In which a New Kind of Investment appears on the Stock Exchange.
When Phileas Fogg quitted London, he had no doubt that his departure
would create a great sensation. The report of the bet spread from the
club to outsiders, and so to all the newspapers in the United Kingdom.
This question of going round the world in eighty days was commented
upon, discussed, and dissected, and argued as much as the Alabama
Claims had been. Some agreed with Phileas Fogg, but the majority were
against him. To accomplish the tour in fact was an impossibility,
under the present system of communication. It was sheer madness.
_The Times_, _The Standard_, _The Morning Chronicle_, and twenty other
respectable journals gave their verdict against Mr. Fogg. _The Daily
Telegraph_ was the only paper that to a certain extent supported him.
Phileas Fogg was generally looked upon as a maniac, and his friends at
the Reform Club were much blamed for having taken up the wager, which
only betrayed the want of brain of its proposer.
Extremely passionate but logical articles were written upon the
question. We all know the interest that the English take in any
geographical problem, and readers of every class devoured the columns
in which Mr. Fogg's expedition was debated.
For the first few days some bold spirits, principally women, espoused
his cause, particularly when _The Illustrated London News_ published
his portrait, and certain gentlemen went so far as to say: "Well, why
should he not after all? More extraordinary things have happened."
These were chiefly readers of _The Daily Telegraph_, but they very
soon felt that that journal itself began to waver.
On the 7th of October a long article appeared in the proceedings of
the Royal Geographical Society, the writer of which treated the
question from all points of view, and clearly demonstrated the
futility of the enterprise. According to that article, everything was
against the traveller--all obstacles material and physical were
against him. In order to succeed, it was necessary to admit miraculous
concordance in the hours of the arrival and departure of trains and
ships--a concordance which could not and did not exist. In Europe
perhaps he might be able to reckon upon the punctuality of trains, but
when three days are occupied in crossing India, and seven in
traversing the American continent, how was it possible that he could
count upon absolute success? Were not accidents to machinery, runnings
off the rails, collisions, bad weather, or snowdrifts all against
Phileas Fogg? On board ship in winter-time he would be at the mercy of
hurricanes or contrary winds. Even the best steamers of the
transoceanic lines experience a delay of sometimes two or three days.
Now, if only one such delay occurred, the chain of communication would
be irreparably severed. If Phileas Fogg lost a steamer by only a few
hours, he would be obliged to wait for the following boat; and that
fact alone would imperil the success of the whole undertaking.
This article made a great sensation. It was copied into almost all the
papers, and the "shares" of Phileas Fogg fell in proportion.
For the first few days after his departure a good deal of money was
laid on the success or failure of the enterprise. Everyone knows that
people in England are great gamblers; it comes natural to them. So the
public all went into the speculation. Phileas Fogg became a sort of
favourite, as in horse-racing. He was of a certain value on the Stock
Exchange. Fogg bonds were offered at par or at a premium, and enormous
speculations were entered into. But five days after his departure,
subsequently to the appearance of the article above quoted, the bonds
were at a discount, and they were offered to anybody who would take
them.
One supporter was still left to him, and that the paralytic Lord
Albemarle. This worthy gentleman, who was unable to leave his chair,
would have given his whole fortune to have made the tour of the world,
even in ten years, and he had laid fifty thousand pounds on Phileas
Fogg; and when people explained to him at the same time the folly and
uselessness of the expedition, he would merely reply: "If the thing
can be done, the first man to do it ought to be an Englishman."
Now as things were, the partisans of Phileas Fogg were becoming fewer
by degrees and beautifully less. Everybody, and not without reason,
was against him. People would only take fifty or even two hundred to
one, when, seven days after his departure, a quite unexpected incident
deprived him of support at any price. In fact, at nine o'clock on the
evening of the seventh day, the Chief Inspector of Metropolitan Police
received the following telegram:
"From Fix, Detective, Suez,
To Rowan, Commissioner of Police, Scotland Yard.
I have traced the bank-robber, Phileas Fogg. Send immediately
authority for arrest to Bombay.--Fix."
The effect of this despatch was immediately apparent. The honourable
man gave place to the "bank-robber." His photograph, deposited in the
Reform Club with those of other members, was narrowly scrutinised. It
appeared to be, feature by feature, the very man whose description had
been already furnished to the police. People now began to recollect
Fogg's mysterious manner, his solitary habits, and his sudden
departure. He must be the culprit, and it was evident that under the
pretext of a voyage round the world, under shelter of a ridiculous
bet, he had no other end in view but to throw the detectives off the
scent.