In which Passe-partout cannot make anyone listen to the Language of
Reason.
The train leaving Salt Lake and Ogden Station went on northwards as
far as Weber River, about nine hundred miles from San Francisco; from
this point it turned to the west across the Wahsatch range. It was in
this part of the State that the American engineers had found the
greatest difficulty. In this portion of the line also the Government
subsidy had been raised to forty-eight thousand dollars a mile,
instead of the sixteen thousand dollars a mile on the plains; but the
engineers, so it is said, had stolen a march on nature, turned all the
difficulties instead of cutting through them, and pierced only one
tunnel of fourteen thousand feet in length.
At Salt Lake the line reached its greatest altitude--from that point
it took a long curve towards Bitter-creek Valley, and then rose again
to the watershed between the valley and the Pacific Creeks were
numerous hereabout, and Muddy Creek, Green Creek, and others were
successively crossed on culverts. As they approached the end of their
journey Passe-partout became more and more impatient, while Fix was
very anxious to get on, for he feared delays and accidents, and was
more anxious to reach England than even Phileas Fogg.
The train stopped for a short time at Fort Bridger at ten o'clock, and
twenty miles farther on entered Wyoming State, formerly Dakota. The
next day, the 7th of December, they stopped at Green River. Sleet had
fallen during the night, but not sufficient to interfere with the
traffic. However, this bad weather annoyed Passe-partout very much,
for any great fall of snow would have compromised the success of the
journey.
"Any way, it is absurd of my master having undertaken such a journey
in winter; he might just as well have waited for fine weather and had
a better chance."
But while the honest fellow was worrying himself about the weather,
Mrs. Aouda was disquieted for an entirely different reason, as amongst
the passengers who had alighted at Green River she recognised Colonel
Stamp Proctor, who had insulted Mr. Fogg at the San Francisco meeting.
She drew back, as she did not wish to be recognised, but the
circumstance affected her deeply.
In fact she had become attached to the man who, notwithstanding his
coldness of manner, betrayed every day the interest he took in her. No
doubt she herself was not aware of the depth of the sentiment with
which he inspired her, which she believed to be gratitude, but was
doubtless a deeper feeling. Her heart almost ceased to beat at the
moment she recognised Mr. Fogg's enemy. Evidently it was mere chance
which had led Colonel Proctor to this particular train, but he and Mr.
Fogg must be kept apart at all hazards.
She took an opportunity, when Mr. Fogg was asleep, to tell them whom
she had seen.
"That man Proctor on the train!" cried Fix. "Well, you may be quite
easy, madam; before he sees Mr. Fogg he has to settle with me. It
seems to me that in this matter I have been the most insulted of any."
"And I have a little business with him also, though he is a colonel,"
added Passe-partout.
"Mr. Fix," replied Mrs. Aouda, "Mr. Fogg would permit nobody to
interfere with his quarrel. He has declared that he will come back to
America to find out that man who insulted him. If then he sees Colonel
Proctor, we cannot prevent a meeting which might have most deplorable
results. They must not see each other."
"You are right, madam," replied Fix; "a meeting would spoil
everything. Whether victor or not, Mr. Fogg would be delayed, and--"
"And," added Passe-partout, "that would just play into the hands of
the Reform Club. In four days we shall be in New York. If during that
time my master does not leave his car, the chances are he will not
meet the American. At any rate, we must try to prevent a meeting."
The conversation ceased, for Mr. Fogg just then awoke and looked out
of window at the snow. Shortly afterwards Passe-partout whispered to
the detective, "Would you really fight for him?"
"I would do anything in the world to get him back to Europe alive,"
replied the detective in a determined tone.
Passe-partout shuddered, but his confidence in his master was
unshaken.
And now the question was, how could they detain Mr. Fogg in the car
and prevent him meeting the Colonel? It ought not to be a very
difficult matter, for Phileas was naturally of a sedentary
disposition. However, the detective found a way, for shortly
afterwards he said to Mr. Fogg:
"The time passes very slowly."
"Yes," replied Fogg, "but it does pass."
"On board the steamer," continued the detective, "you used to like a
game of whist."
"Yes," replied Fogg, "but here I have neither cards nor partners."
"Ah, we can easily purchase cards. As for partners, if madam can take
a hand--"
"Certainly," replied the young lady. "I know whist, it is part of an
English education."
"And," continued Fix, "I also have some little knowledge of the game,
so we can play dummy."
"As you like," said Fogg, delighted to play his favourite game even in
the train.
Passe-partout was immediately despatched to the steward, and he
quickly returned with two packs of cards, some markers, and a board
covered with cloth.
The game commenced, Mrs. Aouda played fairly well, and was
complimented by Phileas. As for the detective, he was a first-rate
player, and a worthy opponent of Mr. Fogg.
"Now," thought Passe-partout, "we have got him down and he won't
move."
At eleven o'clock in the morning the train reached the watershed at
Bridger Pass, at an elevation of seven thousand five hundred and
twenty-four feet above the level of the sea. After traversing about
two hundred miles more, the travellers found themselves in one of
those extensive plains which proved so convenient to the laying of the
railway.
At half-past twelve the travellers got a glimpse of Fort Halleck, and
in a few hours afterwards they had crossed the Rocky Mountains. They
were now in hopes that no accident would imperil the journey; the snow
had ceased, and the air was frosty. Some large birds, startled by the
locomotive, rose up, but no wild beasts appeared; the whole plain was
a desert.
