Ashesokethus,heseizedsomebagsofballast.Ireciitatedmyselfuonhim；but,withonehand,heoverthrewme,andthelightenedballoonrosetoaheightof1500metres.

“Sitdown，”saidhe，“anddonotforgetthatBrioschi,Biot,andGay-Lussac,ascendedtoaheightofseventhousandmetres,inordertoestablishsomenewscientifclaws.”

“Wemustdescend；”resumedI,withanattemtatgentleness.“Thestormisgatheringbeneathourfeetandaroundus；itwouldnotberudent.”

“Wewillascendaboveit,andshallhavenothingtofearfromit.Whatmorebeautifulthantoreigninheaven,andlookdownuonthecloudswhichhoveruontheearth！Isitnotanhonourtonavigatetheseaerialwaves?Thegreatestersonageshavetravelledlikeourselves.TheMarquiseandComtessedeMontalembert,theComtessedePotteries,Mlle.LaGarde,theMarquisofMontalembert,setoutfromtheFaubourgSt.Antoinefortheseunknownregions.TheDucdeChartresdislayedmuchaddressandresenceofmindinhisascensionofthe15thofJuly，1784；atLyons,theComtesdeLaurencinanddeDamierre；atNantes,M.deLuynes；atBordeaux,DArbeletdesGranges；inItaly,theChevalierAndreani；inourdays,theDukeofBrunswick；haveleftintheairthetrackoftheirglory.Inordertoequalthesegreatersonages,wemustascendintothecelestialregionshigherthanthey.Toaroachtheinfniteistocomrehendit.”

Therarefactionoftheairconsiderablydilatedthehydrogen,andIsawthelowerartoftheaerostat,designedlyleftemty,becomebydegreesinfated,renderingtheoeningofthevalveindisensable；butmyfearfulcomanionseemeddeterminednottoallowmetodirectourmovements.Iresolvedtoullsecretlythecordattachedtothevalve,whilehewastalkingwithanimation.IfearedtoguesswithwhomIhadtodo；itwouldhavebeentoohorrible！Itwasaboutthree-quartersofanhoursincewehadleftFrankfort,andfromthesouththickcloudswerearisingandthreateningtoengulfus.

“Haveyoulostallhoeofmakingyourlanssucceed?”saidI,withgreataarentinterest.

“Allhoe！”reliedtheunknown,desairingly.“Woundedbyrefusals,caricatures,thoseblowswiththefootofanass,havefnishedme.Itistheeternalunishmentreservedforinnovators.Seethesecaricaturesofeveryagewithwhichmyortfolioisflled.”

Ihadsecuredthecordofthevalve,andstooingoverhisworks,concealedmymovementsfromhim.Itwastobefeared,nevertheless,thathewouldnoticethatrushingsound,likeawaterfall,whichthegasroducesinescaing.

“HowmanyjestsattheexenseoftheAbbeMiolan！HewasabouttoascendwithJanninetandBredin.Duringtheoeration,theirballoontookfre,andanignorantoulacetoreittoieces.ThenthecaricatureofTheCuriousAnimalscalledthemMaulant,JeanMind,andGredin.”

Thebarometerhadbegantorise；itwastime！Adistantmutteringofthunderwasheardtowardsthesouth.

“Seethisotherengraving，”continuedhe,withoutseemingtosusectmymanoeuvres.“Itisanimmenseballoon,containingashi,largecastles,houses,etc.Thecaricaturistslittlethoughtthattheirabsurditieswouldonedaybecomeverities.Itisalargevessel；attheleftisthehelmwiththeilot‘sbox；attherow,maisonsdelaisance,agiganticorgan,andcannontocalltheattentionoftheinhabitantsofearthorofthemoon；abovethesterntheobservatoryandilot-balloon；attheequatorialcircle,thebarracksofthearmy；ontheleftthelantern；thenuergalleriesforromenades,thesails,thewings；beneath,thecafesandgeneralstore-housesofrovisions.Admirethismagnifcentannouncement.Inventedforthegoodofthehumanrace,thisglobewilldeartimmediatelyfortheseaortsintheLevant,andonitsreturnwillannounceitsvoyagesforthetwoolesandtheextremitiesoftheOccident.Everyrovisionismade；therewillbeanexactrateoffareforeachlaceofdestination；butthericesfordistantvoyageswillbethesame，1000louis.Anditmustbeconfessedthatthisisamoderatesum,consideringthecelerity,convenience,andleasureofthismodeoftravellingaboveallothers.Whileinthisballoon,everyonecandiverthimselfasheleases,dancing,laying,orconversingwitheoleoftalent.Pleasurewillbethesouloftheaerialsociety.’Alltheseinventionsexcitedlaughter.Butbeforelong,ifmydayswerenotnumbered,theserojectsshouldbecomerealities.”

