Reading Help Around the world in eighty days Ch.I-VI
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`
` Passepartout remained on deck as long as the tempest lasted, `
` being unable to remain quiet below, and taking it into his head `
` to aid the progress of the ship by lending a hand with the crew. `
` He overwhelmed the captain, officers, and sailors, who could not `
` help laughing at his impatience, with all sorts of questions. `
` He wanted to know exactly how long the storm was going to last; `
` whereupon he was referred to the barometer, which seemed to have `
` no intention of rising. Passepartout shook it, but with no `
` perceptible effect; for neither shaking nor maledictions `
` could prevail upon it to change its mind. `
` `
` On the 4th, however, the sea became more calm, and the storm `
` lessened its violence; the wind veered southward, and was once `
` more favourable. Passepartout cleared up with the weather. `
` Some of the sails were unfurled, and the Rangoon resumed its `
` most rapid speed. The time lost could not, however, be regained. `
` Land was not signalled until five o'clock on the morning of the 6th; `
` the steamer was due on the 5th. Phileas Fogg was twenty-four hours `
` behind-hand, and the Yokohama steamer would, of course, be missed. `
` `
` The pilot went on board at six, and took his place on the bridge, `
` to guide the Rangoon through the channels to the port of Hong Kong. `
` Passepartout longed to ask him if the steamer had left for Yokohama; `
` but he dared not, for he wished to preserve the spark of hope, `
` which still remained till the last moment. He had confided `
` his anxiety to Fix who--the sly rascal!--tried to console him `
` by saying that Mr. Fogg would be in time if he took the next boat; `
` but this only put Passepartout in a passion. `
` `
` Mr. Fogg, bolder than his servant, did not hesitate to approach the pilot, `
` and tranquilly ask him if he knew when a steamer would leave Hong Kong `
` for Yokohama. `
` `
` "At high tide to-morrow morning," answered the pilot. `
` `
` "Ah!" said Mr. Fogg, without betraying any astonishment. `
` `
` Passepartout, who heard what passed, would willingly have embraced the pilot, `
` while Fix would have been glad to twist his neck. `
` `
` "What is the steamer's name?" asked Mr. Fogg. `
` `
` "The Carnatic." `
` `
` "Ought she not to have gone yesterday?" `
` `
` "Yes, sir; but they had to repair one of her boilers, `
` and so her departure was postponed till to-morrow." `
` `
` "Thank you," returned Mr. Fogg, descending mathematically to the saloon. `
` `
` Passepartout clasped the pilot's hand and shook it heartily in his delight, `
` exclaiming, "Pilot, you are the best of good fellows!" `
` `
` The pilot probably does not know to this day why his responses `
` won him this enthusiastic greeting. He remounted the bridge, `
` and guided the steamer through the flotilla of junks, `
` tankas, and fishing boats which crowd the harbour of Hong Kong. `
` `
` At one o'clock the Rangoon was at the quay, and the passengers `
` were going ashore. `
` `
` Chance had strangely favoured Phileas Fogg, for had not the `
` Carnatic been forced to lie over for repairing her boilers, `
` she would have left on the 6th of November, and the passengers `
` for Japan would have been obliged to await for a week the sailing `
` of the next steamer. Mr. Fogg was, it is true, twenty-four hours `
` behind his time; but this could not seriously imperil the `
` remainder of his tour. `
` `
` The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco `
` made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail `
` until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours `
` late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained `
` in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, `
` then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days `
` after leaving London. `
` `
` The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. `
` Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, `
` which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative. `
` `
` On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they `
` repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, `
` and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search `
` of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel `
` until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone. `
` `
` Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, `
` every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage `
` as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, `
` to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring `
` from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence `
` in Europe--in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants `
` of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned `
` to the hotel, begged a moment's conversation with Aouda, and without `
` more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, `
` but probably in Holland. `
` `
` Aouda at first said nothing. She passed her hand across her forehead, `
` and reflected a few moments. Then, in her sweet, soft voice, she said: `
` "What ought I to do, Mr. Fogg?" `
` `
` "It is very simple," responded the gentleman. "Go on to Europe." `
` `
` "But I cannot intrude--" `
` `
` "You do not intrude, nor do you in the least embarrass my project. `
` Passepartout!" `
` `
` "Monsieur." `
` `
` "Go to the Carnatic, and engage three cabins." `
` `
` Passepartout, delighted that the young woman, who was very gracious to him, `
` was going to continue the journey with them, went off at a brisk gait `
