Muhammad
profmuhammadaliahmadaliによるAround The World In Eighty Days
In a club in England, there was a heated discussion. Phileas Fogg had taken a bet
with certain members of the club that he could travel around the world in eighty days.
Impossible, said Joseph Cain, one of the members. You cannot travel to every
continent in eighty days. It's a bet, gentlemen. Twenty thousand pounds, said Phileas
confidently. That is a bet, agreed the members.
Phileas Fogg had not made an empty boast. He was a very precise gentleman and
had made careful calculations with a world map. He had decided that eighty days were
enough to travel around the world. His bet was well-publicized in all newspapers in
and around England.
It so happened that a major diamond burglary had taken place a few days earlier.
Phileas's face matched the description of the thief. Scotland Yard appointed a man
named Fix to follow Phileas. Phileas Fogg, along with his personal assistant,
Passepartout, packed their bags to start their journey.
Phileas had a chart. The first stop was from London to Suez a seven-day journey by
rail and steamer. Phileas Fogg and Passepartout reached Suez and from there set
sail to Bombay by steamer, a thirteen-day journey. On this journey, Fix came face to
face with Fogg. 'Were you not on the steamer to Suez?' asked Fogg. Yes, replied Fix
uneasily. Upon reaching Bombay, Phileas and Passepartout checked into a hotel, with
Fix right behind them.
In Bombay, Phileas learned that the king had died and the queen was to commit Sati,
meaning she would jump into the funeral pyre of her husband. Phileas Fogg was not
a man to sit back and do nothing. He and Passepartout went to rescue the queen on
elephant-back. They arrived just in time.
The queen had been drugged and was about to be thrown into the fire when Phileas
intervened. He carried the queen back to the hotel. Phileas soon realized
that the queen was very beautiful. He fell in love with her and proposed marriage. She
agreed. They were married immediately. Phileas Fogg then told his new bride about
his bet.
We must leave Bombay and travel to Calcutta, and from there on to Hong Kong a sixteen-day journey. They reached Hong Kong, followed closely by Fix. Fogg had
noticed that Fix was always around, but he chose to ignore him. From Hong Kong,
they travelled to Japan, then to San Francisco a twenty-eight-day journey. Fix was
growing tired of following Phileas Fogg. Here was a man who never rested. He had
found a bride, married her in a day, and kept moving, jumping from rail to road to sea.
It was exhausting.
In San Francisco, Phileas Fogg once again saw Fix lurking behind him. He waited until
Fix was close and asked, what is your game, sir? You have been following me from
London to Suez, to Bombay, and now here. Fix was speechless.
I... I... It's just a coincidence, he stammered. Phileas Fogg was now on his way to New
York, then to his final destination: London another sixteen days. The journey to New
York and London went smoothly, except for the annoying presence of Fix.
Everything was fine until Phileas Fogg realized he had not accounted for different time
zones. He was shocked to realize he would be a day late. He had to reach London on
the morning of Sunday to win his bet, but now, he would arrive on Monday. Phileas
Fogg walked home dejected. He lay in bed when suddenly his eye caught the
calendar. He called Passepartout. Did you change the calendar? What day is it today?
He had told no one about his miscalculation. It is Saturday, Mr. Fogg. You have won
the bet! I would have told you, but you seemed so dejected. Phileas Fogg walked
home dejected. He lay in bed when suddenly his eye caught the calendar. He called
Passepartout. Did you change the calendar? What day is it Today? He had told no one
about his miscalculation.
It is Saturday, Mr. Fogg. You have won the bet! I would have told you, but you seemed
so dejected. Phileas Fogg rejoiced. He ran to the club to tell the members that he had
indeed won. As for Fix, he soon learnt that the real thief had been caught the very day
he had started following Phileas Fogg.