Thisaccident，withthelossofmyinsurance，andwiththemoreseriouslossofmyhair，thewholeofwhichhadbeensingedoffbythefire，predisposedmetoseriousimpressions，sothat，finally，I
　　madeupmymindtotakeawife。Therewasarichwidowdisconsolateforthelossofherseventhhusband，andtoherwoundedspiritI
　　offeredthebalmofmyvows。Sheyieldedareluctantconsenttomyprayers。Ikneltatherfeetingratitudeandadoration。Sheblushedandbowedherluxurianttressesintoclosecontactwiththosesuppliedme，temporarily，byGrandjean。Iknownothowtheentanglementtookplace，butsoitwas。Iarosewithashiningpate，wigless；sheindisdainandwrath，halfburiedinalienhair。Thusendedmyhopesofthewidowbyanaccidentwhichcouldnothavebeenanticipated，tobesure，butwhichthenaturalsequenceofeventshadbroughtabout。
　　Withoutdespairing，however，Iundertookthesiegeofalessimplacableheart。Thefateswereagainpropitiousforabriefperiod；butagainatrivialincidentinterfered。Meetingmybetrothedinanavenuethrongedwiththe_閘ite_ofthecity，Iwashasteningtogreetherwithoneofmybestconsideredbows，whenasmallparticleofsomeforeignmatter，lodginginthecornerofmyeye，renderedme，forthemoment，completelyblind。BeforeIcouldrecovermysight，theladyofmylovehaddisappeared-irreparablyaffrontedatwhatshechosetoconsidermypremeditatedrudenessinpassingherbyungreeted。WhileIstoodbewilderedatthesuddennessofthisaccident，whichmighthavehappened，nevertheless，toanyoneunderthesun，andwhileIstillcontinuedincapableofsight，I
　　wasaccostedbytheAngeloftheOdd，whoprofferedmehisaidwithacivilitywhichIhadnoreasontoexpect。Heexaminedmydisorderedeyewithmuchgentlenessandskill，informedmethatIhadadropinit，andwhatevera“drop“wastookitout，andaffordedmerelief。
　　Inowconsideredithightimetodie，sincefortunehadsodeterminedtopersecuteme，andaccordinglymademywaytothenearestriver。Here，divestingmyselfofmyclothes，forthereisnoreasonwhywecannotdieaswewereborn，Ithrewmyselfheadlongintothecurrent；thesolewitnessofmyfatebeingasolitarycrowthathadbeenseducedintotheeatingofbrandy-saturatedcorn，andsohadstaggeredawayfromhisfellows。NosoonerhadIenteredthewaterthanthisbirdtookitintoitsheadtoflyawaywiththemostindispensableportionofmyapparel。Postponing，therefore，forthepresent，mysuicidaldesign，Ijustslippedmynetherextremitiesintothesleevesofmycoat，andbetookmyselftoapursuitofthefelonwithallthenimblenesswhichthecaserequiredanditscircumstanceswouldadmit。Butmyevildestinyattendedmestill。AsIranatfullspeed，withmynoseupintheatmosphere，andintentonlyuponthepurloinerofmyproperty，Isuddenlyperceivedthatmyfeetrestednolongerupon_terra-firma_；thefactis，Ihadthrownmyselfoveraprecipice，andshouldinevitablyhavebeendashedtopiecesbutformygoodfortuneingraspingtheendofalongguide-rope，whichdependedfromapassingballoon。
　　AssoonasIsufficientlyrecoveredmysensestocomprehendtheterrificpredicamentinwhichIstoodorratherhung，Iexertedallthepowerofmylungstomakethatpredicamentknowntothe鎟onautoverhead。ButforalongtimeIexertedmyselfinvain。Eitherthefoolcouldnot，orthevillainwouldnotperceiveme。Meantimethemachinerapidlysoared，whilemystrengthevenmorerapidlyfailed。
　　Iwassoonuponthepointofresigningmyselftomyfate，anddroppingquietlyintothesea，whenmyspiritsweresuddenlyrevivedbyhearingahollowvoicefromabove，whichseemedtobelazilyhumminganoperaair。Lookingup，IperceivedtheAngeloftheOdd。
　　Hewasleaningwithhisarmsfolded，overtherimofthecar；andwithapipeinhismouth，atwhichhepuffedleisurely，seemedtobeuponexcellenttermswithhimselfandtheuniverse。Iwastoomuchexhaustedtospeak，soImerelyregardedhimwithanimploringair。
　　Forseveralminutes，althoughhelookedmefullintheface，hesaidnothing。Atlengthremovingcarefullyhismeerschaumfromtherighttotheleftcornerofhismouth，hecondescendedtospeak。
　　“Whopeyou。”heasked，“undwhatderteuffelyoupedodare？”
　　Tothispieceofimpudence，crueltyandaffectation，Icouldreplyonlybyejaculatingthemonosyllable“Help！”
