Chapter1 绮丽海盗船 A Gorgeous Corsair
空中历险记 A Voyage in a Balloon
儒勒·凡尔纳/Jules Verne
儒勒·凡尔纳（Jules Verne，1828—1905），法国著名科幻小说家、冒险小说家。1863年，他凭总名称为《在已知和未知世界中的奇异漫游》的系列作品集一举成名，这进一步地激发了他的创作热情。他一生中共创作了66部小说，其中《格兰特船长的儿女》《海底两万里》《神秘岛》《环游地球80天》等风靡全球，成为家喻户晓的作品。他以其大量著作和突出贡献，被誉为“现代科学幻想小说之父”。
I
In the month of September，1850，I arrived at Frankfort-on-the-Maine. My passage through the principal cities of Germany, had been brilliantly marked by aerostatic balloon；but, up to this day, no inhabitant of the Confederation had accompanied me, and the successful experiments at Paris of Messrs. Green, Godard, and Poitevin, had failed to induce the grave Germans to attempt aerial voyages.
Meanwhile, hardly had the news of my approaching ascension circulated throughout Frankfort, than three persons of note asked the favour of accompanying me. Two days after, we were to ascend from the Place de la Comédie. I immediately occupied myself with the preparations. My balloon, of gigantic proportions, was of silk, coated with gutta percha, a substance not liable to injury from acids or gas, and of absolute impermeability. Some trifing rents were mended：the inevitable results of perilous descents.
The day of our ascension was that of the great fair of September, which attracts all the world to Frankfort. The apparatus for flling was composed of six hogsheads arranged around a large vat, hermetically sealed. The hydrogen gas, evolved by the contact of water with iron and sulphuric acid, passed from the frst reservoirs to the second, and thence into the immense globe, which was thus gradually inflated. These preparations occupied all the morning, and about 11 oclock, the balloon was three-quarters full；sufficiently so；for as we rise, the atmospheric layers diminish in density, and the gas, confined within the aerostat, acquiring more elasticity, might otherwise burst its envelope. My calculations had furnished me with the exact measurement of gas required to carry my companions and myself to a considerable height.
We were to ascend at noon. It was truly a magnifcent spectacle, that of the impatient crowd who thronged around the reserved enclosure, inundated the entire square and adjoining streets, and covered the neighbouring houses from the basements to the slated roofs. The high winds of past days had lulled, and an overpowering heat was radiating from an unclouded sky；not a breath animated the atmosphere. In such weather, one might descend in the very spot he had left.
I carried three hundred pounds of ballast, in bags；the car, perfectly round, four feet in diameter, and three feet in height, was conveniently attached；the cord which sustained it was symmetrically extended from the upper hemisphere of the aerostat；the compass was in its place, the barometer suspended to the iron hoop which surrounded the supporting cord, at a distance of eight feet above the car；the anchor carefully prepared, all was in readiness for our departure.
Among the persons who crowded around the enclosure, I remarked a young man with pale face and agitated features. I was struck with his appearance. He had been an assiduous spectator of my ascensions in several cities of Germany. His uneasy air and his extraordinary pre-occupation never left him；he eagerly contemplated the curious machine, which rested motionless at a few feet from the ground, and remained silent.
The clock struck twelve！This was the hour. My companions had not appeared. I sent to the dwelling of each, and learned that one had started for Hamburg, another for Vienna and the third, still more fearful, for London. Their hearts had failed them at the moment of undertaking one of those excursions, which, since the ingenious experiments of aeronauts, are deprived of all danger. As they made, as it were a part of the programme of the fete, they had feared being compelled to fulfil their agreements, and had fled at the moment of ascension. Their courage had been in inverse ratio to the square of their swiftness in retreat.
The crowd, thus partly disappointed, were shouting with anger and impatience. I did not hesitate to ascend alone. To re-establish the equilibrium between the specific gravity of the balloon and the weight to be raised, I substituted other bags of sand for my expected companions and entered the car. The twelve men who were holding the aerostat by twelve cords fastened to the equatorial circle, let themslip between their fngers；the car rose a few feet above the ground. There was not a breath of wind, and the atmosphere, heavy as lead, seemed insurmountable.
“All is ready！”exclaimed I，“attention！”
The men arranged themselves；a last glance informed me that everything was right.
“Attention！”
There was some movement in the crowd which seemed to be invading the reserved enclosure.
“Let go！”
The balloon slowly ascended；but I experienced a shock which threw me to the bottom of the car. When I rose, I found myself face to face with an unexpected voyager-the pale young man.
“Monsieur, I salute you！”said he to me.
“By what right?”
“Am I here?By the right of your inability to turn me out.”
I was confounded. His assurance disconcerted me；and I had nothing to say in reply. I looked at him, but he paid no regard to my astonishment. He continued：
“My weight will disturb your equilibrium, Monsieur：will you permit me?”
And without waiting for my assent, he lightened the balloon by two bags of sand which he emptied into the air.
“Monsieur，”said I, taking the only possible course，“you are here, well! you choose to remain, well！But to me alone belongs the management of the aerostat.”
“Monsieur，”replied he，“your urbanity is entirely French；it is of the same country with myself！I press in imagination the hand which you refuse me. Take your measures-act as it may seem good to you；I will wait till you have ended.”
“To.”
“To converse with you.”
The barometer had fallen to twenty-six inches；we had attained a height of about six hundred metres, and were over the city；which satisfed me of our complete quiescence, for I could not judge by our motionless fags. Nothing betrays the horizontal voyage of a balloon；it is the mass of air surrounding it which moves. A kind of wavering heat bathed the objects extended at our feet, and gave their outlines an indistinctness to be regretted. The needle of the compass indicated a slight tendency to foat towards the south.
I looked again at my companion. He was a man of thirty, simply clad；the bold outlines of his features betokened indomitable energy；he appeared very muscular. Absorbed in the emotion of this silent suspension, he remained immovable, seeking to distinguish the objects which passed beneath his view.
“Vexatious mist！”said he, at the expiration of a few moments.
I made no reply.
“What would you?I could not pay for my voyage；I was obliged to take you by surprise.”
“No one has asked you to descend！”
“A similar occurrence，”he resumed，“happened to the Counts of Laurencin and Dampierre, when they ascended at Lyons, on the 15th of January，1784. A young merchant, named Fontaine, scaled the railing, at the risk of upsetting the equipage. He accomplished the voyage, and nobody was killed！”
“Once on the earth, we will converse！”said I, piqued at the tone of lightness with which he spoke.
“Bah! do not talk of returning！”
“Do you think then that I shall delay my descent?”
“Descent！”said he, with surprise.“Let us ascend！”
And before I could prevent him, two bags of sand were thrown out, without even being emptied.
“Monsieur！”said I, angrily.
“I know your skill，”replied he, composedly；“your brilliant ascensions have made some noise in the world. Experience is the sister of practice, but it is also first cousin to theory, and I have long and deeply studied the aerostatic art. It has affected my brain，”added he, sadly, falling into a mute torpor.
The balloon, after having risen, remained stationary；the unknown consulted the barometer, and said：
“Here we are at 800 metres！Men resemble insects！See, I think it is from this height that we should always look at them, to judge correctly of their moral proportions！The Place de la Comédie is transformed to an immense ant-hill. Look at the crowd piled up on the quays. The Zeil diminishes. We are above the church of Dom. The Maine is now only a white line dividing the city, and this bridge, the Maine-Brucke, looks like a white thread thrown between the two banks of the river.”
The atmosphere grew cooler.
“There is nothing I will not do for you, my host，”said my companion.“If you are cold, I will take off my clothes and lend them to you.”
“Thanks！”
“Necessity makes laws. Give me your hand, I am your countryman. You shall be instructed by my company, and my conversation shall compensate you for the annoyance I have caused you.”
I seated myself, without replying, at the opposite extremity of the car. The young man had drawn from his great coat a voluminous portfolio；it was a work on aerostation.
“I possess，”said he，“a most curious collection of engraving, and caricatures appertaining to our aerial mania. This precious discovery has been at once admired and ridiculed. Fortunately we have passed the period when the Mongolfers sought to make factitious clouds with the vapour of water；and of the gas affecting electric properties, which they produced by the combustion of clamp straw with chopped wool.”
“Would you detract from the merit of these inventions?”replied I.“Was it not well done to have proved by experiment the possibility of rising in the air?”
“Who denies the glory of the first aerial navigators?Immense courage was necessary to ascend by means of those fragile envelopes which contained only warm air. Besides, has not aerostatic science made great progress since the ascensions of Blanchard?Look, Monsieur.”
He took from his collection an engraving.
