The weather was bad during the latter days of the voyage. The wind, obstinately remaining in the north–west, blew a gale, and retarded the steamer. The Rangoon rolled heavily and the passengers became impatient of the long, monstrous waves which the wind raised before their path. A sort of tempest arose on the 3rd of November, the squall knocking the vessel about with fury, and the waves running high. The Rangoon reefed all her sails, and even the rigging proved too much, whistling and shaking amid the squall. The steamer was forced to proceed slowly, and the captain estimated that she would reach Hong Kong twenty hours behind time, and more if the storm lasted.
Phileas Fogg gazed at the tempestuous sea, which seemed to be struggling especially to delay him, with his habitual tranquillity. He never changed countenance for an instant, though a delay of twenty hours, by making him too late for the Yokohama boat, would almost inevitably cause the loss of the wager. But this man of nerve manifested neither impatience nor annoyance; it seemed as if the storm were a part of his programme, and had been foreseen. Aouda was amazed to find him as calm as he had been from the first time she saw him.
Fix did not look at the state of things in the same light. The storm greatly pleased him. His satisfaction would have been complete had the Rangoon been forced to retreat before the violence of wind and waves. Each delay filled him with hope, for it became more and more probable that Fogg would be obliged to remain some days at Hong Kong; and now the heavens themselves became his allies, with the gusts and squalls. It mattered not that they made him sea–sick—he made no account of this inconvenience; and, whilst his body was writhing under their effects, his spirit bounded with hopeful exultation.
Passepartout was enraged beyond expression by the unpropitious weather. Everything had gone so well till now! Earth and sea had seemed to be at his master's service; steamers and railways obeyed him; wind and steam united to speed his journey. Had the hour of adversity come? Passepartout was as much excited as if the twenty thousand pounds were to come from his own pocket. The storm exasperated him, the gale made him furious, and he longed to lash the obstinate sea into obedience. Poor fellow! Fix carefully concealed from him his own satisfaction, for, had he betrayed it, Passepartout could scarcely have restrained himself from personal violence.
Passepartout remained on deck as long as the tempest lasted, being unable to remain quiet below, and taking it into his head to aid the progress of the ship by lending a hand with the crew. He overwhelmed the captain, officers, and sailors, who could not help laughing at his impatience, with all sorts of questions. He wanted to know exactly how long the storm was going to last; whereupon he was referred to the barometer, which seemed to have no intention of rising. Passepartout shook it, but with no perceptible effect; for neither shaking nor maledictions could prevail upon it to change its mind.
On the 4th, however, the sea became more calm, and the storm lessened its violence; the wind veered southward, and was once more favourable. Passepartout cleared up with the weather. Some of the sails were unfurled, and the Rangoon resumed its most rapid speed. The time lost could not, however, be regained. Land was not signalled until five o'clock on the morning of the 6th; the steamer was due on the 5th. Phileas Fogg was twenty–four hours behind–hand, and the Yokohama steamer would, of course, be missed.
The pilot went on board at six, and took his place on the bridge, to guide the Rangoon through the channels to the port of Hong Kong. Passepartout longed to ask him if the steamer had left for Yokohama; but he dared not, for he wished to preserve the spark of hope, which still remained till the last moment. He had confided his anxiety to Fix who—the sly rascal!—tried to console him by saying that Mr. Fogg would be in time if he took the next boat; but this only put Passepartout in a passion.
Mr. Fogg, bolder than his servant, did not hesitate to approach the pilot, and tranquilly ask him if he knew when a steamer would leave Hong Kong for Yokohama.
"At high tide to–morrow morning," answered the pilot.
"Ah!" said Mr. Fogg, without betraying any astonishment.
Passepartout, who heard what passed, would willingly have embraced the pilot, while Fix would have been glad to twist his neck.
"What is the steamer's name?" asked Mr. Fogg.
"The Carnatic."
"Ought she not to have gone yesterday?"
"Yes, sir; but they had to repair one of her boilers, and so her departure was postponed till to–morrow."
"Thank you," returned Mr. Fogg, descending mathematically to the saloon.
Passepartout clasped the pilot's hand and shook it heartily in his delight, exclaiming, "Pilot, you are the best of good fellows!"
The pilot probably does not know to this day why his responses won him this enthusiastic greeting. He remounted the bridge, and guided the steamer through the flotilla of junks, tankas, and fishing boats which crowd the harbour of Hong Kong.
At one o'clock the Rangoon was at the quay, and the passengers were going ashore.
Chance had strangely favoured Phileas Fogg, for had not the Carnatic been forced to lie over for repairing her boilers, she would have left on the 6th of November, and the passengers for Japan would have been obliged to await for a week the sailing of the next steamer. Mr. Fogg was, it is true, twenty–four hours behind his time; but this could not seriously imperil the remainder of his tour.
The steamer which crossed the Pacific from Yokohama to San Francisco made a direct connection with that from Hong Kong, and it could not sail until the latter reached Yokohama; and if Mr. Fogg was twenty–four hours late on reaching Yokohama, this time would no doubt be easily regained in the voyage of twenty–two days across the Pacific. He found himself, then, about twenty–four hours behind–hand, thirty–five days after leaving London.
