Everybody knows that the great reversed triangle of land, with its base in the north and its apex in the south, which is called India, embraces fourteen hundred thousand square miles, upon which is spread unequally a population of one hundred and eighty millions of souls. The British Crown exercises a real and despotic dominion over the larger portion of this vast country, and has a governor–general stationed at Calcutta, governors at Madras, Bombay, and in Bengal, and a lieutenant–governor at Agra.
But British India, properly so called, only embraces seven hundred thousand square miles, and a population of from one hundred to one hundred and ten millions of inhabitants. A considerable portion of India is still free from British authority; and there are certain ferocious rajahs in the interior who are absolutely independent. The celebrated East India Company was all–powerful from 1756, when the English first gained a foothold on the spot where now stands the city of Madras, down to the time of the great Sepoy insurrection. It gradually annexed province after province, purchasing them of the native chiefs, whom it seldom paid, and appointed the governor–general and his subordinates, civil and military. But the East India Company has now passed away, leaving the British possessions in India directly under the control of the Crown. The aspect of the country, as well as the manners and distinctions of race, is daily changing.
Formerly one was obliged to travel in India by the old cumbrous methods of going on foot or on horseback, in palanquins or unwieldy coaches; now fast steamboats ply on the Indus and the Ganges, and a great railway, with branch lines joining the main line at many points on its route, traverses the peninsula from Bombay to Calcutta in three days. This railway does not run in a direct line across India. The distance between Bombay and Calcutta, as the bird flies, is only from one thousand to eleven hundred miles; but the deflections of the road increase this distance by more than a third.
The general route of the Great Indian Peninsula Railway is as follows: Leaving Bombay, it passes through Salcette, crossing to the continent opposite Tannah, goes over the chain of the Western Ghauts, runs thence north–east as far as Burhampoor, skirts the nearly independent territory of Bundelcund, ascends to Allahabad, turns thence eastwardly, meeting the Ganges at Benares, then departs from the river a little, and, descending south–eastward by Burdivan and the French town of Chandernagor, has its terminus at Calcutta.
The passengers of the Mongolia went ashore at half–past four p.m.; at exactly eight the train would start for Calcutta.
Mr. Fogg, after bidding good–bye to his whist partners, left the steamer, gave his servant several errands to do, urged it upon him to be at the station promptly at eight, and, with his regular step, which beat to the second, like an astronomical clock, 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, with its two polygonal towers—he cared not a straw to see them. He would not deign to examine even the masterpieces of Elephanta, or the mysterious hypogea, concealed south–east from the docks, or those fine remains of Buddhist architecture, the Kanherian grottoes of the island of Salcette.
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 certain giblet of "native rabbit," on which he prided himself.
Mr. Fogg accordingly tasted the dish, but, despite its spiced sauce, found it far from palatable. He rang for the landlord, and, on his appearance, said, fixing his clear eyes upon him, "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—"
"Be so good, landlord, as not to swear, but 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!"
After which Mr. Fogg quietly continued his dinner. Fix had gone on shore shortly after Mr. Fogg, and his first destination was the headquarters of the Bombay police. He made himself known as a London detective, told his business at Bombay, and the position of affairs relative to the supposed robber, and nervously asked if a warrant had arrived from London. It had not reached the office; indeed, there had not yet been time for it to arrive. Fix was sorely disappointed, and tried to obtain an order of arrest from the director of the Bombay police. This the director refused, as the matter concerned the London office, which alone could legally deliver the warrant. Fix did not insist, and was fain to resign himself to await the arrival of the important document; but he was determined not to lose sight of the mysterious rogue as long as he stayed in Bombay. He did not doubt for a moment, any more than Passepartout, that Phileas Fogg would remain there, at least until it was time for the warrant to arrive.
Passepartout, however, had no sooner heard his master's orders on leaving the Mongolia than he saw at once that they were to leave Bombay as they had done Suez and Paris, and that the journey would be extended at least as far as Calcutta, and perhaps beyond that place. He began to ask himself if this bet that Mr. Fogg talked about was not really in good earnest, and whether his fate was not in truth forcing him, despite his love of repose, around the world in eighty days!
Having purchased the usual quota of shirts and shoes, he took a leisurely promenade about the streets, where crowds of people of many nationalities—Europeans, Persians with pointed caps, Banyas with round turbans, Sindes with square bonnets, Parsees with black mitres, and long–robed Armenians—were collected. It happened to be the day of a Parsee festival. These descendants of the sect of Zoroaster—the most thrifty, civilised, intelligent, and austere of the East Indians, among whom are counted the richest native merchants of Bombay—were celebrating a sort of religious carnival, with processions and shows, in the midst of which Indian dancing–girls, clothed in rose–coloured gauze, looped up with gold and silver, danced airily, but with perfect modesty, to the sound of viols and the clanging of tambourines. It is needless to say that Passepartout watched these curious ceremonies with staring eyes and gaping mouth, and that his countenance was that of the greenest booby imaginable.
