II. Creating the Monster
    

 

It was a dreary night in November when my work was finally finished. I looked down at the lifeless creature that lay on the table before me and knew I was ready to give him life. The candle that lit my laboratory was nearly burned out, but it gave me enough light to touch the creature with my instruments. That touch created the spark that brought him to life!
Slowly, the dull yellow eyes of the creature opened. A hard, raspy2 breath lifted his huge chest at the same time that his gigantic arms and legs began to jerk with convulsive movements.
I stared hard at this creature I had spent two years forming. Once, I had considered this a beautiful piece of work—the result  of my life’s dream, but now it filled me with horror and disgust!
　　His yellow skin was stretched over bones and muscles, barely covering them. His long, black hair flowed down over the shriveled3 skin on his grotesque4 face and thick neck, and his pearly white teeth contrasted with the straight, black lips surrounding them.
　　What had I done?... I couldn’t bear looking at the horrible creature another minute, and I rushed out of the laboratory and down to my apartment.
　　Throwing myself on my bed, still with my clothes on, I hoped that sleep would erase5 from my brain the ugly picture I had just seen.
　　Sleep finally came, but it brought wild dreams of death and Elizabeth and my mother. When I suddenly awoke in a panic, my teeth were chattering, and my arms and legs were convulsing6.
The dim light of the moon shone through the window into my bedroom. As my eyes flew open, the moonlight revealed the huge figure of the monster as he lifted up the curtains around my bed. He stared down at me with a horrible grin7 that forced wrinkles in his cheeks and stretched his ugly, black lips.
　　His jaws moved and he muttered some sounds that had no meaning. As he reached out to touch me, I jumped from my bed and rushed out the door of my apartment.
　　I fled down the stairs and into the courtyard. I hid there, weak, horrified, and bitterly disillusioned, for the rest of that dismal, rainy night.

 

