Франкенштейн
Chapter 9
Havewelostthepowerofrenderingyouhappy?Ah!Whilewelove,whilewearetruetoeachother,hereinthislandofpeaceandbeauty,yournativecountry,wemayreapeverytranquilblessing—whatcandisturbourpeace?"
AndcouldnotsuchwordsfromherwhomIfondlyprizedbeforeeveryothergiftoffortunesufficetochaseawaythefiendthatlurkedinmyheart?EvenasshespokeIdrewneartoher,asifinterror,lestatthatverymomentthedestroyerhadbeenneartorobmeofher.
Thusnotthetendernessoffriendship,northebeautyofearth,norofheaven,couldredeemmysoulfromwoe;theveryaccentsoflovewereineffectual.Iwasencompassedbyacloudwhichnobeneficialinfluencecouldpenetrate.Thewoundeddeerdraggingitsfaintinglimbstosomeuntroddenbrake,theretogazeuponthearrowwhichhadpiercedit,andtodie,wasbutatypeofme.
SometimesIcouldcopewiththesullendespairthatoverwhelmedme,butsometimesthewhirlwindpassionsofmysouldrovemetoseek,bybodilyexerciseandbychangeofplace,somerelieffrommyintolerablesensations.ItwasduringanaccessofthiskindthatIsuddenlyleftmyhome,andbendingmystepstowardsthenearAlpinevalleys,soughtinthemagnificence,theeternityofsuchscenes,toforgetmyselfandmyephemeral,becausehuman,sorrows.MywanderingsweredirectedtowardsthevalleyofChamounix.Ihadvisiteditfrequentlyduringmyboyhood.Sixyearshadpassedsincethen:Iwasawreck,butnoughthadchangedinthosesavageandenduringscenes.
Iperformedthefirstpartofmyjourneyonhorseback.Iafterwardshiredamule,asthemoresure-footedandleastliabletoreceiveinjuryontheseruggedroads.
