English
Theoldmanwasnotdead.Hestoodupandtooktheyoungwomaninhisarm.Thenhecamedownthroughthefire.
Peoplesangandshouted.Thenoisecamethroughthetrees.Theguidestoppedtheelephantandtheywalked.Theycouldseethetemple,whiteinthedarknight.Somemenwithgunssatrounditandwatched.
‘Theyoungwomanisinsidethetemple,’saidtheguide,quietly.Thedeadmanwasontopofsomewood,totheright.‘Whenthesuncomesup,theywillputthewomannexttoherhusband.Thentheywillstartthefire.’
‘We’llhavetothinkofsomething.Wehavetosettheyoungwomanoutofthere,’saidPhileasFogg.
ButPhileasFoggandtheguidedidnothaveanyideas.Andthemenwithgunsroundthetempledidnotgotosleep.Theywatched.Theywatchedverycarefully.
Afteranhourortwotheguidesaid,‘Mr.Fogg,whereisyourservant?’
PhileasFoggcouldnotanswerthat.Passepartoutwasnotthere.
Thesuncameupintheeast.Thepeoplewokeandwentnoisilytothewoodwiththedeadmanontop.ThensomemenbroughtAoudaoutofthetemple.Shedidnotmovewhentheyputherdownontopofthewood,nexttoherdeadhusband.Therewassomethinginherfoodagainthatmorning.
Somemenbroughtfiretothewood.PhileasFoggstoodupandopenedhismouth.Hewantedtoshout,’Stop!’
‘Getdown!’saidtheguide.’Theywillkillus!’
Butsuddenlyeverythingchanged.Thepeoplegaveagreatshout,andtheyfelldownontheirfaceswiththeireyestotheground.
Theoldmanwasnotdead.Hestoodupandtooktheyoungwomaninhisarms.Thenhecamedownthroughthefire.Hewalkedoverthepeopleontheground.ThenhecarriedthewomaneasilyinstrongarmstoPhileasFoggandtheguide.
‘Let’sgo!’hesaid.’Quickly!’
ItwasPassepartout.
Aminutelater,thethreemenandtheyoungwomanwereontheelephant.Aoudasleptandknewnothingaboutit.
Thesunwashighandhotinthesky.Itwasnearly10o’clockinthemorning.
Theyoungguidesaid,’There,thatisAllahabad.Therailwaystartsagainthere.ThetrainjourneytoCalcuttaisaboutadayandanight.’
PhileasFoggtookaroomattherailwaystationforAouda.HesentPassepartoutintothetownforclothesandotherthingsfortheyoungwoman.Whenthetrainwasready,Aoudawasbetter.
Beforetheygotinthetrain,PhileasFoggpaidtheguide.
‘That’syourmoney,becauseyouwereourguide,’hesaid.’Butyouhelpedusinotherways.Wouldyouliketheelephant?’
Theyoungguidegaveabigsmile.Thatwashisonlyanswer.
OnthejourneytoCalcutta,AoudalearnedabouthernightinthetempleandaboutPassepartoutandthefire.Shesaid’Thankyou’againandagain,butshewasafraidofherhusband’sfamily.Shedidn’twantthemtocatchheragain.
‘I’lltakeyoutoHongKong,’PhileasFoggsaid,‘andyoucanstaythere.’
Itwaskind,buthespokequitecoldly.
Shehappilysaid,‘Oh,thankyou!IhaveanuncleinHongKong.Hewilllookafterme.’
ThetraingottoCalcuttaat7o’clockinthemorning.PhileasFogghadfivehoursbeforetheshipleftforHongKong.
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