出发。八十天环游世界！他的主人是个傻子吗？不，那这是个笑话吗？他们要去多佛；好的！前往加莱；又好了！毕竟，离开法国五年的路路通，再次踏上祖国的土地，不会感到遗憾。也许他们会一直走到巴黎，再次见到巴黎对他的眼睛会有好处。但一位如此小心谨慎的绅士肯定会就此止步。毫无疑问——但是，话虽如此，他还是要离开，这个迄今为止如此居家的人！

到了八点钟，路路通已经收拾好了那个朴素的地毯袋，里面装着他主人和他自己的衣柜。然后，心里仍然不安，他小心翼翼地关上房门，下楼到福格先生身边。

福格先生已做好充分准备。他的腋下可能​​夹着一本红封面的布拉德肖的《大陆铁路蒸汽运输和一般指南》，其时间表显示了轮船和铁路的到达和出发。他拿起地毯袋，打开它，塞进一卷精美的英格兰银行钞票，无论他走到哪里，这张钞票都会随身携带。

“你什么都没忘记吗？”他问道。

“没事，先生。”

“我的雨衣和斗篷？”

“他们来了。”

“好的！拿着这个地毯袋，”把它递给路路通。 “好好保管，里面有两万镑。”

路路通差点把袋子掉下来，就好像那两万英镑是金子一样，压得他喘不过气来。

然后主人和男人下了楼，临街的门被双锁了，在萨维尔街的尽头，他们乘坐出租车快速驶向查令十字街。八点二十分，出租车停在火车站前。路路通跳下车厢，跟着主人，付了车夫钱，正要进站，这时一个可怜的乞丐怀里抱着一个孩子，赤脚沾满了泥，头上蒙着布。她走近那顶破烂的帽子，上面挂着一根破烂的羽毛，肩膀上裹着一条破烂的披肩，悲伤地请求施舍。

福格先生拿出他刚刚在惠斯特赢得的二十几尼，递给乞丐，说道：“给你，我的好女人。我很高兴认识你；”并继续下去。

路路通的眼睛有一种湿润的感觉。主人的举动触动了他敏感的心。

福格先生很快就买了两张去巴黎的头等舱车票，正穿过车站准备上火车，这时他看到了他的五个改革派朋友。

“好了，先生们，”他说，“你们瞧，我走了；而且，如果我回来后你检查一下我的护照，你就能判断我是否完成了约定的旅程。”

“哦，那是完全没有必要的，福格先生，”拉尔夫礼貌地说。 “作为一位正直的绅士，我们会相信你的话。”

“你不会忘记什么时候再到伦敦吧？”斯图尔特问道。

“八十天后； 21 年 1872 月 XNUMX 日星期六，晚上九点前一刻再见，先生们。

九点差二十分钟，菲利斯·福格和他的仆人坐进了一辆头等车厢。五分钟后，汽笛鸣响，列车缓缓驶出车站。

夜色深沉，细雨绵绵地下着。菲利斯·福格紧紧地坐在角落里，没有张开嘴唇。路路通还没有从恍惚中恢复过来，机械地紧紧抓住装有巨大财宝的地毯袋。

正当火车呼啸而过西德纳姆时，路路通突然发出了绝望的叫声。

“怎么了？”福格先生问道。

“唉！匆忙之中——我——我忘记了——”

“什么？”

“关掉我房间的煤气！”

“很好，年轻人，”福格先生冷静地回答道。 “它会燃烧——代价是你。”

菲利斯·福格正确地怀疑他离开伦敦将在伦敦西区引起轰动。打赌的消息传遍了改革俱乐部，并为会员们带来了一个激动人心的话题。俱乐部的消息很快就登上了整个英格兰的报纸。人们热烈地谈论、争论、争辩所吹嘘的“世界之旅”，就好像这个话题是阿拉巴马州的另一个主张一样。有些人站在菲利斯·福格一边，但大多数人都摇头表示反对他。他们宣称，除了理论上和纸上的解释之外，在这么短的时间内，利用现有的旅行方式，环游世界是荒谬的、不可能的。 《泰晤士报》、《标准报》、《晨报》、《每日新闻》以及其他二十家备受尊敬的报纸都认为福格先生的计划是疯狂的。只有《每日电讯报》犹豫地支持他。人们普遍认为他是个疯子，并指责他的改革俱乐部朋友接受了一个暴露了提议者精神失常的赌注。

关于这个问题，出现了不少充满激情和逻辑性的文章，因为地理是英国人最喜欢的科目之一。专门介绍菲利斯·福格冒险活动的专栏受到各阶层读者的热切追捧。起初，一些鲁莽的人，主要是温和的性别，支持他的事业，当《伦敦新闻画报》刊登了从改革俱乐部的照片复制的他的肖像时，这一事业变得更加受欢迎。 《每日电讯报》的一些读者甚至敢说：“到底为什么不呢？更奇怪的事情发生了。”

最后，7 月 XNUMX 日，英国皇家地理学会的公报上出现了一篇长文，从各个角度探讨了这个问题，并证明了这项事业的彻底愚蠢。

它说，一切都对旅行者不利，人为和自然所施加的一切障碍都是如此。出发和到达的时间奇迹般地一致，这是不可能的，但对他的成功来说却是绝对必要的。或许，他可能会认为，在欧洲，火车会在指定时间到达，因为欧洲的距离相对适中。但当他计算出三天内穿越印度、七日内穿越美国时，他能毫无疑虑地完成任务吗？机械事故、火车脱轨、碰撞、恶劣天气、大雪堵塞——这一切不都是针对菲利斯·福格的吗？冬天乘轮船旅行，岂不是要受风雾的摆布吗？最好的远洋轮船晚点两三天的情况是否罕见？但一次延迟就足以致命地破坏通信链；菲利斯·福格是否会错过一次，哪怕是一个小时？一艘轮船，他将不得不等待下一艘，这将不可避免地使他的尝试徒劳无功。

这篇文章引起了很大的轰动，并被各大报纸转载，严重打击了鲁莽旅游者的拥护者。

大家都知道，英国是赌徒的世界，他们的阶级比单纯的赌徒要高。打赌是英国人的气质。不仅改革派成员，而且公众都对菲利斯·福格的支持或反对下了重注，他被记在赌注簿上，就好像他是一匹赛马一样。债券已发行，并出现在“Change; Change;”节目中。 “菲利亚斯·福格债券”按平价或溢价发行，并取得了一笔巨大的生意。但地理学会公报上的文章发表五天后，需求开始消退：“菲利斯·福格”被拒绝了。它们是按包裹提供的，一开始是五个，然后是十个，直到最后没有人会接受少于二十个、五十个、一百个！

阿尔伯马尔勋爵是一位年老的瘫痪绅士，他现在是菲利斯·福格唯一的支持者。这位被固定在椅子上的贵族勋爵，如果需要十年时间，他愿意捐出自己的财富来环游世界。他在菲利斯·福格身上下了五千英镑的赌注。当有人向他指出这次冒险的愚蠢和无用时，他满足地回答说：“如果这件事可行，第一个做这件事的应该是英国人。”

福格的队伍越来越少，每个人都反对他，赌注是一百五十两百比一；在他离开一周后，发生了一起事件，使他不惜一切代价失去了支持者。

一天晚上九点钟，警察局长坐在他的办公室里，这时他收到了一份电报：

苏伊士运河飞往伦敦。

苏格兰场警察局长罗文：

我找到了银行劫匪菲利斯·福格。立即向孟买发出逮捕令。

修复，侦探。

这则消息的效果立竿见影。这位优雅的绅士消失了，取而代之的是银行劫匪。他的照片与改革俱乐部其他成员的照片一起挂在上面，经过仔细检查，它的一个又一个特征暴露了警方提供给警方的对强盗的描述。菲利斯·福格的神秘习惯被回忆起来；他孤独的生活方式，他的突然离去；很明显，他以打赌为借口环游世界，除了躲避侦探、让他们偏离轨道之外，没有其他目的。

这份关于菲利斯·福格的电报发出的情况如下：

属于半岛东方公司的“蒙古”号轮船是用铁建造的，载重量为 9 吨，功率为 XNUMX 马力，预计于 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期三上午 XNUMX 点抵达苏伊士。蒙古号定期经苏伊士运河往返于布林迪西和孟买之间，是该公司旗下最快的轮船之一，在布林迪西和苏伊士之间总是每小时十多节，在苏伊士和孟买之间每小时九节半。

两个男人在码头上走来走去，周围是当地人和陌生人，他们在这个曾经落后的村庄里寄居——现在，由于莱塞普斯先生的努力，这里成了一个快速发展的城镇。其中之一是英国驻苏伊士运河领事，尽管英国政府做出了预言，史蒂芬森也做出了不利的预测，但他仍然习惯于从办公室的窗户看到英国船只每天在大运河上来来往往。从英国经好望角到印度的旧迂回路线至少缩短了一半。另一个是个身材瘦小的人物，一张脸紧张而聪明，不断抽动的眉毛下有一双明亮的眼睛。他刚才明显表现出了不耐烦的迹象，紧张地来回踱着步，一刻也站不住。这是菲克斯，从英国派来寻找银行劫匪的侦探之一。他的任务是严密监视每一位到达苏伊士运河的乘客，并追踪所有可疑人物，或者与他两天前从伦敦警察总部收到的罪犯描述相似的人。 。侦探显然受到了获得丰厚报酬的希望的启发，这将是成功的奖赏，他以一种容易理解的狂热的不耐烦等待着蒙古轮船的到来。

“这么说，领事，”他第二十次问道，“这艘轮船从来没有迟到过？”

“不，菲克斯先生，”领事回答道。 “她是昨天在塞得港定制的，剩下的路对于这样一艘船来说是无关紧要的。我再说一遍，蒙古号已经提前了公司规定的时间，并获得了超速奖。”

“她是直接从布林迪西来的吗？”

“直接从布林迪西出发；她在那里接收印度邮件，周六下午五点离开那里，请耐心等待，菲克斯先生；她不会迟到的。但实际上，从你的描述来看，我不明白你如何能够认出你的人，即使他在蒙古号上。”

“领事，一个人宁愿感觉到这些家伙的存在，也不愿认出他们。你必须有一种适合它们的气味，而气味就像是结合了听觉、视觉和嗅觉的第六感。我一生中逮捕过不止一位这样的先生，如果我的小偷在船上，我会负责；他不会从我的指缝中溜走。”

“我希望如此，菲克斯先生，因为这是一起严重的抢劫案。”

“这是一次严重的抢劫，领事；五万五千英镑！我们并不常有这样的意外之财。现在的小偷真是太可鄙了！一个人为了一把先令就被绞死！”

“先生。菲克斯，”领事说，“我喜欢你说话的方式，希望你能成功；但我担心你会发现这并不容易。难道你没有看到，你那里的描述与一个诚实的人非常相似吗？”

“领事，”侦探教条地说，“大盗总是像诚实的人。那些长着流氓嘴的家伙只有一条路可走，那就是保持诚实；否则他们就会立即被捕。艺术之处在于，揭开诚实的面容；我承认，这不是一项轻松的任务，而是一门真正的艺术。”

菲克斯先生显然不乏一丝自负。

码头上的景象渐渐热闹起来。各国的水手、商人、船舶经纪人、搬运工、农民，熙熙攘攘地来来往往，仿佛轮船即将到来。天气晴朗，略显寒冷。小镇的尖塔在苍白的阳光下隐约可见于房屋上方。一个长约两千码的码头一直延伸到路边。红海上可以辨认出许多渔船和沿岸船只，其中一些保留了古代桨帆船的奇妙风格。

当他穿过忙碌的人群时，菲克斯按照习惯，用敏锐而快速的目光打量着过往的行人。

现在已经十点半了。

“轮船没来！”当港口时钟敲响时，他惊呼道。

“她现在已经不远了，”他的同伴回答道。

“她会在苏伊士运河停留多久？”

“四个小时;足够长的时间进入她的煤炭。从苏伊士到红海另一端的亚丁有一千三百一十英里，她必须吸收新鲜的煤炭供应。”

“她从苏伊士直接前往孟买吗？”

“无需放入任何地方。”

“好的！”菲克斯说。 “如果强盗在船上，他无疑会在苏伊士运河下车，然后通过其他路线到达亚洲的荷兰或法国殖民地。他应该知道，在印度这个英国土地上，他一个小时都不会安全。”

“除非，”领事反对道，“他非常精明。你知道，英国罪犯在伦敦总是比在其他地方隐藏得更好。”

这一发现让侦探深思熟虑，与此同时，领事去了他的办公室。只剩下菲克斯一个人，他比以往更加不耐烦，预感到强盗就在蒙古号上。如果他确实离开伦敦打算到达新世界，他自然会走经印度的路线，印度的路线比大西洋的路线更少，也更难观察。但菲克斯的沉思很快就被一连串尖利的汽笛声打断，这宣告了蒙古号的到来。搬运工和伙计们冲下码头，十几艘小船从岸边驶出，去迎接轮船。很快，她巨大的船体出现在河岸之间，十一点钟声敲响，她在路上抛锚。她带来了数量异常多的乘客，其中一些人留在甲板上欣赏风景如画的小镇全景，而大部分人则上了船，登陆码头。

菲克斯占据了一个位置，仔细地审视着出现的每一张面孔和身影。不久，一名乘客费力地挤过一群纠缠不休的搬运工，走到他面前，礼貌地询问他是否可以指出英国领事馆，同时出示了他希望办理签证的护照。菲克斯本能地接过护照，飞快地看了一眼持证人的描述。他几乎不由自主地感到惊讶，因为护照上的描述与他从苏格兰场收到的银行抢劫犯的描述完全相同。

“这是你的护照吗？”他问道。

“不，这是我主人的。”

“而你的主人是——”

“他留在船上。”

“但他必须亲自去领事那里，以确认他的身份。”

“哦，有这个必要吗？”

“相当不可或缺。”

“领事馆在哪儿？”

“就在那里，在广场的拐角处，”菲克斯指着两百步外的一座房子说道。

“我去接我的主人，不过，他不会太高兴被打扰。”

乘客向菲克斯鞠了一躬，然后回到了轮船上。

侦探穿过码头，迅速前往领事办公室，在那里他立即被允许见到那位官员。

“领事，”他开门见山地说，“我有充分的理由相信我的人是蒙古号上的乘客。”他讲述了刚刚发生的关于护照的事情。

“好吧，菲克斯先生，”领事回答道，“看到这个流氓的脸我不会感到难过；但也许他不会来这里——也就是说，如果他是你想象的那个人的话。强盗不太喜欢在身后留下逃跑的痕迹。而且，此外，他没有义务在护照上签字。”

“如果他像我想的那样精明的话，领事，他就会来的。”

“给他的护照办签证吗？”

“是的。护照只会惹恼诚实的人，并帮助流氓逃跑。我向你保证，这对他来说是一件非常值得做的事情；但我希望你不要签证护照。”

“为什么不？如果护照是真的，我无权拒绝。”

“不过，我必须把这个人留在这里，直到我得到伦敦逮捕他的逮捕令。”

“啊，那是你的了望。但是我不能-”

领事的话还没有说完，因为他说话的时候，门外响起了敲门声，进来了两个陌生人，其中一个就是菲克斯在码头上遇到的仆人。另一个是他的主人，他拿出了他的护照，请求领事帮他办理签证。领事接过文件，仔细阅读，而菲克斯则从房间的一角用目光观察着，或者更确切地说，吞噬着这个陌生人。

“您是菲利斯·福格先生吗？”领事看完护照后说道。

“我是。”

“这个人是你的仆人吗？”

“他是：一个法国人，名叫路路通。”

“你来自伦敦？”

“是的。”

“而你要去——”

“去孟买。”

“很好，先生。你知道签证没用，也不需要护照吗？”

“我知道，先生，”菲利斯·福格回答道。 “但我想通过你的签证证明我是经过苏伊士运河的。”

“很好，先生。”

领事在护照上签名并注明日期，然后加盖公章。福格先生按照惯例缴纳了费用，冷冷地鞠了个躬，然后出去了，他的仆人跟在后面。

“出色地？”侦探问道。

“嗯，他的外表和行为都像一个非常诚实的人，”领事回答道。

“可能；但这不是问题所在。领事，您认为这位冷漠的绅士的五官与我收到的描述中的强盗很相似吗？

“我承认；但接下来，你知道，所有的描述——”

“我会确定的。”菲克斯打断道。 “在我看来，仆人不像主人那么神秘；再说了，他是法国人，不能不说话。请稍等一下，领事。”

菲克斯开始寻找路路通。

与此同时，福格先生离开领事馆后，来到码头，向路路通下达了一些命令，然后乘船前往蒙古，然后下降到他的船舱。他拿起笔记本，上面写着以下备忘录：

“2 月 8.45 日星期三晚上 3 点 7.20 分离开伦敦 “8.40 月 4 日星期四上午 6.35 点 7.20 分到达巴黎 “星期四上午 5 点 4 分离开巴黎 “5 月 9 日星期五早上 11 点 158 分通过 Mont Cenis 到达都灵 “离开都灵，星期五，上午 XNUMX 点 XNUMX 分 “XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期六下午 XNUMX 点抵达布林迪西”星期六下午 XNUMX 点在蒙古航行“XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期三上午 XNUMX 点到达苏伊士”总共花费的时间，XNUMX +;或者，以天为单位，六天半。”

这些日期被刻在分栏的行程中，标明月份、月份中的某天以及规定和实际到达每个主要地点的日期：巴黎、布林迪西、苏伊士、孟买、加尔各答、新加坡、香港、横滨、旧金山、纽约和伦敦——2月21日至9月XNUMX日；并留出空间来列出到达每个地点时所获得的收益或遭受的损失。因此，这份有条不紊的记录包含了所需的一切，福格先生总是知道他是落后于时代还是领先于时代。 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日星期五，他注意到自己抵达了苏伊士运河，并观察到自己尚未获得什么，也没有失去什么。他在自己的小屋里安静地坐下来吃早餐，从来没有想过要参观这座城镇，因为他是习惯于通过国内人的眼睛来看待外国的英国人之一。

菲克斯很快又回到了路路通身边，路路通正懒洋洋地在码头上四处张望，好像他不觉得自己至少有义务不去看任何东西。

“好吧，我的朋友，”侦探追上来，说道，“你的护照有签证吗？”

“啊，是您吗，先生？”路路通回答道。 “谢谢，是的，护照没问题。”

“你在寻找你自己吗？”

“是的;但我们走得太快，我仿佛在梦中旅行。那么这里是苏伊士运河吗？”

“是的。”

“在埃及？”

“当然，在埃及。”

“那么在非洲呢？”

“在非洲。”

“在非洲！”路路通重复道。 “想一想，先生，我不知道我们应该去比巴黎更远的地方；我所看到的巴黎，都是在早上七点二十分到九点前二十分之间，在北车站和里昂车站之间，透过车窗，在倾盆大雨中！我多么遗憾没有再去看看香榭丽舍大街的雪兹神父和马戏团！”

“那么你很着急吗？”

“我不是，但我的主人是。顺便说一句，我必须买一些鞋子和衬衫。我们离开时没有带行李箱，只带了一个地毯袋。”

“我会带你去一家很棒的商店，在那里你可以买到你想要的东西。”

“真的，先生，您真是太好了。”

他们一起走开，路路通边走边喋喋不休。

“最重要的是，”他说。 “别让我弄丢了汽船。”

“你有充足的时间；现在才十二点。”

路路通拿出他的大手表。 “十二！”他惊呼道； “哎呀，现在还差八分钟就十点了。”

“你的表慢了。”

“我的手表？先生，这是一块家庭手表，是我曾祖父传下来的！一年中没有五分钟变化。这是一个完美的天文钟，你看。”

“我明白是怎么回事了，”菲克斯说。 “你们保留了伦敦时间，比苏伊士运河晚两个小时。在每个国家，你都应该在中午调整你的手表。”

“我调节我的手表？绝不！”

“好吧，那么，它就不会和太阳一致了。”

“先生，太阳的情况更糟。那么太阳就错了！”

这位可敬的家伙以一种挑衅的姿态将手表放回了钥匙扣上。几分钟的沉默后，菲克斯继续问道：“那么，你就匆匆离开了伦敦？”

“我倒是这么认为！上周五晚上八点，福格先生从他的俱乐部回家，三刻钟后我们就出发了。”

“可是你的主人要去哪里呢？”

“永远笔直向前。他要环游世界。”

“周游世界？”菲克斯喊道。

“是的，八十天后！他说这是一个赌注；但是，我们之间，我一个字都不相信。这不符合常识。风中还有别的东西。”

“啊！福格先生是一个人物，不是吗？

“我应该说他是。”

“他有钱吗？”

“毫无疑问，因为他随身携带着一大笔崭新的钞票。而且他也不吝惜路上的钱：如果蒙古工程师能提前把我们送到孟买，他就会给他一大笔报酬。”

“你和你的主人认识很久了？”

“为什么，不；”我们离开伦敦的那天，我就开始为他服务。”

这些答复对于本来就心存疑虑、兴奋不已的侦探的影响是可想而知的。抢劫发生后不久就匆忙离开伦敦；福格先生携带的巨额款项；他渴望到达遥远的国家；一个古怪而鲁莽的赌注的借口——所有这些都证实了菲克斯的理论。他继续给可怜的路路通打气，结果发现他对他的主人知之甚少，甚至一无所知，他在伦敦过着孤独的生活，据说很富有，尽管没有人知道他的财富从何而来，而且他的财富神秘莫测，令人费解。事务和习惯。菲克斯确信菲利斯·福格不会在苏伊士运河登陆，而是真的要去孟买。

“孟买离这里远吗？”路路通问道。

“很远。这是十天的海上航程。”

“孟买是哪个国家的？”

“印度。”

“在亚洲？”

“当然。”

“平局！我要告诉你有一件事情让我担心——我的燃烧器！”

“什么燃烧器？”

“我的煤气灶，我忘了关掉，现在它正在燃烧，费用由我承担。先生，我计算过，每四小时和二十小时我就损失两先令，比我赚的钱整整多了六便士；你就会明白，我们的旅程越长——”

菲克斯有注意到路路通的汽油问题吗？这不太可能。他没有在听，而是在思考一个计划。路路通和他现在已经到了商店，菲克斯在建议他不要错过轮船后留下他的同伴去买东西，然后匆匆返回领事馆。既然已经完全相信了，菲克斯也恢复了平静。

“领事，”他说，“我不再有任何疑问了。我发现我的男人了。他把自己伪装成一根奇怪的棍子，八十天内环游世界。”

“那么他是个精明的家伙，”领事回答道，“并指望在让两国警察摆脱他的追踪后返回伦敦。”

“我们会看看的，”菲克斯回答道。

“但是你没有看错吧？”

“我没有记错。”

“为什么这个强盗如此急于通过签证证明他已经经过苏伊士运河？”

“为什么？我不知道;但听我说。

他用几句话讲述了他与路路通谈话中最重要的部分。

“简而言之，”领事说，“表面上完全不利于这个人。那你要做什么？

“向伦敦发送一份急件，以便立即向孟买发出逮捕令，登上蒙古号，跟踪我的盗贼到印度，然后在英国的土地上，礼貌地逮捕他，手里拿着我的逮捕令，然后我的手放在他的肩膀上。”

侦探以一种冷静、漫不经心的语气说出这句话后，就向领事告别，回到电报局，从那里他把我们看到的电报寄给了伦敦警察局。一刻钟后，发现菲克斯手里拿着一个小包，登上了蒙古号。不久之后，这艘高贵的轮船全速驶出红海。

苏伊士和亚丁之间的距离正好是一千三百一十英里，而公司的规定允许轮船在其中航行一百三十八小时。由于工程师的大力努力，蒙古号看起来很可能在这段时间内到达目的地，尽管她的航速如此之快。从布林迪西出发的大部分乘客都前往印度，一些前往孟买，另一些则取道孟买前往加尔各答，孟买是前往加尔各答的最近路线，因为现在有一条铁路穿越印度半岛。乘客中包括一些官员和各级军官，后者要么隶属于英国正规军，要么指挥印度兵，自从中央政府接管东印度公司权力以来，他们就领取着高薪：中尉获得280英镑，准将获得2,400英镑，师将军获得4,000英镑。有了军人、旅行中的一些富有的年轻英国人以及事务长的热情好客，蒙古号上的时间过得很快。早餐、午餐、晚餐和八点的晚餐时，舱内的餐桌上都会提供最好的食物，女士们每天都会小心翼翼地更换厕所两次。时光飞逝，大海一片宁静，伴随着音乐、舞蹈和游戏。

但红海充满了反复无常，而且常常是喧闹的，就像大多数狭长的海湾一样。当风从非洲或亚洲海岸吹来时，蒙古号及其长长的船体就会可怕地翻滚。然后女士们很快就消失在下面了。钢琴寂静无声。歌舞突然停止了。然而，这艘好船没有受到风浪的阻碍，笔直地驶向曼德海峡。菲利斯·福格这段时间在做什么？也许他会认为，在他的焦虑中，他会不断地观察风向的变化，巨浪的无序咆哮——简而言之，每一个机会都可能迫使蒙古号放慢速度，从而中断他的旅程。但是，如果他想到了这些可能性，他并没有通过任何外在迹象泄露这一事实。

他始终是改革俱乐部的冷漠成员，任何事件都不会令他感到惊讶，就像船上的精密计时器一样不变，甚至很少有好奇心走上甲板，他以冷漠的态度走过红海令人难忘的场景；不关心那些历史悠久的城镇和村庄，它们沿着其边界，在天空的衬托下呈现出如画的轮廓；他毫不畏惧阿拉伯湾的危险，古代历史学家总是满怀恐惧地谈论阿拉伯湾，古代航海家在没有通过充足的牺牲向诸神祈求安抚的情况下，决不会冒险前往那里。这个古怪的人物在蒙古是怎样度过的呢？他每天都会做四顿丰盛的饭菜，尽管汽船不断地翻滚和颠簸。他不知疲倦地玩惠斯特，因为他找到了和他一样热衷于游戏的伙伴。一位税务员正在前往果阿上班的路上；德西姆斯·史密斯牧师返回孟买的教区；一位即将在贝拿勒斯与他的旅会合的英国陆军准将组成了这支队伍，他和福格先生一起在令人着迷的沉默中按小时玩惠斯特球。

至于路路通，他也摆脱了晕船，在前舱认真地吃饭。他相当享受这次航行，因为他吃得好，住得好，对他们所经过的场景非常感兴趣，并以他主人的突发奇想将在孟买结束的错觉来安慰自己。离开苏伊士运河的第二天，他很高兴地在甲板上找到了那个曾与他在码头上散步、聊天的乐于助人的人。

“如果我没记错的话，”他走近这个人，脸上带着最和蔼可亲的微笑，“你就是那位自愿在苏伊士运河为我带路的那位先生？”

“啊！我还蛮认得你的。你是那个奇怪的英国人的仆人——”

“正是如此，先生——”

“使固定。”

“菲克斯先生，”路路通继续说道，“很高兴看到你在船上。你被绑在哪里？

“像你一样，去孟买。”

“这就是资本！你以前来过这次旅行吗？”

“几次。我是半岛公司的代理人之一。”

“那你了解印度吗？”

“为什么是的，”菲克斯小心翼翼地回答道。

“一个奇怪的地方，这个印度？”

“哦，很好奇。清真寺、尖塔、寺庙、托钵僧、宝塔、老虎、蛇、大象！希望大家有充裕的时间去参观景点。”

“我希望如此，菲克斯先生。你看，一个有理智的人不应该一辈子从轮船跳到火车上，再从火车上跳到轮船上，假装八十天环游世界！不;你可以肯定，所有这些体操都将在孟买停止。”

“福格先生相处得好吗？”菲克斯用世界上最自然的语气问道。

“很好，我也是。我吃得像一个饥饿的食人魔；这是海洋的空气。”

“但我从来没有在甲板上见过你的主人。”

“绝不;他一点好奇心都没有。”

“路路通先生，你知道吗，这次假装的八十天旅行可能隐藏着一些秘密差事——也许是外交任务？”

“老实说，菲克斯先生，我向你保证我对此一无所知，我也不会花半个克朗来查明真相。”

这次见面之后，路路通和菲克斯养成了一起聊天的习惯，后者把赢得这位值得尊敬的人的信任作为重点。他经常在汽船酒吧间请他喝一杯威士忌或淡啤酒，路路通总是优雅地欣然接受，在心里宣称菲克斯是最好的好人。

与此同时，蒙古正在迅速推进。 13日，人们看到了摩卡，周围是被毁坏的城墙，城墙上长着枣树，远处的山上有广阔的咖啡田。路路通被这个著名的地方迷住了，他认为，它的圆形墙壁和拆除的堡垒看起来就像一个巨大的咖啡杯和碟子。第二天晚上，他们穿过曼德海峡，在阿拉伯语中意为“泪桥”，第二天，他们在亚丁港西北部的汽船角停泊，装载煤炭。在距离煤矿如此远的地方，为轮船加油的问题是一个严重的问题。半岛公司每年要花费大约八十万英镑。在这些遥远的海域，煤炭每吨价值三四英镑。

蒙古号在到达孟买之前还有一千六百五十英里的路程，并且不得不在汽船角停留四个小时来补充煤炭。但正如预料的那样，这一延误并没有影响菲利亚斯·福格的计划；此外，蒙古号并未按原定时间于15日上午抵达亚丁，而是于14日晚抵达，提前了XNUMX个小时。

福格先生和他的仆人在亚丁上岸重新办理护照签证；菲克斯悄悄地跟着他们。获得签证后，福格先生回到船上，恢复了他以前的习惯。而路路通则按照习俗在索马里人、榕树人、帕西人、犹太人、阿拉伯人和欧洲人的混合人口中闲逛，这些人组成了亚丁的两万五千名居民。他惊奇地凝视着使这个地方成为印度洋直布罗陀的防御工事，以及英国工程师仍在工作的巨大蓄水池，比所罗门的工程师晚了两千多年。

“非常好奇，非常好奇。”回到汽船上时，路路通自言自语道。 “我发现，如果一个人想看到新的东西，旅行绝不是没有用的。”下午六点，蒙古号缓缓驶出停泊地，很快又回到了印度洋。她还有一百六十八小时到达孟买，海况有利，风向为西北风，所有帆都有助于发动机。轮船摇摇晃晃，但女士们穿着新厕所，重新出现在甲板上，歌舞又恢复了。这次旅行非常顺利，路路通对这个志趣相投的同伴很着迷，这个偶然的机会让他遇到了令人愉快的菲克斯。 20 月 XNUMX 日星期日，中午时分，他们看到了印度海岸：两小时后，飞行员登上了飞机。地平线上，连绵的山峦映衬着天空，很快，装饰孟买的一排排棕榈树就清晰地映入眼帘。轮船驶入海湾岛屿形成的道路，四点半在孟买的码头靠岸。

菲利斯·福格即将完成本次航行的第三十三圈，他的搭档和他本人凭借大胆的一击，掌握了全部十三个技巧，以辉煌的胜利结束了这场精彩的战役。

蒙古号预计 22 日抵达孟买；她于20日抵达。这是菲利亚斯·福格离开伦敦两天来的收获，他平静地将这一事实记入了行程、收获一栏。

大家都知道，北边南边的大倒三角形土地，即所谓的印度，面积达一百四十万平方英里，其上分布着一亿八千万人口。 。英国王室对这个幅员辽阔的国家的大部分地区实行真正的专制统治，并在加尔各答设有总督，在马德拉斯、孟买和孟加拉设有总督，在阿格拉设有副总督。

但英属印度，确切地说，只有七十万平方英里，人口只有一百到一亿一千万。印度的很大一部分地区仍然不受英国的管辖。内地也有一些凶猛的王公，他们是绝对独立的。著名的东印度公司从 1756 年英国人首次在现在的马德拉斯城所在地站稳脚跟，一直到印度兵大起义时期，一直是无所不能的。它逐渐吞并了一个又一个省份，从当地酋长那里收买了他们，但很少向他们支付报酬，并任命了总督及其下属，文职和军事。但东印度公司现已去世，英国在印度的领地直接由英国王室控制。国家的面貌以及种族的礼仪和区别每天都在变化。

以前，人们必须通过步行或骑马、轿子或笨重的马车等古老笨重的方式前往印度旅行。现在，快速汽船在印度河和恒河上往返，还有一条伟大的铁路，其路线上的许多支线与主线相连，三天内从孟买横穿半岛到加尔各答。这条铁路并不直接穿越印度。孟买和加尔各答之间的距离，从鸟儿的飞行角度来看，只有一千到一千一百英里；但道路的偏转使这段距离增加了三分之一以上。

大印度半岛铁路的总体路线是这样的：离开孟买，经过萨尔塞特，穿过坦纳对面的大陆，越过西高茨山脉，从那里向东北延伸至布尔汉普尔，绕过近邦德尔昆德独立领土，上行至阿拉哈巴德，从那里转向东行，在贝拿勒斯与恒河汇​​合，然后稍离开恒河，经布尔迪万和法国城镇钱德纳戈尔向东南下行，终点为加尔各答。

蒙古号的乘客于下午四点半上岸；八点整，火车将开往加尔各答。

福格先生告别了他的惠斯特伙伴后，离开了轮船，给他的仆人布置了几件差事，催促他八点准时到达车站，然后，他以正常的步伐，赶到了车站。第二步，像天文钟一样，指引着他的脚步走向护照办公室。至于孟买的奇观——著名的市政厅、辉煌的图书馆、堡垒和码头、集市、清真寺、犹太教堂、亚美尼亚教堂，以及马拉巴尔山上的高贵宝塔和两座多边形塔——他一点也不关心。稻草看到他们。他甚至不愿意检查象岛的杰作，或者隐藏在码头东南方的神秘地底，或者那些精美的佛教建筑遗迹，萨尔塞特岛的坎赫里安石窟。

在护照办公室处理完事务后，菲利斯·福格悄悄地前往火车站，在那里订了晚餐。菜品中，店主特别推荐了他引以为豪的“土兔”内脏。

福格先生相应地品尝了这道菜，但尽管有调味酱，却发现它远非可口。他按响了房东的电话，一看他的样子，用清澈的眼睛看着他，说道：“先生，这是兔子吗？”

“是的，大人，”盗贼大胆地回答道，“来自丛林的兔子。”

“这只兔子被杀的时候没有喵喵叫吗？”

“喵，主人！什么，兔子喵喵叫！我向你发誓-”

“房东，请乖一点，不要发誓，但请记住这一点：在印度，猫以前被认为是神圣的动物。那真是一段美好时光。”

“大人，为了猫？”

“也许对于旅行者来说也是如此！”

