프랑켄슈타인
1816년 여름, 우리는 스위스로 여행을 갔고
<프랑켄슈타인>은 오래된 이야기이면서도 새로운 이야기다. 200년 전에 쓰였으면서도 과학기술이 내포한 문제는 늘 '지금 이곳의 인간 내면의 문제'를 건드린다. 창조물인 '몬스터'조차 사랑받고 싶은 본성과 '복수심이 키운 파괴성'을 문학적으로 승화한 걸작으로 기억되기 때문이다. 10년 전 읽었던 프랑켄슈타인을 언젠가 다시 들출 일이 있으리라 예상했던 바 실현되었다. 도서관 서가에서 우연히 <1816년, 우리는 스위스로 여행을 갔고>의 서문을 읽는다. 메리 셸리가 여행 동료들과 괴담 짓기로 시작된 <프랑켄슈타인>을 완성하기까지 드라마틱하지 않았던가.
이 책은 프랑켄슈타인의 기원이 된 두 여행의 기록이다. 1814.7.28~9.13까지 6주간의 첫 번째 여행과 1816.5.8~7.28까지 석 달간의 두 번째 여행에서 주고받은 편지들을 묶은 책이다. 첫째 파트는 메리 셸리가 결혼하기 전 즉 메리 울스턴크래프트 고드윈 이름으로 쓴 일기 글이다. 두 번째 파트는 셸리부부로서 바이런등과 함께 여행한 프랑스와 스위스, 몽블랑으로 프랑켄슈타인의 직접적인 구상과 연관되어 있다.
이 책이 눈에 띈 것은 행운이다. 마침 책 읽기가 지루해 다 읽지도 못한 책 세 권을 반납하고 홀가분하던 차였다. 아무런 계획도 없어 무념무상인 때 마주한 책이 옛 추억을 이끌어내면 몇 배 더 즐겁다.
<프랑켄슈타인>을 저술한 메리 셸리는 몽블랑 계곡의 번개 속에서 악몽을 꾸었다. 200년 전 감성이 풍부한 청춘들은 상류층으로 교육을 잘 받은 탓도 있으리라 여기면서, 시인 셸리의 전처의 자살등 유명인사가 되면 따라붙는 스캔들이 어떻게 어디까지인가? 그들의 청춘 시절에 있었던 위업과 그에 상응하던 고뇌는 어떠했을까? 그들의 여행을 통해서 가늠하고 싶었다.
누구나 살아가는 중에 출생 성장 이혼 자살 질병 같은 사적인 온갖 일을 겪지만, 유명인사 셀럽인 경우 특별히 궁금해지는 속성이 있다. '프랑켄슈타인 속에 깃들인 비감한 슬픔은 어디에서 오는가'같은 궁금함이 책을 이끌었다.
메리 셀리 일행은 도버해협을 건너며 프랑스에서 나폴레옹시대 전쟁이 남긴 흔적을 묘사하였다. 퇴각하던 프랑스군대를 추격하던 코사크는 모든 것을 파괴했다. 교만한 인간이 퍼트린 역병으로 쇠잔해진 나폴레옹의 프랑스를 실감한다. 전쟁이 끝난 지 1년 뒤에도 여행은 계속된다. 당나귀를 샀다가는 팔고 다시 노새로 바꾸어가며 짐을 싣고, 강을 따라 배와 마차를 갈아타며 알프스 몽블랑 산을 돌아 나온다.
마차를 타는 일이 차로 바뀐 것 말고 예나제나 알프스에서 다를 무엇도 없어 보인다. 겸재 정선의 금강산이 그곳에 있듯이, 몽블랑 계곡을 뒤흔든 번개는 여전할 것이다. 알프스에서 발원하는 대표적인 강은 라인강, 론강, 포강, 도나우강으로 각 바다와 연결된 항구 도시를 향해 물줄기를 따라 이동하는 방법도 좋았으리라. 증기기관이 세상에 알려지고 나서야 바이킹들의 Highway는 뱃길이었던 것도 수긍할만했다.
더 이상의 사족을 다느니 원문들을 기억하기로하자. 영어텍스트는 브리티시 카운슬(영국문화원)에서 수강생들을 위해 비치해 둔 소책자를 전재했다. 영어교육 레벨은 pre- intermediate급으로 기억한다.
<프랑켄슈타인> 1831년 판 서문
1816년 여름, 우리는 스위스로 여행을 갔고 스탠더드 노블스 출판사에서 <프랑켄슈타인>을 그들의 시리
즈 가운데 한 편으로 선정하며, 스탠더드 노블스 판을 출간할 때 작품의 탄생 배경에 관한 설명도 함께 싣자는 제의를 했다. 나는 기꺼이 승낙했다. "어쩌다 젊은 여자가 이런 기괴한 발상을 하고 책까지 쓰게 되었나?"라는 질문을 수도 없이 받아 왔는데, 이번 기회에 대략적으로나마 답할 수 있겠다고 생각했다. 사실 나는 지면에 나서는 것을 좋아하지 않는 성격이다. 하지만 내 이야기가 기존 작품에 부록으로 실릴 뿐이고 저작 활동이라는 주제에서도 벗어나지 않을 테니 작품에 사생활을 개입시켰다고 자책할 여지는 없으리라.
나는 저명한 두 문인의 딸로 태어나 아주 어린 때부터 글쓰기를 자연스럽게 여겼다. 여가 시간에 제일 좋아했던 놀이도 이야기 쓰기'였다. 그런데 더 즐거운 취미 활동이 있었으니 그것은 허공에 성을 짓는 힘, 바로'공상'이었다. 나는 꼬리에 꼬리를 물고 이어지는 생각들을 따라가며 가상의 사건들을 엮어 나갔다. 그런 상상들은 글보다 더 근사하고 만족스러웠다. 글을 쓸 때는 거의 모방만 했다. 내 생각을 쓰기보다는 다른 사람들의 글을 따라 쓸 뿐이었다. 그리고 최소한 친구 한 명은 염두에 두고 글을 썼다. 어린 시절 함께 놀던 친구였다. 하지만 머릿속 꿈은 오로지 나만의 것이었다. 누구에게도 설명할 필요가 없었다. 짜증 날 때 그곳으로 도망쳤고, 자유로울 때는 그 안에서 가장 소중한 기쁨을 느꼈다.
나는 어린 시절 주로 시골에 살았는데, 스코틀랜드에서 많은 시간을 보냈다. 그림같이 아름다운 곳들도 종종 방문했지만 우리 집은 던디 근처 테이강의 황량하고 음산한 북쪽 기슭에 있었다. 지금이야 황량하고 음산하다고 말하지만, 어렸을 때는 그렇게 생각하지 않았다. 그곳은 내게 자유의 둥지였고, 남몰래 상상 속 인물들과 교감할 수 있는 즐거운 장소였다.
그때도 글을 썼지만 대부분 평범한 수준에 머물렀다. 내가 상상의 날개를 펼치며 진정한 작품을 낳고 길러 낸 곳은 우리 집 정원의 나무 아래, 아니면 인근 민둥산의 황량한 비탈이었다. 이야기의 주인공을 나로 정하지는 않았다. 내 눈에 내 인생은 너무나 평범해 보였다. 낭만적인 비애나 환상적인 사건은 영영 내 몫이 아닌 듯했다. 하지만 나는 나라는 존재에 얽매이지 않고 그 무렵의 나보다, 내 감각보다 훨씬 더 흥미로운 존재들을 만들어 내며 시간을 보냈다.
