[The Trip of Le Horla – Summary
Guy de Maupassant
“The Trip of Le Horla” is an exciting account of Guy de Maupassant’s journey in a balloon named Le Horla. The journey presents the beauty, wonder, excitement and danger of travelling through the sky. It also shows how different and fascinating the earth appears when viewed from above.
The journey begins on July 8 at the gas works of La Villette. When Maupassant arrives there, the balloon lies flat on the ground like a huge cake made of yellow cloth. As gas enters it, the balloon gradually grows larger. A large crowd gathers to watch the preparations. In the light of the setting sun, the fully inflated balloon looks like a “prodigious golden fruit” or a fantastic pear. The basket, barometers, siren, trumpets, food, overcoats and other necessary articles are prepared for the journey.
Under the leadership of Captain Jovis, the passengers get ready. Lieutenant Mallet takes his position on the aerial net to observe the balloon's movement. Since the basket is too heavy, M. Eyries has to leave it with great regret. Finally, the ropes are cut and Le Horla rises into the sky. The passengers experience an extraordinary feeling as they silently float higher and higher above the earth.
From the balloon, Paris looks like a dark bluish patch with its streets, domes, towers and steeples. Roads appear thin and white, the fields look green and the woods almost black. The passengers determine whether the balloon is rising or falling by throwing pieces of cigarette paper from the basket. From high above, the earth looks like an enormous coloured map.
As darkness falls, the travellers hear many sounds from below—the rolling of wheels, cries of drivers, trains, children, dogs, cats and cows. They can even smell hay, flowers and moist green earth. The animals are frightened by the strange balloon passing above them. Captain Jovis controls the height of the balloon by throwing out small quantities of ballast whenever necessary.
As the balloon rises still higher, a mist separates the travellers from the earth and stars shine above them. Soon the moon rises from behind the clouds. The earth disappears beneath milky vapours, and the moon seems like another balloon travelling opposite them. The travellers feel completely separated from ordinary life. They forget their worries, plans and regrets and enjoy the wonderful sensation of floating freely through space.
The balloon reaches a height of about 2,350 metres before it begins to descend rapidly. The passengers throw out ballast to slow the descent. When they come closer to the earth, they see the shadow of their own balloon moving rapidly across fields, roads and trees. Guided by the Polar Star, they realise that they are moving towards Belgium.
A storm begins to follow them. Captain Jovis knows the danger but does not reveal it immediately because he does not want to frighten the passengers. As dawn approaches, they see towns, trains, streams, cows and goats below. They hear cocks crowing and ducks calling. The earth seems to move rapidly beneath their feet.
Soon they discover that they are approaching the sea, and an immediate landing becomes necessary. Thunder rumbles behind them as the balloon races over a canal, trees and a farm. Birds and animals flee in terror. Lieutenant Mallet opens the escape valve, the anchor is released, and the balloon drops rapidly. The basket strikes the earth, rises again, falls and finally settles on the ground. The balloon struggles like a wounded beast before it is completely deflated.
Belgian peasants gather around the travellers and help them pack the balloon and carry their equipment to the station at Heyst. The travellers then take a train back to Paris. The balloon had landed at 3:15 in the morning.
Thanks to the skill and courage of Captain Jovis, the travellers enjoy an unforgettable adventure. During a single night, they witness the setting sun, the rising moon and the dawn from high above the earth, travelling through the sky from Paris to the mouth of the Scheldt.
Central Idea
“The Trip of Le Horla” celebrates the excitement, beauty and adventure of travel. Maupassant shows that viewing the world from a different perspective can transform an ordinary landscape into something mysterious and wonderful. The journey also highlights human courage, skill, curiosity and the unpredictable power of nature.]
“The Trip of Le Horla” is an exciting account of Guy de Maupassant’s journey in a balloon named Le Horla. The journey presents the beauty, wonder, excitement and danger of travelling through the sky. It also shows how different and fascinating the earth appears when viewed from above.
The journey begins on July 8 at the gas works of La Villette. When Maupassant arrives there, the balloon lies flat on the ground like a huge cake made of yellow cloth. As gas enters it, the balloon gradually grows larger. A large crowd gathers to watch the preparations. In the light of the setting sun, the fully inflated balloon looks like a “prodigious golden fruit” or a fantastic pear. The basket, barometers, siren, trumpets, food, overcoats and other necessary articles are prepared for the journey.
Under the leadership of Captain Jovis, the passengers get ready. Lieutenant Mallet takes his position on the aerial net to observe the balloon's movement. Since the basket is too heavy, M. Eyries has to leave it with great regret. Finally, the ropes are cut and Le Horla rises into the sky. The passengers experience an extraordinary feeling as they silently float higher and higher above the earth.
From the balloon, Paris looks like a dark bluish patch with its streets, domes, towers and steeples. Roads appear thin and white, the fields look green and the woods almost black. The passengers determine whether the balloon is rising or falling by throwing pieces of cigarette paper from the basket. From high above, the earth looks like an enormous coloured map.
As darkness falls, the travellers hear many sounds from below—the rolling of wheels, cries of drivers, trains, children, dogs, cats and cows. They can even smell hay, flowers and moist green earth. The animals are frightened by the strange balloon passing above them. Captain Jovis controls the height of the balloon by throwing out small quantities of ballast whenever necessary.
As the balloon rises still higher, a mist separates the travellers from the earth and stars shine above them. Soon the moon rises from behind the clouds. The earth disappears beneath milky vapours, and the moon seems like another balloon travelling opposite them. The travellers feel completely separated from ordinary life. They forget their worries, plans and regrets and enjoy the wonderful sensation of floating freely through space.
The balloon reaches a height of about 2,350 metres before it begins to descend rapidly. The passengers throw out ballast to slow the descent. When they come closer to the earth, they see the shadow of their own balloon moving rapidly across fields, roads and trees. Guided by the Polar Star, they realise that they are moving towards Belgium.
A storm begins to follow them. Captain Jovis knows the danger but does not reveal it immediately because he does not want to frighten the passengers. As dawn approaches, they see towns, trains, streams, cows and goats below. They hear cocks crowing and ducks calling. The earth seems to move rapidly beneath their feet.
Soon they discover that they are approaching the sea, and an immediate landing becomes necessary. Thunder rumbles behind them as the balloon races over a canal, trees and a farm. Birds and animals flee in terror. Lieutenant Mallet opens the escape valve, the anchor is released, and the balloon drops rapidly. The basket strikes the earth, rises again, falls and finally settles on the ground. The balloon struggles like a wounded beast before it is completely deflated.
Belgian peasants gather around the travellers and help them pack the balloon and carry their equipment to the station at Heyst. The travellers then take a train back to Paris. The balloon had landed at 3:15 in the morning.
Thanks to the skill and courage of Captain Jovis, the travellers enjoy an unforgettable adventure. During a single night, they witness the setting sun, the rising moon and the dawn from high above the earth, travelling through the sky from Paris to the mouth of the Scheldt.
Central Idea
“The Trip of Le Horla” celebrates the excitement, beauty and adventure of travel. Maupassant shows that viewing the world from a different perspective can transform an ordinary landscape into something mysterious and wonderful. The journey also highlights human courage, skill, curiosity and the unpredictable power of nature.]