Twelve o'clock
The sight of him impressed me . He was an eager spectator of my ascents , whom I had already met in several German cities . With an uneasy air , he closely watched the curious machine , as it lay motionless a few feet above the ground ; and he remained silent among those about him . Twelve o'clock came . The moment had arrived , but my travelling companions did not appear . I sent to their houses , and learnt that one had left for Hamburg , another for Vienna , and the third for London . Their courage had failed them at the moment of undertaking one of those excursions which , thanks to the ability of living aeronauts , are free from all danger .