Франкенштейн

           Bytheutmostself-violenceIcurbedtheimperiousvoiceofwretchedness,whichsometimesdesiredtodeclareitselftothewholeworld,andmymannerswerecalmerandmorecomposedthantheyhadeverbeensincemyjourneytotheseaofice.AfewdaysbeforeweleftParisonourwaytoSwitzerland,IreceivedthefollowingletterfromElizabeth:

           MydearFriend,

           ItgavemethegreatestpleasuretoreceivealetterfrommyuncledatedatParis;youarenolongerataformidabledistance,andImayhopetoseeyouinlessthanafortnight.Mypoorcousin,howmuchyoumusthavesuffered!IexpecttoseeyoulookingevenmoreillthanwhenyouquittedGeneva.Thiswinterhasbeenpassedmostmiserably,torturedasIhavebeenbyanxioussuspense;yetIhopetoseepeaceinyourcountenanceandtofindthatyourheartisnottotallyvoidofcomfortandtranquillity.

           YetIfearthatthesamefeelingsnowexistthatmadeyousomiserableayearago,evenperhapsaugmentedbytime.Iwouldnotdisturbyouatthisperiod,whensomanymisfortunesweighuponyou,butaconversationthatIhadwithmyuncleprevioustohisdeparturerenderssomeexplanationnecessarybeforewemeet.Explanation!Youmaypossiblysay,WhatcanElizabethhavetoexplain?Ifyoureallysaythis,myquestionsareansweredandallmydoubtssatisfied.Butyouaredistantfromme,anditispossiblethatyoumaydreadandyetbepleasedwiththisexplanation;andinaprobabilityofthisbeingthecase,Idarenotanylongerpostponewritingwhat,duringyourabsence,Ihaveoftenwishedtoexpresstoyoubuthaveneverhadthecouragetobegin.

           Youwellknow,Victor,thatourunionhadbeenthefavouriteplanofyourparentseversinceourinfancy.Weweretoldthiswhenyoung,andtaughttolookforwardtoitasaneventthatwouldcertainlytakeplace.