Wewerevisiblydescending；hedidnoterceiveit！

“Seethisgameofballoons；itcontainsthewholehistoryoftheaerostaticart.Thisgame,fortheuseofeducatedminds,islayedlikethatoftheJew；withdiceandcountersofanyvalueagreeduon,whicharetobeaidorreceived,accordingtotheconditioninwhichonearrives.”

“But，”Iresumed，“youseemtohavevaluabledocumentsonaerostation?”

“IamlesslearnedthantheAlmighty！Thatisall！Iossessalltheknowledgeossibleinthisworld.FromPhaeton,Icarus,andArchitas.Ihavesearchedall,comrehendedall！Throughme,theaerostaticartwouldrenderimmenseservicestotheworld,ifGodshouldsaremylife！Butthatcannotbe.”

“Whynot?”

“BecausemynameisEmedoclesorErostratus！”

II

Ishuddered！Fortunatelytheballoonwasaroachingtheearth.Butthedangeristhesameat50feetasat5000metres！Thecloudswereadvancing.

“RememberthebattleofFleurus,andyouwillcomrehendtheutilityofaerostats！Coutelle,byorderofthegovernment,organizedacomanyofaerostiers.AtthesiegeofMaubeuge,GeneralJourdanfoundthisnewmethodofobservationsoserviceable,thattwiceaday,accomaniedbytheGeneralhimself,Coutelleascendedintotheair；thecorresondencebetweentheaeronautandtheaerostierswhoheldtheballoon,wascarriedonbymeansoflittlewhite,red,andyellowfags.Cannonsandcarbineswereoftenaimedattheballoonatthemomentofitsascension,butwithouteffect.WhenJourdanwasrearingtoinvestCharleroi,Coutellereairedtotheneighbourhoodofthatlace,rosefromthelainofJumet,andremainedtakingobservationssevenoreighthours,withGeneralMorelot.TheAustrianscametodeliverthecity,andabattlewasfoughtontheheightsofFleurus.GeneralJourdanubliclyroclaimedtheassistancehehadreceivedfromaeronauticobservations.Well!notwithstandingtheservicesrenderedonthisoccasion,andduringthecamaignwithBelgium,theyearwhichwitnessedthecommencementofthemilitarycareerofballoons,alsosawitterminate.AndtheschoolofMeuon,foundedbygovernment,wasclosedbyBonaarte,onhisreturnfromEgyt.Whatarewetoexectfromthechildwhichhasjustbeenborn?Franklinhadsaid.Butthechildwasbornalive！Itneednothavebeenstrangled！”

Theunknownhidhisforeheadinhishands,refectedforafewmoments,then,withoutraisinghishead,saidtome：“Notwithstandingmyorders,youhaveoenedtheuervalve！”

Iletgothecord.

“Fortunately，”continuedhe，“wehavestilltwohundredoundsofballast.”

“Whatareyourlans?”saidI,witheffort.

“Youhavenevercrossedthesea?”

Igrewfrightfullyale,terrorfrozemyveins.

“Itisaity，”saidhe，“thatwearebeingwaftedtowardstheAdriatic！Thatisonlyastreamlet.Higher!weshallfindothercurrents！”

Andwithoutlookingatme,helightenedtheballoonbyseveralbagsofsand.

“Iallowedyoutooenthevalve,becausethedilatationofthegasthreatenedtobursttheballoon.Butdonotdoitagain.”

Iwasstuid.

