Chapter1 绮丽海盗船 A Gorgeous Corsair（第5页）
&usdesd！”exclaimedI。
“Desthesunisawaitingusyonder！Downwiththebags！”Aeheballoohanfiftypounds。At3000metresweremaiionary。Theunknowntalkedily，butIscarcelyheardhim；Iletelyprostrated，whileheseemedi。
“Withagoodwind，weshallgofar，butwemustespeciallygohigh！”
&！”
“Iillestherearetsofairwhichtravelahundredleaguesanhour！OntheoofNapoleon‘s，Gavoffaballoonillumihps，ateleveno’theevening！ThewihehematdaybreaktheinhabitantsofRomesaluteditspassageabovethedomeofSt。Peters。Wewillgofarther。”
Iscarcelyheardhim；everythingwasbuzzingarouhereeningintheclouds！
&y，myhost；”saidtheunknown。“ItisSpire。Nothingelse！”
IdaredherailingoftheeverthelessIperceivedalittleblackspot。Thisire。ThebroadRhinelookedlikearibaroadslikethreads。Aboveourheadstheskyazure；Iwasbehecold。Thebirdshadlongsinceforsakenus；inthisrarefedairtheirfightwouldhavebeenimpossible。WewerealoneinspadIinthepreserangeman！
“Itisuselessforyoutokakingyou。”saidhe，ahepassintotheclouds。“Afallisafhing。YouknowthattherehavebeeimsfromPilatredesRosiersdowGale，auneshavealwaysbeencausedbyimpruderedesRosiersaspaBouloghofJuohisballoohgas，hehadsuspendedamongolferflledwithwarmair，uosavethetroubleoflettingoffgas，outballast。Ituttingag-dishbehapowder-cask。Theimprudeoaheightoffourhures，aeredopposingwinds，whiovertheoordertodesd，Pilatreattemptedtoopenthevalveoftheaerostat；butthecordofthisvalvetheballoon，ahatittiedinaninstahemour，andtheimprudentmeopieafewseds。Itisfrightful，isitnot?”saidtheunknown，shakingmefrommytorpor。
Icouldreplyonlybythesewords：
“Iusdesd！Theclatheringaroundusiihtfuldetoingfromthecavityoftheaerostataremultiplyingaroundus。”
“Youmakemeimpatient！”saidhe。“Youshallnolongerkherweareasgordesg。”
Aerwehepass，alongwithsomebagsofsahavebeeoffourthousares。Someicicleswereattachedtothesidesofthedasortoffedtomybones。Meaerrifwasburstihourfeet。Wewereaboveit。
“Donotfear，”saidmystrangepanion；“itisonlyimprudemakesvictims。Olivari，whoperishedatOrleans，asamontgolfiermadeofpaper；hiscar，suspeheg-dish，andballastedwithbustiblematerials，becameapreytothefames！Olivarifell，andwaskilled。MosmeLille，onalightplatform；anosadehimlosehisequilibrium。Mosmentfell，andwaskilled。Bittorf，atManheim，saerballooheair！Bittorffell，andwaskilled。Harrisasaballoonbadlystructed，thevalveofwhichwastetobeclosedagain。Harrisfell，andwaskilled。Sadler，deprivedofballastbyhislongstayintheair，wasdraggedoverthecityofBoston，andthrownagainsttheeys。Sadlerfell，andwaskilled。gdesdedarachutewhichhepreteohaveperfected。gfell，andwaskilled。Well，Ilovethem，thoseimse!andIwilldielikethem！Higher！Higher！”
Allthephantomsofthisnecrbeforemyeyes！Therarefaoftheairandtheraysoftilesuhedilatatioheballoooasd！Imeicallyattemptedtoopenthevalve；buttheunknowncutthecordafewfeetabovemyhead。Iwaslost！
“DidyouseeMadameBlanchardfall?”saidhetome。“Isawher，yes，IwasatTivoliohofJuly，1819。MadameBlanchardasaballoonofsmallsize，tosavetheexpenseofflliherefedtoiirely，andthegasescapedbythelowerorifigonitsrouteatrainen。Shecarried，suspendedaboveherironwire，akindoffrewanaureola，whichshewastokiehisexperiment。Onthisoshecarried，besides，alittleparachute，ballastedbyafrewinaballwithsilverraiolaunchthisapparatus，afterhavihasmokebomb，preparedforthepurpose。Sheasded。Thenightwasdark。Atthemomentoflightingthefirework，sherudentastoletthelancepassbehenen，ingfromtheballoon。Myeyeswerefxedonher。Suddeedfashillumihedarkhoughtitasurpriseoftheskilfulaeronaut。Theflameincreased，suddenlydisappeared，ahetopoftheaerostatuheformofaas。ThissiprojectedovertheBoulevard，ahequarterMohenIsawtheunfortunatewomattopresstheorificeoftheballooiheherselfinthedseektodirectitsdest；forshedidnotfall。Thebustioedseveralmiheballoon，diminishingbydegrees，uedtodesd，butthiswasnotafall！Thewihe，anddroveheroverParis。Therewere，atthattime，intheneighbourhoodofthehouseNo。16RuedeProvensegardemighthavefalledaunhappilytheballoonandthecaralightedohehouse。Theshockwasslight。‘Help！’criedtheunfortunatewoman。Iarrivedihatmoment。Thecarslidalongtheroof，aeredanironhook。Atthisshock，MadameBlanchardwasthrownoutofthedprecipitatedo！Shewaskilled！”
&oriesoffatalauguryfrozemewithhorror。Theunknoright，withbarehead，bristlinghair，haggardeyes。
Illusionwasnolongerpossible。Isawatlastthehorribletruth。Ihadtodeal>
&hrewouthalftheballast，ahavebeeoaheightof7000metres！Bloodspoutedfrommyh。
“Whatafiistobemartyrstosce！Theyareizedbyposterity！”
Iheardheunknownlookedaroundhimwithhorror，amyear。OhofOctober，1804，theweatherhadbegantoclearupalittle；forseveraldayspreg，thewindandrainhadbee。ButtheasnouncedbyZambecarriotbepostponed！Hisidiotenemiesalreadyscoffedathim。Tosavehimselfandspublicridicule，itbeetoasd。ItwasatBologna！Nooneaidedhiminfllinghisballoomidnight，apaniedbyAndreoliaheballoonasdedslowly；ithadbeehewind，andthegasescaped。Thethreeintrepidvoyagerscouldobservethestateofthebarometeronlybytheaidofadarklantern。Zambecarrihadenduriy-frossettiwasalsofasting。
ItwasthesamewithGrossetti，AndreolialoneremaierloshesuarousingZambehisstupor。
‘Whatistherenew?Wherearewegoing?Inwhichdireisthewind?Whattimeisit?’
‘Itistwoo’clock！
&hepass?’
‘Ithasfallenout。’
&helampisextinguished！’
‘Iterinthisrarefedair！’saidZambecarri。
Themoonhadmospherelungedinhorribledarkness。
‘Iamdreoli！Whatshallwedo?’Theunfortunatemenslowlydesdedthroughalayerofwhiteclouds。