이후에는 삶이 바빠졌고 현실이 허구를 밀어냈다. 하지만 남편은 결혼 초기부터 내가 부모님의 딸로서 가치를 증명하고 작가로서 명성을 얻기를 깊이 갈망했다. 유명한 작가가 되라고 열정적으로 독려했고, 나 역시 한때는 그럴 마음이 들었다. 나중에는 시들해졌지만 말이다. 남편이 당시에 글을 쓰라 권한 이유는 내가 풍부한 아이디어로 주목받을 만한 작품을 선보일 것이라 믿었기 때문이 아니다. 그보다는 장차 좋은 작품을 내놓을 잠재력을 얼마나 가지고 있는지 가늠해 보기 위해서였을 것이다. 어쨌든 나는 글을 쓰지 않았다. 여행과 살림이 내 시간을 모두 차지했다. 문학 활동이라고 해 봐야 책을 읽거나 나보다 교양 넘치는 남편과 대화하며 사고를 키우는 것 정도였다.
1816년 여름, 우리는 스위스로 여행을 갔고 바이런 경과 가까이 지내게 되었다. 처음에는 호수에서 배를 타거나 호숫가를 거닐며 즐거운 시간을 보냈다. 우리 중에 자신의 생각을 글로 표현하는 사람은 그 무렵 <차일드 해럴드의 순례> 제3편을 쓰고 있던 바이런 경뿐이었다. 그가 우리에게 연달아 내놓은 작품은 시의 빛과 조화에 둘러싸여 하늘과 땅의 거룩한 영광을 보여 주는 듯했고 우리도 그를 보며 자극을 받았다. 하지만 그해 여름은 유난히 날씨가 궂어 암울했고 쉴 새 없이 내리는 비 탓에 외출을 할 수 없었다.
우리는 어쩌다 프랑스어로 번역된 독일 괴담책 몇 권을 구했다. <신의 없는 연인의 이야기》는 사랑의 서약을 하고 신부를 껴안고 보니 자기가 버린 옛 연인의 창백한 유령이었더라는 내용이었다. 한 가문의 죄 많은 창시자에 관한 이야기도 있었다. 그는 저주받은 그 집의 젊은 후손들이 일정한 나이가 되면 죽음의 키스를 받게 되는 비참한 운명을 따를 수밖에 없었다. <햄릿>의 유령처럼, 갑옷을 갖춰 입은 거대한 형체는 투구의 턱 가리개만 올린 채 흐릿한 달빛을 받으며 한밤중에 어둑한 거리를 천천히 나아갔다. 성벽의 그림자 속으로 사라지는가 싶더니 성문이 열리고 발소리가 들렸다. 방문이 열리고 그는 곤히 잠든 꽃다운 청년의 침상에 다가갔다. 이윽고 비탄에 젖은 얼굴로 허리를 굽혀 이마에 입을 맞추었고, 그때부터 청년은 줄기 꺾인 꽃처럼 시들어갔다. 이후로는 이 괴담들을 접하지 못했지만 마치 어제 읽은 것처럼 내용이 생생히 떠오른다.
"우리 각자 괴담을 써 봅시다." 바이런 경이 말했고, 우리는 제안을 받아들였다. 우리는 모두 네 명이었다. 훌륭한 작가인 바이런 경은 이야기를 만들기 시작해 그의 시 <마제파> 끝에 일부를 실었다. 이야기의 구조를 만드는 것보다는 빛나는 심상과 우리 언어를 아름답게 장식하는 시의 운율에 아이디어와 감정을 담는 데 소질이 있는 남편은 어린 시절의 경험을 바탕으로 글을 쓰기 시작했다.
딱하게도 폴리도리는 머리가 해골인 여인에 대한 섬뜩한 아이디어를 내놓았다. 열쇠 구멍을 통해 충격적 이리만치 이상한 무언가를 보고(무엇이었는지는 기억나지 않는다) 벌을 받았다는 여인이 그 유명한 코번트리의 피핑 톰(고다이바 부인을 훔쳐본 재단사 - 옮긴이)보다도 비참한 상태로 전락하자 난감해진 폴리도리는 그나마 가장 적합하다고 생각한 캐플릿 가문의 묘지로 주인공을 보내 버렸다.
두 걸출한 시인은 따분한 산문을 쓰는 일에 질려 마음에도 없던 과제를 금세 포기했다. 나는 열심히 이야기를 구상했다. 우리에게 이런 의욕을 준 이야기들과 어깨를 나란히 할 괴담을 생각했다. 인간에게 내재된 미지의 두려움을 전하고 오싹한 공포를 유발할 괴담. 독자들이 두려움에 차마 고개도 돌리지 못하는, 피가 차갑게 식는, 심장박동이 빨라지는 그런 괴담을 쓰고 싶었다. 이 목표를 이루지 못한다면 괴담이라고 부를 가치도 없었다. 생각하고 또 궁리했지만 소용없었다. 아무리 애타게 빌어도 대답이 없고 도저히 창작을 할 수 없는 멍한 느낌, 작가를 가장 비참하게 만든다는 그 느낌을 받았다. 매일 아침 "이야기가 떠올랐어?"라는 질문을 받을 때마다 부끄럽지만 "아니"라고 대답하는 수밖에 없었다.
<돈키호테>에서 산초는 모든 일에 시작이 있고, 그 시작은 앞선 일과 연결된다고 말했다. 힌두교에서는 코끼리가 세상을 떠받치지만 코끼리는 거북 위에 서 있다. 우리는 창작이 무에서 만들어지지 않는다는 사실을 겸허히 인정해야 한다. 그보다는 혼돈에서 나온다. 일단 재료가 준비되어야 한다. 어둡고 형체 없는 물질에 형태를 부여할 수는 있지만 그 자체를 물질로 바꾸지는 못한다. 발명과 창의력이 상상의 영역이긴 해도 나는 이것들에 관해 골몰하면서 콜럼버스의 달걀이야기를 끊임없이 떠올렸다. 창의력은 곧 대상의 가능성을 포착하는 능력, 그에 제기된 아이디어를 빚고 다지는 힘이다.
바이런 경과 남편은 길고도 많은 대화를 나눴고 나는 거의 침묵하며 두 사람의 말을 귀담아 들었다. 두 사람은 다양한 철학 사상에 관해 논하기도 했고, 생명 원리의 본질을 이야기하며 그것이 발견되어 세상에 알려질 가능성이 있는지를 토론했다. 다윈 박사의 실험도 대화의 주제로 등장했다(엄밀히 말하면 박사가 실제로 했거나 그랬다고 밝힌 실험이 아니라, 했다는 소문이 도는 실험에 대해서 대화를 나눴다). 다윈 박사는 버미첼리 한 가닥이 기이한 방법으로 자발적인 움직임을 보일 때까지 국수 가닥을 유리 상자에 보존했다고 한다. 물론 이 방법으로 생명을 부여하지는 못할 것이다. 그래도 시체를 다시 움직일 수는 있지 않을까.
갈바니즘이 증명하지 않았던가. 어쩌면 생명체를 구성하는 각각의 요소를 만들어 조립하고 생명의 온기를 불어넣을 수 있을지도 모른다. 밤이 깊도록 대화가 이어졌고 마법의 힘이 가장 강하다는 한밤중이 지난 후에야 우리는 잠자리에 들었다. 베개에 머리를 뉘었지만 잠이 오지 않았다. 딱히 생각을 하지도 않았다. 하지만 갑자기 나타난 상상력이 나를 사로잡고 어디론가 이끌더니 평소의 몽상보다 훨씬 생생한 이미지를 연이어 보여주었다. 눈을 감았지만 머릿속에 보이는 장면은 선명했다.
