AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天)-第17章

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be　in　time　if　he　took　the　next　boat；　but　this　only　put　Passepartout　in　a　passion。　
Mr　Fogg；　bolder　than　his　servant；　did　not　hesitate　to　approach　the　pilot；　and　tranquilly　ask　him　if　he　knew　when　a　steamer　would　leave　Hong　Kong　for　Yokohama。　
‘At　high　tide　tomorrow　morning；'　answered　the　pilot。　
‘Ah！'　said　Mr　Fogg；　without　betraying　any　astonishment。　
Passepartout；　who　heard　what　passed；　would　willingly　have　embraced　the　pilot；　while　Fix　would　have　been　glad　to　twist　his　neck。　
‘What　is　the　steamer's　name？'　asked　Mr　Fogg。　
‘The　〃Carnatic〃。'　
‘Ought　she　not　to　have　gone　yesterday？'　
‘Yes；　sir；　but　they　had　to　repair　one　of　her　boilers；　and　so　her　departure　was　postponed　till　tomorrow。'　
‘Thank　you；'　returned　Mr　Fogg；　descending　mathematically　to　the　saloon。　
Passepartout　clasped　the　pilot's　hand　and　shook　it　heartily　in　his　delight；　exclaiming；　‘Pilot；　you　are　the　best　of　good　fellows！'　
The　pilot　probably　does　not　know　to　this　day　why　his　responses　won　him　this　enthusiastic　greeting。　He　remounted　the　bridge；　and　guided　the　steamer　through　the　flotilla　of　junks；　tankas　and　fishing　boats　which　crowd　the　harbour　of　Hong　Kong。　
At　one　o'clock　the　‘Rangoon'　was　at　the　quay；　and　the　passengers　were　going　ashore。　
Chance　had　strangely　favoured　Phileas　Fogg；　for；　had　not　the　‘Carnatic'　been　forced　to　lie　over　for　repairing　her　boilers；　she　would　have　left　on　the　6th　of　November；　and　the　passengers　for　Japan　would　have　been　obliged　to　await　for　a　week　the　sailing　of　the　next　steamer。　Mr　Fogg　was；　it　is　true；　twenty…four　hours　behind　his　time；　but　this　could　not　seriously　imperil　the　remainder　of　his　tour。　
The　steamer　which　crossed　the　Pacific　from　Yokohama　to　San　Francisco　made　a　direct　connexion　with　that　from　Hong　Kong；　and　it　could　not　sail　until　the　latter　reached　Yokohama；　and　if　Mr　Fogg　was　twenty…four　hours　late　on　reaching　Yokohama；　this　time　would　no　doubt　be　easily　regained　in　the　voyage　of　twenty…two　days　across　the　Pacific。　He　found　himself；　then；　about　twenty…four　hours　behindhand；　thirty…five　days　after　leaving　London。　
The　‘Carnatic'　was　announced　to　leave　Hong　Kong　at　five　the　next　morning。　Mr　Fogg　had　sixteen　hours　in　which　to　attend　to　his　business　there；　which　was　to　deposit　Aouda　safely　with　her　wealthy　relative。　
On　landing；　he　conducted　her　to　a　palanquin；　in　which　they　repaired　to　the　Club　Hotel。　A　room　was　engaged　for　the　young　woman；　and　Mr　Fogg；　after　seeing　that　she　wanted　for　nothing；　set　out　in　search　of　her　cousin　Jeejeeh。　He　instructed　Passepartout　to　remain　at　the　hotel　until　his　return；　that　Aouda　might　not　be　left　entirely　alone。　
Mr　Fogg　repaired　to　the　Exchange；　where；　he　did　not　doubt；　every　one　would　know　so　wealthy　and　considerable　a　personage　as　the　Parsee　merchant。　Meeting　a　broker；　he　made　the　inquiry；　to　learn　that　Jeejeeh　had　left　China　two　years　before；　and；　retiring　from　business　with　an　immense　fortune；　had　taken　up　his　residence　in　Europe　…　in　Holland；　the　broker　thought；　with　the　merchants　of　which　country　he　had　principally　traded。　Phileas　Fogg　returned　to　the　hotel；　begged　a　moment's　conversation　with　Aouda；　and；　without　more　ado；　apprised　her　that　Jeejeeh　was　no　longer　at　Hong　Kong；　but　probably　in　Holland。　
Aouda　at　first　said　nothing。　She　passed　her　hand　across　her　forehead；　and　refted　a　few　moments。　Then；　in　her　sweet；　soft　voice；　she　said：　‘What　ought　I　to　do；　Mr　Fogg？'　
