Fix soon rejoined Passepartout,
who was lounging and looking
about on the quay, as if he did
not feel that he, at least, was
obliged
not to see anything.
"Well, my friend," said the
detective, coming up with him, "is
your passport visaed?"
"Ah, it's you, is it, monsieur?" responded
Passepartout. "Thanks, yes, the
passport is all right."
"And you are
looking about you?"
"Yes; but we
travel so fast that I seem
to be journeying
in a dream. So this is Suez?"
"Yes."
"In Egypt?"
"Certainly,
in Egypt."
"And in Africa?"
"In Africa."
"In Africa!" repeated Passepartout. "Just
think, monsieur, I had no idea
that we should go farther than
Paris; and all that I saw of
Paris was between twenty minutes
past seven and twenty minutes
before nine in the morning, between
the Northern and the Lyons stations,
through the windows of a car,
and in a driving rain! How I
regret not having seen once more
Pere la Chaise and the circus
in the Champs Elysees!"
"You are in
a great hurry, then?"
"I am not,
but my master is. By the way,
I must buy some shoes
and shirts. We came away without
trunks, only with a carpet-bag."
"I will show
you an excellent shop for getting
what you want."
"Really, monsieur,
you are very kind."
And they walked off together,
Passepartout chatting volubly
as they went along.
"Above all," said he; "don't
let me lose the steamer."
"You have plenty
of time; it's only twelve o'clock."
Passepartout
pulled out his big watch. "Twelve!" he exclaimed; "why,
it's only eight minutes before
ten."
"Your watch
is slow."
"My watch?
A family watch, monsieur, which
has come down
from my great-grandfather! It
doesn't vary five minutes in
the year. It's a perfect chronometer,
look you."
"I see how it is," said Fix. "You
have kept London time, which
is two hours behind that of Suez.
You ought to regulate your watch
at noon in each country."
"I regulate
my watch? Never!"
"Well, then,
it will not agree with the
sun."
"So much the
worse for the sun, monsieur.
The sun will be
wrong, then!"
And the worthy
fellow returned the watch to
its fob with a defiant
gesture. After a few minutes
silence, Fix resumed: "You left
London hastily, then?"
"I rather think
so! Last Friday at eight o'clock
in the evening,
Monsieur Fogg came home from
his club, and three-quarters
of an hour afterwards we were
off."
"But where
is your master going?"
"Always straight
ahead. He is going round the
world."
"Round the world?" cried
Fix.
"Yes, and in
eighty days! He says it is
on a wager; but, between
us, I don't believe a word of
it. That wouldn't be common sense.
There's something else in the
wind."
"Ah! Mr. Fogg
is a character, is he?"
"I should say
he was."
"Is he rich?"
"No doubt,
for he is carrying an enormous
sum in brand new
banknotes with him. And he doesn't
spare the money on the way, either:
he has offered a large reward
to the engineer of the Mongolia
if he gets us to Bombay well
in advance of time."
"And you have
known your master a long time?"
"Why, no; I
entered his service the very
day we left London."
The effect of these replies
upon the already suspicious and
excited detective may be imagined.
The hasty departure from London
soon after the robbery; the large
sum carried by Mr. Fogg; his
eagerness to reach distant countries;
the pretext of an eccentric and
foolhardy bet--all confirmed
Fix in his theory. He continued
to pump poor Passepartout, and
learned that he really knew little
or nothing of his master, who
lived a solitary existence in
London, was said to be rich,
though no one knew whence came
his riches, and was mysterious
and impenetrable in his affairs
and habits. Fix felt sure that
Phileas Fogg would not land at
Suez, but was really going on
to Bombay.
"Is Bombay far from here?" asked
Passepartout.
"Pretty far.
It is a ten days' voyage by
sea."
"And in what
country is Bombay?"
"India."
"In Asia?"
"Certainly."
"The deuce!
I was going to tell you there's
one thing that
worries me-- my burner!"
"What burner?"
"My gas-burner,
which I forgot to turn off,
and which is at
this moment burning at my expense.
I have calculated, monsieur,
that I lose two shillings every
four and twenty hours, exactly
sixpense more than I earn; and
you will understand that the
longer our journey--"
Did Fix pay any attention to
Passepartout's trouble about
the gas? It is not probable.
He was not listening, but was
cogitating a project. Passepartout
and he had now reached the shop,
where Fix left his companion
to make his purchases, after
recommending him not to miss
the steamer, and hurried back
to the consulate. Now that he
was fully convinced, Fix had
quite recovered his equanimity.
"Consul," said he, "I
have no longer any doubt. I
have spotted
my man. He passes himself off
as an odd stick who is going
round the world in eighty days."
"Then he's a sharp fellow," returned
the consul, "and counts on returning
to London after putting the police
of the two countries off his
track."
"We'll see about that," replied
Fix.
"But are you
not mistaken?"
"I am not mistaken."
"Why was this
robber so anxious to prove,
by the visa, that he
had passed through Suez?"
"Why? I have
no idea; but listen to me."
He reported in a few words
the most important parts of his
conversation with Passepartout.
"In short," said the consul, "appearances
are wholly against this man.
And what are you going to do?"
"Send a dispatch
to London for a warrant of
arrest to be
dispatched instantly to Bombay,
take passage on board the Mongolia,
follow my rogue to India, and
there, on English ground, arrest
him politely, with my warrant
in my hand, and my hand on his
shoulder."
Having uttered these words
with a cool, careless air, the
detective took leave of the consul,
and repaired to the telegraph
office, whence he sent the dispatch
which we have seen to the London
police office. A quarter of an
hour later found Fix, with a
small bag in his hand, proceeding
on board the Mongolia; and, ere
many moments longer, the noble
steamer rode out at full steam
upon the waters of the Red Sea.
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