Detective Fix Shows Natural Impatience

The circumstances under which this telegraphic dispatch about Phileas Fogg was sent were as follows:

The telegram about Phileas Fogg was sent under the following circumstances:

The steamer “Mongolia,” belonging to the Peninsular and Oriental Company, built of iron, of two thousand eight hundred tons burden, and five hundred horse-power, was due at eleven o’clock a.m. on Wednesday, the 9th of October, at Suez. The “Mongolia” plied regularly between Brindisi and Bombay viâ the Suez Canal, and was one of the fastest steamers belonging to the company, always making more than ten knots an hour between Brindisi and Suez, and nine and a half between Suez and Bombay.

The steamer “Mongolia” was due at Suez at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, October 9. It belonged to the Peninsular and Oriental Company and was built of iron, with a capacity of 2,800 tons and an engine of 500 horsepower. The “Mongolia” traveled regularly between Brindisi and Bombay via the Suez Canal. It was one of the company’s fastest steamers, always making more than ten knots between Brindisi and Suez, and nine and a half knots between Suez and Bombay.

Two men were promenading up and down the wharves, among the crowd of natives and strangers who were sojourning at this once straggling village—now, thanks to the enterprise of M. Lesseps, a fast-growing town. One was the British consul at Suez, who, despite the prophecies of the English Government, and the unfavourable predictions of Stephenson, was in the habit of seeing, from his office window, English ships daily passing to and fro on the great canal, by which the old roundabout route from England to India by the Cape of Good Hope was abridged by at least a half. The other was a small, slight-built personage, with a nervous, intelligent face, and bright eyes peering out from under eyebrows which he was incessantly twitching. He was just now manifesting unmistakable signs of impatience, nervously pacing up and down, and unable to stand still for a moment. This was Fix, one of the detectives who had been dispatched from England in search of the bank robber; it was his task to narrowly watch every passenger who arrived at Suez, and to follow up all who seemed to be suspicious characters, or bore a resemblance to the description of the criminal, which he had received two days before from the police headquarters at London. The detective was evidently inspired by the hope of obtaining the splendid reward which would be the prize of success, and awaited with a feverish impatience, easy to understand, the arrival of the steamer “Mongolia.”

Two men were walking up and down the wharves among the crowd of locals and visitors staying in Suez. Once a scattered village, it was now a fast-growing town, thanks to the enterprise of M. Lesseps. One man was the British consul at Suez. Despite the predictions of the English Government and the unfavorable forecasts of Stephenson, he regularly saw English ships passing along the great canal from his office window. The canal had cut the old route from England to India around the Cape of Good Hope by at least half. The other man was small and slight, with a nervous, intelligent face and bright eyes beneath constantly twitching eyebrows. He was clearly impatient, pacing nervously and unable to stand still for a moment. This was Fix, one of the detectives sent from England to find the bank robber. His task was to watch every passenger arriving at Suez closely. He was to follow anyone who seemed suspicious or resembled the criminal described in a notice he had received from police headquarters in London two days earlier. Fix was plainly motivated by the hope of winning the splendid reward for success. He waited with feverish impatience, understandably enough, for the arrival of the steamer “Mongolia.”

“So you say, consul,” asked he for the twentieth time, “that this steamer is never behind time?”

“So, consul,” he asked for the twentieth time, “you say this steamer is never late?”

“No, Mr. Fix,” replied the consul. “She was bespoken yesterday at Port Said, and the rest of the way is of no account to such a craft. I repeat that the ‘Mongolia’ has been in advance of the time required by the company’s regulations, and gained the prize awarded for excess of speed.”

“No, Mr. Fix,” replied the consul. “She was hailed at Port Said yesterday, and the remaining distance is nothing for a ship like her. I repeat that the ‘Mongolia’ arrived ahead of the company’s scheduled time and won the prize for extra speed.”

“Does she come directly from Brindisi?”

“Does she come straight from Brindisi?”

“Directly from Brindisi; she takes on the Indian mails there, and she left there Saturday at five p.m. Have patience, Mr. Fix; she will not be late. But really, I don’t see how, from the description you have, you will be able to recognise your man, even if he is on board the ‘Mongolia.’”

