AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS(环游世界80天)-第9章

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ar　off　rose　Ellora；　with　its　graceful　pagodas；　and　the　famous　Aurungabad；　capital　of　the　ferocious　Aureng…Zeb；　now　the　chief　town　of　one　of　the　detached　provinces　of　the　kingdom　of　the　Nizam。　It　was　thereabouts　that　Feringhea；　the　Thuggee　chief；　king　of　the　stranglers；　held　his　sway。　These　ruffians；　united　by　a　secret　bond；　strangled　victims　of　every　age　in　honour　of　the　goddess　Death；　without　ever　shedding　blood；　there　was　a　period　when　this　part　of　the　country　could　scarcely　be　travelled　over　without　corpses　being　found　in　every　direction。　The　English　Government　has　sucomeeded　in　greatly　diminishing　these　murders；　though　the　Thuggees　still　exist；　and　pursue　the　exercise　of　their　horrible　rites。　
At　half…past　twelve　the　train　stopped　at　Burhampoor；　where　Passepartout　was　able　to　purchase　some　Indian　slippers；　ornamented　with　false　pearls；　in　which；　with　evident　vanity；　he　proceeded　to　incase　his　feet。　The　travellers　made　a　hasty　breakfast　and　started　off　for　Assurghur；　after　skirting　for　a　little　the　banks　of　the　small　river　Tapty；　which　empties　into　the　Gulf　of　Cambray；　near　Surat。　
Passepartout　was　now　plunged　into　absorbing　reverie。　Up　to　his　arrival　at　Bombay；　he　had　entertained　hopes　that　their　journey　would　end　there；　but　now　that　they　were　plainly　whirling　across　India　at　full　speed；　a　sudden　change　had　come　over　the　spirit　of　his　dreams。　His　old　vagabond　nature　returned　to　him；　the　fantastic　ideas　of　his　youth　once　more　took　possession　of　him。　He　carne　to　regard　his　master's　project　as　intended　in　good　earnest；　believed　in　the　reality　of　the　bet；　and　therefore　in　the　tour　of　the　worlds　and　the　necessity　of　making　it　without　fail　within　the　designated　period。　Already　he　began　to　worry　about　possible　delays；　and　acomidents　which　might　happen　on　the　way。　He　recognized　himself　as　being　personally　interested　in　the　wager；　and　trembled　at　the　thought　that　he　might　have　been　the　means　of　losing　it　by　his　unpardonable　folly　of　the　night　before。　Being　much　less　cool…headed　than　Mr　Fogg；　he　was　much　more　restless；　counting　and　recounting　the　days　passed　over；　uttering　maledictions　when　the　train　stopped；　and　acomusing　it　of　sluggishness；　and　mentally　blaming　Mr　Fogg　for　not　having　bribed　the　engineer。　The　worthy　fellow　was　ignorant　that；　while　it　was　possible　by　such　means　to　hasten　the　rate　of　a　steamer；　it　could　not　be　done　on　the　railway。　
The　train　entered　the　defiles　of　the　Sutpour　Mountains；　which　separate　the　Khandeish　from　Bundelcund；　towards　evening。　The　next　day　Sir　Francis　Cromarty　asked　Passepartout　what　time　it　was；　to　which；　on　consulting　his　watch；　he　replied　that　it　was　three　in　the　morning。　This　famous　timepiece；　always　regulated　on　the　Greenwich　meridian；　which　was　now　some　seventy…seven　degrees　westward；　was　at　least　four　hours　slow。　Sir　Francis　corrected　Passepartout's　time；　whereupon　the　latter　made　the　same　remark　that　he　had　done　to　Fix；　and　upon　the　general　insisting　that　the　watch　should　be　regulated　in　each　new　meridian；　since　he　was　constantly　going　east…ward；　that　is　in　the　face　of　the　sun；　and　therefore　the　days　were　shorter　by　four　minutes　for　each　degree　gone　over；　Passepartout　obstinately　refused　to　alter　his　watch；　which　he　kept　at　London　time。　It　was　an　innocent　delusion　which　could　harm　no　one。　