III. Face to Face with the Monster
 

“How can I appeal to you, Victor Frankenstein? How can I convince you that I, too, have suffered? I have been miserable and alone, hated and scorned by all humans, adults and children, all because of you.”
“And I hate and scorn myself for having created you!”
“Then you have a duty to hear what I have to say. Then if you still want to kill me, and if you can, then do it. Just remember it was you who created me.”
　　I don’t know if it was curiosity or fear or even pity that made me agree to listen to him. But whatever the reason, I decided I would. I turned to him and nodded my head.
　　The monster’s story begins...
　　When you first brought me to life, I was as helpless as a newborn baby, except that I could see, smell, hear, feel, and taste. These sensations frightened me, so I came to your room, as a child would come to a father. But you ran away and left me, and I didn’t know what to do.
　　I felt cold, so I covered myself with your cloak8 and went out into the night. By the time I reached a forest outside the city, I was very tired and lay down on the damp ground near a brook. I slept for several hours and awoke hungry and thirsty. I drank some water from the brook and ate a few berries I had found on the ground.
I spent a month in that forest and watched the sun and moon changing in the sky. I got to know the pleasant sounds that birds made as they flew over my head. I tried making those sounds myself, but I couldn’t.
　　And I began to explore outside the forest, I discovered a fire, I enjoyed the feeling of warmth and light it gave me, so I thrust9 my hand into the glowing coals. I quickly pulled it back with a cry of pain, puzzled why something that felt good could also give pain.
　　After several hours of walking, I came to a village. I entered one of the houses, only to horrify everyone there. Children ran from me screaming and women fainted. The screams alerted everyone in the village and people began coming at me from all sides throwing rocks, and shouting horrible threats. I fled from the village and ran across the open fields until I had lost my pursuers.
　　Many hours later, I came upon a wooden shed that was attached to a neat cottage. I didn’t dare enter the cottage, but I did crawl into the shed. I was grateful to have a place to sleep, one which would also give me protection from the snow and rain... and from attacks by people! I decided to make the shed my home.
　　As the days passed, I learned that three people named De Lacey lived in the cottage: a young woman called Agatha, her brother Felix, and their old, blind father.
　　The family was very poor, and the two young people worked hard to feed and care for their beloved father, often going without food themselves so that the old man could eat. The kindness and love these people showed each other moved me deeply, and rather than steal any more food from them, I went out at night in search of berries and nuts in the forest. I also borrowed the young man’s tools at night and cut wood for them. I left it at their door as a surprise and enjoyed their pleasure at their good fortune when they found it there each morning.
　　I was amazed to discover that they could bring fire into their cottage to cook their food and light up the room. At night, the young man and woman used this fire on a candle to read to the old man. The words they read were like those they spoke, and they read them from things called books.
　　As the days, weeks, and months went by, I taught myself to speak words. I hoped that one day I would be able to speak to them in their words. Perhaps that way they would overlook my ugliness... Oh, yes, I had learned just how ugly I was when I saw my reflection in the water in the pond.
　　On one of my trips into the forest, I had found a suitcase containing some clothing and several books. I used those books to teach myself to read. I spent the winter and spring enjoying my simple life. I was proud of the progress I was making in speaking all the words the family spoke and in reading them as well.
　　But what good were words when I had no one to speak them to? Would I ever be able to face people and not have them run from my ugliness?
Another event strengthened my bitter feelings against you. When I first came to my shed, I found your notebook in the pocket of the cloak I had taken from your bedroom when I ran from there years ago. At first, it had no meaning for me, but once I could read, I learned of your work and your thoughts before you began creating me and while you were doing it.
　　How I curse the day you gave me life! How I curse you! But my bitterness was softened when I thought of the kindly De Lacys, who, I was certain, would befriend me and overlook my ugliness when I told them my story and when they came to know me as a good person.
　　By the time I had been in my shed for a year, I started planning how to introduce myself to the family. One morning, after the young people had left, I saw my chance. I went to the front door and knocked.
　　When De Lacey called, “Come in,” I took a deep breath and opened the door. I introduced myself as a traveler in need of some rest, and the old man welcomed me. We spent several hours talking about many things. I truly believed that the old man had become my friend, and I was on my knees, grasping his hand in gratitude when the cottage door opened.
　　I can’t begin to describe the horror of the young people at seeing me. Agatha ran out and fainted. Felix lunged at me and, with superhuman strength, pulled me away from his father. I fell to the floor, and Felix began beating me with a stick. I could have torn him apart with my bare hands, but I didn’t. I just ran from the cottage in despair.
　　I was alone in the world again, with no human beings to talk to. My rage knew no limits! My brain wanted  only  revenge... against the world... and revenge against you, my creator!

IV. A Confession of Murder

It was early evening two months later when I reached the woods outside Geneva. I was tired and hungry as I sat down under a tree, trying to decide just how I would find you and confront you. I had just begun to doze when a beautiful young child came running toward me. A glimmer of hope flickered10 in my heart. Here was an innocent boy who probably hadn’t learned to be horrified at ugliness like grown-ups were. Perhaps he could become my friend.
I reached out and grabbed the boy as he run by. As soon as he saw me, he covered his eyes and began to scream. I pulled his hands away from his face and said gently, “I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Let me go, you ugly monster!” he cried. “Let me go  or  I’ll call my father. He’s an important man and he’ll punish you. His name is Alphonse Frankenstein.”
“Frankenstein!” I shrieked. “You belong to my enemy.  Now  I’ll have my revenge.”
The child continued to struggle and scream terrible words at me. I grabbed his throat to quiet him, but the next moment he lay dead at my feet. I realized then that this would bring misery to you, and I was glad!
　　As I gazed down at the boy, I spotted a locket around his neck. I picked up and stared at a picture of a beautiful woman. I knew that a woman of such beauty would never look at me... and my rage at you returned once more.
　　I left the murder spot then, still holding the locket, and went on towards Geneva. I soon came to a barn, where I found a young woman asleep on some straw. For a moment, I was terrified that she would waken and see me, and surely be horrified at my ugliness too. And later, she could probably identify me as the boy’s murderer.
　　Even though I had no way of knowing for certain she would do that, I decided to make her suffer anyway. So, I put the locket in the pocket of her apron11, knowing that when it was found, it would point to her as the murderer.
Once that was done, I hid and waited until the boy’s body was discovered and followed everyone into the city. Later, I learned the girl had been arrested for the murder.
Then I began wandering through Geneva and through these mountains, waiting for the moment when I would come face to face with you. And now, at last, that moment is here!
                                                                     （The End）

