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I，Captain Robert Walton，have added this final note to the story．When you have read it， you will know that Victor Frankenstein's story was true．

Victor Frankenstein died a few hours after he had written his last word．I was sad to see him die， because he had become a good friend．But he will not be unhappy or in pain any more，and I am happy for him

We laid his body in a cabin near my own．Later I heard a voice coming from the cabin．I went into the cabin and saw a huge shape standins over the dead body．I knew that the horrible creature which was standing there was Frankenstein's monster．

‘So I have killed you，too，’the monster said to Frankenstein's body．‘Oh， Frankenstein，forgive me．How I wish you could answer me．’

I went towards him，and said：‘It is too late for Frankenstein to forgive you．He is dead．His pain is ended．’

‘You do not know how much pain and unhappiness I have felt，’said the monster．‘I knew that I was doing evil things，but I could not stop myself．Do you think I enjoyed killing people？My heart was made for love，like a man's heart．After I killed Henry Clerval，I hated myself．But I could not stop myself from more murder．Frankenstein would not give me a wife， but he hoped to find happiness with a wife of his own．He was not fair to me．But now it is ended．Frankenstein is the last person I shall kill．

‘I have done all those evil things，but am I the only person who has done wrong？I wanted love and friendship．Think about Felix and his family，who hated me after I had given them love．Think about the man who shot me after I had saved his little girl from the river．But I know that I have done evil，and I hate myself more than you hate me．My own death is near．I shall leave this ship and go north，across the ice．I shall build a great fire，and lie down on it to die．I shall welcome the pain of the fire，because it will help me to forget the pain in my heart．I have felt more pain than Frankenstein．And when the fire has died down，I shall be at peace．’

The monster jumped from the cabin window as he said this．He got into the small boat in which he had reached the ship．The sea soon carried him away， and he was lost in the darkness．

■ 15

我，羅伯特·沃爾頓船長已給該故事加了如下記錄。讀過後，你就會知道維克多·弗蘭肯斯坦的故事是真實的。

維克多·弗蘭肯斯坦在寫完他最後一個字幾小時後便死去了。看到他死去我很傷心，因為他已經成了我的好朋友。然而，他將不再會有傷心和痛苦了，因此我為他而高興。

我們把他的屍體放在了我旁邊的船艙裡。後來我聽到了從船艙裡發出的響聲。我走進那個船艙，看見屍體旁站著一個巨大的身軀。我知道站在那兒的那個令人恐怖的傢伙就是弗蘭肯斯坦的那個怪物。

“這樣一來我把你也殺了。”怪物對著弗蘭肯斯坦的屍體說道，“噢，弗蘭肯斯坦，請原諒我。我多麼希望你能回答我。”

我走近他說道：“讓弗蘭肯斯坦原諒你已經太晚了。他已經死了，痛苦已經結束了。”

“你不知道我感受到了多少痛苦和悲傷。”怪物說，“我知道我做的事情是邪惡的，可是我阻止不了我自己。你認為我喜歡殺人嗎？我的心是為愛而造的，如同一般人的一樣。在我殺死亨利·克勒沃後，我恨我自己，但是我阻止不了自己去殺更多的人。弗蘭肯斯坦不肯給我一個妻子，他卻想著給自己找個妻子並從那兒找到幸福。他對我不公平。但現在這件事情已經結束了。弗蘭肯斯坦將是我殺死的最後一個人。”

“我已經做了那麼多邪惡的事情，但難道只是我一個人的錯嗎？我需要愛和友誼。想一想菲力克斯和他的家人：我給了他們愛而他們卻恨我。想一想那個男人：我從河裡救了他女兒而他卻朝我開槍。然而我知道我做了邪惡的事，我因而比你們還要恨我自己。我的死期已經不遠了。我將離開輪船越過冰面往北去。我要生一堆大火，然後躺在上面死去。我將歡迎烈火所帶來的痛苦，因為它會幫我忘記內心的痛苦。我已經比弗蘭肯斯坦忍受了更多的痛苦。在烈火熄滅之時，我也會安寧了。”

怪物邊說這些話邊從船艙的窗戶跳了出去。他上了他曾用來爬上輪船的那隻小船。海水很快把他帶走，他消失在了黑暗之中。