登陆注册
3652000000027

第27章

IN WHICH THE BAG OF BANK-NOTES DISGORGES SOME THOUSANDS OF POUNDS MORE.

The train entered the station,and Passepartout,jumping out first,was followed by Mr Fogg,who assisted his fair companion to descend.Phileas Fogg intended to proceed at once to the Hong Kong steamer,in order to get Aouda comfortably settled for the voyage.He was unwilling to leave her while they were still on dangerous ground.

Just as lie was leaving the station a policeman came up to him,and said,Mr Phileas Fogg?

I am he.

Is this man your servant?added the policeman,pointing to Passepartout.

Yes.

Be so good,both of you,as to follow me.

Mr Fogg betrayed no surprise whatever.The policeman was a representative of the law,and law is sacred to an Englishman.Passepartout tried to reason about the matter,but the policeman tapped him with his stick,and Mr Fogg made him a signal to obey.

May this young lady go with us?asked he.She may,replied the policeman.

Mr Fogg,Aouda and Passepartout were conducted to apalki-gari',a sort of four-wheeled carriage,drawn by two horses,in which they took their places and were driven away.No one spoke during the twenty minutes which elapsed before they reached their destination.They first passed through theblack town',with its narrow streets,its miserable,dirty huts,and squalid population;then through theEuropean town',which presented a relief in its bright brick mansions,shaded by coconut-trees and bristling with masts,where,although it was early morning,elegantly dressed horsemen and handsome equipages were passing back and forth.

The carriage stopped before a modest-looking house,which,however,did not have the appearance of a private mansion.The policeman having requested his prisoners-for so,truly,they might be called-to descend,conducted them into a room with barred windows,and said:You will appear before Judge Obadiah at half-past eight.

He then retired,and closed the door.

Why,we are prisoners!exclaimed Passepartout,falling into a chair.

Aouda,with an emotion she tried to conceal,said to Mr Fogg:Sir,you must leave me to my fate!It is on my account that you receive this treatment;it is for having saved me!

Phileas Fogg contented himself with saying that it was impossible.It was quite unlikely that he should be arrested for preventing a suttee.The complainants would not dare present themselves with such a charge.There was some mistake.Moreover,he would not in any event abandon Aouda,but would escort her to Hong Kong.

But the steamer leaves at noon!observed Passepartout,nervously.

We shall be on board by noon,replied his master,placidly.

It was said so positively,that Passepartout could not help muttering to himself,Parbleu,that's certain!Before noon we shall be on board.'But he was by no means reassured.

At half-past eight the door opened,the policeman appeared,and,requesting them to follow him,led the way to an adjoining hall.It was evidently a court-room,and a crowd of Europeans and natives already occupied the rear of the apartment.

Mr Fogg and his two companions took their places on a bench opposite the desks of the magistrate and his clerk.Immediately after,Judge Obadiah,a fat,round man,followed by the clerk,entered.He proceeded to take down a wig which was hanging on a nail,and put it hurriedly on his head.

The first case,said he;then,putting his hand to his head,he exclaimed,Heh!This is not my wig!

No,your worship,returned the clerk,it is mine.

My dear Mr Oysterpuff,how can a judge give a wise sentence in a clerk's wig?

The wigs were exchanged.

Passepartout was getting nervous,for the hands on the face of the big clock over the judge seemed to go round with terrible rapidity.

The first case,repeated Judge Obadiah.

Phileas Fogg?demanded Oysterpuff.

I am here,replied Mr Fogg.

Passepartout?

Present!responded Passepartout.

Good,said the judge.You have been looked for,prisoners,for two days on the trains from Bombay.

But of what are we accused?asked Passepartout,impatiently.

You are about to be informed.

I am an English subject,sir,said Mr Fogg,and I have the right——

Have you been ill-treated?

Not at all.

Very well;let the complainants come in.

A door was swung open by order of the judge and three Indian priests entered.

That's it,muttered Passepartout;these are the rogues who were going to burn our young lady.

The priests took their places in front of the judge,and the clerk proceeded to read in a loud voice,a complaint of sacrilege against Phileas Fogg and his servant,who were accused of having violated a place held consecrated by the Brahmin religion.

You hear the charge?asked the judge.

Yes,sir,replied Mr Fogg,consulting his watch,and I admit it.

You admit it?

I admit it,and I wish to hear these priests admit,in their turn,what they were going to do at the pagoda of Pillaji.

The priests looked at each other;they did not seem to understand what was said.

Yes,cried Passepartout,warmly;at the pagoda of Pillaji,where they were on the point of burning their victim.

The judge stared with astonishment,and the priests were stupefied.

What victim?said Judge Obadiah.Burn whom?In Bombay itself?

Bombay?cried Passepartout.

