Франкенштейн
Chapter 24
Youwillfindnearthisplace,ifyoufollownottootardily,adeadhare;eatandberefreshed.Comeon,myenemy;wehaveyettowrestleforourlives,butmanyhardandmiserablehoursmustyouendureuntilthatperiodshallarrive."
Scoffingdevil!AgaindoIvowvengeance;againdoIdevotethee,miserablefiend,totortureanddeath.NeverwillIgiveupmysearchuntilheorIperish;andthenwithwhatecstasyshallIjoinmyElizabethandmydepartedfriends,whoevennowprepareformetherewardofmytedioustoilandhorriblepilgrimage!
AsIstillpursuedmyjourneytothenorthward,thesnowsthickenedandthecoldincreasedinadegreealmosttooseveretosupport.Thepeasantswereshutupintheirhovels,andonlyafewofthemosthardyventuredforthtoseizetheanimalswhomstarvationhadforcedfromtheirhiding-placestoseekforprey.Theriverswerecoveredwithice,andnofishcouldbeprocured;andthusIwascutofffrommychiefarticleofmaintenance.Thetriumphofmyenemyincreasedwiththedifficultyofmylabours.Oneinscriptionthatheleftwasinthesewords:"Prepare!Yourtoilsonlybegin;wrapyourselfinfursandprovidefood,forweshallsoonenteruponajourneywhereyoursufferingswillsatisfymyeverlastinghatred."
Mycourageandperseverancewereinvigoratedbythesescoffingwords;Iresolvednottofailinmypurpose,andcallingonheaventosupportme,Icontinuedwithunabatedfervourtotraverseimmensedeserts,untiltheoceanappearedatadistanceandformedtheutmostboundaryofthehorizon.Oh!Howunlikeitwastotheblueseasonsofthesouth!Coveredwithice,itwasonlytobedistinguishedfromlandbyitssuperiorwildnessandruggedness.TheGreeksweptforjoywhentheybeheldtheMediterraneanfromthehillsofAsia,andhailedwithrapturetheboundaryoftheirtoils.