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twg_000012931600 | at ten o'clock, to see how he was going on. "What do you think of him, sir?" Ralph asked, as the doctor came out. "He has a sharp attack of brain fever," the doctor said, "but he is young, with an excellent constitution. I trust we shall pull him through. I cannot say anything for certain, at present--till the fever | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931601 | takes a turn, one way or the other--but I have strong hopes." Ralph ordered some dinner to be sent up to his room, for he began to be keenly awake to the fact that he had eaten nothing, for more than twenty-four hours. After he had taken the meal, he sat in Percy's room, until it was time to go | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931602 | to General Trochu's; keeping himself, however, in a position so as to be hidden by the curtain--for the sight of him evidently excited the patient. Percy was, as far as his brother could see, in just the same state as before: sometimes talking to himself, in disconnected sentences; sometimes raving wildly, and imagining himself repeating the scenes through which he | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931603 | had passed, since he left home. At nine o'clock, exactly, Ralph sent in his name to the governor; and was at once shown in. The general had already left the table, and was smoking in a small study. With him were Generals Ducrot and Vinoy. General Trochu rose, and shook him cordially by the hand; presented him to the other | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931604 | generals, and asked him to take a cigar, and sit down. "Generals Ducrot and Vinoy are surprised, I see, at your appearance, Captain Barclay," General Trochu began. "By the way," he interrupted himself, "you are in the Gazette, this morning, as captain." Ralph bowed, and expressed his thanks. "No thanks are due at all, Captain Barclay," the old veteran said. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931605 | "You have well earned your promotion; and Gambetta--who speaks of you, I may say, in the highest terms--tells me that he promised you the step, if you got in. I need not say that, whether he had done so or not, I should have given it to you. "But I was saying, I see Generals Vinoy and Ducrot are surprised--as | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931606 | I am, myself--at your appearance. Gambetta, in his letter, twice uses the expression young officers. Once he said, 'these young officers have greatly distinguished themselves, and have gained the cross of the legion of honor;' and again he says, 'these young officers have volunteered to carry dispatches.' "Naturally, my friends were looking for a younger man; and having only seen | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931607 | you for an instant last night, and not having observed your features, specially, I confess that I was expecting a younger man. "You see," he said, with a smile, "we can quite understand Gambetta's calling your brother a young officer, for he is a mere lad; but one would hardly have applied the same term to yourself." Ralph had flushed | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931608 | crimson, at the commencement of this speech. "I must apologize very greatly, general," he said, when the Governor of Paris stopped; "for the mistake is certainly due to my own forgetfulness." His hearers looked surprised. "I slept until five o'clock this afternoon," Ralph continued; "owing, I believe, to a powerful opiate that the doctor you kindly sent us gave me. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931609 | Since I woke, my thoughts have been entirely given to my brother; and the thought of my singular appearance never entered my mind. I have become so accustomed--in the few days since I left Tours--to this beard, mustache, and hair, that I never thought of them, for a moment. Had I thought of it, I could not have presented myself | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931610 | before you, this evening; for I should not have presumed to do so, in my present state; and it will take me some hours of hard work, and not a little pain, before I get rid of them--for they are fastened on with shoemaker's wax and, I fear, will not come off, without taking a considerable portion of skin with | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931611 | them." The three generals laughed heartily at Ralph's apology, and their own mistake; and General Trochu then asked him to give them a full account of what had happened to him, what he had seen, and what information he had gained since he left Tours. Ralph told the story unaffectedly, from beginning to end, and received warm commendation from his | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931612 | listeners. "Your story began at Tours," General Trochu said; "where had you last been, before that?" "We had only arrived, ten days before, from a German prison," Ralph answered. The generals all laughed. "You are adventurous fellows, you and your brother," General Vinoy said. "How did you get taken, and how did you get out?" Ralph again told his story. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931613 | "You are cool hands, you Barclays," General Ducrot said. "How did you get commissions first? Were you at the Polytechnic, or Saint Cyr?" "No, general," Ralph said, modestly, "we had no such advantages. We won our commissions--and the cross of the Legion--in the Vosges, as franc tireurs." "In which corps?" General Trochu asked, a little sharply. "They have not done | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931614 | any very great things, the franc tireurs." "We were in the franc tireurs of Dijon," Ralph said, a little proudly. "We several times beat superior forces. We blew up the bridge of the Vesouze; and should have blown up the tunnel of Saverne, had it not been for treachery." "Yes, yes," General Trochu said; "I remember Gambetta has once or | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931615 | twice mentioned your corps, especially. You see, we don't hear much from outside. "Let us hear of the affairs you have mentioned. Your account will give us a better idea of the state of things, in the Vosges, than fifty dispatches would do." Thus asked, Ralph gave an account of the doings of the corps; from the day they arrived | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931616 | in the Vosges, to the day he had left them--reduced to a fourth of their original strength. The three generals sat and smoked their cigars while he spoke, asking questions occasionally. "Very good," General Trochu said, when he finished; and the other generals cordially assented. "But how come you to speak German so well?" General Trochu asked; "and how was | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931617 | it you understood the English in which the officer spoke, at Saverne?" "We are English," Ralph said; and his hearers gave a simultaneous start of surprise. "That is to say, our nationality is English, though we are half French. Our father--an officer in the English army--was wounded, left the service, married a French lady, and settled in France for a | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931618 | time. We have been educated partly in England, Germany, and France; so that we speak the three languages nearly equally well." "Well, Captain Barclay," General Trochu said, "I am almost sorry that you are not French; for you would be a credit to any country. "And now, I think it is time to be going to bed," and he drew | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931619 | out his watch. "Bless me, it is one o'clock! I had no idea it was so late. Good night. "I will not ask you to call again, for a day or two; as your brother will naturally occupy your attention, and care. I trust that I shall soon hear good news of him." "Good night, Captain Barclay," the other generals | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931620 | said, cordially, each giving him their hands; and Ralph made his way across the dark streets--for there was no gas--back to his hotel. He went at once up to Percy's room; and found that, if not decidedly better, he was at least no worse; and the Sisters of Charity, who were nursing him, said that the doctors had spoken hopefully | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931621 | at their last visit. Ralph had intended to sit up all night, but the nurses assured him that he could be of no use, whatever; and indeed, that he would be worse than useless, as his presence excited Percy. They themselves were keeping watch, by turns. Accordingly Ralph--who still felt the effects of the cold immersion--went off to bed and--in | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931622 | spite of the late hour at which he had risen--was in a few minutes sound asleep. : A Balloon Voyage. For eight-and-forty hours, Percy's fever and delirium continued unabated. At the end of that time, he fell into a long sleep; and the doctor, as he felt his hand and heard his breathing, told his brother that he thought the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931623 | crisis was over, and that he would awaken, conscious. His prognostication turned out well founded and, to Ralph's intense delight, Percy knew him when he opened his eyes. He was weak--weaker than Ralph could have supposed anyone could possibly have become, after only two days' illness. But he was fairly convalescent. Ralph had scarcely left him, during these two days; | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931624 | and had only been out once from the hotel. He had sent for a newspaper; to read for himself, in the Gazette, the promotion which General Trochu had notified to him and, after doing so, he turned to another portion; and there, among the lists of decorations given, were the names of Percy and himself, as promoted to be commanders | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931625 | of the Legion for having, with extreme gallantry, conveyed dispatches from Tours to Paris, through the German lines. It was after reading this newspaper that Ralph went out. His walk was not a long one. He went first to a tailor, and ordered two captain's uniforms; for Percy was so nearly his own size that--except that his shoulders were an | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931626 | inch less in width--Ralph's clothes fitted him exactly. He then went to the Palais Royal, where there are several shops which sell nothing but medals, and decorations; and bought two ribbons of the commander's rank, in the legion of honor. One terrible morning Ralph spent in a hairdresser's hands and, at the cost of no little pain, got rid of | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931627 | all that mass of hair which had so transformed him. The stain was now nearly worn off the skin; and Ralph was quite surprised, when he again looked at himself in the glass. "I was about beginning to forget," he said, with a laugh, "that I was a boy, after all." The first day of Percy's convalescence, he dozed a | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931628 | good deal; but the next day he woke, much brighter and better. "Look here, Percy," Ralph said, laying the ribbon before him; "that's better than medicine for you. There is the ribbon of a commander of the legion of honor. You can safely boast that you are the youngest who ever wore it; and earned it well, too, old man. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931629 | Won't they be pleased, at home? And we are both gazetted as captains." Percy smiled with pleasure. His attack had been a very sharp one; but so short an illness, however severe, is speedily got over. The doctor had, that morning, said that all he wanted now was building up; and that, in a very few days, he would be | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931630 | about. Indeed, Percy wanted to get up that day; insisting that he was quite strong. When he once stood up, however, he found he was much weaker than he had imagined; but sat up in an armchair, all the evening. The next day he remained up all day and, three days after, he felt strong enough to go to the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931631 | governor with Ralph, to ask for their promised places in the next balloon. It was now the twenty-third of November. A carriage was sent for and, after some difficulty, procured; for carriages were already becoming scarce, in Paris. They drove up to the entrance, and went in; but were told by an orderly--who could scarcely conceal his surprise at these | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931632 | lads, in the uniform of captains of the staff, and with decorations scarcely ever seen, except upon the breasts of superior officers--that the general was out. They turned and went out but, as they reached the steps, a number of officers rode up. "There is General Trochu himself, with Vinoy and Ducrot," Ralph said. The generals dismounted, and came up | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931633 | the steps. As they did so their eyes fell upon the boys, who both saluted. They paused, in surprise. "What masquerade is this, young gentlemen?" General Trochu asked, sternly. "Allow me to ask how you venture to dress up as captains, on the staff; and still more how you dare to put on the ribbons of commanders of the legion | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931634 | of honor? "It is no laughing matter," he said, angrily, as Ralph could not resist a smile. "It is a punishable offence; and your impudence in showing yourselves off, at my door, makes the matter the more unpardonable." "I see, general, that you do not remember us." "I do not, sir," General Trochu said, looking at him sternly. "To the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931635 | best of my belief, I never set eyes upon you before." The numerous staff of officers--who had accompanied the generals, and who were scattered thickly around them--gave an angry murmur; for scarce one among them wore the coveted decoration. "I am Ralph Barclay, and this is my brother Percy," Ralph said, respectfully. "Impossible!" the three generals exclaimed, simultaneously; while there | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931636 | was a general exclamation of surprise, from the officers round--for the courageous deed of the Barclays, in making their way through the enemy's lines, had been a general topic of conversation, and all Paris was familiar with their names. "It is so, general," Ralph said, respectfully. "I explained to you, at the interview that I had the honor of having | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931637 | with you, in the presence of Generals Ducrot and Vinoy, that it was the false hair which made all the difference; and that I was but little older than my brother." The generals no longer doubted. They all shook both boys by the hand. "I am astounded," General Trochu said; "astounded that two such mere boys, as I now see | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931638 | you are, should have accomplished what you have done. However, courage is of no age; and I do not think that there are any here,"--and he turned to the officers round him--"who will not agree with me that these ribbons are worthily placed." "No, indeed," was the general reply; and the officers all pressed round, to shake hands with the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931639 | boys, as they accompanied the governor back into the house. General Trochu went at once into his private study, and told the boys to sit down. "Now, what can I do for you, boys?" "Monsieur Gambetta promised us that he would write, to ask for us to have places in the first balloon which came out, after we arrived," Ralph | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931640 | said. "Owing to my brother's illness, I have not been able to ask, before; but I am now anxious to leave as soon as possible, especially as the doctor says that change is desirable for my brother, and that he ought to have at least a month's nursing, at home, before he gets on horseback again." "A balloon will start | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931641 | tomorrow morning," General Trochu said, "but if you choose to stay here, I will promise you both places upon my own staff; or upon those of Generals Ducrot or Vinoy--either of whom would, I am sure, be very glad to receive you." "You are very kind, indeed, sir--very kind; and we feel greatly honored by your offer," Ralph said, gratefully. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931642 | "Had we any intention, whatever, of remaining in the army, we should accept it, with many thanks; but it is not so. We are English; and at the end of the war we leave France, and go back to live at home. We entered the ranks with no thought of winning promotion, or favor; but simply from a sense of | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931643 | duty to the country to which our mother belonged, and in which we were born. "There will, I suppose, be a great battle fought near Orleans, shortly; and I should like to be present, if possible--and Percy wants rest. Therefore, general, while thanking you most warmly for your kindness, we would rather go out." "Very well," the general said, "it | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931644 | shall be as you wish. There is certainly more chance of your seeing stirring service, in the field, than in here. I do not blame you for your choice. I will send a note at once to Monsieur Teclier--who has charge of the balloon--to say that you will accompany him. "Goodbye, lads, goodbye; you are fine young fellows, and your | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931645 | father has every right to be proud of you. Tell him so, from me." The boys rose, and bowed; but the general held out his hand, and shook theirs warmly. Upon leaving the room, they found several of the officers of the staff waiting outside; who begged them to stay, and have a chat with them. Ralph at once accepted | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931646 | the invitation; upon the condition that Percy should have a sofa upon which to lie down, for his brother was looking pale, and faint. They were most warmly received, in a large drawing room, in which were over a dozen officers of different ranks. Some bottles of champagne were opened, cigars were lit and, while Percy lay quietly upon the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931647 | sofa, Ralph chatted with the officers; relating, at their earnest request, several of their adventures in the Vosges, as well as the story of their entering into Paris. His new friends warmly pressed them to stop and dine with them; but Ralph pleaded that the balloon was to start at five in the morning, and that he wished Percy to | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931648 | lie down, and get a good night's sleep before starting. The carriage had been discharged, hours since; but one of the officers ordered a carriage of General Trochu's to the door and, after a hearty leave taking, the boys returned to their hotel. "What a curious scene it is, Percy," Ralph said. "Who would think that we were in a | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931649 | besieged city? Everything looks very much as usual: the shops are open; people walk about and chat, and smoke, and drink their coffee or absinthe, just as usual. The only difference is, that everyone is in some sort of uniform or other. One does not see a single able-bodied man altogether in civilian dress; and at night the streets are | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931650 | very dismal, owing to there being no gas." "How much longer do they seem to expect to hold out, Ralph?" "Another two months, anyhow; perhaps three, or even more. There seems to be a large stock of everything, and everyone is put on to a regular allowance--just enough to live upon, and no more." "I seem to have everything I | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931651 | want, Ralph; lots of beef tea, and soup, and jelly, and so on." "Yes, Percy; but you obtain your food from the hospital. The hotel could not furnish anything of the kind, I can tell you. "Here we are. Now you lie down at once, and get to sleep. I will wake you in plenty of time." At ten minutes | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931652 | before the appointed time, the boys arrived at the Northern Railway Station; which presented a very different appearance to that which it ordinarily wore. No whistle of locomotives, or rumble of heavy trains, disturbed the silence of the station. A smell of varnish pervaded the whole place; and several empty balloons hung from the roof, undergoing the process of drying. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931653 | The official--who had received them at the entrance--conducted them outside the station; and there, in the light of some torches, a great black mass could be seen, swaying heavily to and fro. The aeronaut was standing beside it. "Here are the gentlemen who accompany you," the officer said to him. "How are you, gentlemen?" he said, cheerily. "We have a | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931654 | fine night, or rather morning; the wind is northerly. I suppose this is your first ascent?" "Yes, indeed," Ralph said, "and I own I hope it will be the last. Have the dispatches arrived?" "No; I have the mail bags, but not the dispatches Hush! There are a horse's hoofs." A few minutes afterwards a railway official brought a note, | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931655 | which he delivered to Monsieur Teclier. "Bah!" he said, in an annoyed tone, "why cannot they be punctual?" "What is it, sir?" Ralph asked. "A note from the general, to say that the dispatches will not be ready for an hour. That means an hour and a half; and by that time it will be light enough to be seen, | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931656 | and we shall have to run the gauntlet. However, I suppose it cannot be helped. "The best thing will be to pass the time as cheerfully as we can; and that certainly will not be in waiting out here, in this bitter cold. I have, fortunately, a few bottles of excellent wine in the car; so I propose, gentlemen, that | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931657 | we go in to a fire, have a glass of wine, and smoke a cigar, tranquilly." Monsieur Teclier gave a few directions concerning the balloon; and they then adjourned to a work shed near, where a good fire was blazing, for the use of the men employed in filling the balloon. Here the hour and a half of waiting passed | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931658 | pleasantly. At a quarter to seven, the dispatches arrived. They were hastily placed in the car, in which everything else had already been packed. The Barclays took their place, the word was given, "Let go all!" and, in another instant, the earth seemed to sink away from under them, and they were rising over the tops of the houses. The | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931659 | dawn had already broken, gray and uncertain. Light clouds were floating overhead. For two or three minutes, not a word was spoken. The scene was so wonderful--the effect so extraordinary, to the boys--that they were unable to utter a word. Every instant, the earth seemed to sink away from them; every instant, their view extended farther and farther; and the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931660 | distant fields, villages, and hills seemed actually to spring into sight. "It is wonderful!" Ralph said, at last. "Magnificent!" Percy responded. "I wonder whether they see us?" Ralph said. "We shall soon know," Monsieur Teclier said. "We have crossed the river, and over the walls already. In another five minutes, we shall be over their lines." There were good telescopes | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931661 | in the car, and the boys directed them upon the immense panorama below them. "What fort is that, immediately beneath us?" Ralph asked. "That is Vanves. The village you see there is Chatillon. Look out now, we may expect visitors, in a minute." He had hardly spoken before they heard a faint sound, followed by others similar. "That is musketry," | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931662 | Monsieur Teclier said. "Listen." They did listen, and heard a peculiar whistling sound; which seemed below, around, and about them. "That is a whistle of bullets; there is no mistaking them," Ralph said. "We are too low," Monsieur Teclier said. "Throw out that bundle of newspapers; we will go up a little." Ralph did so. "What would be the consequence, | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931663 | if a bullet hit the balloon?" "No consequence at all, except that a slight escape of gas would take place. "There, we are going into the clouds now, and they will not trouble any more about us." "I thought that we were going to have wind," Ralph said. "The barometer at the hotel had fallen a good deal; and the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931664 | clouds, before we started, looked like it but, now we are once up here, we do not seem to move." In another two minutes, they passed through the layer of clouds, and the sun shone brightly upon them. They looked down on a sea of white mist, without a break. "There," Ralph continued, "we are entirely becalmed. These clouds below | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931665 | do not move, nor do we." "You cannot tell that," Monsieur Teclier said. "We go in the same direction, and at the same speed, as the clouds. It is just as if you were in a boat, at night, upon a rapid stream. If you could see no banks, or other stationary objects, you might believe yourself to be standing | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931666 | still; while you were being drifted forward, at the rate of twenty miles an hour. We may be traveling, now, forty or fifty miles an hour; and as I agree with you, as to the look of the clouds before starting, I believe that we are doing so--or, at any rate, that we are traveling fast--but in what direction, or | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931667 | at what rate, I have no means, whatever, of knowing. "Even if we found that we moved, relatively to the clouds below us, that would only show that this upper current was somewhat different from that below." "But how are we to find out about it?" Percy asked. "We must keep a sharp lookout for rifts in the clouds. If | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931668 | we could get a peep of the earth, only for a minute, it would be sufficient to tell us the direction and, to some extent, the speed at which we are going." The boys, in vain, hung over the side. The sea of clouds beneath them changed, and swelled, and rolled its masses of vapor over each other; as if | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931669 | a contest of some gigantic reptiles were going on with them. "There must be a great deal of wind, to account for these rapid changes of form," Percy said, after a long silence. "Suppose you see nothing of the earth? At what time will you begin to descend?" "In five hours from the time of starting, at twenty-five miles an | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931670 | hour--supposing that the wind holds north--we should fall south of the Loire, somewhere between Orleans and Bourges. At eleven o'clock, then, I will let out gas; and go down below the clouds, to see whereabouts we are. If we cannot recognize the country, or see any river which may guide us, we shall at least see our direction and rate | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931671 | of movement; and can either throw out more newspapers, and keep on for awhile, or descend at once." It was just ten o'clock, when Ralph gave