In which Phileas Fogg has an expensive conversation
Phileas Fogg took his usual five hundred and seventy six steps to the Reform club, and went at once to his breakfast. He followed this by reading various newspapers until dinner. After dinner, he was joined by his usual partners at whist-Andrew Stuart the engineer, John Sullivan and Samuel Fallantin the bankers, Thomas Flanagan, and Gauthier Ralph, Director of the Bank of England.
They discussed the latest news, which was a robbery at the Bank of England. A pack of banknotes worth about fifty-five thousand pounds had been stolen from the cashier's table. All the newspapers and clubs were abuzz with the news.
Fogg and his friends were arguing about where the thief could have possibly escaped with the loot, and this soon turned into a lively discussion on how soon a man could go around the world.
"Ralph, you claim that you can go around the world in three months"
"In eighty days," interrupted Fogg.
"But that doesn't take into account bad weather, accidents, shipwrecks and so on," argued Stuart.
"In eighty days, all included," said Fogg calmly.
"My goodness!" said Stuart. "I would wager four thousand pounds that such a journey is impossible."
"Quite possible, theoretically and practically," replied Fogg.
"Well, make it, then, this journey in eighty days! challenged Stuart, who had become very agitated by now.
"All right," said Fogg. "I have a deposit of twenty thousand pounds, which I will risk. I will bet this money against anyone who wishes, that I will make a tour of the world in eighty days or less, in nineteen hundred and twenty hours. Do you accept?"
"We accept!" said Stuart, Fallantin, Sullivan, Flanagan and Ralph.
"Good", said Fogg. "I shall leave this very evening. Today is Wednesday, the second of October, and I shall return to London, to this room, on Saturday the twenty-first of December, at a quarter before nine o'clock, or else the twenty thousand pounds will belong to you."
An agreement was drawn up and signed. Phileas Fogg calmly finished his game, won twenty guineas, and left the club at half-past seven.
"Ralph, you claim that you can go around the world in three months"
"In eighty days," interrupted Fogg.
"But that doesn't take into account bad weather, accidents, shipwrecks and so on," argued Stuart.
"In eighty days, all included," said Fogg calmly.
"My goodness!" said Stuart. "I would wager four thousand pounds that such a journey is impossible."
"Quite possible, theoretically and practically," replied Fogg.
"Well, make it, then, this journey in eighty days! challenged Stuart, who had become very agitated by now.
"All right," said Fogg. "I have a deposit of twenty thousand pounds, which I will risk. I will bet this money against anyone who wishes, that I will make a tour of the world in eighty days or less, in nineteen hundred and twenty hours. Do you accept?"
"We accept!" said Stuart, Fallantin, Sullivan, Flanagan and Ralph.
"Good", said Fogg. "I shall leave this very evening. Today is Wednesday, the second of October, and I shall return to London, to this room, on Saturday the twenty-first of December, at a quarter before nine o'clock, or else the twenty thousand pounds will belong to you."
An agreement was drawn up and signed. Phileas Fogg calmly finished his game, won twenty guineas, and left the club at half-past seven.
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