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03 - Around The World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne · Science Fiction Books

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Chapter three, in which a conversation takes place which seems likely to cost Phileas
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Fogg deer. Phileas Fogg, having shut the door of his house at half
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past eleven, and having put his right foot before his left five hundred and
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seventy five times and his left foot before his right five hundred and seventy six
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times, reached three form club, an imposing edifice in Pellmell, which could
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not have cost less than three millions. He repaired at once to the dining
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room, the nine windows of which opened upon a tasteful garden, where the
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trees were already gilded with an autumn coloring, and took his place at the
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habitual table, the cover of which had already been laid for him. His
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breakfast consisted of a side dish, a broiled fish with redding sauce, a
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scarlet slice of roast beef garnished with mushrooms, a rhue barb and gooseberry tart,
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and a morsel of Chashire cheese, the whole being washed down with several
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cups of tea, for which the reform is famous. He rose at thirteen
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minutes to one and directed his steps towards the large hall, a sumptuous apartment
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adorned with lavishly framed paintings. A flunkey handed him in uncut times, which
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he proceeded to cut with a skill which betrayed familiarity with this delicate operation.
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The perusal of this paper absorbed Phileas Fogg until a quarter before four, whilst
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the standard, his next task, occupied him till the dinner hour. Dinner
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passed as breakfast had done, and mister Fogg reappeared in the reading room and
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sat down to the pell mell at twenty minutes before six. Half an hour
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later, several members of the Reform came in and drew up to the fireplace,
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where a coal fire was steadily burning. They were mister Fogg's usual partners
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at whist Andrew Stewart, an engineer, John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, bankers,
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Thomas Flanagan, a brewer, and gauthier Ralph, one of the directors
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of the Bank of England, all rich and highly respectable personages, even in
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a club which comprises the princes of English trade and finance. Well, Ralph,
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said Thomas Flanagan, what about that robbery, Oh, replied Stuart.
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The bank will lose the money. On the contrary, broke in Ralph.
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I hope we may put our hands on the robber. Skillful detectives have been
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sent to all the principal ports of America and the continent, and he'll be
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a clever fellow if he slips through their fingers. But have you got the
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robber's description, asked Stuart, in the first place, he is no robber
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at all, returned Ralph positively. What a sallow who makes off with fifty
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five thousand pounds? No robber? No, perhaps he's a manufacturer. Then
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the Daily Telegraph says that he is a gentleman. It was Phileas Fogg,
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whose head now emerged from behind its newspapers, who made this remark. He
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bowed to his friends and entered into the conversation. The affair which formed its
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subject, and which was town talk, had occurred three days before at the
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Bank of England. A package of banknotes to the value of fifty five thousand
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pounds had been taken from the principal cashier's table. That functionary being at the
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moment engaged in registering the receipt of three shillings and sixpence. Of course,
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he could not have his eyes everywhere. Let it be observed that the Bank
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of England reposes a touching confidence in the honesty of the public. There are
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neither guards nor gratings to protect its treasures. Gold Solk bank notes are freely
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exposed at the mercy of the first comer. A keen observer of English customs
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relates that, being in one of the rooms of the bank one day,
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he had the curiosity to examine a gold ingot weighing some seven or eight pounds.
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He took it up, scrutinized it, passed it to his neighbor,
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he to the next man, and so on, until the ingot, going
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from hand to hand, was transferred to the end of a dark entry,
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Nor did it return to its place for half an hour. Meanwhile, the
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cashier had not so much as raised his head. But in the present instance,
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things had not gone so smoothly, the package of notes not being found.
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When five o'clock sounded from the ponderous clock in the drawing office, the
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amount was passed to the account of profit and loss. As soon as the
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robbery was discovered, picked detectives hastened off to Liverpool, Glasgow, Havre,
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Suez, Brindisi, New York and other ports. Inspired by the proffered reward
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of two thousand pounds and five per cent on the sum that might be recovered.
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Detectives were also charged with narrowly watching those who arrived at or left London
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by rail, and a judicial examination was at once entered upon. There were
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real grounds for supposing, as the Daily Telegraph said that the thief did not
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belong to a professional band. On the day of the robbery, a well
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dressed gentleman, of polished manners and with a well to do air had been
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observed going to and fro in the paying room where the crime was committed.
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A description of him was easily procured and sent to the detectives, and some
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hopeful spirits, of whom Ralph was won, did not despair of his apprehension.
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The papers and clubs were full of the affair, and everywhere people were
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discussing the probabilities of a successful pursuit, and the Reform Club was especially agitated,
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several of its members being bank officials. Ralph would not concede that the
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work of the detectives was likely to be in vain, for he thought that
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the prize offered would greatly stimulate their zeal And activity. But Stuart was far
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from sharing this confidence, and as they placed themselves at the whist table,
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they continued to argue the matter. Stuart and Flanagan played together, while Phileas
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Fogg had Fellentin for his partner. As the game proceeded, the conversation ceased,
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excepting between the rubbers, when it revived again. I maintain, said
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Stuart, that the chances are in favor of the thief, who must be
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a shrewd fellow. Well where can he fly to? Asked Ralph? No
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country is safe for him, Pshaw, Where could he go? Then?
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Oh? I don't know that the world is big enough it was, once
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said Phileas Fogg in a low tone. Cut sir, he added, handing
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the cards to Thomas Flanagan. The discussion fell during the rubber, after which
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Stuart took up its thread. What do you mean by wants? Has the
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world grown smaller? Certainly, returned Ralph. I agree with mister Fogg.
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The world has grown smaller since a man can now go round it ten times
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more quickly than a hundred years ago, and that is why the search for
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this thief will be more likely to succeed. And also why the thief can
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get away more easily? Be so good as to play, mister Stuart,
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said Phileas Fogg. But the incredulous Stuart was not convinced, and when the
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hand was finished, said, eagerly, you have a strange one ralph of
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proving that the world has grown smaller, So because you can go round it
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in three months in eighty days, interrupted Phileas Fogg. That is true,
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gentlemen, added John Sullivan, only eighty days now that the section between Ruthal
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and Allahabad on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway has been opened. Here is the
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estimate made by the Daily Telegraph from London to Suez via Mont Cenis and Brindisi
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by rail and steamboats. Seven days from Suez to Bombay by steamer, thirteen
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days from Bombay to Calcutta by rail, three days from Calcutta to Hong Kong
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by steamer, thirteen days from Hong Kong to Yokohama, Japan by steamer,
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six days from Yokohama to San Francisco by steamer, twenty two days from San
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Francisco to New York by rail. Seven days from New York to London by
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steamer and rail nine days total eighty days. Yes, in eighty days,
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exclaimed Stuart, who in his excitement made a false steel. But that doesn't
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take into account bad weather, contrary winds, shipwrecks, railway accidents and so
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on, all included, returned Phileas Fogg, continuing to play despite the discussion.
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But suppose the Hindoos, our Indians pull up the rails, replied Stuart.
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Suppose they stop the trains, pillaged, the luggage, vans and scalp
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the passengers all included, calmly retorted Fogg, adding as he threw down the
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cards two tromps. Stuart, whose turn it was to deal, gathered them
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up and went on you right theoretically, mister Fogg, but practically practically also,
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mister Stewart, I'd like to see you do it in eighty days.
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It depends on you. Shall we go Heaven preserve me? But I would
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weigher four thousand pounds that such a journey made under these conditions is impossible,
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Quite possible. On the contrary, returned mister Fogg. Well make it then,
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the journey round the world in eighty days. Yes, I should like
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nothing better. When at once only I warned you that I shall do it
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at your expense. It's absurd, cried Stuart, who was beginning to be
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annoyed at the persistency of his friend. Come, let's go on with the
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game. Deal over again, then, said Phileas Fogg. There's a false
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deal. Stuart took up the pack with a feverish hand, then suddenly put
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them down again. Well, mister Fogg, said he it shall be so,
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I will wager the four thousand on it. Calm yourself, my dear
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Stuart, said Falentin. It's only a joke when I say I'll wager,
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returned Stuart. I mean it all right, said mister Fogg, and turning
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to the others, he continued, I have a deposit of twenty thousand at
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bearings, which I will willingly risk upon it. Twenty thousand pounds, cried
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Stuart, twenty thousand pounds which you would lose by a single accidental delay.
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The unforeseen does not exist, quietly replied Phileas Fogg. But mister Fogg,
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eighty days are only the estimate of the least possible time in which the journey
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can be made. Oh well, you this minimum suffices for everything, But
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in order not to exceed it, you must jump mathematically from the trains upon
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the steamers, and from the steamers upon the trains again. I will jump
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mathematically. You are joking. A true Englishman doesn't joke when he is talking
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about so serious a thing as a wager, replied Phileas Fogg solemnly. I
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will bet twenty thousand pounds against anyone who wishes that I will make the tour
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of the world in eighty days or less in nineteen hundred and twenty hours or
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one hundred and fifteen thousand, two hundred minutes. Do you accept? We
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accept, replied Messrs Stuart, Valentine, Sullivan, Flanagan and Ralph. After
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consoling each other, good, said mister Fogg. The train ane leaves for
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Dover at a quarter before nine. I will take it this very evening,
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asked Stuart. This very evening, returned Phileas Fogg. He took out and
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consulted a pocket almanac, and added, as today is Wednesday, the second
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of October, I shall be due in London in this very room of the
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Reform Club on Saturday, the twenty first of December, at a quarter before
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nine p m. Or else. The twenty thousand pounds now deposited in my
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name at barings will belong to you in fact and in right, gentlemen.
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Here is a check for the amount. A memorandum of the wager was at
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once drawn up and signed by the six parties, during which Phileas Fogg preserved
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a stoical composure. He certainly did not bet to win, and had only
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staked the twenty thousand pounds half of his fortune because he saw that he might
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have to expend the other half to carry out this difficult, not to say,
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unattainable project. As for his antagonists, they seemed much agitated, not
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so much by the value of their stake as because they had some scruples about
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betting under conditions so difficult to their friend. The clock struck seven, and
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the party offered to suspend the game so that mister Fogg might make his preparations
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for departure. I am quite ready now, was his tranquil response. Diamonds
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are trumps. Be so good as to play, gentlemen. End of chapter