February 18, 2024 • 18 mins
Letter IV of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, read by Anna Butterworth
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(00:00):
Letter four August fifth, seventeen tomissus Seville, England. So strange an
accident has happened to us that Icannot forbear recording it, although it is
very probable that you will see mebefore these papers can come into your possession.
Last Monday, July thirty first,we were nearly surrounded by ice,
(00:24):
which closed in the ship on allsides, scarcely leaving her the sea room
in which she floated. Our situationwas somewhat dangerous, especially as we were
compassed round by a very thick fog. We accordingly lay to hoping that some
change would take place in the atmosphereand weather. About two o'clock the mist
(00:46):
cleared away, and we beheld stretchedout in every direction vast and irregular plains
of ice, which seemed to haveno end. Some of my comrades groaned,
and my own mind began to growwatchful with anxious thoughts. When a
strange sight suddenly attracted our attention anddiverted our solicitude from our own situation.
(01:08):
We perceived a low carriage fixed ona sledge and drawn by dogs, passed
on towards the north at the distanceof half a mile, a being which
had the shape of a man butapparently a gigantic stature, sat in the
sledge and guided the dogs. Wewatched the rapid progress of the traveler with
(01:29):
our telescopes until he was lost amongthe distant inequalities of the ice. This
appearance excited our unqualified wonder We were, as we believed, many hundred miles
from any land, but this apparitionseemed to denote that it was not in
reality so distant as we had supposed. Shut in, however, by ice,
(01:52):
it was impossible to follow his track, which we had observed with the
greatest attention. About two hours afterthis occurrence we heard the ground sea,
and before night the ice broke andfreed our ship. We, however,
lay to until the morning, fearingto encounter in the dark those large loose
(02:14):
masses which float about after the breakingup of the ice. I profited of
this time to rest for a fewhours. In the morning, however,
as soon as it was light Iwent upon deck and found all the sailors
busy on one side of the vessel, apparently talking to someone in the sea.
It was, in fact a sledgelike that we had seen before,
(02:36):
which had drifted towards us in thenight, on a large fragment of ice.
Only one dog remained alive, butthere was a human being within it
whom the sailors were persuading to enterthe vessel. He was not, as
the other traveler seemed to be,a savage inhabitant of some undiscovered island,
but an European. When I appearedon deck, the master said, is
(03:00):
our captain, and he will notallow you to perish on the open sea.
On perceiving me, the stranger addressedme in English, although with a
foreign accent, before I come onboard your vessel, said he will you
have the kindness to inform me whitheryou are bound. You may conceive my
(03:20):
astonishment on hearing such a question addressedto me from a man on the brink
of destruction, and to whom Ishould have supposed that my vessel would have
been a resource which he would nothave exchanged for the most precious wealth the
earth can afford. I replied,however, that we were on a voyage
of discovery towards the Northern Pole.Upon hearing this, he appeared satisfied and
(03:45):
consented to come on board. GoodGod, Margaret, if you had seen
the man who thus capitulated for hissafety, your surprise would have been boundless.
His limbs were nearly frozen, andhis body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and
suffering. I never saw a manin so wretched a condition. We attempted
(04:06):
to carry him into the cabin,but as soon as he had quitted the
fresh air, he fainted. Weaccordingly brought him back to the deck and
restored him to animation by rubbing himwith brandy and forcing him to swallow a
small quantity. As soon as heshowed signs of life, we wrapped him
up in blankets and placed him nearthe chimney of the kitchen stove. By
(04:29):
slow degrees. He recovered and atea little soup, which restored him wonderfully.
