the sea.  They were now only 100 metres in height.  ‘We are remounting,’ said the Doctor.—­’ No, it is the jerk caused by the diminution of weight.  There is not a ship in sight!  Not a bark on the horizon!  To the sea with our garments!’ And the unfortunate men stripped, but the balloon continued to descend.  ‘Blanchard,’ said Jefferies, ’you were to have made this voyage alone; you consented to take me; I will sacrifice myself to you!  I will throw myself into the water, and the balloon, relieved, will re-ascend!’—­’ No, no, it is frightful.’  The balloon collapsed more and more, and its concavity forming a parachute, forced the gas against its sides and accelerated its motion.  ’Adieu, my friend,’ said the Doctor.  ‘May God preserve you!’ He was about to have taken the leap, when Blanchard detained him.  ’One resource remains to us!  We can cut the cords by which the car is attached, and cling to the network? perhaps the balloon will rise.  Ready!  But the barometer falls!  We remount!  The wind freshens!  We are saved!’ The voyagers perceived Calais!  Their joy became delirium; a few moments later, they descended in the forest of Guines.  I doubt not,” continued the unknown, “that in similar circumstances you would follow the example of Doctor Jefferies.”

The clouds were unrolling beneath our feet in glittering cascades; the balloon cast a deep shadow on this pile of clouds, and was surrounded by them as with an aureola!  The thunder growled beneath our feet!  All this was frightful!

“Let us descend!” exclaimed I.

“Descend, when the sun is awaiting us yonder!  Down with the bags!” And he lightened the balloon of more than fifty pounds.  At 3000 metres we remained stationary.  The unknown talked incessantly, but I scarcely heard him; I was completely prostrated, while he seemed in his element.

“With a good wind, we shall go far, but we must especially go high!”

“We are lost!”

“In the Antilles there are currents of air which travel a hundred leagues an hour!  On the occasion of Napoleon’s coronation, Gavnerin let off a balloon illuminated with coloured lamps, at eleven o’clock in the evening!  The wind blew from the N.N.E.; the next morning at daybreak the inhabitants of Rome saluted its passage above the dome of St. Peter’s.  We will go farther.”

I scarcely heard him; everything was buzzing around me!  There was an opening in the clouds!

“See that city, my host;” said the unknown.  “It is Spire.  Nothing else!”

I dared not lean over the railing of the car.  Nevertheless I perceived a little black spot.  This was Spire.  The broad Rhine looked like a riband, the great roads like threads.  Above our heads the sky was of a deep azure; I was benumbed with the cold.  The birds had long since forsaken us; in this rarefied sir their flight would have been impossible.  We were alone in space, and I in the presence of a strange man!