나는 부정한 기술을 지닌 창백한 이가 자신이 만든 괴물 옆에 무릎 꿇은 모습을 보았다. 누워 있던 기괴한 환영은 강력한 장치의 작용으로 생명의 징후를 보이더니 어색하게 움직이며 반쯤 깨어나고 있었다. 얼마나 섬뜩하겠는가. 조물주의 엄청난 능력에 도전하려는 인간이니 얼마나 무시무시한 결과물을 만들었겠는가. 그도 성공하고 기겁할 것이다. 공포에 질려 자신의 끔찍한 작품을 두고 황급히 도망칠 것이다. 이대로 자신이 일으킨 약한 생명의 불꽃이 꺼지고 불완전한 생명을 얻은 괴물이 무생물로 돌아가기를 바랄 것이다. 생명의 요람으로 여겼던 기괴한 시체가 일시적으로 깨어났지만 무덤의 침묵 속에서 다시 영원한 잠에 빠지리라 믿으며 잠자리에 들 것이다. 그렇게 잠이 들지만 깨어난다. 눈을 뜨자 소름 끼치는 괴물이 커튼을 젖히고 침대 옆에 서서 노랗고 축축한 눈으로 그를 가늠하듯 바라보고 있다.
나는 공포에 질려 눈을 떴다. 내 머릿속을 사로잡은 무시무시한 아이디어로 온몸에 전율이 흘렀다. 섬뜩한 상상 대신 주변의 현실을 눈에 담고 싶었다. 지금도 그 방이 눈에 선하다. 짙은 색 바닥, 유리창의 닫힌 덧문, 그 틈으로 새어 든 달빛, 창문 너머에 유리 같은 호수와 높고 하얀 알프스가 있다.는 감각. 괴기스러운 환영은 도무지 사라지려 하지 않았다. 계속 내 머릿속을 사로잡았다. 다른 생각을 해야 했다. 그러다 문득 내가 쓰려던 괴담이 떠올랐다. 지긋지긋하게 막혀 있던 괴담이! 아, 그날 밤 내가 겁에 질려 떤 것처럼 독자들을 두려움에 떨게 할 이야기를 쓸 수 있다면 얼마나 좋을까! 빛처럼 빠르고 명쾌하게 아이디어가 번뜩였다. "찾았다! 내가 무서우면 다른 사람들도 무서울 거야. 밤에 내 머릿속을 괴롭혔던 환영을 묘사만 하면 돼." 다음 날 나는 "이야기가 떠올랐어"라고 공표했다. 그리고 그날 "11월의 어느 음산한 밤이었다"라고 적고 내 음침하고 섬뜩한 공상을 글로 옮기기 시작했다.
처음에는 몇 쪽짜리 단편을 생각했다. 하지만 아이디어를 더 확장해 보라고 남편이 권유했다. 사건이나 감정선에 남편의 의견은 전혀 들어가지 않았지만, 그가 없었다면 작품이 지금과 같은 형태로 이 세상에 나오지는 못했을 것이다. 이렇게 단언하지만 서문은 예외다. 내가 기억하는 한 서문은 전적으로 남편이 썼다. 그리고 이제 무시무시한 괴물을 다시 한번 세상에 내놓으며 성공을 기원한다.
내게는 무척이나 귀중한 작품이다. 죽음과 슬픔이라는 말이 가슴에 특별한 울림을 주지 않던 행복한 시절에 만들어 낸 결과물이기 때문이다. 내가 혼자가 아니었을 때, 다시는 만나지 못할 내 동반자가 이 세상에 존재하던 때의 수많은 산책, 여행, 대화가 이 안에 담겨 있다. 하지만 이것은 독자들과는 아무 관련이 없는 사사로운 이야기다.
수정 사항에 관해서도 한마디 덧붙여야겠다. 수정은 대체로 문체가 대상이었다. 줄거리 자체는 조금도 건드리지 않았고 새로운 상황이나 아이디어도 추가하지 않았다. 이야기의 흥미를 떨어뜨리는 단조로운 묘사를 고쳤는데 대개 1부에서도 앞쪽만 해당된다. 전체적으로 곁가지에만 손을 댔기 때문에 이야기의 핵심과 본질은 그대로 남아 있다.
1831년 10월 15일, 런던에서
<프랑켄슈타인> 초판 서문
다윈 박사와 독일의 몇몇 생리학 저자들은 이 소설의 바탕이 되는 사건을 전적으로 불가능하다고 여기지 않았다. 그런 상상을 조금이라도 진지하게 믿는다는 인상을 주고 싶지 않지만 나는 상상을 공상 소설의 기본으로 보았고 내가 초자연적 공포들을 엮고 있을 뿐이라 생각하지 않았다. 이 이야기의 흥미로운 사건은 유령이나 마법 이야기들이 가진 약점을 피해 간다. 사건이 전개되는 상황이 신선하다는 점이 이 소설을 매력적으로 만들었다. 물리적으로 불가능하다 해도, 상상을 통해 인간의 열정을 그리는 이야기는 현실의 평범한 사건을 서술한 글보다 더욱 폭넓고 인상적인 관점을 보여 준다. 따라서 나는 인간 본성의 기본 원칙을 충실히 지키려 노력하는 한편, 그 원칙들을 획기적으로 조합하는 데는 주지하지 않았다. 그리스의 비극 서사시 《일리아스>, 셰익스피어의 <템페스트>와 <한여름 밤의 꿈>, 특히 밀턴의 《실낙원>이 그랬듯이 말이다. 평범한 작가라 해도 글을 쓰며 즐거움을 느끼고 또 전파하기를 바란다면 겸허한 태도로 자신의 소설에 이런 자유를 적용해 봐도 좋을 듯하다. 아니, 인간의 감정을 여러 가지로 절묘하게 조합해 훌륭한 시를 탄생시킨 규칙을 활용해 보라고 할까. 나는 가벼운 대화에서 나온 제안으로 이 이야기를 쓰게 되었다. 한편으로는 재미 삼아, 다른 한편으로는 아직 시험해보지 않은 정신적 능력을 발휘해 보고 싶은 마음에서 시작했다. 작업을 진행하며 다른 동기도 섞였다. 나는 작품 속의 정서나 인물의 도덕적 성향이 독자에게 미칠 영향에 결코 무관심하지 않다. 그러나 이 점에 있어서는 무기력을 조장하는 최근 소설들의 경향을 피하고 가정 내 애정의 소중함과 보편적 미덕의 탁월함을 보여 주는 정도에 그쳤다. 주인공의 성격과 그가 처한 상황을 보며 자연히 생겨나는 의견을 내 확고한 신념으로 받아들이지는 말아 주기를 바란다. 앞으로 펼쳐질 이야기에서 내가 어떤 철학적 신조에 편견을 가졌다는 추측도 마찬가지다.
작품 중 주된 배경을 이루는 장엄한 지역에서, 지금도 생각하면 아쉬움이 남는 모임에서 이 이야기가 시작되었다는 사실도 저자인 내게는 의미가 크다. 나는 1816년 여름을 제네바인근에서 보냈다. 그해 여름은 춥고 비가 많이 왔고 저녁이면 우리는 장작불을 피우고 둘러앉아 우연히 얻은 독일 괴담책들을 읽으며 보냈다. 그러다 보니 우리도 따라 해 보면 재미있겠다는 생각이 들었다. 다른 두 친구(그중 한 명이 이야기를 썼으면 내가 감히 꿈꿀 수도 없는 찬사를 받았을 것이다)와 나는 초자연적 사건을 주제로 각자 이야기를 쓰기로 했다. 그런데 갑자기 날씨가 화창해지며 두 친구는 나를 두고 알프스로 여행을 떠났고, 알프스가 선사하는 장엄한 풍경 앞에서 오싹한 이야기를 쓰겠다는 약속을 까맣게 잊었다. 다음 이야기가 유일하게 완성된 괴담이다.
1817년 9월, 말로에서
프랑켄슈타인
FRANKENSTEIN
There are probably more films of this sad and frightening story than of any other story in the world. Why do so many people like it? Is it because Frankenstein's monster is something we all know, something from our worst dreams?
It is an old story, and a new story – 'old' because it was written more than 180 years ago; 'new' because Frankenstein's problem is the same problem that scientists have today. Science gives us many wonderful discoveries - machines, computers, weapons – but how do we use these things? Will they give us a better life, or will they destroy us in the end?
