Text A One Incredible Night（第1页）
TextAOneI
—fromFraer5）
MaryShelley
[1]ItwashtofIbeheldtheaentofmytoils。Withaalmostamouoagony，IcollectedtheisoflifearouImightinfuseasparkofbeingintothelifelessthingthatlayatmyfeet。Itwasalreadyohem;therainpattereddismallyagainstthepanes，andmydlewasnearlyburntout，when，bytheglimmerofthehalf-exti，Isawthedullyelloweyeofthecreatureopehedhard，andavulsivemotioslimbs。
[2]HowIdescribemyemotionsatthiscatastrophe，orhowdeliwithsuitepainsandcareIhadeoform?Hislimbswereinproportion，andIhadselectedhisfeaturesasbeautiful。Beautiful!—GreatGod!Hisyellowskinscarcelycoveredtheworkofmusdarteriesbeh;hishairwasofalustrousbladflowihofapearlywhiteheseluxurianedamorehorridtrastwithhiswateryeyes，thatseemedalmostofthesamecolourasthedusinwhichtheywereset，hisshrivelledplexihtblacklips。
[3]Thedifferesoflifearenotsogeableasthefeelingsofhumannature。Ihadworkedhardforwoyears，forthesolepurposeofinfusioaninanimatebody。ForthisIhaddeprivedmyselfofrestah。Ihaddesireditwithanardourthatfarexceededmoderation;butnowthatIhadfihebeautyofthedreamvanished，ahlesshustfilledmyheart。UheaspectofthebeingIhadcreated，Irushedoutoftheroom，anduedaloraversingmybedchamber，uoilengthlassitudesuultIhadbeforeendured;andIthrewmyselfonthebedinmyclothes，endeavtoseekafewmomentsetfulwasinvai，iIwasdisturbedbythewildestdreams。IthoughtIsawElizabeth，inthebloomofhealth，walkisofIngolstadt。Delightedandsurprised，Iembracedher;butasIimprikissoheybecamelividwiththehueofdeath;herfeaturesappearedtodIthoughtthatIheldtheydeadmotherinmyarms;ashroudenvelopedherform，andIsawthegrave-winthefoldsoftheflaedfrommysleepwithhorror;acolddewyforehead，myteethchattered，andeverylimbbevulsed:when，bythedimandyellowlightofthemoon，asitforceditswaythroughthewindowshutters，Ibeheldthewretch—themiserablemonsterwhomIhadcreated。Hehelduptheofthebed;andhiseyes，ifeyestheymaybecalled，werefixedonme。Hisjawsopened，aeredsomeinarticulatesounds，whileagrinwrinkledhischeeks。Hemighthavespoken，butIdidnothear;onehandwasstretiaiIesdrusheddownstairs。Iteiyardbelongingtothehousewhihabited;whereIremaineddurihenight，anddowagitatioedfearingeadasifitweretoaheapproaoniacalcorpsetowhichIhadsivenlife。
[4]Oh!Nomortalcouldsupportthehorrorofthatce。Amummyagaihanimationotbesohideousasthatwretch。Ihadgazedonhimwhileunfinished;hewasuglythehosemusdjointswererenderedotiohingsuDanteothaveceived。
[5]IpassedtheypulsebeatsoquidhardlythatIfeltthepalpitatioery;atothers，Inearlysahroughlanguoraremeweakness。Mihishorror，Ifeltthebitternessofdisappoi;dreamsthathadbeenmyfoodarestfaspaeahelltome;andthegeid，theoverthrowsoplete!
[6]M，dismalalengthdawned，aomysleeplessandageyesthechurgolstadt，itswhitesteepleandclock，whidicatedthesixthhour。Theporteropeesofthecourt，whichhadthatnightbeenmyasylum，ahestreets，pagthemwithquicksteps，asifIsoughttoavoidthewretIfearedeveryturniwouldpresenttomyview。Ididotheapartmentwhihabited，butfeltimpelledtohurryon，althoughdreherainwhiablafortlesssky。
[7]Iuedwalkinginthismannerforsometime，endeav，bybodilyexercise，toeasetheloadthatweigheduponmymihestreets，withoutanyofhatIwasdoipalpitatedinthesiessoffear;andIhurriedularsteps，ntolookaboutme:—
[8]Likeonewho，onalonelyroad，
Dothwalkinfearanddread，
And，haviurnedround，walkson，
Andturnsnomorehishead;
Becauseheknhtfulfiend
Dothclosebehindhimtread。
[9]gthus，Icameatlengthoppositetotheinnatwhichthevariousdiligendcarriagesusuallystopped。HereIpaused，Ikwhy;butIremaieswithmyeyesfixedonacoachthatwasefromtheothere。Asitdrewnearer，IobservedthatitwastheSwissdiligeoppedjustwhereIwasstanding，and，onthedopened，IperryClerval，who，onseeilysprungout。“MydearFraein，”exclaimedhe，“howgladIamtoseeyou!Howfortuyoushouldbehereattheverymomentofmyalighting!”
