AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天)-第15章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


What　was　detective　Fix；　so　unluckily　drawn　on　from　country　to　country；　doing　all　this　while？　He　had　managed　to　embark　on　the　‘Rangoon'　at　Calcutta　without　being　seen　by　Passepartout；　after　leaving　orders　that；　if　the　warrant　should　arrive；　it　should　be　forwarded　to　him　at　Hong　Kong；　and　he　hoped　to　conceal　his　presence　to　the　end　of　the　voyage。　It　would　have　been　difficult　to　explain　why　he　was　on　board　without　awaking　Passepartout's　suspicions；　who　thought　him　still　at　Bombay。　But　necessity　impelled　him；　nevertheless；　to　renew　his　acquaintance　with　the　worthy　servant；　as　will　be　seen。　
All　the　detective's　hopes　and　wishes　were　now　centred　on　Hong　Kong；　for　the　steamer's　stay　at　Singapore　would　be　too　brief　to　enable　him　to　take　any　steps　there。　The　arrest　must　be　made　at　Hong　Kong；　or　the　robber　would　probably　escape　him　for　ever。　Hong　Kong　was　the　last　English　ground　on　which　he　would　set　foot；　beyond；　China；　Japan；　America　offered　to　Fogg　an　almost　certain　refuge。　If　the　warrant　should　at　last　make　its　appearance　at　Hong　Kong；　Fix　could　arrest　him　and　give　him　into　the　hands　of　the　local　police；　and　there　would　be　no　further　trouble。　But　beyond　Hong　Kong；　a　simple　warrant　would　be　of　no　avail；　an　extradition　warrant　would　be　necessary；　and　that　would　result　in　delays　and　obstacles；　of　which　the　rascal　would　take　advantage　to　elude　justice。　
Fix　thought　over　these　probabilities　during　the　long　hours　which　he　spent　in　his　cabin；　and　kept　repeating　to　himself；　‘Now　either　the　warrant　will　be　at　Hong　Kong；　in　which　case　I　shall　arrest　my　man；　or　it　will　not　be　there；　and　this　time　it　is　absolutely　necessary　that　I　should　delay　his　departure。　I　have　failed　at　Bombay；　and　I　have　failed　at　Calcutta：　if　I　fail　at　Hong　Kong；　my　reputation　is　lost。　Cost　what　it　may；　I　must　sucomeed！　But　how　shall　I　prevent　his　departure；　if　that　should　turn　out　to　be　my　last　resource？'　
Fix　made　up　his　mind　that；　if　worst　came　to　worst；　he　would　make　a　confidant　of　Passepartout；　and　tell　him　what　kind　of　a　fellow　his　master　really　was。　That　Passepartout　was　not　Fogg's　acomomplice；　he　was　very　certain。　The　servant；　enlightened　by　his　disclosure；　and　afraid　of　being　himself　implicated　in　the　crime；　would　doubtless　become　an　ally　of　the　detective。　But　this　method　was　a　dangerous　one；　only　to　be　employed　when　everything　else　had　failed。　A　word　from　Passepartout　to　his　master　would　ruin　all。　The　detective　was　therefore　in　a　sore　strait。　But　suddenly　a　new　idea　struck　him。　The　presence　of　Aouda　on　the　‘Rangoon'；　in　company　with　Phileas　Fogg；　gave　him　new　material　for　reflection。　
Who　was　this　woman？　What　combination　of　events　had　made　her　Fogg's　travelling　companion？　They　had　evidently　met　somewhere　between　Bombay　and　Calcutta；　but　where？　Had　they　met　acomidentally；　or　had　Fogg　gone　into　the　interior　purposely　in　quest　of　this　charming　damsel？　Fix　was　fairly　puzzled。　He　asked　himself　whether　there　had　not　been　a　wicked　elopement；　and　this　idea　so　impressed　itself　upon　his　mind　that　he　determined　to　make　use　of　the　supposed　intrigue。　Whether　the　young　woman　were　married　or　not；　he　would　be　able　to　create　such　difficulties　for　Mr　Fogg　at　Hong　Kong；　that　he　could　not　escape　by　paying　any　amount　of　money。　
But　could　he　even　wait　till　they　reached　Hong　Kong？　Fogg　had　an　abominable　way　of　jumping　from　one　boat　to　another；　and；　before　anything　could　be　effected；　might　get　full　under　weigh　again　for　Yokohama。　
