Вокруг света за 80 дней / Around the World in 80 Days

Fogg, after bidding good-bye to his whist partners, left the steamer, gave his servant several errands to do, and, with his regular step, directed his steps to the passport office. As for the wonders of Bombay—its famous city hall, its splendid library, its forts and docks, its bazaars, mosques, synagogues, its Armenian churches, and the noble pagoda on Malabar Hill[57 - Malabar Hill – Малабар-Хилл], with its two polygonal towers—he did not care about them.

Having transacted his business at the passport office, Phileas Fogg repaired quietly to the railway station, where he ordered dinner.

Among the dishes served up to him, the landlord especially recommended a “native rabbit,” on which he prided himself.

Mr. Fogg accordingly tasted the dish, but found it horrible. He rang for the landlord, and, on his appearance, said, “Is this rabbit, sir?”

“Yes, my lord,” the rogue boldly replied, “rabbit from the jungles.”

“And this rabbit did not mew when he was killed?”

“Mew, my lord! What, a rabbit mew! I swear to you—”

“Landlord, remember this: cats were formerly considered, in India, as sacred animals.

That was a good time.”

“For the cats, my lord?”

“Perhaps for the travellers as well!”

Fix had gone on shore shortly after Mr. Fogg, and his first destination was the Bombay police. He told his business at Bombay, and the position of affairs, and nervously asked if a warrant had arrived from London.

It had not reached the office. Fix was disappointed, and tried to obtain an order of arrest from the director of the Bombay police. The director refused.

Passepartout, however, having purchased shirts and shoes, took a leisurely promenade about the streets, where crowds of people of many nationalities were collected. It happened to be the day of a Parsee festival[58 - Parsee festival – праздник парсов]. These descendants of the sect of Zoroaster[59 - Zoroaster – Заратуштра (основатель зороастризма)] were celebrating a sort of religious carnival, with processions and shows.

It is needless to say that Passepartout watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes and gaping mouth.

Unhappily for his master, as well as himself, his curiosity drew him farther off than he intended to go. He happened to see the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill.