How then did this eccentric gentleman occupy his time, cooped up in his cabin? In the first place he regularly ate his four meals a day, for neither pitching nor rolling had the least effect upon his appetite. And he played whist, for he had made the acquaintance of some lovers of the game as enthusiastic as himself, a collector of revenue _en route_ to Goa, a clergyman, the Rev. Decimus Smith, returning to Bombay, and an English general officer bound for Benares. These three were as madly devoted to whist as Mr. Fogg himself, and they spent whole days silently enjoying it. As for Passe-partout, he had also escaped sea-sickness, and ate his meals with pleasing regularity and in a conscientious manner, worthy of imitation. The voyage after all did not displease him; he had made up his mind; he gazed at the scenery as he went along, enjoyed his meals, and was fully persuaded that all this absurd business would come to an end at Bombay. The day after their departure from Suez, viz. the 10th of October, Passe-partout was by no means ill-pleased to meet upon deck the person who had been so civil to him in Egypt. "I'm sure I cannot be mistaken," he said. "Have I not the pleasure of meeting the gentleman who was so polite to me at Suez?" "Ah yes, I remember you now. You are the servant of that eccentric Englishman." "Exactly. Mr.--" "Fix," replied the detective. "Mr. Fix," continued Passe-partout, "I am delighted to find you on board. Whither are you bound?" "Like yourself, to Bombay." "All the better. Have you ever made this voyage before?" "Frequently. I am an agent of the P. and O. Company." "Oh, then you know India very well, no doubt?" "Well, yes," replied Fix, who did not wish to commit himself. "It is a curious part of the world, isn't it?" "Very much so. There are mosques, minarets, temples, fakirs, pagodas, tigers, serpents, and dancing-girls. It is to be hoped that you will have time to see the country." "I hope so too, Mr. Fix. You must be aware that a man can hardly be expected to pass his whole existence in jumping from the deck of a steamer into a train, and from the train to another steamer, under the pretence of going round the world in eighty days. No; all these gymnastics will end at Bombay, I trust." "Is Mr. Fogg quite well?" asked Fix, politely. "Quite well, thank you. So am I. I eat like an ogre. I suppose that is the effect of the sea-air." "I never see your master on deck." "No, he has no curiosity whatever." "Do you know, Mr. Passe-partout, that I fancy this pretended journey round the world in eighty days is only a cover for a more important object, a diplomatic mission perhaps?" "Upon my word, Mr. Fix, I know nothing about it, I declare; and what is more, I would not give half-a-crown to know!"