CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

It Is Shown That Phineas Fogg Gained Nothing by His Tour Around the World, Unless It Was Happiness

Yes; Phineas Fogg in person.

The reader will remember that at five minutes past eight in the evening, Passepartout had been sent out. He was to find the reverend and hire him for the next day.

Passepartout found the reverend's house, but the reverend was not home.

Passepartout waited twenty minutes, and when he left the reverend it was thirty-five minutes past eight. Without his hat, he ran along the street faster than any man before.

In three minutes he was in Saville Row again, and he found Mr Fogg. He could not speak.

"What is the matter?" asked Mr Fogg.

"My master!" said Passepartout. "Marriage—impossible—for tomorrow—"

"Why?"

"Because tomorrow is Sunday!"

"Monday," replied Mr Fogg.

"No—today is Saturday."

"Saturday? Impossible!"

"Yes, yes, yes, yes!" cried Passepartout. "You have made a mistake of one day!

We arrived twenty-four hours ahead of time; but there are only ten minutes left!"

Passepartout grabbed his master by the collar, and was dragging him along.

Phineas Fogg jumped into a cab and promised a hundred pounds to the driver.

They ran over two dogs before they reached the club.

The clock showed a quarter before nine when he appeared in the club.

Phineas Fogg had finished his journey in eighty days!

Phineas Fogg had won his wager of twenty thousand pounds!

How could this be?

The cause of the error is very simple. Phineas Fogg had gained one day on his journey, because he had always traveled eastward. If he had traveled westward he would have lost a day.

Passepartout's famous family watch, which had always kept London time, would have shown this, if only it had marked the days as well!

Phineas Fogg, then, had won the twenty thousand pounds, but he had spent nearly nineteen thousand on his way. He divided the one thousand extra between Passepartout and Fix. He subtracted the cost of the gas from Passepartout's share, though.

That evening, Mr Fogg said to Aouda, "Do you still wish to marry?"

"Mr Fogg," she said, "It is for me to ask that question. You were ruined, but now you are rich again."

"Pardon me, madam, my fortune belongs to you. If you had not suggested our marriage, my servant would not have gone to the reverend's, I would not have learned of my error, and—"

"Dear Mr Fogg!" said the young woman.

"Dear Aouda!" replied Phineas Fogg.

The marriage took place forty-eight hours later. Passepartout gave the bride away.

Phineas Fogg had won his wager, and had made his journey around the world in eighty days. To do this he used every kind of transport: steamers, railways, carriages, boats, sleds, elephants. But what then? What had he really gained by all this trouble? What had he brought back from this long journey?

Nothing, you say? Perhaps so; nothing but a lovely woman, who made him the happiest of men! Would you not for less than that make the tour around the world?

(end of section)