Chapter 16

           TheRangoononeofthePeninsularandOrientalCompany’sboatsplyingintheChineseandJapaneseseaswasascrewsteamer,builtofiron,weighingaboutseventeenhundredandseventytons,andwithenginesoffourhundredhorse-power.Shewasasfast,butnotaswellfittedup,astheMongolia,andAoudawasnotascomfortablyprovidedforonboardofherasPhileasFoggcouldhavewished.However,thetripfromCalcuttatoHongKongonlycomprisedsomethreethousandfivehundredmiles,occupyingfromtentotwelvedays,andtheyoungwomanwasnotdifficulttoplease.

           DuringthefirstdaysofthejourneyAoudabecamebetteracquaintedwithherprotector,andconstantlygaveevidenceofherdeepgratitudeforwhathehaddone.Thephlegmaticgentlemanlistenedtoher,apparentlyatleast,withcoldness,neitherhisvoicenorhismannerbetrayingtheslightestemotion;butheseemedtobealwaysonthewatchthatnothingshouldbewantingtoAouda’scomfort.Hevisitedherregularlyeachdayatcertainhours,notsomuchtotalkhimself,astositandhearhertalk.Hetreatedherwiththestrictestpoliteness,butwiththeprecisionofanautomaton,themovementsofwhichhadbeenarrangedforthispurpose.Aoudadidnotquiteknowwhattomakeofhim,thoughPassepartouthadgivenhersomehintsofhismaster’seccentricity,andmadehersmilebytellingherofthewagerwhichwassendinghimroundtheworld.Afterall,sheowedPhileasFoggherlife,andshealwaysregardedhimthroughtheexaltingmediumofhergratitude.

           AoudaconfirmedtheParseeguide’snarrativeofhertouchinghistory.Shedid,indeed,belongtothehighestofthenativeracesofIndia.ManyoftheParseemerchantshavemadegreatfortunestherebydealingincotton;andoneofthem,SirJametseeJeejeebhoy,wasmadeabaronetbytheEnglishgovernment.Aoudawasarelativeofthisgreatman,anditwashiscousin,Jeejeeh,whomshehopedtojoinatHongKong.

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