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Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
43
“It
is
for
you,
monsieur,
to
show
us
the
way
to
the
skies.”
The
exquisite
taste
and
delicacy
of
this
incident
touched
the
bystanders
as
with
an
electric
shock,
and
the
place
at
once
rang
out
with
the
most
genuine
and
hearty
applause
The
little
balloon
thrown
up
by
Montgolfier
sped
away
to
the
north-east,
its
beautiful
emerald
colour
showing
to
fine
effect
in
the
sun.
From
this
point
let
us
follow
the
narrative
of
Professor
Charles
himself.
“The
balloon,”
he
says,
“which
escaped
from
the
hands
of
M.
Montgolfier,
rose
into
the
air,
and
seemed
to
carry
with
it
the
testimony
of
friendship
and
regard
between
that
gentleman
and
myself,
while
acclamations
followed
it.
Meanwhile,
we
hastily
prepared
for
departure.
The
stormy
weather
did
not
permit
us
to
have
at
our
command
all
the
arrangements
which
we
had
contemplated
the
previous
evening;
to
do
so
would
have
detained
us
too
long
upon
the
earth.
After
the
balloon
and
the
car
were
in
equilibrium,
we
threw
over
19
lbs.
of
ballast,
and
we
rose
in
the
midst
of
silence,
arising
from
the
emotion
and
surprise
felt
on
all
sides.
“Nothing
will
ever
equal
that
moment
of
joyous
excitement
which
filled
my
whole
being
when
I
felt
myself
flying
away
from
the
earth.
It
was
not
mere
pleasure;
it
was
perfect
bliss.
Escaped
from
the
frightful
torments
of
persecution
and
of
calumny,
I
felt
that
I
was
answering
all
in
rising
above
all.
“To
this
sentiment
succeeded
one
more
lively
still--the
admiration
of
the
majestic
spectacle
that
spread
itself
out
before
us.
On
whatever
side
we
looked,
all
was
glorious;
a
cloudless
sky
above,
a
most
delicious
view
around.
‘Oh,
my
friend,’
said
I
to
M.
Robert,
‘how
great
is
our
good
fortune!
I
care
not
what
may
be
the
condition
of
the
earth;
it
is
the
sky
that
is
for
me
now.
What
serenity!
what
a
ravishing
scene!
Would
that
I
could
bring
here
the
last
of
our
detractors,
and
say
to
the
wretch,
Behold
what
you
would
have
lost
had
you
arrested
the
progress
of
science.’
“Whilst
we
were
rising
with
a
progressively
increasing
speed,
we
waved
our
bannerets
in
token
of
our
cheerfulness,
and
in
order
to
give
confidence
to
those
below
who
took
an
interest
in
our
fate.
M.
Robert
made
an
inventory
of
our
stores;
our
friends
had
stocked
our
commissariat
as
for
a
long
voyage--champagne
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