The weather was bad during the latter days of the voyage. The wind, obstinately² remaining in the north-west, blew a gale³, and retarded⁴ the steamer. The `Rangoon' rolled heavily, and the passengers became impatient of the long, monstrous<sup>5</sup> waves which the wind raised before their path. A sort of tempest arose on the 3rd of November, the squall knocking the vessel<sup>6</sup> about with fury, and the waves running high. The `Rangoon' reefed all her sails, and even the rigging proved too much, whistling and shaking amid the squall. The steamer was forced to proceed slowly and the captain estimated that she would reach Hong Kong twenty hours behind time, and more if the storm lasted.

Phileas Fogg gazed at the tempestuous⁷ sea, which seemed to be struggling especially to delay him, with his habitual⁸ tranquility. He never changed countenance⁹ for an instant, though a delay of twenty hours, by making him too late for the Yokohama boat, would almost inevitably¹⁰ cause the loss of the wager¹¹. But this man of nerve manifested neither impatience¹² nor annoyance¹³; it seemed as if the storm were a part of his programme, and had been foreseen. Aouda was amazed to find him as calm as he had been from the first time she saw him.

Fix did not look at the state of things in the same light. The storm greatly pleased him. His satisfaction would have been complete had the `Rangoon' been forced to retreat before the violence of wind and waves. Each delay filled him with hope, for it became more and more probable that Fogg would be obliged to remain some days at Hong Kong; and now the heavens themselves became his allies, with the gusts¹⁴ and squalls. It mattered not that they made him sea-sick he made no account of this inconvenience; and whilst his body was writhing¹⁵ under their effects, his spirit bounded with hopeful exultation¹⁶.

Passepartout was enraged¹⁷ beyond expression by the unpropitious weather. Everything had gone so well till now! Earth and sea had seemed to be at his master's service; steamers and railways obeyed him; wind and steam united to speed his journey. Had the hour of adversity come? Passepartout was as much excited as if the twenty thousand pounds were to come from his own pocket. The storm exasperated¹⁸ him, the gale made him furious, and he longed to lash¹⁹ the obstinate¹ sea into obedience²⁰. Poor fellow! Fix carefully concealed²¹ from him his own satisfaction, for, had he betrayed it, Passepartout could scarcely have restrained himself from personal violence.

Passepartout remained on deck as long as the tempest lasted, being unable to remain quiet below, and taking it into his head to aid the progress of the ship by lending a hand with the crew. He over-whelmed the captain, officers and sailors, who could not help laughing at his impatience, with all sorts of questions. He wanted to know exactly how long the storm was going to last; whereupon he was referred to the barometer²², which seemed to have no intention of rising. Passepartout shook it, but with no perceptible effect; for neither shaking nor maledictions could prevail upon it to change its mind.

On the 4th, however, the sea became more calm, and the storm lessened²³ its violence; the wind veered²⁴ southwards, and was once more favourable²⁵. Passepartout cheered up with the weather. Some of the sails were unfurled, and the `Rangoon' resumed its most rapid speed. The time lost could not, however, be regained²⁶. Land was not signalled until five o'clock on the morning of the 6th; the steamer was due on the 5th. Phileas Fogg was twenty-four hours behind-hand, and the Yokohama steamer would, of course, be missed.

The pilot went on board at six, and took his place on the bridge, to guide the `Rangoon' through the channels to the port of Hong Kong. Passepartout longed to ask him if the steamer had left for Yokohama; but he dared not, for he wished to preserve the spark of hope, which still remained, till the last moment. He had confided²⁷ his anxiety to Fix, who - the sly rascal²⁸! - tried to console him by saying that Mr Fogg would be in time if he took the next boat; but this only put Passepartout in a passion.

Mr Fogg, bolder than his servant, did not hesitate to approach the pilot, and tranquilly²⁹ ask him if he knew when a steamer would leave Hong Kong for Yokohama.

`At high tide tomorrow morning,' answered the pilot.

`Ah!' said Mr Fogg, without betraying any astonishment³⁰.

Passepartout, who heard what passed, would willingly have embraced the pilot, while Fix would have been glad to twist his neck.

`What is the steamer's name?' asked Mr Fogg.

`The "Carnatic".'

`Ought she not to have gone yesterday?'

`Yes, sir; but they had to repair one of her boilers³¹, and so her departure was postponed³² till tomorrow.'

`Thank you,' returned Mr Fogg, descending³³ mathematically to the saloon.

Passepartout clasped the pilot's hand and shook it heartily³⁴ in his delight, exclaiming, `Pilot, you are the best of good fellows!'

The pilot probably does not know to this day why his responses won him this enthusiastic greeting. He remounted the bridge, and guided the steamer through the flotilla of junks, tankas and fishing boats which crowd the harbour of Hong Kong.

At one o'clock the `Rangoon' was at the quay³⁵, and the passengers were going ashore³⁶.

