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Wonderful Balloon Ascents; Or, The Conquest of the Skies
·
Fulgence Marion
53
up
to
a
greater
altitude,
it
was
discovered
that
a
rent
had
been
made
in
the
covering,
caused
by
the
fire
by
which
the
balloon
had
been
damaged
two
or
three
days
previously.
The
rent
was
four
feet
in
length;
and
as
the
heated
air
escaped
very
rapidly
by
it,
the
balloon
fell,
after
having
sailed
above
the
earth
for
barely
fifteen
minutes.
The
descent
only
occupied
two
or
three
minutes,
and
yet
the
shock
was
supportable.
It
was
observed
that
as
soon
as
the
machine
had
touched
the
earth
all
the
cloth
became
unfolded
in
a
few
seconds,
which
seemed
to
confirm
the
opinion
of
Montgolfier,
who
believed
that
electricity
had
much
to
do
in
the
ascent
of
balloons.
The
voyagers
were
got
out
of
the
balloon
without
accident,
and
were
greeted
with
the
most
enthusiastic
applause.
On
the
day
of
the
ascent,
the
opera
of
“Iphigenia
in
Aulis”
was
given,
and
the
theatre
was
thronged
by
a
vast
assemblage,
attracted
thither
in
the
hope
of
seeing
the
illustrious
experimentalists.
The
curtain
had
risen
when
M.
and
Madame
de
Flesselles
entered
their
box,
accompanied
by
Montgolfier
and
Roziers.
At
sight
of
them
the
enthusiasm
of
the
house
rose
to
fever
pitch.
The
other
voyagers
also
entered,
and
were
greeted
with
the
same
demonstrations.
Cries
arose
from
the
pit
to
begin
the
opera
again,
in
honour
of
the
visitors.
The
curtain
then
fell,
and
when
it
again
rose,
after
a
few
moments,
the
actor
who
filled
the
role
of
Agamemnon
advanced
with
crowns,
which
he
handed
to
Madame
de
Flesselles,
who
distributed
them
to
the
aeronauts.
Roziers
placed
the
crown
that
had
been
given
to
him
upon
Montgolfier’s
head.
When
the
actress
who
played
the
part
of
Clytemnestra,
sung
the
passage
beginning--
“I
love
to
see
these
flattering
honours
paid.”
The
audience
at
once
applied
her
song
to
the
circumstances,
and
re-demanded
it,
which
request
the
actress
complied
with,
addressing
herself
to
the
box
in
which
the
distinguished
visitors
sat.
The
demonstrations
of
admiration
were
continued
after
the
opera
was
over;
and
during
the
whole
of
the
night
the
gentlemen
of
the
balloon
ascent
were
serenaded.
Two
days
afterwards,
Roziers
having
appeared
at
a
ball,
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