---

怪物的誕生

我從夏天開始工作，日夜不息，閉門不出，誰都不見。好多次我都厭惡自己一直干的事情，可又有很多次，我是那么渴望完成我的創(chuàng)造。數(shù)月過去了……

11月一個(gè)陰沉的夜晚，我的研究最終完成。低頭看著實(shí)驗(yàn)桌上躺著的那個(gè)毫無生命的物體，我知道我馬上就要賦予他生命了。實(shí)驗(yàn)室里燃著的蠟燭眼看快熄了，借著微弱的光芒，我拿著器械碰了一下他，這輕輕的觸碰點(diǎn)燃了他生命的火花！
他慢慢睜開眼睛，黃色的眼珠發(fā)出呆滯的目光。他巨人般的胳膊和腿痙攣似地抽搐著，巨大的胸腔開始起伏，發(fā)出一陣沉重刺耳的呼吸聲。
我死死地凝視著這個(gè)我花費(fèi)兩年時(shí)間創(chuàng)造出的生物。一直以來，我都將它視為一項(xiàng)榮耀——人生所追求的夢(mèng)想，但現(xiàn)在心里只覺得惡心和恐怖！
他皮膚發(fā)黃，下面的骨骼與肌肉隱隱若現(xiàn)；又黑又長(zhǎng)的頭發(fā)垂在皺巴巴的畸形臉上，耷拉在粗壯的脖子上；珍珠般潔白的牙齒與烏黑的嘴唇形成怪異的對(duì)比。
我做了什么？……我無法再看這個(gè)可怕的怪物一眼，便沖出實(shí)驗(yàn)室，奔向樓下的房間。
我顧不得脫衣服，一下子癱倒在床上，只希望一覺醒來，能徹底忘記剛才那丑陋的一幕。
我終于睡著了，但做了個(gè)噩夢(mèng)，夢(mèng)到母親和伊麗莎白都死了。我從夢(mèng)中驚醒，牙齒嚇得打顫，四肢在不停抽搐。
黯淡的月光透過窗戶灑到臥室里。我一睜開眼睛，看到月光下，那個(gè)怪物正用巨大的手指掀起我的床簾。他瞪著我，露出令人毛骨悚然的笑容——臉上的皺紋堆擠，丑陋烏黑的雙唇拉扯著。
他的下頜動(dòng)了動(dòng)，發(fā)出毫無意義的聲音。他伸出手想摸我，我一下從床上跳起來沖出房間。
我逃到樓下院子里，藏在那兒。在這個(gè)凄涼雨夜，我虛弱無力，驚恐萬分，幻想徹底破滅了。
 

狹路相逢

怪物不知所蹤。半年后家中傳來噩耗：弟弟威廉被謀殺，仆人賈斯汀被當(dāng)作兇手處死。我心知這都是怪物所為，痛苦自責(zé)而離家遠(yuǎn)行。卻在數(shù)月后，與怪物在野外相遇。

