"'Yes, we move,' answered my companion.
"At the same instant I heard from the top of the balloon a sound
which made me believe that it had burst. I watched, yet I saw
nothing. My companion had gone into the interior, no doubt to
make some observations. As my eyes were fixed on the top of the
machine I experienced a shock, and it was the only one I had yet
felt. The direction of the movement was from above downwards I
then said--
"'What are you doing? Are you having a dance to yourself?'
"'I'm not moving.'
"'So much the better. It is only a new current which I hope will
carry us from the river,' I answered.
"I turned to see where we were, and found we were between the
Ecole Militaire and the Invalides.
"'We are getting on.' said Roziers.
"'Yes, we are travelling.'
"'Let us work, let us work,' said he.
"I now heard another report in the machine, which I believed was
produced by the cracking of a cord. This new intimation made me
carefully examine the inside of our habitation. I saw that the
part that was turned towards the south was full of holes, of
which some were of a considerable size.
"'It must descend,' I then cried.
"'Why?'
"'Look!' I said. At the same time I took my sponge and quietly
extinguished the little fire that was burning some of the holes
within my reach; but at the same moment I perceived that the
bottom of the cloth was coming away from the circle which
surrounded it.
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