Around the world in 80 Days

Chapter 1

In 1872, Mr. Phileas Fogg lived at house No.7, Saville Row, Burlington Gardens.He was one of the most well-know members of the London Reform Club.

He was mysterious man and little was known about him. He was calm looking.

Nobody saw him at the banks or the inns or any other common places. Nobody know how he earned a living. Phileas Fogg was a member of the Reform Club - and that's all.

Was he rich? No doubt about it. If he knew that someone needed money for noble cause, he provided it quietly, and sometimes, anonymously.

But he talked very little. People were puzzled by him.

Had he travelled a lot?
Probably.

There was no places in the world that he did not know well. He often corrected the senior people at the club when they made guesses about what could have happened to lost travellers.

His predictions were correct. He must have travelled everywhere!

He did not have a wife or a children. He didn't have relatives or close friends either.

He spent half of his day at home, either sleeping or getting ready to go out.

One lone servent was enough to serve him. He had lunch and dinner at Club - in the same room, at the same table every day. He was a bit eccentric that way.

His mansion at Seville Row was very comfortable.

Now, on the 2nd of October, he had dismissed James Forster, because the young man had brought him shaving water at eighty-four degrees Fahrenheit instead of eighty-six.

He was waiting for a new man to arrive for an interview between eleven and half past eleven.

Phileas Fogg was sitting straight in his armchair, looking at the clock every passing minute.

At exactly half past eleven he would leave his house and go to the club.

At this moment, someone knocked on the door. James Forster, the dismissed servent, appeared with a young man, about thirty years old. 'The new servant...' he said.

"You're French?" asked Phileas Fogg. "And your name is John?" 

"Jean, if you please," answered the young man.

"Jean Passepartout. I believe I'm an honest man. I have done all kinds of work. I've been a singer, a circus rider, a gymnastics teacher , and a fireman in Paris. But I left France five years ago and took up a job as a valet here, hoping to live a peaceful life with you."

"You have been well recommended to me. Are you aware of my conditions? " Asked Fogg

"Yes, monsieur"

"Good. What time is it?"

Passepartout pulled out a huge silver watch from deep inside his pocket. "It's twenty-two minutes past eleven" he said.

"You are slow," said Fogg.

"Pardon me, monsieur, but that's impossible. "

"You are a few minutes slow. It's doesn't matter. It is twenty-nine minutes after eleven. Now, from this moment, Wednesday, October 2, you are in my service."

Phileas Fogg got up, took his hat in his left hand, put it on his head,and went off without a word.

Passepartout heard the main door shut twice - the first time by his new master, and second time by James Forster departing. He was now alone in the house on Saville Row.