Франкенштейн

           "PoorWilliam!"saidhe,dearlovelychild,henowsleepswithhisangelmother!Whothathadseenhimbrightandjoyousinhisyoungbeauty,butmustweepoverhisuntimelyloss!Todiesomiserably;tofeelthemurderer’sgrasp!Howmuchmoreamurdererthatcoulddestroysuchradiantinnocence!Poorlittlefellow!oneonlyconsolationhavewe;hisfriendsmournandweep,butheisatrest.Thepangisover,hissufferingsareatanendforever.Asodcovershisgentleform,andheknowsnopain.Hecannolongerbeasubjectforpity;wemustreservethatforhismiserablesurvivors."

           Clervalspokethusaswehurriedthroughthestreets;thewordsimpressedthemselvesonmymindandIrememberedthemafterwardsinsolitude.Butnow,assoonasthehorsesarrived,Ihurriedintoacabriolet,andbadefarewelltomyfriend.

           Myjourneywasverymelancholy.AtfirstIwishedtohurryon,forIlongedtoconsoleandsympathisewithmylovedandsorrowingfriends;butwhenIdrewnearmynativetown,Islackenedmyprogress.Icouldhardlysustainthemultitudeoffeelingsthatcrowdedintomymind.Ipassedthroughscenesfamiliartomyyouth,butwhichIhadnotseenfornearlysixyears.Howalteredeverythingmightbeduringthattime!Onesuddenanddesolatingchangehadtakenplace;butathousandlittlecircumstancesmighthavebydegreesworkedotheralterations,which,althoughtheyweredonemoretranquilly,mightnotbethelessdecisive.Fearovercameme;Idarednoadvance,dreadingathousandnamelessevilsthatmademetremble,althoughIwasunabletodefinethem.IremainedtwodaysatLausanne,inthispainfulstateofmind.Icontemplatedthelake:thewaterswereplacid;allaroundwascalm;andthesnowymountains,‘thepalacesofnature,’werenotchanged.Bydegreesthecalmandheavenlyscenerestoredme,andIcontinuedmyjourneytowardsGeneva.