As the Daily Telegraph said, the thief did not belong to a professional band. On the day of the robbery a well-dressed gentleman of polished manners[30] was in the paying room. His description was sent to the detectives. Everywhere people were discussing the probabilities of a successful pursuit. The Reform Club was especially agitated.
“I think,” said Stuart, “that the chances are in favour of[31] the thief. He must be a shrewd[32] fellow.”
“Well, but where will he go?” asked Ralph. “No country is safe for him.”
“Oh, I don’t know that. The world is big enough.”
“It was once,” said Phileas Fogg.
“What do you mean by `once`? Is the world small now?”
“Certainly,” returned Ralph. “I agree with Mr. Fogg. The world is small now. A man can now go round it ten times more quickly than a hundred years ago. And that is why the search for this thief will succeed.”
“And also why the thief can get away more easily.”
Stuart said eagerly:
“Is the world small indeed? Because you can go round it in three months…”
“In eighty days,” interrupted Phileas Fogg.
“That is true, gentlemen,” added John Sullivan. “Only eighty days. Here is the estimate made by the Daily Telegraph:
From London to Suez via Mont Cenis and Brindisi[33], by rail and steamboats – 7 days
From Suez to Bombay[34], by steamer – 13”
From Bombay to Calcutta[35], by rail – 3”
From Calcutta to Hong Kong[36], by steamer – 13”
From Hong Kong to Yokohama[37] (Japan), by steamer – 6”
From Yokohama to San Francisco, by steamer – 22”
From San Francisco to New York, by rail – 7”
From New York to London, by steamer and rail – 9”
Total – 80 days.”
“Yes, in eighty days!” exclaimed Stuart. “But think about bad weather, contrary winds, shipwrecks, railway accidents, and so on. The Hindoos or Indians can stop the trains, pillage the luggage-vans[38], and scalp the passengers.”
“All included[39],” returned Phileas Fogg.
“You are right, theoretically, Mr. Fogg, but practically-”
“Practically also, Mr. Stuart. Shall we go?”
“No! But I will wager four thousand pounds that such a journey, made under these conditions, is impossible.”
“Quite possible, on the contrary,” returned Mr. Fogg.
“Well, make it, then!”
“The journey round the world in eighty days?”
“Yes. When?”
“At once. Only I warn you that you pay for it.”
“It’s absurd!” cried Stuart, who was annoyed at the persistency of his friend. “Come, let’s play. Mr. Fogg, I will wager the four thousand on it.”
“My dear Stuart,” said Fallentin. “It’s only a joke.”
“When I say I’ll wager,” returned Stuart, “I mean it.”
“All right,” said Mr. Fogg; and continued: “I have a deposit of twenty thousand at Baring’s[40] which I will willingly risk upon it.”
“Twenty thousand pounds!” cried Sullivan. “Twenty thousand pounds, which you will lose by a single accidental delay!”
“No,” quietly replied Phileas Fogg.
“But, Mr. Fogg, in order not to exceed it, you must jump from the trains upon the steamers, and from the steamers upon the trains again – very fast.”
“I will jump.”
“You are joking.”
“A true Englishman doesn’t joke when he is talking about serious things,” replied Phileas Fogg, solemnly. “I will bet twenty thousand pounds against anyone who wants me to make the tour of the world in eighty days or less; in nineteen hundred and twenty hours, or a hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred minutes. Do you accept?”
“We accept,” replied Stuart, Fallentin, Sullivan, Flanagan, and Ralph.
“Good,” said Mr. Fogg. “The train leaves for Dover[41] at a quarter before nine. I will take it.”
“Tonight?” asked Stuart.
“Tonight,” returned Phileas Fogg.
He took out and consulted a pocket calender, and added,
“As today is Wednesday, the 2nd of October, I shall be in London in this very room of the Reform Club, on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before nine p.m.; or else the twenty thousand pounds will belong to you, gentlemen. Here is a cheque.”
Chapter IV
Phileas Fogg won twenty guineas at whist and left the Reform Club at twenty-five minutes past seven. Mr. Fogg entered his bedroom, and called out, “Passepartout!”
Passepartout did not reply.
“Passepartout!” repeated Mr. Fogg.
Passepartout appeared.
“I called you twice,” observed his master.
“But it is not midnight,” responded the other.
“I know it; I don’t blame you. We start for Dover and Calais in ten minutes.”
A puzzled grin overspread Passepartout’s round face. He did not comprehend his master.
“Monsieur will leave home?”
“Yes,” returned Phileas Fogg. “We will go round the world.”
Passepartout opened wide his eyes, raised his eyebrows, held up his hands. He was stupefied.
“Round the world!” he murmured.
“In eighty days,” responded Mr. Fogg. “So no time to lose.”
“But the baggage?” gasped Passepartout.
“We’ll have no trunks; only a carpet-bag[42], with two shirts and three pairs of stockings for me, and the same for you. We’ll buy our clothes on the way.”
Passepartout tried to reply, but was silent. He went out, mounted to his own room, and fell into a chair. Around the world in eighty days! Was his master a fool? No. Was this a joke, then?
Eight o’clock. Passepartout packed the carpet-bag, carefully shut the door of his room, and descended to Mr. Fogg. Mr. Fogg was quite ready. He took the carpet-bag, opened it, and slipped into it a roll of Bank of England notes.
“Didn’t you forget anything?”