之后福格先生安静地继续吃晚饭。菲克斯在福格先生之后不久就上岸了，他的第一个目的地是孟买警察总部。他以伦敦侦探的身份出名，讲述了他在孟买的事情，以及与所谓的强盗有关的情况，并紧张地询问逮捕令是否从伦敦到达。信还没有到达办公室；事实上，它还没有来得及到达。菲克斯非常失望，并试图从孟买警察局长那里获得逮捕令。主任拒绝了这一要求，因为此事涉及伦敦办事处，只有伦敦办事处才能合法地交付搜查令。菲克斯没有再坚持，只好辞职等待重要文件的到来。但他决心只要留在孟买，就不会失去这个神秘盗贼的踪迹。他一刻也不怀疑菲利亚斯·福格会留在那里，就像路路通一样，至少在搜查令到达之前是这样。

然而，路路通一听到主人离开蒙古的命令，就立刻意识到他们要像离开苏伊士运河和巴黎一样离开孟买，而且行程至少会延伸到加尔各答，也许超出那个地方。他开始问自己，福格先生所说的这个赌注是否是真心实意的，他的命运是否真的强迫他，尽管他热爱休息，在八十天内环游世界！

购买了通常配额的衬衫和鞋子后，他在街上悠闲地散步，街上挤满了不同国籍的人——欧洲人、戴尖顶帽子的波斯人、戴圆头巾的巴尼亚人、戴方帽的辛德人、戴黑色法冠的帕西人，以及穿着长袍的亚美尼亚人——被收集起来。那天恰巧是帕西人的节日。这些琐罗亚斯德教派的后裔——东印度人中最节俭、最文明、最聪明、最朴素的人，其中包括孟买最富有的本土商人——正在庆祝一种宗教狂欢节，有游行和表演。印度的舞女们身穿玫瑰色的纱布，身上缠着金银，在提琴和手鼓的叮当声中翩翩起舞，但又十分谦虚。不用说，路路通瞪着眼睛，张着嘴看着这些奇怪的仪式，他的脸是你能想象到的最绿的鲣鸟。

对他的主人和他自己来说不幸的是，他的好奇心不知不觉地把他拉得比他打算走的更远。最后，看着远处的帕西人狂欢节，他正转身向车站走去，这时他偶然看到了马拉巴尔山上那座金碧辉煌的宝塔，他忍不住想看看它的内部。他完全不知道，某些印度寺庙禁止基督徒进入，甚至信徒也必须先把鞋子留在门外才可以进去。在这里可以说，英国政府的明智政策严厉惩罚了无视本土宗教习俗的行为。

然而，路路通并没有觉得有什么坏处，就像一个普通的游客一样走了进去，很快就沉浸在对随处可见的华丽婆罗门装饰的钦佩之中，突然间，他发现自己躺在神圣的石板上。他抬头一看，看到了三个愤怒的牧师，他们立即向他扑来。脱下他的鞋子，开始用大声、野蛮的叫喊声殴打他。敏捷的法国人很快又站了起来，不失时机地用拳头和脚趾用力击倒了两个穿着长袍的对手。然后，他以最快的速度冲出宝塔，混入街上的人群中，很快就逃离了第三位和尚。

八点差五分钟，路路通气喘吁吁地冲进车站，没戴帽子，没穿鞋，在争吵中还丢了他的衬衫和鞋子。

菲克斯跟着福格先生到了车站，看到他真的要离开孟买，他就在站台上。他决定跟随那个所谓的强盗去加尔各答，如果有必要的话，可以走得更远。路路通没有注意到侦探，他站在一个不起眼的角落里。但菲克斯听到他用几句话向福格先生讲述了他的冒险经历。

“我希望这样的事情不要再发生了。”菲利斯·福格登上火车时冷冷地说。可怜的路路通垂头丧气，一言不发地跟着他的主人。菲克斯正要进入另一节车厢，这时他突然想到一个主意，促使他改变了计划。

“不，我会留下来，”他低声说道。 “在印度领土上发生了犯罪行为。我已经找到我的男人了。”

就在这时，机车发出一声尖锐的刺耳声，火车驶入了夜色中。

火车准时出发了。乘客中包括一些官员、政府官员以及鸦片和靛蓝商人，他们因生意需要来到东海岸。路路通和他的主人乘坐同一节车厢，第三位乘客坐在他们对面的座位上。这是弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士，福格先生在蒙古的惠斯特伙伴之一，现在正在前往贝拿勒斯加入他的军团的路上。弗朗西斯爵士是一位身材高大、皮肤白皙的五十岁男子，他在上次的印度兵叛乱中表现出色。他以印度为家，只偶尔短暂访问英国。他几乎像当地人一样熟悉印度及其人民的风俗、历史和性格。但菲利斯·福格并没有在旅行，而只是描述了一个圆周，他并没有费力去探究这些主题；他是一个固体，根据理性力学定律，沿着地球轨道运行。此刻他正在心里盘算着离开伦敦之后已经度过了多少个小时，如果他的本性是做无用的示范，他一定会搓搓双手以求满足。弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士观察到了他的旅伴的奇怪之处——尽管他研究他的唯一机会是在他发牌的时候，以及在两盘之间——并质疑自己在这个冰冷的外表下是否真的有一颗人类的心脏在跳动，并且菲利亚斯·福格是否了解自然之美。准将在心里承认，在他见过的所有古怪的人中，没有人能与这种精确科学的产物相媲美。

菲利斯·福格并没有向弗朗西斯爵士隐瞒他环游世界的计划，也没有隐瞒他出发时的情况。将军只在这个赌注中看到了无用的怪癖和缺乏健全的常识。这位奇怪的绅士的行为方式是，他会离开这个世界，而不会为自己或其他任何人做任何好事。

离开孟买一小时后，火车通过了高架桥和萨尔塞特岛，进入了开阔的乡村。在卡利安，他们到达了支线的交汇处，该支线经坎德拉和普纳向印度东南部延伸。过了鲍威尔，他们进入了山脉的峡谷，山底是玄武岩，山顶是茂密而青翠的森林。菲利亚斯·福格和弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士时不时地交换了几句话，现在弗朗西斯爵士又恢复了谈话，说道：“几年前，福格先生，此时你可能会遇到延误，这可能会导致你的损失。”你你的赌注。”

“怎么样，弗朗西斯爵士？”

“因为铁路停在这些山脚下，乘客们不得不乘坐轿子或小马穿过山，到达另一边的坎德拉。”

“这样的延迟不会打乱我的计划，”福格先生说。 “我一直在预见某些障碍的可能性。”

“但是，福格先生，”弗朗西斯爵士继续说道，“这位值得尊敬的人在宝塔的冒险之旅可能会遇到一些困难。”路路通的脚舒服地裹在旅行毯里，睡得很熟，没有想到有人在谈论他。 “政府对此类违法行为非常严厉。尤其要注意尊重印第安人的宗教习俗，如果你的仆人被抓住了——”

“很好，弗朗西斯爵士，”福格先生回答道。 “如果他被抓住，他就会受到谴责和惩罚，然后就会悄悄返回欧洲。我不明白这件事怎么会耽误他的主人。”

话音再次落下。夜间，火车离开了群山，经过纳西克，第二天又继续前行，越过平坦、耕种良好的汉德地区，那里有散布的村庄，上面耸立着宝塔的尖塔。这片肥沃的土地有无数小河和清澈的溪流滋润着这片土地，其中大部分是戈达弗里河的支流。

路路通醒来后向外望去，并没有意识到他实际上正在乘坐火车穿越印度。机车在一位英国工程师的指导下，使用英国煤炭，将烟雾喷向棉花、咖啡、肉豆蔻、丁香和胡椒种植园，而蒸汽在成群的棕榈树周围盘旋，而棕榈树中间是看到了风景如画的平房、精舍（有点废弃的修道院）和因印度建筑的无穷无尽的装饰而丰富的奇妙寺庙。然后他们来到了大片延伸到地平线的地方，丛林里栖息着蛇和老虎，火车一响，它们就逃跑了。接下来是铁路穿过的森林，但仍然有大象出没，它们用沉思的眼睛凝视着经过的火车。旅行者们穿越了米利加姆，这个致命的国度经常被卡莉女神的信徒们沾染上鲜血。不远处矗立着埃洛拉（Ellora）及其优雅的宝塔，以及著名的奥伦加巴德（Aurungabad），它是凶猛的奥伦泽布（Aureng-Zeb）的首都，现在是尼扎姆王国的一个独立省份之一的主要城镇。正是在这附近，暴徒首领、绞杀者之王费林赫亚 (Feringhea) 掌权。这些恶棍以秘密的纽带联合起来，为了纪念死亡女神，勒死各个时代的受害者，却没有流血。曾经有一段时间，只要走遍这个国家的这个地区，到处都会发现尸体。英国政府已经成功地大大减少了这些谋杀，尽管暴徒仍然存在，并继续进行他们可怕的仪式。

十二点半，火车在伯汉普尔停了下来，路路通在那里买了一些装饰着假珍珠的印度拖鞋，带着明显的虚荣心，他开始把脚包起来。旅客们匆匆吃完早餐，绕过泰普蒂小河的河岸，出发前往阿苏古尔，这条河流入苏拉特附近的坎布雷湾。

路路通现在陷入了引人入胜的遐想中。在到达孟买之前，他一直希望他们的旅程能在那里结束。但是，现在他们正全速飞越印度，他的梦想精神突然发生了变化。他的流浪本性又回来了。他年轻时的奇思妙想再次占据了他的心。他开始认真地认为他的主人的计划是认真的，相信赌注的现实性，因此相信环游世界以及在指定时间内完成它的必要性。他已经开始担心可能的延误以及途中可能发生的事故。他意识到自己对这场赌注很感兴趣，一想到自己可能因为前一天晚上不可原谅的愚蠢行为而输掉了赌注，他就浑身发抖。他的头脑远没有福格先生冷静，反而焦躁不安，数着日子，一进站就咒骂，指责火车开得太慢，心里责怪福格先生没有贿赂工程师。 。这位可敬的家伙不知道，虽然可以通过这种方式加快轮船的速度，但在铁路上却无法做到这一点。

傍晚时分，火车进入了萨特普尔山脉（Sutpour Mountains）的峡谷，该山脉将汉代什山脉（Khandeish）与本德尔昆德山脉（Bundelcund）分开。第二天，弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士问路路通现在几点了。他看了看手表，回答说现在是凌晨三点。这款著名的时计总是按照格林威治子午线（现在向西约七十七度）进行调节，它的走时至少慢了四个小时。弗朗西斯爵士纠正了路路通的时间，后者也说了他对菲克斯说过的同样的话。将军坚持要在每一个新的子午线调整手表，因为他不断向东走，也就是面对太阳，因此每经过一度，白天就会缩短四分钟，路路通顽固地拒绝了改变他的手表，他把手表设置为伦敦时间。这是一种无辜的错觉，不会伤害任何人。

八点钟，火车停在距罗塔尔约十五英里的一片空地上，那里有几间平房和工人小屋。售票员走过车厢时喊道：“乘客们下车吧！”

菲利斯·福格看着弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士寻求解释。但将军不知道在这片椰枣和金合欢树丛中停下来意味着什么。

路路通同样惊讶，冲了出去，很快又回来，喊道：“先生，铁路不再通了！”

“你是什么意思？”弗朗西斯爵士问道。

“我的意思是说火车不开了。”

将军立刻走了出来，菲利亚斯·福格则平静地跟在他后面，一起走向售票员。

“我们在哪里？”弗朗西斯爵士问道。

“在霍尔比小村庄。”

“我们就停在这里吗？”

“当然。铁路还没有完工。”

“什么！没做完？”

“不。从这里到阿拉哈巴德，线路又从那里开始，还有大约五十英里的距离需要铺设。”

“但报纸宣布铁路全线开通。”

“你想要什么，警官？报纸上写错了。”

“然而你却卖从孟买到加尔各答的车票，”弗朗西斯爵士反驳道，他的情绪越来越激动。

“毫无疑问，”售票员回答道。 “但乘客们知道，他们必须为自己提供从霍尔比到阿拉哈巴德的交通工具。”

弗朗西斯爵士非常愤怒。路路通心甘情愿地把售票员撞倒，也不敢看他的主人。

“弗朗西斯爵士，”福格先生平静地说，“如果您愿意的话，我们会寻找一些前往阿拉哈巴德的交通工具。”

“先生。福格，这次延误对你来说非常不利。”

“不，弗朗西斯爵士；这是预见到的。”

“什么！你知道那样——”

“一点也不;但我知道我的路上迟早会出现一些障碍。因此，没有什么会丢失。我已经获得了两天的时间来牺牲。 25日中午，一艘轮船从加尔各答出发前往香港。现在是二十二号，我们会准时到达加尔各答的。”

对于如此自信的回应，没有什么可说的。

确实，铁路此时已经结束了。这些报纸就像一些手表一样，走得太快，并且过早地宣布了生产线的竣工。大多数旅客都意识到了这种干扰，离开火车后，他们开始搭乘村里能提供的四轮帕尔基加里车、斑马拉的马车、看起来像宝塔的马车、轿子、小马，以及什么不是。

福格先生和弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士把村子从头到尾搜查了一遍，却一无所获。

“我要步行，”菲利斯·福格说。

路路通现在已经回到了他的主人身边，想到他那双华丽但又太脆弱的印度鞋，他扮了个鬼脸。庆幸的是，他也一直在环顾四周，犹豫片刻后说道：“先生，我想我找到了一种交通工具。”

“什么？”

“一头大象！一头大象属于一个印第安人，他住的地方距离这里只有一百步。”

“我们去看大象吧，”福格先生回答道。

他们很快就到达了一座小茅屋，附近有一些高高的栅栏，里面就是所讨论的动物。一名印第安人从小屋里走出来，应他们的要求，引导他们进入围栏。大象的主人饲养的大象不是为了驮兽，而是为了战争目的，它已经被半驯化了。印度人已经开始经常激怒他，每三个月给他喂糖和黄油，赋予他一种不属于他本性的凶猛，这种方法经常被那些训练印度大象进行战斗的人所采用。不过，令福格先生高兴的是，动物朝这个方向的教导并没有走得太远，大象仍然保留着他天生的温柔。基乌尼——这是这只野兽的名字——毫无疑问可以快速旅行很长一段时间，而且，在没有任何其他交通工具的情况下，福格先生决定雇用他。但在印度，大象的价格远非便宜，它们正变得稀缺，仅适合马戏表演的雄性大象就很受欢迎，尤其是因为很少有大象被驯化。因此，当福格先生向印第安人提议雇用基乌尼时，他断然拒绝了。福格先生坚持不懈，提出每小时十英镑的超额费用，将这头野兽借给阿拉哈巴德。拒绝了。二十磅？不肯也。四十磅？还是拒绝了。路路通每次进步都会跳起来。但印度人拒绝了诱惑。然而这个报价很诱人，因为假设大象需要十五个小时才能到达阿拉哈巴德，他的主人将收到不少于六百英镑。

菲利斯·福格（Phileas Fogg）毫不慌张地提出直接购买这只动物，并首先出价一千英镑给他。印度人也许以为自己会赚大钱，但仍然拒绝了。

弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士将福格先生拉到一边，请求他在继续前行之前先反思一下。这位先生回答说，他没有轻举妄动的习惯，赌注是两万英镑，这头大象对他来说是绝对必要的，如果他支付二十倍的钱，他就会保护大象。价值。回到那个印第安人，他那双小而锐利的眼睛闪烁着贪婪的光芒，这表明对他来说，问题只是他能得到多大的代价。福格先生先是提出了一千二百英镑，然后是一千五百英镑，一千八百英镑，两千英镑。路路通通常是那么红润，却充满悬念，相当苍白。

印第安人以两千英镑的价格屈服了。

“这价格，天哪！”路路通喊道：“为了一头大象。”

现在只剩下找向导了，相对容易一些。一位年轻的帕西人，长着一张聪明的脸，提出了他的服务，福格先生接受了，并承诺提供慷慨的报酬，以物质上激发他的热情。大象被牵出来并装备好了。帕西人是一位出色的骑象人，他用一种马鞍布盖住自己的背部，并在他的两侧贴上一些令人奇怪的不舒服的垫子。菲利斯·福格从著名的地毯袋中取出一些钞票付给印第安人，这一行为似乎剥夺了可怜的路路通的生命体征。然后他提出载弗朗西斯爵士去阿拉哈巴德，准将感激地接受了，因为一个旅行者越多，就不太可能让这头巨兽疲劳。粮食是在霍尔比购买的，弗朗西斯爵士和福格先生拿着两边的马车，路路通则跨在他们之间的马鞍布上。帕西人坐在大象的脖子上，九点钟，他们从村庄出发，大象以最短的路程穿过茂密的棕榈林。

为了缩短路程，导游就从线路左侧驶过，那里当时还在修建铁路。由于文迪亚山脉反复无常的转弯，这条线并不是笔直的。帕西人非常熟悉该地区的道路和小径，宣称他们直接穿过森林就能前进二十英里。

菲利亚斯·福格和弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士穿着为他们准备的奇特的马车，被大象的快速小跑猛烈地撞到了脖子上，大象在熟练的帕西人的刺激下继续前行。但他们忍受着真正英国人的冷漠带来的不适，很少说话，几乎看不到对方。至于路路通，他骑在野兽的背上，在行走时受到每次脑震荡的直接力量，他按照主人的建议非常小心，不让舌头进入牙齿之间，否则就会已被短咬断。这个可敬的家伙从大象的脖子上跳到了臀部，然后像跳板上的小丑一样跳了起来。但他一边跳一边笑，时不时地从口袋里掏出一块糖，塞进基乌尼的箱子里，基乌尼接过糖后，丝毫没有放松他规律的小跑。

两个小时后，向导拦住了大象，给了它一个小时的休息时间，在此期间，基乌尼在附近的泉水解渴后，开始吞噬周围的树枝和灌木。弗朗西斯爵士和福格先生都不后悔这次延误，两人都带着如释重负的心情下楼。 “哎呀，他可是铁做的啊！”将军惊叹道，钦佩地注视着基乌尼。

“锻铁的。”路路通一边回答，一边开始匆忙准备早餐。

中午，帕西人发出了出发的信号。这个国家很快就呈现出非常野蛮的一面。茂密的森林后面长满了枣树和矮棕榈树。然后是广阔干燥的平原，点缀着稀少的灌木，并散布着大块的正长岩。本德尔昆德的这片地区很少有游客光顾，但这里居住着一群狂热的民众，他们对印度教信仰的最可怕的做法变得更加顽固。英国人未能完全控制这片领土，该地区受到王公的影响，在难以到达的山寨中几乎不可能到达王公。旅行者们多次看到成群的凶猛印第安人，当他们看到大象大步穿越整个国家时，他们做出了愤怒和威胁的动作。帕西人尽可能地避开他们。沿途几乎没有观察到动物；就连猴子也急匆匆地离开了他们的道路，做出扭曲的表情，做着鬼脸，这让路路通笑得前仰后合。

然而，在他兴高采烈的时候，有一个想法困扰着这位可敬的仆人。福格先生到达阿拉哈巴德后会如何处理大象呢？他会带着他一起走下去吗？不可能的！运送他的费用将使他变得昂贵得要命。他会卖掉他，还是释放他？这头可敬的野兽当然值得考虑。如果福格先生选择将路路通作为基乌尼的礼物，他会感到非常尴尬。这些想法并没有让他不再担心很长一段时间。

晚上八点，文迪亚斯河的主链被越过，另一次停在北坡的一栋废墟平房里。那天他们已经走了近二十五英里，距离阿拉哈巴德车站也有同样的距离。

夜晚很冷。帕西人用几根干树枝在平房里生火，温暖非常感激，在霍尔比买的食物足够晚饭了，旅行者们吃得狼吞虎咽。谈话从一些不连贯的短语开始，很快就被响亮而稳定的鼾声所取代。导游看着基乌尼，他靠着一棵大树的树干站着睡觉。夜间没有发生任何事情打扰熟睡的人，尽管偶尔有黑豹的咆哮声和猴子的叽叽喳喳声打破了宁静。更可怕的野兽没有对平房的居住者发出任何叫声或敌意的示威。弗朗西斯爵士睡得很沉，就像一个疲惫不堪的诚实士兵。路路通沉浸在前一天的弹跳不安的梦中。至于福格先生，他睡得很平静，就像在萨维尔街的宁静宅邸里一样。

早上六点，旅程继续。导游希望在晚上到达阿拉哈巴德。那样的话，福格先生只会损失自旅行开始以来节省的四十八个小时的一部分。基乌尼恢复了快速的步伐，很快就沿着文迪亚斯河下游的山刺而下，中午时分，他们经过了恒河支流之一卡尼河上的卡伦格村。向导避开了有人居住的地方，认为保留位于大河盆地第一洼地沿岸的空地更安全。阿拉哈巴德现在距东北仅十二英里。他们在一丛香蕉下停了下来，香蕉的果实像面包一样健康，像奶油一样多汁，人们尽情地享用和欣赏。

两点钟，向导进入了一片绵延数英里的茂密森林。他更喜欢在树林掩护下旅行。他们还没有遇到任何不愉快的遭遇，旅程似乎即将顺利完成，这时大象变得焦躁不安，突然停了下来。

那时已经四点了。

“怎么了？”弗朗西斯爵士探出头问道。

“我不知道，长官，”帕西人回答道，同时仔细地听着从茂密的树枝间传来的混乱的低语声。

杂音很快变得更加清晰。现在看起来就像一场由铜管乐器伴奏的遥远的人声音乐会。路路通全神贯注。福格先生耐心地等待着，一言不发。帕西人跳到地上，把大象拴在树上，然后跳进了灌木丛。很快他就回来了，说道：

“一队婆罗门正朝这边过来。如果可能的话，我们必须阻止他们看到我们。”

向导松开了大象，把它带进了灌木丛，同时要求旅行者不要乱动。他做好了准备，一旦接到通知，就可以骑在动物身上，以防万一需要逃跑。但他显然认为，信徒们的队伍经过时，会在浓密的树叶中察觉不到他们，因为他们完全被隐藏在茂密的树叶中。

声音和乐器的不和谐音调越来越近，现在嗡嗡的歌曲与手鼓和铙钹的声音混合在一起。队伍的领头很快就出现在一百步之外的树下。透过树枝，很容易辨认出举行宗教仪式的奇怪人物。首先是祭司，他们头上戴着法冠，穿着蕾丝长袍。他们周围都是男人、女人和孩子，他们唱着一种悲伤的圣歌，不时地被手鼓和铙钹打断。他们身后拖着一辆大轮子的汽车，轮子的轮辐代表着相互缠绕的蛇。由四头华丽的斑马拉着的车上，站着一尊狰狞的四臂雕像，全身呈暗红色，眼神憔悴，头发蓬乱，舌头伸出，嘴唇沾满槟榔。它直立在一个跪倒在地的无头巨人身上。

弗朗西斯爵士认出了这座雕像，低声说道：“卡利女神；爱与死亡的女神。”

“也许是为了死亡，”路路通低声回答道，“但是为了爱——那个丑陋的老太婆？绝不！”

帕西人做了一个保持沉默的动作。

一群老托钵僧正在雕像周围蹦蹦跳跳、胡闹。这些人身上布满了赭色条纹，身上布满了伤口，血从那里一滴一滴地流出来——这些愚蠢的狂热分子，在伟大的印度仪式上，仍然把自己投在主宰的车轮下。一些婆罗门穿着东方华丽的服饰，领着一个步履蹒跚的女人，跟在后面。这个女人很年轻，皮肤白皙，就像欧洲人一样。她的头、脖子、肩膀、耳朵、手臂、手和脚趾上都挂满了珠宝和宝石，还有手镯、耳环和戒指。一件镶有金色镶边的束腰外衣，外面覆盖着一件浅色的平纹细布长袍，暴露了她身材的轮廓。

跟随这位年轻女子的卫兵与她形成了鲜明的对比，他们腰间挂着赤裸的军刀，手持长长的大马士革手枪，轿子上抬着一具尸体。那是一位老人的尸体，身着王侯的华丽服饰，头戴绣有珍珠的头巾，身穿丝绸和黄金制成的长袍，一条缝有钻石的羊绒围巾，一身华丽的衣服。印度王子的武器。接下来是音乐家和一群跳跃的托钵僧后卫，他们的叫声有时会淹没乐器的噪音。这些结束了游行。

弗朗西斯爵士一脸悲伤地看着游行队伍，然后转向向导说：“一个苏蒂。”

帕西人点点头，把手指放在嘴唇上。队伍在树下缓缓蜿蜒，很快最后一行消失在树林深处。歌声渐渐消失；远处偶尔会传来哭声，直到最后一切又归于寂静。

菲利斯·福格听到了弗朗西斯爵士的话，等队伍一消失，他就问道：“什么是苏蒂？”

“苏蒂，”将军回答道，“是一种活人祭祀，但是是自愿的。你刚刚见到的那个女人明天黎明时分就会被烧死。”

“噢，这些无赖！” “路路通喊道，他无法抑制自己的愤怒。

“那尸体呢？”福格先生问道。

“是她丈夫王子的吗？”向导说道。 “本德尔昆德的独立王公。”

“有没有可能，”菲利亚斯·福格继续说道，他的声音丝毫没有流露出任何感情，“这些野蛮的习俗在印度仍然存在，而英国人却无法阻止它们？”

弗朗西斯爵士回答说：“印度大部分地区不会发生这些牺牲。” “但我们对这些野蛮领土没有权力，尤其是在本德尔昆德。温迪亚斯以北的整个地区都是谋杀和掠夺不断的场所。”

“可怜的家伙！”路路通喊道：“被活活烧死！”

“是的，”弗朗西斯爵士回答道，“被活活烧死了。而且，如果她不这样做，你就无法想象她将不得不接受她亲戚的什么样的待遇。他们会剃掉她的头发，给她吃很少的米饭，蔑视她；她会被视为不洁的生物，会像一只得坏血病的狗一样死在某个角落里。如此可怕的存在的前景比爱情或宗教狂热更能促使这些可怜的生物做出牺牲。然而，有时这种牺牲确实是自愿的，需要政府的积极干预来阻止。几年前，当我住在孟买时，一位年轻的寡妇请求州长允许她和她丈夫的尸体一起被烧毁；但是，正如你可以想象的那样，他拒绝了。这位妇女离开了城镇，投靠了一位独立的王公，并在那里实现了她自我奉献的目标。”

弗朗西斯爵士说话时，向导摇了几下头，然后说道：“明天黎明时进行的牺牲不是自愿的。”

“你怎么知道的？”

“每个人都知道本德尔昆德的这件事。”

“但是这个可怜的生物似乎没有做出任何抵抗，”弗朗西斯爵士说道。

“那是因为他们用大麻和鸦片的气味使她陶醉。”

“但是他们要带她去哪里呢？”

“去皮拉吉宝塔，距这里两英里；她将在那里过夜。”

“而牺牲将会发生——”

“明天，黎明第一缕曙光。”

向导现在把大象从灌木丛中引了出来，跳到了它的脖子上。就在他正要吹响奇特的口哨催促基乌尼前进时，福格先生阻止了他，转向弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士说：“假设我们救了这个女人。”

“救救那个女人，福格先生！”

“我还有十二个小时的空闲时间；我可以把他们奉献给这个。”

“怎么，你真是个有心人啊！”

“有时候，”菲利斯·福格平静地回答道。 “当我有时间的时候。”

这个项目是一个大胆的项目，充满了困难，甚至可能不切实际。福格先生将冒着生命危险，或者至少是冒着自由的危险，因此他的旅行也将失败。但他没有犹豫，并在弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士身上找到了一个热情的盟友。

至于路路通，他已经准备好接受任何可能提出的建议。他主人的想法让他着迷。他在冰冷的外表下看到了一颗心、一个灵魂。他开始爱上菲利斯·福格。

剩下的就是指导：他会采取什么方针？他不会和印第安人一起参加吗？如果没有他的协助，就必须确保他保持中立。

弗朗西斯爵士坦率地向他提出了这个问题。

“军官们，”向导回答道，“我是帕西人，这个女人也是帕西人。随意指挥我吧。”

“出色的！”福格先生说。

“然而，”导游继续说道，“可以肯定的是，如果我们被抓走，我们不仅会冒着生命危险，还会遭受可怕的折磨。”

“这是可以预见的，”福格先生回答道。 “我想我们必须等到晚上再行动。”

“我想是的，”导游说。

这位可敬的印度人随后讲述了受害人的一些情况，他说，受害人是帕西族中著名的美女，也是一位孟买富商的女儿。她在那个城市接受了彻底的英国教育，从她的举止和智慧来看，她会被认为是一个欧洲人。她的名字叫艾欧达。她成了孤儿，被迫嫁给了本德尔昆德的老王公。当她知道等待着她的命运时，她逃脱了，又被那些对她的死感兴趣的王公亲戚们抓回，并献身于她似乎无法逃脱的牺牲。

帕西人的叙述只是证实了福格先生和他的同伴们的慷慨设计。导游决定将大象引向皮拉吉宝塔，他因此尽快接近了宝塔。半小时后，他们在距离宝塔约五百英尺的一片灌木丛中停了下来，在那里他们被很好地隐藏起来。但他们可以清楚地听到托钵僧的呻吟和呼喊。

然后他们讨论了接近受害者的方法。导游对皮拉吉宝塔很熟悉，据他所说，这位年轻女子被囚禁在这座宝塔中。当整群印第安人都在醉醺醺的睡梦中时，他们能进入它的任何一扇门吗？还是尝试在墙上打个洞更安全？这只能在当时和地点自己决定；但可以肯定的是，绑架必须在当晚进行，而不是在黎明时分，受害者被带到她的火葬柴堆时进行。那么任何人为干预都无法拯救她。

夜幕一降临，六点左右，他们决定在宝塔周围进行侦察。托钵僧的叫喊声刚刚停止。印第安人正陷入鸦片与大麻混合的醉酒之中，也许有可能从他们中间溜到寺庙本身。

帕西人带领着其他人，悄无声息地穿过树林，十分钟后，他们发现自己来到了一条小溪的岸边，在松香火把的照耀下，他们看到了一个柴堆，上面有一个柴堆。躺着的是王公的防腐尸体，将与他的妻子一起焚烧。这座宝塔的尖塔在渐浓的暮色中隐约可见于树林之上，距离它有一百步之遥。

“来！”向导低声说道。

他比以往任何时候都更加小心地穿过灌木丛，后面跟着他的同伴。周围的寂静只有风吹过树枝的低低的呢喃声打破。

很快，帕西人在空地边缘停了下来，火把照亮了空地。地面上布满了成群结队的印第安人，他们一动不动地睡着酒。这似乎是一个尸横遍野的战场。男人、女人和孩子躺在一起。

在背景的树林中，皮拉吉的宝塔若隐若现。令向导大失所望的是，王公卫兵在火把的照耀下，在门口守卫，赤裸裸的军刀来回走动。也许祭司们也在里面观看。

帕西人现在确信不可能强行进入神庙，因此不再前进，而是再次带领他的同伴返回。菲利斯·福格和弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士也认为朝这个方向没有任何尝试。他们停下来，低声交谈起来。

“现在才八点，”准将说道，“这些卫兵也该睡觉了。”

“这并非不可能，”帕西人回答道。

他们躺在一棵树下，等待着。

时间似乎很长；向导时不时地让他们在树林边缘观察，但守卫们在火把的强光下坚定地注视着，微弱的光线从塔的窗户里透了进来。

他们一直等到半夜。但看守们并没有发生任何变化，显然不能指望他们会屈服于睡眠。其他计划必须执行；必须在宝塔的墙壁上开一个开口。仍有待确定牧师是否像门口的士兵一样在受害者身边孜孜不倦地注视着。

经过最后一次咨询后，导游宣布他已准备好进行尝试，然后继续前行，其他人紧随其后。他们绕了个弯，才到了后面的宝塔。他们在十二点半左右到达城墙，没有遇到任何人。这里没有警卫，也没有门窗。

夜很黑。月亮渐渐西下，刚刚离开地平线，被厚厚的云层遮盖着。树木的高度加深了黑暗。

到达墙壁还不够；必须在他们身上找到一个缺口，而为了达到这个目的，该党只有他们的小刀。幸运的是，寺庙的墙壁是用砖和木头建造的，可以轻松穿透。取出一块砖后，其余的就很容易屈服了。

他们悄无声息地开始工作，一侧的帕西人和另一侧的路路通开始松开砖块，以便挖出一个两英尺宽的孔。他们走得很快，突然殿内传来一声叫喊，紧接着，外面也传来其他叫喊声。路路通和导游停了下来。他们的声音被听到了吗？是否已发出警报？普遍的谨慎促使他们退休，他们也这样做了，其次是菲利斯·福格和弗朗西斯爵士。他们再次躲进树林里，等待骚乱（无论是什么）停止，做好准备，毫不拖延地继续他们的尝试。但是，尴尬的是，守卫们现在出现在神殿的后面，并在那里站稳了脚跟，准备防止意外发生。

党的工作因此中断，这是难以形容的失望。他们现在无法联系到受害者；那么，他们怎样才能救她呢？弗朗西斯爵士挥舞着拳头，路路通已经疯了，向导气得咬牙切齿。福格平静地等待着，没有流露出任何情绪。

“我们无事可做，只能走开。”弗朗西斯爵士低声说道。

“除了走开别无他法。”导游附和道。

“停下来，”福格说。 “我只能在明天中午之前到达阿拉哈巴德。”

“但是你能希望做什么呢？”弗朗西斯爵士问道。 “几个小时后就会天亮，而且——”

“现在看来失去的机会可能会在最后一刻出现。”

弗朗西斯爵士很想看看菲利亚斯·福格的眼神。这个很酷的英国人在想什么？他是打算在祭祀的那一刻冲向少女，大胆地将她从刽子手手中夺走吗？

这绝对是愚蠢的，而且很难承认福格是这样一个傻瓜。然而，弗朗西斯爵士同意留下来直到这场可怕的戏剧结束。导游带领他们来到林间空地的后方，在那里他们可以观察正在睡觉的人群。

与此同时，路路通坐在一棵树的较低树枝上，正在解决一个想法，这个想法起初像闪电一样闪过他的脑海，现在牢牢地扎在他的脑海里。

他一开始就对自己说：“多么愚蠢啊！”然后他重复道：“到底为什么不呢？这是一个机会——也许是唯一的机会；还有这样的家伙！”这样想着，他像蛇一样灵活地滑到最低的树枝上，树枝的末端几乎弯曲到地面。

几个小时过去了，虽然天还没有亮，但浅色的阴影宣告了白天的到来。这就是时刻。沉睡的群众开始活跃起来，手鼓响起，歌声和哭声响起。牺牲的时刻到了。宝塔的门打开了，一道明亮的光从塔内逸出，福格先生和弗朗西斯爵士在光中看到了受害者。她似乎已经摆脱了醉酒的昏迷，正在努力逃离刽子手的手中。弗朗西斯爵士的心剧烈地跳动。他猛地抓住福格先生的手，发现里面有一把打开的刀。就在这时，人群开始移动。年轻女子再次陷入大麻烟雾的昏迷状态，穿过苦行僧中间，苦行僧用狂野的宗教呼喊护送着她。

