he
China, in leaving, seemed to have carried off Phileas Fogg's last hope.
None of the other steamers were able to serve his projects. The Pereire,
of the French Transatlantic Company, whose admirable steamers are equal
to any in speed and comfort, did not leave until the 14th; the Hamburg
boats did not go directly to Liverpool or London, but to Havre; and the
additional trip from Havre to Southampton would render Phileas Fogg's last
efforts of no avail. The Inman steamer did not depart till the next day,
and could not cross the Atlantic in time to save the wager.
Mr. Fogg
learned all this in consulting his Bradshaw, which gave him the daily movements
of the trans-Atlantic steamers.
Passepartout
was crushed; it overwhelmed him to lose the boat by three-quarters of an
hour. It was his fault, for, instead of helping his master, he had not
ceased putting obstacles in his path! And when he recalled all the incidents
of the tour, when he counted up the sums expended in pure loss and on his
own account, when he thought that the immense stake, added to the heavy
charges of this useless journey, would completely ruin Mr. Fogg, he overwhelmed
himself with bitter self-accusations. Mr. Fogg, however, did not reproach
him; and, on leaving the Cunard pier, only said: "We will consult about
what is best to-morrow. Come."
The party
crossed the Hudson in the Jersey City ferryboat, and drove in a carriage
to the St. Nicholas Hotel, on Broadway. Rooms were engaged, and the night
passed, briefly to Phileas Fogg, who slept profoundly, but very long to
Aouda and the others, whose agitation did not permit them to rest.
The next
day was the 12th of December. From seven in the morning of the 12th to
a quarter before nine in the evening of the 21st there were nine days,
thirteen hours, and forty-five minutes. If Phileas Fogg had left in the
China, one of the fastest steamers on the Atlantic, he would have reached
Liverpool, and then London, within the period agreed upon.
Mr. Fogg
left the hotel alone, after giving Passepartout instructions to await his
return, and inform Aouda to be ready at an instant's notice. He proceeded
to the banks of the Hudson, and looked about among the vessels moored or
anchored in the river, for any that were about to depart. Several had departure
signals, and were preparing to put to sea at morning tide; for in this
immense and admirable port there is not one day in a hundred that vessels
do not set out for every quarter of the globe. But they were mostly sailing
vessels, of which, of course, Phileas Fogg could make no use.
He seemed
about to give up all hope, when he espied, anchored at the Battery, a cable's
length off at most, a trading vessel, with a screw, well-shaped, whose
funnel, puffing a cloud of smoke, indicated that she was getting ready
for departure.
Phileas
Fogg hailed a boat, got into it, and soon found himself on board the Henrietta,
iron-hulled, wood-built above. He ascended to the deck, and asked for the
captain, who forthwith presented himself. He was a man of fifty, a sort
of sea-wolf, with big eyes, a complexion of oxidised copper, red hair and
thick neck, and a growling voice.
"The captain?"
asked Mr. Fogg.
"I am
the captain."
"I am
Phileas Fogg, of London."
"And I
am Andrew Speedy, of Cardiff."
"You are
going to put to sea?"
"In an
hour."
"You are
bound for—"
"Bordeaux."
"And your
cargo?"
"No freight.
Going in ballast."
"Have
you any passengers?"
"No passengers.
Never have passengers. Too much in the way."
"Is your
vessel a swift one?"
"Between
eleven and twelve knots. The Henrietta, well known."
"Will
you carry me and three other persons to Liverpool?"
"To Liverpool?
Why not to China?"
"I said
Liverpool."
"No!"
"No?"
"No. I
am setting out for Bordeaux, and shall go to Bordeaux."
"Money
is no object?"
"None."
The captain
spoke in a tone which did not admit of a reply.
"But the
owners of the Henrietta—" resumed Phileas Fogg.
"The owners
are myself," replied the captain. "The vessel belongs to me."
"I will
freight it for you."
"No."
"I will
buy it of you."
"No."
Phileas
Fogg did not betray the least disappointment; but the situation was a grave
one. It was not at New York as at Hong Kong, nor with the captain of the
Henrietta as with the captain of the Tankadere. Up to this time money had
smoothed away every obstacle. Now money failed.
Still,
some means must be found to cross the Atlantic on a boat, unless by balloon—which
would have been venturesome, besides not being capable of being put in
practice. It seemed that Phileas Fogg had an idea, for he said to the captain,
"Well, will you carry me to Bordeaux?"
"No, not
if you paid me two hundred dollars."
"I offer
you two thousand."
"Apiece?"
"Apiece."
"And there
are four of you?"
"Four."
Captain
Speedy began to scratch his head. There were eight thousand dollars to
gain, without changing his route; for which it was well worth conquering
the repugnance he had for all kinds of passengers. Besides, passenger's
at two thousand dollars are no longer passengers, but valuable merchandise.
"I start at nine o'clock," said Captain Speedy, simply. "Are you and your
party ready?"
"We will
be on board at nine o'clock," replied, no less simply, Mr. Fogg.
It was
half-past eight. To disembark from the Henrietta, jump into a hack, hurry
to the St. Nicholas, and return with Aouda, Passepartout, and even the
inseparable Fix was the work of a brief time, and was performed by Mr.
Fogg with the coolness which never abandoned him. They were on board when
the Henrietta made ready to weigh anchor.
When Passepartout
heard what this last voyage was going to cost, he uttered a prolonged "Oh!"
which extended throughout his vocal gamut.
As for
Fix, he said to himself that the Bank of England would certainly not come
out of this affair well indemnified. When they reached England, even if
Mr. Fogg did not throw some handfuls of bank-bills into the sea, more than
seven thousand pounds would have been spent! |