Chapter 8

Passepartout Perhaps Talks a Little Too Much

5 min

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.

Fix soon rejoined Passepartout, who was lounging on the quay and looking around. At least Passepartout acted as if he felt no obligation to avoid seeing anything.

“Well, my friend,” said the detective, coming up with him, “is your passport visaed?”

“Well, my friend,” said the detective as he caught up with him, “has your passport been stamped?”

“Ah, it’s you, is it, monsieur?” responded Passepartout. “Thanks, yes, the passport is all right.”

“Oh, it’s you, sir?” replied Passepartout. “Thanks, yes, the passport is all right.”

“And you are looking about you?”

“And are you looking around?”

“Yes; but we travel so fast that I seem to be journeying in a dream. So this is Suez?”

“Yes, but we travel so fast that I feel as if I’m traveling in a dream. So this is Suez?”

“Yes.”

“In Egypt?”

“Certainly, in Egypt.”

“Of course, 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 Père la Chaise and the circus in the Champs Elysées!”

“In Africa!” repeated Passepartout. “Just think, monsieur, I had no idea we would go farther than Paris. And all I saw of Paris was through a car window, in pouring rain! That was between 7:20 and 8:40 in the morning, on the way from the Northern station to the Lyons station. How I wish I could have seen Père la Chaise and the circus in the Champs Elysées again!”

“You are in a great hurry, then?”

“So you’re in a big hurry?”

“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’m not, but my master is. By the way, I need to buy some shoes and shirts. We left without any trunks, with only a carpetbag.”

“I will show you an excellent shop for getting what you want.”

“I’ll show you a great shop where you can get what you want.”

“Really, monsieur, you are very kind.”

“Really, sir, you are very kind.”

And they walked off together, Passepartout chatting volubly as they went along.

They walked off together, and Passepartout chatted away as they went.

“Above all,” said he; “don’t let me lose the steamer.”

“Above all,” he said, “don’t let me miss the steamship.”

“You have plenty of time; it’s only twelve o’clock.”

“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.”

Passepartout pulled out his big watch. “Twelve!” he exclaimed. “But 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.”

“My watch? It’s a family watch, sir, passed down from my great-grandfather! It doesn’t gain or lose five minutes in a year. It’s a perfect timekeeper, you see.”

“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 see what happened,” said Fix. “You have kept your watch on London time. London is two hours behind Suez. You should set your watch at noon in each country.”

“I regulate my watch? Never!”

“Adjust my watch? Never!”

“Well, then, it will not agree with the sun.”

“Well, then, it won’t match the sun.”

“So much the worse for the sun, monsieur. The sun will be wrong, then!”

“Too bad for the sun, sir. Then the sun will be wrong!”

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?”

And the good fellow put the watch back in his watch pocket with a defiant gesture. After a few minutes of silence, Fix spoke again: “So you left London in a hurry?”

“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.”

“I certainly think so! Last Friday at eight in the evening, Monsieur Fogg came home from his club. Forty-five minutes later, we left.”

“But where is your master going?”

“Always straight ahead. He is going round the world.”

“Always straight ahead. He is going around the world.”

“Round the world?” cried Fix.

“Around 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.”

“Yes, and in eighty days! He says it’s because of a bet, but between us, I don’t believe a word of it. That wouldn’t make sense. Something else is going on.”

“Ah! Mr. Fogg is a character, is he?”

“Ah! So Mr. Fogg is quite a character?”

“I should say he was.”

“I'd 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.”

“No doubt, because he is carrying an enormous sum in brand new banknotes. And he isn’t sparing the money on the journey, either. He has offered a large reward to the engineer of the ‘Mongolia’ if he gets us to Bombay well ahead of schedule.”

“And you have known your master a long time?”

“And have you known your master for a long time?”

“Why, no; I entered his service the very day we left London.”

“Why, no. I started working for him 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.

One can imagine how these answers affected the detective, who was already suspicious and excited. Everything confirmed Fix's theory: the sudden departure from London soon after the robbery, the large sum Mr. Fogg carried, his eagerness to reach distant countries, and the excuse of a strange and reckless bet. Fix kept questioning poor Passepartout and learned that he knew little or nothing about his master. Fogg lived alone in London and was said to be rich, though no one knew where his wealth came from. His affairs and habits were mysterious and impossible to understand. Fix felt sure that Phileas Fogg would not get off 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.”

“Pretty far. It takes ten days to get there by sea.”

“And in what country is Bombay?”

“And what country is Bombay in?”

“India.”

“In Asia?”

“Certainly.”

“Of course.”

“The deuce! I was going to tell you there’s one thing that worries me—my burner!”

“Darn! I was going to tell you that one thing 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 sixpence more than I earn; and you will understand that the longer our journey—”

“My gas burner. I forgot to turn it off, and it is still burning at my expense. I have calculated, monsieur, that I lose two shillings every 24 hours. That is exactly sixpence 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.

Did Fix pay any attention to Passepartout’s worries about the gas? Probably not. He was not listening but thinking over a plan. Passepartout and Fix had now reached the shop. Fix left Passepartout to make his purchases, after reminding him not to miss the steamer, and hurried back to the consulate. Now that he was fully convinced, Fix had regained his composure.

“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.”

“Consul,” he said, “I have no doubt now. I’ve found my man. He claims to be an eccentric traveling around 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.”

“Then he’s a clever fellow,” replied the consul, “and he plans to return to London after throwing the police in both countries off his trail.”

“We’ll see about that,” replied Fix.

“We’ll see about that,” Fix replied.

“But are you not mistaken?”

“But are you sure you’re not mistaken?”

“I am not mistaken.”

“I’m not wrong.”

“Why was this robber so anxious to prove, by the visa, that he had passed through Suez?”

“Why was this robber so eager to use the visa to prove he had passed through Suez?”

“Why? I have no idea; but listen to me.”

“Why? I have no idea. But listen to me.”

He reported in a few words the most important parts of his conversation with Passepartout.

He briefly reported 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?”

“In short,” said the consul, “everything makes this man look guilty. 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.”

“Send a message to London asking for an arrest warrant to be sent immediately to Bombay. Board the ‘Mongolia’ and follow my rogue to India. Then, 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.

After saying this in a cool, careless manner, the detective left the consul and went to the telegraph office. From there, he sent the dispatch we have seen to the London police office. Fifteen minutes later, Fix boarded the “Mongolia” with a small bag in his hand. Moments later, the magnificent steamer set out at full steam across the Red Sea.