old；　silver；　bank…notes　are　freely　exposed；　at　the　merry　of　the　first　comer。　A　keen　observer　of　English　customs　relates　that；　being　in　one　of　the　rooms　of　the　Bank　one　day；　he　had　the　curiosity　to　examine　a　gold　ingot　weighing　some　seven　or　eight　pounds。　He　took　it　up；　scrutinized　it；　passed　it　to　his　neighbour；　he　to　the　next　man；　and　so　on　until　the　ingot；　going　from　hand　to　hand；　was　transferred　to　the　end　of　a　dark　entry；　nor　did　it　return　to　its　place　for　half…an…hour。　Meanwhile；　the　cashier　had　not　so　much　as　raised　his　head。　But　in　the　present　instance　things　had　not　gone　so　smoothly。　The　package　of　notes　not　being　found　when　five　o'clock　sounded　from　the　ponderous　clock　in　the　‘drawing　office；'　the　amount　was　passed　to　the　account　of　profit　and　loss。　As　soon　as　the　robbery　was　discovered；　picked　detectives　hastened　off　to　Liverpool；　Glasgow；　Havre；　Suez；　Brindisi；　New　York；　and　other　ports；　inspired　by　the　proffered　reward　of　two　thousand　pounds；　and　five　per　cent　on　the　sum　that　might　be　recovered。　Detectives　were　also　charged　with　narrowly　watching　those　who　arrived　at　or　left　London　by　rail；　and　a　judicial　examination　was　at　once　entered　upon。
  There　were　real　grounds　for　supposing；　as　the　Daily　Telegraph　said；　that　the　thief　did　not　belong　to　a　professional　band。　On　the　day　of　the　robbery　a　well…dressed　gentleman　of　polished　manners；　and　with　a　well…to…do　air；　had　been　observed　going　to　and　fro　in　the　paying…room；　where　the　crime　was　committed。　A　description　of　him　was　easily　procured　and　sent　to　the　detectives；　and　some　hopeful　spirits；　of　whom　Ralph　was　one；　did　not　despair　of　his　apprehension。　The　papers　and　clubs　were　full　of　the　affair；　and　everywhere　people　were　discussing　the　probabilities　of　a　successful　pursuit；　and　the　Reform　Club　was　especially　agitated；　several　of　its　members　being　Bank　officials。
  Ralph　would　not　concede　that　the　work　of　the　detectives　was　likely　to　be　in　vain；　for　he　thought　that　the　prize　offered　would　greatly　stimulate　their　zeal　and　activity。　But　Stuart　was　far　from　sharing　this　confidence；　and　as　they　placed　themselves　at　the　whist…table；　they　continued　to　argue　the　matter。　Stuart　and　Flanagan　played　together；　while　Phileas　Fogg　had　Fallentin　for　his　partner。　As　the　game　proceeded　the　conversation　ceased；　excepting　between　the　rubbers；　when　it　revived　again。
  ‘I　maintain；'　said　Stuart；　‘that　the　chances　are　favour　of　the　thief；　who　must　be　a　shrewd　fellow。'
  Well；　but　where　can　he　fly　to？'　asked　Ralph。　‘No　country　is　safe　for　him。'
  ‘Pshaw！'
  ‘Where　could　he　go；　then？'
  ‘Oh；　I　don't　know　that。　The　world　is　big　enough。'
  ‘It　was　once；'　said　Phileas　Fogg；　in　a　low　tone。　‘Cut；　sir；'　he　added；　handing　the　cards　to　Thomas　Flanagan。
  The　discussion　fell　during　the　rubber；　after　which　Stuart　took　up　its　thread。
  ‘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。'
  ‘Be　so　good　as　to　play；　Mr　Stuart；'　said　Phileas　Fogg。
  But　the　incredulous　Stuart　was　not　convinced；　and　when　the　hand　was　finished；　Said　eagerly：　‘You　have　a　strange　way；　Ralph；　of　proving　that　the　world　has　grown　smaller。　So；　because　you　can　go　round　it　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　and　Allahabad；　on　the　Great　Indian　Peninsula　Railway；　has　been　opened。　Here　is　the　estimate　made　by　the　Daily　Telegraph：
  From　London　to　Suez　via　Mont　Cenis　and　Brindisi；　by　rail　and　steamboats　7　days。
  From　Suez　to　Bombay；　by　steamer　13　〃
  From　Bombay　to　Calcutta；　by　rail　3　〃
  From　Calcutta　to　Hong　Kong；　by　steamer　…　…　…　…　…　13　〃
  From　Hong　Kong　to　Yokohama　（Japan）；　by　steamer　…　…　…　…　6　〃
  From　Yokohama　to　San　Francisco；　by　steamer　22　〃
  From　San　Francisco　to　New　York；　by　rail　…　7　〃
  From　New　York　to　London；　by　steamer　and　rail　9　〃
  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；　ship…wrecks；　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　to…day　is　Wednesday；　the　second　of　October；　I　shall　be　due　in　London；　in　this　very　room　of　the　Reform　Club；　on　Saturday；　the　twenty…first　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。'
  CHAPTER　IV
  IN　WHICH　PHILEAS　FOGG　ASTOUNDS　PASSEPARTOUT；　HIS　SERVANT。
  Having　won　twenty　guineas　at　whist；　and　taken　leave　of　his　friends；　Phileas　Fogg；　at　twenty…five　minutes　past　seven；　left　the　Reform　Club。
  Passepartout；　who　had　conscientiously　studied　the　programme　of　his　duties；　was　more　than　surprised　to　see　his　master　guilty　of　the　inexactness　of　appearing　at　this　unaccustomed　hour；　for；　according　to　rule；　he　was　not　due　in　Saville　Row　until　precisely　midnight。
  Mr　Fogg　repaired　to　his　bedroom；　and　called　out；　‘Passepartout！'
  Passepartout　did　not　reply。　It　could　not　be　he　who　was　called；　it　was　not　the　right　hour。
  ‘Passepartout！'　repeated　Mr　Fogg；　without　raising　his　voice。
  Passepartout　made　his　appearance。
  ‘I've　called　you　twice；'　observed　his　master。
  ‘But　it　is　not　midnight；'　responded　the　other；　showing　his　watch。
  ‘I　know　it；　I　don't　blame　you。　We　start　for　Dover　and　Calais　in　ten　minutes。'
  A　puzzled　grin　overspread　Passepartout's　rou