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第16章

AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天)-第16章

小说: AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天) 字数: 每页4000字

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se white pulp; melting in the mouth; affords gourmands a delicious sensation … was waiting for them on deck。 He was only too glad to offer some mangoes to Aouda; who thanked him very gracefully for them。 
At eleven o'clock the ‘Rangoon' rode out of Singapore harbour; and in a few hours the high mountains of Malacoma; with their forests inhabited by the most beautifully…tuned tigers in the world; were lost to view。 Singapore is distant some thirteen hundred miles from the island of Hong Kong; which is a little English colony near the Chinese coast。 Phileas Fogg hoped to acomomplish the journey in six days; so as to be in time for the steamer which would leave on the 6th of November for Yokohama; the principal Japanese port。 
The ‘Rangoon' had a large a of passengers; many of whom disembarked at Singapore; among them a number of Indians; Ceylonese; Chinamen; Malays and Portuguese; mostly second…class travellers。 
The weather; which had hitherto been fine; changed with the last quarter of the moon。 The sea rolled heavily; and the wind at intervals rose almost to a storm; but happily blew from the south…west; and thus aided the steamer's progress。 The captain as often as possible put up his sails; and under the double action of steam and sail the vessel made rapid progress along the coasts of Anam and Cochin China。 Owing to the defective construction of the ‘Rangoon'; however; unusual precautions became necessary in unfavourable weather; but the loss of time which resulted from this cause; while it nearly drove Passepartout out of his senses; did not seem to affect his master in the least。 Passepartout blamed the captain; the engineer and the crew; and consigned all who were connected with the ship to the land where the pepper grows。 Perhaps the thought of the gas; which was remorselessly burning at his expense in Saville Row; had something to do with his hot impatience。 
‘You are in a great hurry; then;' said Fix to him one day; ‘to reach Hong Kong?' 
‘A very great hurry!' 
‘Mr Fogg; I suppose; is anxious to catch the steamer for Yokohama?' 
‘Terribly anxious。' 
‘You believe in this journey around the world; then?' 
‘Absolutely。 Don't you; Mr Fix?' 
‘I? I don't believe a word of it。' 
‘You're a sly dog!' said Passepartout; winking at him。 
This expression rather disturbed Fix; without his knowing why。 Had the Frenchman guessed his real purpose? He knew not what to think。 But how could Passepartout have discovered that he was a detective? Yet; in speaking as he did; the man evidently meant more than he expressed。 
Passepartout went still further the next day; he could not hold his tongue。 
‘Mr Fix;' said he; in a bantering tone; ‘shall we be so unfortunate as to lose you when we get to Hong Kong?' 
‘Why;' responded Fix; a little embarrassed; ‘I don't know; perhaps……' 
‘Ah; if you would only go on with us! An agent of the Peninsular Company; you know; can't stop on the way! You were only going to Bombay; and here you are in China。 America is not far off; and from America to Europe is only a step。' 
Fix looked intently at his companion; whose countenance was as serene as possible; and laughed with him。 But Passepartout persisted in chaffing him by asking him if he made much by his present ocomupation。 
‘Yes; and no;' returned Fix; ‘there is good and bad luck in such things。 But you must understand that I don't travel at my own expense。' 
‘Oh; I am quite sure of that!' cried Passepartout; laughing heartily。 
Fix; fairly puzzled; descended to his cabin and gave himself up to his reflections。 He was evidently suspected; somehow or other the Frenchman had found out that he was a detective。 But had he told his master? What part was he playing in all this: was he an acomomplice or not? Was the game; then; up? Fix spent several hours turning these things over in his mind; sometimes thinking that all was lost; then persuading himself that Fogg was ignorant of his presence; and then undecided what course it was best to take。 
Nevertheless; he preserved his coolness of mind; and at last resolved to deal plainly with Passepartout。 If he did not find it practicable to arrest Fogg at Hong Kong; and if Fogg made preparations to leave that last foothold of English territory; he; Fix; would tell Passepartout all。 Either the servant was the acomomplice of his master; and in this case the master knew of his operations; and he should fail; or else the servant knew nothing about the robbery; and then his interest would be to abandon the robber。 
Such was the situation between Fix and Passepartout。 Meanwhile Phileas Fogg moved about above them in the most majestic and unconscious indifference。 He was passing methodically in his orbit around the world; regardless of the lesser stars which gravitated around him。 Yet there was near by what the astronomers would call a disturbing star; which might have produced an agitation in this gentleman's heart。 But no! the charms of Aouda failed to act; to Passepartout's great surprise; and the disturbances; if they existed; would have been more difficult to calculate than those of Uranus which led to the discovery of Neptune。 
It was every day an increasing wonder to Passepartout; who read in Aouda's eyes the depths of her gratitude to his master。 Phileas Fogg; though brave and gallant; must be; he thought; quite heartless。 As to the sentiment which this journey might have awakened in him; there was clearly no trace of such a thing; while poor Passepartout existed in perpetual reveries。 
One day he was leaning on the railing of the engine…room; and was observing the engine; when a sudden pitch of the steamer threw the screw out of the water。 The steam came hissing out of the valves; and this made Passepartout indignant。 
‘The valves are not sufficiently charged!' he exclaimed。 ‘We are not going。 Oh; these English! If this was an American craft; we should blow up; perhaps; but we should at all events go faster!' 

