fellow had actually
brought up his master's shaving-water at a temperature of eighty-four
instead of eighty-six degrees Fahrenheit; and Phileas was now looking
out for a successor, who was expected between eleven and half-past.

Phileas Fogg was seated in his arm-chair, his feet close together at
the position of "attention;" his hands were resting on his knees, his
body was drawn up; with head erect he was watching the clock, which,
by a complexity of mechanism, told the hours, minutes, seconds, the
days of the week, and the month and year. As this clock chimed
half-past eleven, Mr. Fogg, according to custom, would leave the house
and walk down to his club.

Just then a knock was heard at the door of the room, and James
Forster, the outgoing servant, appeared and announced, "The new young
man" for the place.

A young fellow of about thirty entered and bowed.

"You are a Frenchman, and your name is John, eh?" inquired Phileas
Fogg.

"Jean, sir, if you have no objection," replied the newcomer. "Jean
Passe-partout, a surname which clings to me because I have a weakness
for change. I believe I am honest, sir; but to speak plainly, I have
tried a good many things. I have been an itinerant singer; a rider in
a circus, where I used to do the trapeze like Leotard and walk the
tight-rope like Blondin; then I became a professor of gymnastics; and,
finally, in order to make myself useful, I became a fireman in Paris,
and bear on my back to this day the scars of several bad burns. But it
is five years since I left France, and wishing to enjoy a taste of
domestic life I became a valet in England. Just now being out of a
situation, and having heard that you, sir, were the most punctual and
regular gentleman in the United Kingdom, I have come here in the hope
that I shall be able to live a quiet life and forget my name of
Jack-of-all-trades--Passe-partout!"

"Passe-partout suits me," replied Mr. Fogg. "I have heard a very good
character of you, and you have been well recommended. You are aware of
my conditions of service?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. What o'clock do you make it?"

"Twenty-two minutes past eleven," replied the valet, as he consulted
an enormous silver watch.

"You are too slow," said Mr. Fogg.

"Excuse me, sir, that is impossible!"

"You are four minutes too slow. Never mind, it is enough to note the
error. Now from this moment, twenty-nine minutes past eleven o'clock
in the forenoon upon this 2nd of Oct