菲利斯·福格和他的同伴混在人群的后排，跟在后面。两分钟后，他们到达了河岸，在距离柴堆五十步远的地方停了下来，柴堆上还躺着王公的尸体。在半昏暗的光线中，他们看到受害者毫无知觉地躺在她丈夫的尸体旁边。然后拿来火把，沾满油的木头立刻着火了。

就在这时，弗朗西斯爵士和向导抓住了菲利亚斯·福格，后者在疯狂的慷慨之中，正要冲上柴堆。但他刚把他们推到一边，突然整个场景就变了。恐怖的叫喊声响起。众人都惊恐万状，跪倒在地。

那么，老王并没有死，因为他像幽灵一样突然站起来，将妻子抱在怀里，在浓烟中从火堆上下来，这只让他的面容更加显得幽灵般。

托钵僧、士兵和祭司立刻被恐惧笼罩，脸伏在地上，不敢抬起眼睛去看这样一个神童。

无生命的受害者被有力的手臂托着，支撑着她，而她似乎丝毫没有负担。福格先生和弗朗西斯爵士站直了身子，帕西人低下了头，而路路通无疑也同样惊呆了。

苏醒过来的王公走近弗朗西斯爵士和福格先生，用突然的语气说道：“我们出发吧！”

正是路路通本人，在烟雾中滑倒在柴堆上，并利用仍然悬在空中的黑暗，将年轻女子从死亡中救了出来！正是路路通，在普遍的恐惧中穿过了人群，勇敢地扮演着自己的角色。

过了一会儿，四人都消失在树林里，大象正飞快地载着他们离开。但呼喊声和噪音，以及一个从菲利斯·福格帽子里呼啸而过的球，告诉他们这个诡计已经被发现了。

事实上，老王的尸体现在出现在燃烧的柴堆上。祭司们从恐惧中恢复过来，意识到发生了绑架事件。他们急忙冲进森林，士兵们紧随其后，向逃亡者开枪射击。但后者迅速拉开了他们之间的距离，很快就发现自己超出了子弹和箭的范围。

鲁莽的利用已经完成了；路路通为他的成功而高兴地笑了一个小时。弗朗西斯爵士握住这位可敬的人的手，他的主人说：“干得好！”他对此给予了高度赞扬；路路通回答说，这件事的功劳全部归于福格先生。至于他，只是想到了一个“奇怪”的想法；他笑了，想到有那么一会儿，他，路路通，前体操运动员，前消防员中士，曾经是一位迷人女人的配偶，一位令人尊敬的、经过防腐处理的王公！至于那位年轻的印度妇女，她对所发生的事情一直没有知觉，现在裹着旅行毯，躺在一间轿子里。

大象在帕西人巧妙的引导下，迅速穿过仍然漆黑的森林，离开宝塔一小时后，穿过了一片广阔的平原。他们在七点钟停下来，年轻女子仍处于完全跪倒的状态。导游让她喝了一点白兰地和水，但昏昏欲睡的睡意还没有摆脱。弗朗西斯爵士熟悉大麻烟雾产生的中毒效果，他以她的名义向同伴们保证了安全。但更令他不安的是她未来的命运。他告诉菲利斯·福格，如果艾乌达留在印度，她将不可避免地再次落入刽子手手中。这些狂热分子分散在整个县，尽管有英国警察，他们仍会在马德拉斯、孟买或加尔各答找到受害者。她只有永远离开印度才能安全。

菲利斯·福格回答说他会考虑此事。

十点左右到达阿拉哈巴德车站，中断的铁路线正在恢复，他们将在不到二十四小时内到达加尔各答。这样，菲利斯·福克就能及时抵达，搭乘第二天（25 月 XNUMX 日中午）离开加尔各答的轮船前往香港。

这位年轻女子被安置在车站的一间候车室里，而路路通则负责为她购买各种盥洗用品、一件衣服、披肩和一些毛皮；为此，他的主人给予了他无限的信任。路路通立即出发，发现自己身处阿拉哈巴德的街道上，即上帝之城，印度最受尊敬的城市之一，建在恒河和朱姆纳河这两条神圣河流的交汇处，这两条河流的水吸引着人们。来自半岛各地的朝圣者。根据《罗摩衍那》的传说，恒河从天上升起，由于梵天的作用，它从天上降到了地上。

路路通在购物时特别强调要好好看看这座城市。它以前由一座高贵的堡垒保卫，后来成为国家监狱。它的商业已经减少，路路通徒劳地四处寻找他以前常去摄政街的集市。最后，他遇到了一位脾气暴躁的老犹太人，他卖二手物品，他从他那里买了一件苏格兰衣服、一件大斗篷和一件精美的水獭皮外套，他毫不犹豫地付了七十块钱。 -五磅。随后，他凯旋返回车站。

皮拉吉祭司对艾乌达的影响开始逐渐减弱，她变得更加真实，她那双漂亮的眼睛又恢复了柔和的印度表情。

当诗人国王乌卡夫·乌道尔 (Ucaf Uddaul) 赞扬阿梅纳加拉 (Ahmehnagara) 女王的魅力时，他这样说道：

“她闪亮的长发分成两部分，环绕着她洁白精致的脸颊的和谐轮廓，焕发着光彩和清新。她的乌木眉毛具有爱神卡玛之弓的形状和魅力，在她长长的丝质睫毛下，最纯净的倒影和天国的光芒在游动，就像在喜马拉雅山的神圣湖泊中，在她清澈的黑色瞳孔中一样。眼睛。她的牙齿细密、均匀、洁白，在微笑的嘴唇间闪闪发光，就像西番莲半包着的胸前的露珠。她那双精致的耳朵，她朱红色的手，她那像莲花花蕾一样弯曲而温柔的小脚，闪烁着锡兰最可爱的珍珠、戈尔康达最耀眼的钻石的光彩。纤细的腰肢，可以用手搂住，衬托出她圆润的身段和美丽的胸怀，青春的花开，展现了她的宝藏的丰富；在她束腰外衣的丝绸褶皱下，她似乎是由不朽的雕塑家维克瓦尔卡玛 (Vicvarcarma) 的神仙之手用纯银打造而成。

不用把这种诗意的狂想曲应用到艾乌达身上，只要说她是一位迷人的女人，就整个欧洲对这个词的接受而言，就足够了。她说的英语非常纯正，导游毫不夸张地说，这个年轻的帕西人在她的抚养下发生了改变。

火车即将从阿拉哈巴德出发，福格先生按照约定的服务价格向导游支付了费用，一分钱也没有多。这让路路通感到惊讶，他想起了他的主人对向导的忠诚所做的一切。事实上，他在皮拉吉的冒险中冒着生命危险，如果他后来被印第安人抓住，他将很难逃脱他们的报复。基乌尼也必须被处理掉。花了这么大价钱买来的大象该怎么办呢？菲利斯·福格已经确定了这个问题。

“帕西人，”他对向导说，“你很乐于助人，也很忠诚。我为你的服务付出了代价，但不是为你的奉献付出了代价。你想拥有这头大象吗？他是你的了。”

导游的眼睛闪闪发亮。

“您的荣幸给了我一笔财富！”他喊道。

“带上他吧，向导，”福格先生回答道，“我仍然是你的债主。”

“好的！”路路通惊呼道。 “带上他吧，朋友。基奥尼是一头勇敢而忠诚的野兽。”然后，他走到大象面前，给了它几块糖，说道：“这里，基乌尼，这里，这里。”

大象满意地咕哝了一声，用鼻子搂住路路通的腰，把他举到了头顶。路路通一点也不惊慌，抚摸着这只动物，它轻轻地把他放回了地上。

不久之后，菲利亚斯·福格、弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士和路路通与坐在最好座位上的艾乌达一起乘坐马车，全速驶向贝拿勒斯。全程八十英里，两小时内跑完。旅途中，少妇完全恢复了理智。当她发现自己坐在这辆车厢里，在铁路上，穿着欧洲服饰，和一群对她来说很陌生的旅客时，她感到多么惊讶啊！她的同伴们首先用一点酒让她完全苏醒，然后弗朗西斯爵士向她讲述了所发生的事情，详细讲述了菲利斯·福格毫不犹豫地冒着生命危险去救她的勇气，并讲述了故事的幸福结局。这是路路通鲁莽想法的结果。福格先生什么也没说。而路路通则感到羞愧，不断重复说“这件事不值得说出来”。

艾乌达可怜兮兮地感谢她的救命恩人，但不是用言语，而是用泪水。她美丽的眼睛比她的嘴唇更能表达她的感激之情。然后，当她的思绪回到祭祀现场，想起仍然威胁着她的危险时，她不禁浑身颤抖。

菲利亚斯·福格明白艾乌达心里的想法，为了让她放心，提出护送她去香港，让她安全地待在那里，直到事情平息为止——她热切而感激地接受了这一提议。她似乎有帕西人的关系，是香港的主要商人之一。香港虽然位于中国海岸的一个岛屿上，但完全是一座英国城市。

十二点半，火车在贝拿勒斯停了下来。婆罗门传说声称这座城市是在古代卡西的遗址上建造的，卡西就像穆罕默德的坟墓一样，曾经悬浮在天地之间；尽管今天的贝拿勒斯，被东方学家称为印度的雅典，毫无诗意地矗立在坚实的大地上，但当火车驶入时，路路通瞥见了它的砖房和粘土小屋，给这个地方带来了一种荒凉的感觉。

贝拿勒斯是弗朗西斯·克罗马蒂爵士的目的地，他重新加入的部队在该市以北几英里处扎营。他向菲利斯·福格告别，祝愿他一切顺利，并表示希望他能以一种不那么原创但更有利可图的方式再次走上这条路。福格先生轻轻地握住了他的手。艾乌达没有忘记自己对弗朗西斯爵士的亏欠，她的离去流露出更多的温暖。至于路路通，英勇的将军热情地与他握手。

铁路离开贝拿勒斯后，沿着恒河谷经过一段时间。透过马车的窗户，旅客们可以瞥见贝哈尔多样化的风景：青翠的群山，大麦、小麦和玉米的田野，栖息着绿色鳄鱼的丛林，整齐的村庄，还有茂密的丛林。阔叶林。大象在圣河的水中沐浴，成群结队的印第安人尽管季节已晚，空气寒冷，但仍在庄严地进行虔诚的沐浴。这些人是狂热的婆罗门，是佛教最激烈的敌人，他们的神是太阳神毗湿奴，自然力量的神圣化身湿婆，以及祭司和立法者的最高统治者梵天。这些神明会怎样看待今天的印度，轮船在恒河上呼啸而过，惊吓着漂浮在水面上的海鸥，在河岸上成群结队的海龟，以及在边界上居住的虔诚信徒？

全景像闪电一样在他们眼前掠过，除了蒸汽断断续续地遮住了全景之外。旅行者几乎看不到楚佩尼堡垒，它位于贝拿勒斯西南二十英里处，是贝哈尔王的古老堡垒。或加齐布尔及其著名的玫瑰水工厂；或者康沃利斯勋爵的坟墓，矗立在恒河左岸；设防城镇布克萨尔（Buxar）或巴特那（Patna）是一个大型制造和贸易场所，这里是印度主要的鸦片市场；或者蒙吉尔，一个不仅仅是欧洲小镇，因为它就像曼彻斯特或伯明翰一样英国，有铸铁厂、利器工厂和高高的烟囱，向天空喷出黑烟。

夜幕降临了；火车全速行驶，老虎、熊、狼的咆哮声在机车前逃窜。孟加拉的奇迹、戈尔康达的毁灭、古尔的古尔、穆尔舍达巴德、古都、布尔德万、胡格利，以及法国小镇钱德纳戈尔，路路通会自豪地看到那里飘扬着他的国家的国旗，但现在却在黑暗中看不见了。

早上七点到达加尔各答，中午包裹发往香港；这样菲利斯·福格就只剩下五个小时的时间了。

根据他的日记，他原定于 25 月 XNUMX 日抵达加尔各答，这也是他实际抵达的确切日期。因此，他既不落后也不领先。正如我们所见，伦敦和孟买之间节省的两天时间在穿越印度的旅程中被浪费掉了。但我们不应该认为菲利亚斯·福格对他们感到后悔。

火车进站，路路通先跳下车，福格先生紧随其后，搀扶着他美丽的同伴下车。菲利亚斯·福格打算立即前往香港轮船，以便让奥达在航行中舒适地安顿下来。当他们还在危险的地方时，他不愿意离开她。

正当他要离开车站时，一名警察走到他面前，说道：“先生。”菲利斯·福格？”

“我就是他。”

“这个人是你的仆人吗？”警察指着路路通补充道。

“是的。”

“你们两个都乖乖跟着我吧。”

福格先生丝毫没有表现出任何惊讶。警察是法律的代表，法律对于英国人来说是神圣的。路路通试图推理这件事，但警察用棍子敲了敲他，福格先生示意他服从。

“这位小姐可以跟我们一起去吗？”他问道。

“她可能会，”警察回答道。

福格先生、艾乌达和路路通被带到一辆帕尔基加里（palkigahri），一种由两匹马拉着的四轮马车，他们在车上就座并被赶走了。到达目的地的二十分钟里，没有人说话。他们首先经过“黑镇”，街道狭窄，小屋简陋肮脏，人口肮脏；然后穿过“欧洲小镇”，明亮的砖砌宅邸显得格外浮雕，椰子树成荫，桅杆林立，虽然是清晨，但衣着优雅的骑兵和英俊的马车在这里来来往往。

马车停在一座看上去很朴素的房子前，但它却不像私人宅邸的样子。警察要求他的囚犯——事实上，他们可能被这样称呼——下楼，把他们带到一个窗户有铁栅栏的房间，然后说：“你们将在八点半到奥巴代亚法官面前。”

然后他就退了出去，关上了门。

“为什么，我们是囚犯！”路路通惊呼一声，跌坐在椅子上。

艾乌达极力掩饰自己的情绪，对福格先生说道：“先生，您必须让我听天由命！你是因为我才得到这样的待遇，是因为救了我！”

菲利斯·福格满意地说这是不可能的。他不太可能因为阻止一场集会而被捕。申诉人不敢提出这样的指控。有一些错误。而且，他无论如何都不会抛弃艾达，而是会护送她去香港。

“可是汽船中午才开啊！”路路通紧张地观察着。

“中午我们就会上船，”他的主人平静地回答。

这话说得如此肯定，路路通忍不住自言自语道：“帕尔布卢，那是肯定的！中午之前我们就可以上船了。”但他一点也不放心。

八点半，门开了，警察出现了，请他们跟着他，带路到了隔壁的大厅。这显然是一个法庭，一群欧洲人和当地人已经占据了公寓的后面。

福格先生和他的两个同伴在治安法官和他的书记员办公桌对面的长凳上就座。紧接着，肥胖胖胖的奥巴代亚法官在书记官的带领下走了进来。他把挂在钉子上的假发取下来，匆匆戴在头上。

“第一个案例，”他说。然后，他一手捂住了自己的头，惊呼道：“呵！这不是我的假发！”

“不，老天爷，”店员回答道，“这是我的。”

“亲爱的奥伊斯特帕夫先生，戴着书记员的假发，法官怎么能做出明智的判决呢？”

假发被交换了。

路路通越来越紧张，因为法官上方大钟表面的指针似乎以可怕的速度旋转着。

“第一个案件，”奥巴代亚法官重复道。

“菲利斯·福格？”牡蛎帕夫问道。

“我在这儿，”福格先生回答道。

“路路通？”

“现在，”路路通回答。

“好，”法官说。 “囚犯们，你们在从孟买出发的火车上已经被寻找了两天。”

“但是我们被指控什么？”路路通不耐烦地问道。

“你即将收到通知。”

“我是英国人，先生，”福格先生说，“我有权利——”

“你受过虐待吗？”

“不是。”

“很好;让投诉人进来。”

法官命令门打开，三名印度牧师走了进来。

“就是这样，”路路通嘀咕道。 “这些流氓就是要烧死我们小姐的。”

牧师们在法官面前就座，书记官开始大声宣读对菲利亚斯·福格和他的仆人亵渎的控诉，他们被指控侵犯了婆罗门宗教神圣的场所。

“你听到指控了吗？”法官问道。

“是的，先生，”福格先生看了看手表，回答道，“我承认这一点。”

“你承认吗？”

“我承认，我希望听到这些牧师也承认他们要在皮拉吉宝塔做什么。”

祭司们面面相觑。他们似乎不明白所说的内容。

“是的，”路路通热情地喊道。 “在皮拉吉宝塔，他们正准备烧死受害者。”

法官愕然，祭司们也目瞪口呆。

“什么受害者？”俄巴底亚法官说。 “烧谁？在孟买本身吗？”

“孟买？”路路通叫道。

“当然。我们不是在谈论皮拉吉的宝塔，而是在孟买的马拉巴尔山的宝塔。”

“作为证据，”店员补充道，“这是亵渎者留下的鞋子。”

于是他把一双鞋放到了桌子上。

“我的鞋！” “路路通喊道，他惊讶地竟然漏掉了这句不谨慎的喊叫。

大师和人类的困惑是可以想象的，他们已经完全忘记了孟买的事件，因此他们现在被拘留在加尔各答。

修复侦探，预见到了路路通的越轨行为给他带来的好处，并推迟了十二个小时的出发时间，咨询了马拉巴尔山的牧师。他知道英国当局对这种轻罪行为的处理非常严厉，因此答应给他们一大笔赔偿金，并让他们乘坐下一趟火车前往加尔各答。由于营救年轻寡妇的行动耽误了时间，菲克斯和神父们先于福格先生和他的仆人到达了印度首都，地方法官们已经收到一份快件的警告，一旦他们到达，就会逮捕他们。当菲克斯得知菲利斯·福格没有出现在加尔各答时，他的失望是可以想象的。他断定，强盗已经在途中的某个地方停下来，逃往南方各省避难了。菲克斯焦急地注视着电台长达二十四小时。最后，他得到了回报，看到福格先生和路路通在一位年轻女子的陪同下到达，他完全无法解释她的出现。他赶紧去找警察。这就是这伙人被逮捕并带到奥巴代亚法官面前的原因。

如果路路通稍微不那么心不在焉的话，他就会看到侦探坐在法庭的一个角落里，以一种很容易理解的兴趣观看着整个过程。因为搜查令未能像在孟买和苏伊士运河那样到达加尔各答。

不幸的是，奥巴代亚法官听到了路路通鲁莽的惊呼声，这个可怜的家伙会让全世界都记住这句话。

“事实都承认了？”法官问道。

“承认。”福格先生冷冷地回答。

法官继续说道：“因为英国法律平等而严格地保护印度人民的宗教，而且路路通承认他于 20 月 XNUMX 日侵犯了孟买马拉巴尔山的神圣宝塔，我判处上述路路通十五天监禁和三百英镑罚款。”

“三百镑！”路路通惊呼了这笔巨款。

“安静！”警官喊道。

“而且，”法官继续说道，“因为没有证据表明该行为不是主人与仆人的默许所为，而且无论如何，主人都必须对其受薪仆人的行为负责，我判处菲利斯·福格一周监禁和一百五十英镑罚款。”

菲克斯满意地轻轻地搓了搓手。如果菲利斯·福格可以在加尔各答被拘留一周，那么逮捕令就来得及了。路路通愣住了。这句话毁了他的主人。两万英镑的赌注输了，因为他像个傻瓜一样，走进了那座可恶的宝塔！

菲利斯·福格镇定自若，仿佛这个判决与他毫不相干，在宣判时他甚至没有抬起眉毛。正当办事员呼叫下一个案件时，他站起来说：“我提供保释。”

“你有这个权利，”法官回答道。

菲克斯的血液都凉了，但当他听到法官宣布每名囚犯的保释金为一千英镑时，他又恢复了冷静。

“我会立即付款，”福格先生说，从路路通随身携带的地毯袋中取出一卷银行票据，并将它们放在职员的办公桌上。

“这笔钱将在你出狱后退还给你，”法官说。 “与此同时，你已获得保释。”

“来！”菲利斯·福格对他的仆人说道。

“但至少让他们把鞋子还给我吧！”路路通愤怒地叫道。

“啊，这双鞋真可爱！”当它们被递给他时，他低声说道。 “每人一千多英镑；而且，他们还夹我的脚。”

福格先生向艾乌达伸出手臂，然后就离开了，后面跟着垂头丧气的路路通。菲克斯仍然抱有希望，认为强盗毕竟不会把两千英镑留在身后，而是决定在监狱里服刑一周，并公布了福格先生的踪迹。那位先生乘坐一辆马车，一行人很快就在一个码头上靠岸了。

仰光号停泊在半英里外的港口，出发信号悬挂在桅杆顶上。十一点钟了。福格先生提前一小时到达。菲克斯看见他们离开马车，乘船前往汽船，失望地跺着脚。

“那个流氓终于走了！”他惊呼道。 “牺牲了两千镑！他简直像小偷一样败家！如果有必要的话，我会跟随他到世界的尽头；不过，按照他现在的速度，赃款很快就会花完。”

侦探的这个猜想并没有大错。自从离开伦敦以来，加上路费、贿赂、购买大象、保释金和罚款，福格先生在路上已经花掉了五千多英镑，而从银行抢劫犯那里追回的金额中，福格先生承诺的百分比是侦探的数量正在迅速减少。

仰光号是半岛东方公司在中国和日本海域航行的船只之一，是一艘铁质螺旋汽船，重约一千七百七十吨，发动机功率四百马力。她的速度与蒙古号一样快，但装备不如蒙古号，而奥达号在船上的配备也不像菲利斯·福格所希望的那样舒适。不过，从加尔各答到香港的路程只有三千五百里，也就十到十二天的时间，要讨好这个年轻女子并不难。

在旅程的最初几天，艾乌达与她的保护者更加熟悉，并不断表达她对他所做的一切的深深感激。这位冷漠的绅士听她讲话，至少表面上是冷漠的，他的声音和态度都没有流露出丝毫的感情。但他似乎总是时刻注意着，不让任何事情需要艾乌达的安慰。他每天在特定的时间定期拜访她，与其说是自己说话，不如说是坐下来听她说话。他以最严格的礼貌对待她，但又像机器人一样精确，其动作就是为此目的而安排的。艾乌达不太明白他是怎么回事，尽管路路通向她暗示了他主人的古怪行为，并告诉她他环游世界的赌注，让她微笑。毕竟，她欠菲利斯·福格一条命，而且她总是以感激之情来看待他。

阿乌达证实了帕西人导游对她感人历史的叙述。事实上，她确实属于印度本土种族中最高级的。许多帕西商人通过棉花贸易在那里发了大财。其中一位 Jametsee Jeejeebhoy 爵士被英国政府封为男爵。 Aouda 是这位伟人的亲戚，她希望去香港与他的表弟 Jeejeeh 会合。她不知道她是否会在他身上找到一个保护者。但福格先生试图安抚她的焦虑，并向她保证一切都会按照数学——他用的就是这个词——安排好。艾乌达用她“像喜马拉雅山圣湖一样清澈”的大眼睛注视着他。但脾气暴躁的福格一如既往地矜持，似乎一点也不想跳进这个湖里。

航行的头几天在有利的天气和有利的风中度过了顺利的时光，他们很快就看到了伟大的安达曼，孟加拉湾岛屿的主要岛屿，及其风景如画的马鞍峰，海拔两千四百英尺高高的，隐约出现在水面之上。轮船在海岸附近驶过，但野蛮的巴布亚人并没有出现，他们是人类中最低等的人，但并不像人们所声称的那样是食人者。

当岛屿驶过时，岛屿的全景非常美。广阔的棕榈林、槟榔林、竹林、柚木林、巨大的含羞草林和树状蕨类植物覆盖着前景，而后面，山峦在天空的映衬下呈现出优美的轮廓；沿着海岸，成千上万的珍贵燕子成群结队，它们的巢为天朝的餐桌提供了奢华的菜肴。然而，安达曼群岛所提供的多样化景观很快就过去了，仰光迅速接近马六甲海峡，从而进入中国海域。

菲克斯侦探，如此不幸地从一个国家到另一个国家，这段时间在做什么？他在没有被路路通发现的情况下设法在加尔各答登上了仰光号，并留下命令，如果搜查令到达，就应在香港将其转交给他；他希望一直隐藏自己的存在直到航程结束。很难解释他为什么在船上而不引起路路通的怀疑，路路通以为他还在孟买。然而，正如我们将看到的那样，必要性还是促使他重新认识了这位值得尊敬的仆人。

侦探的所有希望和愿望现在都集中在香港；因为轮船在新加坡停留的时间太短，他无法在那里采取任何行动。逮捕必须在香港进行，否则强盗可能会永远逃脱。香港是他最后踏足的英国土地。除此之外，中国、日本、美国几乎肯定为福格提供了避难所。如果逮捕令最终出现在香港，菲克斯可以逮捕他并将他交给当地警方，这样就不会再有麻烦了。但在香港以外的地方，简单的搜查令是没有任何作用的；引渡令是必要的，这会导致延误和障碍，无赖会利用这些来逃避正义。

菲克斯在船舱里度过了很长一段时间，思考着这些可能性，并不断对自己重复说：“现在，要么逮捕令在香港，这样我就逮捕我的人，要么逮捕令不在那儿；这次我绝对有必要推迟他的离开。我在孟买失败了，在加尔各答也失败了；如果我在香港失败，我的名誉就会受损：无论付出什么代价，我都必须成功！但如果那是我最后的资源，我该如何阻止他的离开呢？”

菲克斯下定决心，万一发生最坏的情况，他也要成为路路通的知己，告诉他他的主人究竟是一个什么样的人。他非常确定路路通不是福格的同伙。仆人因他的揭露而受到启发，害怕自己被牵连到犯罪中，毫无疑问会成为侦探的盟友。但这种方法很危险，只能在其他方法都失败的情况下才采用。路路通对他主人的一句话就会毁了一切。侦探因此陷入了困境。但突然他想到了一个新的想法。艾乌达与菲利亚斯·福格一起出现在仰光上，为他提供了新的思考素材。

这个女人是谁？哪些事件的结合使她成为福格的旅伴？他们显然是在孟买和加尔各答之间的某个地方相遇的。但是哪里？他们是偶然相遇，还是福格故意进入内地寻找这位迷人的少女？菲克斯相当困惑。他问自己是否有过一次邪恶的私奔？这个想法深深地印在了他的脑海里，以至于他决定利用这个所谓的阴谋。无论这位年轻女子是否结婚，他都可以给在香港的福格先生制造麻烦，让他付出任何金钱都无法逃脱。

但他能等到他们到达香港吗？福格以一种令人厌恶的方式从一艘船跳到另一艘船，而且，在任何事情发生之前，他可能会再次全力出发前往横滨。

菲克斯决定他必须警告英国当局，并在仰光号抵达之前向她发出信号。这很容易做到，因为轮船停泊在新加坡，那里有一条电报线通往香港。此外，在采取更积极的行动之前，他最终决定向路路通提出质疑。让他说话并不困难；由于时间紧迫，菲克斯准备让自己出名。

现在是 30 月 XNUMX 日，第二天“仰光”号将抵达新加坡。

菲克斯从他的船舱出来，走上甲板。路路通在汽船的前部来回走动。侦探一脸惊讶地冲上前，惊呼道：“你在仰光吗？”

“什么，菲克斯先生，你在船上吗？”路路通大吃一惊，认出了他的蒙古亲信。 “哎呀，我把你留在了孟买，而你却在去香港的路上！你也要去环游世界吗？”

“不，不，”菲克斯回答道。 “我将在香港停留——至少几天。”

“哼！”路路通说道，他一时显得很困惑。 “可是自从我们离开加尔各答之后，我怎么就没在船上见过你呢？”

“哦，有点晕船——我一直呆在我的卧铺上。孟加拉湾和印度洋都不同意我的观点。福格先生怎么样了？

“一如既往的准时，没有迟到一天！但是，菲克斯先生，您不知道我们身边有一位年轻女士。”

“一位年轻女士？”侦探回答道，似乎不明白他在说什么。

随后，路路通讲述了艾乌达的历史、孟买佛塔事件、以两千英镑购买大象、营救、逮捕和加尔各答法院的判决，以及福格先生和他本人在保释中恢复自由。菲克斯虽然对最近发生的事情很熟悉，但似乎对路路通相关的一切一无所知。后者很高兴能找到如此感兴趣的听众。

“但是你的主人打算带这个年轻女子去欧洲吗？”

“一点也不。我们只是将她置于她的一位亲戚、一位香港富商的保护之下。”

“那儿没什么可做的。”菲克斯自言自语，掩饰着他的失望。 “来杯杜松子酒吗，路路通先生？”

“我愿意，菲克斯先生。我们至少必须在仰光号上喝一杯友好的酒。”

这次采访之后，侦探和路路通经常在甲板上见面，尽管菲克斯很保守，并没有试图诱使他的同伴透露更多有关福格先生的事实。他曾一两次瞥见那位神秘的绅士。但福格先生通常把自己关在船舱里，陪伴艾乌达，或者根据他根深蒂固的习惯，在惠斯特牌手上打一手。

路路通开始非常认真地猜测是什么奇怪的机会让菲克斯仍然沿着他主人所追寻的路线前进。确实值得考虑的是，为什么这个他在苏伊士运河第一次见到的非常和蔼可亲、自鸣得意的人，后来在蒙古号船上遇到了，蒙古号在孟买下船，他宣布孟买是他的目的地，现在却如此出人意料地出现在船上。仰光，正在一步步追随福格先生的足迹。菲克斯的目的是什么？路路通准备用他虔诚地保存着的印度鞋打赌，菲克斯也会带着它们同时离开香港，而且很可能是在同一艘轮船上。

路路通可能已经绞尽脑汁一个世纪了，却没有想到侦探所看到的真实物体。他万万没想到菲利亚斯·福格竟然被当作强盗在全球范围内追踪。但是，正如人类的天性一样，试图解决每一个谜团，路路通突然发现了菲克斯动作的一个解释，这实际上绝非不合理。他想，菲克斯只能是福格先生在改革俱乐部的朋友的代理人，被派来跟踪他，并确定他是否真的按照约定环游世界。

“天气晴朗！”这位可敬的仆人对自己重复道，为自己的精明感到自豪。 “他是派来监视我们的间谍！监视福格先生也不是那么回事，他是一个多么值得尊敬的人！啊，改革的先生们，这会让你们付出高昂的代价！”

路路通对他的发现着迷，决定对他的主人什么也不说，以免他因对手的不信任而受到冒犯。但他决定一有机会就用神秘的暗示来取笑菲克斯，但这并不需要暴露他真正的怀疑。

30 月 XNUMX 日星期三下午，仰光号进入马六甲海峡，该海峡将马六甲半岛与苏门答腊岛分开。多山、崎岖的小岛从旅行者的视野中截断了这座高贵岛屿的美丽。第二天凌晨四点，仰光号在新加坡起锚接收煤炭，比规定抵达时间提前了半天。菲利亚斯·福格在他的日记中记录了这一收获，然后在艾乌达的陪同下下了船，艾乌达流露出想要上岸散步的愿望。

菲克斯怀疑福格先生的一举一动，小心翼翼地跟着他们，不让自己发现。而路路通则暗自嘲笑菲克斯的举动，继续做他平常的事情。

新加坡岛的外观并不雄伟，因为没有山。但它的外观并非没有吸引力。这是一个由宜人的高速公路和林荫道组成的公园。一辆漂亮的马车由一对光滑的纽荷兰马牵引，载着菲利亚斯·福格和艾乌达进入一排排叶子灿烂的棕榈树和丁香树中间，丁香形成了半开的花朵的中心。胡椒植物取代了欧洲田地里多刺的树篱；西米灌木丛是一种枝条华丽的大型蕨类植物，使这个热带气候的面貌发生了变化。肉豆蔻树枝繁叶茂，空气中弥漫着浓郁的香味。一群群敏捷、咧着嘴笑的猴子在树林里蹦蹦跳跳，丛林里也不乏老虎。

经过两个小时的车程穿越乡村后，奥达和福格先生回到了小镇，那里有大量看起来厚重、不规则的房屋，周围环绕着迷人的花园，花园里盛产热带水果和植物。十点钟，他们重新上船，侦探紧随其后，始终注视着他们。

路路通买了几十个芒果，这种芒果像苹果一样大，外面深棕色，里面鲜红色，白色的果肉入口即化，给美食家带来美味的感觉。在甲板上等着他们。他非常高兴地向艾乌达赠送了一些芒果，艾乌达非常优雅地感谢了他。

十一点钟，仰光号驶出新加坡港，几个小时后，马六甲的高山及其森林，栖息着世界上毛色最美丽的老虎，就消失在视野中。新加坡距香港岛约一千三百英里，香港岛是中国海岸附近的一个英国小殖民地。菲利斯·福格希望在六天内完成这次旅程，以便及时赶上将于 6 月 XNUMX 日出发前往日本主要港口横滨的轮船。

仰光号的载客量很大，很多人都是在新加坡下船的，其中有不少印度人、锡兰人、中国人、马来人和葡萄牙人，其中大部分是二等舱旅客。

一直以来都很好的天气，随着下弦月的到来而发生了变化。海面波涛汹涌，时不时刮起暴风雨，但好在是从西南方向吹来的，这有助于轮船的前进。船长尽可能多地扬帆，在蒸汽和风帆的双重作用下，船沿着阿南和交趾支那海岸快速前进。然而，由于仰光号的建造存在缺陷，在不利的天气下必须采取非常规的预防措施。不过，由于这个原因而损失的时间，虽然几乎让路路通失去了知觉，但似乎对他的主人没有丝毫影响。路路通责怪船长、轮机师和船员，并将所有与这艘船有关的人都派到了种植胡椒的土地上。也许想到萨维尔街的毒气无情地燃烧着他，这与他的急躁情绪有关。

有一天，菲克斯对他说：“那么，你很着急去香港吗？”

“非常匆忙！”

“先生。我想，福格急于赶船去横滨吧？”

“非常着急。”

“那么你相信这个环游世界的旅程吗？”

“绝对地。是吗，菲克斯先生？

“我？我一个字都不相信。”

“你真是一条狡猾的狗！”路路通冲他挤挤眼，说道。

不知道为什么，这个表情让菲克斯有些不安。法国人猜到他的真正目的了吗？他不知道该怎么想。但路路通怎么会发现他是一名侦探呢？然而，这个人说话时的意思显然比他所表达的要多。

第二天，路路通走得更远了。他无法管住自己的舌头。

“先生。菲克斯，”他用戏谑的语气说道，“我们到了香港会不会很不幸失去你呢？”

“为什么，”菲克斯有点尴尬地回答，“我不知道；也许-”

“啊，如果你愿意和我们一起走就好了！半岛公司的特工，你知道，路上根本停不下来！你本来只是去孟买，但现在却到了中国。美国并不遥远，从美国到欧洲也只是一步之遥。”

菲克斯专注地看着面容尽可能平静的同伴，和他一起笑起来。但路路通坚持取笑他，问他目前的职业是否赚了很多钱。

“是的，也不是，”菲克斯回答道。 “这样的事情有好有坏。但你必须明白，我不会自费旅行。”

