CHAPTER TEN

Passepartout Is Happy to Only Lose His Shoes

Everybody knows India is fourteen hundred thousand square miles, and it has one hundred and eighty million people. Britain controls most of it, and it has a governor-general in Calcutta and governors in other cities.

But British India is only seven hundred thousand square miles, and has one hundred to one hundred and ten million people. Much of India is still free from British control. The famous East India Company was all-powerful from 1756, but now the British Crown has direct control. The country was changing every day.

Before one had to travel in India by horseback or on foot, but now steamboats traveled the rivers and railways cross the country. The main line travels from Bombay to Calcutta in three days.

The passengers of the Mongolia went ashore at half past four p.m. At eight the train would start for Calcutta.

Mr Fogg said goodbye to his whist partners, told his servant not to miss the train, and went to the passport office. He did not care to see the wonders of Bombay, like its famous city hall, its great library, its markets, or its temples.

Fix had gone on to the Bombay police station. He told them that he was a London detective, and he explained the situation of the robber. He nervously asked if a warrant had arrived from London, but there had not been enough time. Fix was disappointed, and he tried to get a warrant from this station. They would not, because only London could give a warrant for a crime in London. Fix did not insist. Like Passepartout, he thought Fogg would stay in Bombay.

Passepartout, however, now knew they would leave Bombay as they did Suez and Paris. He began to think they might go all the way around the world.

Passepartout walked about the streets, watching the different people. Unhappily for his master, he saw a beautiful temple on Malabar Hill. He did not know that Christians could not enter some Indian temples, and that even the Hindus must leave their shoes at the door. The British Government punishes those who break these rules.

Passepartout went in like a tourist, admiring the beautiful decorations. Suddenly he was knocked to the ground by three angry priests, who took his shoes and began beating him. The Frenchman stood up and knocked down two of the priests and ran out of the temple.

At five minutes before eight, Passepartout rushed into the station. He had lost his hat, shoes, and a new package of shirts and shoes.

Fix had followed Mr Fogg to the station, and decided to follow him to Calcutta. Passepartout could not see the detective, but Fix heard him tell Mr Fogg what happened.

"I hope that this will not happen again," said Phineas Fogg coldly. Passepartout sadly followed him on the train. Fix was going to follow them when he thought of a better idea.

"No, I'll stay," he said. "A law has been broken on Indian soil. I've got my man."

The train gave a sharp whistle, and it passed out into the darkness of the night.

(end of section)