“維克多·弗蘭肯斯坦，我怎樣求你才行？要怎樣才能讓你相信我受的苦？我痛苦不堪、孤苦伶仃，人們厭惡我、嘲笑我，大人小孩都是如此。這都是因?yàn)槟��！?br /> “我痛恨自己創(chuàng)造了你，無時(shí)無刻不在自責(zé)！”
“那么你有必要聽聽我要說的話。我說完后，你要還想殺我——如果你可以的話——那就殺吧。不過要記住是你創(chuàng)造了我�！�
我不清楚是好奇還是害怕抑或是同情使我同意聽他講話。但不管究竟是什么原因，我決定聽他講下去。
怪物開始講他自己的故事……
最初你給了我生命，除了用五官去感覺之外，我就像初生嬰兒般無助。我被自己的感覺嚇壞了，于是去了你的房間，就像孩子去找父親。但是你跑掉了，剩下我一人手足無措。
　　我覺得冷，就披上你的外衣沖進(jìn)夜幕。我跑到城外一個(gè)森林里，累極了，就倒在溪邊濕地上，睡了幾個(gè)小時(shí)，醒來時(shí)又渴又餓。我喝了一點(diǎn)兒溪水，吃了些從地上找到的漿果。
　　在森林里，我花了一個(gè)月時(shí)間來觀察天空日月變幻。我漸漸懂得鳥兒飛過頭頂時(shí)歡快的鳴叫。我想學(xué)鳥叫，可是學(xué)不會(huì)。
　　我開始探索森林以外的地方，我發(fā)現(xiàn)了一處火源。我喜歡火的溫暖和光明，于是把手伸進(jìn)燃燒的木炭里：一聲慘叫，我立刻抽出手來，不明白為什么感覺很好的東西也會(huì)帶來痛苦。
經(jīng)過數(shù)小時(shí)跋涉，我來到一個(gè)村莊。我走進(jìn)一戶人家，卻嚇壞了在場(chǎng)的所有人。孩子們尖叫著從我身邊跑開，婦女們嚇得昏厥過去。叫聲驚動(dòng)了村里每個(gè)人，人們從四面八方趕來朝我扔石頭、大聲兇狠地咒罵我。我從村里逃了出去，越過曠野，直到擺脫所有追捕者。
幾個(gè)小時(shí)之后，我發(fā)現(xiàn)了一間小木棚，搭在一座小巧的農(nóng)舍邊。我沒敢進(jìn)農(nóng)舍，但是爬進(jìn)了木棚里。終于有個(gè)地方能睡覺，有個(gè)地方能為我遮擋雨雪……避開人們的襲擊，我樂壞了！決定把這兒當(dāng)作自己的家。
日子一天天過去，我了解到住在農(nóng)舍里的是德·蘭西一家：年輕的女孩阿加莎，她的哥哥費(fèi)利克斯，和他們年邁失明的父親。
他們家很窮，兩個(gè)年輕人拼命干活來贍養(yǎng)照顧心愛的父親，經(jīng)常自己餓著肚子也要讓父親有飯吃。他們的善良與愛心深深打動(dòng)了我，我不再偷他們家的東西吃，而是夜里到森林采集漿果、堅(jiān)果作為食物。我還在深夜拿著費(fèi)利克斯的工具為他們劈柴。我把柴火作為意外的禮物放在他們家門口，并且暗自分享他們每天早上發(fā)現(xiàn)時(shí)的喜悅。
我驚奇地看到他們把火源帶回屋里做飯、照明。深夜，男孩和女孩點(diǎn)起一支蠟燭，為老人讀東西。他們讀的字跟說的話一樣，他們把讀的那個(gè)東西叫做書。
一天天，一周周，一月月就這樣過去了，我自己學(xué)著說話。我希望有天能用他們的語言與他們交談。也許這樣他們就能忽略我的丑陋了……噢，是的，當(dāng)我從池塘里看到自己在水中的倒影，就已經(jīng)知道自己有多丑了。
一次去森林閑逛的時(shí)候，我找到一個(gè)手提箱，里面有些衣服和幾本書。我用這些書來識(shí)字。一個(gè)冬天和一個(gè)春天我都享受著這種簡(jiǎn)單的生活。我已經(jīng)能認(rèn)得這家人讀說出的所有字了，為此感到非常驕傲。
但我找不到一個(gè)人和我說話，認(rèn)得這些字又有什么用呢？我能否面對(duì)人們而不讓他們因我的丑陋而逃走？
另一件事加深了我對(duì)你的仇恨。當(dāng)我第一次來到木棚，找到了你的筆記本，就在你外衣口袋里——數(shù)年前我從你臥室逃走時(shí)帶走的。起先，它對(duì)我來說沒任何意義。但一旦我識(shí)字了，我了解到你在創(chuàng)造我之前和創(chuàng)造我之時(shí)的工作和想法。
我詛咒你給了我生命的那天！我詛咒你！但一想起可愛的德 ·蘭西一家，我的心就軟了下來。我肯定告訴他們我的故事以后，他們會(huì)友善地接納我。當(dāng)他們明白我其實(shí)是個(gè)善良的人之后，就不會(huì)計(jì)較我丑陋的外表。
我在木棚里已經(jīng)住了一年了，開始琢磨怎么接近這家人。一天早上，等兩個(gè)年輕人出了門，終于找到了機(jī)會(huì)。我走到門前敲了敲門。
里面?zhèn)鱽淼?middot;蘭西的聲音：“進(jìn)來�！蔽疑钌钗�了一口氣，推開門。我說自己旅行路過這里，想歇歇腳。老人熱情地接待了我。我們聊了好幾個(gè)小時(shí)，我真心相信老人已把我當(dāng)成了朋友。我跪在老人面前，握住他的手表示感激，這時(shí)，門開了。
我不想形容年輕人看到我時(shí)的那種恐懼，阿加莎逃出暈了過去，菲利克斯撲向我，把我從他父親身邊推開，力氣大得驚人。我摔倒在地，菲利克斯開始用棍子打我。我本可以僅用雙手就將他撕成兩半，可我沒有。我只是滿心絕望地沖出農(nóng)舍。
我在這世上又變得孤零零了，沒有朋友，甚至沒人可以說話。我怒不可遏！滿腦子想的只有復(fù)仇……向這個(gè)世界……向你——我的創(chuàng)造者復(fù)仇！

承認(rèn)謀殺

怪物憑借學(xué)到的地理知識(shí)，踏上了尋找弗蘭肯斯坦的復(fù)仇之路。

兩個(gè)月后的一個(gè)傍晚我來到日內(nèi)瓦城外森林。我又累又渴，就在一棵樹旁坐了下來，計(jì)劃如何找到你，找到你之后又該如何面對(duì)你，想著想著就打起了瞌睡。這時(shí)一個(gè)漂亮的小孩朝我跑過來，我的心里突然萌生出一絲希望：也許天真無邪的男孩還不會(huì)像成年人那樣害怕我的丑陋，也許他能成為我的朋友。
我伸手拽住從身旁跑過的男孩，他一看到我，就捂住眼睛開始尖叫。我拉下他捂住臉的手輕輕地說：“我不會(huì)傷害你的�！�
“放開我，你這丑陋的怪物！”他哭喊著，“放開我，否則我就去叫我爸爸來。他很厲害，他會(huì)收拾你的。我爸爸是阿方斯·弗蘭肯斯坦�！�
“弗蘭肯斯坦！”我厲聲叫道，“你是我仇人的家人，現(xiàn)在我要復(fù)仇�！�
孩子繼續(xù)掙扎著，朝我罵著惡毒的字眼。我扼住他的喉嚨，想要他安靜，可是片刻后他就倒在我的腳下，死了。意識(shí)到他的死會(huì)讓你難過，我感到一絲快意！
我盯著腳下的男孩，發(fā)現(xiàn)他脖子上戴著一個(gè)項(xiàng)墜。摘下來一看，里面是張美麗女人的照片。我知道那么漂亮的女人永遠(yuǎn)不會(huì)看我一眼……于是又憎恨起你來。
我離開那里，帶著項(xiàng)墜繼續(xù)朝日內(nèi)瓦前進(jìn)。后來來到一個(gè)谷倉，看見一位年輕女人正在稻草垛上休息。有那么一陣，我很害怕她醒來看見我，肯定會(huì)被我嚇到，然后她可能就認(rèn)定我是殺害男孩的兇手。
即使根本無法確定她是否會(huì)那樣做，我仍然決定，不管怎樣也要讓她吃點(diǎn)苦頭。于是我把項(xiàng)墜塞進(jìn)她圍裙口袋里，我知道如果它被發(fā)現(xiàn)，人們會(huì)把她當(dāng)成兇手。
做完這些，我藏了起來，一直等到男孩的尸體被人發(fā)現(xiàn)，然后跟著人群進(jìn)了城。后來，我得知那個(gè)女人因謀殺罪被逮捕。
之后我開始在日內(nèi)瓦街頭四處徘徊，在這些山上游蕩，期盼著跟你面對(duì)面的時(shí)刻，現(xiàn)在，這個(gè)時(shí)刻終于到來了！
                         （完）