he hasty departure from London Soon after the robbery; the large sum carried by Mr Fogg; his eagerness to reach distant countries; the pretext of an eccentric and foolhardy bet, - all confirmed Fix in his theory. He continued to pump poor Passepartout, and learned that he really knew little or nothing of his master, who lived a solitary existence in London, was said to be rich, though no one knew whence came his riches, and was mysterious and impenetrable in his affairs and habits. Fix felt sure that Phileas Fogg would not land at Suez, but was really going on to Bombay.

`Is Bombay far from here?' asked Passepartout.

`Pretty far. It is a ten days' voyage by sea.'

`And in what country is Bombay?'

`India.'

`In Asia?'

`Certainly.'

`The deuce! I was going to tell you - there's one thing that worries me - my burner!'

`What burner?'

`My gas-burner, which I forgot to turn off, and which is at this moment burning - at my expense. I have calculated, monsieur, that I lose two shillings every four and twenty hours, exactly sixpence more than I earn; and you will understand that the longer our journey--'

Did Fix pay any attention to Passepartout's trouble about the gas? It is not probable. He was not listening, but was cogitating a project. Passepartout and he had now reached the shop, where Fix left his companion to make his purchases, after recommending him not to miss the steamer, and hurried back to the consulate. Now that he was fully convinced, Fix had quite recovered his equanimity.

`Consul,' said he, `I have no longer any doubt. I have spotted my man. He passes himself off as an odd stick, who is going round the world in eighty days.

`Then he's a sharp fellow,' returned the consul, and counts on returning to London after putting the police of the two continents off his track.'

`We'll see about that,' replied Fix.

`But are you not mistaken?'

`I am not mistaken.'

`Why was this robber so anxious to prove, by the visa, that he had passed through Suez?'

`Why? I have no idea; but listen to me.'

He reported in a few words the most important parts of his conversation with Passepartout.

`In short,' said the consul, `appearances are wholly against this man. And what are you going to do?'

`Send a despatch to London for a warrant of arrest to be despatched instantly to Bombay, take passage on board the "Mongolia", follow my rogue to India, and there, on English ground, arrest him politely, with my warrant in my hand, and my hand on his shoulder.'

Having uttered these words with a cool, careless air, the detective took leave of the consul, and repaired to the telegraph office, whence he sent the despatch which we have seen to the London police office. A quarter of an hour later found Fix, with a small bag in his hand, proceeding on board the `Mongolia'; and ere many moments longer, the noble steamer rode out at full steam upon the waters of the Red Sea.

没多久，费克斯又在码头上碰见了路路通。他正在那儿逍遥自在地逛来逛去，东张西望，他以为在旅途中无论什么都该瞧瞧。

“喂，朋友！”费克斯走近路路通问道，“您的护照办好了签证吗？”

“哦，原来是您，先生。多谢您关心，我们全按规矩办妥了。”这个法国人回答说。

“您在欣赏这里的风光吗？”

“是啊，可就是走得太快了，简直是在梦里旅行，我们真的到了苏伊士了？”

“是到苏伊士了。”

“不就是到了埃及了吗？”

“一点不错！到了埃及了。”

“也就是到了非洲了？”

“是到了非洲了。”

“啊！到了非洲了！”路路通说，“我真不敢相信！您看，我还以为最远也过不了巴黎呢！巴黎，那么有名的大京城，我只是早上七点二十分到八点四十分，由北站到里昂站的那么一段时间里从马车的窗子里瞧了那么一会儿

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