III. In which a Conversation Takes Place which Seems Likely to Cost Phileas Fogg Dear

by Jules Verne

　　Phileas Fogg, having shut the door of his house at half-past eleven, andhaving put his right foot before his left five hundred and seventy-five times, and his left footbefore his right five hundred and seventy-six times, reached the Reform Club,an imposing edifice in Pall Mall, which could not have cost less thanthree millions. He repaired at once to the dining-room, the nine windowsof which open upon a tasteful garden, where the trees were already gildedwith an autumn colouring; and took his place at the habitual table,the cover of which had already been laid for him. His breakfast consistedof a side-dish, a broiled fish with Reading sauce, a scarlet slice ofroast beef garnished with mushrooms, a rhubarb and gooseberry tart,and a morsel of Cheshire cheese, the whole being washed down withseveral cups of tea, for which the Reform is famous. He rose atthirteen minutes to one, and directed his steps towards the large hall,a sumptuous apartment adorned with lavishly-framed paintings.A flunkey handed him an uncut Times, which he proceeded to cutwith a skill which betrayed familiarity with this delicate operation.The perusal of this paper absorbed Phileas Fogg until a quarter before four,whilst the Standard, his next task, occupied him till the dinner hour.Dinner passed as breakfast had done, and Mr. Fogg re-appeared in thereading-room and sat down to the Pall Mall at twenty minutes before six.Half an hour later several members of the Reform came in and drew upto the fireplace, where a coal fire was steadily burning.They were Mr. Fogg's usual partners at whist: Andrew Stuart, an engineer;John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, bankers; Thomas Flanagan, a brewer;and Gauthier Ralph, one of the Directors of the Bank of England--all rich and highly respectable personages, even in a club whichcomprises the princes of English trade and finance."Well, Ralph," said Thomas Flanagan, "what about that robbery?""Oh," replied Stuart, "the Bank will lose the money.""On the contrary," broke in Ralph, "I hope we may put our handson the robber. Skilful detectives have been sent to all theprincipal ports of America and the Continent, and he'llbe a clever fellow if he slips through their fingers.""But have you got the robber's description?" asked Stuart."In the first place, he is no robber at all," returned Ralph, positively."What! a fellow who makes off with fifty-five thousand pounds, no robber?""No.""Perhaps he's a manufacturer, then.""The Daily Telegraph says that he is a gentleman."It was Phileas Fogg, whose head now emerged from behind his newspapers, whomade this remark. He bowed to his friends, and entered into the conversation.The affair which formed its subject, and which was town talk, had occurredthree days before at the Bank of England. A package of banknotes, to thevalue of fifty-five thousand pounds, had been taken from the principalcashier's table, that functionary being at the moment engaged in registeringthe receipt of three shillings and sixpence. Of course, he could not havehis eyes everywhere. Let it be observed that the Bank of England reposesa touching confidence in the honesty of the public. There are neither guardsnor gratings to protect its treasures; gold, silver, banknotes are freelyexposed, at the mercy of the first comer. A keen observer of English customsrelates that, being in one of the rooms of the Bank one day, he had thecuriosity to examine a gold ingot weighing some seven or eight pounds.He took it up, scrutinised it, passed it to his neighbour, he to the next man,and so on until the ingot, going from hand to hand, was transferred to the endof a dark entry; nor did it return to its place for half an hour. Meanwhile,the cashier had not so much as raised his head. But in the present instancethings had not gone so smoothly. The package of notes not being found whenfive o'clock sounded from the ponderous clock in the "drawing office,"the amount was passed to the account of profit and loss. As soon asthe robbery was discovered, picked detectives hastened off to Liverpool,Glasgow, Havre, Suez, Brindisi, New York, and other ports, inspired bythe proffered reward of two thousand pounds, and five per cent. on the sumthat might be recovered. Detectives were also charged with narrowly watchingthose who arrived at or left London by rail, and a judicial examinationwas at once entered upon.There were real grounds for supposing, as the Daily Telegraph said,that the thief did not belong to a professional band. On the dayof the robbery a well-dressed gentleman of polished manners,and with a well-to-do air, had been observed going to and froin the paying room where the crime was committed. A descriptionof him was easily procured and sent to the detectives; and somehopeful spirits, of whom Ralph was one, did not despair of his apprehension.The papers and clubs were full of the affair, and everywhere people werediscussing the probabilities of a successful pursuit; and the Reform Clubwas especially agitated, several of its members being Bank officials.Ralph would not concede that the work of the detectives was likelyto be in vain, for he thought that the prize offered would greatlystimulate their zeal and activity. But Stuart was far from sharingthis confidence; and, as they placed themselves at the whist-table,they continued to argue the matter. Stuart and Flanagan played together,while Phileas Fogg had Fallentin