Around the World in Eighty Days Page #3

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You are now addressing the second

most-celebrated balloonist in Europe.

-And who is the first?

-He is not available.

He was buried last Tuesday.

Tell me, is this apparatus of yours

for lease?

lf l operate it, yes.

lf you do, it's only for sale.

-Passepartout, the bag.

-Yes, sir.

-We purchase your balloon, sir.

-Thank you, sir.

lt's really very simple.

We empty out some sand...

and we go up.

Then we pull this...

and with any luck, we come down.

l imagine we release some gas

from the top of the balloon.

Gas! l forgot to turn off the gas

in my room.

No matter. lt will continue to burn,

at your expense.

Gentlemen, l think this calls

for a restrained celebration.

Guess what's become

of the intrepid Mr. Fogg?

-What?

-He's drifting over the Alps in a balloon.

What's he doing in one of those?

Don't ask me, but it's here in this paper.

l say, he never mentioned

the word balloon.

Not very sporting, is it?

Rather sly, if you ask me.

l wouldn't have thought it of old Fogg.

l don't know,

seems quite resourceful to me.

English ingenuity, never say die,

all that sort of thing.

Does it happen to mention

over which Alps he's drifting?

No. l assumed they were the ones

in Switzerland.

Use your globe, sir.

Could be the Maritime Alps,

in the south of France.

ln which case Fogg's not only

on schedule, but ahead of it.

We stand to lose 20,000.

What was that you said

about a celebration, Stuart?

lf nobody wants this newspaper,

l'll just put it on the table.

The southern perimeter of France.

Often and with justification referred to

in the guidebooks as the ''Azure Coast.''

-The moment is propitious for our descent.

-Yes, sir.

The gas valve's stuck, l think.

Can you get up there?

l'll try it, master.

They're speaking some

bizarre foreign tongue.

-Do you understand them?

-Yes.

Ask them how far

we are from Marseilles...

and what conveyance

they have for us to proceed.

-Why aren't they speaking French?

-Because we are in Spain, master.

-Spain?

-Yes, sir.

lt's a long trip to Marseilles.

But by sea, in a fast boat, 10 hours.

Where would we procure such a boat?

There is one vessel here.

The boat of Abdul Achmed of Tangiers.

Where would we find this worthy?

He sleeps by day.

But at night,

he's in the Cave of the Seven Winds.

-Think that's the man we're looking for?

-l think so, master.

Excuse me, master.

Good evening, sir.

lt is forbidden to approach

his august personage.

Perhaps you would transmit a message?

l would like to engage his yacht

for a quick trip to Marseilles.

l will pay whatever he asks.

The ship is yours, sir.

Go where you wish without charge.

However, my master

is an aficionado of the bullfight.

That is why he visits here,

to see the festival of the bulls.

l do not understand.

He was most interested

in your servant's display of cape work.

He would like to see more tomorrow,

at the bullfight.

You mean he wants him to enter the ring?

But that will be a massacre!

Please, master. l'm not afraid. Let me try.

Don't push me.

lt's the first time l've seen a real bull.

Look at the horns. lt's not my size.

Try to be nice to me.

My ship is yours.

lf you leave now

you'll arrive in Marseilles in 10 hours.

The odds are 30-to-1, gentlemen.

50 he doesn't.

-What was that, Mr. Vermilyea?

-l said, 50 he doesn't.

And 150 he does.

Why delude ourselves?

Even if the odds do go down...

we know that Fogg got from Marseilles

to Brindisi in time to catch the MongoIia.

But supposing

he doesn't get to Suez in time?

His itinerary's thrown out of schedule.

He can't possibly get from Bombay

to Calcutta in time for his connection.

Our money's as safe, gentlemen,

as if it were in the Bank of England.

Sorry.

A bulletin, gentlemen. A late bulletin.

Mr. Phileas Fogg has arrived at Suez!

-Name, sir?

-Passepartout.

-Thank you.

-Here! Just a minute.

Where's the gentleman who owns

this passport, this Mr. Phileas Fogg?

-My master is staying on board.

-lndeed.

He'll have to report in person

to the British Consulate...

to establish his identity.

-ls that necessary?

-Not necessary, mandatory.

lt's mandatory. This is different, sir.

Mr. Fogg is at lunch now,

but l will give him your message.

Hello there.

Going sightseeing? Perhaps l can help.

l have to buy some clothing for Mr. Fogg.

l can show you an excellent place

quite nearby.

Monsieur is very kind.

You see, my master and l

came away without our clothes.

Then l take it you left London hastily?

Forty-five minutes after he told me...

-we are off around the world.

-Around the world?

Yes, sir. Around the world in 80 days.

He says it's a wager.

But confidentially, between you and me,

l don't believe a word of it.

Something else in the wind?

l understand he gave the officers

of the MongoIia a bonus...

-to get the ship here ahead of time.

-Yes, sir.

He must be a very rich man.

You can't imagine how much money

we carry with us...

all in brand-new bank notes.

l'm sure you can take good care of him.

No doubt you've been

with Mr. Fogg for years.

No, sir. On the contrary.

l entered his service

only the day we left London.

lndeed.

So he turned up, did he?

Yes, and he gave every indication

of being a thoroughly honest fellow.

Or a very shrewd article.

Here's the description of the robber

l received from London.

Yes. lt tallies exactly.

What do you propose to do?

Notify London to send a warrant

to Bombay...

accompany him there and arrest him

the moment he sets foot on British soil.

Very enterprising of you, Fix.

A nice ocean voyage

at the expense of Scotland Yard?

l beg your pardon, sir.

l see my duty, and l do it.

Thank you, sir.

l beg pardon, gentlemen, we're expecting

rather hot weather tomorrow...

so l've arranged the menu accordingly:

''Cold breast of chicken,

potted meats and brawn...

-''curried lamb and rice.''

-Capital.

Curry's the only dish

for a chap in this filthy climate.

Purifies the blood, tones up the system.

My luncheon

will remain the same, steward.

Kindly adhere to my instructions.

Of course, sir.

But all that food on a hot day?

Steward, my Thursday midday meal

has always been...

and will always be hot soup, fried sole...

roast beef and Yorkshire pudding,

baked potatoes, suet pudding and treacle.

Your deal, monsieur.

We meet again.

Feeling the heat a bit, are you?

How about a nice lemon squash or a beer?

-lt's good.

-Steward.

Bring two lemon squashes.

Great stroke of luck

we happen to be on the same ship.

And both going to Bombay.

Yes. A strange coincidence.

-Have you made this trip before?

-Yes, often.

l'm one of the agents

for the steamship company.

-You know lndia well?

-My dear fellow...

l doubt if there are five men

who know it as l do.

The mosques, the minarets,

the elephants, the snakes.

What about the women?

Yes. The women. Superb.

-ln what way superb?

-Goddesses. Ravishing.

But listen, this tour of your master's...

what do you think his real purpose is?

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