Франкенштейн

           "Noonedidatfirst;butseveralcircumstancescameout,thathavealmostforcedconvictionuponus;andherownbehaviourhasbeensoconfused,astoaddtotheevidenceoffactsaweightthat,Ifear,leavesnohopefordoubt.Butshewillbetriedtoday,andyouwillthenhearall."

           Hethenrelatedthat,themorningonwhichthemurderofpoorWilliamhadbeendiscovered,Justinehadbeentakenill,andconfinedtoherbedforseveraldays.Duringthisinterval,oneoftheservants,happeningtoexaminetheapparelshehadwornonthenightofthemurder,haddiscoveredinherpocketthepictureofmymother,whichhadbeenjudgedtobethetemptationofthemurderer.Theservantinstantlyshowedittooneoftheothers,who,withoutsayingawordtoanyofthefamily,wenttoamagistrate;and,upontheirdeposition,Justinewasapprehended.Onbeingchargedwiththefact,thepoorgirlconfirmedthesuspicioninagreatmeasurebyherextremeconfusionofmanner.

           Thiswasastrangetale,butitdidnotshakemyfaith;andIrepliedearnestly,"Youareallmistaken;Iknowthemurderer.Justine,poor,goodJustine,isinnocent."

           Atthatinstantmyfatherentered.Isawunhappinessdeeplyimpressedonhiscountenance,butheendeavouredtowelcomemecheerfully;and,afterwehadexchangedourmournfulgreeting,wouldhaveintroducedsomeothertopicthanthatofourdisaster,hadnotErnestexclaimed,"GoodGod,papa!VictorsaysthatheknowswhowasthemurdererofpoorWilliam."

           "Wedoalso,unfortunately,"repliedmyfather,"forindeedIhadratherhavebeenforeverignorantthanhavediscoveredsomuchdepravityandungratitudeinoneIvaluedsohighly."