“Everythingbeingnowready，Iexactedfrommywifeanoathofsecrecyinrelationtoallmyactionsfromthedayofmyfirstvisittothebookseller’sstall；andpromising，onmypart，toreturnassoonascircumstanceswouldpermit，IgaveherwhatlittlemoneyI

　　hadleft，andbadeherfarewell。IndeedIhadnofearonheraccount。

　　Shewaswhatpeoplecallanotablewoman，andcouldmanagemattersintheworldwithoutmyassistance。Ibelieve，totellthetruth，shealwayslookeduponmeasanidleboy，ameremake-weight，goodfornothingbutbuildingcastlesintheair，andwasrathergladtogetridofme。ItwasadarknightwhenIbadehergood-bye，andtakingwithme，asaides-de-camp，thethreecreditorswhohadgivenmesomuchtrouble，wecarriedtheballoon，withthecarandaccoutrements，byaroundaboutway，tothestationwheretheotherarticlesweredeposited。Wetherefoundthemallunmolested，andIproceededimmediatelytobusiness。

　　“ItwasthefirstofApril。Thenight，asIsaidbefore，wasdark；

　　therewasnotastartobeseen；andadrizzlingrain，fallingatintervals，renderedusveryuncomfortable。Butmychiefanxietywasconcerningtheballoon，which，inspiteofthevarnishwithwhichitwasdefended，begantogrowratherheavywiththemoisture；thepowderalsowasliabletodamage。Ithereforekeptmythreedunsworkingwithgreatdiligence，poundingdownicearoundthecentralcask，andstirringtheacidintheothers。Theydidnotcease，however，importuningmewithquestionsastowhatIintendedtodowithallthisapparatus，andexpressedmuchdissatisfactionattheterriblelaborImadethemundergo。Theycouldnotperceive，sotheysaid，whatgoodwaslikelytoresultfromtheirgettingwettotheskin，merelytotakeapartinsuchhorribleincantations。Ibegantogetuneasy，andworkedawaywithallmymight，forIverilybelievetheidiotssupposedthatIhadenteredintoacompactwiththedevil，andthat，inshort，whatIwasnowdoingwasnothingbetterthanitshouldbe。Iwas，therefore，ingreatfearoftheirleavingmealtogether。Icontrived，however，topacifythembypromisesofpaymentofallscoresinfull，assoonasIcouldbringthepresentbusinesstoatermination。Tothesespeechestheygave，ofcourse，theirowninterpretation；fancying，nodoubt，thatatalleventsI

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