It was eight o'clock when Elizabeth and I landed. We walked on the shore for a short time. We watched the last light of the sun. Then we went to the inn. We looked at the dark lake and the black mountains.
The wind began to blow very hard. It came from the west. Dark clouds moved quickly across the moon. The waves on the lake grew larger. Suddenly, a heavy rain started to fall.
I had been calm during the day. But now at night, I felt a thousand fears. I held a pistol in my hand. I was ready to fight. I wanted to kill my enemy or die in the fight.
Elizabeth saw that I was nervous. She felt afraid because I looked so worried. She asked me why I was scared. I told her to be calm. I said that this night was very dangerous.
I told Elizabeth to go to her room. I did not want her to see the fight with the monster. I walked through the inn. I looked in every corner for the monster. I did not find any sign of my enemy.
Suddenly, I heard a terrible scream. The sound came from Elizabeth’s room. I finally understood the truth. For a moment, I could not move. I heard the scream again and ran into the room.
I saw Elizabeth on the bed. She was dead. Her face was pale and her hair covered her face. I fell to the floor. I could not believe my eyes. I felt a great pain in my heart.
The people from the inn ran into the room. They were very afraid. I went to the bed. I held Elizabeth in my arms. Her body was cold. I saw the black marks of fingers on her neck. The monster had strangled her.
I looked up. The moon was bright in the window. I saw the monster outside. The monster had a horrible smile on his face. He pointed his finger at the body of Elizabeth. I fired my pistol. But the monster jumped into the lake and escaped.
The sound of the gun brought more people. I showed them where the monster went. The men used boats and nets to look for him. But they found nothing. Many people thought I had imagined the monster.
I was very sick and weak. I had a high fever. The people at the inn put me in a bed. I looked around the room. I felt like I had lost everything.
Later, I went to the room where Elizabeth lay. I cried with the women there. I thought about all the people who had died. I thought about William, Justine, and Clerval. I was worried about my father and my brother Ernest.
I decided to return to Geneva immediately. There were no horses. I had to travel by boat on the lake. The rain was very heavy and the wind was strong. Men rowed the boat for me. I tried to help them, but I was too sad and weak.
I looked at the lake. I saw the fish in the water. I remembered that Elizabeth had watched the fish the day before. Now my life was completely different. I was the most miserable man in the world.
I arrived in Geneva. My father and Ernest were alive. But my father was very old and weak. He loved Elizabeth very much. He could not live with the news of her death. He died in my arms a few days later.
I went mad. I was locked in a prison cell in chains for many months. I lived in darkness. Sometimes I dreamed of my old friends. But then I woke up in the dark prison. Finally, my mind became clear and the guards let me go.
I wanted revenge. I hated the monster. I wanted to find the monster and kill him. I prayed for the strength to find my enemy.
One month later, I went to see a magistrate. I told the magistrate my story. I told him about the monster I had created. I asked him to catch the murderer. I was very serious and calm.
At first, the magistrate did not believe the story. But as I continued, he began to listen carefully. The magistrate felt a great horror. He listened to every word.
The magistrate spoke kindly to me. He promised to help, but he thought it would be very difficult. He said the monster was too strong. He said no man could catch a creature that lives in the ice and mountains. He told me that I would probably be disappointed.
I became very angry. My eyes were bright with rage. I told the magistrate that my only reason to live was to kill the monster. I said I would find the monster alone.
The magistrate thought I was still mad. He tried to calm me like a child. I was very upset. I left the house and began to plan my next move.