Helena weekly herald., 1889-09-05
Up IN A BALLOON.
From the French Of Joseph Montet.I

throats; the balloon had started. Like
falcon whose eyes the hunter had suddenly
uncovered it rose into the air, superb, erect,
and with the grace and rapidity of bird.
Already it was scarcely possible to distin-
guish the edge of the basket and the heads
of the two aeronauts mounting with It,
Leaning from their fragile rampant If osler
both of them saw, decreasing and eftaclng
themselves from second to second, below
and around them, the forms and dimensions
of terrestrial objects. What was the mass
of white and gray things above which they
foated, irregular, notched on the edges, and
black? Naples! Yes, Naples which they
tions of hive.
But to the right and left, before and be-
hind them, what marvellous horizon! Ve-
suvius was there, sleeping her unquiet
sleep; then, farther along, the jagged line
of the Apennines and the other coast; and
farther than the eye could reach the vast
sea, blue and scintillating under the yellow
sun.
Suddenly in the profound stiffness of the
azure wOman's voice resounded clear as
tinkling crystal.
Olivier" she said "Olivier, your hand"
with pleasure, Lea; allow me-" and this
time the voice was that of a man. Thanks"
and she whom he had called Lea reseated
herself and closed her eyes with shudder.
The man turned his head and regarded his
companion, who, very pale, had thrown
herself upon the bench encircling the
basket.
'What is the matter with you?" he de-
manded. Are you sll?"
Il was afraid-vertigo seized met is
over now," passing her hand across her
eyes.
"Do you regret your fancy?"
"No, certainly not; but first experience
surprises the nerves little. Don't worry
yourself" she added. II shall become in
ured to it,"
The gentleman made no reply, but, up
right beside her, completed her fixedly.
Truly charming picture in her jaunty
tnurist's dress, fitting like a glove the
rounded outlines of her supple figure,
mans cap coquettishly posed upon the
golden hair knOtted carelessly at the back
of her neck, the dull palor that had settled
upon her face but heightened the light of
her splendid eyes. The young woman also
regarded her companion, man OF grave
and scholarly mien, at the present moment,
however, troubled or morose.
And you, Oliver" she said in turn in
her singing voice, noticing his lowering
brow, whence comes that sOmber air?"
Oliver still answered nothing, but leaning
again from the edge of the basket watched
their course.
I'VE mount too rapidly" he said at last
and seizing cord that hung within reach
of his hand he drew upon it lightly. In
stantly there was sensation OF slackenlng,
then of arrest, and then of a movement in
the contrary direction.
Are we descending for good and all?"
Lea demanded.
NO" he responded; I'VE shall remount
Immediately.
when then?"
when l please. l have only to reclOse
the escape pipe that releases the gas You
see this cord that l hold in my HAND? 1t Is
that which regulates our course"
"And should it break?"
at cannot it is solid. But if by sort OF
miracle it should disappear we should be
lost"
"Lost?"
"Yes, lost; the balloon is so powerfully
inflated with hydrogen it would carry US to
the regions where the air becomes irrespi.
rable. We should be asphy xiated."
Happily it would require, it seems to
me, two miracles, for the chOrd-it Is
double, is it no,?"
"In effect, yes; in reality, no. Lean this
way little more. Do you notice above
there something that looks like loop !
The cord passes through it; these are Its
two ends that hold in my hands. They
are Joined, OF course, but stroke Of q
knife would suffice to separate them. See,
now that the ends are liberated l have
only to draw upon one; the cord glides
through the link, falls to my feet, and, be-
hold we start for the g ceat voyage"
The young man, as he spoke, suited the
action to the word. The rope ratified
through the fastening and dropped to his
hand, to be launched q second later into
space. The young woman leaped to her
feet, shivering and bewildered.
"Oliver" she ..cried, oliver, what are
you doing? Are you mad?"
Mad" he echoed, his tone ominously
calm; mo, l am not mad"
Then what do you mean? What do
you wish?"
II wish that which is going to happen
wish that we should die together, here,
in the wide heaven, far from the earth that
/ have execrated ever since l learned to
know you there as you really are-ever
since the mud of which it is made splashed
the idol that my superstition adored in
you"
Lea uttered q cry of astonishment in
which fright predOminated.
"Iw she stammered rs it of me?"
"Protest not" continued Oliver; "all pre-
| tense is useless; with word | will con-
vince YOU. For ten days / have known
that you had betray ed me-that you had
deceived me like girl. l know that you
have a lover; yes, q blockhead, an imbecile,
| that Count Moreno, who followed us from
| Venice. whom we found again at Milan, at
Florence, at Rome, whom you have forced
me to receive as travelling companion, to
whom have given my hand daiIy-fool
that l am-and who doubtless has laughed
with you at my naive confidence, Yes, !
know all this! How have learned it? Ii
matters little. Have it that / have fol-
lowed you if you wish, that ! spled upon
upon Won. The word does not trouble me
| in the least, swear it. The essential is to
know it with certain y that admits OF no
doubt; my eyes have been scared by the
fiery points of the evidence. And 1t is you
who have done thls-yOu, the poblest, the
purest, the ideal even; tor you were all this
to me, as you know too well-in fact, q
divinity before whom have bent the knee
of respectful and mastered passion. Yes
have respected you, never even daring tO
profane by SO much as thought the purity
of the feeling that binds US. But why