八十天环游地球

福格先生和他的新仆人

Mr Fogg and His New Servant

斐利亚·福格在1872年住在伦敦。他的房子在萨维尔街7号，在那座城市的富人区。他是改良俱乐部的会员。

Phileas Fogg lived in London in 1872. His house was at number 7, Saville Row, in the rich part of the city. He was a member of the Reform Club.

没有人很了解福格先生。他大约四十岁，个子很高，很安静，脸很白，留着浅色短胡子。他从不多说话。有些人觉得他是一个神秘的人。

Nobody knew much about Mr Fogg. He was about forty years old, tall and calm, with a pale face and a light beard. He never talked much. Some people thought he was a mysterious man.

他有钱吗？是的，非常有钱。但是没有人知道他的钱是从哪里来的。他没有工作，没有商店，也没有船。他不是任何其他俱乐部的会员。当一个穷人需要帮助时，福格先生会悄悄给钱。那个穷人常常不知道是谁帮助了他。

Was he rich? Yes, very rich. But nobody knew where his money came from. He had no job, no shop and no ships. He was not a member of any other club. When a poor man needed help, Mr Fogg gave money quietly. Often the poor man never learned who helped him.

他去旅行过吗？没有人能确定。在俱乐部里，会员们常常谈论远方的国家。福格先生听着，有时用几句清楚的话纠正他们。他好像知道世界上的每一个地方。但是很多年里，没有人看到他离开过伦敦。

Did he travel? Nobody was sure. At the club, the members often talked about far countries. Mr Fogg listened, and sometimes he corrected them in a few clear words. He seemed to know every place in the world. But for many years nobody saw him outside London.

他的日子总是一样。他没有妻子，也没有孩子。他没有亲密的朋友，只和一个仆人住在一起。他在俱乐部吃早饭和晚饭，在同一个房间，在同一张桌子，在同一个时间。他从来不和其他会员一起吃饭。正好在半夜十二点，他回家睡觉。

His days were always the same. He had no wife and no children. He had no close friends, and he lived alone with one servant. He had breakfast and dinner at the club, in the same room, at the same table, at the same time. He never ate with the other members. At exactly midnight he went home and went to bed.

他唯一的爱好是看报纸和玩惠斯特纸牌。福格先生常常赢，但是他从来不留下那些钱。他把钱给需要帮助的人。对他来说，这个游戏不是为了钱。这是一场安静的战斗，他很喜欢。

His only pleasures were the newspapers and whist. Mr Fogg often won, but he never kept the money. He gave it to people in need. For him, the game was not about money. It was a quiet fight, and he liked it.

福格先生想要一个完美的仆人。那个人必须每天每一分钟都很准时。在这个十月二日，福格先生辞退了他的仆人詹姆斯·福斯特。为什么呢？福斯特给他拿来的刮脸水是华氏84度。福格先生想要86度。现在福格先生正在等一个新仆人。那个人会在十一点到十一点半之间来。

Mr Fogg wanted a perfect servant. The man had to be on time to the minute, every day. On this second of October, Mr Fogg sent away his servant, James Forster. Why? Forster brought him shaving water at 84 degrees Fahrenheit. Mr Fogg wanted 86 degrees. Now Mr Fogg was waiting for a new servant. The man was coming between eleven o’clock and half past eleven.

福格先生坐在他的扶手椅上。他的两只脚并在一起，双手放在膝盖上，背挺得很直。他看着他的钟。那是一个很大的钟，能显示小时、分钟、秒、天和年。在十一点半，他总是动身去俱乐部。

Mr Fogg sat in his armchair. His feet were together, his hands were on his knees, and his back was straight. He was watching his clock. It was a big clock that showed the hours, the minutes, the seconds, the days and the years. At half past eleven he always left for the club.

有人敲门。詹姆斯·福斯特走了进来。

Someone knocked at the door. James Forster came in.

“新仆人来了，先生，”他说。

“The new servant, sir,” he said.

一个三十岁的年轻男人跟在他后面走进来，鞠了一个躬。

A young man of thirty came in behind him and bowed.

“我想你是法国人，”福格先生说，“你的名字叫约翰？”

“You are French, I think,” said Mr Fogg. “And your name is John?”

“先生，请叫我让，”年轻男人说，“让·路路通。人们叫我路路通，因为我能做很多事情。先生，我是一个老实人，但我做过很多工作。我在街上唱过歌。我在马戏团骑过马。我教过体育。在巴黎我是个消防员，在很多大火里帮过忙。五年前我来到英国，成了一名仆人。我听说您是全英国最准时的绅士。所以我来找您。我想要安静的生活。我想忘记路路通这个名字。”

“Jean, monsieur, if you please,” said the young man. “Jean Passepartout. People call me Passepartout because I can do many things. I am an honest man, monsieur, but I have had many jobs. I sang in the streets. I rode horses in a circus. I taught sport. In Paris I was a fireman, and I helped at many big fires. Five years ago I came to England and became a servant. I heard that you are the most exact gentleman in England. So I came to you. I want a quiet life. I want to forget the name Passepartout.”