“噢，这一点我非常确定！”路路通大声地大笑起来。

菲克斯相当困惑，他下楼回到自己的小屋，沉浸在沉思中。显然他受到了怀疑。不知怎的，法国人发现他是一名侦探。但他告诉他的主人了吗？他在这一切中扮演什么角色：他是不是同谋？那么比赛结束了吗？菲克斯花了好几个小时在脑子里思考这些事情，有时认为一切都已经失败了，然后说服自己福格不知道他的存在，然后犹豫不决最好采取什么做法。

尽管如此，他还是保持了冷静，最终决定坦白地对付路路通。如果他认为在香港逮捕福格不可行，并且如果福格准备离开英国领土的最后一个立足点，他，菲克斯，就会告诉路路通一切。要么这个仆人是他主人的同谋，在这种情况下，主人知道他的行动，他就应该失败；否则，仆人对抢劫一无所知，那么他的兴趣就是抛弃强盗。

这就是菲克斯和路路通之间的情况。与此同时，菲利斯·福格在他们上方走来走去，表现出一种最庄严、无意识的冷漠。他有条不紊地在环绕世界的轨道上运行，而不管他周围有哪些较小的恒星。然而，附近有一颗被天文学家称为令人不安的恒星，这可能会引起这位绅士内心的不安。但不是！令路路通大吃一惊的是，艾乌达的魅力没有发挥作用。这些扰动如果存在的话，将比天王星的扰动更难计算，天王星导致了海王星的发现。

路路通越来越感到惊奇，他从艾乌达的眼中读到了她对主人深深的感激之情。菲利斯·福格虽然勇敢而英勇，但他想，一定是相当无情的。至于这次旅行可能在他心中唤起的情感，显然没有这样的痕迹。而可怜的路路通则永远沉浸在遐想中。

有一天，他正靠在机舱的栏杆上观察发动机，突然轮船的摇晃把螺丝从水中掀了出来。蒸汽从阀门中发出嘶嘶声。这让路路通很愤怒。

“阀门充电不足！”他惊呼道。 “我们不去。哦，这些英语！如果这是一艘美国飞船，我们也许应该炸毁，但无论如何我们应该走得更快！”

航行的最后几天天气很糟糕。风顽固地保持在西北方向，刮起了大风，使轮船减速了。仰光号剧烈翻滚，乘客们对风在他们的航道前掀起的长长的巨浪感到不耐烦。 3 月 XNUMX 日，刮起了一场暴风雨，暴风雨猛烈地把船掀翻，海浪汹涌。仰光号收起了所有帆，甚至连索具都不堪重负，在狂风中呼啸摇晃。轮船被迫缓慢行进，船长估计她将晚二十小时抵达香港，如果暴风雨持续的话，时间还会更长。

菲利斯·福格凝视着波涛汹涌的大海，大海似乎在特别努力地拖延他，而他却一向平静。他的脸色没有一刻的改变，尽管延误了二十个小时，让他来不及赶上横滨的船，几乎不可避免地会导致赌注的失败。但这个勇敢的人既没有表现出不耐烦，也没有表现出烦恼；这场风暴似乎是他计划的一部分，并且已经被预见到了。艾乌达惊讶地发现他和第一次见到他时一样平静。

菲克斯并没有以同样的眼光看待事物的现状。暴风雨让他非常高兴。如果仰光号在狂风巨浪面前被迫撤退，他就完全满意了。每次延误都让他充满希望，因为福格越来越有可能不得不在香港停留几天。现在，天空本身也成为了他的盟友，伴随着狂风和暴风雨。他们让他晕船并不重要——他没有考虑到这种不便。当他的身体在它们的影响下翻滚时，他的精神却充满了希望的狂喜。

路路通对这恶劣的天气感到非常愤怒。到目前为止一切都很顺利！大地和海洋似乎都为他的主人服务。轮船和铁路都听从他的指挥。风与蒸汽的结合加速了他的旅程。逆境的时刻到了吗？路路通兴奋得好像这两万英镑是从他自己的口袋里掏出来的一样。暴风雨激怒了他，大风让他狂怒，他渴望让顽固的大海屈服。可怜的家伙！菲克斯小心翼翼地向他隐瞒了自己的满足感，因为如果他背叛了这一点，路路通几乎无法克制自己的个人暴力。

只要暴风雨持续，路路通就一直待在甲板上，他无法在下面保持安静，他想通过向船员伸出援手来帮助船前进。他问了各种各样的问题，让船长、军官和水手们不知所措，他们不禁嘲笑他的不耐烦。他想知道风暴到底会持续多久；于是他被指给气压计看，气压计似乎没有上升的意思。路路通摇了摇它，但没有明显的效果。因为无论是震动还是咒骂都无法使它改变主意。

然而到了四号，海面变得更加平静，风暴也减弱了。风向转向南，再次变得有利。随着天气的好转，路路通也放晴了。一些船帆展开，仰光号恢复了最快的航速。然而，失去的时间却无法挽回。直到4日早上6点才收到着陆信号；轮船预计五号到期。菲利斯·福格晚了二十四小时，横滨轮船当然会错过。

引航员于六点登船，在驾驶台就位，引导仰光号穿过海峡到达香港港口。路路通很想问他轮船是否已经开往横滨了。但他不敢，因为他想保留希望的火花，直到最后一刻仍然存在。他向菲克斯吐露了自己的焦虑，菲克斯——那个狡猾的流氓！——试图安慰他说，如果福格先生乘坐下一艘船，他就会及时赶到；但他却对福克先生的行为感到担忧。但这只会让路路通更加热情。

福格先生比他的仆人还大胆，他毫不犹豫地走近引航员，平静地问他是否知道有一艘轮船什么时候从香港出发前往横滨。

“明天早上涨潮时，”飞行员回答道。

“啊！”福格先生毫不惊讶地说。

路路通听到消息后，会很乐意拥抱飞行员，而菲克斯则很乐意扭动他的脖子。

“那艘轮船叫什么名字？”福格先生问道。

“卡纳提克号。”

“她昨天不该走吗？”

“是的先生;但他们必须修理她的一个锅炉，所以她的出发被推迟到明天。”

“谢谢，”福格先生回答道，然后数学般地下降到了酒吧。

路路通高兴地握住飞行员的手，用力地握着，喊道：“飞行员，你真是好人啊！”

飞行员至今可能还不知道为什么他的回答赢得了如此热情的问候。他重新登上桥，引导轮船穿过香港港口拥挤的由帆船、短船和渔船组成的船队。

一点钟，仰光号就靠岸了，乘客们正在上岸。

机会奇怪地偏向菲利亚斯·福格，因为如果卡纳提克号不是因为修理锅炉而被迫停泊，她就会在 6 月 XNUMX 日离开，而前往日本的乘客将不得不等待一周的时间。下一个蒸笼。确实，福格先生比他的时间晚了二十四小时。但这不会严重危及他剩余的巡演。

从横滨横渡太平洋到旧金山的轮船与从香港来的轮船直接相连，直到后者到达横滨才开航；如果福格先生晚了二十四小时才到达横滨，那么毫无疑问，在跨越太平洋二十二天的航程中，这个时间无疑可以轻易地恢复。他发现自己在离开伦敦三十五天后，就落后了大约二十四小时。

卡纳提克号宣布将于第二天早上五点离开香港。福格先生有十六个小时的时间在那里处理他的事务，即将艾乌达安全地存放在她富有的亲戚那里。

着陆后，他把她领到一辆轿子上，然后他们就到了俱乐部酒店。为这位年轻女子订了一间房间，福格先生看到她一无所有后，就出发寻找她的表弟吉吉。他指示路路通留在酒店直到他回来，以免艾达独自一人。

福格先生来到了交易所，他毫不怀疑，在那里，每个人都会认识像帕西商人这样富有而重要的人物。他遇到一位经纪人，打听得知，杰吉两年前离开了中国，带着巨额财富从商界退休，定居在欧洲——经纪人想是在荷兰，与哪个国家的商人一起生活。他主要从事交易。菲利斯·福格回到酒店，请求与艾乌达交谈一会儿，然后毫不犹豫地告诉她，吉吉不再在香港，而可能在荷兰。

阿乌达起初什么也没说。她把手放在额头上，沉思了一会儿。然后，她用甜美柔和的声音说道：“福格先生，我该怎么办？”

“这很简单，”这位先生回答道。 “继续去欧洲吧。”

“但我不能打扰——”

“你没有打扰我的项目，也没有让我的项目难堪。路路通！”

“先生。”

“去卡纳提克号，订三间船舱。”

路路通很高兴这位对他非常仁慈的年轻女子要和他们一起继续前行，便按照主人的命令迈着轻快的步伐走了出去。

香港是一个岛屿，1842 年战争后根据《南京条约》被英国占领；英国人的殖民天才在其上创造了一座重要的城市和一座优秀的港口。该岛位于广东河入海口，与对面海岸的葡萄牙城镇澳门相距约六十英里。香港在争夺中国贸易的斗争中击败了澳门，现在大部分中国货物的运输都在香港进行。码头、医院、码头、哥特式大教堂、政府大楼、碎石街道，让香港看起来就像肯特郡或萨里郡的一座小镇，被某种奇怪的魔法转移到了地球的另一端。

路路通双手插在口袋里，向维多利亚港口走去，一边看着那些奇怪的轿子和其他交通工具，还有街上来来往往的中国人、日本人和欧洲人。在他看来，香港与孟买、加尔各答和新加坡没有什么不同，因为和它们一样，香港到处都暴露了英国霸权的证据。在维多利亚港，他发现了一大堆来自各个国家的船只：英国、法国、美国和荷兰的船只、战舰和商船、日本和中国的帆船、桑巴船、短船和花船，这些船只形成了这样的形状。许多浮动花坛。路路通注意到人群中有一些当地人，他们看起来很老，穿着黄色衣服。去理发店刮胡子时，他得知这些古代男人都至少有八十岁了，到了这个年龄他们就可以穿黄色的衣服，这是帝国的颜色。路路通不知道为什么，觉得这很有趣。

当他们到达要登上卡纳提克号的码头时，他并不惊讶地发现菲克斯来回走动。侦探看上去非常不安和失望。

“这对改革俱乐部的先生们来说太糟糕了，”路路通嘀咕道。他带着愉快的微笑向菲克斯搭话，仿佛没有察觉到那位绅士的懊恼。侦探确实有充分的理由对追随他的厄运进行猛烈抨击。逮捕令还没来！它肯定正在路上，但可以肯定的是，它现在还需要几天时间才能到达香港；而且，这是福格先生路线上的最后一个英国领土，强盗会逃跑，除非他能设法拘留他。

“好吧，菲克斯先生，”路路通说，“你决定和我们一起去美国吗？”

“是的，”菲克斯咬牙切齿地回答道。

“好的！”路路通大笑起来。 “我知道你无法说服自己与我们分开。快来占位吧。”

他们进入轮船办公室并确保了四个人的船舱。店员在给他们船票时告诉他们，卡纳蒂克号的修理已经完成，轮船将在当天晚上出发，而不是像所宣布的那样第二天早上出发。

“这更适合我的主人，”路路通说。 “我去告诉他。”

现在菲克斯决定采取大胆的行动；他决定把一切都告诉路路通。这似乎是让菲利斯·福克在香港多留几天的唯一可能的方法。于是，他邀请他的同伴走进码头上一家引起他注意的小酒馆。进去后，他们发现自己身处一个装饰华丽的大房间里，房间的尽头是一张配有软垫的大行军床。这张床上躺着几个人，正在熟睡。房间周围摆着小桌子，大约有三十位顾客正在喝英国啤酒、波特酒、杜松子酒和白兰地。一边抽烟，一边用长长的红土烟斗，里面塞满了鸦片小球和玫瑰香精。时不时地，有一个吸毒的人会从桌子底下溜进去，侍者们就会抓住他的头和脚，把他抬到床上。这张床已经能容纳二十个这样的傻瓜了。

菲克斯和路路通看到他们身处一家吸烟室，周围都是那些可怜的、苍白的、白痴的生物，英国商人每年向这些生物出售一种叫做鸦片的可怜药物，价值一百四十万英镑——几千英镑用于一个鸦片。折磨人类的最卑鄙的罪恶！中国政府试图用严厉的法律来对付邪恶，但没有成功。它逐渐从最初只属于富人的阶层，转移到下层阶级，然后它的破坏就无法遏制。整个天朝，无论何时何地，男人女人都吸鸦片。一旦习惯了，受害者就无法摆脱它，除非遭受可怕的身体扭曲和痛苦。一个烟瘾大的人一天可以抽八管烟；但五年后他就去世了。菲克斯和路路通在寻找友好的玻璃杯时，发现自己就在其中一个巢穴里。路路通没有钱，但欣然接受了菲克斯的邀请，希望将来能偿还债务。

他们点了两瓶波特酒，法国人对此很公正，而菲克斯则密切关注着他。他们谈论了这次旅程，路路通对于菲克斯要和他们一起继续下去感到特别高兴。然而，当瓶子空了时，他起身去告诉他的主人卡纳提克号航行时间的变化。

菲克斯抓住他的手臂，说道：“等一下。”

“干什么，菲克斯先生？”

“我想和你认真谈谈。”

“严肃的谈话！”路路通喝光了杯底里剩下的一点酒，喊道。 “好吧，我们明天再讨论；我现在没时间。”

“停留！我要说的，是关乎你主人的事情。”

路路通此时聚精会神地看着他的同伴。菲克斯的脸上似乎有一种奇怪的表情。他又回到座位上。

“你有什么要说的？”

菲克斯把手放在路路通的手臂上，压低声音说道：“你猜到我是谁了吗？”

“帕尔布鲁！”路路通微笑着说道。

“那我就告诉你一切——”

“现在我什么都知道了，我的朋友！啊!这是非常好的。但继续吧，继续吧。不过，首先我要告诉你，那些先生们已经付出了无用的代价。”

“无用！”菲克斯说。 “你说话很有自信。显然你不知道这笔钱有多大。”

“我当然知道，”路路通回答道。 “两万英镑。”

“55000！”菲克斯一边回答，一边握住他同伴的手。

“什么！”法国人喊道。 “福格先生敢吗——五万五千英镑！好吧，我们更有理由不耽误任何时间，”他继续说道，急忙站起来。

菲克斯把路路通推回椅子上，继续说道：“五万五千英镑；如果我成功了，我会得到两千英镑。如果你愿意帮我，我就给你五百个。”

“帮你？”路路通大声喊道，他的眼睛睁得大大的。

“是的;帮我让福格先生留在这里两三天。”

“为什么，你在说什么？那些先生们不满足于跟随我的主人，怀疑他的名誉，还必须想方设法为他设置障碍！我为他们脸红！”

“你什么意思？”

“我的意思是，这是一种可耻的诡计。他们还不如伏击福格先生，把他的钱塞进自己的口袋！”

“这正是我们指望做的事情。”

“那么，这是一个阴谋。”路路通喊道，酒在他的头脑中不断上升，路路通变得越来越兴奋，因为他喝了下去，却没有意识到。 “真正的阴谋！还有先生们。呸！”

菲克斯开始疑惑了。

“改革俱乐部的成员们！”路路通继续说道。 “菲克斯先生，您一定知道，我的主人是一个诚实的人，他下注时，会尽力公平地赢！”

“但是你以为我是谁？”菲克斯问道，专注地看着他。

“帕尔布鲁！改革俱乐部成员的一名特工，被派到这里来打扰我主人的旅程。但是，虽然我不久前就发现了你，但我还是很小心地没有向福格先生透露这件事。”

“那么他什么都不知道？”

“没什么，”路路通回答道，再次喝光了杯子。

侦探用手抚过额头，犹豫了一下才再次开口。他应该怎么做？路路通的错误看似真诚，但却让他的设计变得更加困难。显然，这个仆人并不是主人的同谋，正如菲克斯一直怀疑的那样。

“好吧，”侦探自言自语道，“既然他不是同谋，他就会帮助我。”

他不能再浪费时间了：福格必须被拘留在香港，所以他决定坦白说出来。

“听我说。”菲克斯突然说道。 “我并不像你想的那样，是改革俱乐部成员的代理人——”

“呸！”路路通带着嘲讽的口气反驳道。

“我是一名警探，是伦敦办事处派到这里的。”

“你，侦探？”

“我会证明这一点。这是我的委托。”

当菲克斯拿出这份真实性不容置疑的文件时，路路通惊讶得说不出话来。

“先生。福格的赌注，”菲克斯继续说道，“只是一个借口，你们和改革派的先生们都被骗了。他有动机让你成为无辜的同谋。”

“但为什么？”

“听。去年28月XNUMX日，英格兰银行发生了一起价值五万五千英镑的抢劫案，所凶者的描述幸运地得到了证实。这是他的描述；它完全符合菲利斯·福格先生的要求。”

“胡说些什么！”路路通用拳头敲着桌子喊道。 “我的主人是最尊贵的男人！”

“你怎么知道？你对他几乎一无所知。他离开的那天你就开始为他服务；他以一个愚蠢的借口离开了，没有带行李箱，还带着大量钞票。你居然还敢说他是老实人！”

“是的，是的，”可怜的家伙机械地重复道。

“你愿意作为他的同谋被捕吗？”

路路通听了这话，惊呆了，双手抱头，不敢看侦探。菲利斯·福格，艾乌达的救世主，那个勇敢慷慨的人，一个强盗！然而，有多少不利于他的猜测！路路通竭力否认强加在他脑海中的怀疑。他不愿意相信他的主人有罪。

“嗯，你想要我做什么？”他终于费力地说。

“看这里，”菲克斯回答道。 “我已经追踪到福格先生到了这个地方，但到目前为止，我还没有收到我派往伦敦的逮捕令。你必须帮我把他留在香港——”

“我！但是我-”

“我将与你分享英格兰银行提供的两千英镑奖励。”

“绝不！”路路通回答道，他试图站起来，但又跌倒了，身心俱疲。

“先生。菲克斯，”他结结巴巴地说，“即使你说的是真的——如果我的主人真的是你正在寻找的强盗——我否认这一点——我曾经、现在都在为他服务；我看到了他的慷慨和善良；我永远不会背叛他——不会为了世界上所有的黄金。我来自一个村庄，那里的人不吃那种面包！”

“你拒绝吗？”

“我拒绝。”

“想想看，我什么也没说。”菲克斯说。 “我们喝酒吧。”

“是的;我们喝吧！”

路路通感觉自己越来越受酒精的影响。菲克斯知道他必须不惜一切代价与他的主人分离，因此希望完全战胜他。桌子上放着一些装满鸦片的烟斗。菲克斯把一张塞到路路通手里。他接过它，把它放在嘴唇之间，点燃它，吸了几口，他的头在麻醉剂的影响下变得沉重，落在桌子上。

“终于！”菲克斯看到路路通不省人事，说道。 “先生。福格不会被告知卡纳提克号的离开；如果是的话，他将不得不离开这个该死的法国人！”

付完帐后，菲克斯离开了酒馆。

当这些事件在鸦片馆进行时，福格先生没有意识到自己面临失去轮船的危险，而是悄悄地护送艾乌达在英国区的街道上走来走去，为他们之前的长途航行购买必要的物品。对于像福格先生这样的英国人来说，背着地毯环游世界真是太好了。在这种情况下，不能指望一位女士能够舒适地旅行。他以特有的平静完成了自己的任务，并总是回应他美丽的同伴的劝告，这位同伴对他的耐心和慷慨感到困惑：

“这符合我的旅程——我计划的一部分。”

买完东西后，他们回到酒店，享用了丰盛的套餐。之后，艾乌达按照英国方式与她的保护者握手，回到自己的房间休息。整个晚上，福格先生全神贯注地阅读《泰晤士报》和《伦敦新闻画报》。

如果他有能力对任何事情感到惊讶的话，那就是在睡觉时没有看到他的仆人回来。不过，他知道轮船要到第二天早上才会开往横滨，所以他并没有因为这件事而打扰自己。第二天早上，路路通没有出现来应主人的铃声，福格先生并没有表现出丝毫的烦恼，只是拿起他的地毯袋，打电话给艾乌达，并派人叫来一辆轿子。

那时已经八点了。九点半，正值涨潮，卡纳提克号就要离开港口。福格先生和艾乌达上了轿子，他们的行李被用独轮车运来，半小时后登上了他们要登船的码头。福格先生随后得知卡纳提克号已于前一天晚上启航。他原本希望不仅能找到那艘轮船，还能找到他的家畜，但他被迫放弃了这两件事。但他的脸上并没有表现出失望的迹象，只是对艾乌达说道：“这是一次意外，女士；而已。”

这时，一个一直注视着他的男人走了过来。菲克斯鞠了一躬，对福格先生说道：“先生，您不是像我一样，也是昨天抵达的仰光号上的乘客吗？”

“我是，先生，”福格先生冷冷地回答。 “但我没有这个荣幸——”

“对不起;我想我应该在这里找到你的仆人。”

“您知道他在哪里吗，先生？”艾欧达焦急地问道。

“什么！”菲克斯假装惊讶地回答。 “他没和你在一起吗？”

“不，”艾乌达说。 “他从昨天起就没有露面。如果没有我们，他会登上卡纳蒂克号吗？

“没有你吗，女士？”侦探回答道。 “请问，您打算乘坐卡纳提克号航行吗？”

“是的先生。”

“我也是，女士，我非常失望。卡纳提克号修理完成后，在没有任何通知的情况下，于规定时间前十二小时离开香港；现在我们必须等待一周才能收到另一艘轮船。”

当他说“一周”时，菲克斯感到内心雀跃。福格在香港被扣留一周！搜查令还有时间到达，命运最终眷顾了法律代表。当他听到福格先生用平静的声音说：“但在我看来，除了卡纳提克号之外，香港港口里还有其他船只。”他的恐惧是可以想象的。

然后，他向艾乌达伸出手臂，朝码头走去，寻找即将启航的船只。修，愣，跟着；他似乎被一根无形的线连在了福格先生身上。然而，机遇似乎真的抛弃了迄今为止一直为它服务得很好的人。菲利斯·福格在码头上徘徊了三个小时，他决心在必要时租一艘船把他带到横滨。但他只能找到正在装货或卸货的船只，因此无法起航。菲克斯又开始满怀希望。

但福格先生并没有灰心丧气，而是继续寻找，并决心如果必须前往澳门也不会停下来，这时他在一个码头上被一名水手搭讪。

“阁下在找船吗？”

“你准备好船了吗？”

“是的，法官大人；领航船——不。 43——港口里最好的。”

“她走得快吗？”

“每小时八到九节。你会看她吗？”

“是的。”

“阁下会对她感到满意。是为了出海旅游吗？”

“不;为了一次航行。”

“一次航行？”

“是的，你同意带我去横滨吗？”

水手靠在栏杆上，睁大了眼睛，道：“阁下是在开玩笑吗？”

“不。我错过了卡纳提克号，最迟必须在 14 号之前到达横滨，乘船前往旧金山。”

“对不起，”水手说。 “但这是不可能的。”

“我每天给你一百英镑，如果我及时到达横滨，还会额外奖励两百英镑。”

“你认真吗？”

“非常。”

飞行员走开了一段距离，凝视着大海，显然在渴望获得大笔金钱的焦虑和对冒险这么远的恐惧之间挣扎。菲克斯陷入了致命的悬念。

福格先生转向艾乌达，问她：“您不会害怕，是吗，女士？”

“福格先生，你不会。”她回答道。

飞行员现在回来了，手里拿着帽子。

“怎么样，飞行员？”福格先生说。

“好吧，法官大人，”他回答道，“在每年的这个时候，我不能让自己、我的手下或者我那艘不到二十吨的小船冒险进行这么长的航行。此外，我们无法及时到达横滨，因为它距离香港一千六百六十英里。”

“只有一千六百，”福格先生说。

“这是同一件事。”

菲克斯呼吸更加自由。

“但是，”飞行员补充道，“可能会以另一种方式安排。”

菲克斯完全停止了呼吸。

“如何？”福格先生问道。

“去日本最南端的长崎，甚至去距离这里只有八百英里的上海。在去上海的过程中，我们不应该被迫绕过中国海岸，这将是一个很大的优势，因为洋流向北流动，并且会对我们有帮助。”

“飞行员，”福格先生说，“我必须在横滨乘坐美国轮船，而不是在上海或长崎。”

“为什么不？”飞行员返回。 “旧金山轮船不是从横滨出发的。它以横滨和长崎为终点，但从上海出发。”

“你确定吗？”

“完美。”

“那船什么时候离开上海？”

“十一号晚上七点。因此，我们还有四天时间，即九十六个小时；那时，如果我们运气好，有西南风，海面平静，我们就可以行驶八百英里到达上海。”

“你可以去——”

“一个小时内;等补给品装上船、扬帆起航。”

“这是一笔划算的交易。你是这艘船的主人吗？”

“是的;约翰·邦斯比（John Bunsby），坦克德雷号的船长。”

“你想要一些保证金吗？”

“如果这不会损害你的名誉——”

“先生，这里有两百英镑，”菲利斯·福格转向菲克斯补充道，“如果您想利用——”

“谢谢先生;我正想请你帮忙。”

“很好。半个小时后我们就上船了。”

“但是可怜的路路通呢？”艾乌达催促道，他对仆人的失踪感到非常不安。

“我会尽一切努力找到他，”菲利斯·福格回答道。

当菲克斯在发烧、紧张的状态下修理到领航艇时，其他人则直接前往香港警察局。菲利亚斯·福格在那里描述了路路通的情况，并留下了一笔钱用于寻找他。在法国领事馆办理了同样的手续，轿子停在酒店取了寄回的行李后，又回到了码头。

现在已经是三点钟了。 43号引航船载着船员，备有补给品，准备出发。

Tankadere 号是一艘 20 吨重的简洁小船，建造得优雅得就像一艘赛艇。她闪亮的铜质外壳、镀锌的铁制品、象牙般洁白的甲板，都背叛了约翰·邦斯比为让她变得体面而感到的自豪。她的两根桅杆稍微向后倾斜；她配备了双桅帆船、前帆、风暴三角帆和站立三角帆，并且装备精良，可以顺风行驶。她看起来速度很快，事实上，她在领航艇比赛中多次获奖就证明了这一点。坦卡德雷号的船员由船长约翰·本斯比（John Bunsby）和四名熟悉中国海域的勇敢水手组成。约翰·本斯比本人，四十五岁左右，精力充沛，皮肤晒黑，眼神明亮，面容充满活力和自信，即使是最胆怯的人也会充满信心。

Phileas Fogg 和 Aouda 上了船，发现 Fix 已经安装好了。甲板下面是一间方形的船舱，船舱的墙壁以婴儿床的形式凸出，上面有一张圆形沙发床。中间有一张桌子，上面有一盏摇晃的灯。住宿条件有限，但很整洁。

“很遗憾，我没有更好的东西可以提供给您。”福格先生对菲克斯说道，菲克斯鞠了一躬，没有回应。

侦探因受益于福格先生的好意而感到一种近乎羞辱的感觉。

“可以肯定的是，”他想，“尽管他是个无赖，但他是一个有礼貌的人！”

三点十分，​​风帆和英国国旗升起。坐在甲板上的福格先生和艾乌达最后看了一眼码头，希望能看到路路通。菲克斯并非没有担心，生怕这个不幸的仆人（他曾如此虐待过他）有机会朝这个方向走去。在这种情况下，必然会出现与侦探满意的相反的解释。但法国人并没有出现，而且毫无疑问，他仍处于鸦片的麻醉作用之下。

船长约翰·邦斯比 (John Bunsby) 最后下达了出发命令，坦克德雷号 (Tankadere) 在她的双桅船、前帆和直立三角帆下乘风而行，在海浪中轻快地向前跳跃。

在一年中的那个季节，乘坐一艘二十吨的船只，这次八百英里的航行是一次危险的冒险。中国海域通常风浪汹涌，经常遭受可怕的大风，尤其是在春分期间。现在已经是十一月初了。

显然，将乘客运送到横滨对船长有利，因为他每天可以获得一定的报酬。但他尝试这样的航行就太鲁莽了，甚至尝试到达上海也是不谨慎的。但约翰·邦斯比（John Bunsby）相信坦克德雷（Tankadere），它像海鸥一样在海浪中翱翔；也许他并没有错。

当天晚些时候，他们穿过香港反复无常的航道，坦克德雷号在顺风的推动下，表现得令人钦佩。

“我不需要，飞行员，”当他们进入公海时，菲利斯·福格说道，“建议你使用所有可能的速度。”

“相信我，法官大人。我们正扬帆起航。这些电线杆不会增加任何东西，只有在我们进港时才会使用。”

“这是你的职业，不是我的，飞行员，我信任你。”

菲利斯·福格挺直身子，双腿分开，像水手一样站着，目不转睛地看着汹涌的海水。坐在船尾的年轻女子看着窗外的海洋，她乘坐如此脆弱的船只冒险航行，海洋现在已随着暮色而变暗，她深受感动。头顶上，白色的风帆沙沙作响，就像巨大的白色翅膀。小船被风吹着前进，仿佛在空中飞翔。

夜幕降临了。月亮正进入上弦月，她那不足的光芒很快就会消失在地平线上的薄雾中。乌云从东方升起，已经遮蔽了部分天空。

领航员已经挂起了灯，这在这片挤满了驶往陆地的船只的海域里是非常必要的。因为碰撞并不罕见，而且以她的速度，最轻微的冲击都会使这艘英勇的小飞船破碎。

菲克斯坐在船头，陷入沉思。他知道福格先生沉默寡言的品味，因此与其他旅伴保持距离。此外，他不太喜欢和那个接受了他恩惠的人说话。他也在思考未来。福格似乎肯定不会在横滨停留，而是会立即乘船前往旧金山。美国幅员辽阔将确保他不受惩罚和安全。福格的计划在他看来是世界上最简单的计划。他没有像一个普通的恶棍一样从英国直接航行到美国，而是穿越了四分之三的地球，以便更有把握地占领美洲大陆；在那里，在摆脱警察的追踪后，他会静静地享受从银行偷来的财富。但是，一旦到了美国，他，菲克斯，应该做什么呢？他该放弃这个男人吗？不，一百次不！在他被引渡之前，他一个小时都不会失去他的踪影。这是他的职责，他会履行到底。无论如何，有一件事是值得庆幸的：路路通没有和他的主人在一起。最重要的是，在菲克斯向他透露了秘密之后，仆人永远不应该与他的主人交谈。

菲利斯·福格也在想着路路通，他就这么奇怪地消失了。从各个角度来看这件事，在他看来，这个人可能由于某种错误而在最后一刻登上了卡纳提克号，这似乎并非不可能；但他认为，这并不是不可能的。这也是艾乌达的看法，她对失去这个令她感激不尽的值得尊敬的人感到非常遗憾。然后他们可能会在横滨找到他；因为，如果卡纳提克号把他载到那里，就很容易确定他是否在船上。

十点左右，一阵微风徐徐吹来。但是，尽管收起暗礁可能是谨慎的做法，但飞行员在仔细检查了天空之后，还是让飞船像以前一样保持着操纵状态。坦卡德雷号的航行表现令人赞叹，因为她吸入了大量的水，一切都为在大风的情况下高速航行做好了准备。

半夜，福格先生和艾乌达走进了小屋，菲克斯已经先行一步，菲克斯已经躺在其中一张小床上。飞行员和船员整晚都留在甲板上。

第二天，也就是 8 月 XNUMX 日，日出时，船已经行驶了一百多英里。日志显示平均速度在八到九英里之间。坦卡德尔号仍然满帆航行，并正在达到她最大的航速。如果风向保持这样，机会就会对她有利。白天，她沿着海流有利的海岸航行。海岸线的轮廓不规则，有时隔着空地也能看见海岸线，距离最多五英里。由于风是从陆地吹来的，海上的风浪没那么大了——这对这艘船来说是幸运的，因为它的吨位很小，可能会受到海上汹涌巨浪的影响。

临近中午，微风稍稍减弱，从西南方向吹来。飞行员立起杆子，但两小时内风又刮起来，又把杆子放下来。

福格先生和艾乌达很高兴没有受到大海的波涛汹涌的影响，吃得津津有味，菲克斯被邀请分享他们的食物，他暗自懊恼地接受了。靠这个人的费用旅行并靠他的供给生活对他来说并不令人愉快。不过，他还是得吃，所以他就吃了。

吃完饭，他把福格先生拉开，说道：“先生”——这个“先生”嘴唇被烫焦了，他必须克制住自己，避免给这位“先生”套上项圈——“先生，您真是太好了。”给我在这艘船上让路。但是，虽然我的钱财不允许我像你一样自由地使用它们，但我必须要求支付我的那部分——”

“我们不要谈论这个，先生，”福格先生回答道。

“但是，如果我坚持——”

“不，先生，”福格先生重复道，语气不允许他回答。 “这属于我的一般开支。”

菲克斯鞠躬的时候，有一种窒息的感觉，他继续往前走去，在他安顿下来的地方，这一天剩下的时间里都没有开口。

与此同时，他们正在取得令人瞩目的进步，约翰·本斯比 (John Bunsby) 对此寄予厚望。他多次向福克先生保证他们会及时到达上海。这位先生回答说他指望着这一点。受到即将获得的奖励的鼓舞，船员们开始认真工作。没有一张布不被拉紧，没有一张帆不被大力升起。掌舵者不能指责他有任何失误。他们拼命地工作，就像参加皇家游艇比赛一样。

到了晚上，日志显示从香港出发已经行驶了 220 英里，福格先生可能希望他能够到达横滨，而不会在日志中记录任何延误；这样的话，离开伦敦以来发生的许多不幸事件就不会严重影响他的旅程。

坦克德雷号在深夜进入将福尔摩沙岛与中国海岸分开的佛建海峡，并穿越北回归线。海峡里的海水十分汹涌，充满了逆流形成的漩涡，汹涌的海浪扰乱了她的航向，站在甲板上也变得非常困难。

天一亮，风又开始刮起来，天空似乎预示着要刮大风。气压计宣布了迅速的变化，水银柱反复上升和下降。东南部的大海也掀起巨浪，预示着一场暴风雨。前一天晚上，太阳在红色的薄雾中落下，在海洋磷光闪烁的中间。

约翰·邦斯比长时间地审视着天空中充满威胁的一面，嘴里含糊不清地嘀咕着。最后他低声对福格先生说：“我可以为您说句话吗？”

“当然。”

“好吧，我们将会遭遇暴风雨。”

“风是北风还是南风？”福格先生轻声问道。

“南。看！台风即将来临。”

“很高兴这是一场来自南方的台风，因为它将引领我们前进。”

“哦，如果你这么认为，”约翰·邦斯比说，“我没什么可说的了。”约翰·邦斯比的怀疑得到了证实。根据一位著名气象学家的说法，在一年中较不晚的季节，台风会像一道发光的电火焰一样消失。但到了冬分，人们担心它会猛烈地袭击他们。