‘It　is　very　simple；'　responded　the　gentleman。　‘Go　on　to　Europe。'　
‘But　I　cannot　intrude……'　
‘You　do　not　intrude；　nor　do　you　in　the　least　embarrass　my　project。　Passepartout！'　
‘Monsieur。'　
‘Go　to　the　〃Carnatic〃；　and　engage　three　cabins。'　
Passepartout；　delighted　that　the　young　woman；　who　was　very　gracious　to　him；　was　going　to　continue　the　journey　with　them；　went　off　at　a　brisk　gait　to　obey　his　master's　order。　

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CHAPTER　XIX
IN　WHICH　PASSEPARTOUT　TAKES　A　TOO　GREAT　INTEREST　IN　HIS　MASTER；　AND　WHAT　COMES　OF　IT。
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Hong　Kong　is　an　island　which　came　into　the　pas　session　of　the　English　by　the　treaty　of　Nankin；　after　the　war　of　1842；　and　the　colonizing　genius　of　the　English　has　created　upon　it　an　important　city　and　an　excellent　port。　The　island　is　situated　at　the　mouth　of　the　Canton　River；　and　is　separated　by　about　sixty　miles　from　the　Portuguese　town　of　Macao；　on　the　opposite　coast。　Hong　Kong　has　beaten　Macao　in　the　struggle　for　the　Chinese　trade；　and　now　the　greater　part　of　the　transportation　of　Chinese　goods　finds　its　depot　at　the　former　place。　Docks；　hospitals；　wharves；　a　Gothic　cathedral；　a　government　house；　macadamized　streets　give　to　Hong　Kong　the　appearance　of　a　town　in　Kent　or　Surrey　transferred　by　some　strange　magic　to　the　antipodes。　
Passepartout　wandered；　with　his　hands　in　his　pockets；　towards　the　Victoria　port；　gazing　as　he　went　at　the　curious　palanquins　and　other　modes　of　conveyance；　and　the　groups　of　Chinese；　Japanese　and　Europeans　who　passed　to　and　fro　in　the　streets。　Hong　Kong　seemed　to　him　not　unlike　Bombay；　Calcutta　and　Singapore；　since；　like　them；　it　betrayed　everywhere　the　evidence　of　English　supremacy。　At　the　Victoria　port　he　found　a　confused　mass　of　ships　of　all　nations：　English；　French；　American　and　Dutch；　men…of…war　and　trading　vessels；　Japanese　and　Chinese　junks；　sempas；　tankas　and　flower…boats；　which　formed　so　many　floating　parterres。　Passepartout　noticed　in　the　crowd　a　number　of　the　natives　who　seemed　very　old　and　were　dressed　in　yellow。　On　going　into　a　barber's　to　get　shaved　he　learned　that　these　ancient　men　were　all　at　least　eighty　years　old；　at　which　age　they　are　permitted　to　wear　yellow；　which　is　the　Imperial　colour。　Passepartout；　without　exactly　knowing　why；　thought　this　very　funny。　
On　reaching　the　quay　where　they　were　to　embark　on　the　‘Carnatic'；　he　was　not　astonished　to　find　Fix　walking　up　and　down。　The　detective　seemed　very　much　disturbed　and　disappointed。　
‘This　is　bad；'　muttered　Passepartout；　‘for　the　gentlemen　of　the　Reform　Club！'　He　acomosted　Fix　with　a　merry　smile；　as　if　he　had　not　perceived　that　gentleman's　chagrin。　The　detective　had；　indeed；　good　reasons　to　inveigh　against　the　bad　luck　which　pursued　him。　The　warrant　had　not　come！　It　was　certainly　on　the　way；　but　as　certainly　it　could　not　now　reach　Hong　Kong　for　several　days；　and　this　being　the　last　English　territory　on　Mr　Fogg's　route；　the　robber　would　escape；　unless　he　could　manage　to　detain　him。　
‘Well；　Monsieur　Fix；'　said　Passepartout；　‘have　you　decided　to　go　on　with　us　as　far　as　America？'　
‘Yes；'　returned　Fix；　through　his　set　teeth。　‘Good！'　exclaimed　Passepartout；　laughing　heartily。　‘I　knew　you　could　not　persuade　yourself　to　separate　from　us。　Come　and　engage　your　berth。'　