The　train　stopped；　at　eight　o'clock；　in　the　midst　of　a　glade　some　fifteen　miles　beyond　Rothal；　where　there　were　several　bungalows　and　workmen's　cabins。　
The　conductor；　passing　along　the　carriages；　shouted；　‘Passengers　will　get　out　here！'　
Phileas　Fogg　looked　at　Sir　Francis　Cromarty　for　an　explanation；　but　the　general　could　not　tell　what　meant　a　halt　in　the　midst　of　this　forest　of　dates　and　acacias。　
Passepartout；　not　less　surprised；　rushed　out　and　speedily　returned；　crying：　‘Monsieur；　no　more　railway！'　
‘What　do　you　mean？'　asked　Sir　Francis。　
‘I　mean　to　say　that　the　train　isn't　going　on。'　
The　general　at　once　stepped　out；　while　Phileas　Fogg　calmly　followed　him；　and　they　proceeded　together　to　the　conductor。　
‘Where　are　we？'　asked　Sir　Francis。　
‘At　the　hamlet　of　Kholby。'　
‘Do　we　stop　here？'　
‘Certainly。　The　railway　isn't　finished。'　
‘What！　not　finished？'　
‘No。　There's　still　a　matter　of　fifty　miles　to　be　laid　from　here　to　Allahabad；　where　the　line　begins　again。'　
‘But　the　papers　announced　the　opening　of　the　railway　throughout。'　
‘What　would　you　have；　officer？　The　papers　were　mistaken。'　
‘Yet　you　sell　tickets　from　Bombay　to　Calcutta；'　retorted　Sir　Francis；　who　was　growing　warm。　
‘No　doubt；'　replied　the　conductor；　‘but　the　passengers　know　that　they　must　provide　means　of　transportation　for　themselves　from　Kholby　to　Allahabad。'　
Sir　Francis　was　furious。　Passepartout　would　willingly　have　knocked　the　conductor　down；　and　did　not　dare　to　look　at　his　master。　
‘Sir　Francis；'　said　Mr　Fogg　quietly；　‘we　will；　if　you　please；　look　about　for　some　means　of　conveyance　to　Allahabad。'　
‘Mr　Fogg；　this　is　a　delay　greatly　to　your　disadvantage。'　
‘No；　Sir　Francis；　it　was　foreseen。'　
‘What！　You　knew　that　the　way……'　
‘Not　at　all；　but　I　knew　that　some　obstacle　or　other　would　sooner　or　later　arise　on　my　route。　Nothing；　therefore；　is　lost。　I　have　two　days；　which　I　have　already　gained；　to　sacrifice。　A　steamer　leaves　Calcutta　for　Hong　Kong　at　noon；　on　the　25th。　This　is　the　22nd；　and　we　shall　reach　Calcutta　in　time。'　
There　was　nothing　to　say　to　so　confident　a　response。　
It　was　but　too　true　that　the　railway　came　to　a　termination　at　this　point。　The　papers　were　like　some　watches；　which　have　a　way　of　getting　too　fast；　and　had　been　premature　in　their　announcement　of　the　completion　of　the　line。　The　greater　part　of　the　travellers　were　aware　of　this　interruption；　and　leaving　the　train；　they　began　to　engage　such　vehicles　as　the　village　could　provide　…　four…wheeled　palkigharis；　waggons　drawn　by　zebus；　carriages　that　looked　like　perambulating　pagodas；　palanquins；　ponies　and　what　not。　
Mr　Fogg　and　Sir　Francis　Cromarty；　after　searching　the　village　from　end　to　end；　came　back　without　having　found　anything。　
‘I　shall　go　afoot；'　said　Phileas　Fogg。　
Passepartout；　who　had　now　rejoined　his　master；　made　a　wry　grimace；　as　he　thought　of　his　magnificent；　but　too　frail　Indian　shoes。　Happily　he　too　had　been　looking　about　him；　and；　after　a　moment's　hesitation；　said；　‘Monsieur；　I　think　I　have　found　a　means　of　conveyance。'　
‘What？'　
‘An　elephant！　An　elephant　that　belongs　to　an　Indian　who　lives　but　a　hundred　steps　from　here。'　
‘Let's　go　and　see　the　elephant；'　replied　Mr　Fogg。　
