第64章

The prairie，across which the sledge was moving in a straight line，was as flat as a sea.It seemed like a vast frozen lake.The railroad which ran through this section ascended from the south-west to the northwest by Great Island，Columbus，an important Nebraska town，Schuyler and Fremont，to Omaha.It followed throughout the right bank of the Platte River.The sledge，shortening this route，took a chord of the are described by the railway.Mudge was not afraid of being stopped by the Platte River，because it was frozen.The road，then，was quite clear of obstacles，and Phileas Fogg had but two things to fear，-an accident to the sledge，and a change or calm in the wind.

But the breeze，far from lessening its force，blew as if to bend the mast，which，however，the metallic lashings held firmly.These lashings，like the chords of a stringed instrument，resounded as if vibrated by a violin bow.The sledge slid along in the midst of a plaintively intense melody.

These chords give the fifth and the octave，said Mr Fogg.

These were the only words he uttered during the journey.Aouda，cosily packed in furs and cloaks，was sheltered as much as possible from the attacks of the freezing wind.As for Passepartout，his face was as red as the sun's disc when it sets in the mist，and he laboriously inhaled the biting air.With his natural buoyancy of Spirits，he began to hope again.They would reach New York on the evening，if not on the morning，of the 11th，and there were still some chances that it would be before the steamer sailed for Liverpool.

Passepartout even felt a strong desire to grasp his ally，Fix，by the hand.He remembered that it was the detective who procured the sledge，the only means of reaching Omaha in time；but，checked by some presentiment，he kept his usual reserve.One thing，however，Passepartout would never forget，and that was the sacrifice which Mr Fogg had made，without hesitation，to rescue him from the Sioux.Mr Fogg had risked his fortune and his life.No！His servant would never forget that！

While each of the party was absorbed in reflections so different，the sledge flew fast over the vast carpet of snow.The creeks it passed over were not perceived.Fields and streams disappeared under the uniform whiteness.The plain was absolutely deserted.Between the Union Pacific road and the branch which unites Kearney with Saint Joseph it formed a great uninhabited island.Neither village，station，nor fort appeared.From time to time they sped by some phantom-like tree，whose white skeleton twisted and rattled in the wind.Sometimes flocks of wild birds rose，or bands of gaunt，famished，ferocious prairie-wolves ran howling after the sledge.Passepartout，revolver in hand，held himself ready to fire on those which came too near.Had an accident then happened to the sledge，the travellers，attacked by these beasts，would have been in the most terrible danger；but it held on its even course，Soon gained on the wolves，and ere long left the howling band at a safe distance behind.

About noon Mudge perceived by certain landmarks that he was crossing the Platte River.He said nothing，but he felt certain that he was now within twenty miles of Omaha.In less than an hour he left the rudder and furled his sails，whilst the sledge，carried forward by the great impetus the wind had given it，went on half a mile further with its sails unspread.

It stopped at last，and Mudge，pointing to a mass of roofs white with snow，said：We have got there！

Arrived！Arrived at the station which is in daily communication，by numerous trains，with the Atlantic seaboard！

Passepartout and Fix jumped off，stretched their stiffened limbs，and aided Mr Fogg and the young woman to descend from the sledge.Phileas Fogg generously rewarded Mudge，whose hand Passepartout warmly grasped，and the party directed their steps to the Omaha railway station.

The Pacific Railroad proper finds its terminus at this important Nebraska town.Omaha is connected with Chicago by the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad，which runs directly east，and passes fifty stations.

A train was ready to start when Mr Fogg and his party reached the station，and they only had time to get into the cars.They had seen nothing of Omaha；but Passepartout confessed to himself that this was not to be regretted，as they were not travelling to see the sights.

The train passed rapidly across the State of Iowa，by Council Bluffs，Des Moines，and Iowa City.During the night it crossed the Mississippi at Davenport，and by Rock Island entered Illinois.The next day，which was the 10th，at four in the evening，it reached Chicago，already risen from its ruins，and more proudly seated than ever on the borders of its beautiful Lake Michigan.

Nine hundred miles separated Chicago from New York；but trains are not wanting at Chicago.Mr Fogg passed at once from one to the other，and the locomotive of the Pittsburg，Fort Wayne，and Chicago Railway left at full speed，as if it fully comprehended that that gentleman had no time to lose.It traversed Indiana，Ohio，Pennsylvania，and New Jersey like a flash，rushing through the towns with antique names，some of which had streets and car-tracks，but as yet no houses.At last the Hudson came into view；and at a quarter-past eleven in the evening of the 11th，the train stopped in the station on the right bank of the river，before the very pier of the Cunard line.

TheChina'，for Liverpool，had started three-quarters of an hour before！