Франкенштейн
Chapter 3
Itissolongbeforethemindcanpersuadeitselfthatshewhomwesaweverydayandwhoseveryexistenceappearedapartofourowncanhavedepartedforever—thatthebrightnessofabelovedeyecanhavebeenextinguishedandthesoundofavoicesofamiliaranddeartotheearcanbehushed,nevermoretobeheard.Thesearethereflectionsofthefirstdays;butwhenthelapseoftimeprovestherealityoftheevil,thentheactualbitternessofgriefcommences.Yetfromwhomhasnotthatrudehandrentawaysomedearconnection?AndwhyshouldIdescribeasorrowwhichallhavefelt,andmustfeel?Thetimeatlengtharriveswhengriefisratheranindulgencethananecessity;andthesmilethatplaysuponthelips,althoughitmaybedeemedasacrilege,isnotbanished.Mymotherwasdead,butwehadstilldutieswhichweoughttoperform;wemustcontinueourcoursewiththerestandlearntothinkourselvesfortunatewhilstoneremainswhomthespoilerhasnotseized.
MydepartureforIngolstadt,whichhadbeendeferredbytheseevents,wasnowagaindeterminedupon.Iobtainedfrommyfatherarespiteofsomeweeks.Itappearedtomesacrilegesosoontoleavetherepose,akintodeath,ofthehouseofmourningandtorushintothethickoflife.Iwasnewtosorrow,butitdidnotthelessalarmme.Iwasunwillingtoquitthesightofthosethatremainedtome,andaboveall,IdesiredtoseemysweetElizabethinsomedegreeconsoled.
Sheindeedveiledhergriefandstrovetoactthecomfortertousall.Shelookedsteadilyonlifeandassumeditsdutieswithcourageandzeal.Shedevotedherselftothosewhomshehadbeentaughttocallheruncleandcousins.Neverwasshesoenchantingasatthistime,whensherecalledthesunshineofhersmilesandspentthemuponus.Sheforgotevenherownregretinherendeavourstomakeusforget.
