Adventure stories; Voyages around the world -- Fiction
“And inasmuch,” continued the judge, “as it is not proved that the act
was not done by the connivance of the master with the servant, and as
the master in any case must be held responsible for the acts of his
paid servant, I condemn Phileas Fogg to a week’s imprisonment and a
fine of one hundred and fifty pounds.”
Fix rubbed his hands softly with satisfaction; if Phileas Fogg could be
detained in Calcutta a week, it would be more than time for the warrant
to arrive. Passepartout was stupefied. This sentence ruined his master.
A wager of twenty thousand pounds lost, because he, like a precious
fool, had gone into that abominable pagoda!
Phileas Fogg, as self-composed as if the judgment did not in the least
concern him, did not even lift his eyebrows while it was being
pronounced. Just as the clerk was calling the next case, he rose, and
said, “I offer bail.”
“You have that right,” returned the judge.
Fix’s blood ran cold, but he resumed his composure when he heard the
judge announce that the bail required for each prisoner would be one
thousand pounds.
“I will pay it at once,” said Mr. Fogg, taking a roll of bank-bills
from the carpet-bag, which Passepartout had by him, and placing them on
the clerk’s desk.
“This sum will be restored to you upon your release from prison,” said
the judge. “Meanwhile, you are liberated on bail.”
“Come!” said Phileas Fogg to his servant.
“But let them at least give me back my shoes!” cried Passepartout
angrily.
“Ah, these are pretty dear shoes!” he muttered, as they were handed to
him. “More than a thousand pounds apiece; besides, they pinch my feet.”
Mr. Fogg, offering his arm to Aouda, then departed, followed by the
crestfallen Passepartout. Fix still nourished hopes that the robber
would not, after all, leave the two thousand pounds behind him, but
would decide to serve out his week in jail, and issued forth on Mr.
Fogg’s traces. That gentleman took a carriage, and the party were soon
landed on one of the quays.
The “Rangoon” was moored half a mile off in the harbour, its signal of
departure hoisted at the mast-head. Eleven o’clock was striking; Mr.
Fogg was an hour in advance of time. Fix saw them leave the carriage
and push off in a boat for the steamer, and stamped his feet with
disappointment.
“The rascal is off, after all!” he exclaimed. “Two thousand pounds
sacrificed! He’s as prodigal as a thief! I’ll follow him to the end of
the world if necessary; but, at the rate he is going on, the stolen
money will soon be exhausted.”
The detective was not far wrong in making this conjecture. Since
leaving London, what with travelling expenses, bribes, the purchase of
the elephant, bails, and fines, Mr. Fogg had already spent more than
five thousand pounds on the way, and the percentage of the sum
recovered from the bank robber promised to the detectives, was rapidly
diminishing.
CHAPTER XVI.
IN WHICH FIX DOES NOT SEEM TO UNDERSTAND IN THE LEAST WHAT IS SAID TO
HIM
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