第31章

SHOWING WHAT HAPPENED ON THE VOYAGE FROM SINGAPORE TO HONG KONG.

The detective and Passepartout met often on deck after this interview，though Fix was reserved，and did not attempt to induce his companion to divulge any more facts concerning Mr Fogg.He caught a glimpse of that mysterious gentleman once or twice；but Mr Fogg usually confined himself to the cabin，where he kept Aouda company，or according to his inveterate habit，took a hand at whist.

Passepartout began very seriously to conjecture what strange chance kept Fix still on the route that his master was pursuing.It was really worth considering why this certainly very amiable and complacent person，whom he had first met at Suez，had then encountered on board theMongolia'，who disembarked at Bombay，which he announced as his destination，and now turned up so unexpectedly on theRangoon'，was following Mr Fogg's tracks step by step.What was Fix's object？Passepartout was ready to wager his Indian shoes-which he religiously preserved-that Fix would also leave Hong Kong at the same time with them，and probably on the same steamer.

Passepartout might have cudgelled his brain for a century without hitting upon the real object which the detective had in view.He never could have imagined that Phileas Fogg was being tracked as a robber around the globe.But as it is in human nature to attempt the solution of every mystery，Passepartout suddenly discovered an explanation of Fix's movements，which was in truth far from unreasonable.Fix，he thought，could only be an agent of Mr Fogg's friends at the Reform Clubs sent to follow him up，and to ascertain that he really went round the world as had been agreed upon.

It's clear！repeated the worthy servant to himself，proud of his shrewdness.He's a spy sent to keep us in view！That isn't quite the thing，either，to be spying Mr Fogg，who is so honourable a man！Ah，gentlemen of the Reform，this shall cost you dear！

Passepartout，enchanted with his discovery，resolved to say nothing to his master，lest he should be justly offended at this mistrust on the part of his adversaries.But he determined to chaff Fix，when he had the chance，with mysterious allusions，which，however，need not betray his real suspicions.

During the afternoon of Wednesday，October 30th，theRangoon'entered the Strait of Malacca，which separates the peninsula of that name from Sumatra.The mountainous and craggy islets intercepted the beauties of this noble island from the view of the travellers.TheRangoon'weighed anchor at Singapore the next day at four a.m.，to receive coal，having gained half a day on the prescribed time of her arrival.Phileas Fogg noted this gain in his journal，and then，accompanied by Aouda，who betrayed a desire for a walk on shore，disembarked.

Fix，who suspected Mr Fogg's every movement，followed them cautiously，without being himself perceived；while Passepartout，laughing in his sleeve at Fix's manoeuvres，went about his usual errands.

The island of Singapore is not imposing in aspect，for there are no mountains；yet its appearance is not without attractions.It is a park checkered by pleasant highways and avenues.A handsome carriage，drawn by a sleek pair of New Holland horses，carried Phileas Fogg and Aouda into the midst of rows of palms with brilliant foliage，and of clove-trees whereof the cloves form the heart of a half-open flower.Pepper plants replaced the prickly hedges of European fields；sago-bushes，large ferns with gorgeous branches，varied the aspect of this tropical clime；while nutmeg-trees in full foliage filled the air with a penetrating perfume.Agile and grinning bands of monkeys skipped about in the trees，nor were tigers wanting in the jungles.

After a drive of two hours through the country，Aouda and Mr Fogg returned to the town，which is a vast collection of heavy-looking，irregular houses，surrounded by charming gardens rich in tropical fruits and plants；and at ten o'clock they re-embarked，closely followed by the detective，who had kept them constantly in sight.

Passepartout，who had been purchasing several dozen mangoes-a fruit as large as good-sized apples，of a dark-brown colour outside and a bright red within，and whose white pulp，melting in the mouth，affords gourmands a delicious sensation-was waiting for them on deck.He was only too glad to offer some mangoes to Aouda，who thanked him very gracefully for them.

At eleven o'clock theRangoon'rode out of Singapore harbour，and in a few hours the high mountains of Malacca，with their forests inhabited by the most beautifully-tuned tigers in the world，were lost to view.Singapore is distant some thirteen hundred miles from the island of Hong Kong，which is a little English colony near the Chinese coast.Phileas Fogg hoped to accomplish the journey in six days，so as to be in time for the steamer which would leave on the 6th of November for Yokohama，the principal Japanese port.