第68章

And Andrew Speedy，seizing the bank-notes，counted them and consigned them to his pocket.

During this colloquy，Passepartout was as white as a sheet，and Fix seemed on the point of having an apoplectic fit.Nearly twenty thousand pounds had been expended，and Fogg left the hull and engine to the captain，that is，near the whole value of the craft！It was true，however，that fifty-five thousand pounds had been stolen from the bank.

When Andrew Speedy had pocketed the money，Mr Fogg said to him，Don't let this astonish you，sir.You must know that I shall lose twenty thousand pounds，unless I arrive in London by a quarter before nine on the evening of the 21st of December.I missed the steamer at New York，and as you refused to take me to Liverpool——

And I did well！cried Andrew Speedy；for I have gained at least forty thousand dollars by it！He added，more sedately，Do you know one thing，Captain——

Fogg.

Captain Fogg，you've got something of the Yankee about you.

And，having paid his passenger what he considered a high compliment，he was going away，when Mr Fogg said，The vessel now belongs to me？

Certainly，from the keel to the truck of the masts，all the wood，that is.

Very well.Have the interior seats，bunks，and frames pulled down，and burn them.

It was necessary to have dry wood to keep the steam up to the adequate pressure，and on that day the poop，cabins，bunks，and the spare deck were sacrificed.On the next day，the 19th of December，the masts，rafts and spars were burned；the crew worked lustily，keeping up the fires.Passepartout hewed，cut and sawed away with all his might.There was a perfect rage for demolition.

The railings，fittings，the greater part of the deck，and top sides disappeared on the 20th，and theHenrietta'was now only a flat hulk.But on this day they sighted the Irish coast and Fastnet Light.By ten in the evening they were passing Queenstown.Phileas Fogg had only twenty-four hours more in which to get to London；that length of time was necessary to reach Liverpool，with all steam on.And the steam was about to give out altogether！

Sir，said Captain Speedy，who was now deeply interested in Mr Fogg's project，I really commiserate you.Everything is against you.We are only opposite Queenstown.

Ah，said Mr Fogg，is that place where we see the lights Queenstown？

Yes.

Can we enter the harbour？

Not under three hours.Only at high tide.

Stay，replied Mr Fogg calmly，without betraying in his features that by a supreme inspiration he was about to attempt once more to conquer ill-fortune.

Queenstown is the Irish port at which the transatlantic steamers stop to put off the mails.These mails are carried to Dublin by express trains always held in readiness to start；from Dublin they are sent on to Liverpool by the most rapid boats，and thus gain twelve hours on the Atlantic steamers.

Phileas Fogg counted on gaining twelve hours in the same way.Instead of arriving at Liverpool the next evening by theHenrietta'，he would be there by noon，and would therefore have time to reach London before a quarter before nine in the evening.

TheHenrietta'entered Queenstown Harbour at one o'clock in the morning，it then being high tide；and Phileas Fogg，after being grasped heartily by the hand by Captain Speedy，left that gentleman on the levelled hulk of his craft，which was still worth half what he had sold it for.

The party went on shore at once.Fix was greatly tempted to arrest Mr Fogg on the spot；but he did not.Why？What struggle was going on within him？Had he changed his mind abouthis man'？Did he understand that he had made a grave mistake？He did not，however，abandon Mr Fogg.They all got upon the train，which was just ready to start，at half-past one；at dawn of day they were in Dublin；and they lost no time in embarking on a steamer which，disdaining to rise upon the waves，invariably cut through them.

Phileas Fogg at last disembarked on the Liverpool quay，at twenty minutes before twelve，December 21st.He was only six hours distant from London.

But at this moment Fix came up，put his hand upon Mr Fogg's shoulder，and，showing his warrant，said，You are really Phileas Fogg？

I am.

I arrest you in the Queen's name！