Fix　decided　that　he　must　warn　the　English　authorities；　and　Signal　the　‘Rangoon'　before　her　arrival。　This　was　easy　to　do；　since　the　steamer　stopped　at　Singapore；　whence　there　is　a　telegraphic　wire　to　Hong　Kong。　He　finally　resolved；　moreover；　before　acting　more　positively；　to　question　Passepartout。　It　would　not　be　difficult　to　make　him　talk；　and；　as　there　was　no　time　to　lose；　Fix　prepared　to　make　himself　known。　
It　was　now　the　30th　of　October；　and　on　the　following　day　the　‘Rangoon'　was　due　at　Singapore。　
Fix　emerged　from　his　cabin　and　went　on　deck。　Passepartout　was　promenading　up　and　down　in　the　forward　part　of　the　steamer。　The　detective　rushed　forward　with　every　appearance　of　extreme　surprise；　and　exclaimed；　‘You　here；　on　the　〃Rangoon〃？'　
‘What；　Monsieur　Fix；　are　you　on　board？'　returned　the　really　astonished　Passepartout；　recognizing　his　crony　of　the　‘Mongolia'。　‘Why；　I　left　you　at　Bombay；　and　here　you　are；　on　the　way　to　Hong　Kong！　Are　you　going　round　the　world　too？'　
‘No；　no；'　replied　Fix；　‘I　shall　stop　at　Hong　Kong　…　at　least　for　some　days。'　
‘Hum！'　said　Passepartout；　who　seemed　for　an　instant　perplexed。　‘But　how　is　it　I　have　not　seen　you　on　board　since　we　left　Calcutta？'　
‘Oh；　a　trifle　of　seasickness；　…　I've　been　staying　in　my　berth。　The　Gulf　of　Bengal　does　not　agree　with　me　as　well　as　the　Indian　Ocean。　And　how　is　Mr　Fogg？'　
‘As　well　and　as　punctual　as　ever；　not　a　day　behind　time！　But；　Monsieur　Fix；　you　don't　know　that　we　have　a　young　lady　with　us。'　
‘A　young　lady？'　replied　the　detective；　not　seeming　to　comprehend　what　was　said。　
Passepartout　thereupon　recounted　Aouda's　history；　the　affair　at　the　Bombay　pagoda；　the　purchase　of　the　elephant　for　two　thousand　pounds；　the　rescue；　the　arrest　and　sentence　of　the　Calcutta　court；　and　the　restoration　of　Mr　Fogg　and　himself　to　liberty　on　bail。　Fix；　who　was　familiar　with　the　last　events；　seemed　to　be　equally　ignorant　of　all　that　Passepartout　related；　and　the　latter　was　charmed　to　find　so　interested　a　listener。　
‘But　does　your　master　propose　to　carry　this　young　woman　to　Europe？'　
‘Not　at　all。　We　are　simply　going　to　place　her　under　the　protection　of　one　of　her　relatives；　a　rich　merchant　at　Hong　Kong。'　
‘Nothing　to　be　done　there；'　said　Fix　to　himself；　concealing　his　disappointment。　‘A　glass　of　gin；　Mr　Passepartout？'　
‘Willingly；　Monsieur　Fix。　We　must　at　least　have　a　friendly　glass　on　board　the　〃Rangoon〃。'　

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
CHAPTER　XVII
SHOWING　WHAT　HAPPENED　ON　THE　VOYAGE　FROM　SINGAPORE　TO　HONG　KONG。
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
The　detective　and　Passepartout　met　often　on　deck　after　this　interview；　though　Fix　was　reserved；　and　did　not　attempt　to　induce　his　companion　to　divulge　any　more　facts　concerning　Mr　Fogg。　He　caught　a　glimpse　of　that　mysterious　gentleman　once　or　twice；　but　Mr　Fogg　usually　confined　himself　to　the　cabin；　where　he　kept　Aouda　company；　or　acomording　to　his　inveterate　habit；　took　a　hand　at　whist。　
Passepartout　began　very　seriously　to　conjecture　what　strange　chance　kept　Fix　still　on　the　route　that　his　master　was　pursuing。　It　was　really　worth　considering　why　this　certainly　very　amiable　and　complacent　person；　whom　he　had　first　met　at　Suez；　had　then　encountered　on　board　the　‘Mongolia'；　who　disembarked　at　Bombay；　which　he　announced　as　his　destination；　and　now　turned　up　so　unexpectedly　on　the　‘Rangoon'；　was　following　Mr　Fogg's　tracks　step　by　step。　What　was　Fix's　object？　Passepartout　was　ready　to　wager　his　Indian　shoes　…　which　he　religiously　preserved　…　that　Fix　would　also　leave　Hong　Kong　at　the　same　time　with　them；　and　probably　on　the　same　steamer。　
