Kitabı oku: «Вокруг света за 80 дней / Around the World in Eighty Days», sayfa 3
Chapter III
Phileas Fogg shut the door of his house at half-past eleven, and reached the Reform Club, and took his placeat the habitual table20. 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 Stuart21, an engineer; John Sullivan22 and Samuel Fallentin23, bankers; Thomas Flanagan24, a brewer; and Gauthier Ralph25, 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.”
“No,” broke in Ralph, “I hope we may put our hands on the robber. Skilful detectives are in all principal ports of America and the Continent. The criminal will be a clever fellow if he slips through their fingers.”
“Do you have the robber’s description?” asked Stuart.
“First, he is no robber at all,” returned Ralph, positively.
“What! a fellow whomakes off26 fifty-five thousand pounds, no robber?”
“No.”
“Perhaps he’s a manufacturer, then.”
“The Daily Telegraph27 says that he is a gentleman.”
Phileas Fogg bowed to his friends, and entered into the conversation. The affair occurred three days before at the Bank of England. A package of banknotes, to the value of fifty-five thousand pounds, disappeared from theprincipal cashier’s28 table, who was registering the receipt of three shillings and sixpence. Of course, he can’t notice everything. And the Bank of England has no guards to protect its treasures.
When the robbery was discovered, many detectives ran toLiverpool, Glasgow, Havre, Suez, Brindisi, New York29, and other ports. The reward was two thousand pounds, and five per cent on the sum! Detectives were watching those who arrived at or left London.
As the Daily Telegraph said, the thief did not belong to a professional band. On the day of the robbery a well-dressed gentleman ofpolished manners30 was in the paying room. His description was sent to the detectives. Everywhere people were discussing the probabilities of a successful pursuit. The Reform Club was especially agitated.
“I think,” said Stuart, “that the chances arein favour of31 the thief. He must be a shrewd32 fellow.”
“Well, but where will he go?” 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.
“What do you mean by `once`? Is the world small now?”
“Certainly,” returned Ralph. “I agree with Mr. Fogg. The world is small now. 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 succeed.”
“And also why the thief can get away more easily.”
Stuart said eagerly:
“Is the world small indeed? Because you can go round it in three months…”
“In eighty days,” interrupted Phileas Fogg.
“That is true, gentlemen,” added John Sullivan. “Only eighty days. Here is the estimate made by the Daily Telegraph:
From London to Suez via Mont Cenis and Brindisi33, by rail and steamboats – 7 days
From Suez toBombay34, by steamer – 13”
From Bombay toCalcutta35, by rail – 3”
From Calcutta toHong Kong36, by steamer – 13”
From Hong Kong toYokohama37 (Japan), by steamer – 6”
From Yokohama to San Francisco, by steamer – 22”
From San Francisco to New York, by rail – 7”
From New York to London, by steamer and rail – 9”
Total – 80 days.”
“Yes, in eighty days!” exclaimed Stuart. “But think about bad weather, contrary winds, shipwrecks, railway accidents, and so on. The Hindoos or Indians can stop the trains,pillage the luggage-vans38, and scalp the passengers.”
