Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Checking Passports Can't Solve Any Problems

Fix left the pier and hurried to the consulate.Because he said there was something urgent, the consul immediately received him. "Mr. Consul," Fix said, bringing the subject to the fore, "I've long expected the thief to be on board the Mongol." Then Fix related how he had seen a servant just now, and about the passport. "Well, Mr. Fix, I'd like to see the fellow. But if he's the thief you think he is, I'm afraid he won't come to me. Thieves don't like to be on the road. Leaving footprints. Besides, it is no longer necessary for passengers to apply for visas in their passports."

"Monsieur Consul," replied Fix, "we should consider that if he is a good fellow he will come!" "Come to my place for visa formalities?" "Yes, passports have always been such a thing! It's a nuisance for a gentleman to carry, and a convenience for a robber to get away with. I'm sure his passport will be all right, but I hope you don't give it to me." His visa..." "Why?" the consul replied, "If the passport is fine, I have no right to refuse a visa." "But, Monsieur Consul, I need to keep this man here until I get a warrant from London to arrest him."

"Oh, Mr. Fix, that is your own business," replied the Consul, "as for me, I cannot—" Before the consul finished speaking, he heard someone knocking on the office door, and the footman brought in two guests, one of whom was the same servant who had just talked to Fix.It was really their master and servant who came together.The host took out his passport and simply said, please consular visa. The consul took the passport and carefully read the records on it. At this moment, Fix, who was sitting in the corner, kept looking at the guest, and it could even be said that he was staring at the guest.

"Are you Mr. Phileas Fogg?" asked the Consul, looking over the passport. "Yes, sir," replied the gentleman. "This is your servant?" "Yes, he is French, and his name is Passepartout." "Are you from London?" "yes." "Are you going to...?" "To Bombay." "Very well, sir. But this visa procedure is useless now, and we do not ask you to present your passport. Do you understand that?" "I know, Monsieur Consul," replied Phileas Fogg, "but I want to use your visa to prove that I have been through Suez."

"Okay, sir." The consul signed, dated and stamped the passport.Fogg paid the visa fee, greeted the consul briefly, and left with his servants. "How?" asked the detective. "Not so much," replied the Consul, "seems like a very honest gentleman!" "A good man, perhaps," replied Fix, "but that's not the point. This cool gentleman has exactly the same features as the paper I received, don't you see?" "I agree, but you know, everything about physical features..." "I quite understand," replied Fix, "that this servant will not, I suppose, be as secretive as his master is, and besides, he is a Frenchman, and the Frenchman cannot hold his tongue. Well, good-bye." Come on, Mr. Consul."

As soon as he had finished speaking, Fix left the consulate and went to find Passepartout. Mr. Fogg left the consulate and went up to the quay.On the pier, he explained to the servants a few things that should be done, and then found a small boat to go back to the Mongolia.He went into the cabin, took out a notepad, and wrote the following lines: Wednesday, October 2nd, at 8:45 p.m., leaving London. Arrived in Paris, Thursday, October 3, at seven twenty in the morning. On Friday, October 4, at 6:35 a.m., via Sydney Hill to Turin. On Friday, at seven twenty in the morning, leave Turin.

Arrive in Brindisi, Saturday, October 5, at 4:00 pm. On Saturday, at five o'clock in the afternoon, board the Mongolia. Arrived at Suez on Wednesday, October 9, at eleven o'clock in the morning. It took a total of 158 hours and 30 minutes, or six and a half days. Mr. Fogg kept these dates in a separate travel journal.The travel diary indicates the month, date, day of the week, estimated time of arrival at each important place, and the actual time of arrival from October 2 to December 21.Important locations are Paris, Brindisi, Suez, Mumbai, Calcutta, Singapore, Hong Kong, Yokohama, San Francisco, New York, Liverpool, London.Everywhere you go, check this travel diary, and you can figure out how early or late you are.This kind of travel diary divided into columns can be seen at a glance, and Mr. Fogg knows whether he is early or late anytime and anywhere.He now writes down the time of arriving in Suez in his notebook. Today is October 9, Wednesday, and he arrived in Suez as scheduled, neither ahead nor behind in time.

After writing, he ate lunch in the cabin.As for visiting the city, he didn't even think about it.There are some Englishmen who just ask their servants to take their place when they travel to various places, and Fogg is such a person.