Victor Frankenstein creates a new man, bigger and stronger than any other man a huge and frightening monster. But even monsters need love, and when his creator turns away from 멀어지다 him, the monster begins to destroy everything that Frankenstein loves...
'Captain! Something is moving on the ice. Look over there!
The sailor stood at the top of the mast, high above the Captain. His hand pointed away from the ship, across the miles of ice that covered the sea.
The Captain looked to the north, where the sailor was pointing. He saw something coming fast towards the ship across the ice. He put his telescope to his eye, and through it he could see the shapes of ten dogs pulling a sledge over the ice. He could also see the driver of the sledge – a huge figure, much bigger than a man.
The sledge came nearer and nearer to the sea. Soon it was only a quarter of a mile from the ship. No one needed a telescope now to see the huge figure of the driver.
Suddenly the sledge went behind a mountain of ice and disappeared. At that moment another sledge appeared. It, too, was moving fast, and was clearly chasing the first sledge. This driver was a smaller figure, more like an ordinary man. Faster and faster the dogs ran; then the second sledge also disappeared behind the mountain of ice.
Two hours passed. The sledges did not appear again. Nothing moved on the ice. Soon night came, and in the night there was a storm. In the morning, the sailors saw that great pieces of ice were floating round the ship. Suddenly the sailor on the mast shouted again.
‘Captain, I can see a man on the ice.'
The sailor was pointing to a piece of ice that was floating near the ship. A man was sitting on the ice, and near him
Soon night came, and in the night there was a storm.
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was a broken sledge. The man was nearly dead from cold and could not walk. The sailors carried him carefully on to the ship, and took him to the Captain, who said:
“Welcome to my ship. I am the Captain and my name is Robert Walton.'
‘Thank you, Captain Walton, ' the man said. “My name is Frankenstein, Victor Frankenstein.'
Then he fainted and said no more.
Two days passed before the man was strong enough to talk and then the Captain asked him to tell his story.
“I am trying to catch someone, ' said Frankenstein. 'That is why I have come so far north on the ice.'
‘We saw you following someone, ' the Captain said. He was huge, much bigger than a man. We saw his sledge just in front of you on the night before the storm.'
'I am pleased you all saw that huge figure, ' Frankenstein said. “Perhaps that will help you to believe my story.'
During the days, while the Captain worked on the ship, Frankenstein wrote down his story, and each evening he read what he had written to the Captain.
Here is Victor Frankenstein's story.
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Victor Frankenstein's Story Begins.
I was born in Switzerland, in the town of Geneva. My parents loved each other very much, and I learnt from the example of their love. I learnt that to love and to be patient are the most important things in the world.
My mother hoped to have a daughter after I was born, but for five years I was the only child. And then my mother found a sister for me. She was helping a family in which there were five children. They were very poor, and the children were thin and hungry. One of the children was a little girl, with golden hair and blue eyes. Her name was Elizabeth. My mother took the little girl into our family, and Elizabeth became the daughter that my mother had always wanted. As I grew older, my love for Elizabeth became stronger all the time.
Later my mother had two other sons, Ernest and William. A young woman called Justine came to live in the house to help my mother with the children. We loved her as much as she loved us.
The years passed happily, and we had everything that we needed. At school I met another I very fine person. His name was Henry Clerval, and he was very clever. My family also liked him very much, so he was a welcome visitor to our house.
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I studied very hard at school. I wanted to know the secrets of life, and, most of all, I wanted to know how to make living things. I read all the books that I could find. One day, something happened that added a new idea to the ideas that I already had. I was fifteen at the time, and we were on holiday in the mountains. There was a wild storm, and with it came the most frightening thunder and lightning that I have ever seen in my life. About twenty metres in front of our house was a great tree. Suddenly a huge fork of lightning hit the tree. After a few seconds, there was nothing left of it except a black piece of wood two metres high. The lightning had destroyed it.
I saw how strong electricity was. I began to read all the books that I could find about electricity and its terrible power.
For seventeen years my life was very happy. Then the first sad thing happened. My mother became very ill, and soon she knew that she was dying. Just before she died, she asked Elizabeth and me to go to her room. She held our hands and said:
‘My children, I am very happy because you love each other, and because one day you will get married. Everyone in the family loves you, Elizabeth. Will you take my place in the family, my dear? I can die happy if you will look after them when I have gone.
My mother died, and we were very sad, because we loved her dearly. Elizabeth was brave and helped us; her sweet smile gave us some happiness in the unhappy days after my mother's death.
The time came for me to go to university. I did not want to leave my sad family, but we all knew that I should go. It was hard to leave, too, because the parents of my good friend Henry Clerval would not let him go to university with me. And so I had to go alone.
On my first day at the university I met my teacher, Professor Waldman, who was one of the greatest scientists in the world. He gave a wonderful talk to all the students who were starting at the university. He ended his talk by saying: “Some of you will become the great scientists of tomorrow. You must study hard and discover everything that you can. That is why God made you intelligent – to help other people.'
After the professor's talk, I thought very carefully. I remembered the storm when I was fifteen. I remembered how the lightning had destroyed the tree. I wanted to use electricity to help people, and I wanted to discover the secrets of life. I decided to work on these two things. I did not know then that my work would destroy me and the people that I loved.
I started work the next day. I worked very hard and soon Professor Waldman and I realized that I could learn to be a very good scientist.
The professor helped me very much, and other important
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How does life begin? Is it possible to put life into dead things?
not scientists who were his friends helped me, too. I was interested in my work and I did not take one day's holiday during the next two years. I did go home, and my letters to my family were very short.
After two years I had discovered many things and I built a scientific machine that was better than anything in the university. My machine would help me answer the most important question of all. How does life begin? Is it possible to put life into dead things? To answer these questions about life I had to learn first about death. I had to watch bodies from the moment when they died and the warm life left them. In the hospital and in the university, I watched the dying and the dead. Day after day, month after month, I followed death. It was a dark and terrible time.
Then one day, the answer came to me. Suddenly I was sure that I knew the secret of life. I knew that I could put life into a body that was not alive.
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Victor Frankenstein's Story Begins
I worked harder and harder now. I slept for only a short time each night, and I did not eat much food. I wrote to my family less often. But they loved me and did not stop writing to me. They said they understood how busy I was. They did not want me to stop work to write or to see them. They would wait until I had more time. They hoped to see me very soon.
The professors realized that I was doing very important work, and so they gave me my own laboratory. There was a small flat above the laboratory, where I lived, and sometimes I stayed inside the building for a week and did not go out.
Above the laboratory I built a very tall mast. It was 150 metres high, and higher than the tallest building in the city. The mast could catch lightning and could send the electricity down to my machine in the laboratory. I had never forgotten the lightning that had destroyed the tree. There had been so much power in the electricity of that lightning. I believed I could use that electricity to give life to things that were dead.
I will say no more than that. The secret of my machine must die with me. I was a very clever scientist, but I did not realize then what a terrible mistake I was making. I a
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I n my laboratory I made a body. I bought or stole all the pieces of human body that I needed, and slowly and carefully, I put them all together.
I did not let anybody enter my laboratory or my flat while I was doing this awful work. I was afraid to tell anybody my terrible secret.
I had wanted to make a beautiful man, but the face of the creature was horrible. Its skin was thin and yellow, and its eyes were as yellow as its skin. Its long black hair and white teeth were almost beautiful, but the rest of the face was very ugly.
Its legs and arms were the right shape, but they were huge. I had to use big pieces because it was too difficult to
I bought or stole all the pieces of human body that I needed.
10
a join small pieces together. My creature was two and a half metres tall.
For a year I had worked to make this creature, but now it looked terrible and frightening. I almost decided to destroy it. But I could not. I had to know if I could put life into it.
