n of mind sometimes commit suicide, Passe-partout kept
watch on his master unobserved; but the first thing the lad did was to
extinguish the gas in his room, which had been burning for eighty
days. In the letter-box he had found the gas company's bill, and
thought it was quite time to put a stop to such an expense.

The night passed. Mr. Fogg went to bed, but it is doubtful whether he
slept. Aouda was quite unable to rest, and Passe-partout kept watch
like a dog at his master's door.

Next day, Mr. Fogg told him, shortly, to attend to Mrs. Aouda's
breakfast, while he would have a cup of tea and a chop. He excused
himself from joining Aouda at meals on the plea of putting his affairs
in order, and it was not till evening that he asked for an interview
with the young lady.

Passe-partout having received his orders had only to obey them, but he
found it impossible to leave his master's room. His heart was full,
his conscience was troubled with remorse, for he could not help
blaming himself for the disaster. If he had only warned his master
about Fix, Mr. Fogg would not have brought the detective to Liverpool,
and then--

Passe-partout could hold out no longer.

"Oh, Mr. Fogg!" he exclaimed, "do you not curse me? It is all my
fault--"

"I blame no one," replied Phileas Fogg, in his usual calm tone. "Go!"

Passe-partout quitted the room and sought Mrs. Aouda, to whom he
delivered his message.

"Madam," he added, "I am powerless. I have no influence over my
master's mind; perhaps you may have."

"What influence can I have?" she replied; "Mr. Fogg will submit to no
one. Has he really ever understood how grateful I am to him? Has he
ever read my heart? He must not be left alone an instant. You say he
is going to see me this evening?"

"Yes, madam. No doubt to make arrangements for your sojourn in
England."

"Let us wait, then," replied the young lady, becoming suddenly
thoughtful.

So, through all that Sunday, the house in Saville Row appeared
uninhabited; and for the first time since he had lived in it, Phileas
Fogg did not go to his club as Big Ben was striking half-past eleven.

And why should he go to the Reform Club? His friends did not expect
him. As he had not appeared in time to win the wager, it was not
necessary for him to go to the bank and draw his twenty thousand
pounds. His antagonists had his blank cheque; it only remained for
them to fill it up and present it for payment.

As Mr. Fogg, then,