飞行员提前采取了预防措施。他收起所有帆，取消了杆桅。所有的手都向前伸向船头。一面用坚固的帆布制成的三角形帆被升起作为风暴三角帆，以便从后面挡住风。然后他们等待。

约翰·邦斯比 (John Bunsby) 要求乘客下楼；但这种囚禁在如此狭窄的空间里，空气稀少，船在大风中颠簸，实在令人不愉快。福格先生、菲克斯和艾乌达都不同意离开甲板。

八点左右，暴雨和狂风向他们袭来。坦卡德雷号只靠着一点帆，就像一根羽毛一样被风吹起，其暴力程度几乎无法想象。将她的速度与全速运转的机车速度的四倍进行比较是不真实的。

船一整天都在巨浪的推动下向北行驶，幸运的是，船的速度始终与他们相等。有二十次，她几乎被身后升起的水山淹没了。但飞行员巧妙的管理救了她。乘客们经常沐浴在水花中，但他们却理智地接受了它。毫无疑问，菲克斯咒骂了它；但艾乌达的目光紧盯着她的保护者，他的冷静令她惊讶，她表现出自己配得上他，并勇敢地度过了这场风暴。至于菲利斯·福格（Phileas Fogg），台风似乎是他计划的一部分。

到目前为止，坦卡德尔号一直保持向北航行。但到了晚上，风转向了四分之三，从西北方向吹来。船现在正躺在波谷里，剧烈地摇晃和翻滚。大海以可怕的力量袭击了她。到了晚上，暴风雨变得更加猛烈。约翰·邦斯比（John Bunsby）带着黑暗的疑虑看到了黑暗的临近和风暴的兴起。他想了一会儿，然后问他的船员是否是时候放慢速度了。经过一番协商后，他找到福格先生，说道：“法官大人，我认为我们最好前往沿海的一个港口。”

“我也这么认为。”

“啊！”飞行员说。 “但是哪一个呢？”

“我只知道一个，”福格先生平静地回答道。

“那就是-”

“上海。”

飞行员一开始似乎并没有理解；但他很快就明白了。他几乎体会不到如此大的决心和毅力。然后他喊道：“嗯——是的！您的荣誉是正确的。去上海！”

因此，坦克德雷号继续稳步向北航行。

那个夜晚实在是太可怕了。如果飞船没有沉没那就是一个奇迹。如果不是船员们一直在值班，她有两次可能就完蛋了。艾欧达已经筋疲力尽，但没有发出任何抱怨。福格先生不止一次冲过去保护她免受海浪的袭击。

天又出现了。暴风雨仍然肆虐，狂怒不减。但现在风又转为东南风。这是一个有利的变化，坦卡德雷号再次在这片多山的大海上向前跳跃，尽管海浪相互交叉，并产生冲击力和反冲击力，这可能会压垮一艘建造不那么坚固的船。透过破碎的薄雾，有时可以看到海岸，但看不见任何船只。坦卡德雷号孤身一人在海上。

中午有一些平静的迹象，随着太阳落向地平线，这些迹象变得更加明显。暴风雨虽然短暂，但也很可怕。疲惫不堪的乘客们现在可以吃点东西，休息一下。

夜晚比较安静。一些帆又扬了起来，船的速度非常好。第二天一早，他们看到了海岸，约翰·邦斯比断言他们距离上海不到一百英里。一百英里，只有一天的时间！当天晚上，如果福克先生不想错过开往横滨的轮船的话，他就应该到达上海。如果没有暴风雨，导致损失了好几个小时，他们此时此刻就已经距离目的地不到三十英里了。

风明显变得平静了，令人高兴的是，大海也随之平静下来。现在所有的风帆都已升起，中午时坦卡德尔号已到达距上海四十五英里的范围内。距离完成这一距离还有六个小时。船上的所有人都担心这件事无法完成，每个人——毫无疑问，菲利斯·福格除外——都感到自己的心跳得不耐烦了。船必须保持平均每小时九英里的速度，而且风每时每刻都变得更平静！这是一阵反复无常的微风，从海岸吹来，吹过之后，海面变得平静起来。尽管如此，坦卡德雷号仍然很轻，她的细帆很好地捕捉到了变化无常的西风，约翰·邦斯比借助水流，发现自己已经在六点钟位置，距上海河口不超过十英里。上海本身位于河流上游至少十二英里处。七点钟，他们距离上海还有三英里。飞行员愤怒地发誓；两百英镑的悬赏显然快要从他手中溜走了。他看着福格先生。福格先生非常平静。然而此刻他的全部财产都岌岌可危。

就在这时，水面边出现了一个长长的黑色漏斗，上面冒着一圈圈烟雾。那是美国轮船，按约定时间出发前往横滨。

“让她感到困惑！”约翰·邦斯比喊道，拼命地向后推舵。

“通知她！”菲利斯·福格轻声说道。

坦卡德雷号的前甲板上矗立着一门小型黄铜大炮，用于在雾中发出信号。它被装在枪口上；但就在飞行员准备向点火孔喷上烧红的煤时，福格先生说：“举起你的旗帜！”

国旗已降半旗，这是求救信号，希望美国轮船察觉后稍微改变航向，以救助领航艇。

“火！”福格先生说。而空中，也响起了小炮的轰鸣声。

卡纳提克号于7月XNUMX日六点半从香港起航，全速驶向日本。她载着大量货物和满舱乘客。然而，后面的两间特等舱却无人居住——那些是菲利斯·福格占用的。

第二天，一名乘客从第二间客舱出来，眼神半呆，步态蹒跚，头发凌乱，摇摇晃晃地走到甲板上的座位上。

这是路路通；他的遭遇是这样的：菲克斯离开鸦片馆后不久，两个侍者就抬起了昏迷不醒的路路通，把他带到了为吸烟者准备的床上。三小时后，即使在梦中，这个可怜的家伙也被一个固定的想法所困扰，他醒了，并与麻醉剂的令人麻木的影响作斗争。一想到自己还有未尽的义务，他的麻木感便一扫而空，他赶紧离开了醉酒的地方。他踉踉跄跄地靠着墙站了起来，跌倒了又爬起来，在一种本能的驱使下，他无法抗拒地不断喊叫：“卡纳提克！卡纳提克号！”

轮船气喘吁吁地停在码头边，正要出发。路路通只剩下几步路了；当卡纳蒂克号开动时，他冲上木板，跨过木板，倒在甲板上不省人事。几个水手显然已经习惯了这种场景，他们把可怜的法国人抬进了第二间船舱，直到他们距离中国一百五十英里时，路路通才醒过来。就这样，第二天早上，他发现自己站在卡纳提克号的甲板上，急切地呼吸着令人振奋的海风。纯净的空气使他清醒了。他开始集中注意力，但他发现这是一项艰巨的任务。但最后他想起了前一天晚上发生的事情、菲克斯的启示和鸦片馆。

“很明显，”他自言自语道，“我已经喝醉了！福格先生会说什么？至少我没有错过轮船，这是最重要的。”

然后，菲克斯想到：“至于那个流氓，我希望我们能把他彻底除掉，而且他也不敢像他提议的那样跟着我们登上卡纳蒂克号。一名侦探正在追踪被指控抢劫英格兰银行的福格先生！呸！福格先生不是强盗，就像我不是杀人犯一样。”

他应该向他的主人透露菲克斯的真实任务吗？说出侦探所扮演的角色有用吗？等福格先生再次到达伦敦，然后告诉他伦敦警察厅的特工一直在世界各地跟踪他，然后开怀一笑，不是更好吗？毫无疑问;至少，这是值得考虑的。首先要做的就是找到福格先生，并为他的奇怪行为道歉。

路路通站起来，随着汽船的滚动，尽其所能地前往后甲板。他没有看到任何人像他的老师或艾乌达。 “好的！”他嘀咕道； “艾乌达还没起床，福格先生估计已经在惠斯特找到了一些伙伴。”

他下楼来到客厅。福格先生不在场。然而，路路通只需询问事务长他主人的特等舱的号码。乘务长回答说，他不认识任何叫福格的乘客。

“请原谅，”路路通执着地说。 “他是一位身材高大的绅士，安静，不太爱说话，身边还有一位年轻女士——”

“船上没有年轻女士，”事务长打断道。 “这是乘客名单；你可以亲自看看。”

路路通扫视了名单，但上面没有他主人的名字。突然他想到了一个主意。

“啊！我在卡纳提克号上吗？”

“是的。”

“在去横滨的路上吗？”

“当然。”

路路通一度担心自己上错船了。但是，虽然他确实在卡纳提克号上，但他的主人却并不在那里。

他如遭雷击般跌倒在座位上。他现在看到了这一切。他记得航行时间已经改变，他应该将这一事实通知他的船长，但他没有这样做。那么，福格先生和艾乌达错过了轮船就是他的错。是的，但更多的是汉奸的错，为了拆散他的主人，并将他的主人拘留在香港，诱骗他喝醉了！现在他看出了侦探的诡计；此时此刻，福格先生肯定破产了，他的赌注输了，他自己说不定还被捕入狱了！想到这里，路路通撕扯着自己的头发。啊，如果菲克斯能落入他的掌控之中，那该是怎样的一笔清算啊！

在第一次抑郁之后，路路通变得平静下来，并开始研究自己的处境。这当然不是一件令人羡慕的事情。他正在去日本的路上，到达那里后他该怎么办？他的口袋空了；他连一先令都没有，连一分钱都没有。幸运的是，他的路费已经提前支付了。他有五六天的时间来决定他未来的路线。他吃饭时胃口很大，为福格先生、艾乌达和他自己吃。他慷慨地帮助自己，就好像日本是一片沙漠，那里找不到东西吃。

13日拂晓，卡纳提克号驶入横滨港。这是太平洋上的一个重要停靠港，所有邮船以及往返于北美、中国、日本和东方群岛之间的旅客的船只都在此停泊。它位于耶多湾，距离距离日本帝国的第二首都不远，也是大亨、民事天皇的住所，后来天皇、精神天皇将他的办公室吸收到了自己的办公室中。卡纳提克号停泊在海关附近的码头，停泊在一群悬挂各国国旗的船只中间。

路路通胆怯地登上了太阳之子这片如此奇特的领地。他无事可做，只能趁着导游的机会，在横滨的街道上漫无目的地闲逛。他首先发现自己置身于一个完全欧洲化的街区，房屋的正面较低，装饰着阳台，在阳台下他瞥见了整洁的柱廊。这一区的街道、广场、码头和仓库占据了“条约海角”和河流之间的所有空间。与香港和加尔各答一样，这里挤满了各种种族的人群，有美国人、英国人、中国人和荷兰人，其中大多数是准备买卖任何东西的商人。法国人觉得自己在他们中间非常孤独，就好像他落在了霍屯督人中间一样。

他至少有一种资源，那就是向横滨的法国和英国领事寻求帮助。但他不敢讲述自己的冒险故事，因为这与他主人的故事密切相关。在此之前，他决定用尽所有其他援助手段。由于他在欧洲地区的机会并不好，他深入日本本土居住的地区，并决心在必要时向耶多推进。

横滨的日本区被称为“弁天”，得名于周围岛屿上供奉的海洋女神。在那里，路路通看到了美丽的冷杉和雪松林，独特建筑的神圣大门，半隐于竹子和芦苇丛中的桥梁，巨大雪松树荫下的寺庙，庇护着佛教僧侣和孔子门派的圣所，以及绵延不绝的街道那里可能聚集了一群玫瑰红脸颊的孩子，他们看起来就像是从日本屏风上剪下来的，在短腿贵宾犬和淡黄色的猫中间玩耍。

街道上挤满了人。牧师们列队经过，敲着沉闷的手鼓。警察和海关官员戴着镶有紫胶的尖顶帽子，腰间挂着两把军刀；士兵身穿带有白色条纹的蓝色棉衣，手持枪支；天皇的卫兵，身穿丝绸双衣、锁子甲和锁子甲；许多各级军人——因为军人职业在日本受到尊重，而在中国却受到鄙视——成群结队地到处走动。路路通还看到了乞讨的修道士、长袍朝圣者和朴素的平民，他们头发乌黑，翘曲，头大，胸围长，腿细，身材矮小，肤色从古铜色到死白，但绝不像中国人那样是黄色的，而日本人与中国人有很大不同。他并没有忽视那些奇怪的装备——马车、轿子、带帆的手推车和竹子做的轿子。也没有那些女人——他认为她们不是特别英俊——小脚迈着小步，脚上穿着帆布鞋、草鞋和木底鞋，眼睛紧绷，胸部平坦，牙齿被时尚地熏黑，礼服上交叉着丝质围巾，在装饰品后面打了一个巨大的结，现代巴黎女士们似乎从日本贵妇那里借来了这种装饰品。

路路通在这群杂乱的人群中徘徊了好几个小时，看着富有而好奇的商店的橱窗，珠宝店里闪烁着古色古香的日本装饰品，餐馆里挂满了飘带和横幅，茶馆里散发着异味。人们一边喝着清酒（一种用大米发酵而成的酒），一边在舒适的吸烟室里喝饮料，他们吸的不是鸦片（鸦片在日本几乎不为人所知），而是一种非常细腻、粘稠的烟草。他继续前行，直到发现自己来到了田野里，来到了广阔的稻田之中。在那里，他看到令人眼花缭乱的山茶花正在绽放，花朵正在散发出最后的颜色和香气，不是在灌木丛上，而是在树上，在竹围内，还有樱桃树、李子树和苹果树，日本人种植这些树不是为了开花，而是为了开花。他们的果实，还有奇怪的、咧着嘴笑的稻草人，保护它们免受麻雀、鸽子、乌鸦和其他贪婪的鸟类的侵害。雪松的枝条上栖息着大鹰；垂柳间有苍鹭，庄严地单腿站立。手上到处都是乌鸦、鸭子、鹰、野鸟和众多的鹤，日本人认为它们是神圣的，在他们看来象征着长寿和繁荣。

路路通一边散步，一边在灌木丛中发现了一些紫罗兰。

“好的！”他说； “我去吃点晚饭。”

但他闻了闻，却发现它们没有任何气味。

“没有机会，”他想。

这位可敬的家伙在离开卡纳提克号之前当然已经小心翼翼地吃了一顿尽可能丰盛的早餐。但是，由于他已经走了一整天，饥饿的需求变得越来越迫切。他观察到肉店摊位上既没有羊肉、山羊，也没有猪肉；他还知道宰杀牛是一种亵渎，因为牛只被保留用于农耕，因此他断定横滨的肉类远非充足——他也没有弄错。如果没有肉，他可能会想要四分之一的野猪或鹿，一只鹧鸪，或一些鹌鹑，一些野味或鱼，日本人几乎只吃米饭。但他发现有必要保持一颗坚强的心，并将他渴望的那顿饭推迟到第二天早上。夜幕降临，路路通重新回到了家乡，他在五彩灯笼照亮的街道上漫步，看着舞者们熟练的舞步和跳跃，还有站在露天的占星师。他们的望远镜。然后他来到了港口，渔民们在船上捕鱼，他们的树脂火把照亮了港口。

街道终于安静下来，巡逻队接替了熙熙攘攘的人群，路路通认为巡逻队的军官们穿着华丽的服装，周围都是他们的套房，就像大使一样。每有一个连队经过，路路通就咯咯地笑一声，自言自语道：“好啊！又一个日本大使馆启程前往欧洲！”

第二天早上，可怜、疲倦、饥饿的路路通对自己说，他必须不惜一切代价去找点吃的，而且越早越好。事实上，他可能会卖掉他的手表；但他会先挨饿。现在，或者永远，他必须使用大自然赐予他的强有力的声音，即使不是悦耳的声音。他懂得几首法语和英语歌曲，并决定向日本人试一试，日本人一定是音乐爱好者，因为他们永远敲着铙钹、tam-tam和铃鼓，并且不能不欣赏欧洲的才华。

或许，音乐会的清晨很早，观众们过早地从睡梦中醒来，可能不会用带有天皇头像的硬币付给表演者钱。因此，路路通决定再等几个小时。当他闲逛时，他突然想到，对于一个流浪艺术家来说，他的穿着似乎太考究了。他突然想到要把自己的衣服换成更符合他的计划的衣服。借此他还可以得到一点钱来满足眼前的饥饿感。决议已通过，仍有待执行。

经过长时间的寻找，路路通才找到了一位当地的旧衣服经销商，并向他提出了换货申请。这个男人喜欢欧洲的服装，不久路路通就从他的店里出来了，他穿着一件旧的日本外套，戴着一种单面头巾，由于使用时间长了，已经褪色了。此外，他的口袋里还叮当响着几块小银子。

“好的！”他想。 “我会想象我在嘉年华！”

成为“日本人”后，他首先关心的就是走进一家外表朴素的茶馆，吃半只鸟和一点米饭，像一个晚餐还没有解决的人一样吃早餐。

“现在，”他吃饱后想，“我不能失去理智。我不能再为了一个日本人再卖这套服装了。我必须考虑如何尽快离开这个太阳之国，我不会在其中保留最愉快的回忆。”

他突然想到要参观即将开往美国的轮船。他愿意担任厨师或仆人，以支付路费和餐费。一旦到达旧金山，他就会找到一些继续下去的方法。困难在于如何穿越日本和新大陆之间四千七百英里的太平洋。

路路通不是一个会轻易乞求想法的人，他径直朝码头走去。但是，当他走近他们时，他的计划起初看起来很简单，但在他看来，开始变得越来越令人畏惧。他们对美国轮船上的厨师或仆人有什么需要？以他的穿着，他们会对他有什么信心？他可以提供什么参考资料？

当他这样思考时，他的目光落在了一张巨大的标语牌上，上面有一个小丑举着，穿过街道。这张标语牌是英文的，内容如下：

日本杂技团、
尊敬的业主威廉·巴图尔卡，
最后的陈述，
在他们出发前往美国之前，
长鼻子！长鼻子！
在廷古神的直接赞助下！很棒的景点！

“美国！”路路通说； “这正是我想要的！”

他跟着小丑，很快又来到了日本人居住区。一刻钟后，他在一间大木屋前停了下来，木屋装饰着几簇飘带，外墙的设计以暴力的色彩和无透视的方式代表了一群杂耍者。

这是威廉·巴图尔卡 (William Batulcar) 阁下的机构。这位先生有点像巴纳姆，是一个由江湖骗子、杂耍演员、小丑、杂技演员、平衡演员和体操运动员组成的剧团的导演，根据标语牌，他正在离开太阳帝国前往美国之前进行最后的表演。工会。

路路通进来询问巴图尔卡先生，巴图尔卡先生立即亲自出现。

“你想要什么？”他对路路通说道，他一开始还以为路路通是本地人。

“先生，需要一个仆人吗？”路路通问道。

“一位服务员！”巴图尔卡先生一边叫道，一边抚摸着下巴上垂下的浓密的灰色胡须。 “我已经有了两个听话、忠诚的人，从来没有离开过我，为我提供营养，他们就在这里，”他补充道，伸出两条粗壮的手臂，手臂上布满了像低音琴弦一样大的血管——中提琴。

“那我对你来说就没有什么用处了吗？”

“没有任何。”

“恶魔！我真想和你一起跨越太平洋！”

“啊！”巴图尔卡先生阁下说道。 “你不是日本人，就像我不是猴子一样！你穿成这样是谁啊？”

“男人要尽可能地穿着。”

“这是真的。你是法国人，不是吗？”

“是的;巴黎人。”

“那你应该会做鬼脸吧？”

“为什么，”路路通回答道，他对自己的国籍引起了这个问题感到有点恼火，“我们法国人知道如何做鬼脸，这是事实，但并不比美国人好多少。”

“真的。好吧，如果我不能把你当仆人，我可以当小丑。你看，我的朋友，在法国他们展出外国小丑，在国外则展出法国小丑。”

“啊！”

“你很强，嗯？”

“尤其是在饱餐一顿之后。”

“你会唱歌吗？”

“是的，”路路通回答道，他以前习惯在街上唱歌。

“但是你能倒立唱歌吗？左脚踩着旋转的陀螺，右脚踩着平衡的军刀？”

“哼！我想是的。”路路通回忆起年轻时的练习，回答道。

“好吧，够了，”威廉·巴图尔卡阁下说。

订婚当场就结束了。

路路通终于找到了事可做。他受聘在著名的日本剧团演出。这不是一个非常有尊严的职位，但一周之内他将启程前往旧金山。

巴图尔卡先生大声宣布演出将于三点钟开始，很快日本管弦乐队震耳欲聋的乐器声就在门口响起。尽管路路通无法学习或排练某个角色，但他被指定在由长鼻子廷古神表演的“人体金字塔”大型展览中，用他强壮的肩膀来帮忙。这个“巨大的吸引力”就是演出的结束。

三点钟之前，大棚子里就挤满了观众，有欧洲人、本地人、中国人、日本人、男人、女人和孩子，他们挤在狭窄的长凳上，挤进舞台对面的包厢里。乐师们在里面占据一席之地，用锣、鼓、笛、骨、手鼓和大鼓进行着激烈的表演。

表演很像所有的杂技表演。但必须承认，日本人是世界上最早的均衡论者。

一个拿着一把扇子和一些纸片，表演了蝴蝶和花朵的优美戏法；另一个则用烟斗的臭气在空中划出一连串蓝色的字，构成了对观众的赞美。第三个则用一些点燃的蜡烛玩杂耍，当蜡烛经过他的嘴唇时，他相继熄灭，然后又重新点燃，没有一刻中断他的杂耍。另一个则用陀螺复制了最奇特的组合；在他手中，旋转的陀螺在无休止的旋转中似乎有了自己的生命。他们跑过管杆、军刀的边缘、电线，甚至头发都在舞台上伸展。他们在大玻璃杯的边缘转来转去，越过竹梯，分散到各个角落，通过各种音高的组合产生奇怪的音乐效果。杂耍者把它们抛向空中，就像用木板拍打羽毛球一样，但它们仍然在旋转；他们把它们放进口袋，拿出来，它们仍然像以前一样旋转。

杂技演员和体操运动员的惊人表演是无法用言语来形容的。梯子、杆子、球、桶等的转动都非常精确。

但最吸引人的还是长鼻子展览，欧洲对这个展览还很陌生。

长鼻子组成了一个特殊的团体，受到廷古神的直接赞助。他们穿着中世纪的时尚服装，肩上扛着一对华丽的翅膀。但他们特别突出的是长在脸上的长鼻子，以及他们对鼻子的用途。这些鼻子是用竹子做的，有五英尺、六英尺、甚至十英尺长，有的直的，有的弯曲，有的带状，有的上面有仿制的疣。他们正是利用这些紧紧固定在真实鼻子上的附肢进行体操练习。廷古的十几个教派平躺在地上，而其他人则穿着代表避雷针的衣服，在鼻子上嬉戏，从一个跳到另一个，表演最熟练的跳跃和翻筋斗。

最后一个场景是“人体金字塔”，其中五十个长鼻子代表主宰之车。但是，艺术家们不是通过彼此搭在肩膀上形成金字塔，而是将自己聚集在鼻子上方。碰巧，迄今为止构成汽车基础的表演者已经退出了剧团，而要填补这一空缺，只需要力量和技巧，路路通就被选来接替他的位置。

当这个可怜的家伙穿上他的服装，装饰着彩色的翅膀，并在他的自然特征上固定一个六英尺长的假鼻子时，他真的感到悲伤——对他的青春的忧郁回忆！但当他想到这只鼻子给他赢得了吃的东西时，他就高兴起来。

他走上舞台，在其他将要组成主宰之车底座的人旁边就座。他们都趴在地板上，鼻子指向天花板。第二组艺术家将自己安置在这些长长的附属物上，然后是第三组艺术家，然后是第四组，直到鼻子上方很快出现了一座一直延伸到剧院飞檐的人体纪念碑。这引起了热烈的掌声，就在管弦乐队刚刚奏出震耳欲聋的乐章时，金字塔摇摇欲坠，失去了平衡，金字塔下的一个鼻子消失了，人体纪念碑像一座城堡一样被粉碎。卡片！

这是路路通的错。他放弃了自己的位置，不用翅膀就清理了脚灯，爬到右边的走廊上，倒在一个观众的脚边，哭喊着：“啊，我的主人！我的主人！”

“你在这里？”

“我。”

“很好;那我们就去轮船吧，年轻人！”

福格先生、艾乌达和路路通穿过剧院大厅到外面，遇到了勃然大怒的巴图尔卡阁下。他要求对金字塔的“破坏”进行赔偿；菲利斯·福格给了他一把钞票安抚他。

六点半，正是出发的时刻，福格先生和艾达，后面是路路通，他在匆忙中保留了翅膀，鼻子长六英尺，登上了美国轮船。

当引航船驶近上海时发生的事情是很容易猜到的。横滨轮船的船长看到了坦克卡德雷发出的信号，船长看到降半旗，就向这艘小船驶去。菲利斯·福格向约翰·巴斯比支付了规定的船费，并额外奖励了五百五十英镑，然后与艾乌达和菲克斯一起登上了轮船。他们立即出发前往长崎和横滨。

14月XNUMX日上午，他们到达了目的地。菲利亚斯·福格立即登上了卡纳提克号，在那里他得知，令艾乌达非常高兴的是——也许他自己也很高兴，尽管他没有流露出任何感情——路路通，一个法国人，真的在前一天到达了她身边。

旧金山轮船宣布当天晚上就出发，因此有必要尽可能立即找到路路通。福格先生向法国和英国领事申请无果，在街上徘徊了很长时间后，开始对寻找失踪仆人感到绝望。一次偶然的机会，或许是一种预感，他终于走进了巴图尔卡先生的剧院。他当然不会认出身着古怪江湖骗子服装的路路通。但后者仰面躺着，在画廊里看到了他的主人。他忍不住开始，鼻子的位置发生了改变，导致舞台上的“金字塔”乱七八糟。

所有这一切都是路路通从艾乌达那里得知的，艾乌达向他讲述了在一位菲克斯先生的陪伴下乘坐坦卡德雷号从香港到上海的航行中所发生的事情。

听到这个名字，路路通面无表情。他认为现在还没有到向他的主人透露他和侦探之间发生的事情的时候。在他缺席的叙述中，他只是为自己在香港一家小酒馆吸鸦片时喝醉了而找借口。

福格先生冷冷地听着这番叙述，一言不发。然后向他的人提供必要的资金，以获得更符合他的地位的衣服。不到一个小时，法国人就割掉了鼻子，割掉了翅膀，身上没有留下任何让人想起廷古神教的东西。

这艘即将从横滨开往旧金山的轮船属于太平洋邮政轮船公司，名为格兰特将军号。她是一艘两千五百吨的大型明轮汽船；装备精良而且速度非常快。巨大的游梁在甲板上方升起又落下。一端有一根上下运动的活塞杆；另一端是一根连杆，将直线运动变为圆周运动，直接与桨轴相连。格兰特将军号装有三根桅杆，具有很大的帆容量，从而为蒸汽动力提供了物质上的帮助。如果以每小时十二英里的速度行驶，她将在二十一天内横渡海洋。因此，菲利亚斯·福格有理由希望他能在 2 月 11 日之前到达旧金山，在 20 日之前到达纽约，在 21 日之前到达伦敦，这样就比 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日这个致命的日期节省了几个小时。

船上乘客满满当当，其中有英国人，也有很多美国人，还有大批前往加利福尼亚州的苦力，还有几名正在环游世界度假的东印度军官。航行中没有发生什么大事。轮船靠大桨支撑，滚动很小，太平洋几乎名副其实。福格先生一如既往地冷静、沉默寡言。他的年轻同伴觉得自己越来越依恋他，除了感激之外，还有其他的联系。他沉默寡言但慷慨的性格给她留下的印象比她想象的还要深刻。她几乎是无意识地屈服于情绪，而这似乎对她的保护者没有产生丝毫影响。阿乌达对他的计划非常感兴趣，对任何可能阻碍他旅程的事件都变得不耐烦。

她经常和路路通聊天，路路通自然能看出这位女士的内心状态。作为最忠诚的仆人，他对菲利亚斯·福格的诚实、慷慨和奉献赞不绝口。他煞费苦心地安抚青田对旅程能否顺利结束的疑虑，告诉她最困难的部分已经过去，现在他们已经超越了日本和中国这两个神奇的国家，正在再次踏上前往文明之地的路上。 。从旧金山到纽约的火车，以及从纽约到利物浦的跨大西洋轮船，无疑将在约定的时间内结束这趟不可能的环球之旅。

离开横滨后的第九天，菲利斯·福格已经走过了整整半个地球。 23 月 23 日，格兰特将军号通过了第一百八十条子午线，到达了伦敦的正对点。确实，福格先生在他要完成这次旅行的八十天内已经筋疲力尽了五十二天，只剩下二十八天了。不过，虽然他只走了一半的经脉之差，但他确实已经走了三分之二以上的路程了；因为他不得不长途跋涉，从伦敦到亚丁，从亚丁到孟买，从加尔各答到新加坡，从新加坡到横滨。如果他没有偏离第五十条纬线，即伦敦的纬线，那么整个距离大约只有一万二千英里；然而，由于不规则的运动方式，他将被迫穿越两万六千英里，而在 XNUMX 月 XNUMX 日，他已经完成了一万七千五百英里。现在路线是笔直的，菲克斯不再在那里设置障碍！

23 月 XNUMX 日，路路通也有了一个令人高兴的发现。人们会记得，这个顽固的家伙坚持让他著名的家族手表保持伦敦时间，并认为他所经过的国家的手表是非常虚假和不可靠的。如今，这一天，虽然他没有换指针，但他发现自己的手表与船上的精密计时器完全一致。他的胜利令人捧腹。他很想知道如果菲克斯在船上会说什么！

“盗贼给我讲了很多故事，”路路通重复道，“关于经络、太阳和月亮的故事！确实是月亮！月光更有可能！如果一个人听从这样的人的话，就会度过一段美好的时光！我确信有一天太阳会通过我的手表自行调节！”

路路通不知道，如果他的手表的表盘像意大利时钟一样分为二十四小时，他就没有理由高兴；因为那时他的手表指针将不再像现在那样指示早上九点，而是指示晚上九点，即午夜后的二十一点，正是伦敦时间与伦敦时间之间的差异。第一百八十条经线。但如果菲克斯能够解释这种纯粹的物理效应，路路通也不会承认，即使他已经理解了。此外，如果侦探当时在船上，路路通就会以完全不同的方式就一个完全不同的主题与他争论。

此时菲克斯在哪里？

他实际上在格兰特将军号上。

到达横滨后，侦探留下福格先生（他预计白天会再次见到他），立即前往英国领事馆，在那里他终于找到了逮捕令。它是跟着他从孟买出发，乘卡纳提克号来的，而他本人本应乘坐这艘轮船。当菲克斯反映搜查令现在毫无用处时，他的失望之情可想而知。福格先生已经离开英国，现在有必要引渡他！

“好吧，”菲克斯怒气冲冲地想道，“我的搜查令在这里不好，但会在英格兰。这名歹徒显然打算返回自己的国家，认为他已经让警方失去了踪迹。好的！我将跟随他横渡大西洋。至于钱，天赐可能还剩下一些！但这个家伙已经在旅行、奖励、审判、保释、大象和各种费用上花费了五千多英镑。但毕竟银行很有钱！”

他的航线决定了，他登上了格兰特将军号，福格先生和艾达到达时他就在那里。令他大吃一惊的是，尽管他进行了戏剧性的伪装，但他还是认出了路路通。他迅速躲进自己的机舱，以避免尴尬的解释，并希望——由于乘客人数众多——不被福格先生的仆人发现。

然而就在那天，他在前甲板上与路路通面对面。后者一言不发地冲向他，掐住了他的喉咙，令一群立即开始对他打赌的美国人感到好笑的是，他对侦探进行了一系列完美的打击，这让一群美国人感到非常好笑。证明了法语的拳击技巧比英语优越。

当路路通说完后，他发现自己松了口气，感到安慰。菲克斯有些狼狈地起身，看着对手，冷冷道：“说完了吗？”

“这一次——是的。”

“那我跟你说句话吧。”

“但是我-”

“为了你主人的利益。”

路路通似乎被菲克斯的冷静所征服，静静地跟在他后面，他们在其他乘客旁边坐下。

“你狠狠地打了我一顿。”菲克斯说。 “很好，我预料到了。现在，听我说。到目前为止，我一直是福格先生的对手。我现在就在他的游戏里了。”

“啊哈！”路路通叫道； “你确信他是一个诚实的人？”

“No,” replied Fix coldly, “I think him a rascal. Sh! don’t budge, and let me speak. As long as Mr. Fogg was on English ground, it was for my interest to detain him there until my warrant of arrest arrived. I did everything I could to keep him back. I sent the Bombay priests after him, I got you intoxicated at Hong Kong, I separated you from him, and I made him miss the Yokohama steamer.”

Passepartout listened, with closed fists.

“Now,” resumed Fix, “Mr. Fogg seems to be going back to England. Well, I will follow him there. But hereafter I will do as much to keep obstacles out of his way as I have done up to this time to put them in his path. I’ve changed my game, you see, and simply because it was for my interest to change it. Your interest is the same as mine; for it is only in England that you will ascertain whether you are in the service of a criminal or an honest man.”

Passepartout listened very attentively to Fix, and was convinced that he spoke with entire good faith.

“Are we friends?” asked the detective.

“Friends?—no,” replied Passepartout; “but allies, perhaps. At the least sign of treason, however, I’ll twist your neck for you.”

“Agreed,” said the detective quietly.

Eleven days later, on the 3rd of December, the General Grant entered the bay of the Golden Gate, and reached San Francisco.

Mr. Fogg had neither gained nor lost a single day.

It was seven in the morning when Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and Passepartout set foot upon the American continent, if this name can be given to the floating quay upon which they disembarked. These quays, rising and falling with the tide, thus facilitate the loading and unloading of vessels. Alongside them were clippers of all sizes, steamers of all nationalities, and the steamboats, with several decks rising one above the other, which ply on the Sacramento and its tributaries. There were also heaped up the products of a commerce which extends to Mexico, Chili, Peru, Brazil, Europe, Asia, and all the Pacific islands.

Passepartout, in his joy on reaching at last the American continent, thought he would manifest it by executing a perilous vault in fine style; but, tumbling upon some worm-eaten planks, he fell through them. Put out of countenance by the manner in which he thus “set foot” upon the New World, he uttered a loud cry, which so frightened the innumerable cormorants and pelicans that are always perched upon these movable quays, that they flew noisily away.

Mr. Fogg, on reaching shore, proceeded to find out at what hour the first train left for New York, and learned that this was at six o’clock p.m.; he had, therefore, an entire day to spend in the Californian capital. Taking a carriage at a charge of three dollars, he and Aouda entered it, while Passepartout mounted the box beside the driver, and they set out for the International Hotel.

From his exalted position Passepartout observed with much curiosity the wide streets, the low, evenly ranged houses, the Anglo-Saxon Gothic churches, the great docks, the palatial wooden and brick warehouses, the numerous conveyances, omnibuses, horse-cars, and upon the side-walks, not only Americans and Europeans, but Chinese and Indians. Passepartout was surprised at all he saw. San Francisco was no longer the legendary city of 1849—a city of banditti, assassins, and incendiaries, who had flocked hither in crowds in pursuit of plunder; a paradise of outlaws, where they gambled with gold-dust, a revolver in one hand and a bowie-knife in the other: it was now a great commercial emporium.

The lofty tower of its City Hall overlooked the whole panorama of the streets and avenues, which cut each other at right-angles, and in the midst of which appeared pleasant, verdant squares, while beyond appeared the Chinese quarter, seemingly imported from the Celestial Empire in a toy-box. Sombreros and red shirts and plumed Indians were rarely to be seen; but there were silk hats and black coats everywhere worn by a multitude of nervously active, gentlemanly-looking men. Some of the streets—especially Montgomery Street, which is to San Francisco what Regent Street is to London, the Boulevard des Italiens to Paris, and Broadway to New York—were lined with splendid and spacious stores, which exposed in their windows the products of the entire world.

When Passepartout reached the International Hotel, it did not seem to him as if he had left England at all.

The ground floor of the hotel was occupied by a large bar, a sort of restaurant freely open to all passers-by, who might partake of dried beef, oyster soup, biscuits, and cheese, without taking out their purses. Payment was made only for the ale, porter, or sherry which was drunk. This seemed “very American” to Passepartout. The hotel refreshment-rooms were comfortable, and Mr. Fogg and Aouda, installing themselves at a table, were abundantly served on diminutive plates by negroes of darkest hue.

After breakfast, Mr. Fogg, accompanied by Aouda, started for the English consulate to have his passport visaed. As he was going out, he met Passepartout, who asked him if it would not be well, before taking the train, to purchase some dozens of Enfield rifles and Colt’s revolvers. He had been listening to stories of attacks upon the trains by the Sioux and Pawnees. Mr. Fogg thought it a useless precaution, but told him to do as he thought best, and went on to the consulate.

He had not proceeded two hundred steps, however, when, “by the greatest chance in the world,” he met Fix. The detective seemed wholly taken by surprise. What! Had Mr. Fogg and himself crossed the Pacific together, and not met on the steamer! At least Fix felt honoured to behold once more the gentleman to whom he owed so much, and, as his business recalled him to Europe, he should be delighted to continue the journey in such pleasant company.

Mr. Fogg replied that the honour would be his; and the detective—who was determined not to lose sight of him—begged permission to accompany them in their walk about San Francisco—a request which Mr. Fogg readily granted.

They soon found themselves in Montgomery Street, where a great crowd was collected; the side-walks, street, horsecar rails, the shop-doors, the windows of the houses, and even the roofs, were full of people. Men were going about carrying large posters, and flags and streamers were floating in the wind; while loud cries were heard on every hand.

“Hurrah for Camerfield!”

“Hurrah for Mandiboy!”

It was a political meeting; at least so Fix conjectured, who said to Mr. Fogg, “Perhaps we had better not mingle with the crowd. There may be danger in it.”

“Yes,” returned Mr. Fogg; “and blows, even if they are political are still blows.”

Fix smiled at this remark; and, in order to be able to see without being jostled about, the party took up a position on the top of a flight of steps situated at the upper end of Montgomery Street. Opposite them, on the other side of the street, between a coal wharf and a petroleum warehouse, a large platform had been erected in the open air, towards which the current of the crowd seemed to be directed.

For what purpose was this meeting? What was the occasion of this excited assemblage? Phileas Fogg could not imagine. Was it to nominate some high official—a governor or member of Congress? It was not improbable, so agitated was the multitude before them.

Just at this moment there was an unusual stir in the human mass. All the hands were raised in the air. Some, tightly closed, seemed to disappear suddenly in the midst of the cries—an energetic way, no doubt, of casting a vote. The crowd swayed back, the banners and flags wavered, disappeared an instant, then reappeared in tatters. The undulations of the human surge reached the steps, while all the heads floundered on the surface like a sea agitated by a squall. Many of the black hats disappeared, and the greater part of the crowd seemed to have diminished in height.

“It is evidently a meeting,” said Fix, “and its object must be an exciting one. I should not wonder if it were about the Alabama, despite the fact that that question is settled.”

“Perhaps,” replied Mr. Fogg, simply.

“At least, there are two champions in presence of each other, the Honourable Mr. Camerfield and the Honourable Mr. Mandiboy.”

Aouda, leaning upon Mr. Fogg’s arm, observed the tumultuous scene with surprise, while Fix asked a man near him what the cause of it all was. Before the man could reply, a fresh agitation arose; hurrahs and excited shouts were heard; the staffs of the banners began to be used as offensive weapons; and fists flew about in every direction. Thumps were exchanged from the tops of the carriages and omnibuses which had been blocked up in the crowd. Boots and shoes went whirling through the air, and Mr. Fogg thought he even heard the crack of revolvers mingling in the din, the rout approached the stairway, and flowed over the lower step. One of the parties had evidently been repulsed; but the mere lookers-on could not tell whether Mandiboy or Camerfield had gained the upper hand.

“It would be prudent for us to retire,” said Fix, who was anxious that Mr. Fogg should not receive any injury, at least until they got back to London. “If there is any question about England in all this, and we were recognised, I fear it would go hard with us.”

“An English subject—” began Mr. Fogg.

He did not finish his sentence; for a terrific hubbub now arose on the terrace behind the flight of steps where they stood, and there were frantic shouts of, “Hurrah for Mandiboy! Hip, hip, hurrah!”

It was a band of voters coming to the rescue of their allies, and taking the Camerfield forces in flank. Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and Fix found themselves between two fires; it was too late to escape. The torrent of men, armed with loaded canes and sticks, was irresistible. Phileas Fogg and Fix were roughly hustled in their attempts to protect their fair companion; the former, as cool as ever, tried to defend himself with the weapons which nature has placed at the end of every Englishman’s arm, but in vain. A big brawny fellow with a red beard, flushed face, and broad shoulders, who seemed to be the chief of the band, raised his clenched fist to strike Mr. Fogg, whom he would have given a crushing blow, had not Fix rushed in and received it in his stead. An enormous bruise immediately made its appearance under the detective’s silk hat, which was completely smashed in.

“Yankee!” exclaimed Mr. Fogg, darting a contemptuous look at the ruffian.

“Englishman!” returned the other. “We will meet again!”

“当你愿意的时候。”

“请问你贵姓大名？”

“Phileas Fogg. And yours?”

“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.

“No thanks are necessary,” replied. Fix; “but let us go.”

“哪里？”

“To a tailor’s.”

Such a visit was, indeed, opportune. The clothing of both Mr. Fogg and Fix was in rags, as if they had themselves been actively engaged in the contest between Camerfield and Mandiboy. An hour after, they were once more suitably attired, and with Aouda returned to the International Hotel.

Passepartout was waiting for his master, armed with half a dozen six-barrelled revolvers. When he perceived Fix, he knit his brows; but Aouda having, in a few words, told him of their adventure, his countenance resumed its placid expression. Fix evidently was no longer an enemy, but an ally; he was faithfully keeping his word.

Dinner over, the coach which was to convey the passengers and their luggage to the station drew up to the door. As he was getting in, Mr. Fogg said to Fix, “You have not seen this Colonel Proctor again?”

“没有。”

“I will come back to America to find him,” said Phileas Fogg calmly. “It would not be right for an Englishman to permit himself to be treated in that way, without retaliating.”

The detective smiled, but did not reply. It was clear that Mr. Fogg was one of those Englishmen who, while they do not tolerate duelling at home, fight abroad when their honour is attacked.

At a quarter before six the travellers reached the station, and found the train ready to depart. As he was about to enter it, Mr. Fogg called a porter, and said to him: “My friend, was there not some trouble to-day in San Francisco?”

“It was a political meeting, sir,” replied the porter.

“But I thought there was a great deal of disturbance in the streets.”

“It was only a meeting assembled for an election.”

“The election of a general-in-chief, no doubt?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“No, sir; of a justice of the peace.”

Phileas Fogg got into the train, which started off at full speed.

“From ocean to ocean”—so say the Americans; and these four words compose the general designation of the “great trunk line” which crosses the entire width of the United States. The Pacific Railroad is, however, really divided into two distinct lines: the Central Pacific, between San Francisco and Ogden, and the Union Pacific, between Ogden and Omaha. Five main lines connect Omaha with New York.

New York and San Francisco are thus united by an uninterrupted metal ribbon, which measures no less than three thousand seven hundred and eighty-six miles. Between Omaha and the Pacific the railway crosses a territory which is still infested by Indians and wild beasts, and a large tract which the Mormons, after they were driven from Illinois in 1845, began to colonise.

The journey from New York to San Francisco consumed, formerly, under the most favourable conditions, at least six months. It is now accomplished in seven days.

It was in 1862 that, in spite of the Southern Members of Congress, who wished a more southerly route, it was decided to lay the road between the forty-first and forty-second parallels. President Lincoln himself fixed the end of the line at Omaha, in Nebraska. The work was at once commenced, and pursued with true American energy; nor did the rapidity with which it went on injuriously affect its good execution. The road grew, on the prairies, a mile and a half a day. A locomotive, running on the rails laid down the evening before, brought the rails to be laid on the morrow, and advanced upon them as fast as they were put in position.

The Pacific Railroad is joined by several branches in Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, and Oregon. On leaving Omaha, it passes along the left bank of the Platte River as far as the junction of its northern branch, follows its southern branch, crosses the Laramie territory and the Wahsatch Mountains, turns the Great Salt Lake, and reaches Salt Lake City, the Mormon capital, plunges into the Tuilla Valley, across the American Desert, Cedar and Humboldt Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and descends, via Sacramento, to the Pacific—its grade, even on the Rocky Mountains, never exceeding one hundred and twelve feet to the mile.

Such was the road to be traversed in seven days, which would enable Phileas Fogg—at least, so he hoped—to take the Atlantic steamer at New York on the 11th for Liverpool.

The car which he occupied was a sort of long omnibus on eight wheels, and with no compartments in the interior. It was supplied with two rows of seats, perpendicular to the direction of the train on either side of an aisle which conducted to the front and rear platforms. These platforms were found throughout the train, and the passengers were able to pass from one end of the train to the other. It was supplied with saloon cars, balcony cars, restaurants, and smoking-cars; theatre cars alone were wanting, and they will have these some day.

Book and news dealers, sellers of edibles, drinkables, and cigars, who seemed to have plenty of customers, were continually circulating in the aisles.

The train left Oakland station at six o’clock. It was already night, cold and cheerless, the heavens being overcast with clouds which seemed to threaten snow. The train did not proceed rapidly; counting the stoppages, it did not run more than twenty miles an hour, which was a sufficient speed, however, to enable it to reach Omaha within its designated time.

There was but little conversation in the car, and soon many of the passengers were overcome with sleep. Passepartout found himself beside the detective; but he did not talk to him. After recent events, their relations with each other had grown somewhat cold; there could no longer be mutual sympathy or intimacy between them. Fix’s manner had not changed; but Passepartout was very reserved, and ready to strangle his former friend on the slightest provocation.

Snow began to fall an hour after they started, a fine snow, however, which happily could not obstruct the train; nothing could be seen from the windows but a vast, white sheet, against which the smoke of the locomotive had a greyish aspect.

At eight o’clock a steward entered the car and announced that the time for going to bed had arrived; and in a few minutes the car was transformed into a dormitory. The backs of the seats were thrown back, bedsteads carefully packed were rolled out by an ingenious system, berths were suddenly improvised, and each traveller had soon at his disposition a comfortable bed, protected from curious eyes by thick curtains. The sheets were clean and the pillows soft. It only remained to go to bed and sleep which everybody did—while the train sped on across the State of California.

The country between San Francisco and Sacramento is not very hilly. The Central Pacific, taking Sacramento for its starting-point, extends eastward to meet the road from Omaha. The line from San Francisco to Sacramento runs in a north-easterly direction, along the American River, which empties into San Pablo Bay. The one hundred and twenty miles between these cities were accomplished in six hours, and towards midnight, while fast asleep, the travellers passed through Sacramento; so that they saw nothing of that important place, the seat of the State government, with its fine quays, its broad streets, its noble hotels, squares, and churches.

The train, on leaving Sacramento, and passing the junction, Roclin, Auburn, and Colfax, entered the range of the Sierra Nevada. ‘Cisco was reached at seven in the morning; and an hour later the dormitory was transformed into an ordinary car, and the travellers could observe the picturesque beauties of the mountain region through which they were steaming. The railway track wound in and out among the passes, now approaching the mountain-sides, now suspended over precipices, avoiding abrupt angles by bold curves, plunging into narrow defiles, which seemed to have no outlet. The locomotive, its great funnel emitting a weird light, with its sharp bell, and its cow-catcher extended like a spur, mingled its shrieks and bellowings with the noise of torrents and cascades, and twined its smoke among the branches of the gigantic pines.

There were few or no bridges or tunnels on the route. The railway turned around the sides of the mountains, and did not attempt to violate nature by taking the shortest cut from one point to another.

The train entered the State of Nevada through the Carson Valley about nine o’clock, going always northeasterly; and at midday reached Reno, where there was a delay of twenty minutes for breakfast.

From this point the road, running along Humboldt River, passed northward for several miles by its banks; then it turned eastward, and kept by the river until it reached the Humboldt Range, nearly at the extreme eastern limit of Nevada.

Having breakfasted, Mr. Fogg and his companions resumed their places in the car, and observed the varied landscape which unfolded itself as they passed along the vast prairies, the mountains lining the horizon, and the creeks, with their frothy, foaming streams. Sometimes a great herd of buffaloes, massing together in the distance, seemed like a moveable dam. These innumerable multitudes of ruminating beasts often form an insurmountable obstacle to the passage of the trains; thousands of them have been seen passing over the track for hours together, in compact ranks. The locomotive is then forced to stop and wait till the road is once more clear.

This happened, indeed, to the train in which Mr. Fogg was travelling. About twelve o’clock a troop of ten or twelve thousand head of buffalo encumbered the track. The locomotive, slackening its speed, tried to clear the way with its cow-catcher; but the mass of animals was too great. The buffaloes marched along with a tranquil gait, uttering now and then deafening bellowings. There was no use of interrupting them, for, having taken a particular direction, nothing can moderate and change their course; it is a torrent of living flesh which no dam could contain.

The travellers gazed on this curious spectacle from the platforms; but Phileas Fogg, who had the most reason of all to be in a hurry, remained in his seat, and waited philosophically until it should please the buffaloes to get out of the way.

Passepartout was furious at the delay they occasioned, and longed to discharge his arsenal of revolvers upon them.

“What a country!” cried he. “Mere cattle stop the trains, and go by in a procession, just as if they were not impeding travel! Parbleu! I should like to know if Mr. Fogg foresaw this mishap in his programme! And here’s an engineer who doesn’t dare to run the locomotive into this herd of beasts!”

The engineer did not try to overcome the obstacle, and he was wise. He would have crushed the first buffaloes, no doubt, with the cow-catcher; but the locomotive, however powerful, would soon have been checked, the train would inevitably have been thrown off the track, and would then have been helpless.

The best course was to wait patiently, and regain the lost time by greater speed when the obstacle was removed. The procession of buffaloes lasted three full hours, and it was night before the track was clear. The last ranks of the herd were now passing over the rails, while the first had already disappeared below the southern horizon.

It was eight o’clock when the train passed through the defiles of the Humboldt Range, and half-past nine when it penetrated Utah, the region of the Great Salt Lake, the singular colony of the Mormons.

During the night of the 5th of December, the train ran south-easterly for about fifty miles; then rose an equal distance in a north-easterly direction, towards the Great Salt Lake.

Passepartout, about nine o’clock, went out upon the platform to take the air. The weather was cold, the heavens grey, but it was not snowing. The sun’s disc, enlarged by the mist, seemed an enormous ring of gold, and Passepartout was amusing himself by calculating its value in pounds sterling, when he was diverted from this interesting study by a strange-looking personage who made his appearance on the platform.

This personage, who had taken the train at Elko, was tall and dark, with black moustache, black stockings, a black silk hat, a black waistcoat, black trousers, a white cravat, and dogskin gloves. He might have been taken for a clergyman. He went from one end of the train to the other, and affixed to the door of each car a notice written in manuscript.

Passepartout approached and read one of these notices, which stated that Elder William Hitch, Mormon missionary, taking advantage of his presence on train No. 48, would deliver a lecture on Mormonism in car No. 117, from eleven to twelve o’clock; and that he invited all who were desirous of being instructed concerning the mysteries of the religion of the “Latter Day Saints” to attend.

“I’ll go,” said Passepartout to himself. He knew nothing of Mormonism except the custom of polygamy, which is its foundation.

The news quickly spread through the train, which contained about one hundred passengers, thirty of whom, at most, attracted by the notice, ensconced themselves in car No. 117. Passepartout took one of the front seats. Neither Mr. Fogg nor Fix cared to attend.

At the appointed hour Elder William Hitch rose, and, in an irritated voice, as if he had already been contradicted, said, “I tell you that Joe Smith is a martyr, that his brother Hiram is a martyr, and that the persecutions of the United States Government against the prophets will also make a martyr of Brigham Young. Who dares to say the contrary?”

No one ventured to gainsay the missionary, whose excited tone contrasted curiously with his naturally calm visage. No doubt his anger arose from the hardships to which the Mormons were actually subjected. The government had just succeeded, with some difficulty, in reducing these independent fanatics to its rule. It had made itself master of Utah, and subjected that territory to the laws of the Union, after imprisoning Brigham Young on a charge of rebellion and polygamy. The disciples of the prophet had since redoubled their efforts, and resisted, by words at least, the authority of Congress. Elder Hitch, as is seen, was trying to make proselytes on the very railway trains.

Then, emphasising his words with his loud voice and frequent gestures, he related the history of the Mormons from Biblical times: how that, in Israel, a Mormon prophet of the tribe of Joseph published the annals of the new religion, and bequeathed them to his son Mormon; how, many centuries later, a translation of this precious book, which was written in Egyptian, was made by Joseph Smith, junior, a Vermont farmer, who revealed himself as a mystical prophet in 1825; and how, in short, the celestial messenger appeared to him in an illuminated forest, and gave him the annals of the Lord.

Several of the audience, not being much interested in the missionary’s narrative, here left the car; but Elder Hitch, continuing his lecture, related how Smith, junior, with his father, two brothers, and a few disciples, founded the church of the “Latter Day Saints,” which, adopted not only in America, but in England, Norway and Sweden, and Germany, counts many artisans, as well as men engaged in the liberal professions, among its members; how a colony was established in Ohio, a temple erected there at a cost of two hundred thousand dollars, and a town built at Kirkland; how Smith became an enterprising banker, and received from a simple mummy showman a papyrus scroll written by Abraham and several famous Egyptians.

The Elder’s story became somewhat wearisome, and his audience grew gradually less, until it was reduced to twenty passengers. But this did not disconcert the enthusiast, who proceeded with the story of Joseph Smith’s bankruptcy in 1837, and how his ruined creditors gave him a coat of tar and feathers; his reappearance some years afterwards, more honourable and honoured than ever, at Independence, Missouri, the chief of a flourishing colony of three thousand disciples, and his pursuit thence by outraged Gentiles, and retirement into the Far West.

Ten hearers only were now left, among them honest Passepartout, who was listening with all his ears. Thus he learned that, after long persecutions, Smith reappeared in Illinois, and in 1839 founded a community at Nauvoo, on the Mississippi, numbering twenty-five thousand souls, of which he became mayor, chief justice, and general-in-chief; that he announced himself, in 1843, as a candidate for the Presidency of the United States; and that finally, being drawn into ambuscade at Carthage, he was thrown into prison, and assassinated by a band of men disguised in masks.

Passepartout was now the only person left in the car, and the Elder, looking him full in the face, reminded him that, two years after the assassination of Joseph Smith, the inspired prophet, Brigham Young, his successor, left Nauvoo for the banks of the Great Salt Lake, where, in the midst of that fertile region, directly on the route of the emigrants who crossed Utah on their way to California, the new colony, thanks to the polygamy practised by the Mormons, had flourished beyond expectations.

“And this,” added Elder William Hitch, “this is why the jealousy of Congress has been aroused against us! Why have the soldiers of the Union invaded the soil of Utah? Why has Brigham Young, our chief, been imprisoned, in contempt of all justice? Shall we yield to force? Never! Driven from Vermont, driven from Illinois, driven from Ohio, driven from Missouri, driven from Utah, we shall yet find some independent territory on which to plant our tents. And you, my brother,” continued the Elder, fixing his angry eyes upon his single auditor, “will you not plant yours there, too, under the shadow of our flag?”

“No!” replied Passepartout courageously, in his turn retiring from the car, and leaving the Elder to preach to vacancy.

During the lecture the train had been making good progress, and towards half-past twelve it reached the northwest border of the Great Salt Lake. Thence the passengers could observe the vast extent of this interior sea, which is also called the Dead Sea, and into which flows an American Jordan. It is a picturesque expanse, framed in lofty crags in large strata, encrusted with white salt—a superb sheet of water, which was formerly of larger extent than now, its shores having encroached with the lapse of time, and thus at once reduced its breadth and increased its depth.

The Salt Lake, seventy miles long and thirty-five wide, is situated three miles eight hundred feet above the sea. Quite different from Lake Asphaltite, whose depression is twelve hundred feet below the sea, it contains considerable salt, and one quarter of the weight of its water is solid matter, its specific weight being 1,170, and, after being distilled, 1,000. Fishes are, of course, unable to live in it, and those which descend through the Jordan, the Weber, and other streams soon perish.

The country around the lake was well cultivated, for the Mormons are mostly farmers; while ranches and pens for domesticated animals, fields of wheat, corn, and other cereals, luxuriant prairies, hedges of wild rose, clumps of acacias and milk-wort, would have been seen six months later. Now the ground was covered with a thin powdering of snow.

The train reached Ogden at two o’clock, where it rested for six hours, Mr. Fogg and his party had time to pay a visit to Salt Lake City, connected with Ogden by a branch road; and they spent two hours in this strikingly American town, built on the pattern of other cities of the Union, like a checker-board, “with the sombre sadness of right-angles,” as Victor Hugo expresses it. The founder of the City of the Saints could not escape from the taste for symmetry which distinguishes the Anglo-Saxons. In this strange country, where the people are certainly not up to the level of their institutions, everything is done “squarely”—cities, houses, and follies.

The travellers, then, were promenading, at three o’clock, about the streets of the town built between the banks of the Jordan and the spurs of the Wahsatch Range. They saw few or no churches, but the prophet’s mansion, the court-house, and the arsenal, blue-brick houses with verandas and porches, surrounded by gardens bordered with acacias, palms, and locusts. A clay and pebble wall, built in 1853, surrounded the town; and in the principal street were the market and several hotels adorned with pavilions. The place did not seem thickly populated. The streets were almost deserted, except in the vicinity of the temple, which they only reached after having traversed several quarters surrounded by palisades. There were many women, which was easily accounted for by the “peculiar institution” of the Mormons; but it must not be supposed that all the Mormons are polygamists. They are free to marry or not, as they please; but it is worth noting that it is mainly the female citizens of Utah who are anxious to marry, as, according to the Mormon religion, maiden ladies are not admitted to the possession of its highest joys. These poor creatures seemed to be neither well off nor happy. Some—the more well-to-do, no doubt—wore short, open, black silk dresses, under a hood or modest shawl; others were habited in Indian fashion.

Passepartout could not behold without a certain fright these women, charged, in groups, with conferring happiness on a single Mormon. His common sense pitied, above all, the husband. It seemed to him a terrible thing to have to guide so many wives at once across the vicissitudes of life, and to conduct them, as it were, in a body to the Mormon paradise with the prospect of seeing them in the company of the glorious Smith, who doubtless was the chief ornament of that delightful place, to all eternity. He felt decidedly repelled from such a vocation, and he imagined—perhaps he was mistaken—that the fair ones of Salt Lake City cast rather alarming glances on his person. Happily, his stay there was but brief. At four the party found themselves again at the station, took their places in the train, and the whistle sounded for starting. Just at the moment, however, that the locomotive wheels began to move, cries of “Stop! stop!” were heard.

Trains, like time and tide, stop for no one. The gentleman who uttered the cries was evidently a belated Mormon. He was breathless with running. Happily for him, the station had neither gates nor barriers. He rushed along the track, jumped on the rear platform of the train, and fell, exhausted, into one of the seats.

Passepartout, who had been anxiously watching this amateur gymnast, approached him with lively interest, and learned that he had taken flight after an unpleasant domestic scene.

When the Mormon had recovered his breath, Passepartout ventured to ask him politely how many wives he had; for, from the manner in which he had decamped, it might be thought that he had twenty at least.

“One, sir,” replied the Mormon, raising his arms heavenward —”one, and that was enough!”

The train, on leaving Great Salt Lake at Ogden, passed northward for an hour as far as Weber River, having completed nearly nine hundred miles from San Francisco. From this point it took an easterly direction towards the jagged Wahsatch Mountains. It was in the section included between this range and the Rocky Mountains that the American engineers found the most formidable difficulties in laying the road, and that the government granted a subsidy of forty-eight thousand dollars per mile, instead of sixteen thousand allowed for the work done on the plains. But the engineers, instead of violating nature, avoided its difficulties by winding around, instead of penetrating the rocks. One tunnel only, fourteen thousand feet in length, was pierced in order to arrive at the great basin.

The track up to this time had reached its highest elevation at the Great Salt Lake. From this point it described a long curve, descending towards Bitter Creek Valley, to rise again to the dividing ridge of the waters between the Atlantic and the Pacific. There were many creeks in this mountainous region, and it was necessary to cross Muddy Creek, Green Creek, and others, upon culverts.

Passepartout grew more and more impatient as they went on, while Fix longed to get out of this difficult region, and was more anxious than Phileas Fogg himself to be beyond the danger of delays and accidents, and set foot on English soil.

At ten o’clock at night the train stopped at Fort Bridger station, and twenty minutes later entered Wyoming Territory, following the valley of Bitter Creek throughout. The next day, 7th December, they stopped for a quarter of an hour at Green River station. Snow had fallen abundantly during the night, but, being mixed with rain, it had half melted, and did not interrupt their progress. The bad weather, however, annoyed Passepartout; for the accumulation of snow, by blocking the wheels of the cars, would certainly have been fatal to Mr. Fogg’s tour.

“What an idea!” he said to himself. “Why did my master make this journey in winter? Couldn’t he have waited for the good season to increase his chances?”

While the worthy Frenchman was absorbed in the state of the sky and the depression of the temperature, Aouda was experiencing fears from a totally different cause.

Several passengers had got off at Green River, and were walking up and down the platforms; and among these Aouda recognised Colonel Stamp Proctor, the same who had so grossly insulted Phileas Fogg at the San Francisco meeting. Not wishing to be recognised, the young woman drew back from the window, feeling much alarm at her discovery. She was attached to the man who, however coldly, gave her daily evidences of the most absolute devotion. She did not comprehend, perhaps, the depth of the sentiment with which her protector inspired her, which she called gratitude, but which, though she was unconscious of it, was really more than that. Her heart sank within her when she recognised the man whom Mr. Fogg desired, sooner or later, to call to account for his conduct. Chance alone, it was clear, had brought Colonel Proctor on this train; but there he was, and it was necessary, at all hazards, that Phileas Fogg should not perceive his adversary.

Aouda seized a moment when Mr. Fogg was asleep to tell Fix and Passepartout whom she had seen.

“That Proctor on this train!” cried Fix. “Well, reassure yourself, madam; before he settles with Mr. Fogg; he has got to deal with me! It seems to me that I was the more insulted of the two.”

“And, besides,” added Passepartout, “I’ll take charge of him, colonel as he is.”

“Mr. Fix,” resumed Aouda, “Mr. Fogg will allow no one to avenge him. He said that he would come back to America to find this man. Should he perceive Colonel Proctor, we could not prevent a collision which might have terrible results. He must not see him.”

“You are right, madam,” replied Fix; “a meeting between them might ruin all. Whether he were victorious or beaten, Mr. Fogg would be delayed, and—”

“And,” added Passepartout, “that would play the game of the gentlemen of the Reform Club. In four days we shall be in New York. Well, if my master does not leave this car during those four days, we may hope that chance will not bring him face to face with this confounded American. We must, if possible, prevent his stirring out of it.”

The conversation dropped. Mr. Fogg had just woke up, and was looking out of the window. Soon after Passepartout, without being heard by his master or Aouda, whispered to the detective, “Would you really fight for him?”

“I would do anything,” replied Fix, in a tone which betrayed determined will, “to get him back living to Europe!”

Passepartout felt something like a shudder shoot through his frame, but his confidence in his master remained unbroken.

Was there any means of detaining Mr. Fogg in the car, to avoid a meeting between him and the colonel? It ought not to be a difficult task, since that gentleman was naturally sedentary and little curious. The detective, at least, seemed to have found a way; for, after a few moments, he said to Mr. Fogg, “These are long and slow hours, sir, that we are passing on the railway.”

“Yes,” replied Mr. Fogg; “but they pass.”

“You were in the habit of playing whist,” resumed Fix, “on the steamers.”

“Yes; but it would be difficult to do so here. I have neither cards nor partners.”

“Oh, but we can easily buy some cards, for they are sold on all the American trains. And as for partners, if madam plays—”

“Certainly, sir,” Aouda quickly replied; “I understand whist. It is part of an English education.”

“I myself have some pretensions to playing a good game. Well, here are three of us, and a dummy—”

“As you please, sir,” replied Phileas Fogg, heartily glad to resume his favourite pastime even on the railway.

Passepartout was dispatched in search of the steward, and soon returned with two packs of cards, some pins, counters, and a shelf covered with cloth.

The game commenced. Aouda understood whist sufficiently well, and even received some compliments on her playing from Mr. Fogg. As for the detective, he was simply an adept, and worthy of being matched against his present opponent.

“Now,” thought Passepartout, “we’ve got him. He won’t budge.”

At eleven in the morning the train had reached the dividing ridge of the waters at Bridger Pass, seven thousand five hundred and twenty-four feet above the level of the sea, one of the highest points attained by the track in crossing the Rocky Mountains. After going about two hundred miles, the travellers at last found themselves on one of those vast plains which extend to the Atlantic, and which nature has made so propitious for laying the iron road.

On the declivity of the Atlantic basin the first streams, branches of the North Platte River, already appeared. The whole northern and eastern horizon was bounded by the immense semi-circular curtain which is formed by the southern portion of the Rocky Mountains, the highest being Laramie Peak. Between this and the railway extended vast plains, plentifully irrigated. On the right rose the lower spurs of the mountainous mass which extends southward to the sources of the Arkansas River, one of the great tributaries of the Missouri.

At half-past twelve the travellers caught sight for an instant of Fort Halleck, which commands that section; and in a few more hours the Rocky Mountains were crossed. There was reason to hope, then, that no accident would mark the journey through this difficult country. The snow had ceased falling, and the air became crisp and cold. Large birds, frightened by the locomotive, rose and flew off in the distance. No wild beast appeared on the plain. It was a desert in its vast nakedness.

After a comfortable breakfast, served in the car, Mr. Fogg and his partners had just resumed whist, when a violent whistling was heard, and the train stopped. Passepartout put his head out of the door, but saw nothing to cause the delay; no station was in view.

Aouda and Fix feared that Mr. Fogg might take it into his head to get out; but that gentleman contented himself with saying to his servant, “See what is the matter.”

Passepartout rushed out of the car. Thirty or forty passengers had already descended, amongst them Colonel Stamp Proctor.

The train had stopped before a red signal which blocked the way. The engineer and conductor were talking excitedly with a signal-man, whom the station-master at Medicine Bow, the next stopping place, had sent on before. The passengers drew around and took part in the discussion, in which Colonel Proctor, with his insolent manner, was conspicuous.

Passepartout, joining the group, heard the signal-man say, “No! you can’t pass. The bridge at Medicine Bow is shaky, and would not bear the weight of the train.”

This was a suspension-bridge thrown over some rapids, about a mile from the place where they now were. According to the signal-man, it was in a ruinous condition, several of the iron wires being broken; and it was impossible to risk the passage. He did not in any way exaggerate the condition of the bridge. It may be taken for granted that, rash as the Americans usually are, when they are prudent there is good reason for it.

Passepartout, not daring to apprise his master of what he heard, listened with set teeth, immovable as a statue.

“Hum!” cried Colonel Proctor; “but we are not going to stay here, I imagine, and take root in the snow?”

“Colonel,” replied the conductor, “we have telegraphed to Omaha for a train, but it is not likely that it will reach Medicine Bow in less than six hours.”

“Six hours!” cried Passepartout.

“Certainly,” returned the conductor, “besides, it will take us as long as that to reach Medicine Bow on foot.”

“But it is only a mile from here,” said one of the passengers.

“Yes, but it’s on the other side of the river.”

“And can’t we cross that in a boat?” asked the colonel.

“That’s impossible. The creek is swelled by the rains. It is a rapid, and we shall have to make a circuit of ten miles to the north to find a ford.”

The colonel launched a volley of oaths, denouncing the railway company and the conductor; and Passepartout, who was furious, was not disinclined to make common cause with him. Here was an obstacle, indeed, which all his master’s banknotes could not remove.

There was a general disappointment among the passengers, who, without reckoning the delay, saw themselves compelled to trudge fifteen miles over a plain covered with snow. They grumbled and protested, and would certainly have thus attracted Phileas Fogg’s attention if he had not been completely absorbed in his game.

Passepartout found that he could not avoid telling his master what had occurred, and, with hanging head, he was turning towards the car, when the engineer, a true Yankee, named Forster called out, “Gentlemen, perhaps there is a way, after all, to get over.”

“On the bridge?” asked a passenger.

“On the bridge.”

“With our train?”

“With our train.”

Passepartout stopped short, and eagerly listened to the engineer.

“But the bridge is unsafe,” urged the conductor.

“No matter,” replied Forster; “I think that by putting on the very highest speed we might have a chance of getting over.”

“The devil!” muttered Passepartout.

But a number of the passengers were at once attracted by the engineer’s proposal, and Colonel Proctor was especially delighted, and found the plan a very feasible one. He told stories about engineers leaping their trains over rivers without bridges, by putting on full steam; and many of those present avowed themselves of the engineer’s mind.

“We have fifty chances out of a hundred of getting over,” said one.

“Eighty! ninety!”

Passepartout was astounded, and, though ready to attempt anything to get over Medicine Creek, thought the experiment proposed a little too American. “Besides,” thought he, “there’s a still more simple way, and it does not even occur to any of these people! Sir,” said he aloud to one of the passengers, “the engineer’s plan seems to me a little dangerous, but—”

“Eighty chances!” replied the passenger, turning his back on him.

“I know it,” said Passepartout, turning to another passenger, “but a simple idea—”

“Ideas are no use,” returned the American, shrugging his shoulders, “as the engineer assures us that we can pass.”

“Doubtless,” urged Passepartout, “we can pass, but perhaps it would be more prudent—”

“What! Prudent!” cried Colonel Proctor, whom this word seemed to excite prodigiously. “At full speed, don’t you see, at full speed!”

“I know—I see,” repeated Passepartout; “but it would be, if not more prudent, since that word displeases you, at least more natural—”

“Who! What! What’s the matter with this fellow?” cried several.

The poor fellow did not know to whom to address himself.

“Are you afraid?” asked Colonel Proctor.

“I afraid? Very well; I will show these people that a Frenchman can be as American as they!”

“All aboard!” cried the conductor.

“Yes, all aboard!” repeated Passepartout, and immediately. “But they can’t prevent me from thinking that it would be more natural for us to cross the bridge on foot, and let the train come after!”

But no one heard this sage reflection, nor would anyone have acknowledged its justice. The passengers resumed their places in the cars. Passepartout took his seat without telling what had passed. The whist-players were quite absorbed in their game.

The locomotive whistled vigorously; the engineer, reversing the steam, backed the train for nearly a mile—retiring, like a jumper, in order to take a longer leap. Then, with another whistle, he began to move forward; the train increased its speed, and soon its rapidity became frightful; a prolonged screech issued from the locomotive; the piston worked up and down twenty strokes to the second. They perceived that the whole train, rushing on at the rate of a hundred miles an hour, hardly bore upon the rails at all.

And they passed over! It was like a flash. No one saw the bridge. The train leaped, so to speak, from one bank to the other, and the engineer could not stop it until it had gone five miles beyond the station. But scarcely had the train passed the river, when the bridge, completely ruined, fell with a crash into the rapids of Medicine Bow.

The train pursued its course, that evening, without interruption, passing Fort Saunders, crossing Cheyne Pass, and reaching Evans Pass. The road here attained the highest elevation of the journey, eight thousand and ninety-two feet above the level of the sea. The travellers had now only to descend to the Atlantic by limitless plains, levelled by nature. A branch of the “grand trunk” led off southward to Denver, the capital of Colorado. The country round about is rich in gold and silver, and more than fifty thousand inhabitants are already settled there.

Thirteen hundred and eighty-two miles had been passed over from San Francisco, in three days and three nights; four days and nights more would probably bring them to New York. Phileas Fogg was not as yet behind-hand.

During the night Camp Walbach was passed on the left; Lodge Pole Creek ran parallel with the road, marking the boundary between the territories of Wyoming and Colorado. They entered Nebraska at eleven, passed near Sedgwick, and touched at Julesburg, on the southern branch of the Platte River.

It was here that the Union Pacific Railroad was inaugurated on the 23rd of October, 1867, by the chief engineer, General Dodge. Two powerful locomotives, carrying nine cars of invited guests, amongst whom was Thomas C. Durant, vice-president of the road, stopped at this point; cheers were given, the Sioux and Pawnees performed an imitation Indian battle, fireworks were let off, and the first number of the Railway Pioneer was printed by a press brought on the train. Thus was celebrated the inauguration of this great railroad, a mighty instrument of progress and civilisation, thrown across the desert, and destined to link together cities and towns which do not yet exist. The whistle of the locomotive, more powerful than Amphion’s lyre, was about to bid them rise from American soil.

Fort McPherson was left behind at eight in the morning, and three hundred and fifty-seven miles had yet to be traversed before reaching Omaha. The road followed the capricious windings of the southern branch of the Platte River, on its left bank. At nine the train stopped at the important town of North Platte, built between the two arms of the river, which rejoin each other around it and form a single artery, a large tributary, whose waters empty into the Missouri a little above Omaha.

The one hundred and first meridian was passed.

Mr. Fogg and his partners had resumed their game; no one—not even the dummy—complained of the length of the trip. Fix had begun by winning several guineas, which he seemed likely to lose; but he showed himself a not less eager whist-player than Mr. Fogg. During the morning, chance distinctly favoured that gentleman. Trumps and honours were showered upon his hands.

Once, having resolved on a bold stroke, he was on the point of playing a spade, when a voice behind him said, “I should play a diamond.”

Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and Fix raised their heads, and beheld Colonel Proctor.

Stamp Proctor and Phileas Fogg recognised each other at once.

“Ah! it’s you, is it, Englishman?” cried the colonel; “it’s you who are going to play a spade!”

“And who plays it,” replied Phileas Fogg coolly, throwing down the ten of spades.

“Well, it pleases me to have it diamonds,” replied Colonel Proctor, in an insolent tone.

He made a movement as if to seize the card which had just been played, adding, “You don’t understand anything about whist.”

“Perhaps I do, as well as another,” said Phileas Fogg, rising.

“You have only to try, son of John Bull,” replied the colonel.

Aouda turned pale, and her blood ran cold. She seized Mr. Fogg’s arm and gently pulled him back. Passepartout was ready to pounce upon the American, who was staring insolently at his opponent. But Fix got up, and, going to Colonel Proctor said, “You forget that it is I with whom you have to deal, sir; for it was I whom you not only insulted, but struck!”

“Mr. Fix,” said Mr. Fogg, “pardon me, but this affair is mine, and mine only. The colonel has again insulted me, by insisting that I should not play a spade, and he shall give me satisfaction for it.”

“When and where you will,” replied the American, “and with whatever weapon you choose.”

Aouda in vain attempted to retain Mr. Fogg; as vainly did the detective endeavour to make the quarrel his. Passepartout wished to throw the colonel out of the window, but a sign from his master checked him. Phileas Fogg left the car, and the American followed him upon the platform. “Sir,” said Mr. Fogg to his adversary, “I am in a great hurry to get back to Europe, and any delay whatever will be greatly to my disadvantage.”

“Well, what’s that to me?” replied Colonel Proctor.

“Sir,” said Mr. Fogg, very politely, “after our meeting at San Francisco, I determined to return to America and find you as soon as I had completed the business which called me to England.”

“真！”

“Will you appoint a meeting for six months hence?”

“Why not ten years hence?”

“I say six months,” returned Phileas Fogg; “and I shall be at the place of meeting promptly.”

“All this is an evasion,” cried Stamp Proctor. “Now or never!”

“Very good. You are going to New York?”

“没有。”

“To Chicago?”

“没有。”

“To Omaha?”

“What difference is it to you? Do you know Plum Creek?”

“No,” replied Mr. Fogg.

“It’s the next station. The train will be there in an hour, and will stop there ten minutes. In ten minutes several revolver-shots could be exchanged.”

“Very well,” said Mr. Fogg. “I will stop at Plum Creek.”

“And I guess you’ll stay there too,” added the American insolently.

“Who knows?” replied Mr. Fogg, returning to the car as coolly as usual. He began to reassure Aouda, telling her that blusterers were never to be feared, and begged Fix to be his second at the approaching duel, a request which the detective could not refuse. Mr. Fogg resumed the interrupted game with perfect calmness.

At eleven o’clock the locomotive’s whistle announced that they were approaching Plum Creek station. Mr. Fogg rose, and, followed by Fix, went out upon the platform. Passepartout accompanied him, carrying a pair of revolvers. Aouda remained in the car, as pale as death.

The door of the next car opened, and Colonel Proctor appeared on the platform, attended by a Yankee of his own stamp as his second. But just as the combatants were about to step from the train, the conductor hurried up, and shouted, “You can’t get off, gentlemen!”

“Why not?” asked the colonel.

“We are twenty minutes late, and we shall not stop.”

“But I am going to fight a duel with this gentleman.”

“I am sorry,” said the conductor; “but we shall be off at once. There’s the bell ringing now.”

The train started.

“I’m really very sorry, gentlemen,” said the conductor. “Under any other circumstances I should have been happy to oblige you. But, after all, as you have not had time to fight here, why not fight as we go along?”

“That wouldn’t be convenient, perhaps, for this gentleman,” said the colonel, in a jeering tone.

“It would be perfectly so,” replied Phileas Fogg.

“Well, we are really in America,” thought Passepartout, “and the conductor is a gentleman of the first order!”

So muttering, he followed his master.

The two combatants, their seconds, and the conductor passed through the cars to the rear of the train. The last car was only occupied by a dozen passengers, whom the conductor politely asked if they would not be so kind as to leave it vacant for a few moments, as two gentlemen had an affair of honour to settle. The passengers granted the request with alacrity, and straightway disappeared on the platform.

The car, which was some fifty feet long, was very convenient for their purpose. The adversaries might march on each other in the aisle, and fire at their ease. Never was duel more easily arranged. Mr. Fogg and Colonel Proctor, each provided with two six-barrelled revolvers, entered the car. The seconds, remaining outside, shut them in. They were to begin firing at the first whistle of the locomotive. After an interval of two minutes, what remained of the two gentlemen would be taken from the car.

Nothing could be more simple. Indeed, it was all so simple that Fix and Passepartout felt their hearts beating as if they would crack. They were listening for the whistle agreed upon, when suddenly savage cries resounded in the air, accompanied by reports which certainly did not issue from the car where the duellists were. The reports continued in front and the whole length of the train. Cries of terror proceeded from the interior of the cars.

Colonel Proctor and Mr. Fogg, revolvers in hand, hastily quitted their prison, and rushed forward where the noise was most clamorous. They then perceived that the train was attacked by a band of Sioux.

This was not the first attempt of these daring Indians, for more than once they had waylaid trains on the road. A hundred of them had, according to their habit, jumped upon the steps without stopping the train, with the ease of a clown mounting a horse at full gallop.

The Sioux were armed with guns, from which came the reports, to which the passengers, who were almost all armed, responded by revolver-shots.

The Indians had first mounted the engine, and half stunned the engineer and stoker with blows from their muskets. A Sioux chief, wishing to stop the train, but not knowing how to work the regulator, had opened wide instead of closing the steam-valve, and the locomotive was plunging forward with terrific velocity.

The Sioux had at the same time invaded the cars, skipping like enraged monkeys over the roofs, thrusting open the doors, and fighting hand to hand with the passengers. Penetrating the baggage-car, they pillaged it, throwing the trunks out of the train. The cries and shots were constant. The travellers defended themselves bravely; some of the cars were barricaded, and sustained a siege, like moving forts, carried along at a speed of a hundred miles an hour.

Aouda behaved courageously from the first. She defended herself like a true heroine with a revolver, which she shot through the broken windows whenever a savage made his appearance. Twenty Sioux had fallen mortally wounded to the ground, and the wheels crushed those who fell upon the rails as if they had been worms. Several passengers, shot or stunned, lay on the seats.

It was necessary to put an end to the struggle, which had lasted for ten minutes, and which would result in the triumph of the Sioux if the train was not stopped. Fort Kearney station, where there was a garrison, was only two miles distant; but, that once passed, the Sioux would be masters of the train between Fort Kearney and the station beyond.

The conductor was fighting beside Mr. Fogg, when he was shot and fell. At the same moment he cried, “Unless the train is stopped in five minutes, we are lost!”

“It shall be stopped,” said Phileas Fogg, preparing to rush from the car.

“Stay, monsieur,” cried Passepartout; “I will go.”

Mr. Fogg had not time to stop the brave fellow, who, opening a door unperceived by the Indians, succeeded in slipping under the car; and while the struggle continued and the balls whizzed across each other over his head, he made use of his old acrobatic experience, and with amazing agility worked his way under the cars, holding on to the chains, aiding himself by the brakes and edges of the sashes, creeping from one car to another with marvellous skill, and thus gaining the forward end of the train.

There, suspended by one hand between the baggage-car and the tender, with the other he loosened the safety chains; but, owing to the traction, he would never have succeeded in unscrewing the yoking-bar, had not a violent concussion jolted this bar out. The train, now detached from the engine, remained a little behind, whilst the locomotive rushed forward with increased speed.

Carried on by the force already acquired, the train still moved for several minutes; but the brakes were worked and at last they stopped, less than a hundred feet from Kearney station.

The soldiers of the fort, attracted by the shots, hurried up; the Sioux had not expected them, and decamped in a body before the train entirely stopped.

But when the passengers counted each other on the station platform several were found missing; among others the courageous Frenchman, whose devotion had just saved them.

Three passengers including Passepartout had disappeared. Had they been killed in the struggle? Were they taken prisoners by the Sioux? It was impossible to tell.

There were many wounded, but none mortally. Colonel Proctor was one of the most seriously hurt; he had fought bravely, and a ball had entered his groin. He was carried into the station with the other wounded passengers, to receive such attention as could be of avail.

Aouda was safe; and Phileas Fogg, who had been in the thickest of the fight, had not received a scratch. Fix was slightly wounded in the arm. But Passepartout was not to be found, and tears coursed down Aouda’s cheeks.

All the passengers had got out of the train, the wheels of which were stained with blood. From the tyres and spokes hung ragged pieces of flesh. As far as the eye could reach on the white plain behind, red trails were visible. The last Sioux were disappearing in the south, along the banks of Republican River.

Mr. Fogg, with folded arms, remained motionless. He had a serious decision to make. Aouda, standing near him, looked at him without speaking, and he understood her look. If his servant was a prisoner, ought he not to risk everything to rescue him from the Indians? “I will find him, living or dead,” said he quietly to Aouda.

“Ah, Mr.—Mr. Fogg!” cried she, clasping his hands and covering them with tears.

“Living,” added Mr. Fogg, “if we do not lose a moment.”

Phileas Fogg, by this resolution, inevitably sacrificed himself; he pronounced his own doom. The delay of a single day would make him lose the steamer at New York, and his bet would be certainly lost. But as he thought, “It is my duty,” he did not hesitate.

The commanding officer of Fort Kearney was there. A hundred of his soldiers had placed themselves in a position to defend the station, should the Sioux attack it.

“Sir,” said Mr. Fogg to the captain, “three passengers have disappeared.”

“Dead?” asked the captain.

“Dead or prisoners; that is the uncertainty which must be solved. Do you propose to pursue the Sioux?”

“That’s a serious thing to do, sir,” returned the captain. “These Indians may retreat beyond the Arkansas, and I cannot leave the fort unprotected.”

“The lives of three men are in question, sir,” said Phileas Fogg.

“Doubtless; but can I risk the lives of fifty men to save three?”

“I don’t know whether you can, sir; but you ought to do so.”

“Nobody here,” returned the other, “has a right to teach me my duty.”

“Very well,” said Mr. Fogg, coldly. “I will go alone.”

“You, sir!” cried Fix, coming up; “you go alone in pursuit of the Indians?”

“Would you have me leave this poor fellow to perish—him to whom every one present owes his life? I shall go.”

“No, sir, you shall not go alone,” cried the captain, touched in spite of himself. “No! you are a brave man. Thirty volunteers!” he added, turning to the soldiers.

The whole company started forward at once. The captain had only to pick his men. Thirty were chosen, and an old sergeant placed at their head.

“Thanks, captain,” said Mr. Fogg.

“Will you let me go with you?” asked Fix.

“Do as you please, sir. But if you wish to do me a favour, you will remain with Aouda. In case anything should happen to me—”

A sudden pallor overspread the detective’s face. Separate himself from the man whom he had so persistently followed step by step! Leave him to wander about in this desert! Fix gazed attentively at Mr. Fogg, and, despite his suspicions and of the struggle which was going on within him, he lowered his eyes before that calm and frank look.

“我会留下来，”他说。

A few moments after, Mr. Fogg pressed the young woman’s hand, and, having confided to her his precious carpet-bag, went off with the sergeant and his little squad. But, before going, he had said to the soldiers, “My friends, I will divide five thousand dollars among you, if we save the prisoners.”

It was then a little past noon.

Aouda retired to a waiting-room, and there she waited alone, thinking of the simple and noble generosity, the tranquil courage of Phileas Fogg. He had sacrificed his fortune, and was now risking his life, all without hesitation, from duty, in silence.

Fix did not have the same thoughts, and could scarcely conceal his agitation. He walked feverishly up and down the platform, but soon resumed his outward composure. He now saw the folly of which he had been guilty in letting Fogg go alone. What! This man, whom he had just followed around the world, was permitted now to separate himself from him! He began to accuse and abuse himself, and, as if he were director of police, administered to himself a sound lecture for his greenness.

“I have been an idiot!” he thought, “and this man will see it. He has gone, and won’t come back! But how is it that I, Fix, who have in my pocket a warrant for his arrest, have been so fascinated by him? Decidedly, I am nothing but an ass!”

So reasoned the detective, while the hours crept by all too slowly. He did not know what to do. Sometimes he was tempted to tell Aouda all; but he could not doubt how the young woman would receive his confidences. What course should he take? He thought of pursuing Fogg across the vast white plains; it did not seem impossible that he might overtake him. Footsteps were easily printed on the snow! But soon, under a new sheet, every imprint would be effaced.

Fix became discouraged. He felt a sort of insurmountable longing to abandon the game altogether. He could now leave Fort Kearney station, and pursue his journey homeward in peace.

Towards two o’clock in the afternoon, while it was snowing hard, long whistles were heard approaching from the east. A great shadow, preceded by a wild light, slowly advanced, appearing still larger through the mist, which gave it a fantastic aspect. No train was expected from the east, neither had there been time for the succour asked for by telegraph to arrive; the train from Omaha to San Francisco was not due till the next day. The mystery was soon explained.

The locomotive, which was slowly approaching with deafening whistles, was that which, having been detached from the train, had continued its route with such terrific rapidity, carrying off the unconscious engineer and stoker. It had run several miles, when, the fire becoming low for want of fuel, the steam had slackened; and it had finally stopped an hour after, some twenty miles beyond Fort Kearney. Neither the engineer nor the stoker was dead, and, after remaining for some time in their swoon, had come to themselves. The train had then stopped. The engineer, when he found himself in the desert, and the locomotive without cars, understood what had happened. He could not imagine how the locomotive had become separated from the train; but he did not doubt that the train left behind was in distress.

He did not hesitate what to do. It would be prudent to continue on to Omaha, for it would be dangerous to return to the train, which the Indians might still be engaged in pillaging. Nevertheless, he began to rebuild the fire in the furnace; the pressure again mounted, and the locomotive returned, running backwards to Fort Kearney. This it was which was whistling in the mist.

The travellers were glad to see the locomotive resume its place at the head of the train. They could now continue the journey so terribly interrupted.

Aouda, on seeing the locomotive come up, hurried out of the station, and asked the conductor, “Are you going to start?”

“At once, madam.”

“But the prisoners, our unfortunate fellow-travellers—”

“I cannot interrupt the trip,” replied the conductor. “We are already three hours behind time.”

“And when will another train pass here from San Francisco?”

“To-morrow evening, madam.”

“To-morrow evening! But then it will be too late! We must wait—”

“It is impossible,” responded the conductor. “If you wish to go, please get in.”

“I will not go,” said Aouda.

Fix had heard this conversation. A little while before, when there was no prospect of proceeding on the journey, he had made up his mind to leave Fort Kearney; but now that the train was there, ready to start, and he had only to take his seat in the car, an irresistible influence held him back. The station platform burned his feet, and he could not stir. The conflict in his mind again began; anger and failure stifled him. He wished to struggle on to the end.

Meanwhile the passengers and some of the wounded, among them Colonel Proctor, whose injuries were serious, had taken their places in the train. The buzzing of the over-heated boiler was heard, and the steam was escaping from the valves. The engineer whistled, the train started, and soon disappeared, mingling its white smoke with the eddies of the densely falling snow.

The detective had remained behind.

Several hours passed. The weather was dismal, and it was very cold. Fix sat motionless on a bench in the station; he might have been thought asleep. Aouda, despite the storm, kept coming out of the waiting-room, going to the end of the platform, and peering through the tempest of snow, as if to pierce the mist which narrowed the horizon around her, and to hear, if possible, some welcome sound. She heard and saw nothing. Then she would return, chilled through, to issue out again after the lapse of a few moments, but always in vain.

Evening came, and the little band had not returned. Where could they be? Had they found the Indians, and were they having a conflict with them, or were they still wandering amid the mist? The commander of the fort was anxious, though he tried to conceal his apprehensions. As night approached, the snow fell less plentifully, but it became intensely cold. Absolute silence rested on the plains. Neither flight of bird nor passing of beast troubled the perfect calm.

Throughout the night Aouda, full of sad forebodings, her heart stifled with anguish, wandered about on the verge of the plains. Her imagination carried her far off, and showed her innumerable dangers. What she suffered through the long hours it would be impossible to describe.

Fix remained stationary in the same place, but did not sleep. Once a man approached and spoke to him, and the detective merely replied by shaking his head.

Thus the night passed. At dawn, the half-extinguished disc of the sun rose above a misty horizon; but it was now possible to recognise objects two miles off. Phileas Fogg and the squad had gone southward; in the south all was still vacancy. It was then seven o’clock.

The captain, who was really alarmed, did not know what course to take.

Should he send another detachment to the rescue of the first? Should he sacrifice more men, with so few chances of saving those already sacrificed? His hesitation did not last long, however. Calling one of his lieutenants, he was on the point of ordering a reconnaissance, when gunshots were heard. Was it a signal? The soldiers rushed out of the fort, and half a mile off they perceived a little band returning in good order.

Mr. Fogg was marching at their head, and just behind him were Passepartout and the other two travellers, rescued from the Sioux.

They had met and fought the Indians ten miles south of Fort Kearney. Shortly before the detachment arrived, Passepartout and his companions had begun to struggle with their captors, three of whom the Frenchman had felled with his fists, when his master and the soldiers hastened up to their relief.

All were welcomed with joyful cries. Phileas Fogg distributed the reward he had promised to the soldiers, while Passepartout, not without reason, muttered to himself, “It must certainly be confessed that I cost my master dear!”

Fix, without saying a word, looked at Mr. Fogg, and it would have been difficult to analyse the thoughts which struggled within him. As for Aouda, she took her protector’s hand and pressed it in her own, too much moved to speak.

Meanwhile, Passepartout was looking about for the train; he thought he should find it there, ready to start for Omaha, and he hoped that the time lost might be regained.

“The train! the train!” cried he.

“Gone,” replied Fix.

“And when does the next train pass here?” said Phileas Fogg.

“Not till this evening.”

“Ah!” returned the impassible gentleman quietly.

Phileas Fogg found himself twenty hours behind time. Passepartout, the involuntary cause of this delay, was desperate. He had ruined his master!

At this moment the detective approached Mr. Fogg, and, looking him intently in the face, said:

“Seriously, sir, are you in great haste?”

“非常认真。”

“I have a purpose in asking,” resumed Fix. “Is it absolutely necessary that you should be in New York on the 11th, before nine o’clock in the evening, the time that the steamer leaves for Liverpool?”

“It is absolutely necessary.”

“And, if your journey had not been interrupted by these Indians, you would have reached New York on the morning of the 11th?”

“Yes; with eleven hours to spare before the steamer left.”

“Good! you are therefore twenty hours behind. Twelve from twenty leaves eight. You must regain eight hours. Do you wish to try to do so?”

“On foot?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“No; on a sledge,” replied Fix. “On a sledge with sails. A man has proposed such a method to me.”

It was the man who had spoken to Fix during the night, and whose offer he had refused.

Phileas Fogg did not reply at once; but Fix, having pointed out the man, who was walking up and down in front of the station, Mr. Fogg went up to him. An instant after, Mr. Fogg and the American, whose name was Mudge, entered a hut built just below the fort.

There Mr. Fogg examined a curious vehicle, a kind of frame on two long beams, a little raised in front like the runners of a sledge, and upon which there was room for five or six persons. A high mast was fixed on the frame, held firmly by metallic lashings, to which was attached a large brigantine sail. This mast held an iron stay upon which to hoist a jib-sail. Behind, a sort of rudder served to guide the vehicle. It was, in short, a sledge rigged like a sloop. During the winter, when the trains are blocked up by the snow, these sledges make extremely rapid journeys across the frozen plains from one station to another. Provided with more sails than a cutter, and with the wind behind them, they slip over the surface of the prairies with a speed equal if not superior to that of the express trains.

Mr. Fogg readily made a bargain with the owner of this land-craft. The wind was favourable, being fresh, and blowing from the west. The snow had hardened, and Mudge was very confident of being able to transport Mr. Fogg in a few hours to Omaha. Thence the trains eastward run frequently to Chicago and New York. It was not impossible that the lost time might yet be recovered; and such an opportunity was not to be rejected.

Not wishing to expose Aouda to the discomforts of travelling in the open air, Mr. Fogg proposed to leave her with Passepartout at Fort Kearney, the servant taking upon himself to escort her to Europe by a better route and under more favourable conditions. But Aouda refused to separate from Mr. Fogg, and Passepartout was delighted with her decision; for nothing could induce him to leave his master while Fix was with him.

It would be difficult to guess the detective’s thoughts. Was this conviction shaken by Phileas Fogg’s return, or did he still regard him as an exceedingly shrewd rascal, who, his journey round the world completed, would think himself absolutely safe in England? Perhaps Fix’s opinion of Phileas Fogg was somewhat modified; but he was nevertheless resolved to do his duty, and to hasten the return of the whole party to England as much as possible.

At eight o’clock the sledge was ready to start. The passengers took their places on it, and wrapped themselves up closely in their travelling-cloaks. The two great sails were hoisted, and under the pressure of the wind the sledge slid over the hardened snow with a velocity of forty miles an hour.

The distance between Fort Kearney and Omaha, as the birds fly, is at most two hundred miles. If the wind held good, the distance might be traversed in five hours; if no accident happened the sledge might reach Omaha by one o’clock.

What a journey! The travellers, huddled close together, could not speak for the cold, intensified by the rapidity at which they were going. The sledge sped on as lightly as a boat over the waves. When the breeze came skimming the earth the sledge seemed to be lifted off the ground by its sails. Mudge, who was at the rudder, kept in a straight line, and by a turn of his hand checked the lurches which the vehicle had a tendency to make. All the sails were up, and the jib was so arranged as not to screen the brigantine. A top-mast was hoisted, and another jib, held out to the wind, added its force to the other sails. Although the speed could not be exactly estimated, the sledge could not be going at less than forty miles an hour.

“If nothing breaks,” said Mudge, “we shall get there!”

Mr. Fogg had made it for Mudge’s interest to reach Omaha within the time agreed on, by the offer of a handsome reward.

The prairie, across which the sledge was moving in a straight line, was as flat as a sea. It seemed like a vast frozen lake. The railroad which ran through this section ascended from the south-west to the north-west by Great Island, Columbus, an important Nebraska town, Schuyler, and Fremont, to Omaha. It followed throughout the right bank of the Platte River. The sledge, shortening this route, took a chord of the arc described by the railway. Mudge was not afraid of being stopped by the Platte River, because it was frozen. The road, then, was quite clear of obstacles, and Phileas Fogg had but two things to fear—an accident to the sledge, and a change or calm in the wind.

But the breeze, far from lessening its force, blew as if to bend the mast, which, however, the metallic lashings held firmly. These lashings, like the chords of a stringed instrument, resounded as if vibrated by a violin bow. The sledge slid along in the midst of a plaintively intense melody.

“Those chords give the fifth and the octave,” said Mr. Fogg.

These were the only words he uttered during the journey. Aouda, cosily packed in furs and cloaks, was sheltered as much as possible from the attacks of the freezing wind. As for Passepartout, his face was as red as the sun’s disc when it sets in the mist, and he laboriously inhaled the biting air. With his natural buoyancy of spirits, he began to hope again. They would reach New York on the evening, if not on the morning, of the 11th, and there was still some chances that it would be before the steamer sailed for Liverpool.

Passepartout even felt a strong desire to grasp his ally, Fix, by the hand. He remembered that it was the detective who procured the sledge, the only means of reaching Omaha in time; but, checked by some presentiment, he kept his usual reserve. One thing, however, Passepartout would never forget, and that was the sacrifice which Mr. Fogg had made, without hesitation, to rescue him from the Sioux. Mr. Fogg had risked his fortune and his life. No! His servant would never forget that!

While each of the party was absorbed in reflections so different, the sledge flew past over the vast carpet of snow. The creeks it passed over were not perceived. Fields and streams disappeared under the uniform whiteness. The plain was absolutely deserted. Between the Union Pacific road and the branch which unites Kearney with Saint Joseph it formed a great uninhabited island. Neither village, station, nor fort appeared. From time to time they sped by some phantom-like tree, whose white skeleton twisted and rattled in the wind. Sometimes flocks of wild birds rose, or bands of gaunt, famished, ferocious prairie-wolves ran howling after the sledge. Passepartout, revolver in hand, held himself ready to fire on those which came too near. Had an accident then happened to the sledge, the travellers, attacked by these beasts, would have been in the most terrible danger; but it held on its even course, soon gained on the wolves, and ere long left the howling band at a safe distance behind.

About noon Mudge perceived by certain landmarks that he was crossing the Platte River. He said nothing, but he felt certain that he was now within twenty miles of Omaha. In less than an hour he left the rudder and furled his sails, whilst the sledge, carried forward by the great impetus the wind had given it, went on half a mile further with its sails unspread.

It stopped at last, and Mudge, pointing to a mass of roofs white with snow, said: “We have got there!”

Arrived! Arrived at the station which is in daily communication, by numerous trains, with the Atlantic seaboard!

Passepartout and Fix jumped off, stretched their stiffened limbs, and aided Mr. Fogg and the young woman to descend from the sledge. Phileas Fogg generously rewarded Mudge, whose hand Passepartout warmly grasped, and the party directed their steps to the Omaha railway station.

The Pacific Railroad proper finds its terminus at this important Nebraska town. Omaha is connected with Chicago by the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad, which runs directly east, and passes fifty stations.

A train was ready to start when Mr. Fogg and his party reached the station, and they only had time to get into the cars. They had seen nothing of Omaha; but Passepartout confessed to himself that this was not to be regretted, as they were not travelling to see the sights.

The train passed rapidly across the State of Iowa, by Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Iowa City. During the night it crossed the Mississippi at Davenport, and by Rock Island entered Illinois. The next day, which was the 10th, at four o’clock in the evening, it reached Chicago, already risen from its ruins, and more proudly seated than ever on the borders of its beautiful Lake Michigan.

Nine hundred miles separated Chicago from New York; but trains are not wanting at Chicago. Mr. Fogg passed at once from one to the other, and the locomotive of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne, and Chicago Railway left at full speed, as if it fully comprehended that that gentleman had no time to lose. It traversed Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey like a flash, rushing through towns with antique names, some of which had streets and car-tracks, but as yet no houses. At last the Hudson came into view; and, at a quarter-past eleven in the evening of the 11th, the train stopped in the station on the right bank of the river, before the very pier of the Cunard line.

The China, for Liverpool, had started three-quarters of an hour before!

The China, in leaving, seemed to have carried off Phileas Fogg’s last hope. None of the other steamers were able to serve his projects. The Pereire, of the French Transatlantic Company, whose admirable steamers are equal to any in speed and comfort, did not leave until the 14th; the Hamburg boats did not go directly to Liverpool or London, but to Havre; and the additional trip from Havre to Southampton would render Phileas Fogg’s last efforts of no avail. The Inman steamer did not depart till the next day, and could not cross the Atlantic in time to save the wager.

Mr. Fogg learned all this in consulting his Bradshaw, which gave him the daily movements of the trans-Atlantic steamers.

Passepartout was crushed; it overwhelmed him to lose the boat by three-quarters of an hour. It was his fault, for, instead of helping his master, he had not ceased putting obstacles in his path! And when he recalled all the incidents of the tour, when he counted up the sums expended in pure loss and on his own account, when he thought that the immense stake, added to the heavy charges of this useless journey, would completely ruin Mr. Fogg, he overwhelmed himself with bitter self-accusations. Mr. Fogg, however, did not reproach him; and, on leaving the Cunard pier, only said: “We will consult about what is best to-morrow. Come.”

The party crossed the Hudson in the Jersey City ferryboat, and drove in a carriage to the St. Nicholas Hotel, on Broadway. Rooms were engaged, and the night passed, briefly to Phileas Fogg, who slept profoundly, but very long to Aouda and the others, whose agitation did not permit them to rest.

The next day was the 12th of December. From seven in the morning of the 12th to a quarter before nine in the evening of the 21st there were nine days, thirteen hours, and forty-five minutes. If Phileas Fogg had left in the China, one of the fastest steamers on the Atlantic, he would have reached Liverpool, and then London, within the period agreed upon.

Mr. Fogg left the hotel alone, after giving Passepartout instructions to await his return, and inform Aouda to be ready at an instant’s notice. He proceeded to the banks of the Hudson, and looked about among the vessels moored or anchored in the river, for any that were about to depart. Several had departure signals, and were preparing to put to sea at morning tide; for in this immense and admirable port there is not one day in a hundred that vessels do not set out for every quarter of the globe. But they were mostly sailing vessels, of which, of course, Phileas Fogg could make no use.

He seemed about to give up all hope, when he espied, anchored at the Battery, a cable’s length off at most, a trading vessel, with a screw, well-shaped, whose funnel, puffing a cloud of smoke, indicated that she was getting ready for departure.

Phileas Fogg hailed a boat, got into it, and soon found himself on board the Henrietta, iron-hulled, wood-built above. He ascended to the deck, and asked for the captain, who forthwith presented himself. He was a man of fifty, a sort of sea-wolf, with big eyes, a complexion of oxidised copper, red hair and thick neck, and a growling voice.

“The captain?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“我是船长。”

“I am Phileas Fogg, of London.”

“And I am Andrew Speedy, of Cardiff.”

“You are going to put to sea?”

“一个小时内。”

“You are bound for—”

“Bordeaux.”

“And your cargo?”

“No freight. Going in ballast.”

“Have you any passengers?”

“No passengers. Never have passengers. Too much in the way.”

“Is your vessel a swift one?”

“Between eleven and twelve knots. The Henrietta, well known.”

“Will you carry me and three other persons to Liverpool?”

“To Liverpool? Why not to China?”

“I said Liverpool.”

“没有！”

“没有？”

“No. I am setting out for Bordeaux, and shall go to Bordeaux.”

“Money is no object?”

“没有任何。”

The captain spoke in a tone which did not admit of a reply.

“But the owners of the Henrietta—” resumed Phileas Fogg.

“The owners are myself,” replied the captain. “The vessel belongs to me.”

“I will freight it for you.”

“没有。”

“I will buy it of you.”

“没有。”

Phileas Fogg did not betray the least disappointment; but the situation was a grave one. It was not at New York as at Hong Kong, nor with the captain of the Henrietta as with the captain of the Tankadere. Up to this time money had smoothed away every obstacle. Now money failed.

Still, some means must be found to cross the Atlantic on a boat, unless by balloon—which would have been venturesome, besides not being capable of being put in practice. It seemed that Phileas Fogg had an idea, for he said to the captain, “Well, will you carry me to Bordeaux?”

“No, not if you paid me two hundred dollars.”

“I offer you two thousand.”

“Apiece?”

“Apiece.”

“And there are four of you?”

“四个。”

Captain Speedy began to scratch his head. There were eight thousand dollars to gain, without changing his route; for which it was well worth conquering the repugnance he had for all kinds of passengers. Besides, passengers at two thousand dollars are no longer passengers, but valuable merchandise. “I start at nine o’clock,” said Captain Speedy, simply. “Are you and your party ready?”

