Page 135 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS

Around the World in 80 Days

Rangoon, in company with Phileas Fogg, gave him new
material for reflection.
Who was this woman? What combination of events
had made her Fogg’s travelling companion? They had

evidently met somewhere between Bombay and Calcutta;
but where? Had they met accidentally, or had Fogg gone
into the interior purposely in quest of this charming
damsel? Fix was fairly puzzled. He asked himself whether
there had not been a wicked elopement; and this idea so
impressed itself upon his mind that he determined to make
use of the supposed intrigue. Whether the young woman
were married or not, he would be able to create such
difficulties for Mr. Fogg at Hong Kong that he could not
escape by paying any amount of money.
But could he even wait till they reached Hong Kong?
Fogg had an abominable way of jumping from one boat to
another, and, before anything could be effected, might get
full under way again for Yokohama.
Fix decided that he must warn the English authorities,
and signal the Rangoon before her arrival. This was easy
to do, since the steamer stopped at Singapore, whence
there is a telegraphic wire to Hong Kong. He finally
resolved, moreover, before acting more positively, to
question Passepartout. It would not be difficult to make

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