- I looked at Monsieur Fogg
* ... and I could contain myself no longer.
    'What is the purpose of our journey, Monsieur?'
    'A wager,' he replied.
    * * 'A wager!'[] I returned.
            He nodded.
            * * * 'But surely that is foolishness!'
            * * * 'A most serious matter then!'
            - - - He nodded again.
            * * * 'But can we win?'
                        'That is what we will endeavour to find out,' he answered.
            * * * 'A modest wager, I trust?'
                        'Twenty thousand pounds,' he replied, quite flatly.
            * * * I asked nothing further of him then[.], and after a final, polite cough, he offered nothing more to me. <>
    * * 'Ah[.'],' I replied, uncertain what I thought.
    - - After that, <>
* ... but I said nothing[] and <>
- we passed the day in silence.
- -> END