YouknowthevoyagefromDovertoCalaismadebyBlanchardandJefferies.Itwasrichinincident.Onthe7thofJanuary，1785，inanortheastwind,theirballoonwasfilledwithgasontheDoverside；scarcelyhadtheyrisen,whenanerrorinequilibriumcomelledthemtothrewouttheirballast,retainingonlythirtyounds.ThewinddriftedthemslowlyalongtowardstheshoresofFrance.Theermeabilityofthetissuegraduallysufferedthegastoescae,andattheexirationofanhourandahalf,thevoyagerserceivedthattheyweredescending.

‘Whatistobedone?’saidJefferies.

‘Wehaveassedoveronlythree-fourthsofthedistance，’reliedBlanchard‘andataslightelevation.Byascendingweshallexoseourselvestocontrarywinds.Throwouttheremainderoftheballast.’

Theballoonregaineditsascensionalforce,butsoonre-descended.Aboutmidwayofthevoyage,theaeronautsthrewouttheirbooksandtools.

Aquarterofanhourafterwards,BlanchardsaidtoJefferies：‘Thebarometer?’

‘Itisrising！Wearelost；andyettherearetheshoresofFrance！’

Agreatnoisewasheard.

‘Istheballoonrent?’askedJefferies.

‘No!theescaeofthegashascollasedthelowerartoftheballoon.’

‘Butwearestilldescending.Wearelost！Everythingnotindisensablemustbethrownoverboard！’

Theirrovisions,oarsandhelmwerethrownoutintothesea.Theywerenowonly100metresinheight.

‘Weareremounting，’saidtheDoctor.

‘No,itisthejerkcausedbythediminutionofweight.Thereisnotashiinsight！Notabarkonthehorizon！Totheseawithourgarments！’

Andtheunfortunatemenstried,buttheballooncontinuedtodescend.

‘Blanchard，’saidJefferies，‘youweretohavemadethisvoyagealone；youconsentedtotakeme；Iwillsacrifcemyselftoyou！Iwillthrowmyselfintothewater,andtheballoon,relieved,willreascend！’

‘No,no,itisfrightful.’Theballooncollasedmoreandmore,anditsconcavityformingaarachute,forcedthegasagainstitssidesandaccelerateditsmotion.

‘Adieu,myfriend，’saidtheDoctor.‘MayGodreserveyou！’Hewasabouttohavetakenthelea,whenBlancharddetainedhim.

‘Oneresourceremainstous！Wecancutthecordsbywhichthecarisattached,andclingtothenetwork?erhastheballoonwillrise.Ready！Butthebarometerfalls！Weremount！Thewindfreshens！Wearesaved！’

“ThevoyagerserceivedCalais！Theirjoybecamedelirium；afewmomentslater,theydescendedintheforestofGuines.”

“Idoubtnot，”continuedtheunknown，“thatinsimilarcircumstancesyouwouldfollowtheexamleofDoctorJefferies.”

III

Thecloudswereunrollingbeneathourfeetinglitteringcascades；theballooncastadeeshadowonthisileofclouds,andwassurroundedbythemaswithanaureola！Thethundergrowledbeneathourfeet！Allthiswasfrightful！

“Letusdescend！”exclaimedI.

“Descend,whenthesunisawaitingusyonder！Downwiththebags！”Andhelightenedtheballoonofmorethanfiftyounds.At3000metresweremainedstationary.Theunknowntalkedincessantly,butIscarcelyheardhim；Iwascomletelyrostrated,whileheseemedinhiselement.

“Withagoodwind,weshallgofar,butwemusteseciallygohigh！”

“Wearelost！”

“IntheAntillestherearecurrentsofairwhichtravelahundredleaguesanhour！OntheoccasionofNaoleon‘scoronation,Gavnerinletoffaballoonilluminatedwithcolouredlams,ateleveno’clockintheevening！ThewindblewfromtheN.N.E.；thenextmorningatdaybreaktheinhabitantsofRomesaluteditsassageabovethedomeofSt.Peters.Wewillgofarther.”