Passepartout　might　have　cudgelled　his　brain　for　a　century　without　hitting　upon　the　real　object　which　the　detective　had　in　view。　He　never　could　have　imagined　that　Phileas　Fogg　was　being　tracked　as　a　robber　around　the　globe。　But　as　it　is　in　human　nature　to　attempt　the　solution　of　every　mystery；　Passepartout　suddenly　discovered　an　explanation　of　Fix's　movements；　which　was　in　truth　far　from　unreasonable。　Fix；　he　thought；　could　only　be　an　agent　of　Mr　Fogg's　friends　at　the　Reform　Clubs　sent　to　follow　him　up；　and　to　ascertain　that　he　really　went　round　the　world　as　had　been　agreed　upon。　
‘It's　clear！'　repeated　the　worthy　servant　to　himself；　proud　of　his　shrewdness。　‘He's　a　spy　sent　to　keep　us　in　view！　That　isn't　quite　the　thing；　either；　to　be　spying　Mr　Fogg；　who　is　so　honourable　a　man！　Ah；　gentlemen　of　the　Reform；　this　shall　cost　you　dear！'　
Passepartout；　enchanted　with　his　discovery；　resolved　to　say　nothing　to　his　master；　lest　he　should　be　justly　offended　at　this　mistrust　on　the　part　of　his　adversaries。　But　he　determined　to　chaff　Fix；　when　he　had　the　chance；　with　mysterious　allusions；　which；　however；　need　not　betray　his　real　suspicions。　
During　the　afternoon　of　Wednesday；　October　30th；　the　‘Rangoon'　entered　the　Strait　of　Malacoma；　which　separates　the　peninsula　of　that　name　from　Sumatra。　The　mountainous　and　craggy　islets　intercepted　the　beauties　of　this　noble　island　from　the　view　of　the　travellers。　The　‘Rangoon'　weighed　anchor　at　Singapore　the　next　day　at　four　a。m。；　to　receive　coal；　having　gained　half　a　day　on　the　prescribed　time　of　her　arrival。　Phileas　Fogg　noted　this　gain　in　his　journal；　and　then；　acomompanied　by　Aouda；　who　betrayed　a　desire　for　a　walk　on　shore；　disembarked。　
Fix；　who　suspected　Mr　Fogg's　every　movement；　followed　them　cautiously；　without　being　himself　perceived；　while　Passepartout；　laughing　in　his　sleeve　at　Fix's　manoeuvres；　went　about　his　usual　errands。　
The　island　of　Singapore　is　not　imposing　in　aspect；　for　there　are　no　mountains；　yet　its　appearance　is　not　without　attractions。　It　is　a　park　checkered　by　pleasant　highways　and　avenues。　A　handsome　carriage；　drawn　by　a　sleek　pair　of　New　Holland　horses；　carried　Phileas　Fogg　and　Aouda　into　the　midst　of　rows　of　palms　with　brilliant　foliage；　and　of　clove…trees　whereof　the　cloves　form　the　heart　of　a　half…open　flower。　Pepper　plants　replaced　the　prickly　hedges　of　European　fields；　sago…bushes；　large　ferns　with　gorgeous　branches；　varied　the　aspect　of　this　tropical　clime；　while　nutmeg…trees　in　full　foliage　filled　the　air　with　a　penetrating　perfume。　Agile　and　grinning　bands　of　monkeys　skipped　about　in　the　trees；　nor　were　tigers　wanting　in　the　jungles。　
After　a　drive　of　two　hours　through　the　country；　Aouda　and　Mr　Fogg　returned　to　the　town；　which　is　a　vast　collection　of　heavy…looking；　irregular　houses；　surrounded　by　charming　gardens　rich　in　tropical　fruits　and　plants；　and　at　ten　o'clock　they　re…embarked；　closely　followed　by　the　detective；　who　had　kept　them　constantly　in　sight。　
Passepartout；　who　had　been　purchasing　several　dozen　mangoes　…　a　fruit　as　large　as　good…sized　apples；　of　a　dark…brown　colour　outside　and　a　bright　red　within；　and　whose　white　pulp；　melting　in　the　mouth；　affords　gourma