They　entered　the　steamer　office　and　secured　cabins　for　four　persons。　The　clerk；　as　he　gave　them　the　tickets；　informed　them　that；　the　repairs　on　the　‘Carnatic'　having　been　completed；　the　steamer　would　leave　that　very　evening；　and　not　next　morning　as　had　been　announced。　
‘That　will　suit　my　master　all　the　better；'　said　Passepartout。　‘I　will　go　and　let　him　know。'　
Fix　now　decided　to　make　a　bold　move；　he　resolved　to　tell　Passepartout　all。　It　seemed　to　be　the　only　possible　means　of　keeping　Phileas　Fogg　several　days　longer　at　Hong　Kong。　He　acomordingly　invited　his　companion　into　a　tavern　which　caught　his　eye　on　the　quay。　On　entering；　they　found　themselves　in　a　large　room　handsomely　decorated；　at　the　end　of　which　was　a　large　campbed　furnished　with　cushions。　Several　persons　lay　upon　this　bed　in　a　deep　sleep。　At　the　same　tables　which　were　arranged　about　the　room　some　thirty　customers　were　drinking　English　beer；　porter；　gin　and　brandy；　smoking；　the　while；　long　red　clay　pipes　stuffed　with　little　balls　of　opium　mingled　with　essence　of　rose。　From　time　to　time　one　of　the　smokers；　overcome　with　the　narcotic；　would　slip　under　the　table；　whereupon　the　waiters；　taking　him　by　the　head　and　feet；　carried　and　laid　him　upon　the　bed。　The　bed　already　supported　twenty　of　these　stupefied　sots。　
Fix　and　Passepartout　saw　that　they　were　in　a　smoking…house　haunted　by　those　wretched；　cadaverous；　idiotic　creatures；　to　whom　the　English　merchants　sell　every　year　the　miserable　drug　called　opium；　to　the　amount　of　one　million　four　hundred　thousand　pounds　…　thousands　devoted　to　one　of　the　most　despicable　vices　which　afflict　humanity！　The　Chinese　government　has　in　vain　attempted　to　deal　with　the　evil　by　stringent　laws。　It　passed　gradually　from　the　rich；　to　whom　it　was　at　first　exclusively　reserved；　to　the　lower　classes；　and　then　its　ravages　could　not　be　arrested。　Opium　is　smoked　everywhere；　at　all　times；　by　men　and　women；　in　the　Celestial　Empire；　and；　once　acomustomed　to　it；　the　victims　cannot　dispense　with　it；　except　by　suffering　horrible　bodily　contortions　and　agonies。　A　great　smoker　can　smoke　as　many　as　eight　pipes　a　day；　but　he　dies　in　five　years。　It　was　in　one　of　these　dens　that　Fix　and　Passepartout；　in　search　of　a　friendly　glass；　found　themselves。　Passepartout　had　no　money；　but　willingly　acomepted　Fix's　invitation　in　the　hope　of　returning　the　obligation　at　some　future　time。　
They　ordered　two　bottles　of　port；　to　which　the　Frenchman　did　ample　justice；　whilst　Fix　observed　him　with　close　attention。　They　chatted　about　the　journey；　and　Passepartout　was　especially　merry　at　the　idea　that　Fix　was　going　to　continue　it　with　them。　When　the　bottles　were　empty；　however；　he　rose　to　go　and　tell　his　master　of　the　change　in　the　time　of　the　sailing　of　the　‘Carnatic'。　
Fix　caught　him　by　the　arm；　and　said；　‘Wait　a　moment。'　
‘What　for；　Mr　Fix？'　
‘I　want　to　have　a　serious　talk　with　you。'　
‘A　serious　talk！'　cried　Passepartout；　drinking　up　the　little　wine　that　was　left　in　the　bottom　of　his　glass。　‘Well；　we'll　talk　about　it　to…morrow；　I　haven't　time　now。'　
‘Stay！　What　I　have　to　say　concerns　your　master。'　
Passepartout；　at　this；　looked　attentively　at　his　companion。　Fix's　face　seemed　to　have　a　singular　expression。　He　resumed　his　seat。　
‘What　is　it　that　you　have　to　say？'　
Fix　placed　his　hand　upon　Passepartout's　arm；　and；　lowering　his　voice；　said；　‘You　have　guessed　who　I　am？'　
‘Parbleu！'　said　Passepartout；　smiling。　‘Then　I'm　going　to　tell　you　everything……'　
‘Now　that　I　know　everything；　my　friend！　Ah！　that's　very　good。　But　go　on；　go