Reading Help Around the world in eighty days Ch.I-VI
leave Bombay as they had done Suez and Paris, and that the journey `
` would be extended at least as far as Calcutta, and perhaps beyond `
` that place. He began to ask himself if this bet that Mr. Fogg `
` talked about was not really in good earnest, and whether his fate `
` was not in truth forcing him, despite his love of repose, around `
` the world in eighty days! `
` `
` Having purchased the usual quota of shirts and shoes, he took `
` a leisurely promenade about the streets, where crowds of people `
` of many nationalities--Europeans, Persians with pointed caps, `
` Banyas with round turbans, Sindes with square bonnets, Parsees `
` with black mitres, and long-robed Armenians--were collected. `
` It happened to be the day of a Parsee festival. These descendants `
` of the sect of Zoroaster--the most thrifty, civilised, intelligent, `
` and austere of the East Indians, among whom are counted the richest `
` native merchants of Bombay--were celebrating a sort of religious carnival, `
` with processions and shows, in the midst of which Indian dancing-girls, `
` clothed in rose-coloured gauze, looped up with gold and silver, `
` danced airily, but with perfect modesty, to the sound of viols `
` and the clanging of tambourines. It is needless to say that Passepartout `
` watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes and gaping mouth, `
` and that his countenance was that of the greenest booby imaginable. `
` `
` Unhappily for his master, as well as himself, his curiosity `
` drew him unconsciously farther off than he intended to go. `
` At last, having seen the Parsee carnival wind away in the distance, `
` he was turning his steps towards the station, when he happened `
` to espy the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill, and was seized with `
` an irresistible desire to see its interior. He was quite ignorant `
` that it is forbidden to Christians to enter certain Indian temples, `
` and that even the faithful must not go in without first leaving their `
` shoes outside the door. It may be said here that the wise policy `
` of the British Government severely punishes a disregard of the practices `
` of the native religions. `
` `
` Passepartout, however, thinking no harm, went in like a simple tourist, `
` and was soon lost in admiration of the splendid Brahmin ornamentation `
` which everywhere met his eyes, when of a sudden he found himself sprawling `
` on the sacred flagging. He looked up to behold three enraged priests, `
` who forthwith fell upon him; tore off his shoes, and began to beat him `
` with loud, savage exclamations. The agile Frenchman was soon upon his feet `
` again, and lost no time in knocking down two of his long-gowned `
` adversaries with his fists and a vigorous application of his toes; `
` then, rushing out of the pagoda as fast as his legs could carry him, `
` he soon escaped the third priest by mingling with the crowd in the streets. `
` `
` At five minutes before eight, Passepartout, hatless, shoeless, `
` and having in the squabble lost his package of shirts and shoes, `
` rushed breathlessly into the station. `
` `
` Fix, who had followed Mr. Fogg to the station, and saw that he `
` was really going to leave Bombay, was there, upon the platform. `
` He had resolved to follow the supposed robber to Calcutta, `
` and farther, if necessary. Passepartout did not observe the `
` detective, who stood in an obscure corner; but Fix heard him `
` relate his adventures in a few words to Mr. Fogg. `
` `
` "I hope that this will not happen again," said Phileas Fogg coldly, `
` as he got into the train. Poor Passepartout, quite crestfallen, `
` followed his master without a word. Fix was on the point of entering `
` another carriage, when an idea struck him which induced him to alter his plan. `
` `
` "No, I'll stay," muttered he. "An offence has been committed on Indian soil. `
` I've got my man." `
` `
` Just then the locomotive gave a sharp screech, and the train passed out `
` into the darkness of the night. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter XI `
` `
` IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG SECURES A CURIOUS MEANS OF CONVEYANCE `
` AT A FABULOUS PRICE `
` `
` `
` The train had started punctually. Among the passengers were `
` a number of officers, Government officials, and opium and indigo `
` merchants, whose business called them to the eastern coast. `
` Passepartout rode in the same carriage with his master, and a `
` third passenger occupied a seat opposite to them. This was `
` Sir Francis Cromarty, one of Mr. Fogg's whist partners `
` on the Mongolia, now on his way to join his corps at Benares. `
` Sir Francis was a tall, fair man of fifty, who had greatly `
