Around the World in Eighty Days by Jules Verne-Free Book Summary

CHAPTER SUMMARIES AND NOTES

CHAPTER 4

Summary

Having won twenty guineas at whist, Phileas Fogg takes leave of his friends. Passepartout, who had studied the program of his duties, was surprised to see his master guilty of the inexactness of appearing at an unaccustomed hour; for, according to rule, he was not due in Savile Row until midnight. Passerpartout is even more surprised when he is told that they shall be starting for Dover and Calais in ten minutes.

On being told that they shall be going around the world, Passerpartout is completely taken aback as he had been expecting a very quiet life with his master. The servant is told that they shall be travelling very light and would have no need of heavy trunks. Passepartout tried to reply to his master, but could not. He went out, mounted to his own room, fell into a chair, and muttered: "That’s good, that is! And I, who wanted to remain quiet!" He mechanically set about making the preparations for departure. He thinks that perhaps they would go as far as Paris, and it would do his eyes good to see Paris once more. By eight o’clock Passepartout had packed the modest carpet-bag, containing the wardrobes of his master and himself; then, still troubled in mind, he carefully shut the door of his room, and descended to Mr. Fogg.

Mr. Fogg was quite ready. Under his was a red bound copy of Bradshaw’s Continental Railway Steam Transit and General Guide, with its timetables showing the arrival and departure of steamers and railways. He took the carpetbag, opened it, and slipped into it a goodly roll of Bank of England notes, which would pass wherever he might go.

Passepartout is told to take care of the carpetbag as it has twenty thousand pounds in it. Master and man then descended, the street door was double locked, and they took a cab and drove rapidly to Charing Cross. When they reached the station, they came across a beggar woman who asked them for alms. Mr. Fogg is very generous and gives her twenty guineas. Passerpartout’s master’s action touched his susceptible heart.

Two first class tickets for Paris having been speedily purchased, Mr. Fogg was crossing the station to the train, when he perceived his five friends of the Reform. He tells them that they will be able to assure themselves that he has really been around the world, by checking his passport. Fogg and his servant then seated themselves in a first class carriage. The night was dark, and a fine, steady rain was falling. Phileas Fogg, snugly ensconced in his corner, did not open his lips. Passepartout, not yet recovered from his stupefaction, clung mechanically to the carpetbag, with its enormous treasure.

Just as the train was whirling through Sydenham, Passepartout suddenly realized that he had left the gas in his room on. "Very well, young man," returned Mr. Fogg, coolly; "it will burn at your expense."

Notes

Passepartout had studied his master’s timetable carefully and so was very surprised to see him home early. As Jules Verne himself writes - " Mr. Fogg repaired to his bedroom, and called out, "Passepartout!" Passepartout did not reply. It could not be he who was called; it was not the right hour. ‘Passepartout!" repeated Mr. Fogg, without raising his voice.

Passepartout made his appearance. "I’ve called you twice," observed his master.

"But it is not midnight," responded the other, showing his watch."

Jules Verne emphasizes Fogg’s reputation of being precise with the surprised reaction of Passepartout. He cannot believe that his master is not on the time that he is ideally supposed to be at home.

When Fogg says that - "We are going to travel round the world’’, Passepartout opened wide his eyes, raised his eyebrows, held up his hands, and seemed about to collapse, so overcome was he with stupefied astonishment.

‘Around the world!' he murmured. 'In eighty days," replied Mr. Fogg. "So we must not lose a moment ".

Later, the confused Passepartout thinks - Around the world in eighty days! Was his master a fool? No. Was this a joke, then? They were going to Dover; good! To Calais; good again! After all, Passepartout, who had been away from France five years, would not be sorry to set foot on his native soil again. He finds it hard to believe that they could really be attempting to go around the world and thinks that the journey will end at Calais. He is wrong.

Jules Verne describes at a racy pace the duo’s exit from the house and to the station. . The cab stopped before the railway station at twenty minutes past eight. Passepartout jumped off the box and followed his master, who, after paying the cabman, was about to enter the station, when a poor beggar-woman, with a child in her arms, her naked feet smeared with mud, her head covered with a wretched bonnet, from which hung a tattered feather, and her shoulders shrouded in a ragged shawl, approached, and mournfully asked for alms. Mr. Fogg is a humane and generous man and he helps the woman readily. He takes out some money for her. Despite his cold exterior, Fogg is a warm-hearted man who would go out of his way to help the needy.

The other Reform Club members are there at the station to see off Fogg. We wonder whether they have come to see him or are there just to see with their own eyes that he has really left London. Fogg is a scrupulous man and says - "Gentlemen, I am off; I am taking a passport with me, so that the various visas it will bear may enable you to check my itinerary when I return."

Soon, Fogg and his newly acquired servant are off on their journey. Fogg seems cool and composed at all times. Passerpartout on the other hand often makes mistakes and appears more clumsily human! He remembers that he has left the gas of his room on. Fogg has a rational conclusion for every perturbing, perplexing question. He tells Passepartout calmly that the gas will burn at Passepartout’s own expense. Fogg is rational and just at all occasions. We can’t wait to know what will happen of their supposed attempt to roam the globe.

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