Phileas Fogg arrived at the Reform Club at exactly half-past eleven. He ate his
lunch, read the newspapers, and waited for his usual card partners. Around six
o'clock, his wealthy friends joined him by the fireplace.
They started talking about a recent robbery at the Bank of England. Someone had
stolen fifty-five thousand pounds. Detectives were watching all the major ports,
hoping to catch the thief.
"The bank will lose the money," said Andrew Stuart, an engineer. "This criminal
is a clever man, and the world is big enough for him to hide anywhere."
"It was big once," Phileas Fogg said quietly.
Another friend agreed with Fogg. "The world has grown smaller. You can travel
around it ten times faster than a hundred years ago."
"That is true," a third man added. "Thanks to the new railways in India, the
newspapers say you can now go around the whole world in just eighty days."
"Yes, eighty days!" Stuart argued. "But that does not count unexpected delays
like bad weather, storms, shipwrecks, or railway accidents."
"Everything is included," Fogg replied, calmly playing his cards.
"Even if local tribes attack the train or block the tracks?" Stuart asked.
"Everything is included," Fogg repeated.
Stuart laughed. "In theory, maybe. But in reality, I would like to see you do
it. I will bet four thousand pounds that such a journey is impossible."
"It is quite possible," Fogg said. "I will do it."
"When?"
"At once." Fogg looked at his friends. "I have twenty thousand pounds in my bank
account. I will risk all of it. I will travel around the world in eighty days or
less. Do you accept?"
His friends looked at each other in shock. Twenty thousand pounds was a massive
fortune. But they were confident he would fail, so they finally agreed.
"Good," said Fogg. "The next train leaves at a quarter to nine. I will take it."
"This very evening?" Stuart asked.
"This very evening. Today is Wednesday, the 2nd of October. I will be back in
this exact room on Saturday, the 21st of December, at a quarter to nine in the
evening. If I am late, my money belongs to you."
They signed a piece of paper to make the agreement official. The clock struck
seven. The friends suggested stopping the card game so Fogg could go home and
pack his bags.
"I am always ready," Fogg replied calmly. "Please, play your cards."