Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval arrived in London. They planned to stay in the city for several months. Henry Clerval wanted to meet many smart and talented people. Victor Frankenstein had a different goal. Victor Frankenstein needed to find information to finish his promise. Victor Frankenstein talked to many scientists in London.
If Victor Frankenstein was happy, he would love London. But Victor Frankenstein was very sad. He did not want to be with people. Their happy faces made him feel more despair. Victor Frankenstein thought about William Frankenstein and Justine Moritz. Their deaths were like a wall between him and other people.
Henry Clerval was different. He wanted to learn many new things. Henry Clerval wanted to go to India in the future. He wanted to help the progress of trade there. Henry Clerval was always busy and enjoyed his life. Victor Frankenstein tried to hide his sadness because he did not want to upset Henry Clerval.
Victor Frankenstein began to collect the things for his new work. This work was like a torture (a way to cause a person very bad pain). Every thought about the work made Victor Frankenstein feel sick. His heart beat very fast when he thought about the second creature.
After some months, a friend in Scotland wrote a letter. He invited Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval to visit the city of Perth. Henry Clerval wanted to go. Victor Frankenstein wanted to see the mountains and the rivers. Victor Frankenstein packed his tools and his materials. He planned to finish his work in a quiet place in Scotland.
Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval left London in March. They visited Windsor and saw a beautiful forest. They saw many large trees and many deer. Then they went to the city of Oxford. Oxford was a very old and beautiful city.
Victor Frankenstein and Henry Clerval remembered the history of Oxford. Many years ago, there was a war in England. King Charles I stayed in Oxford during the war. The city had many old colleges (special buildings where students live and study). The streets were magnificent and the river was beautiful.
Victor Frankenstein liked the city, but he was still sad. He thought about his past and his future. When Victor Frankenstein was young, he was happy. Now, Victor Frankenstein felt like a broken tree. He felt that his soul was dead. He thought he was a miserable man.
They stayed in Oxford for a long time. They visited the tomb of a famous man named Hampden. For a short time, Victor Frankenstein felt better. He thought about freedom and brave people. But then he felt the weight of his secret again. He became trembling and hopeless.
Then they went to a place called Matlock. The hills there looked like the hills in Switzerland. Henry Clerval said the name of a place in Switzerland. This name made Victor Frankenstein shake with fear. Victor Frankenstein wanted to leave Matlock quickly because he remembered the monster.
They traveled north for two months. They saw many lakes and rocky streams. These sights were familiar to Victor Frankenstein. Henry Clerval was very happy. Henry Clerval loved to talk to smart people. Henry Clerval said he could live in these mountains forever.
But Victor Frankenstein was not happy. He did not finish his promise yet. Victor Frankenstein was afraid of the monster. Maybe the monster was angry. Victor Frankenstein stayed very close to Henry Clerval. He wanted to protect Henry Clerval from the monster. Victor Frankenstein felt like he was a criminal.
They visited the city of Edinburgh. Henry Clerval liked the old buildings and the castle. But Victor Frankenstein wanted to finish his journey. They stayed in Edinburgh for one week. Then they traveled to the city of Perth to meet their friend.
Victor Frankenstein did not want to talk to strangers. He told Henry Clerval a plan. Victor Frankenstein wanted to travel in Scotland alone. He asked Henry Clerval to wait for him in Perth for one or two months. Henry Clerval was sad, but he said yes.
Victor Frankenstein went to the north of Scotland. He chose a small island called an Orkney (one of many small islands in the north). The island was only a big rock in the sea. The ground was barren (dry and empty so no plants can grow). Only five poor people lived there.
There were only three small houses on the island. One house was empty. Victor Frankenstein paid to live there. The house was very dirty. The roof was broken and the door was not on its hinges. Victor Frankenstein fixed the house and bought some furniture.
Victor Frankenstein worked in the morning. In the evening, he walked on the beach. He listened to the loud waves of the ocean. The ocean was very big and scary. Victor Frankenstein thought about the quiet lakes in Switzerland. He felt very lonely on this cold island.
The work became more horrible every day. Sometimes Victor Frankenstein did not go into his laboratory (a room where a scientist does experiments) for days. Other times he worked all night. The work was very dirty. The first time he made a creature, he was excited. Now, he felt sick when he worked.
Victor Frankenstein was very nervous. He was always afraid to see the monster. He looked at the ground because he was afraid to look up. He did not want to be alone because the monster might come. But Victor Frankenstein continued his work. He hoped to finish it soon.