Iscarcelyheardhim；everythingwasbuzzingaroundme！Therewasanoeningintheclouds！

“Seethatcity,myhost；”saidtheunknown.“ItisSire.Nothingelse！”

Idarednotleanovertherailingofthecar.NeverthelessIerceivedalittleblacksot.ThiswasSire.ThebroadRhinelookedlikeariband,thegreatroadslikethreads.Aboveourheadstheskywasofadeeazure；Iwasbenumbedwiththecold.Thebirdshadlongsinceforsakenus；inthisrarefedairtheirfightwouldhavebeenimossible.Wewerealoneinsace,andIintheresenceofastrangeman！

“ItisuselessforyoutoknowwhitherIamtakingyou.”saidhe,andhethrewthecomassintotheclouds.“Afallisafnething.YouknowthattherehavebeenafewvictimsfromPilatredesRosiersdowntoLieutenantGale,andthesemisfortuneshavealwaysbeencausedbyimrudence.PilatredesRosiersascendedincomanywithRemain,atBoulogne,onthe13thofJune，1785.Tohisballoon,infatedwithgas,hehadsusendedamongolferflledwithwarmair,undoubtedlytosavethetroubleoflettingoffgas,orthrowingoutballast.Itwaslikeuttingachafng-dishbeneathaowder-cask.Theimrudentmenrosetoaheightoffourhundredmetres,andencounteredoosingwinds,whichdrovethemovertheocean.Inordertodescend,Pilatreattemtedtooenthevalveoftheaerostat；butthecordofthisvalvecaughtintheballoon,andtoreitsothatitwasemtiedinaninstant.Itfellonthemontgolfer,overturnedit,andtheimrudentmenweredashedtoiecesinafewseconds.Itisfrightful,isitnot?”saidtheunknown,shakingmefrommytoror.

Icouldrelyonlybythesewords：

“Inity,letusdescend！Thecloudsaregatheringaroundusineverydirection,andfrightfuldetonationsreverberatingfromthecavityoftheaerostataremultilyingaroundus.”

“Youmakemeimatient！”saidhe.“Youshallnolongerknowwhetherweareascendingordescending.”

Andthebarometerwentafterthecomass,alongwithsomebagsofsand.Wemusthavebeenataheightoffourthousandmetres.Someicicleswereattachedtothesidesofthecar,andasortoffnesnowenetratedtomybones.Meanwhileaterrifcstormwasburstingbeneathourfeet.Wewereaboveit.

“Donotfear，”saidmystrangecomanion；“itisonlyimrudencethatmakesvictims.Olivari,whoerishedatOrleans,ascendedinamontgolfiermadeofaer；hiscar,susendedbelowthechafng-dish,andballastedwithcombustiblematerials,becameareytothefames！Olivarifell,andwaskilled.MosmentascendedatLille,onalightlatform；anoscillationmadehimlosehisequilibrium.Mosmentfell,andwaskilled.Bittorf,atManheim,sawhisaerballoontakefreintheair！Bittorffell,andwaskilled.Harrisascendedinaballoonbadlyconstructed,thevalveofwhichwastoolargetobeclosedagain.Harrisfell,andwaskilled.Sadler,derivedofballastbyhislongstayintheair,wasdraggedoverthecityofBoston,andthrownagainstthechimneys.Sadlerfell,andwaskilled.Cockingdescendedwithaconvexarachutewhichheretendedtohaveerfected.Cockingfell,andwaskilled.Well,Ilovethem,thosenoblevictimsoftheircourage!andIwilldielikethem！Higher！Higher！”

Allthehantomsofthisnecrologywereassingbeforemyeyes！Therarefactionoftheairandtheraysoftilesunincreasedthedilatationofthegas；theballooncontinuedtoascend！Imechanicallyattemtedtooenthevalve；buttheunknowncutthecordafewfeetabovemyhead.Iwaslost！

