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re counted the richest native merchants of Bombay … were celebrating a sort of religious carnival； with processions and shows； in the midst of which Indian dancing…girls； clothed in rose…coloured gauze； looped up with gold and silver； danced airily； but with perfect modesty； to the sound of viols and the clanging of tambourines。 It is needless to say that Passepartout watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes and gaping mouth； and that his countenance was that of the greenest booby imaginable。
Unhappily for his master； as well as himself； his curiosity drew him unconsciously farther off than he intended to go。 At last； having seen the Parsee carnival wind away in the distance； he was turning his steps towards the station； when he happened to espy the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill； and was seized with an irresistible desire to see its interior。 He was quite ignorant that it is forbidden to Christians to enter certain Indian temples； and that even the faithful must not go in without first leaving their shoes outside the door。 It may be said here that the wise policy of the British Government severely punishes a disregard of the practices of the native religions。
Passepartout； however； thinking no harm； went in like a simple tourist； and was soon lost in admiration of the splendid Brahmin ornamentation which everywhere met his eyes； when of a sudden he found himself sprawling on the sacred flagging。 He looked up to behold three enraged priests； who forthwith fell upon him； tore off his shoes； and began to beat him with loud； savage exclamations。 The agile Frenchman was soon upon his feet again； and lost no time in knocking down two of his long…gowned adversaries with his fists and a vigorous application of his toes； then； rushing out of the pagoda as fast as his legs could carry him； he soon escaped the third priest by mingling with the crowd in the streets。
At five minutes before eight； Passepartout； hatless； shoeless； and having in the squabble lost his package of shirts and shoes； rushed breathlessly into the station。
Fix； who had followed Mr Fogg to the station； and saw that he was really going to leave Bombay； was there； upon the platform。 He had resolved to follow the supposed robber to Calcutta； and farther； if necessary。 Passepartout did not observe the detective； who stood in an obscure comer； but Fix heard him relate his adventures in a few words to Mr Fogg。
‘I hope that this will not happen again；' said Phileas Fogg； coldly； as he got into the train。 Poor Passepartout； quite crestfallen； followed his master without a word。 Fix was on the point of entering another carriage； when an idea struck him which induced him to alter his plan。
‘No； I'll stay；' muttered he。 ‘An offence has been committed on Indian soil。 I've got my man。'
Just then the locomotive gave a sharp screech； and the train passed out into the darkness of the night。
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CHAPTER XI
IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG SECURES A CURIOUS MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AT A FABULOUS PRICE。
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The train had started punctually。 Among the passengers were a number of officers； Government officials； and opium and indigo merchants； whose business called them to the eastern coast。 Passepartout rode in the same carriage with his master； and a third passenger ocomupied a seat opposite to them。 This was Sir Francis Cromarty； one of Mr Fogg's whist partners on the ‘Mongolia'； now on his way to join his corps at Benares。 Sir Francis was a tall； fair man of fifty； who had greatly distinguished himself in the last Sepoy revolt。 He made India his homer only paying brief visits to England at rare intervals； and war almost as familiar as a native with the customs； history and character of India and its people。 But Phileas Fogg； who was not travelling； but only describing a circumference； took no pains to inquire into these subjects； he was a solid body； traversing an orbit around the terrestrial globe； acomording to the laws of rational mechanics。 He was at this moment calculating in his mind the number of hours spent since his departure from London； and； had it been in his nature to make a useless demonstration； would have rubbed his hands for satisfaction。 Sir Francis Cromarty had observed the oddity of his travelling companion … although the only opportunity he had for studying him had been while he was dealing the cards； and between two rubbers … and questioned himself whether a human heart really beat beneath this cold exterior； and whether Phileas Fogg had any sense of the beauties of nature。 The brigadier…general was free to mentally confess； that； of all the ecomentric persons he had ever met； none was comparable to this product of the exact sciences。
Phileas Fogg had not concealed from Sir Francis his design of going round the world； nor the circumstances under which he set out； and the general only saw in the wager a useless ecomentricity and a lack of sound common sense。 In the way this strange gentleman was going on； he would leave the world without having done any good to himself or anybody else。
An hour after leaving Bombay the train had passed the viaducts and the island Salcette； and had got into the open country。 At Callyan they reached the junction of the branch line which descends towards southeastern India by Kandallah and Pounah； and； passing Pauwell； they entered the defiles of the mountains； with their basalt bases； and their summits crowned with thick and verdant forests。 Phileas Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty exchanged a few words from time to time； and now Sir Francis； reviving the conversation； observed； ‘Some years ago； Mr Fogg； you would have met with a delay at this point which would probably have lost you your wager。'
‘How so； Sir Francis？'
‘Because the railway stopped at the base of these mountains； which the passengers were obliged to cross in palanquins or on ponies to Kandallah； on the other side。'