a sudden cry. "The sea!" he said; "the sea!" "Impossible," Monsieur Teclier said, hanging over the side; "I can see nothing." "Nor can I, now," Ralph said; "but I caught a glimpse, just now, | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931672 | and I will almost swear to its being the sea--though how we could get there, I don't know." "If it is," the aeronaut said, "the wind must be blowing half a gale, up here; and must have changed entirely, either to the west or south. It is too serious to hesitate; we must find out if your eyes have not | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931673 | deceived you." So saying, he pulled the valve. "Keep a sharp lookout, and look at the compass." "There, there!" the boys cried, as the clouds opened again, for an instant. "It is the sea, and we are going west." "Then we are over the Atlantic," Monsieur Teclier said. The gas was roaring from the valve above, and the balloon sank | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931674 | rapidly into the stratum of clouds. For a minute, all was silent; and then a cry broke from them all. They were a considerable distance from the coast, and were driving along with great rapidity. Immediately under the balloon was an island, of no great size and, beyond that, no land whatever was visible. "We must descend on that island, | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931675 | or we are lost. It is our only chance." The valve was still open; and its influence was easily seen, for the balloon sank rapidly down through the opening of the clouds. "We shan't be down in time," the boys exclaimed, simultaneously. It was but too evident. The balloon, when the first general view of the situation had been obtained, | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931676 | was fully a mile high; and was traveling seaward at the rate of thirty miles an hour. The island, at the point at which they were crossing, was about three miles wide; but they had passed fully half a mile over it, before they obtained a fair view. In five minutes, therefore, they would be beyond the land again; and | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931677 | they had to fall a mile, in that time. "Cut the balloon to pieces," Monsieur Teclier said. "Tear it up. We must risk everything." The boys seized the silk, tore, and hacked at it; as did the aeronaut. In two minutes, a vast quantity of gas had escaped from the rents, and the silk was doubled up near the top | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931678 | of the net. Illustration: The Sea! The Sea! "That will do," Monsieur Teclier said. "We shall be down in time, now." The boys looked over the car and, accustomed as they had been to face danger, were appalled. "It is all up with us, this time," Ralph said; "we shall he smashed, altogether." "No," the aeronaut exclaimed, "the silk is | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931679 | acting as a parachute, now, and checking the descent. Now, help me to throw out all the bundles." They did so, working silently and with difficulty; for the car was oscillating so greatly that they were obliged to hold on, by its side, not to be thrown out. The descent was less rapid than it had been, but was still | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931680 | sufficiently alarming. "Is there a chance?" Ralph said. "We shall get off with a shaking," Monsieur Teclier said. "The car is made of wicker work, and is as elastic as a ball. Drop the grapnel, now; in another minute, we shall be within holding distance." As the balloon neared the ground, the oscillation became less violent, and the pace diminished. | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931681 | "The grapnel is on the ground," Percy said, looking over. "Hold tight, hold tight," Monsieur Teclier said, warningly. "We shall catch fast on to those trees." There was a tearing and rending, a series of tremendous jerks, and then a bump against the ground; which threw them all into the bottom of the car, from which the next jerk threw | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931682 | them out on to the ground. Fortunately the ground was even, and the soil had lately been plowed; but the shock was so violent that it was some minutes before either of the boys recovered consciousness. When they did so, they found that two or three gentlemen were leaning over them; while several peasants were endeavoring, under the direction of | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931683 | Monsieur Teclier, to hold the balloon--which was thrashing the ground with great violence. "Thank God, you are all alive," one of the gentlemen said. A peasant now came running up, with some water. The gentleman who had spoken dashed a little in their faces. "I do not think any of your limbs are broken," he said. "Do you feel any | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931684 | pain?" "I feel sore and bruised, all over," Ralph said, getting up with some assistance; "but I don't think that anything serious is the matter. "How are you, Percy?" "I don't think I am hurt seriously, Ralph; but I would rather lie still, for the present." Ralph explained to the gentleman--who again leaned over Percy, and felt his pulse--that his | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931685 | brother had been recently ill, and was still weak. "Ah, that accounts for it," the gentleman said. "I do not think that he is seriously hurt. I am a doctor; and was luckily out riding with these gentlemen, when we happened to look up and saw your balloon falling, like a stone, from the clouds. We