Chapter 05 (Frankenstein (Full Cast))

01section seven of Frankenstein.

02This librivox recording is in the public domain.

03Frankenstein or the modern Prometheus by Mary Shelley.

04Section seven chapter five.

05It was on a dreary night of November that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils.

06With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet.

07It was already one in the morning.

08The rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open.

09It breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs.

10How can I describe my emotions at this catastrophe?

11Or how delineate the wretch whom, with such infinite pains and care, I had endeavoured to form?

12His limbs were in proportion, and I had selected his features as beautiful.

13Beautiful!

14Beautiful!

15Great God!

16His yellow skin scarcely covered the work of muscles and arteries beneath.

17His hair was of a lustrous black and flowing, his teeth of a pearly whiteness.

18But these luxuriances only formed a more horrid contrast with his watery eyes, that seemed almost of the same colour as the dun-white sockets in which they were set, his shriveled complexion and straight black lips.

19The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature.

20I had worked hard for nearly two years for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body.

21For this I had deprived myself of rest and health.

22I had desired it with an ardour that far exceeded moderation.

23But now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart.

24Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room, and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep.

25At length lassitude succeeded to the tumult I had before endured, and I threw myself on the bed in my clothes, endeavouring to seek a few moments of forgetfulness.

26But it was in vain.

27I slept, indeed, but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams.

28I thought I saw Elizabeth, in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt.

29Delighted and surprised, I embraced her, but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid with the hue of death.

30Her features appeared to change, and I thought that I had the corpse of my dead mother in my arms.

31A shroud enveloped her form, and I saw the grave-worms crawling in the folds of the flannel.

32I started from my sleep with horror.

33A cold dew covered my forehead, my teeth chattered, and every limb became convulsed.

34When, by the dim and yellow light of the moon, as it forced its way through the window-shutters, I beheld the wretch, the miserable monster whom I had created.

35He held up the curtain of the bed, and his eyes, if eyes they may be called, were fixed on me.

36His jaws opened, and he muttered some inarticulate sounds, while a grin wrinkled his cheeks.

37He might have spoken, but I did not hear.

38One hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs.

39I took refuge in the courtyard belonging to the house which I inhabited, where I remained during the rest of the night, walking up and down in the greatest agitation, listening attentively, catching and fearing each sound, as if it were to announce the approach of the demoniacal corpse to which I had so miserably given life.

40Oh!

41No mortal could support the horror of that countenance.

42A mummy again endued with animation could not be so hideous as that wretch.

43I had gazed on him while unfinished.

44He was ugly then, but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived.

45I passed the night wretchedly.

46Sometimes my pulse beat so quickly and hardly that I felt the palpitation of every artery.

47At others, I nearly sank to the ground through languor and extreme weakness.

48Mingled with this horror, I felt the bitterness of disappointment.

49Dreams that had been my food and pleasant rest for so long a space, were now become a hell to me, and the change was so rapid, the overthrow so complete.

50Morning, dismal and wet, at length dawned, and discovered to my sleepless and aching eyes the church of Ingolstadt, its white steeple and clock, which indicated the sixth hour.

51The porter opened the gates of the court which had that night been my asylum, and I issued into the streets, pacing them with quick steps, as if I sought to avoid the wretch whom I feared every turning of the street would present to my view.

52I did not dare return to the apartment which I had inhabited, but felt impelled to hurry on, although drenched by the rain which poured from a black and comfortless sky.

53I continued walking in this manner for some time, endeavouring by bodily exercise to ease the load that weighed upon my mind.

54I traversed the streets without any clear conception of where I was or what I was doing.

55My heart palpitated in the sickness of fear, and I hurried on with irregular steps, not daring to look about me.

56Like one who, on a lonely road, doth walk in fear and dread, and, having once turned round, walks on, and turns no more his head, because he knows a frightful fiend doth close behind him tread.

57Continuing this, I came at length opposite to the inn at which the various diligences and carriages usually stopped.

58Here I paused.

59But I remained some minutes with my eyes fixed on a coach that was coming towards me from the other end of the street.

60As it drew nearer, I observed that it was the Swiss diligence.

61It stopped just where I was standing, and on the door being opened, I perceived Henri Clerval, who, on seeing me, instantly sprung out.

62My dear Frankenstein!

63exclaimed he.

64How glad I am to see you!

65How fortunate that you should be here at the very moment of my alighting!

66Nothing could equal my delight on seeing Clerval.

67His presence brought back to my thoughts my father, Elizabeth, and all those scenes of home so dear to my recollection.

68I grasped his hand, and in a moment forgot my horror and misfortune.

69I felt suddenly, and for the first time during many months, calm and serene joy.

70I welcomed my friend, therefore, in the most cordial manner, and we walked towards my college.

71Clerval continued talking for some time about our mutual friends and his own good fortune in being permitted to come to Ingleshot.

72You may easily believe.

73Said he?

74How great was the difficulty to persuade my father that all necessary knowledge was not comprised in the noble art of bookkeeping!

75And, indeed, I believe I left him incredulous to the last, for his constant answer to my unwearied entreaties was the same as that of the Dutch schoolmaster and the vicar of Wakefield.

76I have ten thousand florins a year without Greek.

77I eat heartily without Greek.

