of ballast, and we rose in
the midst of silence, arising from the emotion and surprise felt
on all sides.
"Nothing will ever equal that moment of joyous excitement which
filled my whole being when I felt myself flying away from the
earth. It was not mere pleasure; it was perfect bliss. Escaped
from the frightful torments of persecution and of calumny, I felt
that I was answering all in rising above all.
"To this sentiment succeeded one more lively still--the
admiration of the majestic spectacle that spread itself out
before us. On whatever side we looked, all was glorious; a
cloudless sky above, a most delicious view around. 'Oh, my
friend,' said I to M. Robert, 'how great is our good fortune! I
care not what may be the condition of the earth; it is the sky
that is for me now. What serenity! what a ravishing scene!
Would that I could bring here the last of our detractors, and say
to the wretch, Behold what you would have lost had you arrested
the progress of science.'
"Whilst we were rising with a progressively increasing speed, we
waved our bannerets in token of our cheerfulness, and in order to
give confidence to those below who took an interest in our fate.
M. Robert made an inventory of our stores; our friends had
stocked our commissariat as for a long voyage--champagne and
other wines, garments of fur and other articles of clothing.
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