“Here is the first aerial voyage undertaken by Pilatre des Rosiers and the Marquis dArlandes, four months after the discovery of balloons. Louis XVI refused his consent to this voyage；two condemned criminals were to have first attempted aerial travelling. Pilatre des Rosiers was indignant at this injustice and, by means of artifice, succeeded in setting out. This car, which renders the management of the balloon easy, had not then been invented；a circular gallery surrounded the lower part of the aerostat. The two aeronauts stationed themselves at the extremities of this gallery. The damp straw with which it was flled encumbered their movements. A chafng-dish was suspended beneath the orifce of the balloon；when the voyagerswished to ascend, they threw, with a long fork, straw upon this brazier, at the risk of burning the machine, and the air, growing warmer, gave to the balloon a new ascensional force.”
“The two bold navigators ascended, on the 21st of November，1783，from the gardens of La Muette, which the Dauphin had placed at their disposal. The aerostat rose majestically, passed the Isle des Cygnes, crossed the Seine at the Barriere de la Conference, and, directing its way between the dome of the Invalides and L‘Ecole Militaire, approached St. Sulpice；then the aeronauts increased the fre, ascended, cleared the Boulevard, and descended beyond the Barriere d’Enfer. As it touched the ground, the collapsed, and buried Pilatre des Rosiers beneath its folds.”
“Unfortunate presage！”said I, interested in these details, which so nearly concerned me.
“Presage of his catastrophe，”replied the unknown, with sadness.“You have experienced nothing similar?”
“Nothing！”
“Bah！Misfortunes often arrive without presage.”And he remained silent.
We were advancing towards the south；the magnetic needle pointed in the direction of Frankfort, which was flying beneath our feet.
“Perhaps we shall have a storm.”said the young man.
“We will descend frst.”
“Indeed! it will be better to ascend；we shall escape more surely.”and two bags of sand were thrown overboard.
The balloon rose rapidly, and stopped at twelve hundred metres. The cold was now intense, and there was a slight buzzing in my ears. Nevertheless, the rays of the sun fell hotly on the globe, and, dilatingthe gas it contained, gave it a greater ascensional force. I was stupid.
“Fear nothing，”said the young man to me.“We have three thousand fve hundred toises of respirable air. You need not trouble yourself about my proceedings.”
I would have risen, but a vigorous hand detained me on my seat.
“Your name?”asked I.
“My name! how does it concern you?”
“I have the honour to ask your name.”
“I am called Erostratus or Empedocles, as you please. Are you interested in the progress of aerostatic science?”
He spoke with icy coldness, and I asked myself with whom I had to do.
“Monsieur，”continued he，“nothing new has been invented since the days of the philosopher Charles. Four months after the discovery of aerostats, he had invented the valve, which permits the gas to escape when the balloon is too full, or when one wishes to descend；the car, which allows the machine to be easily managed；the network, which encloses the fabric of the balloon, and prevents its being too heavily pressed；the ballast, which is used in ascending and choosing the spot of descent；the coat of caoutchouc, which renders the silk impermeable；the barometer, which determines the height attained；and, fnally, the hydrogen, which, fourteen times lighter than air, allows of ascension to the most distant atmospheric layers, and prevents exposure to aerial combustion. On the 1st of December，1783，three hundred thousand spectators thronged the Tuileries. Charles ascended, and the soldiers presented arms. He travelled nine leagues in the air：managing his machine with a skill never since surpassed in aeronautic experiments. The King conferred on him a pension of two thousand livres, for in those days inventions were encouraged. Forevery one was interested in the progress of science.”
The unknown was seized with a violent agitation.
“I, Monsieur, have studied；I am satisfed that the frst aeronauts guided their balloons. Not to speak of Blanchard, whose assertions might be doubted, at Dijon, Guyton-Morveaux, by the aid of oars and a helm, imparted to his machines perceptible motions, a decided direction. More recently, at Paris, a watchmaker, M.Julien, has made at the Hippodrome convincing experiments；for, with the aid of a particular mechanism, an aerial apparatus of oblong form was manifestly propelled against the wind. M.Petin placed four balloons, flled with hydrogen, in juxtaposition, and, by means of sails disposed horizontally and partially furled, hoped to obtain a disturbance of the equilibrium, which, inclining the apparatus, should compel it to an oblique path. But the motive power destined to surmount the resistance of currents，-the hélice, moving in a movable medium, was unsuccessful. I have discovered the only method of guiding balloons, and not an Academy has come to my assistance, not a city has flled my subscription lists, not a government has deigned to listen to me！It is infamous！”
His gesticulations were so furious that the car experienced violent oscillations；I had much diffculty in restraining him. Meanwhile, the balloon had encountered a more rapid current. We were advancing in a southerly direction, at 1200 metres in height, almost accustomed to this new temperature.
“There is Darmstadt，”said my companion.“Do you perceive its magnificent chateau?The storm-cloud below makes the outlines of objects waver；and it requires a practised eye to recognise localities.”
“You are certain that it is Darmstadt?”
“Undoubtedly；we are six leagues from Frankfort.”
“Then we must descend.”
“Descend! you would not alight upon the steeples！”said the unknown, mockingly.
“No, but in the environs of the city.”
“Well, it is too warm；let us remount a little.”
As he spoke thus, he seized some bags of ballast. I precipitated myself upon him；but, with one hand, he overthrew me, and the lightened balloon rose to a height of 1500 metres.
“Sit down，”said he，“and do not forget that Brioschi, Biot, and Gay-Lussac, ascended to a height of seven thousand metres, in order to establish some new scientifc laws.”
“We must descend；”resumed I, with an attempt at gentleness.“The storm is gathering beneath our feet and around us；it would not be prudent.”
“We will ascend above it, and shall have nothing to fear from it. What more beautiful than to reign in heaven, and look down upon the clouds which hover upon the earth！Is it not an honour to navigate these aerial waves?The greatest personages have travelled like ourselves. The Marquise and Comtesse de Montalembert, the Comtesse de Potteries, Mlle. La Garde, the Marquis of Montalembert, set out from the Faubourg St. Antoine for these unknown regions. The Duc de Chartres displayed much address and presence of mind in his ascension of the 15th of July，1784；at Lyons, the Comtes de Laurencin and de Dampierre；at Nantes, M.de Luynes；at Bordeaux, DArbelet des Granges；in Italy, the Chevalier Andreani；in our days, the Duke of Brunswick；have left in the air the track of their glory. In order to equal these great personages, we must ascend into the celestial regions higher than they. To approach the infnite is to comprehend it.”
The rarefaction of the air considerably dilated the hydrogen, andI saw the lower part of the aerostat, designedly left empty, become by degrees infated, rendering the opening of the valve indispensable；but my fearful companion seemed determined not to allow me to direct our movements. I resolved to pull secretly the cord attached to the valve, while he was talking with animation. I feared to guess with whom I had to do；it would have been too horrible！It was about three-quarters of an hour since we had left Frankfort, and from the south thick clouds were arising and threatening to engulf us.
“Have you lost all hope of making your plans succeed?”said I, with great apparent interest.
“All hope！”replied the unknown, despairingly.“Wounded by refusals, caricatures, those blows with the foot of an ass, have fnished me. It is the eternal punishment reserved for innovators. See these caricatures of every age with which my portfolio is flled.”
I had secured the cord of the valve, and stooping over his works, concealed my movements from him. It was to be feared, nevertheless, that he would notice that rushing sound, like a waterfall, which the gas produces in escaping.
“How many jests at the expense of the Abbe Miolan！He was about to ascend with Janninet and Bredin. During the operation, their balloon took fre, and an ignorant populace tore it to pieces. Then the caricature of The Curious Animals called them Maulant, Jean Mind, and Gredin.”
The barometer had began to rise；it was time！A distant muttering of thunder was heard towards the south.
“See this other engraving，”continued he, without seeming to suspect my manoeuvres.“It is an immense balloon, containing a ship, large castles, houses, etc. The caricaturists little thought that their absurdities would one day become verities. It is a large vessel；at theleft is the helm with the pilot‘s box；at the prow, maisons de plaisance, a gigantic organ, and cannon to call the attention of the inhabitants of earth or of the moon；above the stern the observatory and pilot-balloon；at the equatorial circle, the barracks of the army；on the left the lantern；then upper galleries for promenades, the sails, the wings；beneath, the cafes and general store-houses of provisions. Admire this magnifcent announcement. Invented for the good of the human race, this globe will depart immediately for the seaports in the Levant, and on its return will announce its voyages for the two poles and the extremities of the Occident. Every provision is made；there will be an exact rate of fare for each place of destination；but the prices for distant voyages will be the same，1000 louis. And it must be confessed that this is a moderate sum, considering the celerity, convenience, and pleasure of this mode of travelling above all others. While in this balloon, every one can divert himself as he pleases, dancing, playing, or conversing with people of talent. Pleasure will be the soul of the aerial society.’All these inventions excited laughter. But before long, if my days were not numbered, these projects should become realities.”
We were visibly descending；he did not perceive it！
“See this game of balloons；it contains the whole history of the aerostatic art. This game, for the use of educated minds, is played like that of the Jew；with dice and counters of any value agreed upon, which are to be paid or received, according to the condition in which one arrives.”
