Pagina 276 di 483

"Urged by this impulse, I seized on the boy as he passed and drew

him towards me. As soon as he beheld my form, he placed his hands

before his eyes and uttered a shrill scream; I drew his hand

forcibly from his face and said, 'Child, what is the meaning of

this? I do not intend to hurt you; listen to me.'

"He struggled violently. 'Let me go,' he cried; 'monster! Ugly

wretch! You wish to eat me and tear me to pieces. You are an

ogre. Let me go, or I will tell my papa.'

"'Boy, you will never see your father again; you must come with

me.'

"'Hideous monster! Let me go. My papa is a syndic-he is M.

Frankenstein-he will punish you. You dare not keep me.'

"'Frankenstein! you belong then to my enemy-to him towards whom I

have sworn eternal revenge; you shall be my first victim.'

"The child still struggled and loaded me with epithets which

carried despair to my heart; I grasped his throat to silence him,

and in a moment he lay dead at my feet.