Frankenstein, Chapters 17-20

But I was bewildered, perplexed, and unable to arrange my ideas sufficiently to understand the full extent of his proposition.

But I was bewildered, perplexed, and unable to arrange my ideas sufficiently to understand the full extent of his proposition.

I am malicious because I am miserable.

You would not call it murder if you could precipitate me into one of those ice-rifts and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands.

But that cannot be; the human senses are insurmountable barriers to our union.

This passion is detrimental to me, for you do not reflect that YOU are the cause of its excess.

But I now indulge in dreams of bliss that cannot be realized.

What I ask of you is reasonable and moderate; I demand a creature of another sex, but as hideous as myself; the gratification is small, but it is all that I can receive, and it shall content me.

I shuddered when I thought of the possible consequences of my consent, but I felt that there was some justice in his argument.

How can you, who long for the love and sympathy of man, persevere in this exile?

"You swear," I said, "to be harmless; but have you not already shown a degree of malice that should reasonably make me distrust you?

My vices are the children of a forced solitude that I abhor, and my virtues will necessarily arise when I live in communion with an equal.

Day after day, week after week, passed away on my return to Geneva; and I could not collect the courage to recommence my work.

My father saw this change with pleasure, and he turned his thoughts towards the best method of eradicating the remains of my melancholy, which every now and then would return by fits, and with a devouring blackness overcast the approaching sunshine.

The latter method of obtaining the desired intelligence was dilatory and unsatisfactory; besides, I had an insurmountable aversion to the idea of engaging myself in my loathsome task in my father's house while in habits of familiar intercourse with those I loved.

I was aware also that I should often lose all self-command, all capacity of hiding the harrowing sensations that would possess me during the progress of my unearthly occupation.

This interfered with the solitude I coveted for the prosecution of my task; yet at the commencement of my journey the presence of my friend could in no way be an impediment, and truly I rejoiced that thus I should be saved many hours of lonely, maddening reflection.

My journey had been my own suggestion, and Elizabeth therefore acquiesced, but she was filled with disquiet at the idea of my suffering, away from her, the inroads of misery and grief.

After some days spent in listless indolence, during which I traversed many leagues, I arrived at Strasbourg, where I waited two days for Clerval.

This part of the Rhine, indeed, presents a singularly variegated landscape.

In one spot you view rugged hills, ruined castles overlooking tremendous precipices, with the dark Rhine rushing beneath; and on the sudden turn of a promontory, flourishing vineyards with green sloping banks and a meandering river and populous towns occupy the scene.

His wild and enthusiastic imagination was chastened by the sensibility of his heart.

The memory of that unfortunate king and his companions, the amiable Falkland, the insolent Goring, his queen, and son, gave a peculiar interest to every part of the city which they might be supposed to have inhabited.

The colleges are ancient and picturesque; the streets are almost magnificent; and the lovely Isis, which flows beside it through meadows of exquisite verdure, is spread forth into a placid expanse of waters, which reflects its majestic assemblage of towers, and spires, and domes, embosomed among aged trees.

We passed a considerable period at Oxford, rambling among its environs and endeavouring to identify every spot which might relate to the most animating epoch of English history.

"Do you," said I, "enjoy yourself, and let this be our rendezvous.

Henry wished to dissuade me, but seeing me bent on this plan, ceased to remonstrate.

It contained but two rooms, and these exhibited all the squalidness of the most miserable penury.

I was now about to form another being of whose dispositions I was alike ignorant; she might become ten thousand times more malignant than her mate and delight, for its own sake, in murder and wretchedness.

"Slave, I before reasoned with you, but you have proved yourself unworthy of my condescension.

Why had I not followed him and closed with him in mortal strife?

The sun had far descended, and I still sat on the shore, satisfying my appetite, which had become ravenous, with an oaten cake, when I saw a fishing-boat land close to me, and one of the men brought me a packet; it contained letters from Geneva, and one from Clerval entreating me to join him.

He besought me, therefore, to leave my solitary isle and to meet him at Perth, that we might proceed southwards together.

I had resolved in my own mind that to create another like the fiend I had first made would be an act of the basest and most atrocious selfishness, and I banished from my mind every thought that could lead to a different conclusion.

I must pause here, for it requires all my fortitude to recall the memory of the frightful events which I am about to relate, in proper detail, to my recollection.