# ■ 12

The judge was an old， kind man， but his face was very serious as he looked at me． He asked a number of men to tell me what they had seen and found the night before．

The first man told his story．He and his son were coming home from a long day's fishing．It was a dark night，and on the beach they had fallen over the dead body of a man．They had carried the body to the nearest house，and found that it was a good-looking young man about twenty－five years old．There were the marks of fingers round his neck．When they spoke of the marks of fingers，I remembered the murder of my brother and I felt a terrible fear．

The son then told his story．He had seen a boat with a man in it， not far from the beach． He thought it was my boat．A woman had also seen a man in a boat sailing away from the beach．She thought I was the man．

Then I was taken to the room where the dead body lay．How can I tell you what I felt when I saw the body？I put my arms round it and cried：‘What have I done？ My friend！My dear friend！’The body was Henry Clerval's，and so now I had destroyed another person．

This third death was too much for me．I fell down in a kind of madness，and they had to carry me from the room． For two months I was very ill and wished only to die．But slowly my madness left me，and my health began to return．At last I was able to speak to Judge Kerwin，and I asked for news of my family．

‘There is someone here who can answer your question better than I can，’he said．‘Your father arrived a few minutes ago，and is waiting to see you．’

For the first time since Henry's death I felt some happiness．I held out my hands to my father as he came into the room， and he took me in his arms． He gave me the good news that Elizabeth and Ernest were safe and well．

I was really too ill to travel，but I asked my father to take me home immediately．The police had found somebody who had seen me on my island at the time of the murder，and so the judge let me go free．

My father looked after me on the long journey home，and sat with me for every minute．Night after night while I was asleep，I shouted that I was the murderer of William，Justine，and Henry．My father asked me why I said these awful things．I wanted to answer his question，but I could not tell him my terrible secret．He thought that I was still a little mad．

We stayed for a few days in Paris on the way home， and Elizabeth wrote to me at our hotel．This is what her letter said：

My dearest Victor，

I am so happy to know that you will soon be home．But I am afraid that Henry's death is not the only reason for your sadness．Do you still want to marry me， or do you love an-other woman？ You must tell me．

I love you，Victor，and I dream of the day when I shall be your wife．But I do not want you to marry me just because your parents wanted it．I can only be happy if you are happy．

Do not answer this letter．Wait until you arrive before you give me your answer．But if you are well，and if I can make you smile，I need nothing more to make me happy．

With all my love，

Elizabeth

I replied immediately．I told her that I loved her very much and wanted to marry her．

I remembered the monster's promise to be with me on the night of my wedding．Let him come．We would fight to the death on that night． And after that fight，I would either be dead and at peace，or alive and free… free to be happy with Elizabeth．

We arrived in Geneva soon after my letter had reached Elizabeth．It was wonderful to see her again．She ran into my arms and I held her close．She cried when she saw how thin and old I looked．She， too， was thinner because she had worried about me so much．But her gentleness and her love made her as beautiful as ever．

We agreed that the wedding would be in ten days'time．As the day came nearer，I became more and more afraid．I tried to hide my fear，and laughed and smiled as often as I could．Elizabeth knew that I was unhappy， but she was sure she could give me happiness．She looked forward to our wedding．

I began to carry a gun and a knife with me everywhere I went．

■ 12

法官是個善良的老人，但他在看著我時表情非常嚴峻。他叫了好幾個人來告訴我他們在前一天晚上都看到了並發現了什麼。

第一個人講了他的故事。他和他的兒子釣了一天的魚後正往家裡走。那是個黑暗的夜晚，他們在海灘上被一具男屍絆倒了。他們把屍體扛到最近的一所房子，發現那是一個二十五歲左右的、面貌英俊的男人。他的脖子上有指痕。當他們說起指痕時，我想起了殺害我弟弟的凶手，於是便不寒而慄。

之後，那個兒子講起了他的故事。他曾在離海岸不遠的地方看到過上邊有一個男人的一隻船。他認為那是我的船。一個女人也曾看到有個男人駕著一隻船朝海里劃去。她認為我就是那個人。

然後我被帶到屍體停放的那個房間。我該怎麼形容我看到那具屍體時的感覺呢？我抱住屍體哭道：“我都幹了什麼啦？我的朋友！我親愛的朋友！”那是亨利·克勒沃的屍體，這樣我又毀了另一個人的生命。

這第三起死亡事件對我打擊太大了。我近乎瘋狂地倒在了地上，他們不得不把我從房間裡抬走。我大病了兩個月的時間，一心只想去死。但漸漸地我不再瘋狂，身體也開始恢復了。最後我可以同克文法官談話並問起我家人的情況。

“這兒有更好的人來回答你的問題。”他說道，“你父親幾分鐘前來了，正等著看你呢。”

自從亨利死後，我首次感到了些許的快樂。我父親走進屋時我朝他伸出了雙手，他把我摟進了懷裡。他告訴我一個好消息說伊麗莎白和歐內斯特均健康平安。

我病得實在是太重，路也走不動了，但我要我父親立刻把我帶回家去。警察已查到在謀殺發生時有人看見過我正在島上，這樣法官便釋放了我。

我父親在回家的漫長旅途中一直照顧著我，每時每刻都坐在我的身邊。一個個晚上，我在熟睡時都大聲說我是殺害威廉、賈斯汀和亨利的凶手。我父親問我為什麼說出這些可怕的話。我想要回答他的問題，但又不能告訴他我那可怕的祕密。他認為我的大腦仍有些不正常。

回家途中我們在巴黎逗留了幾天，伊麗莎白給我寫了封信寄到了旅店。信是這樣寫的：

我最親愛的維克多：

知道你很快就要回家了我非常高興。可是我擔心亨利的死並不是你傷心的唯一原因。你是仍然想要娶我，還是愛上了另外一個女人？你必須告訴我。

我愛你，維克多；我夢想著成為你的妻子的那一天。但是我不希望你只是因為你父母的意願而娶我。只有在你幸福時我才會幸福。

不要回信。等你回來再給我答覆。但是如果你身體健康或者我能讓你微笑的話，那麼我就再高興不過了。

愛你的，

伊麗莎白

我立刻回了信。我告訴她我非常愛她並想和她結婚。

我想起了怪物許過的要在我的新婚之夜同我在一起的諾言。就讓他來吧，我們可以在那天晚上拼死搏鬥。搏鬥之後，我要麼安祥地死去，要麼自由地活著……自由而幸福地同伊麗莎白呆在一起。

伊麗莎白收到我的信後不久我們便到了日內瓦。再見到她真是太美好了。她撲到我的懷裡，我緊緊地摟住了她。當她看到我又瘦削又顯老時哭了。她因為一直非常牽掛我也瘦了。但是她的溫柔和愛意使她永遠美麗。

我們商定十天後舉行婚禮。這一天越是臨近，我越是害怕。我竭力隱藏我的恐懼之感，儘量露出歡聲笑語。伊麗莎白知道我不高興，但她確信她可以給我幸福。她期盼著我們的婚禮。

我開始隨身攜帶著一把槍和一把刀子。