The Carnatic was announced to leave Hong Kong at five the next morning. Mr. Fogg had sixteen hours in which to attend to his business there, which was to deposit Aouda safely with her wealthy relative.
On landing, he conducted her to a palanquin, in which they repaired to the Club Hotel. A room was engaged for the young woman, and Mr. Fogg, after seeing that she wanted for nothing, set out in search of her cousin Jeejeeh. He instructed Passepartout to remain at the hotel until his return, that Aouda might not be left entirely alone.
Mr. Fogg repaired to the Exchange, where, he did not doubt, every one would know so wealthy and considerable a personage as the Parsee merchant. Meeting a broker, he made the inquiry, to learn that Jeejeeh had left China two years before, and, retiring from business with an immense fortune, had taken up his residence in Europe—in Holland the broker thought, with the merchants of which country he had principally traded. Phileas Fogg returned to the hotel, begged a moment's conversation with Aouda, and without more ado, apprised her that Jeejeeh was no longer at Hong Kong, but probably in Holland.
Aouda at first said nothing. She passed her hand across her forehead, and reflected a few moments. Then, in her sweet, soft voice, she said: "What ought I to do, Mr. Fogg?"
"It is very simple," responded the gentleman. "Go on to Europe."
"But I cannot intrude—"
"You do not intrude, nor do you in the least embarrass my project. Passepartout!"
"Monsieur."
"Go to the Carnatic, and engage three cabins."
Passepartout, delighted that the young woman, who was very gracious to him, was going to continue the journey with them, went off at a brisk gait to obey his master's order.
背景介紹與作者介紹
這段文字出自儒勒·凡爾納這位法國作家所著的經典冒險小說《八十天環遊地球》。這部小說於1873年出版，講述了精確而冷靜的英國紳士福克先生打賭他能在短短八十天內環遊地球的故事。凡爾納常被稱為「科幻小說之父」，因為他富有想像力的故事講述方式以及對科技和地理的詳細描述。他的作品啟發了世界各地無數的讀者和冒險家。
故事詳解與意義
在這段摘錄中，福克先生和他的同伴們在輪船「仰光號」上遭遇了猛烈的風暴，這威脅到他們的旅程。儘管天氣惡劣，並且有錯過下一班輪船的風險，福克先生仍然保持鎮定和自信。他沉著的舉止與其他人的焦慮和沮喪形成了鮮明對比，尤其是他忠誠的僕人路路通，以及追捕他的偵探費克斯。風暴象徵著生活中不可預測的挑戰，而福克先生堅定的決心突出了耐心、理性思考和毅力的重要性。
這個故事也揭示了命運和機遇的主題。儘管延誤了，但福克先生的運氣轉變了，因為下一班輪船的啟航因維修而推遲，這給了他繼續旅程的第二次機會。這個轉折表明，如果一個人保持希望和適應性，挫折有時會帶來意想不到的機會。
給學生的啟示和見解
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逆境中的鎮定： 福克先生堅定不移的鎮定教會學生在困難時期保持鎮定的價值。無論是面對考試、衝突還是個人挑戰，保持清晰的頭腦都有助於做出更好的決定。
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毅力和決心： 儘管遭遇風暴和延誤，福克先生並沒有放棄。這種堅持對於實現長期目標至關重要。學生們可以學會在事情沒有按計劃進行時，也要穩步工作。
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適應性和解決問題： 當面臨意想不到的障礙時，福克先生會迅速調整他的計劃。這種靈活性是生活中一項至關重要的技能，鼓勵學生發揮創造力並尋找解決方案，而不是停滯不前。
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團隊合作和支持： 路路通渴望提供幫助，以及福克先生對奧達的關懷，都表明了在共同旅程中支持他人的重要性。學會有效地合作和溝通對於學校項目和社會關係至關重要。
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希望和樂觀： 費克斯的秘密希望和路路通最終的解脫提醒我們，保持希望可以在艱難時期提供力量。鼓勵積極的態度有助於學生勇敢地面對不確定性。
在日常生活中應用這些教訓
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在學校： 在準備考試或項目時，學生可以練習保持鎮定和專注，即使出現意想不到的困難。提前計劃並準備好適應有助於管理壓力。
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在社交場合： 就像福克先生對奧達和他的僕人的尊重一樣，學生們應該對朋友和同學表現出友善和耐心，營造一個支持性的環境。
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在個人成長中： 培養毅力意味著設定目標並穩步朝著目標努力，理解挫折是過程的一部分。
從故事中培養積極的特質
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自制： 像福克先生一樣，在面臨壓力時，練習正念或深呼吸以保持鎮定。
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好奇心和學習： 就像福克先生從飛行員和其他人那裡收集信息一樣，學生們應該提問並尋求知識，以便做出明智的決定。
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責任感： 路路通對主人的使命的奉獻表明了認真對待責任的重要性，學生們可以在學習和承諾中效仿。
總結
儒勒·凡爾納的《八十天環遊地球》不僅是一場令人興奮的冒險，而且是關於勇氣、耐心和希望的豐富的生活教訓的來源。通過探索福克先生和他的同伴們所面臨的挑戰，學生們可以獲得寶貴的見解，以充滿信心和優雅地應對他們自己的旅程——無論是在學校、友誼還是未來的抱負中。