` distinguished himself in the last Sepoy revolt. He made India `
` his home, only paying brief visits to England at rare intervals; `
` and was almost as familiar as a native with the customs, history, `
` and character of India and its people. But Phileas Fogg, who was `
` not travelling, but only describing a circumference, took no pains `
` to inquire into these subjects; he was a solid body, traversing `
` an orbit around the terrestrial globe, according to the laws `
` of rational mechanics. He was at this moment calculating in his mind `
` the number of hours spent since his departure from London, and, `
` had it been in his nature to make a useless demonstration, `
` would have rubbed his hands for satisfaction. Sir Francis Cromarty `
` had observed the oddity of his travelling companion--although the `
` only opportunity he had for studying him had been while he was `
` dealing the cards, and between two rubbers--and questioned himself `
` whether a human heart really beat beneath this cold exterior, `
` and whether Phileas Fogg had any sense of the beauties of nature. `
` The brigadier-general was free to mentally confess that, `
` of all the eccentric persons he had ever met, none was comparable `
` to this product of the exact sciences. `
` `
` Phileas Fogg had not concealed from Sir Francis his design of going `
` round the world, nor the circumstances under which he set out; `
` and the general only saw in the wager a useless eccentricity `
` and a lack of sound common sense. In the way this strange gentleman `
` was going on, he would leave the world without having done any good `
` to himself or anybody else. `
` `
` An hour after leaving Bombay the train had passed the viaducts `
` and the Island of Salcette, and had got into the open country. `
` At Callyan they reached the junction of the branch line which `
` descends towards south-eastern India by Kandallah and Pounah; `
` and, passing Pauwell, they entered the defiles of the mountains, `
` with their basalt bases, and their summits crowned with thick `
` and verdant forests. Phileas Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty exchanged `
` a few words from time to time, and now Sir Francis, reviving the conversation, `
` observed, "Some years ago, Mr. Fogg, you would have met with a delay `
` at this point which would probably have lost you your wager." `
` `
` "How so, Sir Francis?" `
` `
` "Because the railway stopped at the base of these mountains, `
` which the passengers were obliged to cross in palanquins `
` or on ponies to Kandallah, on the other side." `
` `
` "Such a delay would not have deranged my plans in the least," `
` said Mr. Fogg. "I have constantly foreseen the likelihood of `
` certain obstacles." `
` `
` "But, Mr. Fogg," pursued Sir Francis, "you run the risk of `
` having some difficulty about this worthy fellow's adventure `
` at the pagoda." Passepartout, his feet comfortably wrapped `
` in his travelling-blanket, was sound asleep and did not dream `
` that anybody was talking about him. "The Government is very severe `
` upon that kind of offence. It takes particular care that the `
` religious customs of the Indians should be respected, `
` and if your servant were caught--" `
` `
` "Very well, Sir Francis," replied Mr. Fogg; "if he had been `
` caught he would have been condemned and punished, and then would `
` have quietly returned to Europe. I don't see how this affair `
` could have delayed his master." `
` `
` The conversation fell again. During the night the train left `
` the mountains behind, and passed Nassik, and the next day `
` proceeded over the flat, well-cultivated country of the Khandeish, `
` with its straggling villages, above which rose the minarets `
` of the pagodas. This fertile territory is watered by numerous `
` small rivers and limpid streams, mostly tributaries of the Godavery. `
` `
` Passepartout, on waking and looking out, could not realise `
` that he was actually crossing India in a railway train. `
` The locomotive, guided by an English engineer and fed with English `
` coal, threw out its smoke upon cotton, coffee, nutmeg, clove, `
` and pepper plantations, while the steam curled in spirals around `
` groups of palm-trees, in the midst of which were seen picturesque `
` bungalows, viharis (sort of abandoned monasteries), and marvellous `
` temples enriched by the exhaustless ornamentation of Indian architecture. `
` Then they came upon vast tracts extending to the horizon, with jungles `
` inhabited by snakes and tigers, which fled at the noise of the train; `
` succeeded by forests penetrated by the railway, and still haunted `
` by elephants which, with pensive eyes, gazed at the train as it passed. `
