Page 229 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
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Around the World in 80 Days
expression. Fix evidently was no longer an enemy, but an
ally; he was faithfully keeping his word.
Dinner over, the coach which was to convey the
passengers and their luggage to the station drew up to the
door. As he was getting in, Mr. Fogg said to Fix, ‘You
have not seen this Colonel Proctor again?’
‘No.’
‘I will come back to America to find him,’ said Phileas
Fogg calmly. ‘It would not be right for an Englishman to
permit himself to be treated in that way, without
retaliating.’
The detective smiled, but did not reply. It was clear
that Mr. Fogg was one of those Englishmen who, while
they do not tolerate duelling at home, fight abroad when
their honour is attacked.
At a quarter before six the travellers reached the station,
and found the train ready to depart. As he was about to
enter it, Mr. Fogg called a porter, and said to him: ‘My
friend, was there not some trouble to-day in San
Francisco?’
‘It was a political meeting, sir,’ replied the porter.
‘But I thought there was a great deal of disturbance in
the streets.’
‘It was only a meeting assembled for an election.’
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