AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天)-第4部分
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‘Well; Mr Fogg;' said he; ‘it shall be so: I will wager the four thousand on it。'
‘Calm yourself; my dear Stuart;' said Fallentin。 ‘It's only a joke。'
‘When I say I'll wager;' returned Stuart; ‘I mean it。'
‘All right;' said Mr Fogg; and turning to the others he continued: ‘I have a deposit of twenty thousand at Baring's which I will willingly risk upon it。'
‘Twenty thousand pounds!' cried Sullivan。 ‘Twenty thousand pounds; which you would lose by a single acomidental delay!'
‘The unforeseen does not exist;' quietly replied Phileas Fogg。
‘But; Mr Fogg; eighty days are only the estimate of the least possible time in which the journey can be made。'
‘A well … used minimum suffices for everything。'
‘But; in order not to exceed it; you must jump mathematically from the trains upon the steamers; and from the steamers upon the trains again。'
‘I will jump…mathematically。'
‘You are joking。'
‘A true Englishman doesn't joke when he is talking about so serious a thing as a wager;' replied Phileas Fogg; solemnly。 ‘I will bet twenty thousand pounds against anyone who wishes; that I will make the tour of the world in eighty days or less; in nineteen hundred and twenty hours; or a hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred minutes。 Do you acomept?'
‘We acomept;' replied Messrs Stuart; Fallentin; Sullivan; Flanagan; and Ralph; after consulting each other。
‘Good;' said Mr Fogg。 ‘The train leaves for Dover at a quarter before nine。 I will take it。'
‘This very evening?' asked Stuart。
‘This very evening;' returned Phileas Fogg。 He took out and consulted a pocket almanac; and added; ‘As to…day is Wednesday; the second of October; I shall be due in London; in this very room of the Reform Club; on Saturday; the twenty…first of December; at a quarter before nine p。m。; or else the twenty thousand pounds; now deposited in my name at Baring's; will belong to you; in fact and in right; gentlemen。 Here is a cheque for the amount。'
A memorandum of the wager was at once drawn up and signed by the six parties; during which Phileas Fogg preserved a stoical composure。 He certainly did not bet to win; and had only staked the twenty thousand pounds; half of his fortune; because he foresaw that he might have to expend the other half to carry out this difficult; not to say unattainable; project。 As for his antagonists; they seemed much agitated; not so much by the value of their stake; as because they had some scruples about betting under conditions so difficult to their friend。
The clock struck seven; and the party offered to suspend the game so that Mr Fogg might make his preparations for departure。
‘I am quite ready now;' was his tranquil response。
‘Diamonds are trumps: be so good as to play; gentlemen。'
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CHAPTER IV
IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG ASTOUNDS PASSEPARTOUT; HIS SERVANT。
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Having won twenty guineas at whist; and taken leave of his friends; Phileas Fogg; at twenty…five minutes past seven; left the Reform Club。
Passepartout; who had conscientiously studied the programme of his duties; was more than surprised to see his master guilty of the inexactness of appearing at this unacomustomed hour; for; acomording to rule; he was not due in Saville Row until precisely midnight。
Mr Fogg repaired to his bedroom; and called out; ‘Passepartout!'
Passepartout did not reply。 It could not be he who was called; it was not the right hour。
‘Passepartout!' repeated Mr Fogg; without raising his voice。
Passepartout made his appearance。
‘I've called you twice;' observed his master。
‘But it is not midnight;' responded the other; showing his watch。
‘I know it; I don't blame you。 We start for Dover and Calais in ten minutes。'
A puzzled grin overspread Passepartout's round face; clearly he had not comprehended his master。
‘Monsieur is going to leave home?'
‘Yes;' returned Phileas Fogg。 ‘We are going round the world。'
Passepartout opened wide his eyes; raised his eyebrows; held up his hands; and seemed about to collapse; so overcome was he with stupefied astonishment。
‘Round the world!' he murmured。
‘In eighty days;' responded Mr Fogg。 ‘So we haven't a moment to lose。'
‘But the trunks?' gasped Passepartout; unconsciously swaying his head from right to left。
‘We'll have no trunks; only a carpet…bag; with two shirts and three pairs of stockings for me; and the same for you。 We'll buy our clothes on the way。 Bring down my mackintosh and travelling…cloak; and some stout shoes; though we shall do little walking。 Make haste!'
Passepartout tried to reply; but could not。 He went out; mounted to his own room; fell into a chair; and muttered: ‘That's good; that is! And I; who wanted to remain quiet!'
He mechanically set about making the preparations for departure。 Around the world in eighty days! Was his master a fool? No。 Was this a joke; then? They were going to Dover; good。 To Calais; good again。 After all; Passepartout; who had been away from France five years; would not be sorry to set foot on his native soil again。 Perhaps they would go as far as Paris; and it would do his eyes good to see Paris once more。 But surely a gentleman so chary of his steps would stop there; no doubt; … but; then; it was none the less true that he was going away; this so domestic person hitherto!
By eight o'clock Passepartout had packed the modest carpet…bag; containing the wardrobes of his master and himself; then; still troubled in mind; he carefully shut the door of his room; and descended to Mr Fogg。
Mr Fogg was quite ready。 Under his arm might have been observed a red…bound copy of ‘Bradshaw's Continental Railway Steam Transit and General Guide;' with its time…tables showing the arrival and departure of steamers and railways。 He took the carpet…bag; opened it; and slipped into it a goodly roll of Bank of England notes; which would pass wherever he might go。
‘You have forgotten nothing?' asked he。
‘Nothing; monsieur。'
‘My mackintosh and cloak?'
‘Here they are。'
‘Good。 Take this carpet…bag;' handing it to Passepartout。 ‘Take good care of it; for there are twenty thousand pounds in it。'
Passepartout nearly dropped the bag; as if the twenty thousand pounds were in gold; and weighted him down。
Master and man then descended; the street…door was double…locked; and at the end of Saville Row they took a cab and drove rapidly to Charing Cross。 The cab stopped before the railway station at twenty minutes past eight。 Passepartout jumped off the box and followed his master; who; after paying the cabman; was about to enter the station; when a poor beggar…woman; with a child in her arms; her naked feet smeared with mud; her head covered with a wretched bonnet; from which hung a tattered feather; and her shoulders shrouded in a ragged shawl; approached; and mournfully asked for alms。
Mr Fogg took out the twenty guineas he had just won at whist; and handed them to the beggar; saying; ‘Here; my good woman。 I'm glad that I met you'; and passed on。
Passepartout had a moist sensation about the eyes; his masters action touched his susceptible heart。
Two first…class tickets for Paris having been speedily purchased; Mr Fogg was crossing the station to the train; when he perceived his five friends of the Reform。
‘Well; gentlemen;' said he; ‘I'm off; you see; and if you will examine my passport when I get back; you will be able to judge whether I have acomomplished the journey agreed upon。'
‘Oh; that would be quite unnecessary; Mr Fogg;' said Ralph politely。 ‘We will trust your word; as a gentleman of honour。'
‘You do not forget when you are due in London again?' asked Stuart。
‘In eighty days; on Saturday; the 21st of December; 1872; at a quarter before nine p。m。 Good…bye; gentlemen。
Phileas Fogg and his servant seated themselves in a first…class carriage at twenty minutes before nine; five minutes later the whistle screamed; and the train slowly glided out of the Station。
The night was dark; and a fine; steady rain was falling。 Phileas Fogg; snugly ensconced in his corner; did not open his lips。 Passepartout; not yet recovered from his stupefaction; clung mechanically to th