Jean Passepartout in 1872.
Jean Passepartout (1826-1909) was a French butler and adventurer.
Biography[]
Jean Passepartout was born in Paris, France in 1826, son of a working class family. In 1872, Passepartout was hired by British aristocrat Phileas Fogg. Ironically, on Passepartout's first day at work, Fogg made a bet with his friends at the Club that he can circumnavigate the world within 80 days and Passepartout was obliged to accompany him. In addition to the wager, the valet had an additional incentive to complete the journey quickly.
In the journey, Passepartout played a critical role in Fogg's adventures, such as rescuing a young woman named Aouda from a forced sati and becoming a friend of Fix, a police detective who suspected Fogg of robbing a bank.
Due to his silence, however, Fogg and Fix never had a chance to discuss the case in neutral territory, and Fix arrested Fogg as soon as they return to England. This critically delayed Fogg before he was exonerated and the company arrived in London, seemingly too late and leaving Passepartout in almost suicidal despair at his foolishness.
The following day at home, Aouda proposed to Fogg to help him in his hard life ahead. While searching for a minister to marry the couple, Passepartout discovered that the date is one day earlier than he thought, due to the party having traveled east across the International Date Line. Once Fogg learnt of the error, he dashed to the Reform Club and arrived just in time to win the bet.
Fogg married Aouda, with Passepartout giving away the bride, and divided the net proceeds from the journey between Passepartout and Fix.