Chapter 1: The Wager

In the year 1872, a mysterious gentleman lived at Number 7 Savile Row in London. His name was Phileas Fogg, and nobody knew much about him. He was a member of the Reform Club, one of the most exclusive clubs in London. Fogg was tall, handsome, and always perfectly dressed. He lived alone with only one servant to help him. His life followed an exact routine, and he never did anything unexpected. Every morning, he woke up at exactly eight o'clock. At half past eleven, he walked to the Reform Club. He ate lunch at exactly the same time every day. In the afternoon, he read the newspapers and played whist, a card game. At midnight, he returned home and went to bed. On the morning of October 2nd, 1872, something unusual happened. Fogg had just dismissed his servant for bringing shaving water that was too cold. The water was eighty-four degrees instead of eighty-six degrees. A new servant appeared at his door, looking for work. His name was Jean Passepartout, and he was French. Passepartout was about thirty years old with a round, friendly face. He had worked many different jobs in his life. He had been a singer, a circus performer, and even a fireman. Now he wanted a quiet, peaceful life. 'I hear that Monsieur Fogg is the most exact man in England,' said Passepartout. 'That is true,' replied Fogg calmly. 'I never travel, and I hate surprises of any kind.' Passepartout smiled, thinking this was the perfect job for him. Fogg hired him immediately and gave him his instructions. That evening, Fogg went to the Reform Club as usual. He sat down with his regular whist partners. They were talking about a bank robbery that had happened recently. A thief had stolen fifty-five thousand pounds from the Bank of England. 'The police will catch him soon,' said Andrew Stuart, one of the members. 'The world is big, but not big enough to hide.' 'Actually, the world has become quite small,' replied Fogg. 'What do you mean?' asked Stuart. 'I mean that one can now travel around the world much faster than before.' 'How fast?' asked another member named Fallentin. 'In eighty days,' said Fogg without hesitation. Everyone at the table laughed at this idea. 'Eighty days is impossible!' exclaimed Stuart. 'Think of all the delays, the accidents, the bad weather!' 'Eighty days is enough if everything is calculated correctly,' said Fogg. 'Would you bet on it?' challenged Stuart. 'Yes, I would,' replied Fogg calmly. 'I will bet twenty thousand pounds that I can travel around the world in eighty days.' The room fell silent in surprise. 'Are you serious?' asked Stuart. 'I am always serious,' said Fogg. The five members agreed to bet against him. They would each put in four thousand pounds. 'I will leave tonight,' announced Fogg. 'Tonight?' everyone exclaimed. 'Yes, I must return to this room by Saturday, December 21st, at exactly 8:45 in the evening.' Fogg wrote a check for twenty thousand pounds and left it with the club secretary. He then returned home to prepare for his journey. 'Passepartout!' he called when he arrived. 'Yes, sir?' answered the confused servant. 'Pack a small bag with two shirts and three pairs of socks.' 'Are we going somewhere, sir?' asked Passepartout. 'Yes, we are going around the world,' replied Fogg simply. Passepartout's mouth fell open in shock. 'Around the world?' he repeated. 'In eighty days,' added Fogg. 'We must leave immediately, so there is no time to waste.' Fogg took twenty thousand pounds in cash from his safe. He put the money in a small traveling bag. 'Take good care of this bag,' he told Passepartout. At exactly 8:45 PM, they left the house. They took a cab to the Charing Cross train station. The train to Dover would leave at 8:45. From Dover, they would take a boat to France. And so began the incredible journey of Phileas Fogg and his servant Passepartout.

Chapter Summary

Comprehension Questions

Why did Phileas Fogg dismiss his previous servant?

How much money did Phileas Fogg bet that he could travel around the world?

What was Passepartout's job before becoming Fogg's servant?

By what date and time must Fogg return to the Reform Club?

Vocabulary

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