"What burner?"
"Why, my gas-burner, which I forgot to turn off when I left London, and which is still alight at my expense. Now I have calculated that I lose two shillings every four-and-twenty hours, which is just sixpence more than my wages. So you see that the longer our journey is—"
It is not very likely that Fix paid much attention to this question of the gas; he was thinking of something else. The pair soon reached the bazaar, and leaving his companion to make his purchases. Fix hastened back to the Consul's office, and now that his suspicions were confirmed he regained his usual coolness.
"I am quite certain now," he said to the Consul, "that this is our man. He wishes to pass himself off as an eccentric person who wants to go round the world in eighty days."
"He is a very sharp fellow, and he probably counts on returning to
London, after having thrown all the police off the scent."
"Well, we shall see," replied Fix.
"But are you sure you are right?" asked the Consul once more.
"I am sure I am not mistaken."
"Well then, how do you account for the fellow being so determined upon proving he had been here by having his passport viséd?"
"Why—Well, I can't say," replied the detective; "but listen a moment." And then in as few words as possible he communicated the heads of his conversation with Passe-partout.