Вокруг света за 80 дней / Around the World in 80 Days

“Well, but could he go, then?” asked Ralph. “No country is safe for him.”

“Oh, I don’t know that. The world is big enough.”

“It was once,” said Phileas Fogg, in a low tone, handing the cards to Thomas Flanagan.

“What do you mean by ‘once’? Has the world grown smaller?”

“Certainly,” returned Ralph. “I agree with Mr. Fogg. The world has grown smaller, since a man can now go round it ten times more quickly than a hundred years ago. And that is why the search for this thief will be more likely to succeed.”

“And also why the thief can get away more easily.”

Stuart said eagerly: “So, because you can go round the world in three months—”

“In eighty days,” interrupted Phileas Fogg.

“That is true, gentlemen,” added John Sullivan. “Only eighty days, now that the section between Rothal[35 - Rothal – Роталь] and Allahabad[36 - Allahabad – Аллахабад], on the Great Indian Peninsula Railway[37 - Great Indian Peninsula Railway – Великая индийская железная дорога], has been opened. Here is the estimate made by the Daily Telegraph:

“From London to Suez via Mont Cenis[38 - Mont-Cenis – Мон-Сенис (горный перевал во Франции)] and Brindisi, by rail and steamboats, 7 days.

“From Suez to Bombay[39 - Bombay – Бомбей (город в Индии, современное название – Мумбай)], by steamer, 13 days.

“From Bombay to Calcutta[40 - Calcutta – Калькутта (город в Индии, современное название – Колката)], by rail, 3 days.

“From Calcutta to Hong Kong[41 - Hong Kong – Гонконг], by steamer, 13 days.

“From Hong Kong to Yokohama[42 - Yokohama – Йокогама], by steamer, 6 days.

“From Yokohama to San Francisco, by steamer, 22 days.

“From San Francisco to New York, by rail, 7 days.

“From New York to London, by steamer and rail, 9 days.

“Total 80 days.”

“Yes, in eighty days!” exclaimed Stuart. “But that doesn’t take into account bad weather, contrary winds, shipwrecks, railway accidents, and so on.”

“All included[43 - All included. – Всё учтено.],” returned Phileas Fogg, continuing to play despite the discussion.

“But suppose the Hindoos or Indians pull up the rails,” replied Stuart; “suppose they stop the trains, pillage the luggage-vans[44 - pillage the luggage-vans – разграбят вагоны], and scalp the passengers!”

“All included,” calmly retorted Fogg.

“You are right, theoretically, Mr. Fogg, but practically—”

“Practically also, Mr. Stuart.”

“I’d like to see you do it in eighty days.”

“It depends on you. Shall we go?”

“No! But I would wager four thousand pounds that such a journey, made under these conditions, is impossible.”

“Quite possible, on the contrary,” returned Mr. Fogg.

“Well, make it, then!”

“The journey round the world in eighty days?”

“Yes.”

“I should like nothing better.”

“When?”

“At once. Only I warn you that I shall do it at your expense.”

“It’s absurd!” cried Stuart, who was beginning to be annoyed at the persistency of his friend. “Come, let’s go on with the game.”

“Deal over again, then,” said Phileas Fogg.

“Well, Mr. Fogg,” said Stuart “it shall be so: I will wager the four thousand on it.”

“Calm yourself, my dear Stuart,” said Fallentin. “It’s only a joke.”

“When I say I’ll wager,” returned Stuart, “I mean it.”

“All right,” said Mr. Fogg; and, turning to the others, he continued: “I have a deposit of twenty thousand at Baring’s[45 - at Baring’s – в банке братьев Бэринг] which I will willingly risk upon it.”

“Twenty thousand pounds!” cried Sullivan. “Twenty thousand pounds, which you would lose by a single accidental delay!”

“The unforeseen does not exist,” quietly replied Phileas Fogg.

“But, Mr. Fogg, eighty days are only the estimate of the least possible time in which the journey can be made. In order not to exceed it, you must jump mathematically from the trains upon the steamers, and from the steamers upon the trains again.”

“I will jump—mathematically.”

“You are joking.”

“A true Englishman doesn’t joke when he is talking about so serious a thing as a wager,” replied Phileas Fogg, solemnly. “I will bet twenty thousand pounds against anyone who wishes that I will make the tour of the world in eighty days or less; in nineteen hundred and twenty hours, or a hundred and fifteen thousand two hundred minutes. Do you accept?”

After consulting each other, the gentlemen agreed to accept the wager.

“Good,” said Mr. Fogg. “The train leaves for Dover[46 - Dover – Дувр] at a quarter before nine. I will take it.”

“This very evening?” asked Stuart.

“This very evening,” returned Phileas Fogg. He took out and consulted a pocket calender, and added, “As today is Wednesday, the 2nd of October, I shall be due in London in this very room of the Reform Club, on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before 9 p.m., or else the twenty thousand pounds, now deposited in my name at Baring’s, will belong to you, in fact and in right, gentlemen. Here is a cheque for the amount.”