Indeed I had no fear on her account.
She was what people call a notable woman, and could manage matters
in the world without my assistance. I believe, to tell the truth,
she always looked upon me as an idle boy, a mere make-weight, good for
nothing but building castles in the air, and was rather glad to get
rid of me. It was a dark night when I bade her good-bye, and taking
with me, as aides-de-camp, the three creditors who had given me so
much trouble, we carried the balloon, with the car and
accoutrements, by a roundabout way, to the station where the other
articles were deposited. We there found them all unmolested, and I
proceeded immediately to business.
It was the first of April. The night, as I said before, was dark;
there was not a star to be seen; and a drizzling rain, falling at
intervals, rendered us very uncomfortable. But my chief anxiety was
concerning the balloon, which, in spite of the varnish with which it
was defended, began to grow rather heavy with the moisture; the powder
also was liable to damage.
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