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Chapter XIX `
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IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT TAKES A TOO GREAT INTEREST IN HIS MASTER, `
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AND WHAT COMES OF IT `
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Hong Kong is an island which came into the possession of the `
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English by the Treaty of Nankin, after the war of 1842; `
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and the colonising genius of the English has created upon it `
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an important city and an excellent port. The island is situated `
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at the mouth of the Canton River, and is separated by about sixty miles `
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from the Portuguese town of Macao, on the opposite coast. Hong Kong `
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has beaten Macao in the struggle for the Chinese trade, and now `
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the greater part of the transportation of Chinese goods finds `
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its depot at the former place. Docks, hospitals, wharves, `
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a Gothic cathedral, a government house, macadamised streets, `
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give to Hong Kong the appearance of a town in Kent or Surrey `
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transferred by some strange magic to the antipodes. `
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Passepartout wandered, with his hands in his pockets, towards the `
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Victoria port, gazing as he went at the curious palanquins `
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and other modes of conveyance, and the groups of Chinese, Japanese, `
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and Europeans who passed to and fro in the streets. Hong Kong seemed `
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to him not unlike Bombay, Calcutta, and Singapore, since, like them, `
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it betrayed everywhere the evidence of English supremacy. `
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At the Victoria port he found a confused mass of ships of all nations: `
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English, French, American, and Dutch, men-of-war and trading vessels, `
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Japanese and Chinese junks, sempas, tankas, and flower-boats, `
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which formed so many floating parterres. Passepartout noticed `
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in the crowd a number of the natives who seemed very old `
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and were dressed in yellow. On going into a barber's `
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to get shaved he learned that these ancient men were all `
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at least eighty years old, at which age they are permitted `
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to wear yellow, which is the Imperial colour. Passepartout, `
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without exactly knowing why, thought this very funny. `
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On reaching the quay where they were to embark on the Carnatic, `
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he was not astonished to find Fix walking up and down. `
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The detective seemed very much disturbed and disappointed. `
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"This is bad," muttered Passepartout, "for the gentlemen of `
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the Reform Club!" He accosted Fix with a merry smile, as if he `
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had not perceived that gentleman's chagrin. The detective had, indeed, `
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good reasons to inveigh against the bad luck which pursued him. `
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The warrant had not come! It was certainly on the way, `
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but as certainly it could not now reach Hong Kong for several days; `
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and, this being the last English territory on Mr. Fogg's route, `
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the robber would escape, unless he could manage to detain him. `
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"Well, Monsieur Fix," said Passepartout, "have you decided to go with us `
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so far as America?" `
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"Yes," returned Fix, through his set teeth. `
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"Good!" exclaimed Passepartout, laughing heartily. `
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"I knew you could not persuade yourself to separate from us. `
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Come and engage your berth." `
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They entered the steamer office and secured cabins for four persons. `
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The clerk, as he gave them the tickets, informed them that, `
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the repairs on the Carnatic having been completed, the steamer `
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would leave that very evening, and not next morning, as had been announced. `
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"That will suit my master all the better," said Passepartout. `
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"I will go and let him know." `
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Fix now decided to make a bold move; he resolved to tell Passepartout all. `
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It seemed to be the only possible means of keeping Phileas Fogg several days `
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longer at Hong Kong. He accordingly invited his companion into a tavern `
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which caught his eye on the quay. On entering, they found themselves `
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in a large room handsomely decorated, at the end of which was a large `
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camp-bed furnished with cushions. Several persons lay upon this bed `
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in a deep sleep. At the small tables which were arranged about the room `
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some thirty customers were drinking English beer, porter, gin, and brandy; `
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smoking, the while, long red clay pipes stuffed with little balls of opium `
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mingled with essence of rose. From time to time one of the smokers, `
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overcome with the narcotic, would slip under the table, whereupon the waiters, `
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taking him by the head and feet, carried and laid him upon the bed. `
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The bed already supported twenty of these stupefied sots. `
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Fix and Passepartout saw that they were in a smoking-house haunted `
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by those wretched, cadaverous, idiotic creatures to whom the English `
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merchants sell every year the miserable drug called opium, `
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to the amount of one million four hundred thousand pounds-- `
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thousands devoted to one of the most despicable vices `
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which afflict humanity! The Chinese government has in vain `
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attempted to deal with the evil by stringent laws. It passed `