“But，”I resumed，“you seem to have valuable documents on aerostation?”
“I am less learned than the Almighty！That is all！I possess all the knowledge possible in this world. From Phaeton, Icarus, and Architas. I have searched all, comprehended all！Through me, the aerostatic artwould render immense services to the world, if God should spare my life！But that cannot be.”
“Why not?”
“Because my name is Empedocles or Erostratus！”
II
I shuddered！Fortunately the balloon was approaching the earth. But the danger is the same at 50 feet as at 5000 metres！The clouds were advancing.
“Remember the battle of Fleurus, and you will comprehend the utility of aerostats！Coutelle, by order of the government, organized a company of aerostiers. At the siege of Maubeuge, General Jourdan found this new method of observation so serviceable, that twice a day, accompanied by the General himself, Coutelle ascended into the air；the correspondence between the aeronaut and the aerostiers who held the balloon, was carried on by means of little white, red, and yellow fags. Cannons and carbines were often aimed at the balloon at the moment of its ascension, but without effect. When Jourdan was preparing to invest Charleroi, Coutelle repaired to the neighbourhood of that place, rose from the plain of Jumet, and remained taking observations seven or eight hours, with General Morelot. The Austrians came to deliver the city, and a battle was fought on the heights of Fleurus. General Jourdan publicly proclaimed the assistance he had received from aeronautic observations. Well! notwithstanding the services rendered on this occasion, and during the campaign with Belgium, the year which witnessed the commencement of the military career of balloons, also saw it terminate. And the school of Meuon, founded by government, was closed by Bonaparte, on his return from Egypt. What are we to expect from the child which has just beenborn?Franklin had said. But the child was born alive！It need not have been strangled！”
The unknown hid his forehead in his hands, refected for a few moments, then, without raising his head, said to me：“Notwithstanding my orders, you have opened the upper valve！”
I let go the cord.
“Fortunately，”continued he，“we have still two hundred pounds of ballast.”
“What are your plans?”said I, with effort.
“You have never crossed the sea?”
I grew frightfully pale, terror froze my veins.
“It is a pity，”said he，“that we are being wafted towards the Adriatic！That is only a streamlet. Higher! we shall find other currents！”
And without looking at me, he lightened the balloon by several bags of sand.
“I allowed you to open the valve, because the dilatation of the gas threatened to burst the balloon. But do not do it again.”
I was stupid.
You know the voyage from Dover to Calais made by Blanchard and Jefferies. It was rich in incident. On the 7th of January，1785，in a northeast wind, their balloon was filled with gas on the Dover side；scarcely had they risen, when an error in equilibrium compelled them to threw out their ballast, retaining only thirty pounds. The wind drifted them slowly along towards the shores of France. The permeability of the tissue gradually suffered the gas to escape, and at the expiration of an hour and a half, the voyagers perceived that they were descending.
‘What is to be done?’said Jefferies.
‘We have passed over only three-fourths of the distance，’replied Blanchard‘and at a slight elevation. By ascending we shall expose ourselves to contrary winds. Throw out the remainder of the ballast.’
The balloon regained its ascensional force, but soon re-descended. About midway of the voyage, the aeronauts threw out their books and tools.
A quarter of an hour afterwards, Blanchard said to Jefferies：‘The barometer?’
‘It is rising！We are lost；and yet there are the shores of France！’
A great noise was heard.
‘Is the balloon rent?’asked Jefferies.
‘No! the escape of the gas has collapsed the lower part of the balloon.’
‘But we are still descending. We are lost！Everything not indispensable must be thrown overboard！’
Their provisions, oars and helm were thrown out into the sea. They were now only 100 metres in height.
‘We are remounting，’said the Doctor.
‘No, it is the jerk caused by the diminution of weight. There is not a ship in sight！Not a bark on the horizon！To the sea with our garments！’
And the unfortunate men stripped, but the balloon continued to descend.
‘Blanchard，’said Jefferies，‘you were to have made this voyage alone；you consented to take me；I will sacrifce myself to you！I will throw myself into the water, and the balloon, relieved, will reascend！’
‘No, no, it is frightful.’The balloon collapsed more and more, and its concavity forming a parachute, forced the gas against its sides and accelerated its motion.
‘Adieu, my friend，’said the Doctor.‘May God preserve you！’He was about to have taken the leap, when Blanchard detained him.
‘One resource remains to us！We can cut the cords by which the car is attached, and cling to the network?perhaps the balloon will rise. Ready！But the barometer falls！We remount！The wind freshens！We are saved！’
“The voyagers perceived Calais！Their joy became delirium；a few moments later, they descended in the forest of Guines.”
“I doubt not，”continued the unknown，“that in similar circumstances you would follow the example of Doctor Jefferies.”
III
The clouds were unrolling beneath our feet in glittering cascades；the balloon cast a deep shadow on this pile of clouds, and was surrounded by them as with an aureola！The thunder growled beneath our feet！All this was frightful！
“Let us descend！”exclaimed I.
“Descend, when the sun is awaiting us yonder！Down with the bags！”And he lightened the balloon of more than fifty pounds. At 3000 metres we remained stationary. The unknown talked incessantly, but I scarcely heard him；I was completely prostrated, while he seemed in his element.
“With a good wind, we shall go far, but we must especially go high！”
“We are lost！”
“In the Antilles there are currents of air which travel a hundred leagues an hour！On the occasion of Napoleon‘s coronation, Gavnerin let off a balloon illuminated with coloured lamps, at eleven o’clock in the evening！The wind blew from the N. N.E.；the next morning atdaybreak the inhabitants of Rome saluted its passage above the dome of St. Peters. We will go farther.”
I scarcely heard him；everything was buzzing around me！There was an opening in the clouds！
“See that city, my host；”said the unknown.“It is Spire. Nothing else！”
I dared not lean over the railing of the car. Nevertheless I perceived a little black spot. This was Spire. The broad Rhine looked like a riband, the great roads like threads. Above our heads the sky was of a deep azure；I was benumbed with the cold. The birds had long since forsaken us；in this rarefed air their fight would have been impossible. We were alone in space, and I in the presence of a strange man！
“It is useless for you to know whither I am taking you.”said he, and he threw the compass into the clouds.“A fall is a fne thing. You know that there have been a few victims from Pilatre des Rosiers down to Lieutenant Gale, and these misfortunes have always been caused by imprudence. Pilatre des Rosiers ascended in company with Remain, at Boulogne, on the 13th of June，1785.To his balloon, infated with gas, he had suspended a mongolfer flled with warm air, undoubtedly to save the trouble of letting off gas, or throwing out ballast. It was like putting a chafng-dish beneath a powder-cask. The imprudent men rose to a height of four hundred metres, and encountered opposing winds, which drove them over the ocean. In order to descend, Pilatre attempted to open the valve of the aerostat；but the cord of this valve caught in the balloon, and tore it so that it was emptied in an instant. It fell on the montgolfer, overturned it, and the imprudent men were dashed to pieces in a few seconds. It is frightful, is it not?”said the unknown, shaking me from my torpor.
I could reply only by these words：
“In pity, let us descend！The clouds are gathering around us in every direction, and frightful detonations reverberating from the cavity of the aerostat are multiplying around us.”
“You make me impatient！”said he.“You shall no longer know whether we are ascending or descending.”
And the barometer went after the compass, along with some bags of sand. We must have been at a height of four thousand metres. Some icicles were attached to the sides of the car, and a sort of fne snow penetrated to my bones. Meanwhile a terrifc storm was bursting beneath our feet. We were above it.