“Directly from Brindisi. She picks up the Indian mail there and left on Saturday at five p.m. Be patient, Mr. Fix. She won’t be late. But really, I don’t see how you can recognize your man from the description you have, even if he’s on board the ‘Mongolia.’”

“A man rather feels the presence of these fellows, consul, than recognises them. You must have a scent for them, and a scent is like a sixth sense which combines hearing, seeing, and smelling. I’ve arrested more than one of these gentlemen in my time, and, if my thief is on board, I’ll answer for it; he’ll not slip through my fingers.”

“Consul, you sense these fellows are around rather than recognize them. You need a nose for them. It’s like a sixth sense that combines hearing, sight, and smell. I’ve arrested more than one of these gentlemen in my time. And if my thief is on board, I can assure you he won’t slip through my fingers.”

“I hope so, Mr. Fix, for it was a heavy robbery.”

“I hope so, Mr. Fix, because it was a major robbery.”

“A magnificent robbery, consul; fifty-five thousand pounds! We don’t often have such windfalls. Burglars are getting to be so contemptible nowadays! A fellow gets hung for a handful of shillings!”

“What a magnificent robbery, consul! Fifty-five thousand pounds! We don’t often get windfalls like that. Burglars are getting so pathetic these days! A man gets hanged for a handful of shillings!”

“Mr. Fix,” said the consul, “I like your way of talking, and hope you’ll succeed; but I fear you will find it far from easy. Don’t you see, the description which you have there has a singular resemblance to an honest man?”

“Mr. Fix,” said the consul, “I like the way you talk, and I hope you succeed. But I’m afraid you’ll find it far from easy. Don’t you see? The description you have sounds remarkably like an honest man.”

“Consul,” remarked the detective, dogmatically, “great robbers always resemble honest folks. Fellows who have rascally faces have only one course to take, and that is to remain honest; otherwise they would be arrested off-hand. The artistic thing is, to unmask honest countenances; it’s no light task, I admit, but a real art.”

“Consul,” said the detective confidently, “great robbers always look like honest people. Men with dishonest faces have only one choice: to stay honest. Otherwise, they would be arrested immediately. The real art is exposing people who look honest. I admit it is no easy task, but it is a real art.”

Mr. Fix evidently was not wanting in a tinge of self-conceit.

Mr. Fix was clearly a little conceited.

Little by little the scene on the quay became more animated; sailors of various nations, merchants, ship-brokers, porters, fellahs, bustled to and fro as if the steamer were immediately expected. The weather was clear, and slightly chilly. The minarets of the town loomed above the houses in the pale rays of the sun. A jetty pier, some two thousand yards along, extended into the roadstead. A number of fishing-smacks and coasting boats, some retaining the fantastic fashion of ancient galleys, were discernible on the Red Sea.

Gradually, the quay grew busier. Sailors from many countries, merchants, ship brokers, porters, and fellahs hurried back and forth, as if the steamer were expected any moment. The weather was clear and slightly chilly. The town’s minarets rose above the houses in the pale sunlight. A pier about two thousand yards long extended into the harbor. Fishing boats and coastal vessels could be seen on the Red Sea. Some still had the fanciful shapes of ancient galleys.

As he passed among the busy crowd, Fix, according to habit, scrutinised the passers-by with a keen, rapid glance.

As he moved through the busy crowd, Fix quickly and sharply examined the people passing by, as was his habit.

It was now half-past ten.

It was now 10:30.

“The steamer doesn’t come!” he exclaimed, as the port clock struck.

“The steamer isn’t coming!” he exclaimed as the port clock struck.

“She can’t be far off now,” returned his companion.

“She can’t be far away now,” his companion replied.

“How long will she stop at Suez?”

“How long will she stay in Suez?”

“Four hours; long enough to get in her coal. It is thirteen hundred and ten miles from Suez to Aden, at the other end of the Red Sea, and she has to take in a fresh coal supply.”

“Four hours, long enough to load her coal. It is 1,310 miles from Suez to Aden, at the other end of the Red Sea. She needs to take on a fresh supply of coal.”