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gradually from the rich, to whom it was at first exclusively reserved, `
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to the lower classes, and then its ravages could not be arrested. `
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Opium is smoked everywhere, at all times, by men and women, `
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in the Celestial Empire; and, once accustomed to it, the victims `
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cannot dispense with it, except by suffering horrible bodily contortions `
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and agonies. A great smoker can smoke as many as eight pipes a day; `
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but he dies in five years. It was in one of these dens that Fix `
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and Passepartout, in search of a friendly glass, found themselves. `
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Passepartout had no money, but willingly accepted Fix's invitation `
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in the hope of returning the obligation at some future time. `
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They ordered two bottles of port, to which the Frenchman did ample justice, `
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whilst Fix observed him with close attention. They chatted about the journey, `
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and Passepartout was especially merry at the idea that Fix was going to `
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continue it with them. When the bottles were empty, however, `
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he rose to go and tell his master of the change in the time `
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of the sailing of the Carnatic. `
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Fix caught him by the arm, and said, "Wait a moment." `
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"What for, Mr. Fix?" `
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"I want to have a serious talk with you." `
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"A serious talk!" cried Passepartout, drinking up the little wine `
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that was left in the bottom of his glass. "Well, we'll talk `
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about it to-morrow; I haven't time now." `
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"Stay! What I have to say concerns your master." `
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Passepartout, at this, looked attentively at his companion. `
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Fix's face seemed to have a singular expression. He resumed his seat. `
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"What is it that you have to say?" `
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Fix placed his hand upon Passepartout's arm, and, `
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lowering his voice, said, "You have guessed who I am?" `
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"Parbleu!" said Passepartout, smiling. `
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"Then I'm going to tell you everything--" `
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"Now that I know everything, my friend! Ah! that's very good. `
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But go on, go on. First, though, let me tell you that those `
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gentlemen have put themselves to a useless expense." `
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"Useless!" said Fix. "You speak confidently. It's clear that `
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you don't know how large the sum is." `
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"Of course I do," returned Passepartout. "Twenty thousand pounds." `
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"Fifty-five thousand!" answered Fix, pressing his companion's hand. `
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"What!" cried the Frenchman. "Has Monsieur Fogg dared-- `
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fifty-five thousand pounds! Well, there's all the more reason `
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for not losing an instant," he continued, getting up hastily. `
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Fix pushed Passepartout back in his chair, and resumed: `
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"Fifty-five thousand pounds; and if I succeed, I get two thousand pounds. `
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If you'll help me, I'll let you have five hundred of them." `
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"Help you?" cried Passepartout, whose eyes were standing wide open. `
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"Yes; help me keep Mr. Fogg here for two or three days." `
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"Why, what are you saying? Those gentlemen are not satisfied `
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with following my master and suspecting his honour, but they must `
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try to put obstacles in his way! I blush for them!" `
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"What do you mean?" `
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"I mean that it is a piece of shameful trickery. They might `
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as well waylay Mr. Fogg and put his money in their pockets!" `
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"That's just what we count on doing." `
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"It's a conspiracy, then," cried Passepartout, who became more `
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and more excited as the liquor mounted in his head, for he drank `
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without perceiving it. "A real conspiracy! And gentlemen, too. Bah!" `
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Fix began to be puzzled. `
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"Members of the Reform Club!" continued Passepartout. "You must know, `
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Monsieur Fix, that my master is an honest man, and that, `
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when he makes a wager, he tries to win it fairly!" `
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"But who do you think I am?" asked Fix, looking at him intently. `
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"Parbleu! An agent of the members of the Reform Club, sent out here `
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to interrupt my master's journey. But, though I found you out some time ago, `
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I've taken good care to say nothing about it to Mr. Fogg." `
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"He knows nothing, then?" `
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"Nothing," replied Passepartout, again emptying his glass. `
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The detective passed his hand across his forehead, hesitating before `
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he spoke again. What should he do? Passepartout's mistake seemed sincere, `
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but it made his design more difficult. It was evident that the servant `
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was not the master's accomplice, as Fix had been inclined to suspect. `
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"Well," said the detective to himself, "as he is not an accomplice, `
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he will help me." `
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He had no time to lose: Fogg must be detained at Hong Kong, `
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so he resolved to make a clean breast of it. `
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"Listen to me," said Fix abruptly. "I am not, as you think, `
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an agent of the members of the Reform Club--" `
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"Bah!" retorted Passepartout, with an air of raillery. `
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"I am a police detective, sent out here by the London office." `
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