Victor Frankenstein spent the next day walking in the valley. Victor Frankenstein stood near the river. The water came from a glacier (a very large, slow river of ice). The glacier moved slowly down from the high mountains. Huge mountains were all around Victor Frankenstein.
The sides of the mountains were very steep. Victor Frankenstein saw broken trees on the ground. Everything was very quiet. Sometimes, a large piece of ice fell. It made a loud sound like thunder.
This sound was an avalanche (a large amount of ice and snow falling down a mountain). The ice broke into many pieces. These beautiful scenes made Victor Frankenstein feel better. Victor Frankenstein was still very sad. However, the mountains helped Victor Frankenstein forget his problems for a short time.
At night, Victor Frankenstein went to sleep. Victor Frankenstein dreamed about the white mountain tops and the green woods. The next morning, the good feelings were gone. Victor Frankenstein felt very sad again. It was raining very hard.
A thick mist (a thin cloud near the ground) covered the mountains. Victor Frankenstein could not see the mountain tops. Victor Frankenstein decided to climb to the top of the mountain. This mountain was called Montanvert. Victor Frankenstein remembered this place well.
The view of the ice always made Victor Frankenstein feel happy. The big mountains made him forget his worries. Victor Frankenstein did not take a guide. Victor Frankenstein wanted to be alone with nature. The climb was very steep.
The path turned many times. Victor Frankenstein saw many broken trees on the path. The snow and ice broke these trees during the winter. Stones often rolled down the mountain from above. This was very dangerous.
If a person spoke loudly, the sound could start an avalanche. The trees were short and dark. Victor Frankenstein looked at the valley below. The rain and clouds made Victor Frankenstein feel very unhappy. Victor Frankenstein thought about humans.
Humans have many feelings. Animals only think about food and water. But humans worry about many things. Our dreams and thoughts change every day. Nothing stays the same for long.
It was noon when Victor Frankenstein reached the top. Victor Frankenstein sat on a rock. Victor Frankenstein looked at the sea of ice. A mist covered the mountains. Then, a small wind moved the clouds away.
Victor Frankenstein walked down onto the glacier. The ice was not flat. It looked like the waves of a sea. There were many deep crevices (deep, narrow cracks in the ice or rock). Victor Frankenstein spent two hours crossing the ice.
The sun was bright on the white peaks. Victor Frankenstein felt a little joy. Victor Frankenstein spoke to the spirits of the mountain. Victor Frankenstein asked the spirits to make him happy. Or, Victor Frankenstein asked the spirits to take him away from life.
Suddenly, Victor Frankenstein saw a figure. A man was running across the ice. The man moved with great speed. He jumped over the deep crevices easily. The man was very tall. He was much taller than a normal person.
Victor Frankenstein felt afraid. The cold wind helped Victor Frankenstein feel strong again. The man came closer. Victor Frankenstein saw his face. It was the monster! Victor Frankenstein was very angry.
The monster looked very ugly and horrible. Victor Frankenstein hated the monster. Victor Frankenstein wanted to fight the monster. "Devil!" Victor Frankenstein shouted. "Why do you come near me? Do you not fear my anger?"
Victor Frankenstein wanted to kill the creature. Victor Frankenstein wanted to bring back the people the monster murdered. "I knew you would be angry," the monster said. "All people hate unhappy things. I am the most unhappy thing in the world."
The monster looked at Victor Frankenstein. "You created me," the monster said. "You must help me. If you do your duty, I will be good. If you help me, I will leave you in peace."
"If you refuse, I will kill more of your friends," the monster said. Victor Frankenstein was very angry. "You are a monster!" Victor Frankenstein cried. "I want to kill you."
Victor Frankenstein jumped at the monster. The monster moved away easily. "Be calm," the monster said. "I am stronger than you. My body is larger and faster. But I do not want to fight you."
The monster said he was Victor Frankenstein’s subject. "I should be your friend," the monster said. "But you treat me like a fallen angel. I see happiness everywhere, but I am alone."
"I was good before," the monster said. "Misery made me a bad person. Make me happy, and I will be good again." Victor Frankenstein told the monster to go away. Victor Frankenstein said they were enemies.
"How can I move you?" the monster asked. "I am miserably alone. You hate me. All humans hate me. The cold mountains are my only home." The monster said humans would try to kill him.
The monster said he would stay angry if he stayed unhappy. "But you can help me," the monster said. "Listen to my story. Then you can decide. Even a criminal can speak before he is punished."
Victor Frankenstein felt very bad. Victor Frankenstein remembered that he made the monster. Victor Frankenstein cursed the day he created the creature. But Victor Frankenstein also felt a little pity.
Victor Frankenstein wanted to know the truth. Did the monster kill Victor Frankenstein’s brother? Victor Frankenstein decided to listen. Victor Frankenstein wanted to make the creature happy before he complained.
"Come to my hut on the mountain," the monster said. The monster led the way across the ice. Victor Frankenstein followed him. They walked to a small hut. The air was very cold.
It began to rain again. They entered the hut. The monster was happy, but Victor Frankenstein was sad. They sat by a fire. Then, the monster began to tell his story.