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CHAPTER XVIII
IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG; PASSEPARTOUT; AND FIX GO EACH ABOUT HIS BUSINESS。
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The weather was bad during the latter days of the voyage。 The wind; obstinately remaining in the north…west; blew a gale; and retarded the steamer。 The ‘Rangoon' rolled heavily; and the passengers became impatient of the long; monstrous waves which the wind raised before their path。 A sort of tempest arose on the 3rd of November; the squall knocking the vessel about with fury; and the waves running high。 The ‘Rangoon' reefed all her sails; and even the rigging proved too much; whistling and shaking amid the squall。 The steamer was forced to proceed slowly and the captain estimated that she would reach Hong Kong twenty hours behind time; and more if the storm lasted。 
Phileas Fogg gazed at the tempestuous sea; which seemed to be struggling especially to delay him; with his habitual tranquility。 He never changed countenance for an instant; though a delay of twenty hours; by making him too late for the Yokohama boat; would almost inevitably cause the loss of the wager。 But this man of nerve manifested neither impatience nor annoyance; it seemed as if the storm were a part of his programme; and had been foreseen。 Aouda was amazed to find him as calm as he had been from the first time she saw him。 
Fix did not look at the state of things in the same light。 The storm greatly pleased him。 His satisfaction would have been complete had the ‘Rangoon' been forced to retreat before the violence of wind and waves。 Each delay filled him with hope; for it became more and more probable that Fogg would be obliged to remain some days at Hong Kong; and now the heavens themselves became his allies; with the gusts and squalls。 It mattered not that they made him sea…sick he made no acomount of this inconvenience; and whilst his body was writhing under their effects; his spirit bounded with hopeful exultation。 
Passepartout was enraged beyond expression by the unpropitious weather。 Everything had gone so well till now! Earth and sea had seemed to be at his master's service; steamers and railways obeyed him; wind and steam united to speed his journey。 Had the hour of adversity come? Passepartout was as much excited as if the twenty thousand pounds were to come from his own pocket。 The storm exasperated him; the gale made him furious; and he longed to lash the obstinate sea into obedience。 Poor fellow! Fix carefully concealed from him his own satisfaction; for; had he betrayed it; Passepartout could scarcely have restrained himself from personal violence。 
Passepartout remained on deck as long as the tempest lasted; being unable to remain quiet below; and taking it into his head to aid the progress of the ship by lending a hand with the crew。 He over…whelmed the captain; officers and sailors; who could not help laughing at his impatience; with all sorts of questions。 He wanted to know exactly how long the storm was going to last; whereupon he was referred to the barometer; which seemed to have no intention of rising。 Passepartout shook it; but with no perceptible effect; for neither shaking nor maledictions could prevail upon it to change its mind。 
On the 4th; however; the sea became more calm; and the storm lessened its violence; the wind veered southwards; and was once more favourable。 Passepartout cheered up with the weather。 Some of the sails were unfurled; and the ‘Rangoon' resumed its most rapid speed。 The time lost could not; however; be regained。 Land was not signalled until five o'clock on the morning of the 6th; the steamer was due on the 5th。 Phileas Fogg was twenty…four hours behind…hand; and the Yokohama steamer would; of course; be missed。 
The pilot went on board at six; and took his place on the bridge; to guide the ‘Rangoon' through the channels to the port of Hong Kong。 Passepartout longed to ask him if the steamer had left for Yokohama; but he dared not; for he wished to preserve the spark of hope; which still remained; till the last moment。 He had confided his anxiety to Fix; who … the sly rascal! … tried to console him by saying that Mr Fogg would be in time if he took the next boat; but this only put Passepartout in a passion。 
Mr Fogg; bolder 

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