Two days passed in this manner beforehe was able to speak, and
I often fear that his sufferings haddeprived him of understanding. When he had,
in some measure recovered, I removedhim to my own cabin and attended
on him as much as my dutywould permit. I never saw a more
(04:53):
interesting creature. His eyes have generallyan expression of wildness and even madness,
But there are moments when if anyone performs an act of kindness towards him,
or does him any of the mosttrifling service, his whole countenance is
lighted up, as it were,with a beam of benevolence and sweetness that
(05:14):
I never saw equaled. But heis generally melancholy and despairing, and sometimes
he gnashes his teeth, as ifimpatient of the weight of woes that oppresses
him. When my guess was alittle recovered, I had great trouble to
keep off the men who wished toask him a thousand questions. But I
would not allow him to be tormentedby their idle curiosity in a state of
(05:39):
body and mind whose restoration evidently dependedupon entire repose. Once, however,
the Lieutenant asked why he had comeso far upon the ice in so strange
a vehicle. His countenance instantly assumedan aspect of the deepest gloom, and
he replied, to seek one whofled from me? And did the man
(06:02):
whom you pursued travel in the samefashion? Yes, then I fancy we
have seen him. For the daybefore we pitched you up, we saw
some dogs drawing a sledge with aman in it across the ice. This
aroused the stranger's attention, and heasked a multitude of questions concerning the route
(06:25):
which the daemon, as he calledhim, had pursued. Soon after,
when he was alone with me,he said, I have doubtless excited your
curiosity, as well as that ofthese good people, But you are too
considerate to make inquiries. Certainly,it would indeed be very impertinent and inhuman
(06:48):
in me to trouble you with anyinquisitiveness of mine. And yet you rescued
me from a strange and perilous situation. You have been devolently restored me to
life. Soon after this, heinquired if I thought that the breaking up
of the ice had destroyed the othersledge. I replied that I could not
(07:11):
answer with any degree of certainty,for the ice had not broken until near
midnight, and the traveler might havearrived at a place of safety before that
time. But of this I couldnot judge. From this time, a
new spirit of life animated the decayingframe of the stranger. He manifested the
greatest eagerness to be upon deck towatch for the sledge which had before appeared,
(07:35):
But I persuaded him to remain inthe cabin, for he is far
too weak to sustain the rawness ofthe atmosphere. I have promised that some
one should watch for him and givehim instant notice if any new object should
appear in sight. Such is myjournal of what relates to this strange occurrence
(07:55):
up to the present day. TheStranger has gradually improved in health, but
is very silent and appears uneasy whenany one except myself enters his cabin.
Yet his manners are so conciliating andgentle that the sailors are all interested in
him, although they have had verylittle communication with him. For my own
(08:16):
part, I begin to love himas a brother, and his constant and
deep grief fills me with sympathy andcompassion. He must have been a noble
creature in his better days, beingeven now in wreck so attractive and amiable.
I said in one of my lettersmy dear Margaret, that I should
(08:37):
find no friend on the wide ocean. Yet I have found a man who,
before his spirit had been broken bymisery, I should have been happy
to have possessed as the brother ofmy heart. I shall continue my journal
concerning the Stranger at intervals, shouldI have any fresh incidents to record.
August thirteenth, seventeen. My affectionfor my guest increases every day. He
(09:03):
excites at once my admiration and mypity to an astonishing degree. How can
I see so noble a creature destroyedby misery without feeling the most poignant grief.
He is so gentle, yet sowise. His mind is so cultivated,
And when he speaks, although hiswords are cold with the choicest art,
(09:26):
yet they flow with rapidity and unparalleledeloquence. He is now much recovered
from his illness, and is continuallyon the deck, apparently watching for the
sledge that preceded his own. Yet, although unhappy, he is not so
utterly occupied by his own misery,but that he interests himself deeply in the
projects of others. He is frequentlyconversed with me on mine, which I
(09:50):
have communicated to him without disguise.He entered attentively into all my arguments in
favor of my eventual success, andinto every minute detail of the measures I
had taken to secure it. Iwas easily led by the sympathy which he
convinced to use the language of myheart to give utterance to the burning ardor
(10:11):
of my soul, and to say, with all the fervor that warmed me,
how gladly I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my every hope,
to the furtherance of my enterprise.One man's life or death were but
a small price to pay for theacquirement of the knowledge which I sought for
the dominion I should acquire and transmitover the elemental foes of our race.
(10:37):
As I spoke, a dark gloomspread over my listener's countenance. At first
I perceived that he tried to suppresshis emotion. He placed his hands before
his eyes, and my voice quiveredand failed me. As I beheld tears
trickle fast from between his fingers,a groan burst from his heaving breast,
(10:58):
I paused at length. He spoke, in broken accents, unhappy man,
do you share my madness? Haveyou drank also of the intoxicating draft?
Hear me? Let me reveal mytale, and you will dash the cup
from your lips. Such words,you may imagine, strongly excited my curiosity.
(11:24):
But the paroxysm of grief that hadseized the stranger overcame his weakened powers,
and many hours of repose and tranquilconversation were necessary to restore his composure.
Having conquered the violence of his feelings, he appeared to despise himself for
being the slave of passion and quellingthe dark tyranny of despair. He led
(11:48):
me again to converse concerning myself personally. He asked me the history of my
earlier years. The tale was quicklytold, but it awakened various trains of
reflection. I spoke of my desireof finding a friend, of my thirst
for a more intimate sympathy with afellow mind than had ever fallen to my
lot, and expressed my conviction thata man could boast of little happiness?