‘Such a delay would not have deranged my plans in the least；' said Mr Fogg。 ‘I have constantly foreseen the likelihood of certain obstacles。'
‘But； Mr Fogg；' pursued Sir Francis； ‘you run the risk of having some difficulty about this worthy fellow's adventure at the pagoda。' Passepartout； his feet comfortably wrapped in his travelling…blanket； was sound asleep； and did not dream that anybody was talking about him。 The Government is very severe upon that kind of offence。 It takes particular care that the religious customs of the Indians should be respected； and if your servant were caught……'
‘Very well； Sir Francis；' replied Mr Fogg； ‘if he had been caught he would have been condemned and punished； and then would have quietly returned to Europe。 I don't see how this affair could have delayed his master。'
The conversation fell again。 During the night the train left the mountains behind； and passed Nassik； and the next day proceeded over the flat； well…cultivated country of the khandeish； with its straggling villages； above which rose the minarets of the pagodas。 This fertile territory is watered by numerous small rivers and limpid streams； mostly tributaries of the Godavery。
Passepartout； on waking and looking out； could not realize that he was actually crossing India in a railway train。 The locomotive； guided by an English engineer and fed with English coal； threw out its smoke upon cotton； coffee； nutmeg； clove and pepper plantations； while the steam curled in spirals around groups of palm…trees； in the midst of which were seen picturesque bungalows； viharis （a sort of abandoned monasteries）； and marvellous temples enriched by the exhaustless ornamentation of Indian architecture。 Then they came upon vast tracts extending to the horizon； with jungles inhabited by snakes and tigers； which fled at the noise of the train； sucomeeded by forests penetrated by the railway； and still haunted by elephants which； with pensive eyes； gazed at the train as it passed。 The travellers crossed； beyond Malligaum； the fatal country so often stained with blood by the sectaries of the goddess Kali。 Not far off rose Ellora； with its graceful pagodas； and the famous Aurungabad； capital of the ferocious Aureng…Zeb； now the chief town of one of the detached provinces of the kingdom of the Nizam。 It was thereabouts that Feringhea； the Thuggee chief； king of the stranglers； held his sway。 These ruffians； united by a secret bond； strangled victims of every age in honour of the goddess Death； without ever shedding blood； there was a period when this part of the country could scarcely be travelled over without corpses being found in every direction。 The English Government has sucomeeded in greatly diminishing these murders； though the Thuggees still exist； and pursue the exercise of their horrible rites。
At half…past twelve the train stopped at Burhampoor； where Passepartout was able to purchase some Indian slippers； ornamented with false pearls； in which； with evident vanity； he proceeded to incase his feet。 The travellers made a hasty breakfast and started off for Assurghur； after skirting for a little the banks of the small river Tapty； which empties into the Gulf of Cambray； near Surat。
Passepartout was now plunged into absorbing reverie。 Up to his arrival at Bombay； he had entertained hopes that their journey would end there； but now that they were plainly whirling across India at full speed； a sudden change had come over the spirit of his dreams。 His old vagabond nature returned to him； the fantastic ideas of his youth once more took possession of him。 He carne to regard his master's project as intended in good earnest； believed in the reality of the bet； and therefore in the tour of the worlds and the necessity of making it without fail within the designated period。 Already he began to worry about possible delays； and acomidents which might happen on the way。 He recognized himself as being personally interested in the wager； and trembled at the thought that he might have been the means of losing it by his unpardonable folly of the night before。 Being much less cool…headed than Mr Fogg； he was much more restless； counting and recounting the days passed over； uttering maledictions when the train stopped； and acomusing it of sluggishness； and mentally blaming Mr Fogg for not having bribed the engineer。 The worthy fellow was ignorant that； while it was possible by such means to hasten the rate of a steamer； it could not be done on the railway。
The train entered the defiles of the Sutpour Mountains； which separate the Khandeish from Bundelcund； towards evening。 The next day Sir Francis Cromarty asked Passepartout what time it was； to which； on consulting his watch； he replied that it was three in the morning。 This famous timepiece； always regulated on the Greenwich meridian； which was now some seventy…seven degrees westward； was at least four hours slow。 Sir Francis corrected Passepartout's time； whereupon the latter made the same remark that he had done to Fix； and upon the general insisting that the watch should be regulated in each new meridian； since he was constantly going east…ward； that is in the face of the sun； and therefore the days were shorter by four minutes for each degree gone over； Passepartout obstinately refused to alter his watch； which he kept at London time。 It was an innocent delusion which could harm no one。
The train stopped； at eight o'clock； in the midst of a glade some fifteen miles beyond Rothal； where there were several bungalows and workmen's cabins。
The conductor； passing along the carriages； shouted； ‘Passengers will get out here！'
Phileas Fogg looked at Sir Francis Cromarty for an explanation； but the general could not tell what meant a halt in the midst of this forest of dates and acacias。
Passepartout； not less surprised； rushed out and speedily returned； crying： ‘Monsieur； no more railway！'
‘What do you mean？' asked Sir Francis。
‘I mean to say that the train isn't going on。'
The general at once stepped out； while Phileas Fogg calmly followed him； and they proceeded together to the conductor。
‘Where are we？' asked Sir Francis。
‘At the hamlet of Kholby。'
‘Do we stop here？'
‘Certainly。 The railway isn't finished。'
‘What！ not finished？'
‘No。 There's still a matt