Читать книгу Вокруг света за 80 дней / Around the World in Eighty Days - Жюль Верн, Жуль Верн - Страница 10

The distance between Suez and Aden is precisely thirteen hundred and ten miles. Many passengers from Brindisi were going to Bombay, others for Calcutta. Phileas Fogg seldom went upon the deck, and he played whist. Passepartout escaped sea-sickness, and rather enjoyed the voyage.

“Oh,” said Passepartout when he approached, “you are the gentleman who met me at Suez?”

“Ah! I quite recognise you. You are the servant of the strange Englishman.”

“Just so, monsieur…”

“Fix.”

“Monsieur Fix,” resumed Passepartout, “Where are you going?”

“Like you, to Bombay.”

“That’s great! Do you know India?”

“Yes,” replied Fix, who spoke cautiously.

“A curious place, this India?”

“Oh, very curious. Mosques, minarets, temples, fakirs, pagodas, tigers, snakes, elephants! And how is Mr. Fogg?” asked Fix.

“Quite well, and I too.”

“But I never see your master on deck.”

After this meeting, Passepartout and Fix talked much. Meanwhile the Mongolia went rapidly, and instead of the 15th, arrived to Aden on the evening of the 14th. Mr. Fogg and his servant went ashore at Aden to visa the passport. Fix followed them. Then Mr. Fogg returned on board. Passepartout sauntered about among the mixed population of Somalis, Banyans, Parsees, Jews, Arabs, and Europeans.

“Very curious, very curious,” said Passepartout to himself.

On Sunday, October 20th, towards noon, they saw the Indian coast. The Mongolia was at Bombay on the 20th.