thought at first that | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931686 | you must be dashed to pieces; but when we saw that the speed was being a little checked, we had some hope, and galloped in the direction in which it was falling. We were within five hundred yards when you fell, but we hardly expected to see anyone alive. "Do not try to move," he said to Percy. "We sent | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931687 | a man for a vehicle, and a few necessaries, before we set off ourselves." "Where have we fallen?" Ralph asked. "We were astonished to find ourselves over the sea, for the wind was north when we started." "You have fallen upon Belle Isle," the gentleman said, "so the wind must have changed materially, since you started." Monsieur Teclier now came | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931688 | up. "I must really congratulate you both," he said to Ralph, "upon your coolness and presence of mind, in a very frightful position. The oldest aeronaut could not have shown more nerve." "You see," Ralph said, "we have been pretty often in danger, now; and although the sort of danger was new, the degree of danger was not." The gentlemen | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931689 | smiled a little, as Ralph spoke. The Barclays had come out in plain clothes, bringing their uniform in the balloon for, in the event of the balloon having fallen among the Germans, it was of course essential that they should be able to get off, unobserved. They therefore looked mere lads; and their talk, of having passed through as great | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931690 | a danger as that which had just made the spectators of it feel faint and sick only to witness, appeared to be a mere bit of exaggerated braggadocio. A light cart now arrived, in which some mattresses had been laid; some bandages, and other surgical necessaries had also been added, together with a bottle of brandy. "Fortunately we do not | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931691 | want any of these, except the brandy," the surgeon said. "A little of that will do you all good. "Now a few strips of plaster,"--this was to Monsieur Teclier, whose face was cut a good deal--"and then you will do, till you get to the town." The three voyagers were now helped into the cart; for they were all very | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931692 | stiff and greatly shaken, and were glad to stretch themselves out on the mattresses, covered over with blankets, until they reached the little town. Here they were met by the whole population, cheering lustily. Another wagon had been sent off for the balloon; and a number of people now set out to search for the bags of dispatches, etc. which | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931693 | had been thrown out during the last part of the descent. The Sous Prefect at the island placed his house at once at their disposal. But they said that they would rather go to a hotel, first, and take a hot bath--which the doctor recommended them--but should be very happy to breakfast with him, after that. Before going to the | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931694 | hotel, however, Monsieur Teclier sent off a dispatch to Tours; saying that he had arrived at Belle Isle with news from Paris, at a quarter to seven; and that, at that time, everything was going on well. He next inquired as to means of reaching the mainland. The wind was dead off shore, and a sailing vessel would have taken | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931695 | a long time to make the passage. However, there was a small steamer in harbor; and the Sous Prefect took upon himself to engage that the fires should be lighted, at once, and that they should cross in two or three hours. After reaching the hotel they were examined carefully by the surgeon; who pronounced that no harm, whatever, had | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931696 | been done to them, and that they had escaped with a few contusions, and a good shaking. The breakfast was quite an ovation. All the principal people of the place were assembled; and when Monsieur Teclier entered, followed by the young Barclays, the gentlemen clapped their hands and cheered, and the ladies waved their handkerchiefs. After breakfast, the Sous Prefect | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931697 | proposed an adjournment into the drawing room; and now the voyagers each became the center of a knot of questioners as to the voyage. Monsieur Teclier--as was natural--conversed with the Sous Prefect and other leading men of the town, while their wives and daughters gathered round the lads. Ralph had given his name as Barclay, and had stated that Percy | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931698 | was his brother; but he had said nothing as to their being in the army, as he wished to avoid the oft-repeated tale which the declaration of his rank was sure to necessitate. He had even said a word to Monsieur Teclier, begging him to say the Messieurs Barclay, instead of Captains Barclay--unless, of course, he were actually questioned upon | 60 | gutenberg |
twg_000012931699 | the matter. Percy was allowed to sit in an easy chair, unmolested--for he was quite done up--and Ralph talked for both, relating many details of their journey from Paris; and the ladies examined him most minutely as to his sensation, and especially whether he was not horribly frightened. Among those standing in a group round the young Barclays was a | 60 | gutenberg |
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