bout
him.

Twelve o'clock came. The moment had arrived, but my travelling
companions did not appear.

I sent to their houses, and learnt that one had left for Hamburg,
another for Vienna, and the third for London. Their courage had
failed them at the moment of undertaking one of those excursions
which, thanks to the ability of living aeronauts, are free from
all danger. As they formed, in some sort, a part of the programme
of the day, the fear had seized them that they might be forced to
execute it faithfully, and they had fled far from the scene at
the instant when the balloon was being filled. Their courage was
evidently the inverse ratio of their speed--in decamping.

The multitude, half deceived, showed not a little ill-humour. I
did not hesitate to ascend alone. In order to re-establish the
equilibrium between the specific gravity of the balloon and the
weight which had thus proved wanting, I replaced my companions by
more sacks of sand, and got into the car. The twelve men who held
the balloon by twelve cords fastened to the equatorial circle,
let them slip a little between their fingers, and the balloon
rose several feet higher. There was not a breath of wind, and the
atmosphere was so leaden that it seemed to forbid the ascent.

"Is everything ready?" I cried.

The men put themselves in readiness. A last glance told me that I
might go.

"Attention!"

There was a movement in the crowd, which seemed to be invading
the enclosure.

"Let go!"

The balloon rose slowly, but I experienced a shock which threw me
to the bottom of the car.

When I got up, I found myself face to face with an unexpected
fellow-voyager,--the pale young man.

"Monsieur, I salute you," said he, with the utmost coolness.

[Illustration: "Monsieur, I salute you,"]

"By what right--"

"Am I here? By the right which the impossibility of your getting
rid of me confers."

I was amazed! His calmness put me out of countenance, and I had
nothing to reply. I looked at the intruder, but he took no notice
of my astonishment.

"Does my weight disarrange your equilibrium, monsieur?" he asked.
"You will permit me--"

And without waiting for my consent, he relieved the balloon of
two bags, which he threw into space.

"Monsieur," said I, taking the only course now possible, "you
have come; very well, you will remain; but to me alone belongs
the management of the balloon."

"Monsieur," said he, "your urbanity is French all over: it