The next day, I spent hours wandering through the valley.
I went to the source of the Arveiron, where the river flowed from a glacier that was slowly moving down from the mountains and seemed to be blocking the valley.
Huge mountains rose sharply around me. Above me hung the cold wall of the glacier. Broken pine trees were scattered across the ground.
The only sounds were the rushing water, the crash of falling ice and rocks, and the deep thunder of avalanches. Sometimes the glacier itself cracked with a terrible noise as the immense weight of ice split apart.
Yet the wildness of the place brought me comfort.
The greatness of the mountains made my own troubles seem small. My grief did not disappear, but it became quieter and easier to bear.
For the first time in weeks, my mind was not completely trapped in dark thoughts.
That night, I slept surrounded by the images I had seen during the day.
The snowy peaks, the shining mountain tops, the dark pine forests, the deep ravines, and the eagle flying high among the clouds all seemed to gather around me.
For a little while, they seemed to tell me that I could be at peace.
But where had all that comfort gone when I woke the next morning?
It had disappeared with my sleep.
A heavy sadness returned, covering every thought.
Rain poured from the sky, and thick clouds hid the mountain peaks from view. I could not even see the great mountains that had seemed like old friends the day before.
Still, I wanted to find them.
What did I care about the rain or the storm?
My mule was brought to the door, and I decided to climb Montanvert.
I remembered the first time I had seen the enormous glacier there. The sight had filled me with a powerful feeling that lifted me above my ordinary worries and made me feel almost free.
Nature had always had that effect on me. Whenever I saw something vast and magnificent, I forgot the smaller troubles of life.
I decided to go alone.
I knew the path well enough, and I did not want another person beside me to disturb the lonely grandeur of the mountains.
The climb was extremely steep, but the path had been cut into a series of short, winding turns that made the ascent possible.
The higher I went, the more frightening and desolate the landscape became.
Everywhere I could see signs of winter avalanches. Trees had been smashed and thrown across the ground. Some had been completely destroyed, while others had been bent against rocks or tangled with fallen trees.
Higher up, the path crossed deep channels of snow.
Rocks constantly rolled down from above.
One particular place was especially dangerous. Even a small disturbance, such as speaking loudly, could shake loose the snow and bring disaster down on the person who made the sound.
The pine trees were short and thin, and their dark appearance made the whole landscape feel even more severe.
I looked down into the valley.
Mist was rising from the rivers and twisting around the mountains opposite me. Their peaks disappeared into the clouds, while rain continued to fall from the dark sky.
Everything around me seemed filled with sadness.
Why, I wondered, do human beings have such complicated feelings?
If we were driven only by hunger, thirst, and desire, perhaps life would be much simpler.
But we are affected by everything around us.
A sudden sound, a passing thought, a single word, or even a particular view can change our entire mood.
We go to sleep, and a dream can ruin our rest.
We wake up, and one dark thought can spoil the whole day.
We think, feel, laugh, cry, love, suffer, and worry.
Nothing stays the same.
Yesterday’s happiness may become tomorrow’s sorrow, and yesterday’s sorrow may disappear without warning.
The only thing we can truly depend on is change.
It was almost noon when I finally reached the top.
For a while, I sat on a rock overlooking the enormous glacier.
Mist covered the ice and the surrounding mountains.
Then a strong wind swept through the valley and cleared the clouds.
I climbed down onto the glacier.
Its surface was incredibly uneven. It rose and fell like the waves of a stormy ocean, with deep cracks opening between the ridges of ice.
The glacier was nearly a mile wide, yet it took me almost two hours to cross it.
On the other side stood a bare, almost vertical mountain of rock.
Montanvert rose directly opposite me, while Mont Blanc towered above it with terrifying majesty.
I found a sheltered place among the rocks and sat there, staring at the incredible scene.
The glacier looked like a vast frozen river winding between the surrounding mountains.
Their icy peaks rose high into the sky, shining in the sunlight above the clouds.
For the first time in a long while, my heart felt almost happy.
I looked at the mountains and cried out,
“If the spirits of those I have lost are still wandering somewhere instead of resting in their graves, let me have this small moment of happiness.
Or take me away with you. Let me leave the joys and sufferings of this life behind.”
Suddenly, I saw something moving in the distance.
A man was coming toward me.
At first, I could hardly believe what I was seeing.
He was moving with incredible speed.
He leaped across the deep cracks in the glacier that I had crossed so carefully.
As he came closer, he seemed far larger than an ordinary human being.
Fear and confusion overwhelmed me.
My vision blurred, and I nearly fainted.
Then the cold mountain wind brought me back to my senses.
I looked again.
And then I recognized him.
It was the creature I had created.
The monster responsible for so much suffering.
Rage and horror filled me.
I decided to wait for him and fight him to the death.
As he approached, I could see the terrible expression on his face. There was deep pain in it, but also hatred and contempt.
His unnatural appearance was so horrible that I could barely stand to look at him.
I did not care.
My hatred was stronger than my fear.
“Devil!” I shouted. “How dare you come near me?
“Do you really think I will let you escape after everything you have done?
“Get away from me, you filthy creature!
“No—stay here! Let me destroy you with my own hands!
“If killing you could bring back the people you murdered, I would gladly tear you apart!”
