Around the World in Eighty Days Page #4

---

Perhaps it's only

a secret diplomatic mission.

l tell you, Mr. Fix.

l really know nothing about it.

Don't change the conversation.

Tell me more about these lndian women.

Now, let me see.

Would you excuse me?

l will be back in a minute.

Bombay by dawn tomorrow, Mr. Fogg.

Two days ahead of schedule.

-That's a new record for the run.

-A remarkable achievement, Captain...

and one that deserves

adequate recognition.

-My compliments to you.

-Thank you.

And to the chief engineer. As arranged.

Listen carefully.

Here's the list of the gear we'll need

on our journey to Calcutta.

While you're getting that,

l'll deal with the passports and the tickets.

The train leaves at 4:00.

We'll meet at the railway station.

How dare you! That's a sacred animal!

We've no warrant for this fellow's arrest.

The whole thing is highly irregular.

But he's the culprit, l swear to you.

Wait a moment. l have an idea.

You issue the order for this arrest.

What? l couldn't do a thing like that!

Not even for a reward of 2,000?

Needless to say, l'd be willing to divide it.

1,000? No, Mr. Fix.

The matter involves London.

And the London office alone

can legally deliver the warrant.

Once Fogg's outside British jurisdiction,

l'll never get him.

Quite. Good heavens! 4:00. lt's tea time.

Yes, l know. But this is a crisis.

Crisis or no,

nothing should interfere with tea.

Devil take the man. Where can he be?

Pattering after some woman

or other, l suppose.

These foreigners, you know.

Come on, man! Come on!

-Thank you.

-There will be no further fiddle-faddle.

Years gone...

there was a time

when one could scarcely travel...

in this part of the country

without encountering corpses.

Those infamous stranglers.

What did you say

the name of the sect was?

Thuggee.

lndividual members are known as Thugs.

They worship Kali, the goddess of death.

They slay without discrimination.

Any age, sex, color.

How did you finally

manage to stamp them out?

We didn't. Not entirely.

Our constabulary managed to diminish

the number of murders...

but we're forced to recognize

the Thuggee still exists.

Every few months we come across a few

of the wretches with their ghastly rites.

Strange we should stop hereabouts.

Timetable makes no mention

of a station in this vicinity.

l have no idea.

l haven't been on this line

since they announced its completion.

Excuse me, sir. What is the difficulty?

Difficulty? None whatever.

This is the end of the line.

-End of the line?

-Yes.

There's still 50 miles of track to be laid

between here and Allahabad.

The London newspapers announced

the opening of the railway throughout.

Must've been The DaiIy TeIegraph.

Never would've read it in The Times.

The fact remains that you sell tickets

from Bombay to Calcutta ! That's fraud.

l shall take this up with the Viceroy!

The notice in our Bombay station

is quite clearly posted, as it is here:

''Passengers must provide

their own transportation...

''between Kholby and Allahabad.''

-Through the bush?

-l'm sorry if this inconveniences.

lt does indeed.

l happen to be rejoining my brigade,

the 10th Jubbulpore.

My friend stands to lose

a considerable sum of money.

Not at all. l made provision for precisely

that sort of eventuality.

You couldn't have foreseen this.

No, but l did expect some such obstacle

to arise en route.

And l took the precaution of gaining

two days while crossing the Arabian Sea.

A steamer leaves Calcutta at noon

on the 25th for Hong Kong.

Our only problem is to find some form

of conveyance from here to Allahabad.

Other than the oxcart,

nothing can get through that jungle.

-What about an elephant?

-l do know of one...

but l doubt if the owner

would part with her.

-Why not?

-She sleeps in the house, with the family.

A pet.

1,000 for an elephant? lt's outrageous!

You've been diddled.

Undoubtedly, but it's not often

one needs an elephant in a hurry.

-What is that?

-A Royal Bengal Tiger.

They rarely attack an elephant.

-What the deuce are you doing?

-Quiet, sir.

-ls bad.

-What is it?

lt's a religious procession of some sort.

Rather sticky if they spot us.

l think we had better look into this.

Kali, the goddess of love and death.

Sahib, please! lf they hear our voices

we will be slain.

-Suttee,

-What do you mean by that?

A human sacrifice, but a voluntary one.

The lady you've just seen is to be burned

on her husband's funeral pyre.

Scoundrels.

You actually mean that unfortunate

woman will be burned alive?

She's quite resigned to it.

lt's a matter of religious belief.

This area's not under British jurisdiction.

Nothing we can do.

Forgive me, sahib. But the lady

does not wish to commit suttee.

-She is being forced.

-What?

Everyone knows of this affair.

Her husband was a rajah

and very influential.

-The custom is that she must die with him.

-Where's this murder to take place?

The pagoda of Pillaji. Two miles from here.

What if we decided to save her?

-You can't interfere with native affairs.

-Why not?

lt isn't done!

My master does things

other people do not, sir.

Do you think you can you rescue Aouda?

-ls that the lady's name?

-Yes, sahib. Aouda.

Very fine person. Very beautiful.

She was educated in England.

That decides it.

General, we place ourselves

under your command.

Right. Now, our first step

is to reconnoiter.

Follow me.

There are guards all about the temple.

-l can't seem to find an opening.

-And the princess?

-lnside. Surrounded by armed men.

-What course would you suggest?

Simple. Outflank the beggars.

Here's the temple. No, here.

Here's the funeral pyre.

We create a distractionary action here,

start a sortie here.

-General, l have a plan.

-Please!

Then we infiltrate

the guards from the rear.

-Excellent.

-Exactly. Only one problem.

This plan can't possibly

work with less than 75 men.

So speaking as a strategist...

l should say

our position here is untenable.

Whatever the odds,

l'm determined to abstract that woman.

Even though we're only four.

Passepartout--

Now where the devil is he?

Hurry up! Come on!

-Gentlemen, you have rescued me!

-No demonstrations of gratitude.

Allow me to help you.

''Speechless at the violation

of a native temple...

''and the abduction of an lndian princess...

''by Mr. Phileas Fogg,

the authorities have arrested him.''

''An lndian princess.'' Lucky dog!

An absolute scandal, according to this.

The whole peninsula's up in arms.

Wonder what she's like.

A handsome creature, l'll be bound.

Always thought Fogg

had a twinkle in his eye.

Handsome or not,

this barging about a native temple...

with one's boots on is a serious matter.

Could've been, if he hadn't posted bail

and caught the next ship.

l think our colleague's a good bit

cleverer than we supposed.

A devious type, l'd rather say.

Let me see, if he's on the S,S, Rangoon...

he must be halfway to Hong Kong by now.

Somewhere here.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes