Around the World in Eighty Days

Formerly one was obliged to travel in India by the old

time-consuming methods of going on foot or on horseback; now fast steamboats

are found on the Indus and the Ganges, and a great railway, with branch lines

joining the main line at many points on its route, crosses the peninsula in

three days. This railway does not run in a straight line across India. The

distance between Bombay and Calcutta, as the crow flies, is only around one

thousand miles, but the winding of the track increases the distance by more

than a third.

The passengers of the Mongolia went ashore at 4.30 pm;

at exactly 8 pm the train would leave for Calcutta. Mr Fogg, after bidding

farewell to his cards partners, left the steamer, gave his servant several

errands to do, urged him to be at the station promptly at eight, and headed for

the passport office. As for the wonders of Bombay - its famous city hall, its

splendid library, its forts and docks, its bazaars, mosques, synagogues,

Armenian churches and the noble pagoda on Malabar Hill- he didn't care a bit

about seeing them.

After completing his business, Phileas Fogg returned

to the railway station for

dinner. Among the dishes served up to him, the

landlord especially recommended a certain “native rabbit”, on which he prided

himself. Mr Fogg accordingly tasted the dish, but, despite its spiced sauce,

found it far from palatable. He rang for the landlord, and asked him, fixing

his clear eyes upon him, "Is this rabbit, sir?"

"Yes, my lord," the rogue boldly replied,

"rabbit from the jungles."

"And this rabbit did not mew when he was

killed?"

"Mew, my lord? What, a rabbit mew? I swear to you

."

"Be so good, landlord, as not to swear, but

remember this: cats were formerly considered sacred animals in India. That was

a good time."

"For the cats, my lord?"

"Perhaps for the travellers as well!"

Passepartout, meanwhile, having purchased the usual

quota of shirts and shoes, took a leisurely promenade along the streets, where

crowds of people of many nationalities were collected. It happened 10 be the

day of a religious carnival, with processions and

shows. Indian dancing girls, clothed in rose-coloured

gauze tied with gold and silver, danced airily, but with perfect modesty, to

the sound of viols and tambourines. It is needless to say that Passepartout

watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes

and a gaping mouth.

Unfortunately, his curiosity took him unconsciously

farther away than he intended to go. At last, having seen the carnival wind

away, he was turning his steps towards the station, when he happened to spot

the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill, and was overcome with an irresistible desire

to see its interior. He was quite ignorant that it is forbidden to Christians

to enter certain Indian temples, and that even the faithful must not go in without

first leaving their shoes outside the door. Passepartout went in like a Simple

tourist, and was soon lost in admiration of the splendid ornamentation which everywhere

met his eyes. He looked up to behold three enraged priests, who fell upon him,

tore off his shoes, and began to beat him with loud, savage exclamations. But

the agile Frenchman was soon upon his feet again, and soon escaped the priests

by mingling with the crowd in the streets.

At five minutes to eight, Passepartout, hatless,

shoeless, and having in the squabble lost his package of shirts and shoes, rushed

breathlessly into the station. He related his adventures in a few words to Mr

Fogg, who said coldly: "I hope that this will not happen again." Just

then the locomotive gave a sharp screech, and the train set off into the night.

8.