(12:13):
Who do not enjoy this blessing?I agree with you, replied the stranger.
We are unfashioned creatures, but halfmade up. If one visor better
dear than ourselves, such a friendought to be, do not lend his
aid to perfectionate our weak and faultynatures. I once had a friend,
(12:37):
the most noble of human creatures,and am entitled therefore to judge respecting friendship.
You have hope and the world beforeyou, and have no cause for
despair. But I I have losteverything and cannot begin life anew. As
(12:58):
he said this, his countenance becameexpressive of a calm, settled grief that
touched me to the heart. Buthe was silent and presently retired to his
cabin. Even broken in spirit ashe is, no one can feel more
deeply than he does. The beautiesof nature, the starry sky, the
(13:18):
sea, and every sight afforded bythese wonderful regions, seems still to have
the power of elevating his soul fromearth. Such a man has a double
existence. He may suffer misery andbe overwhelmed by disappointments, Yet when he
has retired into himself, he willbe like a celestial spirit that has a
(13:43):
halo around him, within whose circleno grief or folly ventures. Will you
smile at the enthusiasm I express concerningthis divine wander, you would not if
you saw him. You have beentutored and refined by books and retireronment from
the world, and you are thereforesomewhat fastidious. But this only renders you
(14:05):
the more fit to appreciate the extraordinarymerits of this wonderful man. Sometimes I've
endeavored to discover what quality it iswhich he possesses that elevates him so immeasurably
above any other person I ever knew. I believe it to be an intuitive
discernment, a quick but never failingpower of judgment, a penetration into the
(14:28):
causes of things unequaled for clearness andprecision. Add to this a facility of
expression, and a voice whose variedintonations are soul subduing music. August nineteenth,
seventeen. Yesterday the stranger said tome, you may easily perceive,
(14:50):
Captain Valton, that I have sufferedgreat and unparalleled misfortunes. I had determined
at one time that them, thememory of these evils, should die with
me, But you have won meto alter my determination. You seek for
knowledge and wisdom as I once did, and I ardently hope that the gratification
(15:13):
of your wishes may not be asserpent to sting you as mine has been.
I do not know that the relationof my disasters will be useful to
you. Yet when I reflect thatyou are pursuing the same course, exposing
yourself to the same dangers which haverendered me what I am, I imagine
(15:35):
that you may deduce an apt moralfrom my tale, one that may direct
you if you succeed in your undertaking, and console you in case of failure.
Prepare to hear of occurrences which areusually deemed marvelous. For me among
the tamer scenes of nature, Imight fear to encounter your unbelief, perhaps
(15:58):
your ridicule. But many things willappear possible in these wild and mysterious regions,
which would provoke the laughter of thoseunacquainted with the ever varied powers of
nature. Nor can I doubt thatthat my tale conveys in its series eternal
evidence of the truth of the eventsof which it is composed. You may
(16:22):
easily imagine that I was much gratifiedby the offered communication. Yet I could
not endure that he should renew hisgrief by recital of his misfortunes. I
felt the greatest eagerness to hear thepromised narrative, partly from curiosity and partly
from a strong desire to ameliorate hisfate if it were in my power.
(16:45):
I express these feelings in my answer. I thank you, he replied,
for your sympathy, but it isuseless. My fate is nearly fulfilled.
I've ate but for one event,and then I shall repose in peace.
I understand your feeling, continued he, perceiving that I wish to interrupt him.
(17:10):
But you are mistaken, my friend. If thus you will allow me
to name you, nothing can altermy destiny. Listen to my history,
and you will perceive how irrevocably itis determined. He then told me that
he would commence his narrative the nextday, when I should be at leisure.
(17:32):
This promise drew from me the warmestthanks. I have resolved every night,
when I am not imperatively occupied bymy duties, to record as nearly
as possible in his own words,what he has related during the day.
If I should be engaged, Iwill at least make notes. This manuscript
(17:52):
will doubtless afford you the greatest pleasure. But to me, who know him
and who hear it from his ownlips, with what interest and sympathy shall
I read it? In some futureday? Even now, as I commence
my task, his full toned voiceswells in my ears. His lustrous eyes
dwell on me with all their melancholysweetness. I see his thin hand raised
(18:18):
in animation, while the lineaments ofhis face are irradiated by the soul within
Strange and harrowing must be his story. Frightful the storm which embraced the gallant
vessel on its course and wrecked itthus
Letter four August fifth, seventeen tomissus Seville, England. So strange an
accident has happened to us that Icannot forbear recording it, although it is
very probable that you will see mebefore these papers can come into your possession.
