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of people of many nationalities … Europeans； Persians with pointed caps； Banyas with round turbans； Sindis with square bonnets； Parsees with black mitres and long…robed Armenians … were collected。 It happened to be the day of a Parsee festival。 These descendants of the sect of Zoroaster … the most thrifty； civilized； intelligent and austere of the East Indians； among whom are counted the richest native merchants of Bombay … were celebrating a sort of religious carnival； with processions and shows； in the midst of which Indian dancing…girls； clothed in rose…coloured gauze； looped up with gold and silver； danced airily； but with perfect modesty； to the sound of viols and the clanging of tambourines。 It is needless to say that Passepartout watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes and gaping mouth； and that his countenance was that of the greenest booby imaginable。
Unhappily for his master； as well as himself； his curiosity drew him unconsciously farther off than he intended to go。 At last； having seen the Parsee carnival wind away in the distance； he was turning his steps towards the station； when he happened to espy the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill； and was seized with an irresistible desire to see its interior。 He was quite ignorant that it is forbidden to Christians to enter certain Indian temples； and that even the faithful must not go in without first leaving their shoes outside the door。 It may be said here that the wise policy of the British Government severely punishes a disregard of the practices of the native religions。
Passepartout； however； thinking no harm； went in like a simple tourist； and was soon lost in admiration of the splendid Brahmin ornamentation which everywhere met his eyes； when of a sudden he found himself sprawling on the sacred flagging。 He looked up to behold three enraged priests； who forthwith fell upon him； tore off his shoes； and began to beat him with loud； savage exclamations。 The agile Frenchman was soon upon his feet again； and lost no time in knocking down two of his long…gowned adversaries with his fists and a vigorous application of his toes； then； rushing out of the pagoda as fast as his legs could carry him； he soon escaped the third priest by mingling with the crowd in the streets。
At five minutes before eight； Passepartout； hatless； shoeless； and having in the squabble lost his package of shirts and shoes； rushed breathlessly into the station。
Fix； who had followed Mr Fogg to the station； and saw that he was really going to leave Bombay； was there； upon the platform。 He had resolved to follow the supposed robber to Calcutta； and farther； if necessary。 Passepartout did not observe the detective； who stood in an obscure comer； but Fix heard him relate his adventures in a few words to Mr Fogg。
‘I hope that this will not happen again；' said Phileas Fogg； coldly； as he got into the train。 Poor Passepartout； quite crestfallen； followed his master without a word。 Fix was on the point of entering another carriage； when an idea struck him which induced him to alter his plan。
‘No； I'll stay；' muttered he。 ‘An offence has been committed on Indian soil。 I've got my man。'
Just then the locomotive gave a sharp screech； and the train passed out into the darkness of the night。
CHAPTER XI
IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG SECURES A CURIOUS MEANS OF CONVEYANCE AT A FABULOUS PRICE。
The train had started punctually。 Among the passengers were a number of officers； Government officials； and opium and indigo merchants； whose business called them to the eastern coast。 Passepartout rode in the same carriage with his master； and a third passenger occupied a seat opposite to them。 This was Sir Francis Cromarty； one of Mr Fogg's whist partners on the ‘Mongolia'； now on his way to join his corps at Benares。 Sir Francis was a tall； fair man of fifty； who had greatly distinguished himself in the last Sepoy revolt。 He made India his homer only paying brief visits to England at rare intervals； and war almost as familiar as a native with the customs； history and character of India and its people。 But Phileas Fogg； who was not travelling； but only describing a circumference； took no pains to inquire into these subjects； he was a solid body； traversing an orbit around the terrestrial globe； according to the laws of rational mechanics。 He was at this moment calculating in his mind the number of hours spent since his departure from London； and； had it been in his nature to make a useless demonstration； would have rubbed his hands for satisfaction。 Sir Francis Cromarty had observed the oddity of his travelling companion … although the only opportunity he had for studying him had been while he was dealing the cards； and between two rubbers … and questioned himself whether a human heart really beat beneath this cold exterior； and whether Phileas Fogg had any sense of the beauties of nature。 The brigadier…general was free to mentally confess； that； of all the eccentric persons he had ever met； none was comparable to this product of the exact sciences。
Phileas Fogg had not concealed from Sir Francis his design of going round the world； nor the circumstances under which he set out； and the general only saw in the wager a useless eccentricity and a lack of sound common sense。 In the way this strange gentleman was going on； he would leave the world without having done any good to himself or anybody else。
An hour after leaving Bombay the train had passed the viaducts and the island Salcette； and had got into the open country。 At Callyan they reached the junction of the branch line which descends towards southeastern India by Kandallah and Pounah； and； passing Pauwell； they entered the defiles of the mountains； with their basalt bases； and their summits crowned with thick and verdant forests。 Phileas Fogg and Sir Francis Cromarty exchanged a few words from time to time； and now Sir Francis； reviving the conversation； observed； ‘Some years ago； Mr Fogg； you would have met with a delay at this point which would probably have lost you your wager。'
‘How so； Sir Francis？'
‘Because the railway stopped at the base of these mountains； which the passengers were obliged to cross in palanquins or on ponies to Kandallah； on the other side。'
‘Such a delay would not have deranged my plans in the least；' said Mr Fogg。 ‘I have constantly foreseen the likelihood of certain obstacles。'
‘But； Mr Fogg；' pursued Sir Francis； ‘you run the risk of having some difficulty about this worthy fellow's adventure at the pagoda。' Passepartout； his feet comfortably wrapped in his travelling…blanket； was sound asleep； and did not dream that anybody was talking about him。 The Government is very severe upon that kind of offence。 It takes particular care that the religious customs of the Indians should be respected； and if your servant were caught'
‘Very well； Sir Francis；' replied Mr Fogg； ‘if he had been caught he would have been condemned and punished； and then would have quietly returned to Europe。 I don't see how this affair could have delayed his master。'
The conversation fell again。 During the night the train left the mountains behind； and passed Nassik； and the next day proceeded over the flat； well…cultivated country of th