Page:Works of Jules Verne - Parke - Vol 7.djvu/366

342 But as he had spent in his journey about nineteen thousand, the pecuniary result was small. However, as has been said, the eccentric gentleman had sought in his bet to gain the victory, and not to make money. And even the thousand pounds remaining he divided between Passepartout and the unfortunate Fix, against whom he could not cherish a grudge. Only for the sake of exactness, he retained from his servant the cost of the gas burned through his fault for nineteen hundred and twenty hours.

This very evening Mr. Fogg, as impassible and as phlegmatic as ever, said to Aouda:

"This marriage is still agreeable to you?"

"Mr. Fogg," replied Aouda ,"itAouda, "it [sic] is for me to ask you that question. You were ruined; now you are rich"

"Pardon me, madam; my fortune belongs to you. If you had not thought of the marriage, my servant would not have gone to the house of Rev. Samuel Wilson. I would not have been apprised of my mistake, and"

"Dear Mr. Fogg" said the young woman.

"Dear Aouda," replied Phileas Fogg.

It is readily understood that the marriage took place forty-eight hours later, and Passepartout, superb, resplendent, dazzling, was present as the young woman's witness. Had he not saved her, and did they not owe him that honor?

At daylight the next morning, Passepartout knocked noisily at his master's door.

The door opened, and the impassible gentleman appeared.

"What is the matter, Passepartout?"

"What's the matter, sir! I have just found out this moment"

"What?"

"That we could make the tour of the world in seventy-eight days."

"Doubtless," replied Mr. Fogg, "by not crossing India. But if I had not crossed India, I would not have saved Aouda, she would not be my wife, and"

And Mr. Fogg quietly shut the door.

Thus Phileas Fogg won his bet. In eighty days he had accomplished the tour around the world! To do this he had employed every means of conveyance, steamers, railways, carriages, yachts, merchant vessels, sledges, elephants.