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Around the World in Eighty Days
Chapter 7. WHICH ONCE MORE DEMONSTRATES THE USELESSNESS OF PASSPORTS AS AIDS TO DETECTIVES
The detective passed down the dock, and quickly went to the consul's office, where he was at once allowed into the consul's room.
"Consul," he said, "I have good reason to believe my man is a passenger on the 'Mongolia.'" He then told about the passport.
"Well, Mr. Fix,"
The consul replied, "I won't be sorry to see that man's face."
The consul replied, "But maybe he won't come here if he's the person you think."
"The consul replied, "A robber does not like leaving signs, and he does not need his passport signed again.
"If he's as clever as I think, consul, he'll come."
"To have his passport visaed?"
"Yes. Passports only hurt honest people and help criminals escape. I think it'll be a good idea for him to get it done."
"I hope you won't sign it."
"Why not? If the passport is real I can't refuse."
"Still, I must keep this man here until I can get a warrant to arrest him from London."
"Ah, that's your business. But I can't, "
The consul didn't finish his sentence, for as he spoke there was a knock at the door.
Two strangers went in, one of whom was the servant Fix had met on the dock.
The other, who was his master, held out his passport and asked the consul to do him the favour of vising it.
The consul took the paper and read it carefully, while Fix watched the stranger with his eyes from a corner of the room.
"You're Mr. Phileas Fogg?" said the consul after reading the passport.
"I'm."
"And this man is your servant?"
"He's, a Frenchman called Passepartout."
"You're from London?"
"Yes."
"And you're going, "
"To Bombay."
"Very good, sir. You know a visa is useless and that no passport is needed?"
"I know it, sir," Phileas Fogg replied, "but I want to prove by your visa that I came by Suez."
"Very well, sir."
The consul went on to sign and date the passport, and then he added his official seal.
Mr. Fogg paid the usual fee, bowed calmly, and went out, followed by his servant.
"Well?" the detective asked.
"Well, he looks and acts like a perfectly honest man," the consul answered.
"Possibly, but that isn't the point. Do you think, consul, that this calm gentleman looks, feature by feature, like the robber whose description I received?"
"I admit that, but then, you know, all descriptions, "
"I'll make sure of it," Fix interrupted.
"The servant seems less mysterious than the master to me, besides, he's a Frenchman and will talk. Excuse me a little while, consul."
Fix started off to find Passepartout.
Meanwhile Mr. Fogg, after leaving the consulate, went to the dock, gave some orders to Passepartout, went to the "Mongolia"
In a boat, and went down to his cabin.
He took up his note-book, which had the following notes,
"Left London, Wednesday, October 2nd, at 8.45 p.m".
"Reached Paris, Thursday, October 3rd, at 7.20 a.m".
"Left Paris, Thursday, at 8.40 a.m".
"Reached Turin by Mont Cenis, Friday, October 4th, at 6.35 a.m".
"Left Turin, Friday, at 7.20 a.m".
"Arrived at Brindisi, Saturday, October 5th, at 4 p.m".
"Sailed on the 'Mongolia,' Saturday, at 5 p.m".
"Reached Suez, Wednesday, October 9th, at 11 a.m".
"Total of hours spent, 158 1/2, or, in days, six days and a half."
These dates were written in a travel plan in columns, showing the month and the day of the month.
They showed planned and actual arrivals at Paris, Brindisi, Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York, and London.
The dates ran from 2 October to 21 December, with space to note gain or loss on arrival at each place.
This careful record had everything needed, and Mr. Fogg always knew whether he was behind or ahead of his time.
On this Friday, October 9th, he wrote his arrival at Suez, and saw that he had as yet neither gained nor lost.
He sat down quietly to breakfast in his cabin.
He never thought of visiting the town because he was one of those Englishmen who see foreign countries through their servants' eyes.