` to obey his master's order. `
` `
`
` Passepartout remained on deck as long as the tempest lasted, `
` being unable to remain quiet below, and taking it into his head `
` to aid the progress of the ship by lending a hand with the crew. `
` He overwhelmed the captain, officers, and sailors, who could not `
` help laughing at his impatience, with all sorts of questions. `
` He wanted to know exactly how long the storm was going to last; `
` whereupon he was referred to the barometer, which seemed to have `
` no intention of rising. Passepartout shook it, but with no `
` perceptible effect; for neither shaking nor maledictions `
` could prevail upon it to change its mind. `
` `
` On the 4th, however, the sea became more calm, and the storm `
` lessened its violence; the wind veered southward, and was once `
` more favourable. Passepartout cleared up with the weather. `
` Some of the sails were unfurled, and the Rangoon resumed its `
` most rapid speed. The time lost could not, however, be regained. `
` Land was not signalled until five o'clock on the morning of the 6th; `
` the steamer was due on the 5th. Phileas Fogg was twenty-four hours `
` behind-hand, and the Yokohama steamer would, of course, be missed. `
` `
` The pilot went on board at six, and took his place on the bridge, `
` to guide the Rangoon through the channels to the port of Hong Kong. `
` Passepartout longed to ask him if the steamer had left for Yokohama; `
` but he dared not, for he wished to preserve the spark of hope, `
` which still remained till the last moment. He had confided `
` his anxiety to Fix who--the sly rascal!--tried to console him `
` by saying that Mr. Fogg would be in time if he took the next boat; `
` but this only put Passepartout in a passion. `
` `
` Mr. Fogg, bolder than his servant, did not hesitate to approach the pilot, `
` and tranquilly ask him if he knew when a steamer would leave Hong Kong `
` for Yokohama. `
` `
` "At high tide to-morrow morning," answered the pilot. `
` `
` "Ah!" said Mr. Fogg, without betraying any astonishment. `
` `
` Passepartout, who heard what passed, would willingly have embraced the pilot, `
` while Fix would have been glad to twist his neck. `
` `
` "What is the steamer's name?" asked Mr. Fogg. `
` `
` "The Carnatic." `
` `
` "Ought she not to have gone yesterday?" `
` `
` "Yes, sir; but they had to repair one of her boilers, `
` and so her departure was postponed till to-morrow." `
` `
` "Thank you," returned Mr. Fogg, descending mathematically to the saloon. `
` `
` Passepartout clasped the pilot's hand and shook it heartily in his delight, `
` exclaiming, "Pilot, you are the best of good fellows!" `
` `
` The pilot probably does not know to this day why his responses `
` won him this enthusiastic greeting. He remounted the bridge, `
` and guided the steamer through the flotilla of junks, `
` tankas, and fishing boats which crowd the harbour of Hong Kong. `
` `
` At one o'clock the Rangoon was at the quay, and the passengers `
` were going ashore. `
` `
` Chance had strangely favoured Phileas Fogg, for had not the `
` Carnatic been forced to lie over for repairing her boilers, `
` she would have left on the 6th of November, and the passengers `
` for Japan would have been obliged to await for a week the sailing `
` of the next steamer. Mr. Fogg was, it is true, twenty-four hours `
` behind his time; but this could not seriously imperil the `
` remainder of his tour. `
` `
` The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco `
` made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail `
` until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty-four hours `
` late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained `
` in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, `
` then, about twenty-four hours behind-hand, thirty-five days `
` after leaving London. `
` `
` The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. `
` Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, `
` which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative. `
` `
` On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they `
` repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, `
` and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search `
` of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel `
` until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone. `
` `
` Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, `
` every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage `
` as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, `
` to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring `
` from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence `
` in Europe--in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants `
` of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned `
` to the hotel, begged a moment's conversation with Aouda, and without `
` more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, `
` but probably in Holland. `
` `
` Aouda at first said nothing. She passed her hand across her forehead, `
` and reflected a few moments. Then, in her sweet, soft voice, she said: `
` "What ought I to do, Mr. Fogg?" `
` `
` "It is very simple," responded the gentleman. "Go on to Europe." `
` `
` "But I cannot intrude--" `
` `
` "You do not intrude, nor do you in the least embarrass my project. `
` Passepartout!" `
` `
` "Monsieur." `
` `
` "Go to the Carnatic, and engage three cabins." `
` `
` Passepartout, delighted that the young woman, who was very gracious to him, `
` was going to continue the journey with them, went off at a brisk gait `
` to obey his master's order. `
` `
`