Франкенштейн

           Themurderousmarkofthefiend’sgraspwasonherneck,andthebreathhadceasedtoissuefromherlips.WhileIstillhungoverherintheagonyofdespair,Ihappenedtolookup.Thewindowsoftheroomhadbeforebeendarkened,andIfeltakindofpaniconseeingthepaleyellowlightofthemoonilluminatethechamber.Theshuttershadbeenthrownback,andwithasensationofhorrornottobedescribed,Isawattheopenwindowafigurethemosthideousandabhorred.Agrinwasonthefaceofthemonster;heseemedtojeer,aswithhisfiendishfingerhepointedtowardsthecorpseofmywife.Irushedtowardsthewindow,anddrawingapistolfrommybosom,fired;butheeludedme,leapedfromhisstation,andrunningwiththeswiftnessoflightning,plungedintothelake.

           Thereportofthepistolbroughtacrowdintotheroom.Ipointedtothespotwherehehaddisappeared,andwefollowedthetrackwithboats;netswerecast,butinvain.Afterpassingseveralhours,wereturnedhopeless,mostofmycompanionsbelievingittohavebeenaformconjuredupbymyfancy.Afterhavinglanded,theyproceededtosearchthecountry,partiesgoingindifferentdirectionsamongthewoodsandvines.

           Iattemptedtoaccompanythemandproceededashortdistancefromthehouse,butmyheadwhirledround,mystepswerelikethoseofadrunkenman,Ifellatlastinastateofutterexhaustion;afilmcoveredmyeyes,andmyskinwasparchedwiththeheatoffever.InthisstateIwascarriedbackandplacedonabed,hardlyconsciousofwhathadhappened;myeyeswanderedroundtheroomasiftoseeksomethingthatIhadlost.

           AfteranintervalIarose,andasifbyinstinct,crawledintotheroomwherethecorpseofmybelovedlay.Therewerewomenweepingaround;Ihungoveritandjoinedmysadtearstotheirs;allthistimenodistinctideapresenteditselftomymind,butmythoughtsrambledtovarioussubjects,reflectingconfusedlyonmymisfortunesandtheircause.