“Do not fear，”said my strange companion；“it is only imprudence that makes victims. Olivari, who perished at Orleans, ascended in a montgolfier made of paper；his car, suspended below the chafng-dish, and ballasted with combustible materials, became a prey to the fames！Olivari fell, and was killed. Mosment ascended at Lille, on a light platform；an oscillation made him lose his equilibrium. Mosment fell, and was killed. Bittorf, at Manheim, saw his paper balloon take fre in the air！Bittorf fell, and was killed. Harris ascended in a balloon badly constructed, the valve of which was too large to be closed again. Harris fell, and was killed. Sadler, deprived of ballast by his long stay in the air, was dragged over the city of Boston, and thrown against the chimneys. Sadler fell, and was killed. Cocking descended with a convex parachute which he pretended to have perfected. Cocking fell, and was killed. Well, I love them, those noble victims of their courage! and I will die like them！Higher！Higher！”
All the phantoms of this necrology were passing before my eyes！The rarefaction of the air and the rays of tile sun increased the dilatation of the gas；the balloon continued to ascend！I mechanicallyattempted to open the valve；but the unknown cut the cord a few feet above my head. I was lost！
“Did you see Madame Blanchard fall?”said he to me.“I saw her, yes, I was at Tivoli on the 6th of July，1819. Madame Blanchard ascended in a balloon of small size, to save the expense of flling；she was therefore obliged to infate it entirely, and the gas escaped by the lower orifice, leaving on its route a train of hydrogen. She carried, suspended above her car, by an iron wire, a kind of frework, forming an aureola, which she was to kindle. She had often repeated this experiment. On this occasion she carried, besides, a little parachute, ballasted by a frework terminating in a ball with silver rain. Site was to launch this apparatus, after having lighted it with a smoke bomb, prepared for the purpose. She ascended. The night was dark. At the moment of lighting the firework, she was so imprudent as to let the lance pass beneath the column of hydrogen, which was escaping from the balloon. My eyes were fxed on her. Suddenly an unexpected fash illuminated the darkness. I thought it a surprise of the skilful aeronaut. The flame increased, suddenly disappeared, and re-appeared at the top of the aerostat under the form of an immense jet of burning gas. This sinister light projected over the Boulevard, and over the quarter Montmartre. Then I saw the unfortunate woman rise, twice attempt to compress the orifice of the balloon, to extinguish the fire, then seat herself in the car and seek to direct its descent；for she did not fall. The combustion of the gas lasted several minutes. The balloon, diminishing by degrees, continued to descend, but this was not a fall！The wind blew from the northeast, and drove her over Paris. There were, at that time, in the neighbourhood of the house No.16 Rue de Provence, immense gardens. The aeronaut might have fallen there without danger. But unhappily the balloon and the car alighted on theroof of the house. The shock was slight.‘Help！’cried the unfortunate woman. I arrived in the street at that moment. The car slid along the roof, and encountered an iron hook. At this shock, Madame Blanchard was thrown out of the car, and precipitated on the pavement！She was killed！”
These histories of fatal augury froze me with horror. The unknown was standing upright, with bare head, bristling hair, haggard eyes.
Illusion was no longer possible. I saw at last the horrible truth. I had to deal with a madman！
He threw out half the ballast, and we must have been borne to a height of 7000 metres！Blood spouted from my nose and mouth.
“What a fine thing it is to be martyrs to science！They are canonized by posterity！”
I heard no more. The unknown looked around him with horror, and knelt at my ear. On the 7th of October，1804，the weather had began to clear up a little；for several days preceding, the wind and rain had been incessant. But the ascension announced by Zambecarri could not be postponed！His idiot enemies already scoffed at him. To save himself and science from public ridicule, it became necessary for him to ascend. It was at Bologna！No one aided him in flling his balloon；he rose at midnight, accompanied by Andreoli and Grossetti. The balloon ascended slowly；it had been rent by the wind, and the gas escaped. The three intrepid voyagers could observe the state of the barometer only by the aid of a dark lantern. Zambecarri had not eaten during twenty-four hours；Grossetti was also fasting.
‘My friends，’said Zambecarri，‘I am benumbed with the cold；I am exhausted；I must die；’and he fell senseless in the gallery.
It was the same with Grossetti, Andreoli alone remained awake. After long efforts he succeeded in arousing Zambecarri from his stupor.
‘What is there new?Where are we going?In which direction is the wind?What time is it?’
‘It is two o’clock！
‘Where is the compass?’
‘It has fallen out.’
‘Great God! the lamp is extinguished！’
‘It could not burn longer in this rarefed air！’said Zambecarri.
The moon had not risen；the atmosphere was plunged in horrible darkness.
‘I am cold, I am cold, Andreoli！What shall we do?’The unfortunate men slowly descended through a layer of white clouds.
‘Hush！’said Andreoli；‘do you hear?’
‘What?’replied Zambecarri.
‘A singular noise！’
‘You are mistaken！’
‘No！-Do you see those midnight travellers, listening to that incomprehensible sound?Have they struck against a rower?Are they about to be precipitated on the roofs?Do you hear it?It is like the sound of the ocean！’
‘Impossible！’
‘It is the roaring of the waves！’
‘That is true！-Light！Llight！’
After fve fruitless attempts, Andreoli obtained it. It was three oclock. The sound of the waves was heard with violence；they almost touched the surface of the sea.
‘We are lost！’exclaimed Zambecarri, seizing a bag of ballast.
‘Help！’cried Andreoli.
The car touched the water, and the waves covered them breast high. To the sea with instruments, garments, money！The aeronauts stripped entirely. The lightened balloon rose with frightful rapidity. Zambecarri was seized with violent vomiting. Grossetti bled freely. The unhappy men could not speak；their respiration was short. They were seized with cold, and in a moment covered with a coat of ice. The moon appeared to them red as blood. After having traversed these high regions during half an hour, the machine again fell into the sea. It was four oclock in the morning：the bodies of the wretched aeronauts were half in the water, and the balloon, acting as a sail, dragged them about during several hours. At daybreak, they found themselves opposite Pesaro, fve miles from the shore；they were about to land, when a sudden faw of wind drove them back to the open sea. They were lost！The affrighted barks fled at their approach. Fortunately, a more intelligent navigator hailed them, took them on board；and they landed at Ferrara. That was frightful！Zambecarri was a brave man. Scarcely recovered from his sufferings, he recommenced his ascensions. In one of them, he struck against a tree；his lamp, flled with spirits of wine, was spilled over his clothes, and they caught fre；he was covered with fame, 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 fre 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 us! 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.
“Mercy！O, God！”
“Two！Three！”
One cord more, and the car was sustained only on one side. I made a superhuman effort, rose, and violently repulsed this insensate.
“Four！”said he.
The car was overset. I instinctively clung to the cords which held it, and climbed up the outside.
The unknown had disappeared in space！
In a twinkling the balloon ascended to an immeasurable height！A horrible crash was heard. The dilated gas had burst its envelope！I closed my eyes.
A few moments afterwards, a moist warmth reanimated me；I was in the midst of fery clouds！The balloon was whirling with fearful rapidity！I felt myself swooning！Driven by the wind, I travelled a hundred leagues an hour in my horizontal course；the lightnings fashed around me！
Meanwhile my fall was not rapid. When I opened my eyes, I perceived the country. I was two miles from the sea, the hurricane urging me on with great force. I was lost, when a sudden shock made me let go；my hands opened, a cord slipped rapidly between my fngers, and I found myself on the ground. It was the cord of the anchor, which, sweeping the surface of the ground, had caught in a crevice！I fainted, and my lightened balloon, resuming its fight, was lost beyond the sea.
When I recovered my senses, I was in the house of a peasant, at Harderwick, a little town of Gueldre, ffteen leagues from Amsterdam, on the banks of the Zuyderzee.
A miracle had saved me. But my voyage had been but a series of imprudences against which I had been unable to defend myself.
May this terrifc recital, while it instructs those who read it, not discourage the explorers of the routes of air.
一
1850年9月，我到达了坐落在缅因河畔的法兰克福。这一次，我乘气球穿越了德国的几个主要城市，煞是引人注目。但是，直到现在，也没有一个德国人愿意和我同行。之前格林、戈达德、普瓦特温这几位先生在巴黎成功的升空经历，并没有唤起那群刻板的德国人对气球飞行的半点儿兴致。
当时，我要乘气球升空的消息刚在法兰克福传开，马上就有三个市民自告奋勇，要和我一同实现这一壮举。两天后，我们将从喜剧广场出发。我立刻开始着手做各项准备工作。我的气球体积庞大，由丝质材料制成，上面还涂了一层杜仲胶，这是为了防酸蚀和毒气。此外，气球的密闭性能特别好。我还修复了其他一些因为危险降落而损坏的小零件。
我们升空的那天正好是德国9月份的一个大集市，成千上万的人赶到了法兰克福。装燃料的大容器由六个大桶组成，被密封起来。氢气完全是由铁和稀硫酸反应制成的，然后再从第一个容器输送到第二个容器，继而送到那个大气球里。气球就是这样被充满的。我花了整整一个早晨，才完成了这些准备工作。大约11点的时候，就已经充了四分之三的气，这已经完全够用了。因为随着我们升空，空气的密度会降低，容器里的氢气也会随之膨胀，所以，如果充得太满就可能会爆炸。根据我和同伴们的重量，我计算出了到达足够飞行高度所需气体的确切体积。
我们计划正午出发。那场面极其壮观，等得不耐烦的人们在圈出的围场内外你推我搡，临近的街道也被挤得水泄不通。附近的房子，从地下室到房顶全都挤满了围观的人。前几天刮的大风今天已经平息下来，但晴朗的天空透着闷热。这种天气，你极有可能刚刚升上去就想降下来。
我在袋子里放了300磅重的压舱物。吊舱是正圆形的，直径长达4英尺，高3英尺，很容易附在气球下面，用来固定吊舱的绳子则均匀地拉直气球的上半部分。指南针已经摆好，吊舱上方8英尺处有一个拴在固定绳上的金属环，气压计就挂在这个金属环上。锚也小心地安装好了。一切就绪，随时可以出发。
在熙熙攘攘的围观人群中，我注意到一个年轻人，他脸色惨白，神情紧张。他的出现让我备受鼓舞。他是我的忠实观众，在德国的几次升空当中，我都曾见到过他的身影。他总是那样心神不安，但又全神贯注。他注视着这个奇妙的机器悄无声息地上升，离开地面，他却站在那里，一言不发。
12点，该出发了。可是，我的同伴没有现身。我派人去找，才得知他们一个去了汉堡，一个去了维也纳，还有一个胆子最小，去了伦敦。他们的懦弱使他们错失了这次旅行机会。其实，现在的气球驾驶员有着丰富的驾驶经验，根本不会有任何危险。他们原本是今天这次盛会的当事人，但他们被自己的承诺吓倒了，就在升空的那一刻，他们临阵脱逃了。他们逃跑的速度可比面对困难时拿出勇气的速度快多了。
一些围观的人感到很失望，他们愤怒而不耐烦地大喊大叫。我没有犹豫，立刻决定单飞。由于气球需要承担的重量有了变化，为了保持平衡，我又塞进了一些沙袋，代替那几个没有来的同伴，然后爬进吊舱。气球的环型圈上系着12根绳子，分别由12个人拉着，他们稍稍松手，气球就上升了几英尺。当时一丝风都没有，空气重得像铅块，似乎想阻止我的这次升空。
“都准备好了吗？”我宣布，“全体注意！”
他们全都就绪了，最后一个人看了我一眼，示意一切正常。
“准备！”
人群中有些动静，好像有什么东西冲出了围场。
“出发！”
气球缓缓上升，但是我感到吊舱剧烈地晃动了一下，我一时没提防，便跌倒了。我站起来后，发现对面竟然站着一个人——那个脸色苍白的年轻人。
“先生，您好！”他对我说。
“你怎么……”
“为什么会在这里，对吗？因为没有我，您不行。”
我有些困惑。他的肯定让我有些惊讶，而我也无言以对。我看着他，可他对我的吃惊似乎并不在意，继续说道：
“先生，我的重量破坏了您气球的平衡，您能允许我……”
还没等我同意，他就将两个沙袋的沙子撒入空中，来减轻气球的重量。
“先生，你既然来了——那么，想留下的话，就别乱动——让我一个人来驾驶气球。”我也只能这样说了。
“先生，”他答道，“您的骨子里透着法国人的儒雅气质，我也是法国人。我试着想象您会用哪只手拒绝和我握手。您做您的事情吧，按照您自己的方式，我等您弄完——”
“你还想干什么？”
“跟您谈谈。”
气压计显示的数据已经降到26英寸，这表示我们现在正在距城市地面约600米的上空。其实，单凭那个一动不动的旗子，我无法判断现在的情况。我对现在接近静止的状态感到很满意。至于气球是否在水平移动，我就不得而知了。气球周围大量的空气在托着它移动，一股热浪笼罩着我们脚下的物体，使它们的轮廓渐渐模糊起来。指南针显示气球在向南飘。
我又将眼前的这个同伴打量了一番。他30岁左右，衣着朴素，身材轮廓鲜明，看得出他是个身体强壮、精力旺盛而且很有决心的人。他一动不动地站在这个几乎静止不动的吊舱里，想看清我们下面飘过的东西是什么。
“这讨厌的雾！”过了一会儿，他叫道。
我没有应声。
“您还在生气？我没有钱付这次旅行的费用，以这种方式上来，实在是迫不得已！”
“没人要赶你走。”
“您知道吗？1784年1月15日那天的情形和今天差不多。当时，洛朗森伯爵和当皮埃尔伯爵正准备从里昂升空，一个叫方丹的年轻商人，冒着弄翻气球的危险翻过围栏。他完成了旅行，大家也都平安着陆。”
“等到了地面，咱们再谈这个。”我很讨厌他说话时那种轻描淡写的口气。
“哎哟，您还想回去？”
“你以为我会推迟降落时间？”
“降落？”他吃了一惊，说，“咱们还是升上去吧！”
就在我阻止他之前，他又把两袋沙包扔了出去，而且是连包扔的，不是只把沙子撒出去。
“先生！”我呵斥他。
“我知道您的能耐，”他从容地说，“您这次的辉煌旅程已经妇孺皆知了。虽说经验与实践密不可分，但缺乏理论知识也是不行的。我学习飞行术已经很长时间了。现在，这些飞行理论已经全都装在我脑袋里了。”他说话时很伤心，接着又陷入了沉默。
气球升高了一些，又静止了下来。陌生人看了一眼气压计，说道：
“我们现在升到800米高空了！地上的人看起来和虫子一样！看哪，我认为我们应该永远站在这个高度审视众人，对他们的道德水平进行评判。喜剧广场简直变成了一个蚂蚁堆。看看那个码头的人山人海。蔡尔大街越来越小了。我们现在在教堂上空了。现在看来，缅因河就像一条白色的带子，将整个城市一分为二。还有那座大桥，就像连接两岸的一根细线。”
空气变凉了。
“东道主，您让我干什么都行，”我的同伴说，“你要是冷了，我就把衣服脱下来给您穿。”
“不用了，谢谢。”
“需要什么您就说。我们握一下手吧，咱们可是同乡呢。我会一直陪着您，我希望能陪您聊聊天，补偿我给您带来的不快，好吗？”
我没说话，在吊舱里离他最远的一角坐下了。这个年轻人从大衣里掏出一大卷手稿，那是关于气球驾驶的文章。
“我收集了那些最稀奇古怪的、关于有飞行癖好的人的漫画和版画。人们发现这一点后，在羡慕不已的同时却又对我冷嘲热讽。幸运的是，我们已经过了蒙戈尔费埃时代，不会再用水蒸气，或是用燃烧的湿草和碎羊毛所产生的带电气体去制造人工云彩了。”
“你竟敢贬低这些伟大的发明？”我问他，“假如没有当初那些升空的实验，我们今天又怎么可能在天空自由翱翔呢？”
“有谁敢否认第一批飞行者的丰功伟绩呢？那时，飞上天空该需要多么大的勇气啊！想想看，在那脆弱得不堪一击的飞行器里，除了热空气，其他什么都没有。而且，自从布朗夏尔之后，飞行科学有过任何进步吗？先生，您再看看这个！”
那个年轻人又从手稿里抽出一张版画。
这是皮拉特尔·德·罗齐埃和阿尔朗公爵进行的人类首次空中飞行，要知道，四个月前，气球才刚刚发明。路易十六不同意这项冒险活动，两个最早企图尝试这一活动的人还被判了刑。皮拉特尔·德·罗齐埃对这一不公正的判决愤恨不已，于是他想了个点子，最终成功地出发了。那时还没有发明吊舱，所以，控制气球并不像今天这样容易。当时的飞行器的底部有一个环形的通道。两个飞行员只能各自站在通道的两边，充塞于气球内部的湿草让他们行动很困难。气球口下面悬着一个火盆。如果飞行员想要升高，他们就用一个长长的叉耙子往火盆里添草。随后，空气受热产生一个上升力，从而推动气球上升。这样做很危险，因为很有可能会将飞行器点燃。
“1783年11月21日，这两个勇敢的飞行员从米埃特皇家花园起飞了。在他们的恳请下，皇太子特许他们将此地作为起飞场所。气球升天了，那景象十分壮观。它飘过了大雁岛，飘过了教区旁的塞纳河，在医院和军事院校的圆形顶楼逗留了一会儿，接着飘过了圣叙尔皮斯教堂的上空。然后，这两个飞行员把火点旺，气球升得更高了，穿过大街之后，准备降落。就在接触到地面的一刹那，气球砰的一声爆炸了，皮拉特尔·德·罗齐埃葬身火海。”
“真是不幸啊！”我听得入迷了，故事的悲惨结局让我有些难过。
“真为他的悲剧难过！”年轻人悲伤地说，“您没有经历过类似的事情吗？”
“从来没有。”
“唉，灾难总是不期而至。”说完，他就沉默了。
我们正在往南飞，指针指的是法兰克福的方向，我们正从它的上空飞过。
“我们可能会遇到一场风暴。”那个年轻人说。
“那我们先降落吧。”
“实际上，我们最好还是继续上升，那样肯定能躲过这场风暴。”说着，年轻人又将两袋沙子扔了出去。
气球急速上升，在1200米的高度停了下来。现在天气变得很冷，我的耳朵也嗡嗡作响。尽管如此，阳光仍然照着这个气球，它内部的空气更热了，而这给了它一个更大的升力。我有点儿眩晕了。
“怕什么？”那年轻人说，“我们有3500突阿斯（法国旧的长度单位，应用于早期的大地测量中，1突阿斯约等于1.95米或6.4英尺）可供呼吸的空气。你不要操心，看我的！”
我想站起来，可一只强劲有力的大手把我按回到座位上。
我问他：“你是谁？”
“我是谁？这跟您有什么关系！”
“我有资格知道你的名字！”
“我叫罗斯特拉斯，或恩培多克勒，您想怎么叫都行。您对飞行科学的进程感兴趣吗？”
他冷冷地说着，我暗自纳闷，这个人到底是谁？
“先生，”他自顾自地说着，“继物理学家查理之后，就再也没有出现过任何新发明了。发明气球四个月以后，他发明了阀门，这东西可以帮助我们释放出气球里多余的气体，还可以控制气球，让气球下降；接着，他又发明了吊舱，使控制气球变得更加容易；然后是一种网状物，它覆盖在气球表面，可以减少对气球的压力；而压舱物则用于升空和选择降落点，他发明的弹性橡胶外层比丝绸的防渗透性要好，而气压计则可以测量你所处的高度；最后，他发现了氢气，它的质量只有空气的1/14，这样，气球就可以升到足够高的高度，而不必再担心它会爆炸。1783年12月1日，30万人聚集在杜伊勒利宫，观看查理乘气球升空，士兵们为他振臂欢呼。他在空中飞行了9里格。而他驾驶飞行器的技术，恐怕到现在仍然无人能及。国王赏赐他2000里弗（古时法国的货币单位及其银币），因为在那个年代，政府鼓励发明创造，人们都对科技的进步很感兴趣。”
那个年轻人显得很激动。
“先生，我研究过了。我很欣慰我们第一代驾驶员知道如何驾驶气球。且不说有争议的布朗夏尔，就拿吉东·蒙沃来说吧，他单靠桨和舵就能去任何想去的地方。再近一些的是，在巴黎的那次，那个钟表商，朱利安先生，他不是在赛马场上做了几次令人信服的飞行实践吗？他用了一个特别的装置，椭圆形的，完全可以逆风飞行。佩坦先生那次则是并排放了四只氢气球，他把翼折叠起来一部分，水平固定，这样仪器倒向另一边，为的就是打破平衡，让气球侧身飞行。人们发明了螺旋桨来克服气流带来的阻力，可螺旋桨是在一个活动的介质里面运转的，所以发挥不了太大的作用。我找到了唯一能够控制气球的方法，可是没有一个学院愿意协助我，也没有一个城市愿意资助我，更没有一个政府愿意屈尊听我的意见。真无耻！”
他激动得手舞足蹈，吊舱都随之剧烈地摇晃起来。让他停下来可真不容易。这时，气球正好遇上一股强大的气流，我们向更南的方向飞去。现在已经到达1200米的高空，我也习惯了四周的气温。
“达姆施塔特，”我的同伴说，“看到城堡没有？脚下的乌云挡住了地面的景物，显得有些模糊。只有经验特别丰富的人，才能识别方向。”
“你确定那是达姆施塔特？”我问。
“绝对没错，我们已经离开法兰克福6里格了。”
“那我们现在必须降落了。”
“降落？您不是想在这个尖尖的建筑物上降落吧！”年轻人笑了，语气中略带一些嘲讽的意味。
“当然不是，但我们可以在郊外降落。”
“哦，这里太热了。我们再升高一点儿吧。”
他说着，提起几袋压舱物，我朝他扑了过去。但他手一挥，就把我挡了回来。变轻的气球升高到了1500米。
“你给我坐下。别忘了布廖斯基、布里奥、盖·吕萨克，他们为了进行科学定律测试，升到了7000米！”
“我们必须降落！”我坚持，并努力使自己的语气显得温和些，“风暴就在我们周围，就在我们脚下，你这样做太轻率了！”
“那么，我们可以凌驾于风暴之上，这样，我们就不必惧怕它了。还有什么比站在天堂里俯瞰笼罩大地的云彩更美妙呢？徜徉于云海之间，这难道不是一件令人骄傲的事情吗？那些显赫的人物，在世间的时候不就是我们现在这样吗？侯爵夫人、女伯爵蒙塔朗贝尔、波特娜女伯爵、加尔德夫人，还有蒙塔朗贝尔侯爵，不就是从圣安东尼出发，飞向那些鲜为人知的地方吗？1784年7月15日，夏尔特公爵在那次升空中表现得超常地冷静。洛朗森伯爵和当皮埃尔伯爵在里昂，利埃·安德列尼在意大利，还有，与我们同一时代的布吕斯维克公爵，他们全都在天空中留下了自己光辉的痕迹。为了向这些伟大的人物看齐，我们必须飞得更高。只有冲上云霄，才能揭开它神秘的面纱。”
空气越来越稀薄，气球里的氢气迅速膨胀。我看到气球底部渐渐鼓了起来，那本来是瘪的。打开阀门已经变得刻不容缓，可我那个可怕的同伴说什么都不让我控制飞行的方向。我决定在他兴致勃勃、高谈阔论的时候，偷偷解开那控制阀门的绳子。我想象不出这个人到底是谁，这太恐怖了。我们已经飞离法兰克福45分钟了，厚重的云层从南面飘来笼罩在我们身边，几乎要将我们吞没。
“你对自己的计划已经不抱任何成功的希望了吗？”我饶有兴趣地问。
“不抱任何希望？”这个陌生人歇斯底里地喊着，“他们总是侮辱我、挖苦我、鄙视我，是他们毁了我。他们永远抨击我们这些试图创新的人。我的包里装满了各个时期讽刺这种现象的作品。”
我趁他专心弯腰看画卷时，偷偷拉住了控制气阀的绳子，他并没有发现。尽管如此，我还是心惊胆战。因为他很有可能注意到阀门打开时发出的嘶嘶的漏气声。
“他们无数次地取笑阿贝·米奥兰！他马上就要和加内特和布勒东一起升空了。在操作过程中，他们的气球着火了。那些无知的人便将气球撕碎。在那张名为《怪物》的漫画中，他们给这三个人分别起了谐音绰号。”
气压开始上升，时机到了！南面传来了轰隆隆的雷声。
“看看这幅版画！”陌生人继续说道，好像并没发觉我在做什么，“上面画了一个硕大无朋的气球，还有船只、巨大的城堡和房子之类的东西。漫画家们永远也不会想到，他们认为荒谬至极的东西，有一天竟会变成现实。那是一艘巨大的船，左边是舵轮和驾驶舱，前面是一个休息室，还摆了一尊吸引地球和月球上居民注意的大炮。上面是观测台和测风气球，中间是一个圆形的营房，营房左面是灯塔，再往上还有长廊，人们可以在上面散步，有帆，有翼，下面是咖啡馆和储藏室。听听这伟大的赞美之词吧：‘人类为了追求幸福而发明了气球，这个大球马上就要带大家飞往雷凡特，回来时它将会公布飞往两极以及最西端的计划。一切都准备好了。飞往每一站的价格各不相同，现在已经制定好了。不过远程票价是一样的，都是1000金路易。与其他交通工具的速度、舒适程度以及旅途中所享受的乐趣相比较，我必须说，这个价格一点儿都不高。气球上的每一个乘客都可以随心所欲地做任何事情，跳舞，玩耍，与那些精英人士交流。气球旅行的宗旨就是使大家感到舒适惬意。’这只会引得大家发笑。但不久以后，如果我还在世的话，这些就可以变成现实了！”
很明显，我们在下降，可他竟然没有觉察出来。
“气球的游戏，涵盖了整个飞行科学的发展历史。这个游戏是给那些头脑精明的人玩的，就像是犹太人在掷骰子，赌注已经下好，输赢在此一搏。”
“你似乎有一些航空学方面的珍贵资料？”我说。
“我只比上帝笨一点儿，就那么一点点。我几乎学过这世上的所有知识。从法厄同、伊卡洛斯到阿契塔斯，我都有所涉猎，我了解他们的理论！如果上帝赐予我足够长的生命，我肯定能在航空学领域里做出巨大贡献，但这是不可能的。”
“为什么？”
“因为我是恩培多克勒或罗斯特拉斯。”
（译者注：恩培多克勒是首先提出世界的本原有多个的希腊哲学家，而罗斯特拉斯是伊斯兰教众的人物。）
二
我吓得浑身发抖！幸运的是，气球靠近地面了。但当你降落时，距离地面50英尺与5000米一样，都非常危险。云层正在靠近。