` The travellers crossed, beyond Milligaum, the fatal country so often `
` stained with blood by the sectaries of the goddess Kali. Not far off `
` rose Ellora, with its graceful pagodas, and the famous Aurungabad, `
` capital of the ferocious Aureng-Zeb, now the chief town of one of the `
` detached provinces of the kingdom of the Nizam. It was thereabouts `
` that Feringhea, the Thuggee chief, king of the stranglers, held his sway. `
` These ruffians, united by a secret bond, strangled victims of every age `
` in honour of the goddess Death, without ever shedding blood; there was `
` a period when this part of the country could scarcely be travelled over `
` without corpses being found in every direction. The English Government `
` has succeeded in greatly diminishing these murders, though the Thuggees `
` still exist, and pursue the exercise of their horrible rites. `
` `
` At half-past twelve the train stopped at Burhampoor where `
` Passepartout was able to purchase some Indian slippers, `
` ornamented with false pearls, in which, with evident vanity, `
` he proceeded to encase his feet. The travellers made a hasty breakfast `
` and started off for Assurghur, after skirting for a little the banks `
` of the small river Tapty, which empties into the Gulf of Cambray, near Surat. `
` `
` Passepartout was now plunged into absorbing reverie. Up to `
` his arrival at Bombay, he had entertained hopes that their journey `
` would end there; but, now that they were plainly whirling across `
` India at full speed, a sudden change had come over the spirit of `
` his dreams. His old vagabond nature returned to him; the fantastic `
` ideas of his youth once more took possession of him. He came to regard `
` his master's project as intended in good earnest, believed in the reality `
` of the bet, and therefore in the tour of the world and the necessity `
` of making it without fail within the designated period. Already he began `
` to worry about possible delays, and accidents which might happen on the way. `
` He recognised himself as being personally interested in the wager, `
` and trembled at the thought that he might have been the means of losing it `
` by his unpardonable folly of the night before. Being much less cool-headed `
` than Mr. Fogg, he was much more restless, counting and recounting the `
` days passed over, uttering maledictions when the train stopped, `
` and accusing it of sluggishness, and mentally blaming Mr. Fogg `
`
` would be extended at least as far as Calcutta, and perhaps beyond `
` that place. He began to ask himself if this bet that Mr. Fogg `
` talked about was not really in good earnest, and whether his fate `
` was not in truth forcing him, despite his love of repose, around `
` the world in eighty days! `
` `
` Having purchased the usual quota of shirts and shoes, he took `
` a leisurely promenade about the streets, where crowds of people `
` of many nationalities--Europeans, Persians with pointed caps, `
` Banyas with round turbans, Sindes with square bonnets, Parsees `
` with black mitres, and long-robed Armenians--were collected. `
` It happened to be the day of a Parsee festival. These descendants `
` of the sect of Zoroaster--the most thrifty, civilised, intelligent, `
` and austere of the East Indians, among whom are counted the richest `
` native merchants of Bombay--were celebrating a sort of religious carnival, `
` with processions and shows, in the midst of which Indian dancing-girls, `
` clothed in rose-coloured gauze, looped up with gold and silver, `
` danced airily, but with perfect modesty, to the sound of viols `
` and the clanging of tambourines. It is needless to say that Passepartout `
` watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes and gaping mouth, `
` and that his countenance was that of the greenest booby imaginable. `
` `
` Unhappily for his master, as well as himself, his curiosity `
` drew him unconsciously farther off than he intended to go. `
` At last, having seen the Parsee carnival wind away in the distance, `
` he was turning his steps towards the station, when he happened `
` to espy the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill, and was seized with `
` an irresistible desire to see its interior. He was quite ignorant `
` that it is forbidden to Christians to enter certain Indian temples, `
` and that even the faithful must not go in without first leaving their `
` shoes outside the door. It may be said here that the wise policy `
` of the British Government severely punishes a disregard of the practices `
` of the native religions. `
` `
` Passepartout, however, thinking no harm, went in like a simple tourist, `
` and was soon lost in admiration of the splendid Brahmin ornamentation `
` which everywhere met his eyes, when of a sudden he found himself sprawling `
