CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Phineas Fogg's Name Is Once More in the News

James Strand, the real bank robber, was arrested in England on the 17th of December. Three days before, Phineas Fogg was a criminal; now he was an honorable gentleman, traveling around the world. The papers started talking again about the wager.

His five friends at the Reform Club were very nervous. Would Phineas Fogg, whom they had forgotten, appear before their eyes? Where was he right now?

They had no news of him. Was he dead? Had he given up? Would he appear on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter before nine in the evening?

A great crowd gathered outside the Reform Club. The police could not control all the people. As the hour approached, the excitement rose.

The five met in the club. John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, the bankers, Andrew Stuart, the engineer, Gauthier Ralph, the director of the Bank of England, and Thomas Flanagan, the brewer, all waited anxiously.

When the clock said twenty minutes past eight, Andrew Stuart got up. He said, "Gentlemen, in twenty minutes Mr Fogg's time will be up."

"What time did the last train arrive from Liverpool?" asked Thomas Flanagan.

"At twenty-three minutes past seven," replied Gauthier Ralph. "The next does not arrive till ten minutes after twelve."

"Well," said Andrew Stuart, "if he had taken that train, he would have been here by this time. We can regard the bet as won."

"Wait," replied Samuel Fallentin. "Mr Fogg never arrives too soon, or too late."

"Why," said Andrew Mr Stuart, "if I should see him, I should not believe my eyes."

At this moment it was twenty minutes to nine.

"Five minutes more," said Andrew Stuart.

The five gentlemen looked at each other. Their anxiety was becoming strong, so they decided to play cards.

The clock showed eighteen minutes to nine.

The players could not keep their eyes off the clock.

"Sixteen minutes to nine!" said John Sullivan.

One minute more, and the wager would be won. The players stopped playing. They counted the seconds.

At the fortieth second, nothing. At the fiftieth, still nothing.

At the fifty-fifth, a loud cry was heard in the street, and then clapping.

The players stood up.

At the fifty-seventh second the door of the club opened. Phineas Fogg appeared, followed by an excited crowd, and calmly said, "Here I am, gentlemen!"

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