Around the World in Eighty Days. Junior Deluxe EditionVerne, Jules
General
Around the World in Eighty Days. Junior Deluxe Edition
Verne, Jules
Adventure stories; Voyages around the world -- Fiction
The worthy fellow had certainly taken good care to eat as hearty
a breakfast as possible before leaving the Carnatic; but, as he
had been walking about all day, the demands of hunger were
growing. He observed that the butchers' stalls contained neither
mutton, goat, nor pork. Knowing also that it is a sacrilege to
kill cattle, which are preserved solely for farming, he made up
his mind that meat was far from plentiful in Yokohama--nor was
he mistaken. In default of butcher's meat, he could have wished
for a quarter of wild boar or deer, a partridge, or some quails,
some game or fish, which, with rice, the Japanese eat almost
exclusively. But he found it necessary to keep up a stout heart,
and to postpone the meal he craved till the following morning.
Night came, and Passepartout re-entered the native quarter, where
he wandered through the streets, lit by vari-colored lanterns. He
looked on at the dancers, who were executing skillful steps and
boundings, and the astrologers who stood in the open air with
their telescopes. Then he came to the harbor, which was lit up by
the resin torches of the fishermen, who were fishing from their
boats.
The streets at last became quiet. The patrol, the officers, in
splendid costumes, and surrounded by their suites, succeeded the
bustling crowd. Passepartout thought they seemed like
ambassadors. Each time a company passed, Passepartout chuckled,
and said to himself: "Good! Another Japanese embassy departing
for Europe!"
Chapter 23
In Which Passepartout's Nose Becomes Outrageously Long
The next morning poor, jaded, famished Passepartout said to
himself that he must get something to eat at all hazards, and the
sooner he did so the better. He might, indeed, sell his watch;
but he would have starved first. Now or never he must use the
strong, if not melodious voice which nature had bestowed upon
him. He knew several French and English songs, and resolved to
try them upon the Japanese, who must be lovers of music, since
they were forever pounding on their cymbals, tam-tams and
tambourines. They could not but appreciate European talent.
It was, perhaps, rather early in the morning to get up a concert,
and the audience prematurely aroused from their slumbers, might
not possibly pay their entertainer with coin bearing the Mikado's
features. Passepartout therefore decided to wait several hours.
As he was sauntering along, it occurred to him that he would seem
rather too well dressed for a wandering artist. The idea struck
him to change his garments for clothes more in harmony with his
project. In this manner he might also get a little money to
satisfy the immediate cravings of hunger. The resolution taken,
it remained to carry it out.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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