` on the sacred flagging. He looked up to behold three enraged priests, `
` who forthwith fell upon him; tore off his shoes, and began to beat him `
` with loud, savage exclamations. The agile Frenchman was soon upon his feet `
` again, and lost no time in knocking down two of his long-gowned `
` adversaries with his fists and a vigorous application of his toes; `
` then, rushing out of the pagoda as fast as his legs could carry him, `
` he soon escaped the third priest by mingling with the crowd in the streets. `
` `
` At five minutes before eight, Passepartout, hatless, shoeless, `
` and having in the squabble lost his package of shirts and shoes, `
` rushed breathlessly into the station. `
` `
` Fix, who had followed Mr. Fogg to the station, and saw that he `
` was really going to leave Bombay, was there, upon the platform. `
` He had resolved to follow the supposed robber to Calcutta, `
` and farther, if necessary. Passepartout did not observe the `
` detective, who stood in an obscure corner; but Fix heard him `
` relate his adventures in a few words to Mr. Fogg. `
` `
` "I hope that this will not happen again," said Phileas Fogg coldly, `
` as he got into the train. Poor Passepartout, quite crestfallen, `
` followed his master without a word. Fix was on the point of entering `
` another carriage, when an idea struck him which induced him to alter his plan. `
` `
` "No, I'll stay," muttered he. "An offence has been committed on Indian soil. `
` I've got my man." `
` `
` Just then the locomotive gave a sharp screech, and the train passed out `
` into the darkness of the night. `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter XI `
` `
` IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG SECURES A CURIOUS MEANS OF CONVEYANCE `
` AT A FABULOUS PRICE `
` `
` `
` The train had started punctually. Among the passengers were `
` a number of officers, Government officials, and opium and indigo `
` merchants, whose business called them to the eastern coast. `
` Passepartout rode in the same carriage with his master, and a `
` third passenger occupied a seat opposite to them. This was `
` Sir Francis Cromarty, one of Mr. Fogg's whist partners `
` on the Mongolia, now on his way to join his corps at Benares. `
` Sir Francis was a tall, fair man of fifty, who had greatly `
` distinguished himself in the last Sepoy revolt. He made India `
` his home, only paying brief visits to England at rare intervals; `
` and was almost as familiar as a native with the customs, history, `
` and character of India and its people. But Phileas Fogg, who was `
` not travelling, but only describing a circumference, took no pains `
` to inquire into these subjects; he was a solid body, traversing `
` an orbit around the terrestrial globe, according to the laws `
` of rational mechanics. He was at this moment calculating in his mind `
` the number of hours spent since his departure from London, and, `
` had it been in his nature to make a useless demonstration, `
` would have rubbed his hands for satisfaction. Sir Francis Cromarty `
` had observed the oddity of his travelling companion--although the `
` only opportunity he had for studying him had been while he was `
` dealing the cards, and between two rubbers--and questioned himself `
` whether a human heart really beat beneath this cold exterior, `
` and whether Phileas Fogg had any sense of the beauties of nature. `
` The brigadier-general was free to mentally confess that, `
` of all the eccentric persons he had ever met, none was comparable `
` to this product of the exact sciences. `
` `
` Phileas Fogg had not concealed from Sir Francis his design of going `
` round the world, nor the circumstances under which he set out; `
` and the general only saw in the wager a useless eccentricity `
` and a lack of sound common sense. In the way this strange gentleman `
` was going on, he would leave the world without having done any good `
` to himself or anybody else. `
` `
` An hour after leaving Bombay the train had passed the viaducts `
` and the Island of Salcette, and had got into the open country. `
` At Callyan they reached the junction of the branch line which `
` descends towards south-eastern India by Kandallah and Pounah; `
` and, passing Pauwell, they entered the defiles of the mountains, `
` with their basalt bases, and their summits crowned with thick `
` and verdant forests. Phileas Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty exchanged `
` a few words from time to time, and now Sir Francis, reviving the conversation, `
` observed, "Some years ago, Mr. Fogg, you would have met with a delay `
` at this point which would probably have lost you your wager." `
` `
` "How so, Sir Francis?" `
` `
