登陆注册
12109200000009

第9章

IN WHICH FIX,THE DETECTIVE,BETRAYS A VERY NATURAL IMPATIENCE.

The circumstances under which this telegraphic despatch about Phileas Fogg was sent were as follows:——

The steamerMongolia',belonging to the Peninsular and Oriental Company,built of iron,of two thousand eight hundred tons burden,and five hundred horse-power,was due at eleven o'clock a.m.on Wednesday,the 9th of October,at Suez.TheMongolia'plied regularly between Brindisi and Bombay via the Suez Canal,and was one of the fastest steamers belonging to the company,always making more than ten knots an hour between Brindisi and Suez,and nine and a half between Suez and Bombay.

Two men were promenading up and down the wharves,among the crowd of natives and strangers who were sojourning at this once straggling village-now,thanks to the enterprise of M.Lesseps,a fast-growing town.One was the British consul at Suez,who,despite the prophecies of the English Government,and the unfavourable predictions of Stephenson,was in the habit of seeing,from his office window,English ships daily passing to and fro on the great canal,by which the old roundabout route from England to India by the Cape of Good Hope was abridged by at least a half.The other was a small,slight-built personage,with a nervous,intelligent face,and bright eyes peering out from under eyebrows which he was incessantly twitching.He was just now manifesting unmistakable signs of impatience,nervously pacing up and down,and unable to stand still for a moment.This was Fix,one of the detectives who had been despatched from England in search of the bank robber;it was his task to narrowly watch every passenger who arrived at Suez,and to follow up all who seemed to be suspicious characters,or bore a resemblance to the deion of the criminal,which he had received two days before from the police headquarters at London.The detective was evidently inspired by the hope of obtaining the splendid reward which would be the prize of success,and awaited with a feverish impatience,easy to understand,the arrival of the steamerMongolia'.

So you say,consul,asked he for the twentieth time,that this steamer is never behind time?

No,Mr Fix,replied the consul.She was bespoken yesterday at Port Said,and the rest of the way is of no account to such a craft.I repeat that theMongolia'has been in advance of the time required by the company's regulations,and gained the prize awarded for excess of speed.

Does she come directly from Brindisi?

Directly from Brindisi;she takes on the Indian mails there,and she left there Saturday at five p.m.Have patience,Mr Fix;she will not be late.But really I don't see how,frthe deion you have,you will be able to recognize your man,even if he is on board the'Mongolia。'

A man rather feels the presence of these fellows,consul,than recognizes them.You must have a scent for them,and a scent is like a sixth sense which combines hearing,seeing and smelling.I've arrested more than one of these gentlemen in my time,and if my thief is on board,I'll answer for it,he'll not slip through my fingers.

I hope so,Mr Fix,for it was a heavy robbery.

A magnificent robbery,consul;fifty-five thousand pounds!We don't often have such windfalls.Burglars are getting to be so contemptible nowadays!A fellow gets hung for a handful of shillings!

Mr Fix,said the consul,I like your way of talking,and hope you'll succeed;but I fear you will find it far from easy.Don't you see,the deion which you have there has a singular resemblance to an honest man?

同类推荐
  • Philebus

    Philebus

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • We Two

    We Two

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 素女经

    素女经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 佛说俱枳罗陀罗尼经

    佛说俱枳罗陀罗尼经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
  • 荣枯鉴

    荣枯鉴

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。
热门推荐
  • 末日训练营

    末日训练营

    旧日的繁华都城今已成荒漠中的遗迹,常顾本以为自己是世上最后一个人类,风沙之中,却突然走出了一个人影。“会找水源,会用枪,能猎杀异兽,还知道做成肉干慢慢儿吃……小伙子你不错啊。”来人检阅了属于少年的地盘,对他耸耸肩膀,“可惜又是孤苦伶仃一个人,一把年纪重新学说话……唉,幸好我只管找人,不管后续。”“你可能对我有所误会……”常顾端着枪,枪口指着这个家伙,声音嘶哑但冷静,十分犀利地指出对方的谬误,“我不仅听得懂人话,还他妈会说。”“……还懂骂人啊?呦,稀罕了。”---说明---与其让大家看到后面发现雷点弃文,不如先做说明:此文不种马,不后宫,甚至未必让主角谈恋爱,大致就是冒险揭秘、拓展地图冒险揭秘。
  • 叫你别说话