I joined the body to the wires from my machine. More wires joined the machine to the mast. I was sure that my machine could use electricity from lightning to give life to the body. I watched and waited. Two days later I saw dark clouds in the sky, and I knew that a storm was coming. At about one o'clock in the morning the lightning came. My mast began to do its work immediately, and the electricity from the lightning travelled down the mast to my machine. Would the machine work?
At first nothing happened. But after a few minutes I saw the creature's body begin to move. Slowly, terribly, the body came alive. Its arms and legs began to move, and slowly it sat up.
The dead body had been an ugly thing, but alive, it was much more horrible. Suddenly I wanted to escape from it. I ran out of the laboratory, and locked the door. I was filled with fear at what I had done.
For hours I walked up and down in my flat. At last I lay down on my bed, and fell asleep. But my sleep was full of terrible dreams, and I woke up suddenly. The horrible thing that I had created was standing by my bed. Its yellow eyes were looking at me; its mouth opened and it
11
Frankenstein
made strange sounds at me. On its yellow face there was an awful smile. One of its huge hands reached towards me...
Before it could touch me, I jumped off the bed and ran downstairs into the garden. I stayed there all night, but I could not think clearly. I was afraid. And when morning came, I went out into the town and began to walk about.
I did not notice where I was walking, but soon I came to the station. A train from Geneva had just arrived, and the passengers were leaving the station. One of them ran towards me when he saw me. It was my dear friend Henry Clerval.
He was very pleased to see me. He took my hand and shook it warmly.
My dear Victor!' he said. “What a lucky chance that you are here at the station. Your father, and Elizabeth and the others, are very worried about you, because you have not visited them for a long time. They asked me to make sure that you are well. And I have very good news. My father has agreed to let me study at the university, so we shall be able to spend a lot of time together.' а
I was very happy to hear this news, and for a moment I forgot my fears. I took Henry back to my flat and asked him to wait outside while I went in to look. I was afraid that the creature was still there. But it had disappeared. At that time I did not think of other people, and what the creature could do to them. I took Henry into the flat and cooked a meal for us. But Henry noticed how thin
I was,
aaa
12
Victor Frankenstein's Story Begins
and that I was laughing too much and could not sit still. Suddenly he said: “My dear Victor, what is the matter with you? Are you ill? Has something awful happened?'
‘Don't ask me that, ' I cried. I put my hands over my eyes. I thought I could see the horrible creature there in front of me. I pointed wildly across the room, and shouted: “He can tell you. Save me! Save me!' I tried to fight the creature, but there was nothing there. Then I fainted and fell to the floor.
Poor Henry! I do not know what he thought. He called a doctor and they put me to bed. I was very ill for two months, and Henry stayed and looked after me. His loving care saved me from death.
I wanted to go home and see my family as soon possible. When I was well enough, I packed my clothes and books. All my luggage was ready, and I was feeling very happy when the postman arrived with some letters. One of the letters ended my short time of happiness. as
T he letter was from my father in Geneva, and this is what he wrote:
My dear Victor,
I want you to know before you arrive home that an awful thing has happened. Your dear youngest
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Frankenstein
a brother, William, is dead. He was murdered. It happened last Thursday evening when Elizabeth and I and your two brothers, Ernest and William, went for a walk outside the city. William and Ernest were playing. William had hidden from Ernest, and Ernest asked Elizabeth and me to help find William. We all began to search for him, but we couldn't find him. We searched all night. At five in the morning I found him. He was lying on the grass, white and still. I could see the marks of fingers on his neck the murderer had strangled him.
Elizabeth had let him wear a gold chain of hers round his neck. On the chain was a very small picture of your mother. We all think that someone murdered William to steal the gold chain. Poor Elizabeth is terribly unhappy at William's death. She thinks he died because she let him wear the chain. Hurry home, my dear Victor. You are the only one who can help Elizabeth, and we all need you.
With all our love, Your Father
Henry helped me to catch the train. The journey seemed very long, and it was late at night before the train reached Geneva. I decided to spend the night in a village outside the town and go home early in the morning. I wanted to see the place where William had died.
As I started my walk, a storm broke and lightning lit the
14
Victor Frankenstein's Story Begins
Poor Elizabeth is terribly unhappy at William's death.'
a sky. The police had put posts round the place where the murderer had strangled William, so I found it easily. I cried sadly as I stood there. My poor brother had been a kind and happy boy, and we had all loved him.
Again the lightning lit the sky, and I saw a huge figure standing in the rain. When I saw it, I knew at once what it was. It was the creature that I had made.
What was he doing there? But although I asked myself the question, I knew the answer. He had murdered my brother. I was sure that I was right.
I decided to try and catch him. But as I moved, he ran towards the mountains. He ran much faster than any man. He climbed the mountain easily, reached the top, and disappeared. m
I stood there in the dark and the rain, and knew that I had created a monster. And he had murdered my brother.
15
At first I decided to tell the police my story. But would they believe me? I had been very ill. When the police learnt about my illness, they would think the monster was just one of my bad dreams. I decided that I could not tell anybody.
I went home to my family and they were very pleased to see me. Then they told me that the police had found the murderer. Perhaps you will think that this was good news, but I have not told you who the police had arrested.
As I went into the house, I noticed that one person did not come to meet me. It was Justine, the young woman who looked after the children and who was like a sister to us. And it was Justine that the police had arrested.
A few days after the murder, the police had searched the house and had found the gold chain in Justine's coat pocket. Everyone in the family knew that Justine had not murdered William. I knew who the murderer was, but I could not tell anyone. We were sure that Justine would be free after the trial, because nobody could believe that she was a murderer. But we were wrong.
The trial did not go well for Justine. There were a number of strange facts that were difficult to explain, and the judge decided that she was the murderer. The punishment for murder was death. We argued and cried.
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Frankenstein
We said she could not murder anyone. But nothing could change the judge's order. So I got up early and went to the judge's house and told him about the monster. He did not believe me. He thought I was lying in order to save Justine's life.
In the prison Justine waited quietly for death. We spent many hours with her, and she spoke calmly and kindly to us. She was happy because we believed that she had not killed William. And she was almost looking forward to death, because then she would be with William and our dear mother in a place of peace.
Her love and gentleness added to my great unhappiness. I knew she was going to die because of me. I knew my brother had died because of me. I had brought nothing but sadness and misery to my family.
I took a boat and went out on Lake Geneva. Why didn't I end my life then? Two things stopped me. My father was old and another death would probably kill him. And I had to stay alive to keep my family safe from the - monster.
to Fear for my family and hate for my monster were with me day and night. I became ill again, and Elizabeth's love could not help me. I needed to escape for a while leave my unhappiness behind me. So I went to walk alone in the Alps. I hoped the wild beauty of the mountains would help me.
Slowly I became calmer among the beautiful mountains. I learnt to sleep again, and for days I did not see anybody.
18
Then one morning I saw a figure coming towards me faster than any man could go. It jumped easily over the rocks and I saw with horror the monster that I had created. On his face was a look of deep sadness, but also of evil. At first I could not speak because I hated him so much. But at last I said:
You are an evil creature. I shall kill you if I can, because you have killed two people that I love.'
The monster's yellow eyes looked at me. “I am the unhappiest creature in the world, but I shall fight for my life, ' he said. “I am bigger and stronger than you, but I will not start the fight. I shall always be gentle to you because you are my king and creator. You made me, and you should love me and be kind to me, like a father. William and Justine died because you did not love me. Why did you create me if you were not ready to love me?'
“We are enemies, " I said. “Leave me now, or let us fight
I am the unhappiest creature in the world, the monster said.
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The Monster's Story
until one of us is dead. You are a murderer. How can I be kind to you?'
You say I am a murderer, ' the monster said, but you want to kill your own creature. Isn't that wrong, too? I ask you to do one thing for me – listen. Come with me to a warmer place, and listen to my story. Then you can decide.'
I thought carefully about what he had said. It was true that I had given him life but I had not given him love. I decided to go with him and listen to his story.
