The
cold became excessive. Being hungry I ate a morsel of cake. I
wished to drink, but in searching the car nothing was to be seen
but the debris of bottles and glasses, which my assailant had
left behind him when we were about to depart. Afterwards all was
so calm that nothing could be seen or heard. The silence became
appalling, and to add to my alarm I began to lose consciousness.
I now wished to take snuff, but found I had left my box behind
me. I changed my seat many times; I went from prow to stern, but
the drowsiness only ceased to assail me when I was struck by two
furious winds, which compressed my balloon to such an extent that
its size became sensibly diminished to the eye. I was not sorry
when I began to descend rapidly upon the river, which at first
seemed to me a white thread, afterwards a ribbon, and then a
piece of cloth. As I followed the course of the river, the fear
that I should have to descend into it, made me agitate the oars
very rapidly. I believe that it is to these movements that I owe
my being able to cross the river transversely, and get above dry
land. When I saw myself upon the plain of Billancourt, I
recognised the bridge of Sevres, and the road to Versailles.
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