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In 1872, the Reform Club in London’s Pall Mall was a club for men only. Phileas Fogg went to the Reform Club every day. He left his house at 7 Savile Row at 11.30 in the morning and walked to the club. He had his lunch and his dinner there. He read the papers at the club, and he played cards. He left late in the evening and walked back to Savile Row. He went to bed at 12 o’clock.

Phileas Fogg was a cold man. He didn’t talk much, and nobody knew much about him. But everything in his life had to be right. His washing water had to be at 31 °C – not 30 °C and not 32 °C.

At 9.37 on the morning of 2nd October 1872 his servant, James Forster, brought him water at 30 °C, not 31 °C. So this servant had to go. Phileas Fogg sat at home in his Savile Row house. He waited for his new servant.

The new servant came. He was about thirty years old.

‘You are French,’ said Phileas Fogg,’ and your name is John?’

‘No,’ said the new servant.’ My name is Jean, Mr Fogg. They call me Jean Passepartout, because in French a “passepartout” can open every door. When things are bad, I can always get out. I can get out of anything!’

‘Tell me about your work,’ said Phileas Fogg.

‘I am a good man and I can do a lot of different jobs,’ said Jean Passepartout. ‘I was a fireman in Paris. And… look!’ Passepartout did a high jump, then put his left leg and then his right leg on his head. He was a strong man.

‘But I left France in 1867,’ said Passepartout,’ and I came to England. I want to be a servant. I am looking for a quiet life. People say that you are the quietest man in Britain. So I want to work for you. I want to live quietly now. I want to forget the name “ Passepartout”.’

‘I’ll call you Passepartout,’ said Phileas Fogg.’ What time is it?’

Passepartout pulled out a big watch and looked at it.

‘It is 11.29, Mr. Fogg,’ he said.

‘All right. From now, 11.29 on 2nd October 1872, you are my servant.’

With those words, Phileas Fogg put on his hat and went out. There was nobody in the house, then, only Passepartout.

‘Here I am,’ the Frenchman thought.’ But what do I do?’

He went into every room in the house. He found his room, and in it there was a timetable. Everything was there, starting from 8 o’clock. Phileas Fogg got up at that time.

8.23 Bring tea.

9.37 Bring washing water (31 °C).

11.30 PF goes to the Reform Club.

Then, from 11.30 in the morning to midnight, everything was on the timetable. Mr. Fogg always went to bed at midnight.

Passepartout smiled. ‘This is right for me,’ he thought. ‘Mr. Fogg is the man for me!’

Glossary:

club – клуб

late – поздно

things – вещи

strong – сильный

have to – приходится

servant – слуга

get out – выбраться

look for – искать

quiet – тихий, спокойный

timetable – расписание, график

midnight – полночь

only – только

much – много

wait – ждать

about – около

French – француз

anything – что угодно