Франкенштейн
Chapter 7
Youcometousnowtoshareamiserywhichnothingcanalleviate;yetyoupresencewill,Ihope,reviveourfather,whoseemssinkingunderhismisfortune;andyourpersuasionswillinducepoorElizabethtoceasehervainandtormentingself-accusations.—PoorWilliam!hewasourdarlingandourpride!"
Tears,unrestrained,fellfrommybrother’seyes;asenseofmortalagonycreptovermyframe.Before,Ihadonlyimaginedthewretchednessofmydesolatedhome;therealitycameonmeasanew,andanotlessterrible,disaster.ItriedtocalmErnest;Ienquiredmoreminutelyconcerningmyfather,andherInamedmycousin.
"Shemostofall,"saidErnest,"requiresconsolation;sheaccusedherselfofhavingcausedthedeathofmybrother,andthatmadeherverywretched.Butsincethemurdererhasbeendiscovered—"
"Themurdererdiscovered!GoodGod!howcanthatbe?whocouldattempttopursuehim?Itisimpossible;onemightaswelltrytoovertakethewinds,orconfineamountain-streamwithastraw.Isawhimtoo;hewasfreelastnight!"
"Idonotknowwhatyoumean,"repliedmybrother,inaccentsofwonder,"buttousthediscoverywehavemadecompletesourmisery.Noonewouldbelieveitatfirst;andevennowElizabethwillnotbeconvinced,notwithstandingalltheevidence.Indeed,whowouldcreditthatJustineMoritz,whowassoamiable,andfondofallthefamily,couldsuddenlybecomesocapableofsofrightful,soappallingacrime?"
"JustineMoritz!Poor,poorgirl,isshetheaccused?Butitiswrongfully;everyoneknowsthat;noonebelievesit,surely,Ernest?"