Франкенштейн
Chapter 18
Youareyounger;yetldonotsuppose,possessedasyouareofacompetentfortune,thatanearlymarriagewouldatallinterferewithanyfutureplansofhonourandutilitythatyoumayhaveformed.Donotsuppose,however,thatIwishtodictatehappinesstoyouorthatadelayonyourpartwouldcausemeanyseriousuneasiness.Interpretmywordswithcandourandanswerme,Iconjureyou,withconfidenceandsincerity."
Ilistenedtomyfatherinsilenceandremainedforsometimeincapableofofferinganyreply.Irevolvedrapidlyinmymindamultitudeofthoughtsandendeavouredtoarriveatsomeconclusion.Alas!TometheideaofanimmediateunionwithmyElizabethwasoneofhorroranddismay.IwasboundbyasolemnpromisewhichIhadnotyetfulfilledanddarednotbreak,orifIdid,whatmanifoldmiseriesmightnotimpendovermeandmydevotedfamily!CouldIenterintoafestivalwiththisdeadlyweightyethangingroundmyneckandbowingmetotheground?ImustperformmyengagementandletthemonsterdepartwithhismatebeforeIallowedmyselftoenjoythedelightofaunionfromwhichIexpectedpeace.
IrememberedalsothenecessityimposeduponmeofeitherjourneyingtoEnglandorenteringintoalongcorrespondencewiththosephilosophersofthatcountrywhoseknowledgeanddiscoverieswereofindispensableusetomeinmypresentundertaking.Thelattermethodofobtainingthedesiredintelligencewasdilatoryandunsatisfactory;besides,Ihadaninsurmountableaversiontotheideaofengagingmyselfinmyloathsometaskinmyfather’shousewhileinhabitsoffamiliarintercoursewiththoseIloved.Iknewthatathousandfearfulaccidentsmightoccur,theslightestofwhichwoulddiscloseataletothrillallconnectedwithmewithhorror.IwasawarealsothatIshouldoftenloseallself-command,allcapacityofhidingtheharrowingsensationsthatwouldpossessmeduringtheprogressofmyunearthlyoccupation.
