Latest / Classic Adventure Books Library / 36 - Around The World in Eighty Days - Jules Verne
Transcript
- Chapter thirty six, in which Phileas Fogg's name is once more at a premium on change. It is time to relate what a change took place in English public opinion when it transpired that the real bank robber, a certain James Strand had been arrested on the seventeenth 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 honorable 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 seventeenth 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 twenty first 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 saddle 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 cent Bets increased nevertheless in number and value. Phileas Fogg, like a race horse, was drawing near his last turning point. The bonds were quoted no longer at one hundred below par but at twenty, at ten and at five and paralytic Old Lord Albemarle bet even in his favor. A great crowd was collected in Pellmell and the neighboring 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 Amuel Flanton, the bankers, Andrew Stewart, the engineer, Gouthier 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, and in twenty minutes the time agreed upon between mister Fogg and ourselves will have expired. What time did the last train arrive from Liverpool, asked Thomas Flennigan. At twenty three minutes past seven, replied Gouthier Ralph. And the next does not arrive till ten minutes after twelve. Well, gentlemen, resumed Andrew Stuart. If Phileas Fogg had come in on the seven twenty three train, he would have got here by this time. We can therefore regard the bet as one. Wait. Don't let us be too hasty, replied Samuel Fallenton. You know that mister 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 Flannagan. Mister 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. I 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, gentlemen, 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 favored him, he can scarcely have reached America. I think he will be at least twenty days behindhand, and that Lord Albemarle will lose a cool five thousand. It is clear, replied Gothier Ralph. And we have nothing to do but to present mister Fogg's check at Bearings tomorrow. 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 mister Fallaton'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 Flannigan, 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 Stewart 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 arose 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. End of chapter