by Verne, Jules, 1828-1905
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the enterprise of i\I. Lesseps, a fast-growing town. One was the British consul at Suez, who, despite the prophecies of the EngHsh Government, and the unfavourable predictions of Stephenson, was in the habit of seeing, from his office window, English ships daily passing to and fro on the great canal, by which the old roundabout route from England to India by the Cape of Good Hope was abridged by at least a half. The other was a small, slight-built personage, with a nervous, intelligent face, and bright eyes peering out from under eyebrows which he was incessantly twitching. He was just now manifesting unmistakable signs of impatience, nervously pacing up and down, and unable to stand still for a moment. This was Fix, one of the detectives w^ho had been despatched from England in search of the bank robber; it was his task to narrowly watch every passenger who arrived at Suez, and to follow up all who seemed to be suspicious characters, or bore a resemblance to the description of the criminal, which he had received two days before from the police head-quarters at London. The detective was evidently inspired by the hope of obtaining the splendid reward which would be the prize of success, and awaited with a feverish impatience, easy to understand, the arrival of the steamer " Mongolia."
'' So you say, consul," asked he for the twentieth time, " that this steamer is never behind time .'*"
" No, Mr. Fix," replied the consul. " She was bespoken
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yesterday at Port Said, and the rest of the way Is of no account to such a craft. I repeat that the 'Mongoha' has been in advance of the time required by the company's regulations, and gained the prize awarded for excess of speed."
" Does she come directly from Brindisi ?"
" Directly from Brindisi ; she takes on the Indian mails there, and she left there Saturday at five p.m. Have patience, Mr. Fix ; she will not be late. But really I don't see how, from the description you have, you v/ill be able to recognize your man, even if he is on board the ' Mongolia.' "
'^ A man rather feels the presence of these fellows, consul, than recognizes them. You must have a scent for them, and a scent is like a sixth sense which combines hearing, seeing, and smelling. I've arrested more than one of these gentlemen in my time, and if my thief is on board, I'll answer for it, he'll not slip through my fingers."
" I hope so, Mr. Fix, for it was a heavy robbery."
*' A magnificent robbery, consul; fifty-five thousand pounds! We don't often have such windfalls. Burglars are getting to be so contemptible nowadays! A fellow gets hung for a handful of shillings !"
" Mr. Fix," said the consul, " I like your way of talking, and hope you'll succeed; but I fear you will find it far from easy. Don't you see, the description which you have there has a singular resemblance to an honest man ^"
^'Consul," remarked the detective, dogmatically, "great
robbers always resemble honest folks. Fellows who have rascally faces have only one course to take, and that is to remain honest; otherwise they would be arrested off-hand. The artistic thing is, to unmask honest countenances ; it's no light task, I admit, but a real art."
Mr. Fix evidently was not wanting in a tinge of self-conceit.
Little by little the scene on the quay became more animated; sailors of various nations, merchants, ship-brokers, porters, fellahs, bustled to and fro as if the steamer were immediately expected. The weather Avas clear, and slightly chilly. The minarets of the town loomed above the houses in the pale rays of the sun. A jetty pier, some two thousand yards long, extended into the roadstead. A number of fishing-smacks and coasting boats, some retaining the fantastic fashion of ancient galleys, were discernible on the Red Sea.
As he passed among the busy crowd. Fix, according to habit, scrutinized the passers-by with a keen, rapid glance.
It was now half-past ten.
"The steamer doesn't come!" he exclaimed, as the port clock struck.
'' She can't be far off now," returned his companion.
" How long will she stop at Suez .''"
"Four hours; long enough to get in her coal. It is
thirteen hundred and ten miles from Suez to Aden, at the other end of the Red Sea, and she has to take in a fresh coal supply."
'' And does she go from Suez directly to Bombay ?"
" Without putting in anywhere."