The creature did not attack me.
“I knew you would welcome me like this,” he said.
“Everyone hates those who are miserable. So imagine how much they must hate me, when I am more miserable than any living creature.
“And yet you are my creator. You made me, and you should have some responsibility toward me.
“You want to kill me.
“But how can you create life and then treat it as if it means nothing?
“Do what you owe me, and I will do what I owe you and the rest of humanity.
“If you agree to my conditions, I will leave you and your loved ones alone.
“But if you refuse, I will continue killing until death itself is satisfied with the blood of everyone you still care about.”
“You disgusting monster!” I shouted.
“You think hell could punish you enough for what you have done?
“You blame me because I created you?
“Then come closer!
“Let me destroy the life I was foolish enough to give you!”
My anger exploded.
I rushed toward him, determined to kill him.
But he easily moved out of my reach.
“Calm yourself,” he said.
“Please hear me before you attack me.
“Have I not suffered enough already? Why do you want to make my life even worse?
“Life may be nothing but suffering for me, but it is still precious. I will fight to stay alive.
“Remember, you made me stronger than yourself.
“I am taller than you, and my body is more flexible.
“I could fight you, but I do not want to.
“You are my creator. If you treat me with the kindness a creator owes his creation, I will obey you.
“Oh, Frankenstein, you are willing to show justice and kindness to everyone except me.
“But I am the one person who deserves your compassion most.
“Remember that I am your creation.
“I should have been your Adam.
“Instead, you made me like a fallen angel, driven away from happiness even though I had done nothing wrong.
“Everywhere I look, I see happiness that I can never have.
“I was good once.
“I wanted to love and help others.
“But suffering turned me into a monster.
“Make me happy, and I will become good again.”
“Leave me!” I shouted.
“I will not listen to you.
“There can never be peace between us.
“We are enemies.
“Go away, or stay and fight me.
“One of us will die.”
“How can I make you understand?” he asked.
“Will nothing I say make you feel any compassion for the creature you brought into this world?
“Believe me, Frankenstein, I was not always evil.
“My heart was once full of love and kindness.
“But look at me now.
“I am completely alone.
“You, the person who created me, hate me.
“What hope do I have with other human beings, who never asked for me and feel no responsibility toward me?
“They hate me.
“They run from me.
“The mountains and glaciers are the only places where I can live without being hunted.
“I have wandered through these mountains for many days.
“The caves in the ice are my home.
“No human being wants them, so no one tries to drive me out.
“Even the cold sky seems kinder to me than your fellow humans.
“If people knew I existed, they would all join together to destroy me.
“So tell me, should I love those who hate me?
“No.
“I will treat my enemies as they have treated me.
“I am miserable, and I will make them miserable too.
“But you can stop this.
“You can give me what I need and save everyone else from the terrible future that I could bring upon them.
“If you show me compassion, I will listen to you.
“Please hear my story.
“After you know what happened to me, you can decide whether I deserve your sympathy or your hatred.
“Even human laws, cruel as they can be, allow an accused person to speak before being condemned.
“You accuse me of murder, yet you are ready to destroy the very creature you created without even hearing his defense.
“How fair is that?
“I am not asking you to forgive me.
“Just listen.
“Then, if you still believe I deserve to die, you may destroy the work of your own hands.”
“Why do you force me to remember all of this?” I replied.
“I cannot even think about my past without being horrified that I was the one who brought you into the world.
“Cursed be the day you first came to life!
“Cursed be the hands that created you—even if those hands were mine!
“You have destroyed my happiness.
“You have caused me more suffering than I can describe.
“I have no desire to decide whether I owe you justice or mercy.
“Go away!
“I cannot bear to look at you.”
The creature immediately covered his face with his hands.
“Then I will spare you the sight of me,” he said.
“I know how much you hate my appearance.
“But you can still hear me.
“And I ask you to listen.
“I once possessed kindness and goodness. I ask you to remember those qualities when you judge me.
“Hear my story.
“It is long and strange, and this cold place is not suitable for you.
“Come with me to the hut on the mountain.
“The sun is still high.
“Before it disappears behind the snowy peaks, I can tell you everything.
“Afterward, you can decide what you want me to do.
“If you show me compassion, I will leave humanity forever and live peacefully somewhere far away.
“But if you refuse me, I will become the enemy of mankind and bring about your destruction as quickly as I can.”
He turned and began walking across the glacier.
I followed him.
My mind was filled with conflicting emotions, and I said nothing.
As we walked, I thought carefully about everything he had said.
At last, I decided to hear his story.
Part of me was driven by curiosity.
Another part was beginning to feel compassion.
Until that moment, I had assumed that he was responsible for my brother’s murder.
I desperately wanted to know whether he would confirm my suspicion or prove me wrong.
For the first time, I also began to understand that creating a living being carried responsibilities.
Perhaps I had a duty to make him happy before I condemned him for becoming evil.
Those thoughts finally convinced me to accept his request.
We crossed the glacier together and climbed the rocky mountain on the other side.
The air was bitterly cold, and rain began falling again.
We entered a small hut.
The creature looked almost triumphant.
I felt only exhausted and miserable.
Still, I had agreed to listen.
I sat beside the fire he had built.
Then the creature began to tell me his story.