“如果你还记得弗勒鲁之战，就会明白气球为何如此重要了。在这次战役中，政府授权康特洛组织了一队飞行员。莫伯日封锁线内的儒尔丹将军发现这种新型观察方法十分奏效。于是，他和康特洛一道，亲自率领这队人马，每天两次，乘气球在空中侦察敌情。气球驾驶员就靠那些白色、黄色、红色的小旗传递信息。气球升空时总会成为大炮和卡宾枪的目标，但这对它没有丝毫影响。当儒尔丹将军准备进攻沙勒罗瓦时，康特洛深入邻境，和莫尔洛将军一起从平原起飞，对沙勒罗瓦一连观察了七八个小时。奥地利人来攻城了，战役在弗勒鲁的山顶打响。儒尔丹将军公开承认，之前的空中侦察令他受益匪浅。哦，气球不止在这次战役中有卓越的表现，而且在那次与比利时的征战中，也大放异彩。这是它首次在军事方面发挥重要作用，但从那以后就销声匿迹了。波拿巴从埃及回来后就关闭了政府成立的墨登学校。富兰克林曾经说过：‘我们对新生婴儿能有多大的期待呢？’但婴儿出生总归是好事，怎么可以就这样把他们扼杀于摇篮中呢？”
那个陌生人把头埋在手里，沉思了一会儿，然后头也不抬地对我说：“没有经过我的同意，您怎么就把阀门打开了？”
我扔掉了手中的绳子。
他继续说道：“幸运的是，我们还有200磅的压舱物呢。”
“你到底想要干什么？”我问。
“您从来没有乘气球飞越过大海吧？”
我的脸色刷地一下就白了，内心的恐惧几乎让我的血液都停止了流动。
“真是遗憾，”他说，“我们正飘往亚得里亚海。那只是一条小溪。再高一点儿。我们去找其他河流。”
接着，他看都不看我一眼，又扔掉了几袋沙子以减轻气球的重量。
“我允许您打开阀门，因为气体膨胀，气球有可能会爆炸，但下不为例。”
我呆住了。
“您知道布朗夏尔和杰弗瑞从多佛到加来的那次飞行吧，那一次真是险象环生。1785年1月7日，借着西北风，他们的气球被充得满满的。可是，他们刚一上升，平衡方面就出问题了。他们不得不扔下许多压舱物，仅仅留下30磅的重物。风吹着他们慢慢飘向法国。这时，气球漏气了。一个半小时过去后，这两个人感到自己在下降。”
“杰弗瑞问：‘怎么办？’”
“我们才飞了四分之三的路程呢。‘布朗夏尔答道：’不是太高，再上升一些我们就能遇到顺风。把压舱物都扔了吧。”
“气球在上升力的作用下稍稍上升了一些，但没多久就又开始下降。飞了一半的时候，他们开始扔掉舱里的书和工具。”
“十来分钟后，布朗夏尔问杰弗瑞：‘气压怎么样了？’”
“在上升，我们完了。不过，我看到法国的边境了。”
“听到一声巨响。”
“气球爆了？杰弗瑞问。”
“不是，气球底部漏气了。”
“我们还在降，我们完了！快，把所有没用的东西都扔出去。”
“他们把食物、桨、舵都扔到了海里。两人距离海面只有100米了。”
“我们又升上去了！布朗夏尔博士说。”
“不，是因为重量减轻气球才上升的。但一直漏气，维持不了多久的。见鬼，周围没有船，连个人影也没有。快，把衣服脱了扔进海里！”
“这两个倒霉蛋都脱光了，可气球仍然在下降。”
“布朗夏尔，‘杰弗瑞喊道，’你这次本来可以自己飞，但你愿意带着我同行。我愿意牺牲自己保全你。我跳海，这样能再减轻一些重量，气球就能升上去。”
“不，不行。那太可怕了！气球越变越小，像一个要落地的降落伞一样，顶部的大气压力使得气球下降得更快了。”
“我的朋友，愿上帝保佑你。永别了。他正要跳海，布朗夏尔阻止了他。”
“我们还有一个东西可以利用。我们把固定吊舱的绳子剪断，直接把吊舱系在气球上，也许能飘起来。好了！气压下降了！我们升高了，起风了，我们得救了。”
“他们到了加来，欢呼雀跃。没一会儿，便在吉拿森林降落了。”
那陌生人说：“我深信不疑，如果我们发生了类似的情况，你一定会像杰弗瑞博士那样做的。”
三
云雾在我们的脚下翻滚，亮光闪闪，气球在云层里投下阴影。我们的脚下雷声震天！这一切实在太可怕了！
我再次要求：“咱们降落吧！”
“降落？怎么可能？太阳就在前方等着我们呢！再扔几袋沙子！”他又让气球减轻了50磅。在3000米的高空，我们停住了。这个陌生人一直在喋喋不休，但我已经一个字都听不进去了。我被折磨得筋疲力尽，可他依然那么精力充沛。
“现在有风的话，我们就能飞得更远。不过，我们现在要的是飞得更高。”
“我们死定了！”
“在安的列斯群岛上空，风速达到了每小时100里格。拿破仑加冕时，加尔纳兰晚上11点放飞了一只气球。当时刮的是北西北风。在第二天黎明破晓的时候，它飞过了圣彼得堡教堂的圆形屋顶，罗马居民都向气球致意。我们要飞得更远。”
我根本无心听他废话，耳朵里全是嗡嗡的声音，云层裂出一道缝隙。
“东道主，快看，那是螺旋城！”那个陌生人说。
我不敢倚着围栏向下看。即使这样，我仍然看到了一些小黑点。没错，是螺旋城。宽阔的莱茵河像一条缎带，大马路看起来比棉线还要细。头顶上的天空是深蓝色的。我都冻麻木了，现在，就连小鸟也抛弃了我们，因为在空气如此稀薄的地方它们根本无法飞行。这里只有我们，而我竟然连对面这个人到底是谁都还不知道。
“您无须知道我要把您带到哪里。”他一边说着，一边将指南针扔到了云彩里。“能够安全降落确实不错。您知道皮拉特尔·德·罗齐埃、加莱中尉吧，他们之所以酿出悲剧，就是因为他们不谨慎、不小心。1785年6月13日，皮拉特尔·德·罗齐埃邀请罗曼结伴而行，气球上放置了蒙戈尔费埃热气装置，这样在飞行中就不需要抛沙袋或者放气了。这样做，简直无异于将火炉置于火药桶之上。这些粗心的人上升到400米高空时，遇到了逆风，结果被吹到了海上。为了降落，皮拉特尔试图打开阀门，结果连接阀门的绳子缠在了气球上，他一解开绳子，气球中的气顷刻间就放光了，瘪气球落在热器装置上，将它翻了个底朝天。片刻间，他们就化为了灰烬。可怕吧！”这个陌生人继续讲述着他的故事，试图将我从无动于衷的情绪中唤醒。
我只能说：“求你了，我们降落吧。四周全是云朵，气球还在不断地发出轻微的爆炸声。”
“您快把我烦死了！”他说，“上升还是下降哪由你说了算！”
然后，气压计也像先前的那个指南针一样被扔出了气球，随着它一起被扔的还有几袋沙子。我们一定已经升到4000米高了。吊舱外围结了一些冰柱。我的骨头都快冻僵了。与此同时，我们的脚下狂风大作。
“没什么好怕的，”那个陌生人说，“只有那些鲁莽行事的人才会命丧黄泉。在奥尔良飞行失事中丧生的奥利瓦尔，他在飞行时使用的是纸质的蒙戈尔费埃热气装置，并且将吊舱吊在火炉子下面，还用那些易燃的材料做压舱物，后来这些东西被引燃出了火苗，奥利瓦尔从气球上掉下来，摔死了。莫斯蒙选在里昂升空，他的吊舱质地太轻，结果在一次晃动中失去了平衡，坠落身亡。毕托夫在曼海姆，眼睁睁地看着气球着了火，也没能摆脱坠落身亡的厄运。哈里斯的气球粗制滥造，气阀太松，根本没法关上，结果，他也去见上帝了。萨德勒因为在空中停留的时间过长，最后根本无法控制气球，结果撞上了波士顿的一个烟囱，死于非命。而库金先生在降落时带了一个凸面的降落伞，貌似很周全，但最后同样命归西天了。我爱他们，敬重他们的勇气！我愿像他们一样光荣地死去。高点儿，再高点儿！”
他提到的那些逝去的人的幽灵似乎在我的眼前一一飘过。稀薄的空气和日光使气球不断膨胀。气球继续上升。我机械性地试图打开阀门，但陌生人剪断了离我头顶几尺远的绳子。我死定了。
“知道布朗夏尔夫人是怎么掉下来的吗？”他问我，“那是我亲眼所见。1819年7月6日那天，布朗夏尔夫人为了省钱，选择了一只小型的气球，因此她需要把气球充得很满才行。但是，氢气从下面漏了出来，气球拖着一缕轻烟飞行。她用一根金属丝将一种烟火装置挂在吊舱上，准备引燃它。她以前总是这样做。这次，她还带了一个小降落伞，以防万一。伞下的烟弹一经点燃，伞就会在天空中绽开。她就这样起飞了。那是个晚上，天很黑。她点燃烟弹的时候，不小心把点火装置放到了氢气柱下面，就是吊舱外泄露的那些氢气。我紧盯着她。突然有一道亮光划破了夜空。我以为她是在炫耀自己的飞行技术。只见火苗先是变大，然后马上就消失了，接着，那个亮光又在气球顶部出现了，是气流燃烧时发出的那种。那不祥的亮光照亮了整个街道，照亮了整个蒙马特尔广场。我看到那个可怜的女人站起身来，一连试了两次压紧气球口想把火灭掉，却都没有成功。她又坐下，想控制气球降落的方向，但也失败了。气体燃烧了几分钟，气球逐渐萎缩，不断下降，但并不是垂直坠落。东北风竟吹着她去了巴黎。气球飘到了德·普罗旺斯街16号，那里有一个特别大的花园。她本来可以安全着落，可是，倒霉的气球降落在房顶上，动静并不是很大。那个女人喊着‘救命啊’。当时，我也赶了过去。吊舱顺着房顶滑落，挂在一个铁钩上。这样一震，布朗夏尔夫人被抛出了吊舱，摔在人行道上，死了。”
