Франкенштейн
Chapter 3
Suchweretheprofessor’swords—ratherletmesaysuchthewordsofthefate—enouncedtodestroyme.AshewentonIfeltasifmysoulweregrapplingwithapalpableenemy;onebyonethevariouskeysweretouchedwhichformedthemechanismofmybeing;chordafterchordwassounded,andsoonmymindwasfilledwithonethought,oneconception,onepurpose.Somuchhasbeendone,exclaimedthesoulofFrankenstein—more,farmore,willIachieve;treadinginthestepsalreadymarked,Iwillpioneeranewway,exploreunknownpowers,andunfoldtotheworldthedeepestmysteriesofcreation.
Iclosednotmyeyesthatnight.Myinternalbeingwasinastateofinsurrectionandturmoil;Ifeltthatorderwouldthencearise,butIhadnopowertoproduceit.Bydegrees,afterthemorning’sdawn,sleepcame.Iawoke,andmyyesternight’sthoughtswereasadream.ThereonlyremainedaresolutiontoreturntomyancientstudiesandtodevotemyselftoascienceforwhichIbelievedmyselftopossessanaturaltalent.OnthesamedayIpaidM.Waldmanavisit.Hismannersinprivatewereevenmoremildandattractivethaninpublic,fortherewasacertaindignityinhismienduringhislecturewhichinhisownhousewasreplacedbythegreatestaffabilityandkindness.IgavehimprettynearlythesameaccountofmyformerpursuitsasIhadgiventohisfellowprofessor.HeheardwithattentionthelittlenarrationconcerningmystudiesandsmiledatthenamesofCorneliusAgrippaandParacelsus,butwithoutthecontemptthatM.Krempehadexhibited.Hesaidthat"Thesewerementowhoseindefatigablezealmodernphilosopherswereindebtedformostofthefoundationsoftheirknowledge.Theyhadlefttous,asaneasiertask,togivenewnamesandarrangeinconnectedclassificationsthefactswhichtheyinagreatdegreehadbeentheinstrumentsofbringingtolight.