Франкенштейн

           WhatcouldIdo?Hemeanttoplease,andhetormentedme.Ifeltasifhehadplacedcarefully,onebyone,inmyfivethoseinstrumentswhichweretobeafterwardsusedinputtingmetoaslowandcrueldeath.Iwrithedunderhiswords,yetdarednotexhibitthepainIfelt.Clerval,whoseeyesandfeelingswerealwaysquickindiscerningthesensationsofothers,declinedthesubject,alleging,inexcuse,histotalignorance;andtheconversationtookamoregeneralturn.Ithankedmyfriendfrommyheart,butIdidnotspeak.Isawplainlythathewassurprised,butheneverattemptedtodrawmysecretfromme;andalthoughIlovedhimwithamixtureofaffectionandreverencethatknewnobounds,yetIcouldneverpersuademyselftoconfideinhimthateventwhichwassooftenpresenttomyrecollection,butwhichIfearedthedetailtoanotherwouldonlyimpressmoredeeply.

           M.Krempewasnotequallydocile;andinmyconditionatthattime,ofalmostinsupportablesensitiveness,hisharshbluntencomiumsgavemeevenmorepainthanthebenevolentapprobationofM.Waldman."D—nthefellow!"criedhe;"why,M.Clerval,Iassureyouhehasoutstriptusall.Ay,stareifyouplease;butitisneverthelesstrue.Ayoungsterwho,butafewyearsago,believedinCorneliusAgrippaasfirmlyasinthegospel,hasnowsethimselfattheheadoftheuniversity;andifheisnotsoonpulleddown,weshallallbeoutofcountenance.—Ay,ay,"continuedhe,observingmyfaceexpressiveofsuffering,"M.Frankensteinismodest;anexcellentqualityinayoungman.Youngmenshouldbediffidentofthemselves,youknow,M.Clerval:Iwasmyselfwhenyoung;butthatwearsoutinaveryshorttime."

           M.Krempehadnowcommencedaneulogyonhimself,whichhappilyturnedtheconversationfromasubjectthatwassoannoyingtome.