同类推荐
  • The Sleeping-Car

    The Sleeping-Car

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Prometheus Bound

    Prometheus Bound

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 佛说大乘庄严宝王经

    佛说大乘庄严宝王经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 道余录

    道余录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • Bob Son of Battle

    Bob Son of Battle

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 大虚空藏菩萨念诵法

    大虚空藏菩萨念诵法

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 灵脉傲神州

    灵脉傲神州

    神州大陆是一个以武为尊的大陆,在这个大陆,实力代表着一切,实力就是公平、实力就是正义、实力就是公理、实力就是天理。可是在神州大陆想要拥有强大的实力,那么就必须要有灵脉,没有灵脉根本就无法修炼,同时灵脉的等级决定着你的天赋、潜力和发展前景,灵脉更是可以产生脉魂,脉魂的强大与否、以及类型决定着一个人的走向。柳亦恒就是出生在这样一个大陆的偏远小城,看他是如何从一个天生绝脉断魂,饱受疾苦,受尽磨难中走出一条属于自己的巅峰之路。天才,在柳亦恒眼里只是一个笑话,那只是他走向辉煌的垫脚石而已,妖孽,在柳亦恒眼里,也只不过是一个短暂的对手,因为他的对手只有一个,那就是他自己。
  • 偶像爱吃糖

    偶像爱吃糖

    作为最爱偶像的死忠粉,池悦茗尾随偶像拍照时,不小心发现了个惊天大秘密,从此一失足成千古恨,与偶像成了一条绳上的蚂蚱,肖予恩觉得自己的助理有点傻,池悦茗也觉得自己的偶像有点傻,两人在比智商的路上越走越远……
  • 时间说它很好

    时间说它很好

    故事的开头总是这样,适逢其会,猝不及防。故事的结局总是这样,花开两朵,天各一方……
  • 成功人

    成功人

    中国历史上最伟大的运动员正热火朝天地在烧烤架前忙活着,把烤好的东西分给客人。他光着膀子,肌肉还保持得不错,汗水沿着脊柱哗哗地流下来。他殷勤地照顾着每一个人,自己并没有吃什么,有人注意到他显得特别亢奋,只是谁也不知道为什么。这位中国最伟大的运动员,能否像福特、西门子、洛克菲勒一样,创造一家以创始人的名字命名的伟大公司?2008年8月3日夜,北京,李宁家里。
  • 活下去之伊芙琳坎贝尔

    活下去之伊芙琳坎贝尔

    活下去,非黑骑士官方小说,纯属剧情改编。
  • 快穿之反派请站住

    快穿之反派请站住

    “统砸,我觉得反派已经看上我了。”....滚,系统怒。花念莫名绑定了某无良系统,被迫开始了攻略反派之路,对此,自认三好公民的花念是拒绝的,然而,在看到反派的那一刻......“统砸,我觉得我可以当你麻麻了。”系统:现在换宿主还来得及吗?/不签约/更新慢/
  • 最能赚钱的9种女人

    最能赚钱的9种女人

    本书有针对性地以女人的性别特征、思维特点、做事方式为基础,科学地总结出最能赚钱的九种女人,对真实的女人成功事例加以深入浅出的精辟分析总结,将她们的成功因素、性格特点、人格魅力全方位展现在您的面前,让女人在吸取力量的同时,也能够冷静地剖析自己,痛定思痛,敢于为自己“刮骨疗毒”,让自己完美至臻。本书将可读性、实用性、有效性深于一体,让每一个女人都能深受启发,没有丝毫假大空之嫌。在这个“她时代”,女人有了大多的空间和余地。生活在这个时代的女人,其“侵略性”不容忽视。她们可以“肆无忌惮”地把目标瞄向任何一个“男人当道”的领域来赚钱,然后凭借实力,留下来和男人一道“平分秋色”!
  • 追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    追妻无门:女boss不好惹

    青涩蜕变,如今她是能独当一面的女boss,爱了冷泽聿七年,也同样花了七年时间去忘记他。以为是陌路,他突然向他表白,扬言要娶她,她只当他是脑子抽风,他的殷勤她也全都无视。他帮她查她父母的死因,赶走身边情敌,解释当初拒绝她的告别,和故意对她冷漠都是无奈之举。突然爆出她父母的死居然和冷家有丝毫联系,还莫名跳出个公爵未婚夫,扬言要与她履行婚约。峰回路转,破镜还能重圆吗? PS:我又开新文了,每逢假期必书荒,新文《有你的世界遇到爱》,喜欢我的文的朋友可以来看看,这是重生类现言,对这个题材感兴趣的一定要收藏起来。
  • 正午时分遇到你

    正午时分遇到你

    主任“同学,你在干什么。”杨梓鑫“嗯,主任,我在系鞋带啊,不知道怎么回事,这鞋带老是开。”主任“我没记错的话,这是三楼,你教室在二楼吧!你一天跑这系五次鞋带。你是路痴吗?”……认识陆轩前,杨梓鑫的人生是……认识陆轩后,杨梓鑫的生活像电视剧。