17 The Bet Is Won!

CHAPTER 17 The Bet Is Won! The doors and windows of Phileas Fogg's house on Savile Row were all closed. The curtains were drawn. Nothing in the house suggested that he was home. He had been ruined by one silly detective. Ruined! After traveling all that way and after

overcoming danger and all the other bumps along the way, it was finished! He owed the rest of his fortune to his friends at the Reform Club. What little money he had left was in his carpetbag. Phileas went to bed that night with a heavy heart. Aouda did, too. She felt so bad for the kind man who had rescued her. But she didn't know what she could do to help him now. The next morning when Passepartout brought up his breakfast, Phileas asked him to tell Aouda that he would see her after dinner. He needed to spend the day making sure his affairs were in order. No one felt worse than the faithful butler. He knew it was all his fault they had lost the bet. If he had just told the monsieur about the detective, things would have turned out differently. Passepartout could hold his feelings in no

longer. "But sir! Why aren't you mad at me? This is all my fault—" "I don't blame anyone, Passepartout. Now go find Miss Aouda, please." "Yes, sir." Passepartout went off to tell Aouda that Phileas wanted to talk with her after dinner. For the very first time in a very long time, Phileas Fogg did not set out for the Reform Club at exactly half-past eleven. Why did he need to go? He was a day late. His friends already had the check. All they needed to do was go to the bank to cash it. So Phileas stayed at home. He stayed in his room and did a lot of thinking. Aouda did the same. It was only Passepartout who buzzed around that day from door to door, trying to hear if he was needed. After dinner, Phileas and Aouda sat down to have their talk. "Aouda," he said, "will you forgive me for taking you to England? When

"What do you mean? You saved me!" "Please let me finish," he continued. "I was a rich man when I brought you here, far away from your home. I could have helped you start a new life. Now I'm ruined." "I know, dear Phileas," Aouda said. "But all I ask is that you forgive me for being a part of that ruin. It's my fault you had to rescue me in the first place." "That's nonsense. You needed to be safe and now you are." "That's true," she said. "But what will become of you?" Phileas looked at the kind girl that sat in front of him. "I have no true friends and no family, but I'll be fine." "Well," Aouda said, "if you'll have me as your wife, I'll be your family. We can face the future together." Phileas stood up. He didn't know what to

say. His eyes lit up and his lips trembled. Aouda said nothing. She just waited for him to speak. "I do love you!" he said. "Yes, by all that is good and honest, I do love you! Let's get married." They held tightly to each other's hands. Passepartout came into the room and saw the pair smiling happily. Phileas said, "We're

getting married! Do you think it's too late to talk to the Reverend at the Marylebone Parish?" "You'd like to get married tomorrow, on Monday?" Passepartout asked. "Yes, tomorrow," Phileas answered. "Yes," Aouda echoed. Passepartout ran off as fast as his legs would carry him. Passepartout raced into the sitting room where Phileas and Aouda were waiting for him. "Marriage—" Passepartout said, "impossible, tomorrow." He was out of breath. "What are you talking about?" "To-tomorrow is Sunday!" "No, it's Monday," Mr. Fogg insisted.