“And does she go from Suez directly to Bombay?”

“And does she go directly from Suez to Bombay?”

“Without putting in anywhere.”

“Without stopping at any port.”

“Good!” said Fix. “If the robber is on board he will no doubt get off at Suez, so as to reach the Dutch or French colonies in Asia by some other route. He ought to know that he would not be safe an hour in India, which is English soil.”

“Good!” said Fix. “If the robber is on board, he will no doubt get off at Suez. From there, he can take another route to the Dutch or French colonies in Asia. He should know he would not be safe for an hour in India, which is English territory.”

“Unless,” objected the consul, “he is exceptionally shrewd. An English criminal, you know, is always better concealed in London than anywhere else.”

“Unless he is exceptionally clever,” the consul objected. “You know, an English criminal is always better hidden in London than anywhere else.”

This observation furnished the detective food for thought, and meanwhile the consul went away to his office. Fix, left alone, was more impatient than ever, having a presentiment that the robber was on board the “Mongolia.” If he had indeed left London intending to reach the New World, he would naturally take the route viâ India, which was less watched and more difficult to watch than that of the Atlantic. But Fix’s reflections were soon interrupted by a succession of sharp whistles, which announced the arrival of the “Mongolia.” The porters and fellahs rushed down the quay, and a dozen boats pushed off from the shore to go and meet the steamer. Soon her gigantic hull appeared passing along between the banks, and eleven o’clock struck as she anchored in the road. She brought an unusual number of passengers, some of whom remained on deck to scan the picturesque panorama of the town, while the greater part disembarked in the boats, and landed on the quay.

This observation gave the detective something to think about. Meanwhile, the consul went to his office. Left alone, Fix was more impatient than ever. He had a feeling that the robber was aboard the “Mongolia.” If the robber had left London intending to reach the New World, he would naturally travel via India. That route was less closely watched than the Atlantic route and more difficult to watch. But a series of sharp whistles soon interrupted Fix’s thoughts, announcing the arrival of the “Mongolia.” Porters and fellahs rushed down the quay, and a dozen boats set out from shore to meet the steamer. Soon its enormous hull appeared, moving between the banks. Eleven o’clock struck as the ship anchored offshore. It carried an unusually large number of passengers. Some stayed on deck to take in the picturesque view of the town. But most boarded the boats and landed on the quay.

Fix took up a position, and carefully examined each face and figure which made its appearance. Presently one of the passengers, after vigorously pushing his way through the importunate crowd of porters, came up to him and politely asked if he could point out the English consulate, at the same time showing a passport which he wished to have visaed. Fix instinctively took the passport, and with a rapid glance read the description of its bearer. An involuntary motion of surprise nearly escaped him, for the description in the passport was identical with that of the bank robber which he had received from Scotland Yard.

Fix took up a position and carefully examined everyone who appeared. Soon, a passenger pushed his way through the crowd of persistent porters and came up to him. He politely asked Fix if he could point out the English consulate. At the same time, he showed Fix a passport he wanted to have visaed. Fix instinctively took the passport and quickly read the description of its bearer. He almost showed his surprise. The description in the passport was identical to the one Scotland Yard had sent him of the bank robber.

“Is this your passport?” asked he.

“Is this your passport?” he asked.

“No, it’s my master’s.”

“No, it’s my master’s.”

“And your master is—”

“And your master is...”

“He stayed on board.”

“He stayed on board.”

“But he must go to the consul’s in person, so as to establish his identity.”

“But he must go to the consul’s office in person to prove his identity.”

“Oh, is that necessary?”

“Oh, is that necessary?”

“Quite indispensable.”

“Absolutely necessary.”

“And where is the consulate?”

“And where is the consulate?”

“There, on the corner of the square,” said Fix, pointing to a house two hundred steps off.

“There, on the corner of the square,” said Fix, pointing to a house two hundred steps away.

“I’ll go and fetch my master, who won’t be much pleased, however, to be disturbed.”

“I’ll go get my master, but he won’t be very pleased to be disturbed.”

The passenger bowed to Fix, and returned to the steamer.

The passenger bowed to Fix and went back to the steamship.