Phileas Fogg meets Passepartout

I present to you a mysterious English gentleman, Phileas Fogg. I say mysterious because people don’t know much about him, but because he does the same thing every day, people think they know everything about him. He’s a handsome man, a true gentleman and very rich. Who knows how he made his money? It’s a mystery. He knows incredible things about a lot of countries on the map of the world but is he a traveller? Some people say he never leaves London. Does he only travel in his dreams? Who knows?

Mr. Fogg is a private person and he doesn’t have many friends. He goes to a political club in London, the Reform Club. He reads the newspapers here and speaks to some people. He likes playing cards and he often wins money but he doesn’t keep it, he gives it to charity. He has lunch at the Club every day and he sits always at the same table. He goes home at midnight to his house in Saville Row, in central London. He never has visitors and the only other person in his house is his manservant.

Glossary

handsome: bello private: riservato charity: opera pia manservant: domestico

This morning the manservant brought Phileas Fogg a basin of water to shave with, but it was too hot and Phileas sacked him and this is where our story begins. Phileas Fogg was waiting for his new manservant to arrive, between eleven and half past eleven, because every day at exactly half past eleven, Mr. Fogg goes to the Reform Club.

At twenty-past eleven, there was a knock at the door and a young man of about thirty years old came in.

«Good morning sir, I’m Jean Passepartout.» said the young man.

«Are you French?» asked Mr. Fogg.

«Yes sir, I am. I am an honest man, sir, but I’m not an experienced manservant. I was a Physical Education teacher and a Music teacher and then I became a singer. In the past I rode a horse in a circus and I even worked for the fire brigade in Paris.»

Fogg listened and nodded his head in approval.

«Who told you about the job here?» he asked.

«A gentleman from the Reform Club. He said you were a very intelligent and quiet man and so here I am, in the hope of finally finding a secure job, and a quiet life from now on.»

«Do you understand what type of person I’m looking for?» asked Fogg.

«Yes sir, I do and I think I’m perfect for the job.»

Mr. Fogg looked at the clock and said «It’s eleven twenty-six, the job is yours. You start now.»

GLOSSARY to shave: radere to sack: licenziare knock: colpo to nod: annuire to look for: cercare

Around the World in 80 Days employer: datore di lavoro

With that, he got up from his armchair, picked up his hat, and left the house without saying another word.

Passepartout watched his new employer and saw that he was an elegant man of about forty years old with an attractive, gentle face. He was tall with blond hair and a moustache. He seemed very calm and he was a typical Englishman.

Passepartout thought that it was difficult to guess how an Englishman really felt. And what about our Frenchman?

Passepartout was a handsome man and he was also very strong. He had blue eyes and untidy, curly brown hair. He was a sweet person who knew the meaning of friendship and loyalty. It was half past eleven and he decided to look around the house, his new home. Phileas Fogg’s room was very tidy. The clothes were divided into seasons and his jackets were all numbered. Passepartout went around all the other rooms and finally he found his room. There was a fireplace and above it, an electric clock, the same as the one in Fogg’s room. Below the clock there was a piece of paper with a list of the details of Mr. Fogg’s day.

8:20 - Tea and toast

9:37 - Water for shaving (body temperature)

11:25 - Brush Mr. Fogg’s jacket

The list told Passepartout everything he needed to do from morning until midnight when Mr. Fogg went to bed.

«Very good» thought Passepartout. «A man who is as regular as clockwork! It’s just what I wanted!»

GLOSSARY to guess: indovinare untidy: spettinati loyalty: lealtà as regular as clockwork: regolare come un orologio

1 Match the words (1-6) with their meanings (a-g). There is one meaning you do not need. Write your answers in the boxes.

1. employer

2. reserved

3. handsome

4. untidy

5. loyal

6. to look for a. someone who shows fidelity to a person b. messy c. someone who cuts people’s hair d. someone who is good-looking e. to try to find someone or something f. someone who employs a person g. someone who doesn’t show his/ her feelings

2 Answer the questions (1-8). Use a maximum of 4 words.

1. Who is the mysterious gentleman?

2. Describe him with two adjectives. ............................................................

3. Does he have many friends?

4. What is the name of his political club? .................................................

5. What does he read?

6. What else does he do? ........................................................................................

7. Does he keep the money he wins?

8. What’s the name of his new manservant? .........................................

I’ll leave: Partirò lawyer: avvocato

(to) lie: mentire lies: bugie loud: forte, rumoroso luggage: bagagli madman: pazzo master: signore, padrone monkeys’ cries: versi delle scimmie moustache: baffi nobleman: nobiluomo novelist: romanziere on fire: in fiamme out of sight: fuori dal campo visivo owner: proprietario parties: partiti passengers: passeggeri playwright: drammaturgo polite: educato reward: ricompensa robber: ladro robbery: rapina rough: rude seat: posto a sedere shelf: mensola ship: nave smoke: fumo somewhere: da qualche parte square: piazza stamp: timbro submarines: sottomarini thief: ladro timetables: orari waiting room: sala d’attesa warriors: guerrieri wheels: ruote whistle: fischietto worried: preoccupato

You’re in trouble!: Sei nei guai!