Havingdescended，asIsaidbefore，toaboutonehundredfeetfromthesurfaceoftheearth，thelittleoldgentlemanwassuddenlyseizedwithafitoftrepidation，andappeareddisinclinedtomakeanynearerapproachtoterrafirma。Throwingout，therefore，aquantityofsandfromacanvasbag，which，heliftedwithgreatdifficulty，hebecamestationaryinaninstant。Hethenproceeded，inahurriedandagitatedmanner，toextractfromaside-pocketinhissurtoutalargemoroccopocket-book。Thishepoisedsuspiciouslyinhishand，theneyeditwithanairofextremesurprise，andwasevidentlyastonishedatitsweight。Heatlengthopenedit，anddrawingtherefromahugelettersealedwithredsealing-waxandtiedcarefullywithredtape，letitfallpreciselyatthefeetoftheburgomaster，SuperbusVonUnderduk。HisExcellencystoopedtotakeitup。Buttheaeronaut，stillgreatlydiscomposed，andhavingapparentlynofartherbusinesstodetainhiminRotterdam，beganatthismomenttomakebusypreparationsfordeparture；anditbeingnecessarytodischargeaportionofballasttoenablehimtoreascend，thehalfdozenbagswhichhethrewout，oneafteranother，withouttakingthetroubletoemptytheircontents，tumbled，everyoneofthem，mostunfortunatelyuponthebackoftheburgomaster，androlledhimoverandovernolessthanone-and-twentytimes，inthefaceofeverymaninRotterdam。Itisnottobesupposed，however，thatthegreatUnderduksufferedthisimpertinenceonthepartofthelittleoldmantopassoffwithimpunity。Itissaid，onthecontrary，thatduringeachandeveryoneofhisone-andtwentycircumvolutionsheemittednolessthanone-and-twentydistinctandfuriouswhiffsfromhispipe，towhichheheldfastthewholetimewithallhismight，andtowhichheintendsholdingfastuntilthedayofhisdeath。
Inthemeantimetheballoonaroselikealark，and，soaringfarawayabovethecity，atlengthdriftedquietlybehindacloudsimilartothatfromwhichithadsooddlyemerged，andwasthuslostforevertothewonderingeyesofthegoodcitieznsofRotterdam。Allattentionwasnowdirectedtotheletter，thedescentofwhich，andtheconsequencesattendingthereupon，hadprovedsofatallysubversiveofbothpersonandpersonaldignitytohisExcellency，theillustriousBurgomasterMynheerSuperbusVonUnderduk。Thatfunctionary，however，hadnotfailed，duringhiscircumgyratorymovements，tobestowathoughtupontheimportantsubjectofsecuringthepacketinquestion，whichwasseen，uponinspection，tohavefallenintothemostproperhands，beingactuallyaddressedtohimselfandProfessorRub-a-dub，intheirofficialcapacitiesofPresidentandVice-PresidentoftheRotterdamCollegeofAstronomy。Itwasaccordinglyopenedbythosedignitariesuponthespot，andfoundtocontainthefollowingextraordinary，andindeedveryserious，communications。
TotheirExcellenciesVonUnderdukandRub-a-dub，PresidentandVice-PresidentoftheStates’CollegeofAstronomers，inthecityofRotterdam。
“YourExcellenciesmayperhapsbeabletorememberanhumbleartizan，bynameHansPfaall，andbyoccupationamenderofbellows，who，withthreeothers，disappearedfromRotterdam，aboutfiveyearsago，inamannerwhichmusthavebeenconsideredbyallpartiesatoncesudden，andextremelyunaccountable。If，however，itsopleaseyourExcellencies，I，thewriterofthiscommunication，amtheidenticalHansPfaallhimself。Itiswellknowntomostofmyfellowcitizens，thatfortheperiodoffortyyearsIcontinuedtooccupythelittlesquarebrickbuilding，attheheadofthealleycalledSauerkraut，inwhichIresidedatthetimeofmydisappearance。Myancestorshavealsoresidedthereintimeoutofmindthey，aswellasmyself，steadilyfollowingtherespectableandindeedlucrativeprofessionofmendingofbellows。For，tospeakthetruth，untiloflateyears，thattheheadsofallthepeoplehavebeensetagogwithpolitics，nobetterbusinessthanmyowncouldanhonestcitizenofRotterdameitherdesireordeserve。Creditwasgood，employmentwasneverwanting，andonallhandstherewasnolackofeithermoneyorgood-will。But，asIwassaying，wesoonbegantofeeltheeffectsoflibertyandlongspeeches，andradicalism，andallthatsortofthing。Peoplewhowereformerly，theverybestcustomersintheworld，hadnownotamomentoftimetothinkofusatall。Theyhad，sotheysaid，asmuchastheycoulddotoreadabouttherevolutions，andkeepupwiththemarchofintellectandthespiritoftheage。Ifafirewantedfanning，itcouldreadilybefannedwithanewspaper，andasthegovernmentgrewweaker，Ihavenodoubtthatleatherandironacquireddurabilityinproportion，for，inaveryshorttime，therewasnotapairofbellowsinallRotterdamthateverstoodinneedofastitchorrequiredtheassistanceofahammer。Thiswasastateofthingsnottobeendured。Isoongrewaspoorasarat，and，havingawifeandchildrentoprovidefor，myburdensatlengthbecameintolerable，andIspenthourafterhourinreflectinguponthemostconvenientmethodofputtinganendtomylife。Duns，inthemeantime，leftmelittleleisureforcontemplation。Myhousewasliterallybesiegedfrommorningtillnight，sothatIbegantorave，andfoam，andfretlikeacagedtigeragainstthebarsofhisenclosure。Therewerethreefellowsinparticularwhoworriedmebeyondendurance，keepingwatchcontinuallyaboutmydoor，andthreateningmewiththelaw。UponthesethreeIinternallyvowedthebitterestrevenge，ifeverIshouldbesohappyastogetthemwithinmyclutches；andIbelievenothingintheworldbutthepleasureofthisanticipationpreventedmefromputtingmyplanofsuicideintoimmediateexecution，byblowingmybrainsoutwithablunderbuss。I
thoughtitbest，however，todissemblemywrath，andtotreatthemwithpromisesandfairwords，until，bysomegoodturnoffate，anopportunityofvengeanceshouldbeaffordedme。