by Jules Verne
Chapter 7
Which Once More Demonstrates the Uselessnessof Passports as Aids to Detectives
The detective passed down the quay, and rapidly made his way tothe consul's office, where he was at once admitted to thepresence of that official.
"Consul," he said, without preamble, "I have strong reasons forbelieving that my man is a passenger on the Mongolia." And henarrated what had just passed concerning the passport.
"Well, Mr. Fix," replied the consul, "I shall not be sorry to seethe rascal's face, but perhaps he won't come here--that is, ifhe is the person you suppose him to be. A robber doesn't quitelike to leave traces of his flight behind him; and, besides, heis not obliged to have his passport countersigned."
"If he is as shrewd as I think he is, consul, he will come."
"To have his passport visaed?"
"Yes. Passports are only good for annoying honest folks, andaiding in the flight of rogues. I assure you it will be quite thething for him to do; but I hope you will not visa the passport."
"Why not? If the passport is genuine I have no right to refuse."
"Still, I must keep this man here until I can get a warrant toarrest him from London."
"Ah, that's your look-out. But I cannot--"
The consul did not finish his sentence, for as he spoke a knockwas heard at the door, and two strangers entered, one of whom wasthe servant whom Fix had met on the quay. The other, who was hismaster, held out his passport with the request that the consulwould do him the favor to visa it. The consul took the documentand carefully read it, while Fix observed, or rather devoured,the stranger with his eyes from a corner of the room.
"You are Mr. Phileas Fogg?" said the consul, after reading thepassport.
"I am."
"And this man is your servant?"
"He is, a Frenchman, named Passepartout."
"You are from London?"
"Yes."
"And you are going--"
"To Bombay."
"Very good, sir. You know that a visa is useless, and that nopassport is required?"
"I know it, sir," replied Phileas Fogg, "but I wish to prove, byyour visa, that I came by Suez."
"Very well, sir."
The consul proceeded to sign and date the passport, after whichhe added his official seal. Mr. Fogg paid the customary fee,coldly bowed, and went out, followed by his servant.
"Well?" queried the detective.
"Well, he looks and acts like a perfectly honest man," repliedthe consul.
"Possibly; but that is not the question. Do you think, consul,that this phlegmatic gentleman resembles, feature by feature, therobber whose description I have received?"
"I concede that, but then, you know, all descriptions--"
"I'll make certain of it," interrupted Fix. "The servant seems tome less mysterious than the master; besides, he's a Frenchman,and can't help talking. Excuse me for a little while, consul."
Fix started off in search of Passepartout.
Meanwhile Mr. Fogg, after leaving the consulate, repaired to thequay, gave some orders to Passepartout, went off to the Mongoliain a boat, and descended to his cabin. He took up his notebook,which contained the following memoranda:
"Left London, Wednesday, October 2nd, at 8:45 P.M. "Reached Paris, Thursday, October 3rd, at 7:20 A.M. "Left Paris, Thursday, at 8:40 A.M. "Reached Turin by Mont Cenis, Friday, October 4th, at 6:35 AM. "Left Turin, Friday, at 7:20 A.M. "Arrived at Brindisi, Saturday, October 5th, at 4 P.M. "Sailed on the Mongolia, Saturday, at 5 P.M. "Reached Suez, Wednesday, October 9th, at 11 A.M. "Total of hours spent, 158-1/2; or, in days, six days and a half."
These dates were inscribed in an itinerary divided into columns,indicating the month, the day of the month, and the day for thestipulated and actual arrivals at each principal point--Paris,Brindisi, Suez, Bombay, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama,San Francisco, New York and London--from the 2nd of October tothe 21st of December; and giving a space for setting down thegain made or the loss suffered on arrival at each locality. Thismethodical record thus contained an account of everything needed,and Mr. Fogg always knew whether he was behind or in advance ofhis time. On this Friday, October 9th, he noted his arrival atSuez, and observed that he had as yet neither gained nor lost. Hesat down quietly to breakfast in his cabin, never once thinkingof inspecting the town, being one of those Englishmen who arewont to see foreign countries through the eyes of their servants.
