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Around the World in Eighty Days
Chapter 16. IN WHICH FIX DOES NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND IN THE LEAST WHAT IS SAID TO HIM
The "Rangoon" one of the Peninsular and Oriental Company's boats working in the Chinese and Japanese seas was a screw steamer made of iron.
It weighed about seventeen hundred and seventy tons and had engines of four hundred horse power.
It was as fast but not as well fitted as the "Mongolia"
And Aouda wasn't as comfortably cared for on board as Phileas Fogg could have wished.
The trip from Calcutta to Hong Kong was 3,500 miles, took ten to twelve days, and Aouda was easy to please.
During the first days of the journey Aouda got to know her protector better.
She often showed how thankful she was for what he had done.
The calm gentleman listened to her and he seemed at least cold and calm.
His voice and his way didn't show any strong feeling.
He always watched to make sure nothing was wanted for Aouda's comfort.
He visited her every day at certain hours not so much to talk but to sit and hear her talk.
He treated her with strict politeness but with the correct movements of a machine whose actions had been set for this purpose.
Aouda didn't know what to think of him.
Passepartout told her of his master's odd ways and made her smile with the bet sending him round the world.
After all she owed Phileas Fogg her life and she always saw him through the bright light of her gratitude.
Aouda confirmed the Parsee guide's story of her moving history.
She did belong to one of the highest native groups of India.
Many Parsee merchants had made large fortunes trading cotton there, and Sir Jametsee Jeejeebhoy was made a baronet by the English government.
Aouda was a relative of this great man and she hoped to join his cousin Jeejeeh at Hong Kong.
Whether she'd find a protector in him she couldn't tell but Mr. Fogg tried to calm her fears.
He told her that "everything would be arranged", and he used the very word.
Aouda fixed her great eyes, clear as the sacred lakes of the Himalaya, upon him.
The hard-to-read Fogg, as reserved as ever, didn't seem at all ready to throw himself into that lake.
The first few days of the voyage went well with good weather and fair winds.
They soon saw the great Andaman, the main island in the Bay of Bengal.
Its pretty Saddle Peak, two thousand four hundred feet high, rose above the water.
The steamer passed near the shores, but the savage Papuans, low on the scale of people and not cannibals, did not appear.
The view of the islands as they sailed by was superb.
Huge forests of palms arecs bamboo teakwood giant mimosa and tree like ferns covered the front.
Behind, the gentle shapes of the mountains stood out against the sky.
Along the coasts the thousands of precious swallows whose nests make a rich dish for the tables of the Celestial Empire were swarming.
The varied land of the Andaman Islands was soon passed and the "Rangoon" quickly reached the Straits of Malacca which lead to the China seas.
What was detective Fix so badly led from country to country doing all this time?
He had managed to get on board the "Rangoon" at Calcutta without being seen by Passepartout.
He had left orders that, if the warrant should arrive, it should be sent to him at Hong Kong.
He hoped to hide his presence until the end of the voyage.
It would have been hard to explain why he was on board without making Passepartout suspicious who thought him still at Bombay.
But need pushed him to meet the worthy servant again as will be seen.
All the detective's hopes were fixed on Hong Kong, for the steamer's stop at Singapore was too short to act.
The arrest must be made at Hong Kong or the robber would likely escape him forever.
Hong Kong was the last English land he'd step on since beyond it China Japan and America would give Fogg an almost certain refuge.
If the warrant should at last arrive at Hong Kong Fix could arrest him and give him to the local police.
There would be no more trouble.
But beyond Hong Kong a simple warrant would not help.
A warrant to send him back would be needed, that would bring delays and problems the rascal would use to avoid justice.
Fix thought over these chances during the long hours he spent in his cabin, he kept saying to himself,
"Now either the warrant will be at Hong Kong, in which case I'll arrest my man,"
"Or it won't be there, and this time I must delay his leaving."
I failed at Bombay and I failed at Calcutta and if I fail at Hong Kong my reputation is lost.
Cost what it may I must succeed.
"But how will I stop his leaving if that must be my last way?"
Fix decided that if the worst came he'd make Passepartout a friend and tell him what kind of man his master really was.
He was sure Passepartout wasn't Fogg's helper in the crime.
The servant told the truth would be afraid of being involved and would likely help the detective.
But this plan was dangerous and only to be used when nothing else worked.
One word from Passepartout to his master would ruin everything.
The detective was therefore in a bad spot.
But suddenly a new idea came to him.
Aouda being on the "Rangoon" with Phileas Fogg gave him new things to think about.
Who was this woman? What series of events had made her Fogg's travel companion?
They had clearly met somewhere between Bombay and Calcutta but where?
Had they met by chance or had Fogg gone into the land on purpose to look for this charming young woman?
Fix was quite puzzled and could not understand how this had happened.
He asked himself whether there had been a wicked secret marriage.
The idea made a strong mark on his mind, so he decided to use the said affair.
Whether the young woman was married or not, he would be able to make difficulties for Mr. Fogg at Hong Kong.
Then Mr. Fogg could not escape by paying any sum of money.
But could he even wait till they reached Hong Kong?
Fogg had a terrible way of moving from one boat to another and before anything could be done he might be off again for Yokohama.
Fix decided he must warn the English authorities and signal the "Rangoon" before it arrived.
This was easy since the steamer stopped at Singapore from which a telegraph line goes to Hong Kong.
He finally resolved before acting more strongly to question Passepartout.
It wouldn't be hard to make him talk and as there was no time to lose Fix prepared to make himself known.
It was now the 30th of October and on the next day the "Rangoon" was due at Singapore.
Fix came out of his cabin and went on deck.
Passepartout was walking up and down in the front part of the steamer.
The detective rushed forward with the look of great surprise and said "You here on the 'Rangoon'?"
"What Monsieur Fix are you on board?" answered the really surprised Passepartout recognising his friend of the "Mongolia."
"Why I left you at Bombay and here you're on the way to Hong Kong. Are you going round the world too?"
"No no" replied Fix "I'll stop at Hong Kong at least for some days."
"Hum" said Passepartout who seemed for a moment puzzled.
"But how have I not seen you on board since we left Calcutta?"
Oh, little seasickness. I've stayed in my berth. The Bay of Bengal does not suit me like the Indian Ocean. And how is Mr. Fogg?
"As well and as punctual as ever not a day behind time."
"But Monsieur Fix you don't know that we have a young lady with us."
"A young lady?" answered the detective without seeming to understand what was said.
Passepartout then told Aouda's story, telling of her rescue and the court events.
He recounted the affair at the Bombay pagoda and the buying of the elephant for two thousand pounds.
He described the rescue, the arrest and sentence at the Calcutta court, and the setting free of Mr.
Fogg and himself on bail.
Fogg and himself on bail.
Fix, who knew the events, seemed to know nothing of what Passepartout told, and Passepartout was glad to find an interested listener.
"But does your master mean to take this young woman to Europe?"
"Not at all. We're only going to leave her with one of her relatives a rich merchant at Hong Kong."
"Nothing to be done there" said Fix to himself hiding his disappointment.
"A glass of gin Mr. Passepartout?"
"Willingly Monsieur Fix. We must at least have a friendly glass on board the 'Rangoon'."