　　“Elp！”echoedtheruffian-“notI。Dareiztepottle-elpyourself，undpetam’d！”
　　WiththesewordsheletfallaheavybottleofKirschenwasserwhich，droppingpreciselyuponthecrownofmyhead，causedmetoimaginethatmybrainswereentirelyknockedout。Impressedwiththisidea，Iwasabouttorelinquishmyholdandgiveuptheghostwithagoodgrace，whenIwasarrestedbythecryoftheAngel，whobademeholdon。
　　“Oldon！”hesaid；“don’tpeinteurry-don’t。Willyoupetakedeodderpottle，oraveyoupegotzoberyetandcometoyourzenzes？”
　　Imadehaste，hereupon，tonodmyheadtwice-onceinthenegative，meaningtherebythatIwouldprefernottakingtheotherbottleatpresent-andonceintheaffirmative，intendingthustoimplythatI_was_soberand_had_positivelycometomysenses。BythesemeansIsomewhatsoftenedtheAngel。
　　“Undyoupelief，ten。”heinquired，“attelast？Youpelief，ten，intepossibiltyofteodd？”
　　Iagainnoddedmyheadinassent。
　　“Undyouavepeliefin_me_，teAngelofteOdd？”
　　Inoddedagain。
　　“Undyouacknowledgetatyoupeteblinddronkandtevool？”
　　Inoddedoncemore。
　　“Putyourrighthandintoyourlefthandpreechespocket，ten，intokenovyourvullzubmizzionuntoteAngelovteOdd。”
　　Thisthing，forveryobviousreasons，Ifounditquiteimpossibletodo。Inthefirstplace，myleftarmhadbeenbrokeninmyfallfromtheladder，and，therefore，hadIletgomyholdwiththerighthand，Imusthaveletgoaltogether。Inthesecondplace，IcouldhavenobreechesuntilIcameacrossthecrow。Iwasthereforeobliged，muchtomyregret，toshakemyheadinthenegative-
　　intendingthustogivetheAngeltounderstandthatIfounditinconvenient，justatthatmoment，tocomplywithhisveryreasonabledemand！Nosooner，however，hadIceasedshakingmyheadthan-
　　“Gotoderteuffel，ten！”roaredtheAngeloftheOdd。
　　Inpronouncingthesewords，hedrewasharpknifeacrosstheguide-ropebywhichIwassuspended，andaswethenhappenedtobepreciselyovermyownhouse，which，duringmyperegrinations，hadbeenhandsomelyrebuilt，itsooccurredthatItumbledheadlongdowntheamplechimneyandalituponthedining-roomhearth。
　　Uponcomingtomysenses，forthefallhadverythoroughlystunnedme，Ifounditaboutfouro’clockinthemorning。IlayoutstretchedwhereIhadfallenfromtheballoon。Myheadgrovelledintheashesofanextinguishedfire，whilemyfeetreposeduponthewreckofasmalltable，overthrown，andamidthefragmentsofamiscellaneousdessert，intermingledwithanewspaper，somebrokenglassandshatteredbottles，andanemptyjugoftheSchiedamKirschenwasser。ThusrevengedhimselftheAngeloftheOdd。
　　[MabbottstatesthatGriswold“obviouslyhadarevisedform“foruseinthe1856volumeofPoe’sworks。Mabbottdoesnotsubstantiatethisclaim，butitissurelynotunreasonable。Aneditor，andeventypographicalerrors，mayhaveproducednearlyalloftheveryminorchangesmadeinthisversion。Indeed，twoverynecessarywordswereclearlydroppedbyaccident。Aneditormighthavecorrected“Wickliffe’s’Epigoniad’“to“Wilkie’s’Epigoniad’。”butisunlikelytohaveadded“Tuckerman’s’Sicily’“tothelistofbooksreadbythenarrator。GriswoldwasnotaboveforgeryinPoe’sletterswhenitsuitedhispurpose，butwouldhavetoolittletogainbysuchaneffortinthisinstance。]
　　Ihavethehonorofsendingyou，foryourmagazine，anarticlewhichIhopeyouwillbeabletocomprehendrathermoredistinctlythanI
　　domyself。Itisatranslation，bymyfriend，MartinVanBurenMavis，sometimescalledthe“PoughkeepsieSeer“ofanodd-lookingMS。
　　whichIfound，aboutayearago，tightlycorkedupinajugfloatingintheMareTenebrarumaseawelldescribedbytheNubiangeographer，butseldomvisitednow-a-days，exceptforthetranscendentalistsanddiversforcrotchets。
　　Trulyyours，EDGARA。POE
　　NOW，mydearfriendnow，foryoursins，youaretosuffertheinflictionofalonggossipingletter。ItellyoudistinctlythatI
　　amgoingtopunishyouforallyourimpertinencesbybeingastedious，asdiscursive，asincoherentandasunsatisfactoryaspossible。Besides，hereIam，coopedupinadirtyballoon，withsomeoneortwohundredofthecanaille，allboundonapleasureexcursion，whatafunnyideasomepeoplehaveofpleasure！andI
