Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Chapter VII WHICH ONCE MORE DEMONSTRATES THE USELESSNESS
OF PASSPORTS AS AIDS TO DETECTIVES The detective passed down the quay, and rapidly
made his way to the consul's office, where he was at once admitted to the presence of
that official. "Consul," said he, without preamble, "I have
strong reasons for believing that my man is a passenger on the Mongolia." And he narrated
what had just passed concerning the passport. "Well, Mr. Fix," replied the consul, "I shall
not be sorry to see the rascal's face; but perhaps he won't come here—that is, if he
is the person you suppose him to be. A robber doesn't quite like to leave traces of his
flight behind him; and, besides, he is not obliged to have his passport countersigned."
"If he is as shrewd as I think he is, consul, he will come."
"To have his passport visaed?" "Yes. Passports are only good for annoying
honest folks, and aiding in the flight of rogues. I assure you it will be quite the
thing for him to do; but I hope you will not visa the passport."
"Why not? If the passport is genuine I have no right to refuse."
"Still, I must keep this man here until I can get a warrant to arrest him from London."
"Ah, that's your look-out. But I cannot—" The consul did not finish his sentence, for
as he spoke a knock was heard at the door, and two strangers entered, one of whom was
the servant whom Fix had met on the quay. The other, who was his master, held out his
passport with the request that the consul would do him the favour to visa it. The consul
took the document and carefully read it, whilst Fix observed, or rather devoured, the stranger
with his eyes from a corner of the room. "You are Mr. Phileas Fogg?" said the consul,
after reading the passport. "I am."
"And this man is your servant?" "He is: a Frenchman, named Passepartout."
"You are from London?" "Yes."
"And you are going—" "To Bombay."
"Very good, sir. You know that a visa is useless, and that no passport is required?"
"I know it, sir," replied Phileas Fogg; "but I wish to prove, by your visa, that I came
by Suez." "Very well, sir."
The consul proceeded to sign and date the passport, after which he added his official
seal. Mr. Fogg paid the customary fee, coldly bowed, and went out, followed by his servant.
"Well?" queried the detective. "Well, he looks and acts like a perfectly
honest man," replied the consul. "Possibly; but that is not the question. Do
you think, consul, that this phlegmatic gentleman resembles, feature by feature, the robber
whose description I have received?" "I concede that; but then, you know, all descriptions—"
"I'll make certain of it," interrupted Fix. "The servant seems to me less mysterious than
the master; besides, he's a Frenchman, and can't help talking. Excuse me for a little
while, consul." Fix started off in search of Passepartout.
Meanwhile Mr. Fogg, after leaving the consulate, repaired to the quay, gave some orders to
Passepartout, went off to the Mongolia in a boat, and descended to his cabin. He took
up his note-book, which contained the following memoranda:
"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+; or, in days, six days and a half."
These dates were inscribed in an itinerary divided into columns, indicating the month,
the day of the month, and the day for the stipulated and actual arrivals at each principal
point Paris, Brindisi, Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco,
New York, and London—from the 2nd of October to the 21st of December; and giving a space
for setting down the gain made or the loss suffered on arrival at each locality. This
methodical record thus contained an account of everything needed, and Mr. Fogg always
knew whether he was behind-hand or in advance of his time. On this Friday, October 9th,
he noted his arrival at Suez, and observed that he had as yet neither gained nor lost.
He sat down quietly to breakfast in his cabin, never once thinking of inspecting the town,
being one of those Englishmen who are wont to see foreign countries through the eyes
of their domestics.