Chapter 11

           Thetrainhadstartedpunctually.Amongthepassengerswereanumberofofficers,Governmentofficials,andopiumandindigomerchants,whosebusinesscalledthemtotheeasterncoast. Passepartoutrodeinthesamecarriagewithhismaster,andathirdpassengeroccupiedaseatoppositetothem.ThiswasSirFrancisCromarty,oneofMr.Fogg’swhistpartnersontheMongolia,nowonhiswaytojoinhiscorpsatBenares. SirFranciswasatall,fairmanoffifty,whohadgreatlydistinguishedhimselfinthelastSepoyrevolt.HemadeIndiahishome,onlypayingbriefvisitstoEnglandatrareintervals;andwasalmostasfamiliarasanativewiththecustoms,history,andcharacterofIndiaanditspeople. ButPhileasFogg,whowasnottravelling,butonlydescribingacircumference,tooknopainstoinquireintothesesubjects;hewasasolidbody,traversinganorbitaroundtheterrestrialglobe,accordingtothelawsofrationalmechanics. HewasatthismomentcalculatinginhismindthenumberofhoursspentsincehisdeparturefromLondon,and,haditbeeninhisnaturetomakeauselessdemonstration,wouldhaverubbedhishandsforsatisfaction. SirFrancisCromartyhadobservedtheoddityofhistravellingcompanionalthoughtheonlyopportunityhehadforstudyinghimhadbeenwhilehewasdealingthecards,andbetweentworubbersandquestionedhimselfwhetherahumanheartreallybeatbeneaththiscoldexterior,andwhetherPhileasFogghadanysenseofthebeautiesofnature.Thebrigadier-generalwasfreetomentallyconfessthat,ofalltheeccentricpersonshehadevermet,nonewascomparabletothisproductoftheexactsciences. 

           PhileasFogghadnotconcealedfromSirFrancishisdesignofgoingroundtheworld,northecircumstancesunderwhichhesetout;andthegeneralonlysawinthewagerauselesseccentricityandalackofsoundcommonsense. Inthewaythisstrangegentlemanwasgoingon,hewouldleavetheworldwithouthavingdoneanygoodtohimselforanybodyelse. 

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