[10]NothingcouldequalmydelightonseeingClerval;hispresebaythoughtsmyfather，Elizabeth，andallthosesesodeartomyre。Igraspedhishand，andimyhorrorandmisfortusuddenly，aimeduringmanymonths，dserenejoy。Iwelyfriend，therefore，ianner，aowardsmycollege。Clervaluedtalkingforsometimeaboutourmutualfriends，andhisowngoodfortuneioetoIngolstadt。“Youmayeasilybelieve，”saidhe，“howgreatwasthedifficultytopersuademyfatherthatallneowledgewasnotprisedintheofbookkeeping;and，indeed，IbelieveIlefthimiothelast，forhistaomyuieswasthesameasthatoftheDutasterinTheVicarofWakefield:‘IhavetenthousandflorihoutGreek，IeatheartilywithoutGreek。’Buthisaffeeatlengthovercamehisdislike，andhehaspermittedmetouakeavoyageofdiscoverytothelandofknowledge。”
[11]“Itgivesmethegreatestdelighttoseeyou;buttellmehowyouleftmyfather，brothers，ah。”
[12]“Verywell，andveryhappy，onlyalittleutheyhearfromyousoseldom。Bytheby，Imeaureyoualittleupontheirayself。—But，mydearFraioppingshazingfullinmyface，“Ididnotbeforeremarkhowveryillyouappear;sothinandpale;youlookasifyouhadbeenwatgfhts。”
[13]“Youhaveguessedright;IhavelatelybeensodeeplyengagediionthatIhavenotallowedmyselfsuffitrest，asyousee:butIhope，Isincerelyhope，thatalltheseemploymeahatIamatlengthfree。”
[14]Itrembledexcessively;Iotehinkof，aoalludeto，theocesnight。Iwalkedadwesoomycollege。Ithehethoughtmademeshiver，thatthecreaturewhomIhadleftinmyapartmentmightstillbethere，alive，andwalkingabout。IdreadedtobeholdthismoIfearedstillmorethatHenryshouldseehim。Einghim，therefore，toremaiesatthebottomofthestairs，Idarteduptowardsmyownroom。MyhandwasalreadyonthelockofthedoorbeforeIreyself。Ithenpaused;andace。Ithrewthedoorfor，asareaedtodowheaspectretostandinwaitiheotherside;butnothieppedfearfullyimey;andmybedroomwasalsofreedfromitshideousguest。IcouldhardlybelievethatsoodfortunecouldhavebefallewhenIbecameassuredthatmyenemyhadindeedfled，Iclappedmyhandsforjoy，andrandowntoClerval。
[15]Weastomyroom，apresentlybroughtbreakfast;butIwasuaiwasnotjoyonlythatpossessedme;Ifeltmyfleshtihexcessofsensitiveness，andmypulsebeatrapidly。Iwasuoremainfleinstantinthesameplace;Ijumpedoverthechairs，clappedmyhands，andlaughedaloud。Clervalatfirstattributedmyunusualspiritstojoyonhisarrival;butwhenheobservedmemoreattentivelyhesawawildnessinmyeyesforwhichheotadmyloud，ulesslaughter，frighteonishedhim。
[16]“MydearVictor，”criedhe，“what，fod’ssake，isthematter?Donotlaughinthatmanner。Howillyouare!Whatisthecauseofallthis?”
[17]“Donotaskme，”criedI，puttingmyhandsbeforemyeyes，fhtIsaectreglideintotheroom;“hetell。—Oh，saveme!saveme!”Iimagihemonsterseizedme;Istruggledfuriously，andfelldo>
[18]PoorClerval!Whatmusthavebeenhisfeeliing，atedwithsuchjelyturerIwasnessofhisgrief;forIwaslifeless，anddidnotreysensesf，longtime。
[19]Thiswastheentofanervousfever，whieforseveralmallthattimeHenrywasmyoerwardslear，knowingmyfather’sadvancedage，andunfitnessfajourney，achedmysiakeElizabeth，hesparedthemthisgriefbygtheextentofmydisorder。HekIothaveamorekindaivehanhimself;and，firmiofmyrecovery，hedidnotdoubtthat，insteadofdoingharm，heperformedthekiioowardsthem。
[20]ButIwasiyveryill;ahingbuttheunboundedaiionsofmyfriendcouldhaverestoredmetolife。TheformofthemonsteronwhomIhadbestowedexistencewasforeverbeforemyeyes，andIravedilyghim。DoubtlessmywordssurprisedHebelievedthemtobethewanderingsofmydisturbedimaginatioinacitywithwhitiothesamesubject，persuadedhimthatmydisorderisintosomeunonandterribleevent。
[21]Byveryslowdegrees，andwithfrequealarmedandgrievedmyfriend，Irecovered。IrememberthefirsttimeIbecamecapableoutwardobjectswithanykindofpleasure，Iperceivedthatthefallenleaveshaddisappeared，andthattheyouingforthfromthetreesthatshadedmyasadivinespring;aributedgreatlytomyvalesce。Ifeltalsosesofjoyaionreviveinmybosom;mygloomdisappeared，andinashorttimeIbecameascheerfulasbeforeIwasattackedbythefatalpassion。
[22]“DearestClerval，”exclaimedI，“howkind，hoodyouaretome。Thiswholewieadofbeiudy，asyoupromisedyourself，hasbeenedinmysi。HowshallIeverrepayyou?IfeelthegreatestremorseforthedisappoiofwhichIhavebeentheo;butyouwillfiveme。”
[23]“Youwillrepaymeentirely，ifyoudonotdisposeyourself，butgetwellasfastasyoudsinceyouappearinsuchgoodspirits，Imayspeaktoyouo，mayInot?”
[24]Itrembled。Ocoulditbe?CouldhealludetoaonwhomIdaredhink?