He took me to a mountain hut where he lit a fire. We sat down by the fire and he began to tell me his story. a
The Monster's Story
A. fter I had left the laboratory, l escaped into the country outside the town. I soon felt hungry and thirsty, and my first food was fruit which I found on some trees near a river. I drank from the river and then lay down and went to sleep.
At first my eyes and ears did not work very well, but after a while I began to see and hear clearly.
One day, snow began to fall. Of course, I had never walked in snow before, and I found that it made my feet very
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Frankenstein
place to get warm. cold. I realized that I needed food and Soon I saw a small hut where an old man was cooking his breakfast over a fire. When the old man saw me, he shouted loudly and ran away as fast as he could. I did not understand what the man was doing, but I wanted to be near the fire. So
sat down in the warm, and ate the man's breakfast. Then
walked across empty fields for some hours until I reached a village. I went into one of the houses, but there were children inside. They began to scream when they saw me, and their mother fainted. The whole village came to see what was the trouble. Some of the people ran away when they saw me, but the others shouted and threw stones at me. They wanted to kill me. I was badly hurt, but I escaped and ran into the open country.
Later, I found an empty hut, which was built against the wall of a small house. I was afraid to go into the house after what had happened in the village, so I hid in the hut. There
was safe, and could escape from the cold, and hide from people who wished to hurt me.
And then I found that there was a small hole in the wall between the hut and the house. Through this hole I could see into the room next to the hut. Three people lived in the house a beautiful girl, an old man, and a young man.
Day after day I watched the three people. I saw how kind they were to each other. I wanted so much to go into the house and be with them, but I knew I must stay in the hut. I could not forget how the village people had hurt me when I tried to go into the house there.
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Frankenstein
Each night, after the people in the house had gone to bed, I stole some of their food for myself. But soon I realized that the old man was blind. And I realized too that often the three of them did not have enough to eat. I saw the two young people put extra food on the blind man's plate, although they were hungry themselves.
When I saw that, I stopped stealing their food. Their life was already hard enough, so I went back to the wild fruit in the woods. I tried to help them in other ways, too. During the night I cut firewood for them, and added it secretly to the wood which the young man had cut during the day. I was very happy to see how much this pleased the young man.
After a while I began to understand some of the noises that the people made to each other. The first words that I understood were words like 'fire, and bread! I also learnt that the three people called each other by names. The girl was Agatha, the young man was Felix, and the old man was called Father. I tried to make the noises that they made, and slowly I began to speak.
The two young people were very beautiful. One day I saw my own face in the water of the river. It was a terrible face.
understood why people were frightened, why they shouted and threw stones. I knew then that I could not let these beautiful people see me. They would be frightened by my horrible face and body.
Summer was coming, and I continued to watch and learn.
also continued to help the two people and their father,
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Frankenstein
and did many jobs for them in the night. They were always surprised in the morning when they saw what I had done. I heard them talk about the 'good creature' who did these 'wonderful things.
But the family were often sad, and I wished I could make them happy. I looked forward to the time when I could speak well enough to talk to them. And I was happy because I was sure I would soon have three good friends.
O ne day in summer a lady on horseback rode up to the house and knocked on the door. She had dark hair, and was very beautiful. The family were all very pleased to see her. I soon learnt that her name was Sophie.
She could not speak the family's language, and each evening Felix taught her some words. This was a very great help to me, because I was able to learn the meaning of many words that I had not been able to understand before. Felix taught Sophie from books about what had happened in the world in the past. So I learnt about the Greeks and Romans, and about Christ, and about the first white men in America and the sad story of the Indians. I could not understand why men who knew all about good and evil could hate and kill each other.
I learnt other things too. I learnt that people think it is very
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The Monster's Story
important to have money and to come from a good family. I learnt of the love between mother and father and child. And I realized that I had no family. The more I learnt, the more I thought, and the more unhappy I became.
Soon I discovered who Sophie was. The two families had met in France after Sophie and her father arrived there from Turkey, their own country. Sophie's father was put in prison by the French, but Felix and his father had helped him to escape and leave France. When the French discovered this, Felix and his family lost all their lands and money, and had to leave France for ever. Now I knew why they were so sad, and why they were poor.
But that was not all. Sophie and Felix loved each other, and Sophie's father had promised that they could marry. Then, when he learnt that Felix had lost all his money, he broke his promise. But Sophie loved Felix very much, so she took some money and escaped from her father to search for Felix.
I had learnt to love these good people and I could not wait another day to introduce myself. I decided to speak first to the father, because he was blind, and would not be frightened by my terrible face and body.
One day the three young people went for a walk while the old man rested. When they had gone, I went to the door of the house and knocked on it.
The old man told me to enter, and to sit down.
'Thank you, '
said. I am a traveller, and I'm tired and sad. I have no family or friends. The people that I want to
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Frankenstein
have as my friends have never seen me. If they don't take me into their home, I shall be alone in the world.'
'Don't be so sad, the old man said. You will find that the hearts of men are full of love. If these friends are good people, they will welcome you.
‘They are kind, and the best people in the world, ' I said. 'But when they meet me, they may not see a kind creature who has helped them. Instead they may see a monster, and they will hate me.'
'That mustn't happen, ' the old man said. 'My family and I have had our difficult times, and we'll help you?
You are a very good man, ' I said, 'and if you help me,
shall be able to live with my friends and enjoy their love."
At that moment I heard the young people returning from their walk. I caught the old man's hand, and cried, 'Now is the time! Save me and help me! You and your family are the friends that I am talking about?
Then the door opened, and in came Felix, Sophie, and Agatha. Their faces were filled with horror and fear when they saw me. Agatha fainted, and Sophie ran out of the house. Felix ran forward and pulled me away from his father. He threw me to the ground and hit me again and again with his heavy stick. I did not lift a hand against him. I did not want to hurt him or any of them. My heart was heavy, and all hope left me. I ran out of the house and later returned silently to my hut. Nobody saw me. a -
28
sat in my dark hut, and felt both angry and sad. One half other half of me still loved them. In the end I decided to try to speak to the old man again. I fell into an unhappy sleep, but when I woke in the morning, the family had gone. They had left the house during the night.
I knew the name of only one other person. Although I had seen you, Frankenstein, for only a few moments, I knew that I belonged to you. When I had left your house, I had picked up a small bag. There was a book in the bag, and I could now read it. From it I learnt my creator's name and address. You had made me, but why had you not looked after me, and saved me from this pain and unhappiness? I decided to go to Geneva, to find you.
One day as I was travelling, I saw a young girl running along the side of a river. Suddenly she fell into the water. I jumped into the river, fought against the fast-moving water, and brought her back to land. While I was doing this, the girl's father, who was looking for her, reached us. He was carrying a gun, and when he saw me, he fired. The bullet hit my arm and broke it. I fell to the ground in great pain, and the man and the girl ran into the woods as fast as they could, and left me.
The bullet was deep in my arm, and I lost a lot of blood. After some days my arm began to get better, but I became
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The Monster's Story
sadder and angrier than before. I had saved the girl's life, and how did they thank me? With a bullet in the arm!
began to realize that there was no happiness for me in life. Hate grew stronger in me every day. Hate for you, my creator, who had made me.
Two months later, I reached Geneva. That evening 1 hid among some trees outside the town, and went to sleep. But I woke when a little boy ran into my hiding place. I thought I would catch the child and make him my friend before he was old enough to be frightened of my terrible face. I caught the little boy, but when the child saw me, he covered his eyes with his hands and screamed loudly.
‘Let me go, you monster, ' the child shouted. 'Let me go, or
will tell my father, Mr Frankenstein. He will call the police, and they'll punish you.'
'Frankenstein!' I shouted. You belong to my enemy, the man that I want to hurt?