` "Because the railway stopped at the base of these mountains, `
` which the passengers were obliged to cross in palanquins `
` or on ponies to Kandallah, on the other side." `
` `
` "Such a delay would not have deranged my plans in the least," `
` said Mr. Fogg. "I have constantly foreseen the likelihood of `
` certain obstacles." `
` `
` "But, Mr. Fogg," pursued Sir Francis, "you run the risk of `
` having some difficulty about this worthy fellow's adventure `
` at the pagoda." Passepartout, his feet comfortably wrapped `
` in his travelling-blanket, was sound asleep and did not dream `
` that anybody was talking about him. "The Government is very severe `
` upon that kind of offence. It takes particular care that the `
` religious customs of the Indians should be respected, `
` and if your servant were caught--" `
` `
` "Very well, Sir Francis," replied Mr. Fogg; "if he had been `
` caught he would have been condemned and punished, and then would `
` have quietly returned to Europe. I don't see how this affair `
` could have delayed his master." `
` `
` The conversation fell again. During the night the train left `
` the mountains behind, and passed Nassik, and the next day `
` proceeded over the flat, well-cultivated country of the Khandeish, `
` with its straggling villages, above which rose the minarets `
` of the pagodas. This fertile territory is watered by numerous `
` small rivers and limpid streams, mostly tributaries of the Godavery. `
` `
` Passepartout, on waking and looking out, could not realise `
` that he was actually crossing India in a railway train. `
` The locomotive, guided by an English engineer and fed with English `
` coal, threw out its smoke upon cotton, coffee, nutmeg, clove, `
` and pepper plantations, while the steam curled in spirals around `
` groups of palm-trees, in the midst of which were seen picturesque `
` bungalows, viharis (sort of abandoned monasteries), and marvellous `
` temples enriched by the exhaustless ornamentation of Indian architecture. `
` Then they came upon vast tracts extending to the horizon, with jungles `
` inhabited by snakes and tigers, which fled at the noise of the train; `
` succeeded by forests penetrated by the railway, and still haunted `
` by elephants which, with pensive eyes, gazed at the train as it passed. `
` The travellers crossed, beyond Milligaum, the fatal country so often `
` stained with blood by the sectaries of the goddess Kali. Not far off `
` rose Ellora, with its graceful pagodas, and the famous Aurungabad, `
` capital of the ferocious Aureng-Zeb, now the chief town of one of the `
` detached provinces of the kingdom of the Nizam. It was thereabouts `
` that Feringhea, the Thuggee chief, king of the stranglers, held his sway. `
` These ruffians, united by a secret bond, strangled victims of every age `
` in honour of the goddess Death, without ever shedding blood; there was `
` a period when this part of the country could scarcely be travelled over `
` without corpses being found in every direction. The English Government `
` has succeeded in greatly diminishing these murders, though the Thuggees `
` still exist, and pursue the exercise of their horrible rites. `
` `
` At half-past twelve the train stopped at Burhampoor where `
` Passepartout was able to purchase some Indian slippers, `
` ornamented with false pearls, in which, with evident vanity, `
` he proceeded to encase his feet. The travellers made a hasty breakfast `
` and started off for Assurghur, after skirting for a little the banks `
` of the small river Tapty, which empties into the Gulf of Cambray, near Surat. `
` `
` Passepartout was now plunged into absorbing reverie. Up to `
` his arrival at Bombay, he had entertained hopes that their journey `
` would end there; but, now that they were plainly whirling across `
` India at full speed, a sudden change had come over the spirit of `
` his dreams. His old vagabond nature returned to him; the fantastic `
` ideas of his youth once more took possession of him. He came to regard `
` his master's project as intended in good earnest, believed in the reality `
` of the bet, and therefore in the tour of the world and the necessity `
` of making it without fail within the designated period. Already he began `
` to worry about possible delays, and accidents which might happen on the way. `
` He recognised himself as being personally interested in the wager, `
` and trembled at the thought that he might have been the means of losing it `
` by his unpardonable folly of the night before. Being much less cool-headed `
` than Mr. Fogg, he was much more restless, counting and recounting the `
` days passed over, uttering maledictions when the train stopped, `
` and accusing it of sluggishness, and mentally blaming Mr. Fogg `
`