Adventure stories; Voyages around the world -- Fiction
Phileas Fogg was also thinking of Passepartout, who had so strangely
disappeared. Looking at the matter from every point of view, it did not
seem to him impossible that, by some mistake, the man might have
embarked on the “Carnatic” at the last moment; and this was also
Aouda’s opinion, who regretted very much the loss of the worthy fellow
to whom she owed so much. They might then find him at Yokohama; for, if
the “Carnatic” was carrying him thither, it would be easy to ascertain
if he had been on board.
A brisk breeze arose about ten o’clock; but, though it might have been
prudent to take in a reef, the pilot, after carefully examining the
heavens, let the craft remain rigged as before. The “Tankadere” bore
sail admirably, as she drew a great deal of water, and everything was
prepared for high speed in case of a gale.
Mr. Fogg and Aouda descended into the cabin at midnight, having been
already preceded by Fix, who had lain down on one of the cots. The
pilot and crew remained on deck all night.
At sunrise the next day, which was 8th November, the boat had made more
than one hundred miles. The log indicated a mean speed of between eight
and nine miles. The “Tankadere” still carried all sail, and was
accomplishing her greatest capacity of speed. If the wind held as it
was, the chances would be in her favour. During the day she kept along
the coast, where the currents were favourable; the coast, irregular in
profile, and visible sometimes across the clearings, was at most five
miles distant. The sea was less boisterous, since the wind came off
land—a fortunate circumstance for the boat, which would suffer, owing
to its small tonnage, by a heavy surge on the sea.
The breeze subsided a little towards noon, and set in from the
south-west. The pilot put up his poles, but took them down again within
two hours, as the wind freshened up anew.
Mr. Fogg and Aouda, happily unaffected by the roughness of the sea, ate
with a good appetite, Fix being invited to share their repast, which he
accepted with secret chagrin. To travel at this man’s expense and live
upon his provisions was not palatable to him. Still, he was obliged to
eat, and so he ate.
When the meal was over, he took Mr. Fogg apart, and said, “sir”—this
“sir” scorched his lips, and he had to control himself to avoid
collaring this “gentleman”—“sir, you have been very kind to give me a
passage on this boat. But, though my means will not admit of my
expending them as freely as you, I must ask to pay my share—”
“Let us not speak of that, sir,” replied Mr. Fogg.
“But, if I insist—”
“No, sir,” repeated Mr. Fogg, in a tone which did not admit of a reply.
“This enters into my general expenses.”
Fix, as he bowed, had a stifled feeling, and, going forward, where he
ensconced himself, did not open his mouth for the rest of the day.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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