Free The Eternal Adam and other stories by Jules Vernes

must have now reached a height of at least 9,000 yards. Blood spurted from
my nose and mouth!
    ‘Who are nobler than the martyrs of
science?’ cried the lunatic. ‘They are canonised by posterity.’
    But I no longer heard him. He looked about
him, and, bending down to my ear, muttered, —
    ‘And have you forgotten Zambecarri’s
catastrophe? Listen. On the 7th of October, 1804, the clouds seemed to lift a
little. On the preceding days, the wind and rain had not ceased; but the
announced ascension of Zambecarri could not be postponed. His enemies were
already bantering him. It was necessary to ascend, to save the science and
himself from becoming a public jest. It was at Boulogne. No one helped him to
inflate his balloon.
    ‘He rose at midnight, accompanied by
Andreoli and Grossetti. The balloon mounted slowly, for it had been perforated
by the rain, and the gas was leaking out. The three intrepid aeronauts could
only observe the state of the barometer by aid of a dark lantern. Zambecarri
had eaten nothing for twenty-four hours. Grossetti was also fasting.
    "My friends," said Zambecarri,
"I am overcome by cold, and exhausted. I am dying."
    He fell inanimate in the gallery. It was
the same with Grossetti. Andreoli alone remained conscious. After long efforts,
he succeeded in reviving Zambecarri.
    "What news? Whither are we going? How
is the wind? What time is it?"
    "It is two o’clock."
    "Where is the compass?"
    "Upset!"
    "Great God! The lantern has gone
out!"
    "It cannot burn in this rarefied
air," said Zambecarri.
    The moon had not risen, and the atmosphere
was plunged in murky darkness.
    "I am cold, Andreoli. What shall I
do?"
    They slowly descended through a layer of
whitish clouds.
    "Sh!" said Andreoli. "Do you
hear?"
    "What?" asked Zambecarri.
    " A strange noise."
    "You are mistaken."
    "No."
    Consider these travellers, in the middle of
the night, listening to that unaccountable noise! Are they going to knock
against a tower? Are they about to be precipitated on the roofs?
    "Do you hear? One would say it was the
noise of the sea."
    "Impossible!"
    "It is the groaning of the
waves!"
    "It is true."
    "Light! light!"
    After five fruitless attempts, Andreoli
succeeded in obtaining light. It was three o’clock.
    ‘The voice of violent waves was heard. They
were almost touching the surface of the sea!
    "We are lost!" cried Zambecarri,
seizing a large bag of sand.
    "Help!" cried Andreoli.
    The car touched the water, and the waves
came up to their breasts.
     "Throw out the instruments, clothes,
money!"
    ‘The aeronauts completely stripped
themselves. The balloon, relieved, rose with frightful rapidity. Zambecarri was
taken with vomiting. Grossetti bled profusely. The unfortunate men could not
speak, so short was their breathing. They were taken with cold, and they were
soon crusted over with ice. The moon looked as red as blood.
    ‘After traversing the high regions for a
half-hour, the balloon again fell into the sea. It was four in the morning.
They were half submerged in the water, and the balloon dragged them along, as
if under sail, for several hours.
    ‘At daybreak they found themselves opposite
Pesaro, four miles from the coast. They were about to reach it, when a gale
blew them back into the open sea. They were lost! The frightened boats fled at
their approach. Happily, a more intelligent boatman accosted them, hoisted them
on board, and they landed at Ferrada.
    ‘A frightful journey, was it not? But
Zambecarri was a brave and energetic man. Scarcely recovered from his
sufferings, he resumed his ascensions. During one of them he struck against a
tree; his spirit-lamp was broken on his clothes; he was enveloped in fire, his
balloon began to catch the flames, and he came down half consumed.
    ‘At last, on the 21st of September, 1812,
he made another ascension at Boulogne. The balloon clung to a tree, and his
lamp again set it on fire. Zambecarri fell, and was killed! And in presence of
these facts, we would still