Франкенштейн
Chapter 18
Formyself,therewasonerewardIpromisedmyselffrommydetestedtoils—oneconsolationformyunparalleledsufferings;itwastheprospectofthatdaywhen,enfranchisedfrommymiserableslavery,ImightclaimElizabethandforgetthepastinmyunionwithher.
Inowmadearrangementsformyjourney,butonefeelinghauntedmewhichfilledmewithfearandagitation.DuringmyabsenceIshouldleavemyfriendsunconsciousoftheexistenceoftheirenemyandunprotectedfromhisattacks,exasperatedashemightbebymydeparture.ButhehadpromisedtofollowmewhereverImightgo,andwouldhenotaccompanymetoEngland?Thisimaginationwasdreadfulinitself,butsoothinginasmuchasitsupposedthesafetyofmyfriends.Iwasagonizedwiththeideaofthepossibilitythatthereverseofthismighthappen.ButthroughthewholeperiodduringwhichIwastheslaveofmycreatureIallowedmyselftobegovernedbytheimpulsesofthemoment;andmypresentsensationsstronglyintimatedthatthefiendwouldfollowmeandexemptmyfamilyfromthedangerofhismachinations.
ItwasinthelatterendofSeptemberthatIagainquittedmynativecountry.Myjourneyhadbeenmyownsuggestion,andElizabeththereforeacquiesced,butshewasfilledwithdisquietattheideaofmysuffering,awayfromher,theinroadsofmiseryandgrief.IthadbeenhercarewhichprovidedmeacompanioninClerval—andyetamanisblindtoathousandminutecircumstanceswhichcallforthawoman’ssedulousattention.Shelongedtobidmehastenmyreturn;athousandconflictingemotionsrenderedhermuteasshebademeatearful,silentfarewell.
Ithrewmyselfintothecarriagethatwastoconveymeaway,hardlyknowingwhitherIwasgoing,andcarelessofwhatwaspassingaround.
