Phileas Fogg lived in London, on Savile Row, and did everything by the clock. He was rich, but he hated waste and noise. One day he fired his servant for bringing shaving water two degrees too cool. He hired a new man, Jean Passepartout, who wanted a quiet life. That evening Fogg went to the Reform Club, played cards, and never hurried.
Chapter 1: The Man Who Never Changed
Passepartout, a Frenchman and former performer, studied his new master’s routine. Fogg left home at the same time, walked the same streets, and ate at the club every day. Passepartout liked the order, but he also felt curious. Why did Fogg speak so little? In the house, everything was neat, and time seemed more important than comfort. It felt like living inside a schedule.
At the Reform Club, Fogg read a newspaper article about faster travel around the world. Some men argued that a person could not do it in eighty days. Fogg quietly disagreed and began to calculate the times. Soon he made a bold bet with the other members. He promised to go around the world in eighty days, starting that night.
Chapter 3: A Dangerous Bet
Fogg returned home, told Passepartout to pack, and said they were leaving in ten minutes. Passepartout was shocked, but he obeyed. They rushed to the station and caught the train to Dover. From there they crossed the Channel by boat to Calais. Fogg checked his schedule calmly, while Passepartout tried to understand how his peaceful job turned into a race.
Chapter 4: Leaving in Ten Minutes
In Egypt, a detective named Fix waited in Suez. A bank robbery had happened in London, and Fix believed the thief would run away by sea. When the ship arrived, he saw Fogg and felt sure this quiet man was the criminal. Fix greeted Fogg politely and watched him closely. Fogg only asked for his passport papers to be stamped and hurried onward.
Chapter 5: A Man Named Fix
Fix tried to delay Fogg by acting friendly and asking many questions. But Fogg stayed calm and followed the rules. His passport was stamped, and he boarded the next ship toward India. Fix decided he must follow, because he still lacked an arrest warrant. Passepartout liked Fix at first, not knowing his plan. The ship sailed east across the warm sea.
Chapter 6: Following Without Proof
Chapter 2: A House Run by Time