Chance had strangely favoured Phileas Fogg, for, had not the `Carnatic' been forced to lie over for repairing her boilers, she would have left on the 6th of November, and the passengers for Japan would have been obliged to await for a week the sailing of the next steamer. Mr Fogg was, it is true, twenty-four hours behind his time; but this could not seriously imperil the remainder of his tour.

The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connexion with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr Fogg was twenty-four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty-two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty-four hours behindhand, thirty-five days after leaving London.

The `Carnatic' was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.

On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely³⁷ alone.

Mr Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker³⁸, he made the inquiry³⁹, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe - in Holland, the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment's conversation with Aouda, and, without more ado, apprised⁴⁰ her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.

Aouda at first said nothing. She passed her hand across her forehead, and refted a few moments. Then, in her sweet, soft voice, she said: `What ought I to do, Mr Fogg?'

`It is very simple,' responded the gentleman. `Go on to Europe.'

`But I cannot intrude⁴¹--'

`You do not intrude, nor do you in the least embarrass my project. Passepartout!'

`Monsieur.'

`Go to the "Carnatic", and engage three cabins.'

Passepartout, delighted that the young woman, who was very gracious to him, was going to continue the journey with them, went off at a brisk gait to obey his master's order.

在这一次航行的最后几天里，天气相当坏。风愈来愈大，一直在刮西北风，阻扰着仰光号的前进。船身很不稳定，颠簸得非常厉害。这就难怪船上旅客对这海风掀起的恼人大浪怨声载道了。

从11月3号到4号，海上起了暴风雨。狂风凶猛地卷着海浪。这时仰光号只好收起大帆，船身斜顶着海浪前进。在整整半天的时间里，推进器的转动速度只能保持十转。虽然船帆都已经收起，但是海上暴风仍然吹着其他船具，发出尖锐的呼啸。

仰光号的航行速度显然已经大大降低。看情况，到达香港的时间要比预定时间延迟二十小时，如果暴风雨不停的话，甚至还不止二十小时。

斐利亚·福克面对着这个象是和他作对的波涛汹涌的汪洋大海，依然面不改色，连眉头也没有皱一下。但是，要迟到香港二十小时，那就会赶不上开往横滨的客船，就会破坏他的旅行计划，可是这个人就象是一块木头，他一点也没有急躁和烦恼的情绪。好象他在制定旅行计划的时候，早就预料到会有这一场风暴。艾娥达夫人在跟他谈起这个坏天气的时候，发现他完全和往常一样平静。

但是费克斯对于这一场风暴，却另有一种完全不同的看法。他跟别人正好相反，这种坏天气使他非常高兴，如果仰光号碰上飓风必须到靠岸的什么地方躲一躲的话，那他就会觉得这是最大的快乐。不管什么样的耽搁对他都有利，因为这样就会拖住福克在香港多待几天。总算老天作好事，带着狂风巨浪来帮他的忙了。虽然费克斯现在也有点晕船，可是那又有什么关系！呕吐他也不在乎，当他肉体感到晕船的痛苦时，他的精神却感到无限兴奋。

至于路路通，我们可以想象，在这场恼人的暴风雨中，他那种无法抑止的愤怒会达到什么程度。这次旅行直到目前为止沿途都是一帆风顺！陆地和海洋似乎都是忠诚地在为他的主人效劳。火车轮船都服从他主人的需要。海风和蒸汽也都齐心为他的主人出力。难道倒霉的时刻终于要来了吗？路路通觉得这两万英镑的赌注好象要从自己腰包里掏出去似的，他简直再也忍耐不住了。暴雨使他愤怒，狂风使他发疯，他真想用一条鞭子把这个傲慢不驯的大海痛揍一顿！这个可怜的小伙子啊！费克斯在他面前谨慎地隐藏着自己的得意心情。这一点他算是作对了，不然的话，要是被路路通看穿了，他准会吃不了兜着走。

路路通从这场暴风雨开始到结束一直待在仰光号甲板上，他在船舱里一会儿也坐不住；他爬到桅杆顶上，弄得船员们大为惊奇，他灵巧得象个活猴子，什么事都插手帮忙。他还一再地向船长、领班和水手提出各种问题。别人看见这个小伙子毫无耐性，都忍不往要笑起来。可是路路通一定要问清楚这场暴风雨还会继续多久。别人叫他去看晴雨表，可是晴雨表上的水银柱一点也没有上升的意思。路路通抓住睛雨表摇了一阵，水银柱依然不动。不论是摇晃或是咒骂都没能使这个无辜的晴雨表屈服。

风浪终于平息了。11月4号这一天海上情况有了好转。海风变得温顺了，路路通的脸也象天气一样开始晴朗了。大桅帆和小桅帆也可以升起来了，仰光号又重新以飞快的速度前进。但是，失去的时间已经无法追回了。现在必须另想办法，因为仰光号要到6号早晨五点钟才能望见陆地，而斐利亚·福克的旅程表上写的却是5号到达。而他六号才到，也就是迟了二十四小时，到横滨去的船是一定赶不上了。