for his partner. As the game proceededthe conversation ceased, excepting between the rubbers, when it revived again."I maintain," said Stuart, "that the chances are in favour of thethief, who must be a shrewd fellow.""Well, but where can he fly to?" asked Ralph. "No country is safe for him.""Pshaw!""Where could he go, then?""Oh, I don't know that. The world is big enough.""It was once," said Phileas Fogg, in a low tone. "Cut, sir,"he added, handing the cards to Thomas Flanagan.The discussion fell during the rubber, after which Stuart took up its thread."What do you mean by `once'? Has the world grown smaller?""Certainly," returned Ralph. "I agree with Mr. Fogg. The worldhas grown smaller, since a man can now go round it ten times more quicklythan a hundred years ago. And that is why the search for this thiefwill be more likely to succeed.""And also why the thief can get away more easily.""Be so good as to play, Mr. Stuart," said Phileas Fogg.But the incredulous Stuart was not convinced, and when thehand was finished, said eagerly: "You have a strange way, Ralph,of proving that the world has grown smaller. So, because youcan go round it in three months--""In eighty days," interrupted Phileas Fogg."That is true, gentlemen," added John Sullivan. "Only eighty days,now that the section between Rothal and Allahabad, on theGreat Indian Peninsula Railway, has been opened.Here is the estimate made by the Daily Telegraph:From London to Suez via Mont Cenis andBrindisi, by rail and steamboats ................. 7 daysFrom Suez to Bombay, by steamer .................... 13 "From Bombay to Calcutta, by rail ................... 3 "From Calcutta to Hong Kong, by steamer ............. 13 "From Hong Kong to Yokohama (Japan), by steamer ..... 6 "From Yokohama to San Francisco, by steamer ......... 22 "From San Francisco to New York, by rail ............. 7 "From New York to London, by steamer and rail ........ 9 "----Total ............................................ 80 days.""Yes, in eighty days!" exclaimed Stuart, who in his excitementmade a false deal. "But that doesn't take into account bad weather,contrary winds, shipwrecks, railway accidents, and so on.""All included," returned Phileas Fogg, continuing to playdespite the discussion."But suppose the Hindoos or Indians pull up the rails,"replied Stuart; "suppose they stop the trains, pillagethe luggage-vans, and scalp the passengers!""All included," calmly retorted Fogg; adding, as he threw down the cards,"Two trumps."Stuart, whose turn it was to deal, gathered them up, and went on:"You are right, theoretically, Mr. Fogg, but practically--""Practically also, Mr. Stuart.""I'd like to see you do it in eighty days.""It depends on you. Shall we go?""Heaven preserve me! But I would wager four thousand poundsthat such a journey, made under these conditions, is impossible.""Quite possible, on the contrary," returned Mr. Fogg."Well, make it, then!""The journey round the world in eighty days?""Yes.""I should like nothing better.""When?""At once. Only I warn you that I shall do it at your expense.""It's absurd!" cried Stuart, who was beginning to be annoyed atthe persistency of his friend. "Come, let's go on with the game.""Deal over again, then," said Phileas Fogg. "There's a false deal."Stuart took up the pack with a feverish hand; then suddenlyput them down again."Well, Mr. Fogg," said he, "it shall be so: I will wagerthe 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 whichI will willingly risk upon it.""Twenty thousand pounds!" cried Sullivan. "Twenty thousand pounds,which you would lose by a single accidental delay!""The unforeseen does not exist," quietly replied Phileas Fogg."But, Mr. Fogg, eighty days are only the estimate of the least possibletime in which the journey can be made.""A well-used minimum suffices for everything.""But, in order not to exceed it, you must jump mathematicallyfrom the trains upon the steamers, and from the steamers uponthe trains again.""I will jump--mathematically.""You are joking.""A true Englishman doesn't joke when he is talking about soserious a thing as a wager," replied Phileas Fogg, solemnly."I will bet twenty thousand pounds against anyone who wishesthat I will make the tour of the world in eighty days or less;in nineteen hundred and twenty hours, or a hundred and fifteenthousand two hundred minutes. Do you accept?""We accept," replied Messrs. Stuart, Fallentin, Sullivan,Flanagan, and Ralph, after consulting each other."Good," said Mr. Fogg. "The train leaves for Dover at aquarter before nine. I will take it.""This very evening?" asked Stuart."This very evening," returned Phileas Fogg. He took out andconsulted a pocket almanac, and added, "As today is Wednesday,the 2nd of October, I shall be due in London in this very room ofthe Reform Club, on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarterbefore 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 bythe six parties, during which Phileas Fogg preserved a stoicalcomposure. He certainly did not bet to win, and had only stakedthe twenty thousand pounds, half of his fortune, because heforesaw that he might have to expend the other half to carry outthis difficult, not to say unattainable, project. As for hisantagonists, they seemed much agitated; not so much by the valueof their stake, as because they had some scruples about bettingunder conditions so difficult to their friend.The clock struck seven, and the party offered to suspend thegame 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."