AROUND   THE   WORLD   IN   80  DAYS

By   JOULES   VERNE

 

 

 

Chapter 1

How  Mr. Fileas  Fog  met  his  new  servant……..…What  happened  in the  bank?.............. Great  surprise  for  Paspartu…………..

 

 

 

Mr.  Fileas  Fog  lived  in  London,  England.  He  lived  alone,  in a big nice house.   He did  not have any  family, and  nobody ever came  to visit  him. He  always  dressed  well,  and  he  was  quite  rich.  He  was  a  real  gentleman,  always  very  polite,   always  speaking  nicely.

 

The  only  place  he visited  was his  club,  where  he  used  to play cards

with  some  friends.  Every day  at 11:30  he was going  there, first  to have  lunch,  than to  play  cards.  Mr.  Fog  played  cards  well.   When he  gained  some  money,  he  was  giving it  to  poor  people.

 

One  morning  he  noticed  that  the water  his servant  prepared  for shaving  were  not  hot  enough.   He  checked  with  his  thermometer,  and  found  that  the  water were 84 instead of 86 degrees !    He  could  not  tolerate such  a  thing !    Everything  had  to  be  exactly as he said,  and  he  did  not want  any changes  or  surprises  in  his  life.

 

Therefore,  he called  his  servant  and told  him that he is fired.

 

Mr Fog  called for  a  new servant,   and soon  the door  bell  rang,  and the  new  servant  arrived.   His name was  Paspartu.  He told  Mr. Fog   that in the past he was working in  a  circus  as  an  acrobat,  and  traveled  a  lot.     Now,  he  wanted  a  quiet  job,  without  any surprises  and  changes.

 

Mr.  Fog  liked  that.  We  already said  that he  himself  did not like changes,  surprises  or adventures in  his life.   He never traveled,  and  never  left  London.

 

Mr.  Fog  checked  his watch.  The time was 11:24.  He  gave some instructions  to  Paspartu.

 

 

-The water for shaving must be 86 degrees, exactly.

-Coffee should  be  ready at   8:23, with one slice of toast, and half a  teaspoon  of  butter.

- Paspartu  must  bring into his bedroom his pants  and  shirt,  at  11:00 .

 

"And  how I  will know which shirt  and  pants you  like  to  wear  every day ?"   Asked   Paspartu.

 

Very simple, answered  Fog,   and  looked  again at  his  watch.  The time was  11:29,   and he had to  leave  in one  minute !   "In  my closet,  every  shirt  and  every pair of  pants  has a  note  on  it, telling  you  which  one is  for which  day."

Than  he opened  the door  and  walked  out.  The time  was  exactly  11:30.

 

The club  was quite  close to Mr.  Fog's  home.  It was exactly 575  steps to go,  and  Fog  did  not have to count  them,  because  it  was  always  the  same  number.

 

In  the  club,  Fog went first  to the  dining hall.  His  lunch included:

Cooked fish,   meat,   cake,  tea  and a  piece of cheese.

 

The same  lunch was  served  every  day, and  Fog  liked it.

After  lunch,  Fog went to  the  sitting room,  where  he read the  papers until   6  pm, and then he went again to the dining  room  to  have dinner.

The  dinner  menu was exactly  as  for  lunch,  but  there was  also  salad  and  some  sauce.

 

After  dinner,  Mr. Fog set to a table with some friends.  They were  always  the same  friends, and they were playing cards every day.

But this  day all  were very  excited.

 

They all  talked about  the bank robbery.  It was  all  in the newspapers.

Few days ago , a  gentleman  entered  the Bank of  England,  in  London,

and took a  package  of  25  thousand  Pounds  from  one of the tables !

 

Now  all the police detectives were  trying  to find the  thief  (who  looked like  a real  gentleman).  They  were afraid  he  is going  to take  the money and  leave  the  country.

 

Fog's  friends  said  the  thief  will  not be  able  to  run  away.   But  Fog said  that it will  not be  so difficult  to run away  with  the  money.

Fog  said  "in  our  time  it  is  possible  to go  around  the  whole  world  in  80  days !"

 

"How can you  do it ?"   Asked  the others.

"Very  easy",   Answered  Fog

 

From  LONDON in  ENGLAND to EGYPT  by train  and ship--7  Days

From EGYPT  to BOMBAY,  in  INDIA,  by  ship ---------------13  Days

From  BOMBAY  to  CALCUTA    by  train    - --------------------3  Days

From  CALCUTA  in  INDIA   to  HONG-KONG   by  ship-----13  Days

From  HONG-KONG  to  YOKAHAMA,  in JAPAN,  by  ship---6 Days

From  YOKOHAMA  to SAN-FRANCISCO  by ship  ------------22  Days

From  SAN-FRANCISCO   to  NEW-YORK  by train  -------------7  Days

From  NEW-YORK  back  to  LONDON  by  ship-------------------9  Days

                                                                         TOTAL  ------------80  Days

 

Well,  we don’t  believe  this  is possible !  

What about  storms  at  sea,   train  breakdown,  all  kind of  problems ?

Many days will be lost for such problems !

 

"This  time-table is exact",  said  Fog.  It takes into  account  all the problems.

"I  am ready to bet  on 4  thousand  pounds that  you  can not  go  around  the  world  in  80 days"   said one.  All  others  agreed   also to  bet  on  4  thousand  pounds  each,   that  Fog would  not  be  able  to  go  around  the  world  in  80  days.

 

Than Fog said:  "First,"  and he put on the table his last  card,  "I won this game."   Each of you have to pay me 5  Pounds.   Second,  I  am  going  to accept  your  bet.  

If  I will  be able to come back  to  London  in  80 days, each one of you will  pay  me 4000  Pounds.  You are five, so I will get  20  thousand Pounds.   If  I will be late,  I will  pay  you  20  thousand  pounds."

 

"Today is  October  2.  I will  be back in  80 days,  on December 21 !"

 

"Are you going  to leave tonight ?"

"Yes,  of  course"   answered  Fog.  "The train leaves   at  8:45  !"

 

Than he  finished  another card game (he won again)  and  walked back home----again   575 steps.

 

At  home  he called  Paspartu  and  told  him to  pack two  small  bags  with some  clothes.

"Are you going  away?"   asked  Psapartu.

We are  going  together answered  Fog.  We are going  all around  the world,  and  back  to  London  ,   and we  will  be  back  in  80 days !

Paspartu  was  surprised---he did  not  know what  to  say !

 

He  wanted  quiet,  simple  life.

And  now-----a  trip  around  the  world  !