The child fought and screamed, and I put my hand round his neck to stop him shouting. In a moment, the child lay dead at my feet. I looked down at his body, and was pleased with what I had done. I knew that the death of this child would hurt you, Victor Frankenstein, my creator.
Then I saw something bright round the child's neck. It was a gold chain, and on the end of it was a picture of a very beautiful woman. I knew that a beautiful woman would never smile at me, and I wanted to run into Geneva and kill as many people as I could. But I stopped myself,
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
and went to look for another hiding place. Soon I found a hut, which seemed to be empty, but when I entered I saw a pretty young woman asleep on the floor. I hated her because she was pretty. So I put the gold chain into one of her pockets, and then, before she could wake up, I ran away. I knew the police would think that she had killed the little boy.
Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
T he monster finished telling me his story, and then he said:
'I am alone and miserable. Only someone as ugly as I am could love me. You must make another creature like me, a woman monster to be my wife.'
'I shall never make another creature like you, ' I shouted. You have done enough evil on your own.'
don't help me, I shall make you more miserable than you have ever been in your life. You will wish you were dead, ' the monster said. “But if you make another monster to be my friend, we won't hurt anyone. Be kind to me now, and I will learn to love and be kind.' 'If you
I thought long and hard about the monster's words. I felt
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Frankenstein
I thought long and hard about the monster's words.
sorry for him. He was so miserable. Perhaps I should help him.
I shall do what you ask, ' I told him. But you must promise to live somewhere in the world where nobody lives. You must promise to stay away from other people.'
'I promise! I promise!' he cried. Please start your work. I shall watch you, and when you are ready, you can be sure I will come back.' He turned and left me, and ran down the mountain.
I went back to Geneva immediately. My family were very worried when they saw me. I was pale and my eyes were wild. I could not forget my promise to the monster, and the awful work that waited for me. But I had to do it. It was the only way to keep my family safe... safe from his murdering hands around their necks.
I needed to study for several months to make a woman monster successfully. I heard that an English scientist had
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
done some useful work, so I decided to go to England.
Before I went, my father asked me: Are you going to marry Elizabeth, or do you love another woman? Is this why you are so unhappy?
No, father, ' I replied. 'I have always loved Elizabeth, and I want to marry her. But I must do one more piece of scientific work before we can marry. I must go to England to do the work and I want to marry Elizabeth when I return.'
Vr father and Elizabeth did not want me to go to England alone, because I had been so ill. They spoke to my old friend Henry Clerval, and he was very happy to travel with me. I was pleased that he could come, although I did not want him to discover anything about my horrible work.
Henry and I reached London in early October and staved there for a few months. I met and talked with English scientists, and learnt many useful things from them. Then Henry was invited to visit som ome friends in Scotland. I planned to travel with him, but I told him that I wanted to go walking in the mountains alone. Henry was not happy with my plan, but in the end he agreed.
I bought all that I needed for a laboratory, and sent everything to Scotland. Henry and I travelled to Edinburgh together, and then I went further north, to find a good place for my laboratory. At last I found the right place on an island off the north coast. It was a wild and lonely place. Only five people lived on the island, so I could
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Frankenstein
The island was a wild and lonely place.
work alone, and nobody would discover my. There was a large, empty hut on the island, and I brought builders from Scotland to make the hut into a laboratory for me. I showed them how to build my mast, and soon everything was ready for me to start work on the woman monster.
awful secret
11
O ne evening two months later I was sitting in my laboratory. Most of my work was done, and I could finish the woman monster that night. But I wondered if I should finish the work.
Was I making a more evil than the first creature? Perhaps a thousand times more evil. How could I know? Perhaps the woman monster would be another monster
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
murderer. She had not promised to stay away from other people. Perhaps the two monsters would hate each other.. and would kill, and murder, and destroy without end.
As I thought these things, I looked up at the window. Suddenly, in the moonlight, I saw the monster's awful face looking at me. And in his yellow eyes I could see only hate and evil. I knew he would not keep his promise.
I went over to the laboratory table where the new creature was lying. I pulled off the wires that joined her to my machine. I took a sharp knife and cut through the body that I had joined together so carefully. Through the window the monster saw me destroy his woman. With a loud and miserable scream of sadness and lost hope, he ran into the laboratory
You have destroyed all my hopes of happiness, he cried. You have left me with one feeling - hate... and with one wish – to destroy your happiness. You will be sorry that you were ever born. Remember this: I shall be with you on your wedding night.' -
He ran quickly out of the laboratory, and I watched him as he left the island in his boat and sailed away across the sea.
I sat and cried as I thought of the danger to Elizabeth. But I knew that the monster would not visit us until our wedding night. I would not die easily, and I would try to kill him before he could kill me.
The next morning I received a letter from Henry. He
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Victor Frankenstein continues bis Story
told me that he was waiting for me to return. I decided to clear the laboratory and to leave the island on the following day. So I returned to the laboratory, where the pieces of the woman monster's body still lay on the floor. I put them all in a large bag with some heavy stones. Then I took the bag to my boat and sailed out to sea. I threw the bag into deep water, and watched it disappear.
I was happier than I had felt for months. I knew I had done the right thing, and now there would be no second monster to follow the first.
I was very tired, and I went to sleep in the boat. I do not know how long I slept, but when I woke up, I was in the middle of a storm. The wind was driving me further out to sea and my boat began to fill with water. I knew I was in great danger. After some hours the storm passed, and I saw land to the south. Soon I could see the beach... and a crowd of people standing and watching me. Their faces were cold and unfriendly.
As I landed, four of the men came towards me and took me by the arms.
“We are taking you to Mr Kerwin, the judge. He wants to ask you some questions about the murder of a man here last night, ' one of the men told me.
I was sad to hear of the murder, but I did not worry about it. I had been far away at the time, and knew nothing about any murder. It would be easy to explain that. So I went with the men to the large house where Judge Kerwin lived.
39
T а he judge was an old, kind man, but his face was very serious as he looked at me. He asked a number of men to tell me what they had seen and found the night before.
were The first man told his story. He and his son coming home from a long day's fishing. It was a dark night, and on the beach they had fallen over the dead body of a man. They had carried the body to the nearest house, and found that it was a good-looking young man about twenty-five years old. There were the marks of fingers round his neck. When they spoke of the marks of fingers, I remembered the murder of my brother and I felt a terrible fear.
The son then told his story. He had seen a boat with a man in it, not far from the beach. He thought it was my boat. A woman had also seen a man in a boat sailing away from the beach. She thought I was the man.
Then I was taken to the room where the dead body lay. How can I tell you what I felt when I saw the body? I put my arms round it and cried: ‘What have I done? My friend! My dear friend!' The body was Henry Clerval's, and so now I had destroyed another person.
This third death was too much for me. I fell down in a kind of madness, and they had to carry me from the room. For two months I was very ill and wished only to die. But
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
slowly my madness left me, and my health began to return. At last I was able to speak to Judge Kerwin, and I asked for news of my family.
“There is someone here who can answer your question better than I can, ' he said. “Your father arrived a few minutes ago, and is waiting to see you.'
For the first time since Henry's death I felt some happiness. I held out my hands to my father as he came into the room, and he took me in his arms. He gave me the good news that Elizabeth and Ernest were safe and well.
I was really too ill to travel, but I asked my father to take me home immediately. The police had found somebody who had seen me on my island at the time of the murder, and so the judge let me go free.
My father looked after me on the long journey home, and sat with me for every minute. Night after night while I was asleep, I shouted that I was the murderer of William, Justine, and Henry. My father asked me why I said these awful things. I wanted to answer his question, but I could not tell him my terrible secret. He thought that I was still a little mad.
We stayed for a few days in Paris on the way home, and Elizabeth wrote to me at our hotel. This is what her letter said:
My dearest Victor,
I am so happy to know that you will soon be home.
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Frankenstein
But I am afraid that Henry's death is not the only reason for your sadness. Do you still want to marry me, or do you love another woman? You must tell me.
