Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 7.djvu/362

 assembled in the grand saloon of the Reform Club. The two bankers, John Sullivan and Samuel Fallentin, the engineer Andrew Stuart, Gauthier Ralph, the directors of the Bank of England, and the brewer, Thomas Flanagan, all waited with anxiety.

At the moment that the clock in the grand saloon indicated twenty-five minutes past eight, Andrew Stuart, rising, said:

"Gentleman, in twenty minutes the time agreed upon between Mr. Phileas Fogg and ourselves will have expired."

"At what hour did the last train arrive from Liverpool?" asked Thomas Flanagan.

"At twenty-three minutes after seven," replied Gauthier Ralph, "and the next train does not arrive until ten minutes after twelve, midnight."

"Well, gentlemen," continued Andrew Stuart, "if Phileas Fogg had arrived in the train at twenty-three minutes after seven, he would already be here. We can then consider we have won the bet."

"Let us wait before deciding," replied Samuel Fallentin.

"You know that our colleague is an oddity of the first order. His exactness in everything is well known. He never arrives too late or too soon, and he will appear here at the very last minute, or I shall be very much surprised."

"And I," said Andrew Stewart, who was, as always, very nervous, "would not believe it was he even if I saw him."

"In fact," replied Thomas Flanagan, "Phileas Fogg's project was a senseless one. However exact he might be, he could not prevent the occurrence of inevitable delays, and a delay of but two or three days would be sufficient to compromise the tour."

"You will notice besides," added John Sullivan, "that we have received no news from our colleague, and yet telegraph lines were not wanting upon his route."

"Gentlemen, he has lost," replied Andrew Stuart, "he has lost a hundred times! You know, besides, that the China—the only steamer from New York that he could take for Liverpool to be of any use to him—arrived yesterday. Now, here is the list of passengers, published by the Shipping Gazette, and the name of Phileas Fogg is not among them. Admitting the most favorable chances, our