    叫你别说话

    诸君,下面请允许我做一下自我介绍:我是这本书,恩,不是猥琐的作者,也不是闷骚的主角,我是将要迷倒万千读者的、玉树临风的、风……主角:……作者:……主角:抱歉,我不该让这本书说话。作者:……我能理解,毕竟要水上几百万字,想不成话唠都难。主角:那简介谁做?作者:我们一人跟读者说一句吧,你先来。主角:不看一枪毙了你!作者:喂喂!你这么说谁会看啊,读者都被你吓跑了,语气要温柔才对。主角:求你看,不然人家一枪毙了你哦!作者:说好的温柔呢?这就是你求人的态度吗?为什么结尾要加个“哦”?重点是简介!简介啊!!算了,还是我来吧……作者:亲,在吗?您的快递(本书)请注意查收,柜号为492115423~主角:……
  • 恰逢相识

    恰逢相识

    林源:有时候想想我的前27年真的太过单调,不断地发现和追逐,以为这辈子就会这样一直孤独下去,还好,遇见了这个人。苏起:我知道,看见那个人的时候,我终于愿意相信所谓的缘分,不过既然遇到就——不能再放过
  • 可恶校草我要向你宣战

    可恶校草我要向你宣战

    慕容易,我凌之婷要向你宣战,你敢接受吗?
  • 天地荡魔志

    天地荡魔志

    千万年之前,一位年轻人创下了轰轰烈烈的大事业。他是千年不遇的天纵奇才,嫉恶如仇,以除魔为己任,统领仙道数百名高手,一日之间荡平魔道,奠定了仙道万年的基业。遂被后人崇拜,誉为仙道开创老祖,享受一代代的香火供奉。千万年后,仙道衰微,魔道猖獗。缓缓转动的命运之轮,落到了小村少年东方耀的身上,从此,一段波澜壮阔、纵横三界的修仙之旅,徐徐展开……
  • 代码魔法程序猿

    代码魔法程序猿

    五年前,异界人带着强大的魔法入侵发起大战,在最后关头,人类用代码魔法力挽狂澜。故事,讲述的是一个和战争好像没有半毛钱关系的稍微有些代码魔法程序猿到处坑人的故事。
  • 女神是怎么养成的

    女神是怎么养成的

    个普通的女孩刘晓风,却受到了全班最帅男生的亲睐。她的性格温和,从不主动,可是为什么却越走越远?到底是有情还是无意?后来的孤单却碰上了人际大危机,从小便是不善交际的她,怎么相处?难道只能受欺负?那个蜕变之夏,她迷上了一个歌手,和她同年龄。她努力地去改变自己,用三个月,美白,瘦身,练歌,她希望有一天,可以让少年看到自己。只因为,那个少年,在她的梦中。曾经的暧昧对象到头来却与她做朋友,一起上艺校,他为了她,她却为了他。终于如愿以偿,可是为什么她心中的偶像却不是梦中的那样子。她还是喜欢他。走到最后,一个是她爱的,一个是爱她的,又该如何选择?那纯纯的青春。那些年的事情,那个令你心动的人,你还记得吗?
  • 独尊霸宠:废材小姐太逆天

    独尊霸宠:废材小姐太逆天

    一朝夕的狗血穿越,她,封雪灵穿越到封家废材大小姐的身上,初次睁眸,锋芒尽显:天生废材体质?那她一跃五级又怎么说?说姐无才无能?琴棋书画样样精通!丹药珍贵?信不信我一大把一大把丹药都能把你打成残废!说姐没有灵兽?四大神兽给我当坐骑,你信吗?可身边这位笑得欠揍的男子是肿么回事?新婚夜篇:“娘子,让为夫好好伺候你,如何?”某个妖孽男子笑得很欠揍,说道,封雪灵气急,一拳便抡了过去,喊道:"君临天,你滚!“契约篇:封雪灵指尖的血流入青龙口内,封雪灵大惊,说道;“你这是做什么?“青龙笑的很灿烂,说道:”我要永远在你身边!无论是生是死,只求陪在你身边。“
  • 都市突变:少将一百次说爱

    都市突变:少将一百次说爱

    没有丧尸没有恶魔,当都市突变,人拥有异能,犯罪,杀戮,挣扎,是沉浮堕落还是逆流而上。少女蕾蕾意外得异能,拒绝一切伤害与剥夺牛逼又废材能力,从而被所有人追杀的苦逼生活。
  • 金箓祈祷早朝仪

    金箓祈祷早朝仪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。