After a comfortable breakfast in his own car, Mr. Fogg and his
companions resumed their whist. Just then a loud whistling was heard,
and the train came to a stop. Passe-partout put his head out, but
could see no cause for the stoppage. Mrs. Aouda and Fix were afraid
that Mr. Fogg would get up and see what was the matter, but he merely
told his servant to ascertain the reason of the delay.
Passe-partout jumped down. He found a number of passengers already on
the ground, and amongst them Colonel Proctor.
The train had been stopped by signal. The engine-driver and guard were
talking excitedly with the signalman, whom the station-master at
Medicine Bow had sent down. The passengers joined in the discussion,
and prominent amongst them was Colonel Proctor.
Passe-partout, as he joined the group, heard the signalman say: "You
cannot pass. The bridge is unsafe, and will not bear the weight of the
train."
The viaduct in question was a suspension-bridge over a rapid about a
mile farther on. The signalman said that many of the supports were
broken, and that it was impossible to cross; he did not exaggerate the
danger, and it may be taken for granted that when an American is
prudent there is good reason for not being rash.
Passe-partout did not dare to tell his master, but remained, listening
with clenched teeth, motionless as a statue.
"That is all very fine," said Colonel Proctor, "but I guess we ain't
going to stop here to take root in the snow."
"We have telegraphed to Omaha for a train, Colonel," said the guard;
"but it can't reach Medicine Bow in less than six hours."
"Six hours!" exclaimed Passe-partout.
"Yes," replied the guard; "but it will take us that time to reach
Medicine Bow on foot."
"Why, it is only a mile from here," said one of the passengers.
"Only a mile, but on the other side of the river."
"And can't we cross in a boat?" asked the Colonel.
"Quite impossible; the creek has swollen with the rains; we shall have
to go round ten miles to a ford."
The Colonel vented a choice collection of oaths, condemning the
company, the guard, and creation generally; and Passe-partout, who was
very angry, felt inclined to join him. Here was a material obstacle
which all his master's money would not be able to remove.
The disappointment of the passengers was general, for, without
reckoning the delay, they found themselves obliged to walk fifteen
miles in the snow. The commotion would have attracted Phileas Fogg's
attention had he not been entirely absorbed in his game.
Nevertheless, Passe-partout would have told him of it if the engineer,
a true Yankee, named Foster, had not said:
"Perhaps there is a way we can get over after all, gentlemen."
"Over the bridge?" asked a passenger.
"Yes."
"With the train, do you mean?" asked the Colonel.
"With the train."
Passe-partout stopped and listened anxiously for the engineer's
explanation.
"But the bridge is almost broken," said the guard.
"Never mind," replied Foster: "I think that by putting on full-steam
we may have a chance of getting across."
"The devil!" muttered Passe-partout.
But a certain number of the passengers were attracted by the
suggestion; Colonel Proctor was particularly pleased, and thought the
plan quite feasible. He related various anecdotes concerning
engineers, whom he had known, who crossed over rivers without any
bridges at all by merely putting on full-steam, etc. The end of it was
that many of the passengers agreed with the engineer.
"The chances are fifty to a hundred about our getting over," said one.
"Sixty!" said another.
"Eighty, ninety!" said a third.
Passe-partout was dumfounded, and although he was very anxious to
cross the river, he thought the proposed plan a little too American.
"Besides," he thought, "there is an easier way, which does not seem to
have occurred to either of them;" so he said aloud to one of the
passengers:
"The engineer's plan seems to me somewhat dangerous; but--"
"Eighty chances!" replied the person addressed, turning away.
"I know that," replied Passe-partout, as he spoke to another; "but an
idea--"
"Ideas are no use," replied the American; "the engineer tells us we
can cross."
"No doubt," replied Passe-partout; "but perhaps it would be more
prudent--"
"What, prudent!" exclaimed Colonel Proctor, who was ready to quarrel
with anyone suggesting prudence. "Do you not understand that we are
going across at full speed? Do you hear, at full speed?"
"I know, I know," said Passe-partout, whom no one would allow to
finish his sentence; "but it would be, if not more prudent, since that
word displeases you, at any rate more natural--"
"Who is this, what's this? Who is talking about natural?" cried the
passengers on all sides.
Poor Passe-partout did not know which way to turn.
"Are you afraid?" asked Colonel Proctor.
"I afraid?" cried Passe-partout; "you think so, do you? I will show
these people when a Frenchman can be as American as themselves."
"All aboard!" cried the guard.
"Yes, all get in," muttered Passe-partout; "but you cannot prevent my
thinking that it would be much more natural for us to cross the bridge
on foot and let the train follow."
But no one heard this wise reflection, and if so, probably no one
would have acknowledged its justice.
The passengers took their places, as did Passe-partout, without saying
what had happened. The whist-players were still deep in their game.
The engine-driver whistled and then backed his train for nearly a
mile, then whistling again he started forward. The speed increased to
a fearful extent, and rushing along at a pace of nearly a hundred
miles an hour, seemed hardly to touch the rails at all.
They passed over like a flash of lightning. No one saw anything of the
bridge; the train leaped, as it were, from bank to bank, and could not
be stopped till it had passed the station for some miles.
Scarcely had the train crossed the bridge when the whole structure
fell with a tremendous crash into the rapids beneath!