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with close attention. They chatted about the journey, and
Passepartout was especially merry at the idea that Fix was
going to continue it with them. When the bottles were
empty, however, he rose to go and tell his master of the
change in the time of the sailing of the Carnatic.
Fix caught him by the arm, and said,  Wait a moment.
 What for, Mr. Fix?
 I want to have a serious talk with you.
 A serious talk! cried Passepartout, drinking up the
little wine that was left in the bottom of his glass.  Well,
we ll talk about it to-morrow; I haven t time now.
 Stay! What I have to say concerns your master.
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Passepartout, at this, looked attentively at his
companion. Fix s face seemed to have a singular
expression. He resumed his seat.
 What is it that you have to say?
Fix placed his hand upon Passepartout s arm, and,
lowering his voice, said,  You have guessed who I am?
 Parbleu! said Passepartout, smiling.
 Then I m going to tell you everything 
 Now that I know everything, my friend! Ah! that s
very good. But go on, go on. First, though, let me tell you
that those gentlemen have put themselves to a useless
expense.
 Useless! said Fix.  You speak confidently. It s clear
that you don t know how large the sum is.
 Of course I do, returned Passepartout.  Twenty
thousand pounds.
 Fifty-five thousand! answered Fix, pressing his
companion s hand.
 What! cried the Frenchman.  Has Monsieur Fogg
dared fifty-five thousand pounds! Well, there s all the
more reason for not losing an instant, he continued,
getting up hastily.
Fix pushed Passepartout back in his chair, and resumed:
 Fifty-five thousand pounds; and if I succeed, I get two
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Around the World in 80 Days
thousand pounds. If you ll help me, I ll let you have five
hundred of them.
 Help you? cried Passepartout, whose eyes were
standing wide open.
 Yes; help me keep Mr. Fogg here for two or three
days.
 Why, what are you saying? Those gentlemen are not
satisfied with following my master and suspecting his
honour, but they must try to put obstacles in his way! I
blush for them!
 What do you mean?
 I mean that it is a piece of shameful trickery. They
might as well waylay Mr. Fogg and put his money in their
pockets!
 That s just what we count on doing.
 It s a conspiracy, then, cried Passepartout, who
became more and more excited as the liquor mounted in
his head, for he drank without perceiving it.  A real
conspiracy! And gentlemen, too. Bah!
Fix began to be puzzled.
 Members of the Reform Club! continued
Passepartout.  You must know, Monsieur Fix, that my
master is an honest man, and that, when he makes a
wager, he tries to win it fairly!
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Around the World in 80 Days
 But who do you think I am? asked Fix, looking at
him intently.
 Parbleu! An agent of the members of the Reform
Club, sent out here to interrupt my master s journey. But,
though I found you out some time ago, I ve taken good
care to say nothing about it to Mr. Fogg.
 He knows nothing, then?
 Nothing, replied Passepartout, again emptying his
glass.
The detective passed his hand across his forehead,
hesitating before he spoke again. What should he do?
Passepartout s mistake seemed sincere, but it made his
design more difficult. It was evident that the servant was
not the master s accomplice, as Fix had been inclined to
suspect.
 Well, said the detective to himself,  as he is not an
accomplice, he will help me.
He had no time to lose: Fogg must be detained at
Hong Kong, so he resolved to make a clean breast of it.
 Listen to me, said Fix abruptly.  I am not, as you
think, an agent of the members of the Reform Club 
 Bah! retorted Passepartout, with an air of raillery.
 I am a police detective, sent out here by the London
office.
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Around the World in 80 Days
 You, a detective?
 I will prove it. Here is my commission.
Passepartout was speechless with astonishment when
Fix displayed this document, the genuineness of which
could not be doubted.
 Mr. Fogg s wager, resumed Fix,  is only a pretext, of
which you and the gentlemen of the Reform are dupes.
He had a motive for securing your innocent complicity.
 But why?
 Listen. On the 28th of last September a robbery of
fifty-five thousand pounds was committed at the Bank of
England by a person whose description was fortunately
secured. Here is his description; it answers exactly to that
of Mr. Phileas Fogg.
 What nonsense! cried Passepartout, striking the table
with his fist.  My master is the most honourable of men!
 How can you tell? You know scarcely anything about
him. You went into his service the day he came away; and
he came away on a foolish pretext, without trunks, and
carrying a large amount in banknotes. And yet you are
bold enough to assert that he is an honest man!
 Yes, yes, repeated the poor fellow, mechanically.
 Would you like to be arrested as his accomplice?
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Around the World in 80 Days
Passepartout, overcome by what he had heard, held his
head between his hands, and did not dare to look at the
detective. Phileas Fogg, the saviour of Aouda, that brave
and generous man, a robber! And yet how many
presumptions there were against him! Passepartout essayed
to reject the suspicions which forced themselves upon his
mind; he did not wish to believe that his master was
guilty.
 Well, what do you want of me? said he, at last, with
an effort.
 See here, replied Fix;  I have tracked Mr. Fogg to this
place, but as yet I have failed to receive the warrant of
arrest for which I sent to London. You must help me to
keep him here in Hong Kong 
 I! But I 
 I will share with you the two thousand pounds reward [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]