In one of them, he struck
against a tree; his lamp, filled with spirits of wine, was spilled over
his clothes, and they caught fire; he was covered with flame his machine
was beginning to kindle, when he descended, half burned. The 21st
September, 1812, he made another ascension at Bologna; his balloon
caught in a tree; his lamp set fire to it. Zambecarri fell, and was
killed! And in presence of these high facts, shall we still hesitate?
No! The higher we go the more glorious will be our death"
The balloon, entirely unballasted, we were borne to incredible heights.
The aerostat vibrated in the atmosphere; the slightest sound re-echoed
through the celestial vaults; the globe, the only object which struck my
sight in immensity, seemed about to be annihilated, and above us the
heights of heaven lost themselves in the profound darkness!
I saw the unknown rise before me.
"This is the hour!" said he to me. "We must die! We are rejected by
men! They despise its! let us crush them!"
"Mercy!" exclaimed I.
"Let us cut the cords! let this car be abandoned in space! The
attractive force will change its direction, and we shall land in the
sun!"
Despair gave me strength! I precipitated myself upon the madman, and a
frightful struggle took place! But I was thrown down! and while he held
me beneath his knee, he cut the cords of the car!
"One!" said he.
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