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Page 9
These histories of fatal augury froze me with horror. The unknown was
standing upright, with bare head, bristling hair, haggard eyes.
Illusion was no longer possible. I saw at last the horrible truth. I had
to deal with a madman!
He threw out half the ballast, and we must have been borne to a height
of 7000 metres! Blood spouted from my nose and mouth.
"What a fine thing it is to be martyrs to science! They are canonized by
posterity!"
I heard no more. The unknown looked around him with horror, and knelt at
my ear.
"On the 7th of October, 1804, the weather had began to clear up a
little; for several days preceding, the wind and rain had been
incessant. But the ascension announced by Zambecarri could not be
postponed! His idiot enemies already scoffed at him. To save himself and
science from public ridicule, it became necessary for him to ascend. It
was at Bologna! No one aided him in filling his balloon; he rose at
midnight, accompanied by Andreoli and Grossetti. The balloon ascended
slowly; it had been rent by the wind, and the gas escaped. The three
intrepid voyagers could observe the state of the barometer only by the
aid of a dark lantern. Zambecarri had not eaten daring twenty-four
hours; Grossetti was also fasting.
"'My friends,' said Zambecarri, 'I am benumbed with the cold; I am
exhausted; I must die;' and he fell senseless in the gallery.
"It was the same with Grossetti. Andreoli alone remained awake. After
long efforts he succeeded in arousing Zambecarri from his stupor.
"'What is there new? Where are we going? In which direction is the wind?
What time is it?'
"' It is two o'clock!'
"' Where is the compass?'
"'It has fallen out.'
"' Great God! the lamp is extinguished!'
"' It could not burn longer in this rarefied air!' said Zambecarri.
"The moon had not risen; the atmosphere was plunged in horrible
darkness.
"' I am cold, I am cold, Andreoli! What shall we do?'
"The unfortunate men slowly descended through a layer of white clouds.
"'Hush!' said Andreoli; 'do you hear--'
"' What?' replied Zambecarri.
"'A singular noise!'
"'You are mistaken!'
"'No!--Do you see those midnight travellers, listening to that
incomprehensible sound? Have they struck against a rower? Are they about
to be precipitated on the roofs? Do you hear it? It is like the sound of
the ocean!'
"'Impossible!'
"' It is the roaring of the waves!'
"' That is true!--Light! light!'
"After five fruitless attempts, Andreoli obtained it. It was three
o'clock. The sound of the waves was heard with violence; they almost
touched the surface of the sea.
"' We are lost!' exclaimed Zambecarri, seizing a bag of ballast.
"' Help!' cried Andreoli.
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