AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天)-第12部分

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　offered　a　thousand　pounds　for　him。　The　Indian；　perhaps　thinking　he　was　going　to　make　a　great　bargain；　still　refused。　
Sir　Francis　Cromarty　took　Mr　Fogg　aside；　and　begged　him　to　reflect　before　he　went　any　further；　to　which　that　gentleman　replied　that　he　was　not　in　the　habit　of　acting　rashly；　that　a　bet　of　twenty　thousand　pounds　was　at　stake；　that　the　elephant　was　absolutely　necessary　to　him；　and　that　he　would　secure　him　if　he　had　to　pay　twenty　times　his　value。　Returning　to　the　Indian；　whose　small；　sharp　eyes；　glistening　with　avarice；　betrayed　that　with　him　it　was　only　a　question　of　how　great　a　price　he　could　obtain；　Mr　Fogg　offered　first　twelve　hundred；　then　fifteen　hundred；　eighteen　hundred；　two　thousand　pounds。　Passepartout；　usually　so　rubicund；　was　fairly　white　with　suspense。　
At　two　thousand　pounds　the　Indian　yielded。　
‘What　a　price；　good　heaven！'　cried　Passepartout；　‘for　an　elephant！'　
It　only　remained　now　to　find　a　guide；　which　was　comparatively　easy。　A　young　Parsee；　with　an　intelligent　face；　offered　his　services；　which　Mr　Fogg　acomepted；　promising　so　generous　a　reward　as　to　materially　stimulate　his　zeal。　The　elephant　was　led　out　and　equipped。　The　Parsee；　who　was　an　acomomplished　elephant　driver；　covered　his　back　with　a　sort　of　saddle…cloth；　and　attached　to　each　of　his　flanks　some　curiously　uncomfortable　howdahs。　
Phileas　Fogg　paid　the　Indian　with　some　bank…notes　which　he　extracted　from　the　famous　carpet…bag；　a　proceeding　that　seemed　to　deprive　poor　Passepartout　of　his　vitals。　Then　he　offered　to　carry　Sir　Francis　to　Allahabad；　which　the　brigadier　gratefully　acomepted；　as　one　traveller　the　more　would　not　be　likely　to　fatigue　the　gigantic　beast。　Provisions　were　purchased　at　Kholby；　and　while　Sir　Francis　and　Mr　Fogg　took　the　howdahs　on　either　side；　Passepartout　got　astride　the　saddle…cloth　between　them。　The　Parsee　perched　himself　on　the　elephant's　neck；　and　at　nine　o'clock　they　set　out　from　the　village；　the　animal　marching　off　through　the　dense　forest　of　palms　by　the　shortest　cut。　

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CHAPTER　XII
IN　WHICH　PHILEAS　FOGG　AND　HIS　COMPANIONS　VENTURE　ACROSS　THE　INDIAN　FORESTS；　AND　WHAT　ENSUED。
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In　order　to　shorten　the　journey；　the　guide　passed　to　the　left　of　the　line　where　the　railway　was　still　in　process　of　being　built。　This　lined　owing　to　the　capricious　turnings　of　the　Vindhia　Mountains；　did　not　pursue　a　straight　course。　The　Parsee；　who　was　quite　familiar　with　the　roads　and　paths　in　the　district；　declared　that　they　would　gain　twenty　miles　by　striking　directly　through　the　forest。　
Phileas　Fogg　and　Sir　Francis　Cromarty　plunged　to　the　neck　in　the　peculiar　howdahs　provided　for　theme　were　horribly　jostled　by　the　swift　trotting　of　the　elephant；　spurred　on　as　he　was　by　the　skilful　Parsee；　but　they　endured　the　discomfort　with　true　British　phlegm；　talking　little；　and　scarcely　able　to　catch　a　glimpse　of　each　other。　As　for　Passepartout；　who　was　mounted　on　the　beast's　back；　and　received　the　direct　force　of　each　concussion　as　he　trod　along；　he　was　very　careful；　in　acomordance　with　his　master's　advice；　to　keep　his　tongue　from　between　his　teeth；　as　it　would　other　have　been　bitten　off　short。　The　worthy　fellow　bounced　from　the　elephant's　neck　to　his　rump；　and　vaulted　like　a　clown　on　a　spring…board；　yet　he　laughed　in　the　midst　of　his　bouncing；　and　from　time　to　time　took　a　piece　of　sugar　out　of　his　pocket；　and　inserted　it　in　Kiouni's　trunks　who　received　it　without　in　the　least　slackening　his　regular　trot。　
After　two　hours　the　guide　stopped　the　elephant；　and　gave　him　an　hour　for　rest；　during　which　Kiouni；　after　quenching　his　thirst　at　a　neighbouring　spring；　set　to　devouring　the　branches　and　shrubs　round　about　him。　Neither　Sir　Francis　nor　Mr　Fogg　regretted　the　delay；　and　both　descended　with　a　feeling　of　relief。　‘Why；　he's　made　of　iron！'　exclaimed　the　general；　gazing　admiringly　on　Kiouni。　
‘Of　…　forged　iron；'　replied　Passepartout；　as　he　set　about　preparing　a　hasty　breakfast。　