　　havenoprospectoftouchingterrafirmaforamonthatleast。Nobodytotalkto。Nothingtodo。Whenonehasnothingtodo，thenisthetimetocorrespondwithonesfriends。Youperceive，then，whyitisthatIwriteyouthisletteritisonaccountofmyennuiandyoursins。
　　Getreadyyourspectaclesandmakeupyourmindtobeannoyed。Imeantowriteatyoueverydayduringthisodiousvoyage。
　　Heigho！whenwillanyInventionvisitthehumanpericranium？Areweforevertobedoomedtothethousandinconveniencesoftheballoon？
　　Willnobodycontriveamoreexpeditiousmodeofprogress？Thejog-trotmovement，tomythinking，islittlelessthanpositivetorture。Uponmywordwehavenotmademorethanahundredmilesthehoursinceleavinghome！Theverybirdsbeatusatleastsomeofthem。IassureyouthatIdonotexaggerateatall。Ourmotion，nodoubt，seemsslowerthanitactuallyisthisonaccountofourhavingnoobjectsaboutusbywhichtoestimateourvelocity，andonaccountofourgoingwiththewind。Tobesure，wheneverwemeetaballoonwehaveachanceofperceivingourrate，andthen，Iadmit，thingsdonotappearsoverybad。AccustomedasIamtothismodeoftravelling，Icannotgetoverakindofgiddinesswheneveraballoonpassesusinacurrentdirectlyoverhead。Italwaysseemstomelikeanimmensebirdofpreyabouttopounceuponusandcarryusoffinitsclaws。Onewentoverusthismorningaboutsunrise，andsonearlyoverheadthatitsdrag-ropeactuallybrushedthenetworksuspendingourcar，andcausedusveryseriousapprehension。Ourcaptainsaidthatifthematerialofthebaghadbeenthetrumperyvarnished“silk“offivehundredorathousandyearsago，weshouldinevitablyhavebeendamaged。Thissilk，asheexplainedittome，wasafabriccomposedoftheentrailsofaspeciesofearth-worm。Thewormwascarefullyfedonmulberrieskindoffruitresemblingawater-melonand，whensufficientlyfat，wascrushedinamill。Thepastethusarisingwascalledpapyrusinitsprimarystate，andwentthroughavarietyofprocessesuntilitfinallybecame“silk。”Singulartorelate，itwasoncemuchadmiredasanarticleoffemaledress！
　　Balloonswerealsoverygenerallyconstructedfromit。Abetterkindofmaterial，itappears，wassubsequentlyfoundinthedownsurroundingtheseed-vesselsofaplantvulgarlycalledeuphorbium，andatthattimebotanicallytermedmilk-weed。Thislatterkindofsilkwasdesignatedassilk-buckingham，onaccountofitssuperiordurability，andwasusuallypreparedforusebybeingvarnishedwithasolutionofgumcaoutchoucasubstancewhichinsomerespectsmusthaveresembledtheguttaperchanowincommonuse。ThiscaoutchoucwasoccasionallycalledIndianrubberorrubberoftwist，andwasnodoubtoneofthenumerousfungi。NevertellmeagainthatIamnotatheartanantiquarian。
　　Talkingofdrag-ropesourown，itseems，hasthismomentknockedamanoverboardfromoneofthesmallmagneticpropellersthatswarminoceanbelowusaboatofaboutsixthousandtons，and，fromallaccounts，shamefullycrowded。Thesediminutivebarquesshouldbeprohibitedfromcarryingmorethanadefinitenumberofpassengers。
　　Theman，ofcourse，wasnotpermittedtogetonboardagain，andwassoonoutofsight，heandhislife-preserver。Irejoice，mydearfriend，thatweliveinanagesoenlightenedthatnosuchathingasanindividualissupposedtoexist。ItisthemassforwhichthetrueHumanitycares。By-the-by，talkingofHumanity，doyouknowthatourimmortalWigginsisnotsooriginalinhisviewsoftheSocialConditionandsoforth，ashiscontemporariesareinclinedtosuppose？Punditassuresmethatthesameideaswereputnearlyinthesameway，aboutathousandyearsago，byanIrishphilosophercalledFurrier，onaccountofhiskeepingaretailshopforcatpeltriesandotherfurs。Punditknows，youknow；therecanbenomistakeaboutit。
　　Howverywonderfullydoweseeverifiedeveryday，theprofoundobservationoftheHindooAriesTottleasquotedbyPundit“Thusmustwesaythat，notonceortwice，orafewtimes，butwithalmostinfiniterepetitions，thesameopinionscomeroundinacircleamongmen。”
　　April2。Spoketo-daythemagneticcutterinchargeofthemiddlesectionoffloatingtelegraphwires。IlearnthatwhenthisspeciesoftelegraphwasfirstputintooperationbyHorse，itwasconsideredquiteimpossibletoconveythewiresoversea，butnowweareatalosstocomprehendwherethedifficultylay！Sowagstheworld。