Франкенштейн

           ClervaldidnotlikeitsowellasOxford,fortheantiquityofthelattercitywasmorepleasingtohim.ButthebeautyandregularityofthenewtownofEdinburgh,itsromanticcastleanditsenvirons,themostdelightfulintheworld,Arthur’sSeat,St.Bernard’sWell,andthePentlandHillscompensatedhimforthechangeandfilledhimwithcheerfulnessandadmiration.ButIwasimpatienttoarriveattheterminationofmyjourney.

           WeleftEdinburghinaweek,passingthroughCoupar,St.Andrew’s,andalongthebanksoftheTay,toPerth,whereourfriendexpectedus.ButIwasinnomoodtolaughandtalkwithstrangersorenterintotheirfeelingsorplanswiththegoodhumourexpectedfromaguest;andaccordinglyItoldClervalthatIwishedtomakethetourofScotlandalone."Doyou,"saidI,"enjoyyourself,andletthisbeourrendezvous.Imaybeabsentamonthortwo;butdonotinterferewithmymotions,Ientreatyou;leavemetopeaceandsolitudeforashorttime;andwhenIreturn,Ihopeitwillbewithalighterheart,morecongenialtoyourowntemper."

           Henrywishedtodissuademe,butseeingmebentonthisplan,ceasedtoremonstrate.Heentreatedmetowriteoften."Ihadratherbewithyou,"hesaid,"inyoursolitaryrambles,thanwiththeseScotchpeople,whomIdonotknow;hasten,then,mydearfriend,toreturn,thatImayagainfeelmyselfsomewhatathome,whichIcannotdoinyourabsence."

           Havingpartedfrommyfriend,IdeterminedtovisitsomeremotespotofScotlandandfinishmyworkinsolitude.IdidnotdoubtbutthatthemonsterfollowedmeandwoulddiscoverhimselftomewhenIshouldhavefinished,thathemightreceivehiscompanion.WiththisresolutionItraversedthenorthernhighlandsandfixedononeoftheremotestoftheOrkneysasthesceneofmylabours.Itwasaplacefittedforsuchawork,beinghardlymorethanarockwhosehighsideswerecontinuallybeatenuponbythewaves.