这些血淋淋的事件让我惊恐万分。陌生人直挺挺地站在那里，脑门光亮，头发凌乱，面容憔悴。
别再心存幻想了。我终于认清了这个可怕的事实：站在我面前的是一个不折不扣的疯子。
他扔光了一半压舱物，我们肯定已经达到7000米的高度了。我的嘴和鼻子都在不住地往外喷血。
“再也没有比为科学殉道更伟大的事情了！他们将永远被后人敬仰！”
我什么都听不进去。陌生人惊恐地看看自己的四周，凑近我的耳边说道：“1804年10月7日，天气渐渐放晴了一些。几天来，一直都在刮风下雨。但消息已经传开了，因此赞贝凯利的飞行日期不能推迟。他的那些愚蠢的宿敌已经开始暗暗嘲笑他。为了他自己，也为了捍卫科学的尊严，他必须按原计划飞行。地点就选在博洛尼亚。没有人帮他给气球充气。他半夜出发，同行的还有安德烈奥列和格罗塞蒂。气球缓缓升天，几乎完全凭借的是风力，内部气体也在外溢。他们三个只能借助一个昏暗的灯笼看到气压表的数字变化。赞贝凯利已经一整天没吃任何东西了。格罗塞蒂也早就饥肠辘辘了。”
“我的朋友们，‘赞贝凯利说，’我冻得四肢麻木了，我很累，觉得就快要死掉了。然后，他就昏倒在吊舱里了。接着，格罗塞蒂也倒了下去。只有安德烈奥利一个人还清醒着，他费了好大力气才让赞贝凯利苏醒过来。”
“有什么新情况？我们这是去哪里了？现在风向怎么样？几点了？”
“两点了。”
“指南针呢？”
“掉了！”
“哦，天哪。灯就要灭了。”
“在这么稀薄的空气里，它着不了多久的。赞贝凯利说。”
“月亮还没有升起来。四周漆黑一片，伸手不见五指。”
“安德烈奥利，我冷，好冷。怎么办？这几个倒霉的人穿过一片白云，缓缓下降。”
“嘘！‘安德烈奥利说，’听见什么声音没有？”
“什么声音？赞贝凯利问。”
“一种奇怪的声音。”
“你肯定听错了。”
“绝对没听错！你没有看见那些旅行者吗？听那声音，稀奇古怪的。他们撞到桨手了吗？是快要翻船了吗？你们听到没有？像是大海的声音！”
“不！不可能！”
“是浪花咆哮的声音。”
“真的！给我火，火！”
“安德烈奥利一连试了六次才把灯点燃。时间已是3点整。那海水声好大，他们几乎触到海面。”
“完了！赞贝凯利叫道，死死地抓住一个大沙袋。”
“救命！安德烈奥利大声呼喊。”
“吊舱碰到海面，海水没过了他们的胸口。他们把所有的衣服、器具和钱都扔进了海里，减轻了负荷的气球腾空而起，迅速上升。赞贝凯利狂吐不止，格罗塞蒂也不停地流血。他们呼吸急促，根本说不出话来。他们全都冻僵了，有一段时间身上甚至结了冰。月亮出来了，月色像血一样红。气球在高空晃荡了半个小时，随即便再次坠入海中。此时已是凌晨4点。他们半浸在水中，拖着像船一样的气球漂浮了好几个小时。黎明时分，他们发现对岸就是佩扎罗了，而此时他们距离海岸也只有5英里了。正当他们准备登陆的时候，突然刮起一阵强风，又把他们吹回了海里。他们彻底迷失了方向。他们怕极了。幸运的是，一个聪明的水手救了他们，把他们拉到船甲板上。最后他们终于在菲瑞达登陆了。真是太惊险了。赞贝凯利是一个勇敢的人，尚未从这次飞行中完全恢复的他很快就再度踏上了征程。有一次，他撞到了树上，酒精灯被撞破了，燃烧的酒精溅到了他的身上，把他点着了，气球也着了，落地的时候气球就剩一半了。1812年9月21日，他又在博洛尼亚升空了。这一次，他的气球卡在了树上，灯又引燃了气球。赞贝凯利从树上掉下来，摔死了。”
“有这么多鲜活的事实摆在眼前，我们还犹豫什么？不能犹豫。我们飞得越高，死得就越光荣！”
气球里已经没有任何压舱物了，我们已经飞得很高了。气球在空中晃动，即使是最轻微的响声也能引起回音。地球——我唯一能看见的东西，现在也慢慢消失了。我们头顶的天空陷入了无尽的黑暗之中。
我看着眼前的这个陌生人。
他说：“就是这一刻，我们必须死亡。人类抛弃我们，鄙视我们。让我们把他们全都摧毁。”
“发发慈悲吧！”我叫道。
“我们割断绳子吧！让吊舱悬浮在空中，吸引力会使吊舱改变航向，我们将会在太阳上着陆。”
绝望给了我力量。我朝这个疯子扑过去，和他疯狂地厮打在一起，但我败下阵来。他将我压在膝盖下，并割断了系吊舱的绳子。
“一！”他开始计数。
“哦，看在上帝的份儿上吧。”
“二！三！”
他又割断了一根绳子，现在气球与吊舱之间只剩一根绳子了。我不知道从哪里来的一股力气，一下子站起来把这个疯子击退了。
“四！”
吊舱翻了个儿。我本能地抓住绳子，爬到吊舱外。
他不见了！
在一片闪光中，气球升到了无法测量的高度。我听到了可怕的爆炸声。气球被膨胀的气体胀破了。我闭上了眼睛。
不一会儿，我从一阵温润的暖意中苏醒过来，发现自己被团团红云裹住了。气球正快速地打着转。我自己都晕了。借着风力，我在水平方向以每小时100里格的速度飞着，周围一片电光石火。
降落的速度倒不是很快。当我睁开眼睛时，我看到了自己的国家。我距离海面只有2英里了。飓风以一股巨大的力量挟着我往前飞。我完了。突然受到惊吓的我松开了手，绳子从我的指间滑落，我竟然掉到了地上。这是锚索上的绳子，幸亏锚挂在了地上的一道裂缝！我昏了过去。而我那轻飘飘的气球则继续着它的旅行，消失在大海里。
当我醒来时，发现自己躺在荷德威克一个农民的家里。荷德威克是格尔德的一所小村庄，距须德海沿岸的阿姆斯特丹仅15里格的路程。
我能死里逃生，这真是一个奇迹。不过，在这次飞行中，我疏忽的地方实在太多了，我实在无法原谅自己。
但愿我这次不同寻常的可怕经历能够警示读者，但又不至于吓退那些未来的空中探险者。
知识点
科幻小说诞生于19世纪，是欧洲工业文明崛起后特殊的文化现象之一。英国由工业革命和达尔文的进化论导致了真正科学幻想小说的中兴。“二战”之前，发轫于欧洲的科幻小说，在美国落地生根。爱因斯坦的“相对论”等现代科学技术与理论相继问世，使得20世纪二三十年代出现了一次创作高潮。
W词汇笔记
induce[indju：s]v.引诱；劝说；导致
例 What induced you to do such a stupid thing?
是什么促使你做出这等蠢事？
ascend[əsend]v.上升；追溯；攀登
例 The rocket ascended into the cloud.
火箭高高地飞入云端。
apparatus[，æpəreitəs]n.装置；设备；仪器；器官
例 Firemen needed breathing apparatus to enter the burning house.
消防队员需要呼吸器械才能进入燃烧的房屋。
horizontal[‘hɔri’zɔntəl]adj.水平的；横的；与地平线平行的
例 Its very serious for horizontal deformation to damage building.
水平变形对建筑物的破坏极为严重。
S小试身手
我要乘气球升空的消息刚在法兰克福传开，马上就有三个市民自告奋勇，要和我一同实现这一壮举。
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我们对新生婴儿能有多大的期待呢？
译________________________________________
但愿我这次不同寻常的可怕经历能够警示读者，但又不至于吓退那些未来的空中探险者。
译________________________________________
P短语家族
The apparatus for filling was composed of……
be composed of：由……组成
造________________________________________
It was rich in incident.
be rich in：富有……的
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