六点正，引水员上了仰光号，他准备上舰桥领仰光号穿过航道，直到香港港口。

路路通急着想问问这个人，去横滨的船是否已经离开了香港。但是他又不敢问，他想顶好还是保留一点希望一直到香港再说。他把自己的烦恼对费克斯说了，费克斯这个老狐狸想安慰他一番，说福克先生毫无问题会等下一班船去横滨的。可是他没想到这句话会气得路路通大发雷霆。

虽然路路通怕去询问引水员，可是福克先生翻了翻自己的《旅行指南》之后，却若无其事地问引水员可知道什么时候从香港有船开往横滨。

“明天早上涨潮的时候。”引水员说。

“噢！”福克先生“噢”了一声，不过脸上一点惊奇的表情也没有。

路路通这时也在旁边，他简直高兴得想拥抱这位引水员。可是费克斯却恨不得马上把这个人掐死。

“这条船叫什么名字？”福克先生问。

“卡尔纳蒂克。”引水员说。

“这条船不是应该在昨天开吗？”

“是的，先生。但是船上有个锅炉需要修理，所以就改在明天开了。”

“谢谢您。”福克先生说。说完这句话，他就踱着方步走下仰光号客厅去了。

这时路路通赶快上去，紧紧地握着这个引水员的手，一面说：

“引水员，您这个人真太好了！”

不用说，这个引水员一辈子也不会明白为什么他回答了这几句话竟会博得这样热情的感激。

一声哨响，引水员走上了舰桥。他领着仰光号从这条拥挤着各种木船、汽艇、渔船以及其他船只的香港航道中穿行。

11月6日下午一点钟，仰光号靠了码头，旅客们纷纷下船。

应该承认，这种意外的情况对于福克先生是特别有利的，如果卡尔纳蒂克号不是要修理锅炉的话，它在11月5号就已经开走了。那么，要去日本的旅客就只好再等八天坐下一班船了。不错，福克先生是迟到了二十四小时，但这次耽搁还不至于严重地影响他下一阶段的旅行计划。

实际上，由横滨横渡太平洋到旧金山去的客船是和香港去日本的客船衔接着的。横滨的船不可能在香港的船未到达之前就开往旧金山。显然，横滨开船的时间也会相应地向后顺延二十四小时。但是这二十四小时的耽搁，关系并不大，因为在横渡太平洋的二十二天航行中，是很容易把这二十四小时的损失找回来的。

斐利亚·福克先生从伦敦出发这三十五天以来，除了这二十四小时以外，都是按计划完成的。

卡尔纳蒂克号要到明天早上五点钟才开。福克先生还可以有十六小时来办一些自己的事情，也就是说替艾娥达夫人找那位亲戚。一下了船，福克先生就让艾娥达夫人挽着自己的胳臂，一同向一抬双人轿子走去，福克先生问轿夫有什么好旅馆。轿夫告诉他说有一个俱乐部大饭店。他们便坐上了双人轿。路路通在后面跟着，二十分钟之后，他们就到了俱乐部大饭店。

福克先生替艾娥达夫人订了一套房间，并且叫人为她预备了一切她所需要的东西。然后他对艾娥达夫人说他马上去找她那位亲戚，找到了就把艾娥达夫人留在香港请那位亲戚照顾她。同时他吩咐路路通在他回来之前不要离开俱乐部大饭店，以免艾娥达夫人一个人没人照顾。

福克先生让人引他到了交易所。那里人们总不会不知道这位香港富商尊贵的杰吉先生。

福克先生询问了一位经纪人，果然那人认识这位帕西富商。可是他说这位帕西商人离开中国已经两年了。他钱已经赚够了，把家搬到欧洲去了，大概是搬到荷兰去了，因为他过去在香港的时候，一直是和荷兰商人来往的。

斐利亚·福克又回到了俱乐部大饭店。他立即叫人告诉艾娥达夫人希望跟她谈一下。他很简单地告诉艾娥达夫人说：据了解尊贵的杰吉先生已经不住在香港，可能是搬到荷兰去了。

艾娥达听了这话，开始，一声不响，后来她用手摸了摸自己的前额，想了一会儿，轻轻地说：

“您说我该怎么办呢，福克先生？”

“这很简单，”福克说，“到欧洲去。”

“可是我怕会妨碍您……”

“您一点也不会妨碍，您跟我们在一起，对我的旅行计划毫无影响。路路通！”

“我在听您吩咐，先生！”路路通说。

“到卡尔纳蒂克号去订三个舱位。”

路路通立即走出了俱乐部大饭店，他非常高兴能继续跟艾娥达夫人一块儿旅行，因为她待人很好。

上一篇：八十天环游地球（AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS）-17 下一篇：八十天环游地球（AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS）-19