“DidyouseeMadameBlanchardfall?”saidhetome.“Isawher,yes,IwasatTivolionthe6thofJuly，1819.MadameBlanchardascendedinaballoonofsmallsize,tosavetheexenseofflling；shewasthereforeobligedtoinfateitentirely,andthegasescaedbythelowerorifice,leavingonitsrouteatrainofhydrogen.Shecarried,susendedabovehercar,byanironwire,akindoffrework,forminganaureola,whichshewastokindle.Shehadoftenreeatedthisexeriment.Onthisoccasionshecarried,besides,alittlearachute,ballastedbyafreworkterminatinginaballwithsilverrain.Sitewastolaunchthisaaratus,afterhavinglighteditwithasmokebomb,rearedfortheurose.Sheascended.Thenightwasdark.Atthemomentoflightingthefirework,shewassoimrudentastoletthelanceassbeneaththecolumnofhydrogen,whichwasescaingfromtheballoon.Myeyeswerefxedonher.Suddenlyanunexectedfashilluminatedthedarkness.Ithoughtitasurriseoftheskilfulaeronaut.Theflameincreased,suddenlydisaeared,andre-aearedatthetooftheaerostatundertheformofanimmensejetofburninggas.ThissinisterlightrojectedovertheBoulevard,andoverthequarterMontmartre.ThenIsawtheunfortunatewomanrise,twiceattemttocomresstheorificeoftheballoon,toextinguishthefire,thenseatherselfinthecarandseektodirectitsdescent；forshedidnotfall.Thecombustionofthegaslastedseveralminutes.Theballoon,diminishingbydegrees,continuedtodescend,butthiswasnotafall！Thewindblewfromthenortheast,anddroveheroverParis.Therewere,atthattime,intheneighbourhoodofthehouseNo.16RuedeProvence,immensegardens.Theaeronautmighthavefallentherewithoutdanger.Butunhailytheballoonandthecaralightedontheroofofthehouse.Theshockwasslight.‘Hel！’criedtheunfortunatewoman.Iarrivedinthestreetatthatmoment.Thecarslidalongtheroof,andencounteredanironhook.Atthisshock,MadameBlanchardwasthrownoutofthecar,andreciitatedontheavement！Shewaskilled！”

Thesehistoriesoffatalauguryfrozemewithhorror.Theunknownwasstandinguright,withbarehead,bristlinghair,haggardeyes.

Illusionwasnolongerossible.Isawatlastthehorribletruth.Ihadtodealwithamadman！

Hethrewouthalftheballast,andwemusthavebeenbornetoaheightof7000metres！Bloodsoutedfrommynoseandmouth.

“Whatafinethingitistobemartyrstoscience！Theyarecanonizedbyosterity！”

Iheardnomore.Theunknownlookedaroundhimwithhorror,andkneltatmyear.Onthe7thofOctober，1804，theweatherhadbegantoclearualittle；forseveraldaysreceding,thewindandrainhadbeenincessant.ButtheascensionannouncedbyZambecarricouldnotbeostoned！Hisidiotenemiesalreadyscoffedathim.Tosavehimselfandsciencefromublicridicule,itbecamenecessaryforhimtoascend.ItwasatBologna！Nooneaidedhiminfllinghisballoon；heroseatmidnight,accomaniedbyAndreoliandGrossetti.Theballoonascendedslowly；ithadbeenrentbythewind,andthegasescaed.Thethreeintreidvoyagerscouldobservethestateofthebarometeronlybytheaidofadarklantern.Zambecarrihadnoteatenduringtwenty-fourhours；Grossettiwasalsofasting.

‘Myfriends，’saidZambecarri，‘Iambenumbedwiththecold；Iamexhausted；Imustdie；’andhefellsenselessinthegallery.

ItwasthesamewithGrossetti,Andreolialoneremainedawake.AfterlongeffortshesucceededinarousingZambecarrifromhisstuor.

‘Whatistherenew?Wherearewegoing?Inwhichdirectionisthewind?Whattimeisit?’

‘Itistwoo’clock！

‘Whereisthecomass?’

‘Ithasfallenout.’

‘GreatGod!thelamisextinguished！’

‘Itcouldnotburnlongerinthisrarefedair！’saidZambecarri.

Themoonhadnotrisen；theatmosherewaslungedinhorribledarkness.

‘Iamcold,Iamcold,Andreoli！Whatshallwedo?’Theunfortunatemenslowlydescendedthroughalayerofwhiteclouds.