“We will be on board at nine o’clock,” replied, no less simply, Mr. Fogg.

It was half-past eight. To disembark from the Henrietta, jump into a hack, hurry to the St. Nicholas, and return with Aouda, Passepartout, and even the inseparable Fix was the work of a brief time, and was performed by Mr. Fogg with the coolness which never abandoned him. They were on board when the Henrietta made ready to weigh anchor.

When Passepartout heard what this last voyage was going to cost, he uttered a prolonged “Oh!” which extended throughout his vocal gamut.

As for Fix, he said to himself that the Bank of England would certainly not come out of this affair well indemnified. When they reached England, even if Mr. Fogg did not throw some handfuls of bank-bills into the sea, more than seven thousand pounds would have been spent!

An hour after, the Henrietta passed the lighthouse which marks the entrance of the Hudson, turned the point of Sandy Hook, and put to sea. During the day she skirted Long Island, passed Fire Island, and directed her course rapidly eastward.

At noon the next day, a man mounted the bridge to ascertain the vessel’s position. It might be thought that this was Captain Speedy. Not the least in the world. It was Phileas Fogg, Esquire. As for Captain Speedy, he was shut up in his cabin under lock and key, and was uttering loud cries, which signified an anger at once pardonable and excessive.

What had happened was very simple. Phileas Fogg wished to go to Liverpool, but the captain would not carry him there. Then Phileas Fogg had taken passage for Bordeaux, and, during the thirty hours he had been on board, had so shrewdly managed with his banknotes that the sailors and stokers, who were only an occasional crew, and were not on the best terms with the captain, went over to him in a body. This was why Phileas Fogg was in command instead of Captain Speedy; why the captain was a prisoner in his cabin; and why, in short, the Henrietta was directing her course towards Liverpool. It was very clear, to see Mr. Fogg manage the craft, that he had been a sailor.

冒险是如何结束的，我们很快就会看到。 奥达很着急，但她什么也没说。 至于《路路通》，他觉得福格先生的招数简直是光彩夺目。 船长说“在十一到十二节之间”，亨利埃塔号证实了他的预测。

If, then—for there were “ifs” still—the sea did not become too boisterous, if the wind did not veer round to the east, if no accident happened to the boat or its machinery, the Henrietta might cross the three thousand miles from New York to Liverpool in the nine days, between the 12th and the 21st of December. It is true that, once arrived, the affair on board the Henrietta, added to that of the Bank of England, might create more difficulties for Mr. Fogg than he imagined or could desire.

During the first days, they went along smoothly enough. The sea was not very unpropitious, the wind seemed stationary in the north-east, the sails were hoisted, and the Henrietta ploughed across the waves like a real trans-Atlantic steamer.

Passepartout was delighted. His master’s last exploit, the consequences of which he ignored, enchanted him. Never had the crew seen so jolly and dexterous a fellow. He formed warm friendships with the sailors, and amazed them with his acrobatic feats. He thought they managed the vessel like gentlemen, and that the stokers fired up like heroes. His loquacious good-humour infected everyone. He had forgotten the past, its vexations and delays. He only thought of the end, so nearly accomplished; and sometimes he boiled over with impatience, as if heated by the furnaces of the Henrietta. Often, also, the worthy fellow revolved around Fix, looking at him with a keen, distrustful eye; but he did not speak to him, for their old intimacy no longer existed.

Fix, it must be confessed, understood nothing of what was going on. The conquest of the Henrietta, the bribery of the crew, Fogg managing the boat like a skilled seaman, amazed and confused him. He did not know what to think. For, after all, a man who began by stealing fifty-five thousand pounds might end by stealing a vessel; and Fix was not unnaturally inclined to conclude that the Henrietta under Fogg’s command, was not going to Liverpool at all, but to some part of the world where the robber, turned into a pirate, would quietly put himself in safety. The conjecture was at least a plausible one, and the detective began to seriously regret that he had embarked on the affair.

As for Captain Speedy, he continued to howl and growl in his cabin; and Passepartout, whose duty it was to carry him his meals, courageous as he was, took the greatest precautions. Mr. Fogg did not seem even to know that there was a captain on board.

On the 13th they passed the edge of the Banks of Newfoundland, a dangerous locality; during the winter, especially, there are frequent fogs and heavy gales of wind. Ever since the evening before the barometer, suddenly falling, had indicated an approaching change in the atmosphere; and during the night the temperature varied, the cold became sharper, and the wind veered to the south-east.

This was a misfortune. Mr. Fogg, in order not to deviate from his course, furled his sails and increased the force of the steam; but the vessel’s speed slackened, owing to the state of the sea, the long waves of which broke against the stern. She pitched violently, and this retarded her progress. The breeze little by little swelled into a tempest, and it was to be feared that the Henrietta might not be able to maintain herself upright on the waves.

Passepartout’s visage darkened with the skies, and for two days the poor fellow experienced constant fright. But Phileas Fogg was a bold mariner, and knew how to maintain headway against the sea; and he kept on his course, without even decreasing his steam. The Henrietta, when she could not rise upon the waves, crossed them, swamping her deck, but passing safely. Sometimes the screw rose out of the water, beating its protruding end, when a mountain of water raised the stern above the waves; but the craft always kept straight ahead.

The wind, however, did not grow as boisterous as might have been feared; it was not one of those tempests which burst, and rush on with a speed of ninety miles an hour. It continued fresh, but, unhappily, it remained obstinately in the south-east, rendering the sails useless.

The 16th of December was the seventy-fifth day since Phileas Fogg’s departure from London, and the Henrietta had not yet been seriously delayed. Half of the voyage was almost accomplished, and the worst localities had been passed. In summer, success would have been well-nigh certain. In winter, they were at the mercy of the bad season. Passepartout said nothing; but he cherished hope in secret, and comforted himself with the reflection that, if the wind failed them, they might still count on the steam.

On this day the engineer came on deck, went up to Mr. Fogg, and began to speak earnestly with him. Without knowing why it was a presentiment, perhaps Passepartout became vaguely uneasy. He would have given one of his ears to hear with the other what the engineer was saying. He finally managed to catch a few words, and was sure he heard his master say, “You are certain of what you tell me?”

“Certain, sir,” replied the engineer. “You must remember that, since we started, we have kept up hot fires in all our furnaces, and, though we had coal enough to go on short steam from New York to Bordeaux, we haven’t enough to go with all steam from New York to Liverpool.” “I will consider,” replied Mr. Fogg.

Passepartout understood it all; he was seized with mortal anxiety. The coal was giving out! “Ah, if my master can get over that,” muttered he, “he’ll be a famous man!” He could not help imparting to Fix what he had overheard.

“Then you believe that we really are going to Liverpool?”

“当然。”

“Ass!” replied the detective, shrugging his shoulders and turning on his heel.

Passepartout was on the point of vigorously resenting the epithet, the reason of which he could not for the life of him comprehend; but he reflected that the unfortunate Fix was probably very much disappointed and humiliated in his self-esteem, after having so awkwardly followed a false scent around the world, and refrained.

And now what course would Phileas Fogg adopt? It was difficult to imagine. Nevertheless he seemed to have decided upon one, for that evening he sent for the engineer, and said to him, “Feed all the fires until the coal is exhausted.”

A few moments after, the funnel of the Henrietta vomited forth torrents of smoke. The vessel continued to proceed with all steam on; but on the 18th, the engineer, as he had predicted, announced that the coal would give out in the course of the day.

“Do not let the fires go down,” replied Mr. Fogg. “Keep them up to the last. Let the valves be filled.”

Towards noon Phileas Fogg, having ascertained their position, called Passepartout, and ordered him to go for Captain Speedy. It was as if the honest fellow had been commanded to unchain a tiger. He went to the poop, saying to himself, “He will be like a madman!”

In a few moments, with cries and oaths, a bomb appeared on the poop-deck. The bomb was Captain Speedy. It was clear that he was on the point of bursting. “Where are we?” were the first words his anger permitted him to utter. Had the poor man been an apoplectic, he could never have recovered from his paroxysm of wrath.

“Where are we?” he repeated, with purple face.

“Seven hundred and seven miles from Liverpool,” replied Mr. Fogg, with imperturbable calmness.

“Pirate!” cried Captain Speedy.

“I have sent for you, sir—”

“Pickaroon!”

“—sir,” continued Mr. Fogg, “to ask you to sell me your vessel.”

“No! By all the devils, no!”

“But I shall be obliged to burn her.”

“Burn the Henrietta!”

“Yes; at least the upper part of her. The coal has given out.”

“Burn my vessel!” cried Captain Speedy, who could scarcely pronounce the words. “A vessel worth fifty thousand dollars!”

“Here are sixty thousand,” replied Phileas Fogg, handing the captain a roll of bank-bills. This had a prodigious effect on Andrew Speedy. An American can scarcely remain unmoved at the sight of sixty thousand dollars. The captain forgot in an instant his anger, his imprisonment, and all his grudges against his passenger. The Henrietta was twenty years old; it was a great bargain. The bomb would not go off after all. Mr. Fogg had taken away the match.

“And I shall still have the iron hull,” said the captain in a softer tone.

“The iron hull and the engine. Is it agreed?”

“同意。”

And Andrew Speedy, seizing the banknotes, counted them and consigned them to his pocket.

During this colloquy, Passepartout was as white as a sheet, and Fix seemed on the point of having an apoplectic fit. Nearly twenty thousand pounds had been expended, and Fogg left the hull and engine to the captain, that is, near the whole value of the craft! It was true, however, that fifty-five thousand pounds had been stolen from the Bank.

When Andrew Speedy had pocketed the money, Mr. Fogg said to him, “Don’t let this astonish you, sir. You must know that I shall lose twenty thousand pounds, unless I arrive in London by a quarter before nine on the evening of the 21st of December. I missed the steamer at New York, and as you refused to take me to Liverpool—”

“And I did well!” cried Andrew Speedy; “for I have gained at least forty thousand dollars by it!” He added, more sedately, “Do you know one thing, Captain—”

“Fogg.”

“Captain Fogg, you’ve got something of the Yankee about you.”

And, having paid his passenger what he considered a high compliment, he was going away, when Mr. Fogg said, “The vessel now belongs to me?”

“Certainly, from the keel to the truck of the masts—all the wood, that is.”

“Very well. Have the interior seats, bunks, and frames pulled down, and burn them.”

It was necessary to have dry wood to keep the steam up to the adequate pressure, and on that day the poop, cabins, bunks, and the spare deck were sacrificed. On the next day, the 19th of December, the masts, rafts, and spars were burned; the crew worked lustily, keeping up the fires. Passepartout hewed, cut, and sawed away with all his might. There was a perfect rage for demolition.

The railings, fittings, the greater part of the deck, and top sides disappeared on the 20th, and the Henrietta was now only a flat hulk. But on this day they sighted the Irish coast and Fastnet Light. By ten in the evening they were passing Queenstown. Phileas Fogg had only twenty-four hours more in which to get to London; that length of time was necessary to reach Liverpool, with all steam on. And the steam was about to give out altogether!

“Sir,” said Captain Speedy, who was now deeply interested in Mr. Fogg’s project, “I really commiserate you. Everything is against you. We are only opposite Queenstown.”

“Ah,” said Mr. Fogg, “is that place where we see the lights Queenstown?”

“是的。”

“Can we enter the harbour?”

“Not under three hours. Only at high tide.”

“Stay,” replied Mr. Fogg calmly, without betraying in his features that by a supreme inspiration he was about to attempt once more to conquer ill-fortune.

Queenstown is the Irish port at which the trans-Atlantic steamers stop to put off the mails. These mails are carried to Dublin by express trains always held in readiness to start; from Dublin they are sent on to Liverpool by the most rapid boats, and thus gain twelve hours on the Atlantic steamers.

Phileas Fogg counted on gaining twelve hours in the same way. Instead of arriving at Liverpool the next evening by the Henrietta, he would be there by noon, and would therefore have time to reach London before a quarter before nine in the evening.

The Henrietta entered Queenstown Harbour at one o’clock in the morning, it then being high tide; and Phileas Fogg, after being grasped heartily by the hand by Captain Speedy, left that gentleman on the levelled hulk of his craft, which was still worth half what he had sold it for.

The party went on shore at once. Fix was greatly tempted to arrest Mr. Fogg on the spot; but he did not. Why? What struggle was going on within him? Had he changed his mind about “his man”? Did he understand that he had made a grave mistake? He did not, however, abandon Mr. Fogg. They all got upon the train, which was just ready to start, at half-past one; at dawn of day they were in Dublin; and they lost no time in embarking on a steamer which, disdaining to rise upon the waves, invariably cut through them.

Phileas Fogg at last disembarked on the Liverpool quay, at twenty minutes before twelve, 21st December. He was only six hours distant from London.

But at this moment Fix came up, put his hand upon Mr. Fogg’s shoulder, and, showing his warrant, said, “You are really Phileas Fogg?”

“我是。”

“I arrest you in the Queen’s name!”

Phileas Fogg was in prison. He had been shut up in the Custom House, and he was to be transferred to London the next day.

Passepartout, when he saw his master arrested, would have fallen upon Fix had he not been held back by some policemen. Aouda was thunderstruck at the suddenness of an event which she could not understand. Passepartout explained to her how it was that the honest and courageous Fogg was arrested as a robber. The young woman’s heart revolted against so heinous a charge, and when she saw that she could attempt to do nothing to save her protector, she wept bitterly.

As for Fix, he had arrested Mr. Fogg because it was his duty, whether Mr. Fogg were guilty or not.

The thought then struck Passepartout, that he was the cause of this new misfortune! Had he not concealed Fix’s errand from his master? When Fix revealed his true character and purpose, why had he not told Mr. Fogg? If the latter had been warned, he would no doubt have given Fix proof of his innocence, and satisfied him of his mistake; at least, Fix would not have continued his journey at the expense and on the heels of his master, only to arrest him the moment he set foot on English soil. Passepartout wept till he was blind, and felt like blowing his brains out.

Aouda and he had remained, despite the cold, under the portico of the Custom House. Neither wished to leave the place; both were anxious to see Mr. Fogg again.

That gentleman was really ruined, and that at the moment when he was about to attain his end. This arrest was fatal. Having arrived at Liverpool at twenty minutes before twelve on the 21st of December, he had till a quarter before nine that evening to reach the Reform Club, that is, nine hours and a quarter; the journey from Liverpool to London was six hours.

If anyone, at this moment, had entered the Custom House, he would have found Mr. Fogg seated, motionless, calm, and without apparent anger, upon a wooden bench. He was not, it is true, resigned; but this last blow failed to force him into an outward betrayal of any emotion. Was he being devoured by one of those secret rages, all the more terrible because contained, and which only burst forth, with an irresistible force, at the last moment? No one could tell. There he sat, calmly waiting—for what? Did he still cherish hope? Did he still believe, now that the door of this prison was closed upon him, that he would succeed?

However that may have been, Mr. Fogg carefully put his watch upon the table, and observed its advancing hands. Not a word escaped his lips, but his look was singularly set and stern. The situation, in any event, was a terrible one, and might be thus stated: if Phileas Fogg was honest he was ruined; if he was a knave, he was caught.

Did escape occur to him? Did he examine to see if there were any practicable outlet from his prison? Did he think of escaping from it? Possibly; for once he walked slowly around the room. But the door was locked, and the window heavily barred with iron rods. He sat down again, and drew his journal from his pocket. On the line where these words were written, “21st December, Saturday, Liverpool,” he added, “80th day, 11.40 a.m.,” and waited.

The Custom House clock struck one. Mr. Fogg observed that his watch was two hours too fast.

Two hours! Admitting that he was at this moment taking an express train, he could reach London and the Reform Club by a quarter before nine, p.m. His forehead slightly wrinkled.

At thirty-three minutes past two he heard a singular noise outside, then a hasty opening of doors. Passepartout’s voice was audible, and immediately after that of Fix. Phileas Fogg’s eyes brightened for an instant.

The door swung open, and he saw Passepartout, Aouda, and Fix, who hurried towards him.

Fix was out of breath, and his hair was in disorder. He could not speak. “Sir,” he stammered, “sir—forgive me—most—unfortunate resemblance—robber arrested three days ago—you are free!”

Phileas Fogg was free! He walked to the detective, looked him steadily in the face, and with the only rapid motion he had ever made in his life, or which he ever would make, drew back his arms, and with the precision of a machine knocked Fix down.

“Well hit!” cried Passepartout, “Parbleu! that’s what you might call a good application of English fists!”

Fix, who found himself on the floor, did not utter a word. He had only received his deserts. Mr. Fogg, Aouda, and Passepartout left the Custom House without delay, got into a cab, and in a few moments descended at the station.

Phileas Fogg asked if there was an express train about to leave for London. It was forty minutes past two. The express train had left thirty-five minutes before. Phileas Fogg then ordered a special train.

There were several rapid locomotives on hand; but the railway arrangements did not permit the special train to leave until three o’clock.

At that hour Phileas Fogg, having stimulated the engineer by the offer of a generous reward, at last set out towards London with Aouda and his faithful servant.

It was necessary to make the journey in five hours and a half; and this would have been easy on a clear road throughout. But there were forced delays, and when Mr. Fogg stepped from the train at the terminus, all the clocks in London were striking ten minutes before nine.

Having made the tour of the world, he was behind-hand five minutes. He had lost the wager!

The dwellers in Saville Row would have been surprised the next day, if they had been told that Phileas Fogg had returned home. His doors and windows were still closed, no appearance of change was visible.

After leaving the station, Mr. Fogg gave Passepartout instructions to purchase some provisions, and quietly went to his domicile.

He bore his misfortune with his habitual tranquillity. Ruined! And by the blundering of the detective! After having steadily traversed that long journey, overcome a hundred obstacles, braved many dangers, and still found time to do some good on his way, to fail near the goal by a sudden event which he could not have foreseen, and against which he was unarmed; it was terrible! But a few pounds were left of the large sum he had carried with him. There only remained of his fortune the twenty thousand pounds deposited at Barings, and this amount he owed to his friends of the Reform Club. So great had been the expense of his tour that, even had he won, it would not have enriched him; and it is probable that he had not sought to enrich himself, being a man who rather laid wagers for honour’s sake than for the stake proposed. But this wager totally ruined him.

Mr. Fogg’s course, however, was fully decided upon; he knew what remained for him to do.

A room in the house in Saville Row was set apart for Aouda, who was overwhelmed with grief at her protector’s misfortune. From the words which Mr. Fogg dropped, she saw that he was meditating some serious project.

Knowing that Englishmen governed by a fixed idea sometimes resort to the desperate expedient of suicide, Passepartout kept a narrow watch upon his master, though he carefully concealed the appearance of so doing.

First of all, the worthy fellow had gone up to his room, and had extinguished the gas burner, which had been burning for eighty days. He had found in the letter-box a bill from the gas company, and he thought it more than time to put a stop to this expense, which he had been doomed to bear.

The night passed. Mr. Fogg went to bed, but did he sleep? Aouda did not once close her eyes. Passepartout watched all night, like a faithful dog, at his master’s door.

Mr. Fogg called him in the morning, and told him to get Aouda’s breakfast, and a cup of tea and a chop for himself. He desired Aouda to excuse him from breakfast and dinner, as his time would be absorbed all day in putting his affairs to rights. In the evening he would ask permission to have a few moment’s conversation with the young lady.

Passepartout, having received his orders, had nothing to do but obey them. He looked at his imperturbable master, and could scarcely bring his mind to leave him. His heart was full, and his conscience tortured by remorse; for he accused himself more bitterly than ever of being the cause of the irretrievable disaster. Yes! if he had warned Mr. Fogg, and had betrayed Fix’s projects to him, his master would certainly not have given the detective passage to Liverpool, and then—

Passepartout could hold in no longer.

“My master! Mr. Fogg!” he cried, “why do you not curse me? It was my fault that—”

“I blame no one,” returned Phileas Fogg, with perfect calmness. “Go!”

Passepartout left the room, and went to find Aouda, to whom he delivered his master’s message.

“Madam,” he added, “I can do nothing myself—nothing! I have no influence over my master; but you, perhaps—”

“What influence could I have?” replied Aouda. “Mr. Fogg is influenced by no one. Has he ever understood that my gratitude to him is overflowing? Has he ever read my heart? My friend, he must not be left alone an instant! You say he is going to speak with me this evening?”

“Yes, madam; probably to arrange for your protection and comfort in England.”

“We shall see,” replied Aouda, becoming suddenly pensive.

Throughout this day (Sunday) the house in Saville Row was as if uninhabited, and Phileas Fogg, for the first time since he had lived in that house, did not set out for his club when Westminster clock struck half-past eleven.

Why should he present himself at the Reform? His friends no longer expected him there. As Phileas Fogg had not appeared in the saloon on the evening before (Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before nine), he had lost his wager. It was not even necessary that he should go to his bankers for the twenty thousand pounds; for his antagonists already had his cheque in their hands, and they had only to fill it out and send it to the Barings to have the amount transferred to their credit.

Mr. Fogg, therefore, had no reason for going out, and so he remained at home. He shut himself up in his room, and busied himself putting his affairs in order. Passepartout continually ascended and descended the stairs. The hours were long for him. He listened at his master’s door, and looked through the keyhole, as if he had a perfect right so to do, and as if he feared that something terrible might happen at any moment. Sometimes he thought of Fix, but no longer in anger. Fix, like all the world, had been mistaken in Phileas Fogg, and had only done his duty in tracking and arresting him; while he, Passepartout. . . . This thought haunted him, and he never ceased cursing his miserable folly.

Finding himself too wretched to remain alone, he knocked at Aouda’s door, went into her room, seated himself, without speaking, in a corner, and looked ruefully at the young woman. Aouda was still pensive.

About half-past seven in the evening Mr. Fogg sent to know if Aouda would receive him, and in a few moments he found himself alone with her.

Phileas Fogg took a chair, and sat down near the fireplace, opposite Aouda. No emotion was visible on his face. Fogg returned was exactly the Fogg who had gone away; there was the same calm, the same impassibility.

He sat several minutes without speaking; then, bending his eyes on Aouda, “Madam,” said he, “will you pardon me for bringing you to England?”

“I, Mr. Fogg!” replied Aouda, checking the pulsations of her heart.

“Please let me finish,” returned Mr. Fogg. “When I decided to bring you far away from the country which was so unsafe for you, I was rich, and counted on putting a portion of my fortune at your disposal; then your existence would have been free and happy. But now I am ruined.”

“I know it, Mr. Fogg,” replied Aouda; “and I ask you in my turn, will you forgive me for having followed you, and—who knows?—for having, perhaps, delayed you, and thus contributed to your ruin?”

“Madam, you could not remain in India, and your safety could only be assured by bringing you to such a distance that your persecutors could not take you.”

“So, Mr. Fogg,” resumed Aouda, “not content with rescuing me from a terrible death, you thought yourself bound to secure my comfort in a foreign land?”

“Yes, madam; but circumstances have been against me. Still, I beg to place the little I have left at your service.”

“But what will become of you, Mr. Fogg?”

“As for me, madam,” replied the gentleman, coldly, “I have need of nothing.”

“But how do you look upon the fate, sir, which awaits you?”

“As I am in the habit of doing.”

“At least,” said Aouda, “want should not overtake a man like you. Your friends—”

“I have no friends, madam.”

“Your relatives—”

“I have no longer any relatives.”

“I pity you, then, Mr. Fogg, for solitude is a sad thing, with no heart to which to confide your griefs. They say, though, that misery itself, shared by two sympathetic souls, may be borne with patience.”

“They say so, madam.”

“Mr. Fogg,” said Aouda, rising and seizing his hand, “do you wish at once a kinswoman and friend? Will you have me for your wife?”

Mr. Fogg, at this, rose in his turn. There was an unwonted light in his eyes, and a slight trembling of his lips. Aouda looked into his face. The sincerity, rectitude, firmness, and sweetness of this soft glance of a noble woman, who could dare all to save him to whom she owed all, at first astonished, then penetrated him. He shut his eyes for an instant, as if to avoid her look. When he opened them again, “I love you!” he said, simply. “Yes, by all that is holiest, I love you, and I am entirely yours!”

“Ah!” cried Aouda, pressing his hand to her heart.

Passepartout was summoned and appeared immediately. Mr. Fogg still held Aouda’s hand in his own; Passepartout understood, and his big, round face became as radiant as the tropical sun at its zenith.

Mr. Fogg asked him if it was not too late to notify the Reverend Samuel Wilson, of Marylebone parish, that evening.

Passepartout smiled his most genial smile, and said, “Never too late.”

It was five minutes past eight.

“Will it be for to-morrow, Monday?”

“For to-morrow, Monday,” said Mr. Fogg, turning to Aouda.

“Yes; for to-morrow, Monday,” she replied.

Passepartout hurried off as fast as his legs could carry him.

It is time to relate what a change took place in English public opinion when it transpired that the real bankrobber, a certain James Strand, had been arrested, on the 17th day of December, at Edinburgh. Three days before, Phileas Fogg had been a criminal, who was being desperately followed up by the police; now he was an honourable gentleman, mathematically pursuing his eccentric journey round the world.

The papers resumed their discussion about the wager; all those who had laid bets, for or against him, revived their interest, as if by magic; the “Phileas Fogg bonds” again became negotiable, and many new wagers were made. Phileas Fogg’s name was once more at a premium on ‘Change.

His five friends of the Reform Club passed these three days in a state of feverish suspense. Would Phileas Fogg, whom they had forgotten, reappear before their eyes! Where was he at this moment? The 17th of December, the day of James Strand’s arrest, was the seventy-sixth since Phileas Fogg’s departure, and no news of him had been received. Was he dead? Had he abandoned the effort, or was he continuing his journey along the route agreed upon? And would he appear on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before nine in the evening, on the threshold of the Reform Club saloon?

The anxiety in which, for three days, London society existed, cannot be described. Telegrams were sent to America and Asia for news of Phileas Fogg. Messengers were dispatched to the house in Saville Row morning and evening. No news. The police were ignorant what had become of the detective, Fix, who had so unfortunately followed up a false scent. Bets increased, nevertheless, in number and value. Phileas Fogg, like a racehorse, was drawing near his last turning-point. The bonds were quoted, no longer at a hundred below par, but at twenty, at ten, and at five; and paralytic old Lord Albemarle bet even in his favour.

A great crowd was collected in Pall Mall and the neighbouring streets on Saturday evening; it seemed like a multitude of brokers permanently established around the Reform Club. Circulation was impeded, and everywhere disputes, discussions, and financial transactions were going on. The police had great difficulty in keeping back the crowd, and as the hour when Phileas Fogg was due approached, the excitement rose to its highest pitch.

The five antagonists of Phileas Fogg had met in the great saloon of the club. John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, the bankers, Andrew Stuart, the engineer, Gauthier Ralph, the director of the Bank of England, and Thomas Flanagan, the brewer, one and all waited anxiously.

When the clock indicated twenty minutes past eight, Andrew Stuart got up, saying, “Gentlemen, in twenty minutes the time agreed upon between Mr. Fogg and ourselves will have expired.”

“What time did the last train arrive from Liverpool?” asked Thomas Flanagan.

“At twenty-three minutes past seven,” replied Gauthier Ralph; “and the next does not arrive till ten minutes after twelve.”

“Well, gentlemen,” resumed Andrew Stuart, “if Phileas Fogg had come in the 7:23 train, he would have got here by this time. We can, therefore, regard the bet as won.”

“Wait; don’t let us be too hasty,” replied Samuel Fallentin. “You know that Mr. Fogg is very eccentric. His punctuality is well known; he never arrives too soon, or too late; and I should not be surprised if he appeared before us at the last minute.”

“Why,” said Andrew Stuart nervously, “if I should see him, I should not believe it was he.”

“The fact is,” resumed Thomas Flanagan, “Mr. Fogg’s project was absurdly foolish. Whatever his punctuality, he could not prevent the delays which were certain to occur; and a delay of only two or three days would be fatal to his tour.”

“Observe, too,” added John Sullivan, “that we have received no intelligence from him, though there are telegraphic lines all along his route.”

“He has lost, gentleman,” said Andrew Stuart, “he has a hundred times lost! You know, besides, that the China the only steamer he could have taken from New York to get here in time arrived yesterday. I have seen a list of the passengers, and the name of Phileas Fogg is not among them. Even if we admit that fortune has favoured him, he can scarcely have reached America. I think he will be at least twenty days behind-hand, and that Lord Albemarle will lose a cool five thousand.”

“It is clear,” replied Gauthier Ralph; “and we have nothing to do but to present Mr. Fogg’s cheque at Barings to-morrow.”

At this moment, the hands of the club clock pointed to twenty minutes to nine.

“Five minutes more,” said Andrew Stuart.

The five gentlemen looked at each other. Their anxiety was becoming intense; but, not wishing to betray it, they readily assented to Mr. Fallentin’s proposal of a rubber.

“I wouldn’t give up my four thousand of the bet,” said Andrew Stuart, as he took his seat, “for three thousand nine hundred and ninety-nine.”

The clock indicated eighteen minutes to nine.

The players took up their cards, but could not keep their eyes off the clock. Certainly, however secure they felt, minutes had never seemed so long to them!

“Seventeen minutes to nine,” said Thomas Flanagan, as he cut the cards which Ralph handed to him.

Then there was a moment of silence. The great saloon was perfectly quiet; but the murmurs of the crowd outside were heard, with now and then a shrill cry. The pendulum beat the seconds, which each player eagerly counted, as he listened, with mathematical regularity.

“Sixteen minutes to nine!” said John Sullivan, in a voice which betrayed his emotion.

One minute more, and the wager would be won. Andrew Stuart and his partners suspended their game. They left their cards, and counted the seconds.

At the fortieth second, nothing. At the fiftieth, still nothing.

At the fifty-fifth, a loud cry was heard in the street, followed by applause, hurrahs, and some fierce growls.

The players rose from their seats.

At the fifty-seventh second the door of the saloon opened; and the pendulum had not beat the sixtieth second when Phileas Fogg appeared, followed by an excited crowd who had forced their way through the club doors, and in his calm voice, said, “Here I am, gentlemen!”

Yes; Phileas Fogg in person.

The reader will remember that at five minutes past eight in the evening—about five and twenty hours after the arrival of the travellers in London—Passepartout had been sent by his master to engage the services of the Reverend Samuel Wilson in a certain marriage ceremony, which was to take place the next day.

Passepartout went on his errand enchanted. He soon reached the clergyman’s house, but found him not at home. Passepartout waited a good twenty minutes, and when he left the reverend gentleman, it was thirty-five minutes past eight. But in what a state he was! With his hair in disorder, and without his hat, he ran along the street as never man was seen to run before, overturning passers-by, rushing over the sidewalk like a waterspout.

In three minutes he was in Saville Row again, and staggered back into Mr. Fogg’s room.

He could not speak.

“What is the matter?” asked Mr. Fogg.

“My master!” gasped Passepartout—”marriage—impossible—”

“不可能？”

“Impossible—for to-morrow.”

“为什么这样？”

“Because to-morrow—is Sunday!”

“Monday,” replied Mr. Fogg.

“No—to-day is Saturday.”

“Saturday? Impossible!”

“Yes, yes, yes, yes!” cried Passepartout. “You have made a mistake of one day! We arrived twenty-four hours ahead of time; but there are only ten minutes left!”

Passepartout had seized his master by the collar, and was dragging him along with irresistible force.

Phileas Fogg, thus kidnapped, without having time to think, left his house, jumped into a cab, promised a hundred pounds to the cabman, and, having run over two dogs and overturned five carriages, reached the Reform Club.

The clock indicated a quarter before nine when he appeared in the great saloon.

Phileas Fogg had accomplished the journey round the world in eighty days!

Phileas Fogg had won his wager of twenty thousand pounds!

How was it that a man so exact and fastidious could have made this error of a day? How came he to think that he had arrived in London on Saturday, the twenty-first day of December, when it was really Friday, the twentieth, the seventy-ninth day only from his departure?

The cause of the error is very simple.

Phileas Fogg had, without suspecting it, gained one day on his journey, and this merely because he had travelled constantly eastward; he would, on the contrary, have lost a day had he gone in the opposite direction, that is, westward.

In journeying eastward he had gone towards the sun, and the days therefore diminished for him as many times four minutes as he crossed degrees in this direction. There are three hundred and sixty degrees on the circumference of the earth; and these three hundred and sixty degrees, multiplied by four minutes, gives precisely twenty-four hours—that is, the day unconsciously gained. In other words, while Phileas Fogg, going eastward, saw the sun pass the meridian eighty times, his friends in London only saw it pass the meridian seventy-nine times. This is why they awaited him at the Reform Club on Saturday, and not Sunday, as Mr. Fogg thought.

And Passepartout’s famous family watch, which had always kept London time, would have betrayed this fact, if it had marked the days as well as the hours and the minutes!

Phileas Fogg, then, had won the twenty thousand pounds; but, as he had spent nearly nineteen thousand on the way, the pecuniary gain was small. His object was, however, to be victorious, and not to win money. He divided the one thousand pounds that remained between Passepartout and the unfortunate Fix, against whom he cherished no grudge. He deducted, however, from Passepartout’s share the cost of the gas which had burned in his room for nineteen hundred and twenty hours, for the sake of regularity.

That evening, Mr. Fogg, as tranquil and phlegmatic as ever, said to Aouda: “Is our marriage still agreeable to you?”

“Mr. Fogg,” replied she, “it is for me to ask that question. You were ruined, but now you are rich again.”

“Pardon me, madam; my fortune belongs to you. If you had not suggested our marriage, my servant would not have gone to the Reverend Samuel Wilson’s, I should not have been apprised of my error, and—”

“Dear Mr. Fogg!” said the young woman.

“Dear Aouda!” replied Phileas Fogg.

It need not be said that the marriage took place forty-eight hours after, and that Passepartout, glowing and dazzling, gave the bride away. Had he not saved her, and was he not entitled to this honour?

The next day, as soon as it was light, Passepartout rapped vigorously at his master’s door. Mr. Fogg opened it, and asked, “What’s the matter, Passepartout?”

“What is it, sir? Why, I’ve just this instant found out—”

“什么？”

“That we might have made the tour of the world in only seventy-eight days.”

“No doubt,” returned Mr. Fogg, “by not crossing India. But if I had not crossed India, I should not have saved Aouda; she would not have been my wife, and—”

Mr. Fogg quietly shut the door.

Phileas Fogg had won his wager, and had made his journey around the world in eighty days. To do this he had employed every means of conveyance—steamers, railways, carriages, yachts, trading-vessels, sledges, elephants. The eccentric gentleman had throughout displayed all his marvellous qualities of coolness and exactitude. But what then? What had he really gained by all this trouble? What had he brought back from this long and weary journey?

没什么，你说？ 也许是这样； 只不过是一个迷人的女人，尽管看起来很奇怪，却让他成为最幸福的男人！

真的，你会不会为此而环游世界？