Kitabı oku: «Вокруг света за 80 дней / Around the World in 80 Days», sayfa 3
Chapter III
Phileas Fogg, having shut the door of his house at half-past eleven, reached the Reform Club, and took his place at the habitual table. He rose at thirteen minutes to one, and directed his steps towards the large hall. Half an hour later several members of the Reform came in and drew up to the fireplace. They were Mr. Fogg’s usual partners at whist:Andrew Stuart22, an engineer; John Sullivan23 and Samuel Fallentin24, bankers; Thomas Flanagan25, a brewer; and Gauthier Ralph26, one of the Directors of the Bank of England—all rich and highly respectable personages.
“Well, Ralph,” said Thomas Flanagan, “what about that robbery?”
“Oh,” replied Stuart, “the Bank will lose the money.”
“On the contrary,” broke in Ralph, “I hope we may put our hands on the robber. Skilful detectives have been sent to all the principal ports of America and the Continent, and he’ll be a clever fellow if he slips through their fingers.”
“But have you got the robber’s description?” asked Stuart.
“In the first place, he is no robber at all,” returned Ralph, positively.
“What! A fellow whomakes off27 with fifty-five thousand pounds, no robber?”
“No.”
“Perhaps he’s a manufacturer, then.”
“TheDaily Telegraph28 says that he is a gentleman.”
Phileas Fogg bowed to his friends, and entered into the conversation about the affair which had occurred three days before at the Bank of England. A package of banknotes, to the value of fifty-five thousand pounds, had been taken from theprincipal cashier’s29 table, who was engaged in registering the receipt of three shillings and sixpence. Of course, he could not have his eyes everywhere. Let it be known30 that the Bank of England has no guards, nor gratings to protect its treasures, showing a touching confidence in the honesty of the public.
As soon as the robbery was discovered, many detectives hastened off toLiverpool, Glasgow, Havre, Suez, Brindisi, New York31, and other ports, inspired by the proffered reward of two thousand pounds, and five per cent on the sum that might be recovered32. Detectives were watching all who arrived at or left London.
As theDaily Telegraph said, the thief did not belong to a professional band. On the day of the robbery a well-dressed gentleman of polished manners33 was going to and fro34 in the paying room where the crime was committed. A description of him was easily procured and sent to the detectives. Everywhere people were discussing the probabilities of a successful pursuit; and the Reform Club was especially agitated.
“I maintain,” said Stuart, “that the chances are in favour of the thief, who must be a shrewd fellow.”
“Well, but could he go, then?” 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, in a low tone, handing the cards to Thomas Flanagan.
“What do you mean by ‘once’? Has the world grown smaller?”
“Certainly,” returned Ralph. “I agree with Mr. Fogg. The world has grown smaller, since 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 be more likely to succeed.”
“And also why the thief can get away more easily.”
Stuart said eagerly: “So, because you can go round the world in three months—”
“In eighty days,” interrupted Phileas Fogg.
“That is true, gentlemen,” added John Sullivan. “Only eighty days, now that the section betweenRothal35 and Allahabad36, on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway37, has been opened. Here is the estimate made by the Daily Telegraph:
