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had just passed concerning the passport。
‘Well； Mr Fix；' replied the consul； ‘I shall not be sorry to see the rascal's face； but perhaps he won't come here； … that is； if he is the person you suppose him to be。 A robber doesn't quite like to leave traces of his flight behind him； and； besides； he is not obliged to have his passport countersigned。'
‘If he is as shrewd as I think he is； consul； he will come。'
‘To have his passport visaed？'
‘Yes。 Passports are only good for annoying honest folks； and aiding in the flight of rogues。 I assure you it will be quite the thing for him to do； but I hope you will not visa the passport。'
‘Why not？ If the passport is genuine I have no right to refuse。'
‘Still； I must keep this man here until I can get a warrant to arrest him from London。'
‘Ah； that's your look…out。 But I cannot'
The consul did not finish his sentence； for as he spoke a knock was heard at the door； and two strangers entered； one of whom was the servant whom Fix had met on the quay。 The other； who was his master； held out his passport with the request that the consul would do him the favour to visa it。 The consul took the document and carefully read it； whilst Fix observed； or rather devoured； the stranger with his eyes from a corner of the room。
‘You are Mr Phileas Fogg？' said the consul； after reading the passport。
‘I am。'
‘And this man is your servant？'
‘He is； a Frenchman； named Passepartout。'
‘You are from London？'
‘Yes。'
‘And you are going'
‘To Bombay。'
‘Very good； sir。 You know that a visa is useless； and that no passport is required？'
‘I know it； sir；' replied Phileas Fogg； ‘But I wish to prove； by your visa； that I came by Suez。'
‘Very well； Sir。'
The consul proceeded to sign and date the passport； alter which he added his official seal。 Mr Fogg paid the customary fee； coldly bowed； and went out； followed by his servant。
‘Well？' queried the detective。
‘Well； he looks and acts like a perfectly honest man；' replied the consul。
‘Possibly； but that is not the question。 Do you think； consul； that this phlegmatic gentleman resembles； feature by feature； the robber whose description I have received？'
‘I concede that； but then； you know； all descriptions'
‘I'll make certain of it；' interrupted Fix。 ‘The servant seems to me less mysterious than the master； besides； he's a Frenchman； and can't help talking。 Excuse me for a little while； consul。'
Fix started off in search of Passepartout。
Meanwhile Mr Fogg； after leaving the consulate； repaired to the quay； gave some orders to Passepartout； went off to the ‘Mongolia' in a boat； and descended to his cabin。 He took up his note…book； which contained the following memoranda：
‘Left London； Wednesday； October 2nd； at 8。45 p。m。
‘Reached Paris； Thursday； October 3rd； at 7。20 a。m。
‘Left Paris； Thursday； at 8。40 a。m。
‘Reached Turin by Mont Cenis； Friday； October 4th； at 6。35 a。m。
‘Left Turin； Friday； at 7。20 a。m。
‘Arrived at Brindisi； Saturday； October 5th； at 4 p。m。
‘Sailed on the 〃Mongolia〃； Saturday； at 5 p。m。
‘Reached Suez； Wednesday； October 9th； at 11 a。m。
‘Total of hours spent； 1581/2； or； in days； six days and a half。
These dates were inscribed in an itinerary divided into columns； indicating the month； the day of the month； and the day for the stipulated and actual arrivals at each principal point； … Paris； Brindisi； Suez； Bombay； Calcutta； Singapore； Hong Kong； Yokohama； San Francisco； New York； and London； … from the 2nd of October to the 21st of December； and giving a space for setting down the gain made or the loss suffered on arrival at each locality。 This methodical record thus contained an account of everything needed； and Mr Fogg always knew whether he was behindhand or in advance of his time。 On this Friday； October 9th； he noted his arrival at Suez； and observed that he had as yet neither gained nor lost。 He sat down quietly to breakfast in his cabin； never once thinking of inspecting the town； being one of those Englishmen who are wont to see foreign countries through the eyes of their domestics。
CHAPTER VIII
IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT TALKS RATHER MORE； PERHAPS； THAN IS PRUDENT。
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。；
‘Well； my friend；' said the detective； coming up with him； ‘is your passport visaed？'
‘Ah； it's you； is it； monsieur？' responded Passepartout。 ‘Thanks； yes； the passport is all right。'
‘And you are looking about you？'
‘Yes； but we travel so fast that I seem to be journeying in a dream。 So this is Suez？'
‘Yes。'
‘In Egypt？'
‘Certainly； 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！'
‘You are in a great hurry； then？'
‘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 will show you an excellent shop for getting what you want。'
‘Really； monsieur； you are very kind。'
And they walked off together； Passepartout chatting volubly as they went along。
‘Above all；' said he； ‘don't let me lose the steamer。'
‘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。'
‘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。'
‘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 regulate my watch？ Never！'
‘Well； then； it will not agree with the sun。'
‘So much the worse for the sun； monsieur。 The sun will be wrong； then！'
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？'
‘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。'
‘But where is your master going？'
‘Always straight ahead。 He is going round the world。'
‘Round 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。'
‘Ah！ Mr Fogg is a character； is he？'
‘I should say he was。'
‘Is he rich？'
‘No doubt； for he is carrying an enormous sum in brand…new bank…notes 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。'
‘And you have known your master a long time？'
‘Why； no； I entered his service 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。
‘Is Bombay far from here？' asked Passepartout。
‘Pretty far。 It is a ten days' voyage by sea。'
‘And in what country is Bombay？'
‘India。'
‘In Asia？'
‘Certainly。'
‘The deuce！ I was going to tell you … there's one thing that 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'
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。
‘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。
‘Then he's a sharp fellow；' returned the consul； and counts on returning to London after putting the police of the two continents off his track。'
‘We'll see about that；' replied Fix。
‘But are you not mistaken？'
‘I am not mistaken。'
‘Why was this