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---- Total
............................................ 80
days."
"Yes, in eighty days!" exclaimed Stuart, who
in his excitement made a false deal. "But that
doesn't take into account bad weather, contrary
winds, shipwrecks, railway accidents, and so
on."
"All included," 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, and scalp
the passengers!"
"All included," calmly retorted Fogg;
adding, as he threw down the cards, "Two
trumps."
Stuart, whose turn it was to deal, gathered
them up, and went on: "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?"
"Heaven preserve me! 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.
"There's a false deal."
Stuart took up the pack with a feverish
hand; then suddenly put them down again.
"Well, Mr. Fogg," said he, "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 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."
"A well-used minimum suffices for
everything."
"But, 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?"
"We accept," replied Messrs. Stuart,
Fallentin, Sullivan, Flanagan, and Ralph, after
consulting each other.
"Good," said Mr. Fogg. "The train leaves for
Dover 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 almanac, 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 nine 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."
A memorandum of the wager was at once drawn
up and signed by the six parties, during which
Phileas Fogg preserved a stoical composure. He
certainly did not bet to win, and had only
staked the twenty thousand pounds, half of his
fortune, because he foresaw that he might have
to expend the other half to carry out this
difficult, not to say unattainable, project. As
for his antagonists, they seemed much agitated;
not so much by the value of their stake, as
because they had some scruples about betting
under conditions so difficult to their
friend.
The clock struck seven, and the party
offered to suspend the game so that Mr. Fogg
might make his preparations for departure.
"I am quite ready now," was his tranquil
response. "Diamonds are trumps: be so good as
to play, gentlemen."
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