around the world in 80 days(环游世界80天)-第12节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　the　sacrifice　is　really　voluntary；　and　it　requires　the　active　interference　of　the　Government　to　prevent　it。　Several　years　ago；　when　I　was　living　at　Bombay；　a　young　widow　asked　permission　of　the　governor　to　be　burned　along　with　her　husband's　body；　but；　as　you　may　imagine；　he　refused。　The　woman　left　the　town；　took　refuge　with　an　independent　rajah；　and　there　carried　out　her　self…devoted　purpose。'　
While　Sir　Francis　was　speaking；　the　guide　shook　his　head　several　times；　and　now　said：　‘The　sacrifice　which　will　take　place　tomorrow　at　dawn　is　not　a　voluntary　one。'　
‘How　do　you　know？'　
‘Everybody　knows　about　this　affair　in　Bundelcund。'　
‘But　the　wretched　creature　did　not　seem　to　be　making　any　resistance；'　observed　Sir　Francis。　
‘That　was　because　they　had　intoxicated　her　with　fumes　of　hemp　and　opium。'　
‘But　where　are　they　taking　her？'　
To　the　pagoda　of　Pillaji；　two　miles　from　here；　she　will　pass　the　night　there。'　
‘And　the　sacrifice　will　take　place'　
‘To…morrow；　at　the　first　light　of　dawn。'　
The　guide　now　led　the　elephant　out　of　the　thicket；　and　leaped　upon　his　neck。　Just　at　the　moment　that　he　was　about　to　urge　Kiouni　forward　with　a　peculiar　whistle；　Mr　Fogg　stopped　him；　and；　turning　to　Sir　Francis　Cromarty；　said；　‘Suppose　we　save　this　woman。'　
‘Save　the　woman；　Mr　Fogg！'　
‘I　have　yet　twelve　hours　to　spare；　I　can　devote　them　to　that。'　
‘Why；　you　are　a　man　of　heart！'　
‘Sometimes；'　replied　Phileas　Fogg；　quietly；　‘when　I　have　the　time。'　


CHAPTER　XIII
IN　WHICH　PASSEPARTOUT　RECEIVES　A　NEW　PROOF　THAT　FORTUNE　FAVOURS　THE　BRAVE。

The　project　was　a　bold　one；　full　of　difficulty；　perhaps　impracticable。　Mr　Fogg　was　going　to　risk　life；　or　at　least　liberty；　and　therefore　the　success　of　his　tour。　But　he　did　not　hesitate；　and　he　found　in　Sir　Francis　Cromarty　an　enthusiastic　ally。　
As　for　Passepartout；　he　was　ready　for　anything　that　might　be　proposed。　His　master's　idea　charmed　him；　he　perceived　a　heart；　a　soul；　under　that　icy　exterior。　He　began　to　love　Phileas　Fogg。　
There　remained　the　guide：　what　course　would　he　adopt？　Would　he　not　take　part　with　the　Indians？　In　default　of　his　assistance；　it　was　necessary　to　be　assured　of　his　neutrality。　
Sir　Francis　frankly　put　the　question　to　him。　
‘Officers；'　replied　the　guide；　‘I　am　a　Parsee；　and　this　woman　is　a　Parsee。　Command　me　as　you　will。'　
‘Excellent；'　said　Mr　Fogg。　
‘However；'　resumed　the　guide；　‘it　is　certain；　not　only　that　we　shall　risk　our　lives；　but　horrible　tortures；　if　we　are　taken。'　
‘That　is　foreseen；'　replied　Mr　Fogg。　‘I　think　we　must　wait　till　night　before　acting。'　
‘I　think　so；'　said　the　guide。　
The　worthy　Indian　then　gave　some　account　of　the　victim；　who；　he　said；　was　a　celebrated　beauty　of　the　Parsee　race；　and　the　daughter　of　a　wealthy　Bombay　merchant。　She　had　received　a　thoroughly　English　education　in　that　city；　and；　from　her　manners　and　intelligence；　would　be　thought　an　European。　Her　name　was　Aouda。　Left　an　orphan；　she　was　married　against　her　will　to　the　old　rajah　of　Bundelcund；　and；　knowing　the　fate　that　awaited　her；　she　escaped；　was　retaken；　and　devoted　by　the　rajah's　relatives；　who　had　an　interest　in　her　death；　to　the　sacrifice　from　which　it　seemed　she　could　not　escape。　
The　Parsee's　narrative　only　confirmed　Mr　Fogg　and　his　companions　in　their　generous　design。　It　was　decided　that　the　guide　should　direct　the　elephant　towards　the　pagoda　of　Pillaji；　which　he　accordingly　approached　as　quickly　as　possible。　They　halted；　half…an…hour　afterwards；　in　a　copse；　some　five　hundred　feet　from　the　pagoda；　where　they　were　well　concealed；　but　they　could　hear　the　groans　and　cries　of　the　fakirs　distinctly。　
They　then　discussed　the　means　of　getting　at　the　victim。　The　guide　was　familiar　with　the　pagoda　of　Pillaji；　in　which；　as　he　declared；　the　young　woman　was　imprisoned。　Could　they　enter　any　of　its　doors　while　the　whole　party　of　Indians　was　plunged　in　a　drunken　sleep　or　was　it　safer　to　attempt　to　make　a　hole　in　the　walls？　This　could　only　be　determined　at　the　moment　and　the　place　themselves；　but　it　was　certain　that　the　abduction　must　be　made　that　night；　and　not　when；　at　break　of　day；　the　victim　was　led　to　her　funeral　pyre。　Then　no　human　intervention　could　save　her。　
As　soon　as　night　fell；　about　six　o'clock；　they　decided　to　make　a　reconnaissance　around　the　pagoda。　The　cries　of　the　fakirs　were　just　ceasing；　the　Indians　were　in　the　act　of　plunging　themselves　into　the　drunkenness　caused　by　liquid　Opium　mingled　with　hemp；　and　it　might　be　possible　to　slip　between　them　to　the　temple　itself。　
The　Parsee；　leading　the　others；　noiselessly　crept　through　the　wood；　and　in　ten　minutes　they　found　themselves　on　the　banks　of　a　small　stream；　whence；　by　the　light　of　the　rosin　torches；　they　perceived　a　pyre　of　wood；　on　the　top　of　which　lay　the　embalmed　body　of　the　rajah；　which　was　to　be　burned　with　his　wife。　The　pagoda；　whose　minarets　loomed　above　the　trees　in　the　deepening　dusk；　Stood　a　hundred　steps　away。　
‘Come！'　whispered　the　guide。　
He　slipped　more　cautiously　than　ever　through　the　brush；　followed　by　his　companions；　the　silence　around　was　only　broken　by　the　low　murmuring　of　the　wind　among　the　branches。　
Soon　the　Parsee　stopped　on　the　borders　of　the　glade；　which　was　lit　up　by　the　torches。　The　ground　was　covered　by　groups　of　the　Indians；　motionless　in　their　drunken　sleep；　it　seemed　a　battle…field　strewn　with　the　dead。　Men；　women；　and　children　lay　together。　
In　the　background；　among　the　trees；　the　pagoda　of　Pillaji　loomed　indistinctly。　Much　to　the　guide's　disappointment；　the　guards　of　the　rajah；　lighted　by　torches；　were　watching　at　the　doors　and　marching　to　and　fro　with　naked　sabres；　probably　the　priests；　too；　were　watching　within。　
The　Parsee；　now　convinced　that　it　was　impossible　to　force　an　entrance　to　the　temple；　advanced　no　farther；　but　led　his　companions　back　again。　Phileas　Fogg　and　Sir　Francis　Cromarty　also　saw　that　nothing　could　be　attempted　in　that　direction。　They　stopped；　and　engaged　in　a　whispered　colloquy。　
‘It　is　only　eight　now；'　said　the　brigadier；　‘and　these　guards　may　also　go　to　sleep。'　
‘It　is　not　impossible；'　returned　the　Parsee。　They　lay　down　at　the　foot　of　a　tree；　and　waited。　
The　time　seemed　long；　the　guide　ever　and　anon　left　them　to　take　an　observation　on　the　edge　of　the　wood；　but　the　guards　watched　steadily　by　the　glare　of　the　torches；　and　a　dim　light　crept　through　the　windows　of　the　pagoda。　
They　waited　till　midnight；　but　no　change　took　place　among　the　guards；　and　it　became　apparent　that　their　yielding　to　sleep　could　not　be　counted　on。　The　other　plan　must　be　carried　out；　an　opening　in　the　walls　of　the　pagoda　must　be　made。　It　remained　to　ascertain　whether　the　priests　were　watching　by　the　side　of　their　victim　as　assiduously　as　were　the　soldiers　at　the　door。　
After　a　last　consultation；　the　guide　announced　that　he　was　ready　for　the　attempt；　and　advanced；　followed　by　the　others。　They　took　a　roundabout　way；　so　as　to　get　at　the　pagoda　on　the　rear。　They　reached　the　walls　about　half…past　twelve；　without　having　met　anyone；　here　there　was　no　guard；　nor　were　there　either　windows　or　doors。　
The　night　was　dark。　The　moon；　on　the　wane；　scarcely　left　the　horizon；　and　was　covered　with　heavy　clouds；　the　height　of　the　trees　deepened　the　darkness。　
It　was　not　enough　to　reach　the　walls；　an　opening　in　them　must　be　accomplished；　and　to　attain　this　purpose　the　party　only　had　their　pocket…knives。　Happily　the　temple　walls　were　built　of　brick　and　wood；　which　could　be　penetrated　with　little　difficulty；　after　one　brick　had　been　taken　out；　the　rest　would　yield　easily。　
They　set　noiselessly　to　work；　and　the　Parsee　on　one　side　and　Passepartout　on　the　other　began　to　loosen　the　bricks　so　as　to　make　an　aperture　two　feet　wide。　They　were　getting　on　rapidly；　when　suddenly　a　cry　was　heard　in　the　interior　of　the　temple；　followed　almost　instantly　by　other　cries　replying　from　the　outside。　Passepartout　and　the　guide　stopped。　Had　they　been　heard？　Was　the　alarm　being　given？　Common　prudence　urged　them　to　retire；　and　they　did　so；　followed　by　Phileas　Fogg　and　Sir　Francis。　They　again　hid　themselves　in　the　wood；　and　waited　till　the　disturbance；　whatever　it　might　be；　ceased；　holding　themselves　ready　to　resume　their　attempt　without　delay。　But；　awkwardly　enough；　the　guards　now　appeared　at　the　rear　of　the　temple；　and　there　installed　themselves；　in　readiness　to　prevent　a　surprise。　
It　would　be　difficult　to　describe　the　disappointment　of　the　party；　thus　interrupted　in　their　work。　They　could　not　now　reach　the　victim；　how；　then；　could　they　save　her？　Sir　Francis　shook　his　fists；　Passepartout　was　beside　himself；　and　the　guide　gnashed　his　teeth　with　rage。　The　tranquil　Fogg　waited；　without　betraying　any　emotion。　
‘We　have　nothing　to　do　but　to　go　away；'　whispered　Sir　Francis。　
‘Nothing　but　to　go　away；'　echoed　the　guide。　
‘Stop；'　said　Fogg。　‘I　am　only　due　at　Allahabad　to…morrow　before　noon。　
‘But　what　can　you　hope　to　do？'　asked　Sir　Francis。　‘In　a　few　hours　it　will　be　daylight；　and'　
‘The　chance　which　now　seems　lost　may　present　itself　at　the　last　moment。'　
Sir　Francis　would　have　liked　to　read　Phileas　Fogg's　eyes。　
What　was　this　cool　Englishman　thinking　of？　Was　he　planning　to　make　a　rush　for　the　young　woman　at　the　very　moment　of　the　sacrifice；　and　boldly　snatch　her　from　her　executioners？　
This　would　be　utter　folly；　and　it　was　hard　t