Frankenstein (Excerpt)-《弗兰肯斯坦》(节选)

第第页Frankenstein(Excerpt)|《弗兰肯斯坦》(节选)

II.CreatingtheMonster

ItwasadrearynightinNovemberwhenmyworkwasfinallyfinished.IlookeddownatthelifelesscreaturethatlayonthetablebeforemeandknewIwasreadytogivehimlife.Thecandlethatlitmylaboratorywasnearlyburnedout,butitgavemeenoughlighttotouchthecreaturewithmyinstruments.Thattouchcreatedthesparkthatbroughthimtolife!

Slowly,thedullyelloweyesofthecreatureopened.Ahard,raspy2breathliftedhishugechestatthesametimethathisgiganticarmsandlegsbegantojerkwithconvulsivemovements.

IstaredhardatthiscreatureIhadspenttwoyearsforming.Once,Ihadconsideredthisabeautifulpieceofworktheresultofmylifesdream,butnowitfilledmewithhorroranddisgust!

Hisyellowskinwasstretchedoverbonesandmuscles,barelycoveringthem.Hislong,blackhairfloweddownovertheshriveled3skinonhisgrotesque4faceandthickneck,andhispearlywhiteteethcontrastedwiththestraight,blacklipssurroundingthem.

WhathadIdone?...Icouldntbearlookingatthehorriblecreatureanotherminute,andIrushedoutofthelaboratoryanddowntomyapartment.

Throwingmyselfonmybed,stillwithmyclotheson,Ihopedthatsleepwoulderase5frommybraintheuglypictureIhadjustseen.

Sleepfinallycame,butitbroughtwilddreamsofdeathandElizabethandmymother.WhenIsuddenlyawokeinapanic,myteethwerechattering,andmyarmsandlegswereconvulsing6.

Thedimlightofthemoonshonethroughthewindowintomybedroom.Asmyeyesflewopen,themoonlightrevealedthehugefigureofthemonsterasheliftedupthecurtainsaroundmybed.Hestareddownatmewithahorriblegrin7thatforcedwrinklesinhischeeksandstretchedhisugly,blacklips.

Hisjawsmovedandhemutteredsomesoundsthathadnomeaning.Ashereachedouttotouchme,Ijumpedfrommybedandrushedoutthedoorofmyapartment.

Ifleddownthestairsandintothecourtyard.Ihidthere,weak,horrified,andbitterlydisillusioned,fortherestofthatdismal,rainynight.

III.FacetoFacewiththeMonster

“HowcanIappealtoyou,VictorFrankenstein?HowcanIconvinceyouthatI,too,havesuffered?Ihavebeenmiserableandalone,hatedandscornedbyallhumans,adultsandchildren,allbecauseofyou.”

“AndIhateandscornmyselfforhavingcreatedyou!”

“ThenyouhaveadutytohearwhatIhavetosay.Thenifyoustillwanttokillme,andifyoucan,thendoit.Justrememberitwasyouwhocreatedme.”

Idontknowifitwascuriosityorfearorevenpitythatmademeagreetolistentohim.Butwhateverthereason,IdecidedIwould.Iturnedtohimandnoddedmyhead.

Themonstersstorybegins...

Whenyoufirstbroughtmetolife,Iwasashelplessasanewbornbaby,exceptthatIcouldsee,smell,hear,feel,andtaste.Thesesensationsfrightenedme,soIcametoyourroom,asachildwouldcometoafather.Butyouranawayandleftme,andIdidntknowwhattodo.

Ifeltcold,soIcoveredmyselfwithyourcloak8andwentoutintothenight.BythetimeIreachedaforestoutsidethecity,Iwasverytiredandlaydownonthedampgroundnearabrook.Isleptforseveralhoursandawokehungryandthirsty.IdranksomewaterfromthebrookandateafewberriesIhadfoundontheground.

Ispentamonthinthatforestandwatchedthesunandmoonchanginginthesky.Igottoknowthepleasantsoundsthatbirdsmadeastheyflewovermyhead.Itriedmakingthosesoundsmyself,butIcouldnt.

AndIbegantoexploreoutsidetheforest,Idiscoveredafire,Ienjoyedthefeelingofwarmthandlightitgaveme,soIthrust9myhandintotheglowingcoals.Iquicklypulleditbackwithacryofpain,puzzledwhysomethingthatfeltgoodcouldalsogivepain.

Afterseveralhoursofwalking,Icametoavillage.Ienteredoneofthehouses,onlytohorrifyeveryonethere.Childrenranfrommescreamingandwomenfainted.Thescreamsalertedeveryoneinthevillageandpeoplebegancomingatmefromallsidesthrowingrocks,andshoutinghorriblethreats.IfledfromthevillageandranacrosstheopenfieldsuntilIhadlostmypursuers.

Manyhourslater,Icameuponawoodenshedthatwasattachedtoaneatcottage.Ididntdareenterthecottage,butIdidcrawlintotheshed.Iwasgratefultohaveaplacetosleep,onewhichwouldalsogivemeprotectionfromthesnowandrain...andfromattacksbypeople!Idecidedtomaketheshedmyhome.

Asthedayspassed,IlearnedthatthreepeoplenamedDeLaceylivedinthecottage:ayoungwomancalledAgatha,herbrotherFelix,andtheirold,blindfather.

Thefamilywasverypoor,andthetwoyoungpeopleworkedhardtofeedandcarefortheirbelovedfather,oftengoingwithoutfoodthemselvessothattheoldmancouldeat.Thekindnessandlovethesepeopleshowedeachothermovedmedeeply,andratherthanstealanymorefoodfromthem,Iwentoutatnightinsearchofberriesandnutsintheforest.Ialsoborrowedtheyoungmanstoolsatnightandcutwoodforthem.Ileftitattheirdoorasasurpriseandenjoyedtheirpleasureattheirgoodfortunewhentheyfounditthereeachmorning.

Iwasamazedtodiscoverthattheycouldbringfireintotheircottagetocooktheirfoodandlightuptheroom.Atnight,theyoungmanandwomanusedthisfireonacandletoreadtotheoldman.Thewordstheyreadwerelikethosetheyspoke,andtheyreadthemfromthingscalledbooks.

Asthedays,weeks,andmonthswentby,Itaughtmyselftospeakwords.IhopedthatonedayIwouldbeabletospeaktothemintheirwords.Perhapsthatwaytheywouldoverlookmyugliness...Oh,yes,IhadlearnedjusthowuglyIwaswhenIsawmyreflectioninthewaterinthepond.

Ononeofmytripsintotheforest,Ihadfoundasuitcasecontainingsomeclothingandseveralbooks.Iusedthosebookstoteachmyselftoread.Ispentthewinterandspringenjoyingmysimplelife.IwasproudoftheprogressIwasmakinginspeakingallthewordsthefamilyspokeandinreadingthemaswell.

ButwhatgoodwerewordswhenIhadnoonetospeakthemto?WouldIeverbeabletofacepeopleandnothavethemrunfrommyugliness?

Anothereventstrengthenedmybitterfeelingsagainstyou.WhenIfirstcametomyshed,IfoundyournotebookinthepocketofthecloakIhadtakenfromyourbedroomwhenIranfromthereyearsago.Atfirst,ithadnomeaningforme,butonceIcouldread,Ilearnedofyourworkandyourthoughtsbeforeyoubegancreatingmeandwhileyouweredoingit.

HowIcursethedayyougavemelife!HowIcurseyou!ButmybitternesswassoftenedwhenIthoughtofthekindlyDeLacys,who,Iwascertain,wouldbefriendmeandoverlookmyuglinesswhenItoldthemmystoryandwhentheycametoknowmeasagoodperson.

BythetimeIhadbeeninmyshedforayear,Istartedplanninghowtointroducemyselftothefamily.Onemorning,aftertheyoungpeoplehadleft,Isawmychance.Iwenttothefrontdoorandknocked.

WhenDeLaceycalled,“Comein,”Itookadeepbreathandopenedthedoor.Iintroducedmyselfasatravelerinneedofsomerest,andtheoldmanwelcomedme.Wespentseveralhourstalkingaboutmanythings.Itrulybelievedthattheoldmanhadbecomemyfriend,andIwasonmyknees,graspinghishandingratitudewhenthecottagedooropened.

Icantbegintodescribethehorroroftheyoungpeopleatseeingme.Agatharanoutandfainted.Felixlungedatmeand,withsuperhumanstrength,pulledmeawayfromhisfather.Ifelltothefloor,andFelixbeganbeatingmewithastick.Icouldhavetornhimapartwithmybarehands,butIdidnt.Ijustranfromthecottageindespair.

Iwasaloneintheworldagain,withnohumanbeingstotalkto.Myrageknewnolimits!Mybrainwantedonlyrevenge...againsttheworld...andrevengeagainstyou,mycreator!

IV.AConfessionofMurder

ItwasearlyeveningtwomonthslaterwhenIreachedthewoodsoutsideGeneva.IwastiredandhungryasIsatdownunderatree,tryingtodecidejusthowIwouldfindyouandconfrontyou.Ihadjustbeguntodozewhenabeautifulyoungchildcamerunningtowardme.Aglimmerofhopeflickered10inmyheart.Herewasaninnocentboywhoprobablyhadntlearnedtobehorrifiedatuglinesslikegrown-upswere.Perhapshecouldbecomemyfriend.

Ireachedoutandgrabbedtheboyasherunby.Assoonashesawme,hecoveredhiseyesandbegantoscream.Ipulledhishandsawayfromhisfaceandsaidgently,“Imnotgoingtohurtyou.”

“Letmego,youuglymonster!”hecried.“LetmegoorIllcallmyfather.Hesanimportantmanandhellpunishyou.HisnameisAlphonseFrankenstein.”

“Frankenstein!”Ishrieked.“Youbelongtomyenemy.NowIllhavemyrevenge.”

Thechildcontinuedtostruggleandscreamterriblewordsatme.Igrabbedhisthroattoquiethim,butthenextmomenthelaydeadatmyfeet.Irealizedthenthatthiswouldbringmiserytoyou,andIwasglad!

AsIgazeddownattheboy,Ispottedalocketaroundhisneck.Ipickedupandstaredatapictureofabeautifulwoman.Iknewthatawomanofsuchbeautywouldneverlookatme...andmyrageatyoureturnedoncemore.

Ileftthemurderspotthen,stillholdingthelocket,andwentontowardsGeneva.Isooncametoabarn,whereIfoundayoungwomanasleeponsomestraw.Foramoment,Iwasterrifiedthatshewouldwakenandseeme,andsurelybehorrifiedatmyuglinesstoo.Andlater,shecouldprobablyidentifymeastheboysmurderer.

EventhoughIhadnowayofknowingforcertainshewoulddothat,Idecidedtomakehersufferanyway.So,Iputthelocketinthepocketofherapron11,knowingthatwhenitwasfound,itwouldpointtoherasthemurderer.

Oncethatwasdone,Ihidandwaiteduntiltheboysbodywasdiscoveredandfollowedeveryoneintothecity.Later,Ilearnedthegirlhadbeenarrestedforthemurder.

ThenIbeganwanderingthroughGenevaandthroughthesemountains,waitingforthemomentwhenIwouldcomefacetofacewithyou.Andnow,atlast,thatmomentishere!

（TheEnd）

怪物的诞生

我从夏天开始工作，日夜不息，闭门不出，谁都不见。好多次我都厌恶自己一直干的事情，可又有很多次，我是那么渴望完成我的创造。数月过去了

11月一个阴沉的夜晚，我的研究最终完成。低头看着实验桌上躺着的那个毫无生命的物体，我知道我马上就要赋予他生命了。实验室里燃着的蜡烛眼看快熄了，借着微弱的光芒，我拿着器械碰了一下他，这轻轻的触碰点燃了他生命的火花！

他慢慢睁开眼睛，黄色的眼珠发出呆滞的目光。他巨人般的胳膊和腿痉挛似地抽搐着，巨大的胸腔开始起伏，发出一阵沉重刺耳的呼吸声。

我死死地凝视着这个我花费两年时间创造出的生物。一直以来，我都将它视为一项荣耀人生所追求的梦想，但现在心里只觉得恶心和吓人！

他皮肤发黄，下面的骨骼与肌肉隐隐若现；又黑又长的头发垂在皱巴巴的畸形脸上，耷拉在粗壮的脖子上；珍珠般洁白的牙齿与乌黑的嘴唇形成怪异的对比。

我做了什么？我无法再看这个可怕的怪物一眼，便冲出实验室，奔向楼下的房间。

我顾不得脱衣服，一下子瘫倒在床上，只希望一觉醒来，能彻底忘记刚才那丑陋的一幕。

我终于睡着了，但做了个噩梦，梦到母亲和伊丽莎白都死了。我从梦中惊醒，牙齿吓得打颤，四肢在不停抽搐。

黯淡的月光透过窗户洒到卧室里。我一睁开眼睛，看到月光下，那个怪物正用巨大的手指掀起我的床帘。他瞪着我，露出令人毛骨悚然的笑容脸上的皱纹堆挤，丑陋乌黑的双唇拉扯着。

他的下颌动了动，发出毫无意义的声音。他伸出手想摸我，我一下从床上跳起来冲出房间。

我逃到楼下院子里，藏在那儿。在这个凄凉雨夜，我虚弱无力，惊恐万分，幻想彻底破灭了。

狭路相逢

怪物不知所踪。半年后家中传来噩耗：弟弟威廉被谋杀，仆人贾斯汀被当作凶手处死。我心知这都是怪物所为，痛苦自责而离家远行。却在数月后，与怪物在野外相遇。

“维克多弗兰肯斯坦，我怎样求你才行？要怎样才能让你相信我受的苦？我痛苦不堪、孤苦伶仃，人们厌恶我、嘲笑我，大人小孩都是如此。这都是因为你。”

“我痛恨自己创造了你，无时无刻不在自责！”

“那么你有必要听听我要说的话。我说完后，你要还想杀我如果你可以的话那就杀吧。不过要记住是你创造了我。”

我不清楚是好奇还是害怕抑或是同情使我同意听他讲话。但不管究竟是什么原因，我决定听他讲下去。

怪物开始讲他自己的故事

最初你给了我生命，除了用五官去感觉之外，我就像初生婴儿般无助。我被自己的感觉吓坏了，于是去了你的房间，就像孩子去找父亲。但是你跑掉了，剩下我一人手足无措。

我觉得冷，就披上你的外衣冲进夜幕。我跑到城外一个森林里，累极了，就倒在溪边湿地上，睡了几个小时，醒来时又渴又饿。我喝了一点儿溪水，吃了些从地上找到的浆果。

在森林里，我花了一个月时间来观察天空日月变幻。我渐渐懂得鸟儿飞过头顶时欢快的鸣叫。我想学鸟叫，可是学不会。

我开始探索森林以外的地方，我发现了一处火源。我喜欢火的温暖和光明，于是把手伸进燃烧的木炭里：一声惨叫，我立刻抽出手来，不明白为什么感觉很好的东西也会带来痛苦。

经过数小时跋涉，我来到一个村庄。我走进一户人家，却吓坏了在场的所有人。孩子们尖叫着从我身边跑开，妇女们吓得昏厥过去。叫声惊动了村里每个人，人们从四面八方赶来朝我扔石头、大声凶狠地咒骂我。我从村里逃了出去，越过旷野，直到摆脱所有追捕者。

几个小时之后，我发现了一间小木棚，搭在一座小巧的农舍边。我没敢进农舍，但是爬进了木棚里。终于有个地方能睡觉，有个地方能为我遮挡雨雪避开人们的袭击，我乐坏了！决定把这儿当作自己的家。

日子一天天过去，我了解到住在农舍里的是德兰西一家：年轻的女孩阿加莎，她的哥哥费利克斯，和他们年迈失明的父亲。

他们家很穷，两个年轻人拼命干活来赡养照顾心爱的父亲，经常自己饿着肚子也要让父亲有饭吃。他们的善良与爱心深深打动了我，我不再偷他们家的东西吃，而是夜里到森林采集浆果、坚果作为食物。我还在深夜拿着费利克斯的工具为他们劈柴。我把柴火作为意外的礼物放在他们家门口，并且暗自分享他们每天早上发现时的喜悦。

我惊奇地看到他们把火源带回屋里做饭、照明。深夜，男孩和女孩点起一支蜡烛，为老人读东西。他们读的字跟说的话一样，他们把读的那个东西叫做书。

一天天，一周周，一月月就这样过去了，我自己学着说话。我希望有天能用他们的语言与他们交谈。也许这样他们就能忽略我的丑陋了噢，是的，当我从池塘里看到自己在水中的倒影，就已经知道自己有多丑了。

一次去森林闲逛的时候，我找到一个手提箱，里面有些衣服和几本书。我用这些书来识字。一个冬天和一个春天我都享受着这种简单的生活。我已经能认得这家人读说出的所有字了，为此感到非常骄傲。

但我找不到一个人和我说话，认得这些字又有什么用呢？我能否面对人们而不让他们因我的丑陋而逃走？

另一件事加深了我对你的仇恨。当我第一次来到木棚，找到了你的笔记本，就在你外衣口袋里数年前我从你卧室逃走时带走的。起先，它对我来说没任何意义。但一旦我识字了，我了解到你在创造我之前和创造我之时的工作和想法。

我诅咒你给了我生命的那天！我诅咒你！但一想起可爱的德兰西一家，我的心就软了下来。我肯定告诉他们我的故事以后，他们会友