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He was so exact that he was never in a hurry, was always ready, `
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and was economical alike of his steps and his motions. He never took `
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one step too many, and always went to his destination by the shortest cut; `
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he made no superfluous gestures, and was never seen to be moved or agitated. `
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He was the most deliberate person in the world, yet always reached his `
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destination at the exact moment. `
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He lived alone, and, so to speak, outside of every social relation; `
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and as he knew that in this world account must be taken of friction, `
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and that friction retards, he never rubbed against anybody. `
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As for Passepartout, he was a true Parisian of Paris. Since he `
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had abandoned his own country for England, taking service as a valet, `
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he had in vain searched for a master after his own heart. `
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Passepartout was by no means one of those pert dunces depicted by `
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Moliere with a bold gaze and a nose held high in the air; he was `
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an honest fellow, with a pleasant face, lips a trifle protruding, `
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soft-mannered and serviceable, with a good round head, such as one `
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likes to see on the shoulders of a friend. His eyes were blue, `
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his complexion rubicund, his figure almost portly and well-built, `
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his body muscular, and his physical powers fully developed by the `
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exercises of his younger days. His brown hair was somewhat tumbled; `
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for, while the ancient sculptors are said to have known eighteen methods `
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of arranging Minerva's tresses, Passepartout was familiar with but one of `
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dressing his own: three strokes of a large-tooth comb completed his toilet. `
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It would be rash to predict how Passepartout's lively nature would agree `
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with Mr. Fogg. It was impossible to tell whether the new servant `
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would turn out as absolutely methodical as his master required; `
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experience alone could solve the question. Passepartout had been `
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a sort of vagrant in his early years, and now yearned for repose; `
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but so far he had failed to find it, though he had already served `
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in ten English houses. But he could not take root in any of these; `
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with chagrin, he found his masters invariably whimsical and irregular, `
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constantly running about the country, or on the look-out for adventure. `
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His last master, young Lord Longferry, Member of Parliament, `
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after passing his nights in the Haymarket taverns, was too often `
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brought home in the morning on policemen's shoulders. Passepartout, `
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desirous of respecting the gentleman whom he served, ventured a mild `
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remonstrance on such conduct; which, being ill-received, he took his leave. `
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Hearing that Mr. Phileas Fogg was looking for a servant, and that his life `
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was one of unbroken regularity, that he neither travelled nor stayed `
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from home overnight, he felt sure that this would be the place he was after. `
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He presented himself, and was accepted, as has been seen. `
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At half-past eleven, then, Passepartout found himself alone in `
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the house in Saville Row. He begun its inspection without delay, `
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scouring it from cellar to garret. So clean, well-arranged, `
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solemn a mansion pleased him ; it seemed to him like a snail's shell, `
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lighted and warmed by gas, which sufficed for both these purposes. `
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When Passepartout reached the second story he recognised at once `
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the room which he was to inhabit, and he was well satisfied with it. `
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Electric bells and speaking-tubes afforded communication with `
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the lower stories; while on the mantel stood an electric clock, `
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precisely like that in Mr. Fogg's bedchamber, both beating `
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the same second at the same instant. "That's good, that'll do," `
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said Passepartout to himself. `
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He suddenly observed, hung over the clock, a card which, upon inspection, `
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proved to be a programme of the daily routine of the house. `
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It comprised all that was required of the servant, from eight in the morning, `
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exactly at which hour Phileas Fogg rose, till half-past eleven, `
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when he left the house for the Reform Club--all the details of service, `
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the tea and toast at twenty-three minutes past eight, the shaving-water `
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at thirty-seven minutes past nine, and the toilet at twenty minutes before ten. `
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Everything was regulated and foreseen that was to be done from `
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half-past eleven a.m. till midnight, the hour at which the `
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methodical gentleman retired. `
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Mr. Fogg's wardrobe was amply supplied and in the best taste. `
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Each pair of trousers, coat, and vest bore a number, `
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indicating the time of year and season at which they were `
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in turn to be laid out for wearing; and the same system `
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was applied to the master's shoes. In short, the house `
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in Saville Row, which must have been a very temple of disorder `
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and unrest under the illustrious but dissipated Sheridan, was cosiness, `
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comfort, and method idealised. There was no study, nor were there books, `
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which would have been quite useless to Mr. Fogg; for at the Reform `
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two libraries, one of general literature and the other of law and politics, `
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were at his service. A moderate-sized safe stood in his bedroom, `
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constructed so as to defy fire as well as burglars; but Passepartout `
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found neither arms nor hunting weapons anywhere; everything betrayed `
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the most tranquil and peaceable habits. `
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Having scrutinised the house from top to bottom, he rubbed his hands, `
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a broad smile overspread his features, and he said joyfully, `
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"This is just what I wanted! Ah, we shall get on together, `
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Mr. Fogg and I! What a domestic and regular gentleman! `
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A real machine; well, I don't mind serving a machine." `
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Chapter III `
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IN WHICH A CONVERSATION TAKES PLACE WHICH SEEMS LIKELY TO COST `
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PHILEAS FOGG DEAR `
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Phileas Fogg, having shut the door of his house at half-past eleven, and `
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having put his right foot before his left five hundred and seventy-five times, and his left foot `
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before his right five hundred and seventy-six times, reached the Reform Club, `
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an imposing edifice in Pall Mall, which could not have cost less than `
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three millions. He repaired at once to the dining-room, the nine windows `
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of which open upon a tasteful garden, where the trees were already gilded `
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with an autumn colouring; and took his place at the habitual table, `
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the cover of which had already been laid for him. His breakfast consisted `
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of a side-dish, a broiled fish with Reading sauce, a scarlet slice of `
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roast beef garnished with mushrooms, a rhubarb and gooseberry tart, `
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and a morsel of Cheshire cheese, the whole being washed down with `
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several cups of tea, for which the Reform is famous. He rose at `
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thirteen minutes to one, and directed his steps towards the large hall, `
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a sumptuous apartment adorned with lavishly-framed paintings. `
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A flunkey handed him an uncut Times, which he proceeded to cut `
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with a skill which betrayed familiarity with this delicate operation. `
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The perusal of this paper absorbed Phileas Fogg until a quarter before four, `
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whilst the Standard, his next task, occupied him till the dinner hour. `
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Dinner passed as breakfast had done, and Mr. Fogg re-appeared in the `
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reading-room and sat down to the Pall Mall at twenty minutes before six. `
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Half an hour later several members of the Reform came in and drew up `
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to the fireplace, where a coal fire was steadily burning. `
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They were Mr. Fogg's usual partners at whist: Andrew Stuart, an engineer; `
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John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, bankers; Thomas Flanagan, a brewer; `
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and Gauthier Ralph, one of the Directors of the Bank of England-- `
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all rich and highly respectable personages, even in a club which `
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comprises the princes of English trade and finance. `
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"Well, Ralph," said Thomas Flanagan, "what about that robbery?" `
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"Oh," replied Stuart, "the Bank will lose the money." `
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"On the contrary," broke in Ralph, "I hope we may put our hands `
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on the robber. Skilful detectives have been sent to all the `
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principal ports of America and the Continent, and he'll `
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be a clever fellow if he slips through their fingers." `
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"But have you got the robber's description?" asked Stuart. `
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"In the first place, he is no robber at all," returned Ralph, positively. `
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"What! a fellow who makes off with fifty-five thousand pounds, no robber?" `
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"No." `
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"Perhaps he's a manufacturer, then." `
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"The Daily Telegraph says that he is a gentleman." `
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It was Phileas Fogg, whose head now emerged from behind his newspapers, who `
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made this remark. He bowed to his friends, and entered into the conversation. `
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The affair which formed its subject, and which was town talk, had occurred `
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three days before at the Bank of England. A package of banknotes, to the `
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value of fifty-five thousand pounds, had been taken from the principal `
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cashier's table, that functionary being at the moment engaged in registering `
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the receipt of three shillings and sixpence. Of course, he could not have `
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his eyes everywhere. Let it be observed that the Bank of England reposes `
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a touching confidence in the honesty of the public. There are neither guards `
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nor gratings to protect its treasures; gold, silver, banknotes are freely `
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exposed, at the mercy of the first comer. A keen observer of English customs `
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relates that, being in one of the rooms of the Bank one day, he had the `
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curiosity to examine a gold ingot weighing some seven or eight pounds. `
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He took it up, scrutinised it, passed it to his neighbour, he to the next man, `
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and so on until the ingot, going from hand to hand, was transferred to the end `
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of a dark entry; nor did it return to its place for half an hour. Meanwhile, `
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the cashier had not so much as raised his head. But in the present instance `
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things had not gone so smoothly. The package of notes not being found when `
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five o'clock sounded from the ponderous clock in the "drawing office," `
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the amount was passed to the account of profit and loss. As soon as `
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the robbery was discovered, picked detectives hastened off to Liverpool, `
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Glasgow, Havre, Suez, Brindisi, New York, and other ports, inspired by `
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the proffered reward of two thousand pounds, and five per cent. on the sum `
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that might be recovered. Detectives were also charged with narrowly watching `
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those who arrived at or left London by rail, and a judicial examination `
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was at once entered upon. `
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There were real grounds for supposing, as the Daily Telegraph said, `
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that the thief did not belong to a professional band. On the day `
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of the robbery a well-dressed gentleman of polished manners, `
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and with a well-to-do air, had been observed going to and fro `
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in the paying room where the crime was committed. A description `
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of him was easily procured and sent to the detectives; and some `
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hopeful spirits, of whom Ralph was one, did not despair of his apprehension. `
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The papers and clubs were full of the affair, and everywhere people were `
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discussing the probabilities of a successful pursuit; and the Reform Club `
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was especially agitated, several of its members being Bank officials. `
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Ralph would not concede that the work of the detectives was likely `
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to be in vain, for he thought that the prize offered would greatly `
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stimulate their zeal and activity. But Stuart was far from sharing `
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this confidence; and, as they placed themselves at the whist-table, `
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they continued to argue the matter. Stuart and Flanagan played together, `
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while Phileas Fogg had Fallentin for his partner. As the game proceeded `
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the conversation ceased, excepting between the rubbers, when it revived again. `
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"I maintain," said Stuart, "that the chances are in favour of the `
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thief, who must be a shrewd fellow." `
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"Well, but where can he fly to?" asked Ralph. "No country is safe for him." `
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"Pshaw!" `
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