Part 8 (1/2)

”No, I'll stay,” muttered he ”An offence has been coot ave a sharp screech, and the train passed out into the darkness of the night

Chapter XI

IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG SECURES A CURIOUS MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AT A FABULOUS PRICE

The train had started punctually Aers were a nuo merchants, whose business called them to the eastern coast Passepartout rode in the saer occupied a seat opposite to the's whist partners on the Mongolia, now on his way to join his corps at Benares Sir Francis was a tall, fair uished himself in the last Sepoy revolt He land at rare intervals; and was almost as familiar as a native with the customs, history, and character of India and its people But Phileas Fogg, as not travelling, but only describing a circumference, took no pains to inquire into these subjects; he was a solid body, traversing an orbit around the terrestrial globe, according to the laws of rationalin his mind the number of hours spent since his departure from London, and, had it been in his nature to make a useless demonstration, would have rubbed his hands for satisfaction

Sir Francis Cro co hi the cards, and between two rubbers--and questioned himself whether a human heart really beat beneath this cold exterior, and whether Phileas Fogg had any sense of the beauties of nature The brigadier-general was free to mentally confess that, of all the eccentric persons he had ever met, none was comparable to this product of the exact sciences

Phileas Fogg had not concealed fro round the world, nor the circueneral only saw in the wager a useless eccentricity and a lack of sound co on, he would leave the world without having done any good to hi Bombay the train had passed the viaducts and the Island of Salcette, and had got into the open country At Callyan they reached the junction of the branch line which descends towards south-eastern India by Kandallah and Pounah; and, passing Pauwell, they entered the defiles of the mountains, with their basalt bases, and their su and Sir Francis Croed a feords fro the conversation, observed, ”So, you would have met with a delay at this point which would probably have lost you your wager”

”How so, Sir Francis?”

”Because the railway stopped at the base of these ed to cross in palanquins or on ponies to Kandallah, on the other side”

”Such a delay would not have deranged”I have constantly foreseen the likelihood of certain obstacles”

”But, Mr Fogg,” pursued Sir Francis, ”you run the risk of having some difficulty about this worthy fellow's adventure at the paGoda”

Passepartout, his feet co-blanket, was sound asleep and did not drea about him

”The Government is very severe upon that kind of offence It takes particular care that the religious customs of the Indians should be respected, and if your servant were caught--”

”Very well, Sir Francis,” replied Mr Fogg; ”if he had been caught he would have been condemned and punished, and then would have quietly returned to Europe I don't see how this affair could have delayed his ht the train left the mountains behind, and passed Nassik, and the next day proceeded over the flat, well-cultivated country of the Khandeish, with its straggling villages, above which rose the minarets of the paGodas This fertile territory is watered by numerous small rivers and limpid streams, mostly tributaries of the Godavery

Passepartout, on waking and looking out, could not realise that he was actually crossing India in a railway train The locolish coal, threw out its s, clove, and pepper plantations, while the stearoups of palalows, viharis (sort of abandoned monasteries), and marvellous temples enriched by the exhaustless ornamentation of Indian architecture Then they cales inhabited by snakes and tigers, which fled at the noise of the train; succeeded by forests penetrated by the railway, and still haunted by elephants which, with pensive eyes, gazed at the train as it passed The travellers crossed, beyond Milligaum, the fatal country so often stained with blood by the sectaries of the Goddess Kali Not far off rose Ellora, with its graceful paGodas, and the fa-Zeb, now the chief town of one of the detached provinces of the kingdoee chief, king of the stranglers, held his sway These ruffians, united by a secret bond, strangled victie 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 Govern these ees 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 encase his feet

The travellers hur, after skirting for a little the banks of the small river Tapty, which empties into the Gulf of Caed 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 coabond nature returned to him; the fantastic ideas of his youth once ard his ood earnest, believed in the reality of the bet, and therefore in the tour of the world and the necessity of nated period Already he began to worry about possible delays, and accidents whichpersonally interested in the wager, and treht have been the ht before Being , he wasthe days passed over, uttering ishness, and ineer The worthy felloas 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 fro The next day Sir Francis Cromarty asked Passepartout what ti his watch, he replied that it was three in the ulated on the Greenwich rees ard, was at least four hours slow Sir Francis corrected Passepartout's time, whereupon the latter eneral insisting that the watch should be regulated in each neweastward, that is in the face of the sun, and therefore the days were shorter by four one over, Passepartout obstinately refused to alter his watch, which he kept at London time It was an innocent delusion which could harht o'clock, in the lade soalows, and workes, shouted, ”Passengers will get out here!”

Phileas Fogg looked at Sir Francis Croeneral 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!”