Unhappily for his master, as well as himself, his curiosity drew him unconsciously farther off than he intended to go. At last, having seen the Parsee carnival wind away in the distance, he was turning his steps towards the station, when he happened to espy the splendid pagoda on Malabar Hill, and was seized with an irresistible desire to see its interior. He was quite ignorant that it is forbidden to Christians to enter certain Indian temples, and that even the faithful must not go in without first leaving their shoes outside the door. It may be said here that the wise policy of the British Government severely punishes a disregard of the practices of the native religions.
Passepartout, however, thinking no harm, went in like a simple tourist, and was soon lost in admiration of the splendid Brahmin ornamentation which everywhere met his eyes, when of a sudden he found himself sprawling on the sacred flagging. He looked up to behold three enraged priests, who forthwith fell upon him; tore off his shoes, and began to beat him with loud, savage exclamations. The agile Frenchman was soon upon his feet again, and lost no time in knocking down two of his long–gowned adversaries with his fists and a vigorous application of his toes; then, rushing out of the pagoda as fast as his legs could carry him, he soon escaped the third priest by mingling with the crowd in the streets.
At five minutes before eight, Passepartout, hatless, shoeless, and having in the squabble lost his package of shirts and shoes, rushed breathlessly into the station.
Fix, who had followed Mr. Fogg to the station, and saw that he was really going to leave Bombay, was there, upon the platform. He had resolved to follow the supposed robber to Calcutta, and farther, if necessary. Passepartout did not observe the detective, who stood in an obscure corner; but Fix heard him relate his adventures in a few words to Mr. Fogg.
"I hope that this will not happen again," said Phileas Fogg coldly, as he got into the train. Poor Passepartout, quite crestfallen, followed his master without a word. Fix was on the point of entering another carriage, when an idea struck him which induced him to alter his plan.
"No, I'll stay," muttered he. "An offence has been committed on Indian soil. I've got my man."
Just then the locomotive gave a sharp screech, and the train passed out into the darkness of the night.
背景介绍和作者简介
本文摘自儒勒·凡尔纳的经典冒险小说《八十天环游地球》，儒勒·凡尔纳是一位备受赞誉的法国作家，以其在科幻小说和冒险文学方面的富有想象力和开创性的作品而闻名。这部小说写于1873年，捕捉了19世纪对探索、技术以及由于交通运输的进步而日益缩小的世界的迷恋。凡尔纳生动的描写和惊险的情节使这个故事成为了所有年龄段读者永恒的最爱。
故事的详细解读和意义
节选描述了福格和他的仆人路路通穿越英属印度的旅程，突出了文化多样性、殖民背景以及时代的快速现代化，例如铁路和汽船的引入。叙事不仅展示了物质旅程，还展示了文化的冲突与融合、殖民统治的复杂性以及旅行者在异国他乡面临的挑战。
福格的角色体现了精确、决心和临危不乱，而路路通则提供了人性化、通常幽默的视角，对陌生的习俗和环境做出反应。故事还介绍了侦探费克斯，他怀疑福格犯了罪，增加了悬念和阴谋。
给学生和年轻读者的教训和见解
- **好奇心和开放心态：**路路通对帕西节和印度文化的着迷鼓励读者欣赏和尊重文化多样性。它教会了好奇心的价值，并同时对当地习俗和传统保持敏感。
- **毅力和时间管理：**福格的准时性和稳步前进反映了纪律性和在实现目标时周密计划的重要性。这可以激励学生在学习和个人追求中有效地管理他们的时间。
- **适应性：**穿越不同国家和文化的旅程表明需要适应新的环境和情况，这是当今全球化世界中至关重要的技能。
- **正义与道德：**涉及费克斯侦探的支线情节提出了关于正义、怀疑和真相的问题，鼓励对公平性和假设的后果进行批判性思考。
在日常生活、学习和社会交往中的应用
- **在学习中：**学生可以效仿福格解决问题的方法，分解任务，并在遇到干扰或挫折时保持专注。
- **在社交场合：**路路通的经历提醒我们在遇到不同的文化或观点时要保持尊重和观察，培养同情心和社会和谐。
- **在个人成长中：**这个故事鼓励我们以勇气和谦逊的态度拥抱新的体验，从错误中学习，并像福格一样坚定地坚守自己的价值观。
从故事中培养积极的特质
- **纪律：**练习准时并设定明确的目标以建立可靠性。
- **好奇心：**以开放的心态探索新的科目和文化，但也要寻求理解和尊重界限。
- **勇气：**勇敢地面对挑战，就像路路通逃离祭司一样，展现出韧性。
- **正直：**像福格一样，即使在受到怀疑或压力下也要保持诚实和冷静。
结论
《八十天环游地球》不仅仅是一次激动人心的冒险；它还是一个丰富的生命课程和文化欣赏的源泉。通过阅读和思考这个故事，学生可以培养全球视野，提高个人纪律，并培养有助于他们在学业和社会上取得成功的品质。这个经典的故事邀请年轻读者大胆梦想，广泛探索，并明智地行动。