I love you, Victor, and I dream of the day when I shall be your wife. But I do not want you to marry me just because your parents wanted it. I can only be happy if you are happy.
Do not answer this letter. Wait until you arrive before you give me your answer. But if you are well, and if I can make you smile, I need nothing more to make me happy.
With all my love, Elizabeth
I replied immediately. I told her that I loved her very much and wanted to marry her.
I remembered the monster's promise to be with me on the night of my wedding. Let him come. We would fight to the death on that night. And after that fight, I would either be dead and at peace, or alive and free... free to be happy with Elizabeth.
We arrived in Geneva soon after my letter had reached Elizabeth. It was wonderful to see her again. She ran into my arms and I held her close. She cried when she saw how thin and old I looked. She, too, was thinner because she had worried about me so much. But her gentleness and her love made her as beautiful as ever.
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Frankenstein
We agreed that the wedding would be in ten days' time. As the day came nearer, I became more and more afraid. I tried to hide my fear, and laughed and smiled as often as I could. Elizabeth knew that I was unhappy, but she was sure she could give me happiness. She looked forward to our wedding.
I began to carry a gun and a knife with me everywhere I a went.
A fter the wedding a large number of our friends came to a party at our house. When the party had started, Elizabeth and I said goodbye and left for our honeymoon. We travelled first by boat, and planned to spend the night at a hotel on the other side of the lake. The mountains and a
The mountains and the lake were calm and beautiful, and at last Elizabeth and I were together.
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
the lake were calm and beautiful, and at last Elizabeth and I were together. For the first time for months, and for the last time ever, I enjoyed the feeling of happiness.
In the evening the wind became stronger and soon a great storm broke above us. Every noise frightened me, and I kept my hand on my gun under my coat. I saw the monster in every shadow. Suddenly I realized how terrible the fight would be for Elizabeth. I asked her to go to bed and I decided to search for the monster. I planned to join her when I was sure he was not in or around the hotel.
Elizabeth left me and I searched every corner of the hotel every dark doorway and staircase. I could not find him, and I began to hope that he had not followed us to the hotel. But suddenly, I heard a loud and terrible scream.
It came from our room.
too late Then I understood. The monster had promised to be with me on my wedding night, but he had not planned to kill me.
The scream came again, and I ran to our room. Why did I not die there and then?
On the bed, Elizabeth lay still, in the cold sleep of death. I took her in my arms... and saw the marks of the murderer's fingers on her neck.
Other people in the hotel had heard the screams and came into our room. I sent one of them to call the police. The others left me alone with my misery. I held Elizabeth
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
close, and as I held her, I saw the monster watching me through the open window of the room. There was an evil laugh on his face. I pulled my gun from my coat and fired at him. I missed, and he ran from the window and jumped into the lake. The other people heard the noise of the shot and came back into the room. I showed them the place where the monster had jumped into the lake. We searched the edge of the lake, but we could not find him. I returned to our room and lay on the bed next to my dear wife.
Suddenly I had another terrible thought. At this very moment perhaps my father was fighting the monster, with Ernest dead at his feet.
I left the hotel and returned to Geneva as fast as I could. My father and Ernest were safe, but the awful news of Elizabeth's death killed my father. He had loved Elizabeth dearly. He became ill, and after a few days he died in my arms. So the evil monster had brought unhappiness and death to a dear old man who had never hurt anybody.
I do not know what happened next. I think I left the real world, and entered a dangerous world of dreams and madness. Later I found that they had put me in prison because of my madness.
After many months they let me free. I had only one wish to find and kill the monster.
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decided to leave Geneva for ever. I took all the money I visit the place where William, Elizabeth, and my father lay at rest. I stood there and promised them that I would stay alive until I had killed the monster.
A loud, evil laugh rang out through the silent night. Then I heard the monster's voice: 'It pleases me that you have decided to live, because that is just what I want.'
I ran towards the voice, but I could not catch the monster. I saw him running away, but he ran faster than any man could go too fast for me to catch. But I followed him, and I have been following him since that day. I shall stay alive until I can catch him. He wants me to live as long as possible. He wants me to feel, day after day, the pain and misery that he has given me. He leaves messages to tell me where he is. He knows that I shall follow him.
I am only happy when I am asleep. I dream that I am with my family, and Elizabeth and Henry. When I am awake, I look forward to my death, to the day when I shall be with them.
In his last message the monster told me that he was going north. He wanted to take me where the cold would hurt me and make me more miserable. I followed him to the cold lands of the north, and bought dogs and a sledge.
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Victor Frankenstein continues his Story
I followed the monster to the cold lands of the north.
Until now, he has always left me further and further behind when I chased him. But the dogs were very fast and I was getting closer and closer to him. Soon he was only one day's journey in front of me. He was going towards the sea, and I hoped to catch him before he reached it. The chase over the ice continued for about three weeks. The pain from the cold was very great, and I began to lose hope. I thought I would never catch him. My dogs could not run much further, and one of them died. Then I saw something on the ice in front of me. It was the monster and his sledge. Suddenly I was full of hope again, and I gave a great shout of happiness.
I got closer and closer to him. Then a great storm started. The ice began to break, and the sea carried him away from me. My sledge was broken, and I lost my dogs. I was left on a piece of ice that was becoming smaller all the time. Many hours went by, and then I saw your ship. The rest vou know
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Frankenstein
I ask you, Captain Walton, to chase the monster and kill him. Do not listen to what he says. He knows how to argue, and perhaps you will feel sorry for him. But remember that he is evil. Remember the deaths of William, Justine, Henry Clerval, Elizabeth, my father... and remember me, Victor Frankenstein.
There is no more for me to say, except to thank you, Captain Walton, for your help and kindness. Thank you also for listening to my story. I want you to tell the world that the monster is a danger to everyone.
I know that I have only a few hours left to live, but I can feel my loved ones near me, and I welcome death.
Goodbye. This is the end of Victor Frankenstein's story.
Many hours went by, and then I saw your ship.
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Captain Walton's Note
I, Captain Robert Walton, have added this final note to the story. When you have read it, you will know that Victor Frankenstein's story was true.
a Victor Frankenstein died a few hours after he had written his last word. I was sad to see him die, because he had become a good friend. But he will not be unhappy or in pain any more, and I am happy for him.
We laid his body in a cabin near my own. Later I heard a voice coming from the cabin. I went into the cabin and saw a huge shape standing over the dead body. I knew that the horrible creature which was standing there was Frankenstein's monster.
So I have killed you, too, ' the monster said to Frankenstein's body. “Oh, Frankenstein, forgive me. How I wish you could answer me.'
I went towards him, and said: “It is too late for Frankenstein to forgive you. He is dead. His pain is ended.'
“You do not know how much pain and unhappiness I have felt, ' said the monster. “I knew that I was doing evil things, but I could not stop myself. Do you think I enjoyed killing people? My heart was made for love, like a man's heart. After I killed Henry Clerval, I hated
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Frankenstein
myself. But I could not stop myself from more murder. Frankenstein would not give me a wife, but he hoped to find happiness with a wife of his own. He was not fair to me. But now it is ended. Frankenstein is the last person I shall kill.
“I have done all those evil things, but am I the only person who has done wrong? I wanted love and friendship. Think about Felix and his family, who hated me after I had given them love. Think about the man who shot me after I had saved his little girl from the river. But I know that I have done evil, and I hate myself more than you hate me. My own death is near. I shall leave this ship and go north, across the ice. I shall build a great fire, and lie down on it to die. I shall welcome the pain of the fire, because it will help me to forget the pain in my heart. I have felt more pain than Frankenstein. And when the fire has died down, I shall be at peace.'
'I shall go north, across the ice, ' said the monster.
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Captain Walton's Note
The monster jumped from the cabin window as he said this. He got into the small boat in which he had reached the ship. The sea soon carried him away, and he was lost in the darkness.
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