Last Monday, July thirty first,we were nearly surrounded by ice,
(00:24):
which closed in the ship on allsides, scarcely leaving her the sea room
in which she floated. Our situationwas somewhat dangerous, especially as we were
compassed round by a very thick fog. We accordingly lay to hoping that some
change would take place in the atmosphereand weather. About two o'clock the mist
(00:46):
cleared away, and we beheld stretchedout in every direction vast and irregular plains
of ice, which seemed to haveno end. Some of my comrades groaned,
and my own mind began to growwatchful with anxious thoughts. When a
strange sight suddenly attracted our attention anddiverted our solicitude from our own situation.
(01:08):
We perceived a low carriage fixed ona sledge and drawn by dogs, passed
on towards the north at the distanceof half a mile, a being which
had the shape of a man butapparently a gigantic stature, sat in the
sledge and guided the dogs. Wewatched the rapid progress of the traveler with
(01:29):
our telescopes until he was lost amongthe distant inequalities of the ice. This
appearance excited our unqualified wonder We were, as we believed, many hundred miles
from any land, but this apparitionseemed to denote that it was not in
reality so distant as we had supposed. Shut in, however, by ice,
(01:52):
it was impossible to follow his track, which we had observed with the
greatest attention. About two hours afterthis occurrence we heard the ground sea,
and before night the ice broke andfreed our ship. We, however,
lay to until the morning, fearingto encounter in the dark those large loose
(02:14):
masses which float about after the breakingup of the ice. I profited of
this time to rest for a fewhours. In the morning, however,
as soon as it was light Iwent upon deck and found all the sailors
busy on one side of the vessel, apparently talking to someone in the sea.
It was, in fact a sledgelike that we had seen before,
(02:36):
which had drifted towards us in thenight, on a large fragment of ice.
Only one dog remained alive, butthere was a human being within it
whom the sailors were persuading to enterthe vessel. He was not, as
the other traveler seemed to be,a savage inhabitant of some undiscovered island,
but an European. When I appearedon deck, the master said, is
(03:00):
our captain, and he will notallow you to perish on the open sea.
On perceiving me, the stranger addressedme in English, although with a
foreign accent, before I come onboard your vessel, said he will you
have the kindness to inform me whitheryou are bound. You may conceive my
(03:20):
astonishment on hearing such a question addressedto me from a man on the brink
of destruction, and to whom Ishould have supposed that my vessel would have
been a resource which he would nothave exchanged for the most precious wealth the
earth can afford. I replied,however, that we were on a voyage
of discovery towards the Northern Pole.Upon hearing this, he appeared satisfied and
(03:45):
consented to come on board. GoodGod, Margaret, if you had seen
the man who thus capitulated for hissafety, your surprise would have been boundless.
His limbs were nearly frozen, andhis body dreadfully emaciated by fatigue and
suffering. I never saw a manin so wretched a condition. We attempted
(04:06):
to carry him into the cabin,but as soon as he had quitted the
fresh air, he fainted. Weaccordingly brought him back to the deck and
restored him to animation by rubbing himwith brandy and forcing him to swallow a
small quantity. As soon as heshowed signs of life, we wrapped him
up in blankets and placed him nearthe chimney of the kitchen stove. By
(04:29):
slow degrees. He recovered and atea little soup, which restored him wonderfully.
Two days passed in this manner beforehe was able to speak, and
I often fear that his sufferings haddeprived him of understanding. When he had,
in some measure recovered, I removedhim to my own cabin and attended
on him as much as my dutywould permit. I never saw a more
(04:53):
interesting creature. His eyes have generallyan expression of wildness and even madness,
But there are moments when if anyone performs an act of kindness towards him,
or does him any of the mosttrifling service, his whole countenance is
lighted up, as it were,with a beam of benevolence and sweetness that
(05:14):
I never saw equaled. But heis generally melancholy and despairing, and sometimes
he gnashes his teeth, as ifimpatient of the weight of woes that oppresses
him. When my guess was alittle recovered, I had great trouble to
keep off the men who wished toask him a thousand questions. But I
would not allow him to be tormentedby their idle curiosity in a state of
(05:39):
body and mind whose restoration evidently dependedupon entire repose. Once, however,
the Lieutenant asked why he had comeso far upon the ice in so strange
a vehicle. His countenance instantly assumedan aspect of the deepest gloom, and
he replied, to seek one whofled from me? And did the man
(06:02):
whom you pursued travel in the samefashion? Yes, then I fancy we
have seen him. For the daybefore we pitched you up, we saw
some dogs drawing a sledge with aman in it across the ice. This
aroused the stranger's attention, and heasked a multitude of questions concerning the route
(06:25):
which the daemon, as he calledhim, had pursued. Soon after,
when he was alone with me,he said, I have doubtless excited your
curiosity, as well as that ofthese good people, But you are too
considerate to make inquiries. Certainly,it would indeed be very impertinent and inhuman
(06:48):
in me to trouble you with anyinquisitiveness of mine. And yet you rescued
me from a strange and perilous situation. You have been devolently restored me to
life. Soon after this, heinquired if I thought that the breaking up
of the ice had destroyed the othersledge. I replied that I could not
(07:11):
answer with any degree of certainty,for the ice had not broken until near
midnight, and the traveler might havearrived at a place of safety before that
time. But of this I couldnot judge. From this time, a
new spirit of life animated the decayingframe of the stranger. He manifested the
greatest eagerness to be upon deck towatch for the sledge which had before appeared,
(07:35):
But I persuaded him to remain inthe cabin, for he is far
too weak to sustain the rawness ofthe atmosphere. I have promised that some
one should watch for him and givehim instant notice if any new object should
appear in sight. Such is myjournal of what relates to this strange occurrence
(07:55):
up to the present day. TheStranger has gradually improved in health, but
is very silent and appears uneasy whenany one except myself enters his cabin.
Yet his manners are so conciliating andgentle that the sailors are all interested in
him, although they have had verylittle communication with him. For my own
(08:16):
part, I begin to love himas a brother, and his constant and
deep grief fills me with sympathy andcompassion. He must have been a noble
creature in his better days, beingeven now in wreck so attractive and amiable.
I said in one of my lettersmy dear Margaret, that I should
(08:37):
find no friend on the wide ocean. Yet I have found a man who,
before his spirit had been broken bymisery, I should have been happy
to have possessed as the brother ofmy heart. I shall continue my journal
concerning the Stranger at intervals, shouldI have any fresh incidents to record.
August thirteenth, seventeen. My affectionfor my guest increases every day. He
(09:03):
excites at once my admiration and mypity to an astonishing degree. How can
I see so noble a creature destroyedby misery without feeling the most poignant grief.
He is so gentle, yet sowise. His mind is so cultivated,
And when he speaks, although hiswords are cold with the choicest art,
(09:26):
yet they flow with rapidity and unparalleledeloquence. He is now much recovered
from his illness, and is continuallyon the deck, apparently watching for the
sledge that preceded his own. Yet, although unhappy, he is not so
utterly occupied by his own misery,but that he interests himself deeply in the
projects of others. He is frequentlyconversed with me on mine, which I
(09:50):
have communicated to him without disguise.He entered attentively into all my arguments in
favor of my eventual success, andinto every minute detail of the measures I
had taken to secure it. Iwas easily led by the sympathy which he
convinced to use the language of myheart to give utterance to the burning ardor
(10:11):
of my soul, and to say, with all the fervor that warmed me,
how gladly I would sacrifice my fortune, my existence, my every hope,
to the furtherance of my enterprise.One man's life or death were but
a small price to pay for theacquirement of the knowledge which I sought for
the dominion I should acquire and transmitover the elemental foes of our race.
(10:37):
As I spoke, a dark gloomspread over my listener's countenance. At first
I perceived that he tried to suppresshis emotion. He placed his hands before
his eyes, and my voice quiveredand failed me. As I beheld tears
trickle fast from between his fingers,a groan burst from his heaving breast,
(10:58):
I paused at length. He spoke, in broken accents, unhappy man,
do you share my madness? Haveyou drank also of the intoxicating draft?
Hear me? Let me reveal mytale, and you will dash the cup
from your lips. Such words,you may imagine, strongly excited my curiosity.
(11:24):
But the paroxysm of grief that hadseized the stranger overcame his weakened powers,
and many hours of repose and tranquilconversation were necessary to restore his composure.
Having conquered the violence of his feelings, he appeared to despise himself for
being the slave of passion and quellingthe dark tyranny of despair. He led
(11:48):
me again to converse concerning myself personally. He asked me the history of my
earlier years. The tale was quicklytold, but it awakened various trains of
reflection. I spoke of my desireof finding a friend, of my thirst
for a more intimate sympathy with afellow mind than had ever fallen to my
lot, and expressed my conviction thata man could boast of little happiness?
(12:13):
Who do not enjoy this blessing?I agree with you, replied the stranger.
We are unfashioned creatures, but halfmade up. If one visor better
dear than ourselves, such a friendought to be, do not lend his
aid to perfectionate our weak and faultynatures. I once had a friend,
(12:37):
the most noble of human creatures,and am entitled therefore to judge respecting friendship.
You have hope and the world beforeyou, and have no cause for
despair. But I I have losteverything and cannot begin life anew. As
(12:58):
he said this, his countenance becameexpressive of a calm, settled grief that
touched me to the heart. Buthe was silent and presently retired to his
cabin. Even broken in spirit ashe is, no one can feel more
deeply than he does. The beautiesof nature, the starry sky, the
(13:18):
sea, and every sight afforded bythese wonderful regions, seems still to have
the power of elevating his soul fromearth. Such a man has a double
existence. He may suffer misery andbe overwhelmed by disappointments, Yet when he
has retired into himself, he willbe like a celestial spirit that has a
(13:43):
halo around him, within whose circleno grief or folly ventures. Will you
smile at the enthusiasm I express concerningthis divine wander, you would not if
you saw him. You have beentutored and refined by books and retireronment from
the world, and you are thereforesomewhat fastidious. But this only renders you
(14:05):
the more fit to appreciate the extraordinarymerits of this wonderful man. Sometimes I've
endeavored to discover what quality it iswhich he possesses that elevates him so immeasurably
above any other person I ever knew. I believe it to be an intuitive
discernment, a quick but never failingpower of judgment, a penetration into the
(14:28):
causes of things unequaled for clearness andprecision. Add to this a facility of
expression, and a voice whose variedintonations are soul subduing music. August nineteenth,
seventeen. Yesterday the stranger said tome, you may easily perceive,
(14:50):
Captain Valton, that I have sufferedgreat and unparalleled misfortunes. I had determined
at one time that them, thememory of these evils, should die with
me, But you have won meto alter my determination. You seek for
knowledge and wisdom as I once did, and I ardently hope that the gratification
(15:13):
of your wishes may not be asserpent to sting you as mine has been.
I do not know that the relationof my disasters will be useful to
you. Yet when I reflect thatyou are pursuing the same course, exposing
yourself to the same dangers which haverendered me what I am, I imagine
(15:35):
that you may deduce an apt moralfrom my tale, one that may direct
you if you succeed in your undertaking, and console you in case of failure.
Prepare to hear of occurrences which areusually deemed marvelous. For me among
the tamer scenes of nature, Imight fear to encounter your unbelief, perhaps
(15:58):
your ridicule. But many things willappear possible in these wild and mysterious regions,
which would provoke the laughter of thoseunacquainted with the ever varied powers of
nature. Nor can I doubt thatthat my tale conveys in its series eternal
evidence of the truth of the eventsof which it is composed. You may
(16:22):
easily imagine that I was much gratifiedby the offered communication. Yet I could
not endure that he should renew hisgrief by recital of his misfortunes. I
felt the greatest eagerness to hear thepromised narrative, partly from curiosity and partly
from a strong desire to ameliorate hisfate if it were in my power.
(16:45):
I express these feelings in my answer. I thank you, he replied,
for your sympathy, but it isuseless. My fate is nearly fulfilled.
I've ate but for one event,and then I shall repose in peace.
I understand your feeling, continued he, perceiving that I wish to interrupt him.
(17:10):
But you are mistaken, my friend. If thus you will allow me
to name you, nothing can altermy destiny. Listen to my history,
and you will perceive how irrevocably itis determined. He then told me that
he would commence his narrative the nextday, when I should be at leisure.
(17:32):
This promise drew from me the warmestthanks. I have resolved every night,
when I am not imperatively occupied bymy duties, to record as nearly
as possible in his own words,what he has related during the day.
If I should be engaged, Iwill at least make notes. This manuscript
(17:52):
will doubtless afford you the greatest pleasure. But to me, who know him
and who hear it from his ownlips, with what interest and sympathy shall
I read it? In some futureday? Even now, as I commence
my task, his full toned voiceswells in my ears. His lustrous eyes
dwell on me with all their melancholysweetness. I see his thin hand raised
(18:18):
in animation, while the lineaments ofhis face are irradiated by the soul within
Strange and harrowing must be his story. Frightful the storm which embraced the gallant
vessel on its course and wrecked itthus
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