78But his affection for me at length overcame his dislike of learning, and he has permitted me to undertake a voyage of discovery to the land of knowledge.

79It gives me the greatest delight to see you.

80But tell me how you left my father, brothers, and Elizabeth.

81Very well, and very happy.

82Only a little uneasy that they hear from you so seldom.

83By the by, I mean to lecture you a little upon their account myself.

84But, my dear Frankenstein— Continued he, stopping short and gazing full in my face.

85I did not before remark how very ill you appear, so thin and pale, you look as though you had been watching for several nights.

86You have guessed right.

87I have lately been so deeply engaged in one occupation that I have not allowed myself sufficient rest, as you see.

88But I hope, I sincerely hope, that all these employments are now at an end, and that I am at length free.

89I trembled excessively.

90I could not endure to think of, and far less to allude to, the occurrences of the preceding night.

91I walked with a quick pace, and we soon arrived at my college.

92I then reflected, and the thought made me shiver, that the creature whom I had left in my apartment might still be there, alive and walking about.

93I dreaded to behold this monster, but I feared still more that Henry should see him.

94Entreating him, therefore, to remain a few minutes at the bottom of the stairs, I darted up towards my own room.

95My hand was already on the lock of the door before I recollected myself.

96I then paused, and a cold shivering came over me.

97I threw the door forcibly open, as children are accustomed to do when they expect a spectre to stand in waiting for them on the other side.

98But nothing appeared.

99I stepped fearfully in.

100The apartment was empty, and my bedroom was also freed from its hideous guest.

101I could hardly believe that so great a good fortune could have befallen me.

102But when I became assured that my enemy had indeed fled, I clapped my hands for joy and ran down to Clerval.

103We ascended into my room, and the servant presently brought breakfast.

104But I was unable to contain myself.

105It was not joy only that possessed me.

106I felt my flesh tingle with excess of sensitiveness, and my pulse beat rapidly.

107I was unable to remain for a single instant in the same place.

108I jumped over the chairs, clapped my hands, and laughed aloud.

109Clerval at first attributed my unusual spirits to joy on his arrival.

110But when he observed me more attentively, he saw a wildness in my eyes for which he could not account.

111And my loud, unrestrained, heartless laughter frightened and astonished him.

112My dear Victor!

113cried he.

114What, for God's sake, is the matter?

115Do not laugh in that manner, how ill you are.

116What is the cause of all this?

117Do not ask me, cried I, putting my hands before my eyes, for I thought I saw the dreaded spectre glide into the room.

118He can tell!

119Oh, save me!

120Save me!

121I imagined that the monster seized me.

122I struggled furiously, and fell down in a fit.

123Poor Clerval!

124What must have been his feelings!

125A meeting which he anticipated with such joy so strangely turned to bitterness.

126But I was not the witness of his grief, for I was lifeless, and did not recover my senses for a long, long time.

127This was the commencement of a nervous fever which confined me for several months.

128During all that time Henry was my only nurse.

129I afterwards learned that, knowing my father's advanced age and unfitness for so long a journey, and how wretched my sickness would make Elizabeth, he spared them this grief by concealing the extent of my disorder.

130He knew that I could not have a more kind and attentive nurse than himself, and, firm in the hope he felt of my recovery, he did not doubt that, instead of doing harm, he performed the kindest action that he could towards them.

131But I was in reality very ill, and surely nothing but the unbounded and unremitting attentions of my friend could have restored me to life.

132The form of the monster on whom I had bestowed existence was for ever before my eyes, and I raved incessantly concerning him.

133Doubtless my words surprised Henry.

134He at first believed them to be the wanderings of my disturbed imagination, but the pertinacity with which I continually recurred to the same subject persuaded him that my disorder indeed owed its origin to some uncommon and terrible event.

135By very slow degrees, and with frequent relapses that alarmed and grieved my friend, I recovered.

136I remembered the first time I became capable of observing outward objects with any kind of pleasure.

137I perceived that the fallen leaves had disappeared, and that the young buds were shooting forth from the trees that shaded my window.

138It was a divine spring, and the season contributed greatly to my convalescence.

139I felt also sentiments of joy and affection revive in my bosom.

140My gloom disappeared, and in a short time I became as cheerful as before I was attacked by the fatal passion.

141Dearest Clerval, exclaimed I, how kind, how very good you are to me.

142This whole winter, instead of being spent in study, as you promised yourself, has been consumed in my sick-room.

143How shall I ever repay you?

144I feel the greatest remorse for the disappointment of which I have been the occasion.

145But you will forgive me.

146You will repay me entirely if you do not discompose yourself, but get well as fast as you can.

147And since you appear in such good spirits, I may speak to you on one subject, may I not?

148I trembled.

149One subject!

150What could it be?

151Could he allude to an object on whom I dared not even think?

152Compose yourself, said Clerval, who observed my change of colour.

153I will not mention it if it agitates you, but your father and cousin will be very happy if they received a letter from you in your own handwriting.

154They hardly know how ill you have been, and are uneasy at your long silence.

155Is that all, my dear Henry?

156How could you suppose that my first thought would not fly towards those dear, dear friends, whom I love, and who are so deserving of my love?

157If this is your present temper, my friend, you will perhaps be glad to see a letter that has been lying here some days for you.

158It is from your cousin, I believe.

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