Jules Verne Forum

<jvf@Gilead.org.il>

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 19961997199819992000200120022003200420052006200720082009

Another version?

From: Christian Sánchez <chvsanchez~at~arnet.com.ar>
Date: Mon, 13 Mar 2000 17:53:45 -0300
To: "'Jules Verne Forum'" <jvf~at~math.technion.ac.il>

I was comparing some Spanish editions of "Around the world" with the French and two English ones, and I discovered another version of a fragment on the Chapter 28, when Phileas Fogg and companions' train must cross a collapsing bridge:

'Good Lord,' exclaimed Colonel Proctor, 'we're not going to stay here, I hope, until we take roots in the snow!'
'Colonel,' answered the guard, 'we telegraphed Omaha Station to get a replacement train, but it probably won't arrive in Medicine Bow for another six hours.'
'Six hours!' exclaimed Passepartout.
'And anyhow,' said the guard, 'it'll take us all that time to reach the station on foot.'

Here French, English (W. Butcher) and two Spanish editions say:

'On foot?' cried the passengers in unison.
'But how far is this station, then?' one of them asked.
'Twelve miles, on the other side of the river.'
'Twelve miles in the snow?' exclaimed Stamp W. Proctor.

But the other two Spanish editions and the English one by (J. Rogers) say instead:

'But it is only a mile from here,' said one of the passengers.
'Yes, but it's on the other side of the river.'
'And can't we cross that in a boat?' asked the Colonel.
'That's impossible. The creek is swollen from the rains. It is a rapid, and we shall have to make a ten mile detour to the north to find a ford.'

a) Is the second version indeed by Verne?
b) Which explication is the best, and why Verne changed it?

Regards,

Christian Sánchez
chvsanchez~at~arnet.com.ar
Rosario, Argentina
Received on Mon 13 Mar 2000 - 23:24:42 IST

JV.Gilead.org.il
Copyright © Zvi Har’El
$Date: 2009/02/01 22:36:11 $$