They　soon　reached　a　small　hut；　near　which；　enclosed　within　some　high　Palings；　was　the　animal　in　question。　An　Indian　came　out　of　the　hut；　and；　at　their　request；　conducted　them　within　the　enclosure。　The　elephant；　which　its　owner　had　reared；　not　for　a　beast　of　burden；　but　for　warlike　purposes；　was　hall　domesticated。　The　Indian　had　begun　already；　by　often　irritating　him；　and　feeding　him　every　three　months　on　sugar　and　butter；　to　impart　to　him　a　ferocity　not　in　his　nature；　this　method　being　often　employed　by　those　who　train　the　Indian　elephants　for　battle。　Happily；　how　ever；　for　Mr　Fogg；　the　animal's　instruction　in　this　direction　had　not　gone　far；　and　the　elephant　still　preserved　his　natural　gentleness。　Kiouni　…　this　was　the　name　of　the　beast　…　could　doubtless　travel　rapidly　for　a　long　time；　and；　in　default　of　any　other　means　of　Conveyance；　Mr　Fogg　resolved　to　hire　him。　But　elephants　are　far　from　cheap　in　India；　where　they　are　becoming　scarce；　the　males；　which　alone　are　suitable　for　circus　shows；　are　much　sought；　especially　as　but　few　of　them　are　domesticated。　When；　therefore；　Mr　Fogg　proposed　to　the　Indian　to　hire　Kiouni；　he　refused　point…blank。　Mr　Fogg　persisted；　offering　the　excessive　sum　of　ten　pounds　an　hour　for　the　loan　of　the　beast　to　Allahabad。　Refused。　Twenty　pounds？　Refused　also。　Forty　pounds？　Still　refused。　Passepartout　jumped　at　each　advance；　but　the　Indian　declined　to　be　tempted。　Yet　the　offer　was　an　alluring　one；　for；　supposing　it　took　the　elephant　fifteen　hours　to　reach　Allahabad；　his　owner　would　receive　no　less　than　six　hundred　pounds　sterling。　
Phileas　Fogg；　without　getting　in　the　least　flurried；　then　proposed　to　purchase　the　animal　outright；　and　at　first　offered　a　thousand　pounds　for　him。　The　Indian；　perhaps　thinking　he　was　going　to　make　a　great　bargain；　still　refused。　
Sir　Francis　Cromarty　took　Mr　Fogg　aside；　and　begged　him　to　reflect　before　he　went　any　further；　to　which　that　gentleman　replied　that　he　was　not　in　the　habit　of　acting　rashly；　that　a　bet　of　twenty　thousand　pounds　was　at　stake；　that　the　elephant　was　absolutely　necessary　to　him；　and　that　he　would　secure　him　if　he　had　to　pay　twenty　times　his　value。　Returning　to　the　Indian；　whose　small；　sharp　eyes；　glistening　with　avarice；　betrayed　that　with　him　it　was　only　a　question　of　how　great　a　price　he　could　obtain；　Mr　Fogg　offered　first　twelve　hundred；　then　fifteen　hundred；　eighteen　hundred；　two　thousand　pounds。　Passepartout；　usually　so　rubicund；　was　fairly　white　with　suspense。　
At　two　thousand　pounds　the　Indian　yielded。　
‘What　a　price；　good　heaven！'　cried　Passepartout；　‘for　an　elephant！'　
It　only　remained　now　to　find　a　guide；　which　was　comparatively　easy。　A　young　Parsee；　with　an　intelligent　face；　offered　his　services；　which　Mr　Fogg　acomepted；　promising　so　generous　a　reward　as　to　materially　stimulate　his　zeal。　The　elephant　was　led　out　and　equipped。　The　Parsee；　who　was　an　acomomplished　elephant　driver；　covered　his　back　with　a　sort　of　saddle…cloth；　and　attached　to　each　of　his　flanks　some　curiously　uncomfortable　howdahs。　
Phileas　Fogg　paid　the　Indian　with　some　bank…notes　which　he　extracted　from　the　famous　carpet…bag；　a　proceeding　that　seemed　to　deprive　poor　Passepartout　of　his　vitals。　Then　he　offered　to　carry　Sir　Francis　to　Allahabad；　which　the　brigadier　gratefully　acomepted；　as　one　traveller　the　more　would　not　be　likely　to　fatigue　the　gigantic　beast。　Provisions　were　purchased　at　Kholby；　and　while　Sir　Francis　and　Mr　Fogg　took　the　howdahs　on　either　side；　Passepartout　got　astride　the　saddle…cloth　between　them。　The　Parsee　perched　himself　on　the　elephant's　neck；　and　at　nine　o'clock　they　set　out　from　the　village；　the　animal　marching　off　through　the　dense　forest　of　palms　by　the　shortest　cut。　

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CHAPTER　XII
IN　WHICH　PHILEAS　FOGG　AND