At　noon　the　Parsee　gave　the　signal　of　departure。　
The　country　soon　presented　a　very　savage　aspect。　Copses　of　dates　and　dwarf…palms　sucomeeded　the　dense　forests；　then　vast；　dry　plains；　dotted　with　scanty　shrubs；　and　sown　with　great　blocks　of　syenite。　All　this　portion　of　Bundelcund；　which　is　little　frequented　by　travellers；　is　inhabited　by　a　fanatical　population；　hardened　in　the　most　horrible　practices　of　the　Hindoo　faith。　The　English　have　not　been　able　to　secure　complete　dominion　over　this　territory；　which　is　subjected　to　the　influence　of　rajahs；　whom　it　is　almost　impossible　to　reach　in　their　inacomessible　mountain　fastnesses。　The　travellers　several　times　saw　bands　of　ferocious　Indians；　who；　when　they　perceived　the　elephant　striding　across　country；　made　angry　and　threatening　motions。　The　Parsee　avoided　them　as　much　as　possible。　Few　animals　were　observed　on　the　route；　even　the　monkeys　hurried　from　their　path　with　contortions　and　grimaces　which　convulsed　Passepartout　with　laughter。　
In　the　midst　of　his　gaiety；　however；　one　thought　troubled　the　worthy　servant。　What　would　Mr　Fogg　do　with　the　elephant；　when　he　got　to　Allahabad？　Would　he　carry　him　on　with　him？　Impossible！　The　cost　of　transporting　him　would　make　him　ruinously　expensive。　Would　he　sell　him；　or　set　him　free？　The　estimable　beast　certainly　deserved　some　consideration。　Should　Mr　Fogg　choose　to　make　him；　Passepartout；　a　present　of　Kiouni；　he　would　be　very　much　embarrassed；　and　these　thoughts　did　not　cease　worrying　him　for　a　long　time。　
The　principal　chain　of　the　Vindhias　was　crossed　by　eight　in　the　evening；　and　another　halt　was　made　on　the　northern　slope；　in　a　Bed　bungalow。　They　had　gone　nearly　twenty…five　miles　that　day；　and　an　equal　distance　still　separated　them　from　the　station　of　Allahabad。　
The　night　was　cold。　The　Parsee　lit　a　fire　in　the　bungalow　with　a　few　dry　branches；　and　the　warmth　was　very　grateful。　The　provisions　purchased　at　Kholby　sufficed　for　supper；　and　the　travellers　ate　ravenously。　The　conversation；　beginning　with　a　few　disconnected　phrases；　soon　gave　place　to　loud　and　steady　snores。　The　guide　watched　Kiouni；　who　slept　standing；　bolstering　himself　against　the　trunk　of　a　large　tree。　Nothing　ocomurred　during　the　night　to　disturb　the　slumberers；　although　ocomasional　growls　from　panthers　and　chatterings　of　monkeys　broke　the　silence；　the　more　formidable　beasts　made　no　cries　or　hostile　demonstration　against　the　ocomupants　of　the　bungalow。　Sir　Francis　slept　heavily；　like　an　honest　soldier　overcome　with　fatigue。　Passepartout　was　wrapped　in　uneasy　dreams　of　the　bouncing　of　the　day　before。　As　for　Mr　Fogg；　he　slumbered　as　peak　fully　as　if　he　had　been　in　his　serene　mansion　in　Saville　Row。　
The　journey　was　resumed　at　six　in　the　morning；　the　guide　hoped　to　reach　Allahabad　by　evening。　In　that　case；　Mr　Fogg　would　only　lose　a　part　of　the　forty…eight　hours　saved　since　the　beginning　of　the　tour。　Kiouni；　resuming　his　rapid　gait；　soon　descended　the　lower　spurs　of　the　Vindhias；　and　towards　noon　they　passed　by　the　age　of　Kallenger；　on　the　Cani；　one　of　the　branches　of　the　Ganges。　The　guide　avoided　inhabited　places；　tag　it　safer　to　keep　the　open　country；　which　lies　along　the　first　depressions　of　the　basin　of　the　great　river。　Allahabad　was　now　only　twelve　miles　to　the　northeast。　They　stopped　under　a　clump　of　bananas；　the　fruit　of　which；　as　healthy　as　bread　and　as　sucomulent　as　cream；　was　amply　partaken　of　and　appreciated。　
At　two　o'clock　the　guide　entered　a　thick　forest　which　extended　several　miles；　he　preferred　to　travel　under　cover　of　the　woods。　They　had　not　as　yet　had　any　unpleasant　encounters；　and　the　journey　seemed　on　the　point　of　being　sucomessfully　acomomplished；　when　the　elephant；　becoming　restless；　suddenly　stopped。　
It　was　then　four　o'clock。　
‘What's　the　matter？'　asked　Sir　Francis；　putting　out　his　head。　
‘I　don't　know；　officer；'　replied　the　Parsee；　listening　attentively　to　a　confused　murmur　which　came　through　the　thick　branches。　
The　murmur　soon　became　more　distinct；　it　now　seemed　like　a　distant　concert　of　human　voices　acomompanied　by　brass　instruments。　Passepartout　was　all　eyes　and　ears。　Mr　Fogg　patiently　waited　without　a　word。　The　Parsee　jumped　to　t