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whether I quit forever the neighbourhood of man and lead a harmless `
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life, or become the scourge of your fellow creatures and the author of `
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your own speedy ruin." `
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As he said this he led the way across the ice; I followed. My heart `
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was full, and I did not answer him, but as I proceeded, I weighed the `
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various arguments that he had used and determined at least to listen to `
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his tale. I was partly urged by curiosity, and compassion confirmed my `
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resolution. I had hitherto supposed him to be the murderer of my `
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brother, and I eagerly sought a confirmation or denial of this `
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opinion. For the first time, also, I felt what the duties of a creator `
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towards his creature were, and that I ought to render him happy before `
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I complained of his wickedness. These motives urged me to comply with `
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his demand. We crossed the ice, therefore, and ascended the opposite `
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rock. The air was cold, and the rain again began to descend; we `
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entered the hut, the fiend with an air of exultation, I with a heavy `
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heart and depressed spirits. But I consented to listen, and seating `
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myself by the fire which my odious companion had lighted, he thus began `
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his tale. `
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Chapter 11 `
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"It is with considerable difficulty that I remember the original era of `
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my being; all the events of that period appear confused and `
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indistinct. A strange multiplicity of sensations seized me, and I saw, `
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felt, heard, and smelt at the same time; and it was, indeed, a long `
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time before I learned to distinguish between the operations of my `
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various senses. By degrees, I remember, a stronger light pressed upon `
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my nerves, so that I was obliged to shut my eyes. Darkness then came `
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over me and troubled me, but hardly had I felt this when, by opening my `
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eyes, as I now suppose, the light poured in upon me again. I walked `
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and, I believe, descended, but I presently found a great alteration in `
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my sensations. Before, dark and opaque bodies had surrounded me, `
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impervious to my touch or sight; but I now found that I could wander on `
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at liberty, with no obstacles which I could not either surmount or `
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avoid. The light became more and more oppressive to me, and the heat `
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wearying me as I walked, I sought a place where I could receive shade. `
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This was the forest near Ingolstadt; and here I lay by the side of a `
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brook resting from my fatigue, until I felt tormented by hunger and `
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thirst. This roused me from my nearly dormant state, and I ate some `
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berries which I found hanging on the trees or lying on the ground. I `
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slaked my thirst at the brook, and then lying down, was overcome by `
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sleep. `
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"It was dark when I awoke; I felt cold also, and half frightened, as it `
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were, instinctively, finding myself so desolate. Before I had quitted `
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your apartment, on a sensation of cold, I had covered myself with some `
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clothes, but these were insufficient to secure me from the dews of `
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night. I was a poor, helpless, miserable wretch; I knew, and could `
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distinguish, nothing; but feeling pain invade me on all sides, I sat `
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down and wept. `
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`
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"Soon a gentle light stole over the heavens and gave me a sensation of `
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pleasure. I started up and beheld a radiant form rise from among the `
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trees. [The moon] I gazed with a kind of wonder. It moved slowly, `
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but it enlightened my path, and I again went out in search of berries. `
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I was still cold when under one of the trees I found a huge cloak, with `
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which I covered myself, and sat down upon the ground. No distinct `
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ideas occupied my mind; all was confused. I felt light, and hunger, `
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and thirst, and darkness; innumerable sounds rang in my ears, and on `
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all sides various scents saluted me; the only object that I could `
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distinguish was the bright moon, and I fixed my eyes on that with `
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pleasure. `
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"Several changes of day and night passed, and the orb of night had `
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greatly lessened, when I began to distinguish my sensations from each `
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other. I gradually saw plainly the clear stream that supplied me with `
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drink and the trees that shaded me with their foliage. I was delighted `
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when I first discovered that a pleasant sound, which often saluted my `
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ears, proceeded from the throats of the little winged animals who had `
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often intercepted the light from my eyes. I began also to observe, `
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with greater accuracy, the forms that surrounded me and to perceive the `
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boundaries of the radiant roof of light which canopied me. Sometimes I `
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tried to imitate the pleasant songs of the birds but was unable. `
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Sometimes I wished to express my sensations in my own mode, but the `
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uncouth and inarticulate sounds which broke from me frightened me into `
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silence again. `
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`
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"The moon had disappeared from the night, and again, with a lessened `
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form, showed itself, while I still remained in the forest. My `
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sensations had by this time become distinct, and my mind received every `
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day additional ideas. My eyes became accustomed to the light and to `
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perceive objects in their right forms; I distinguished the insect from `
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the herb, and by degrees, one herb from another. I found that the `
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sparrow uttered none but harsh notes, whilst those of the blackbird and `
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thrush were sweet and enticing. `
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`
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"One day, when I was oppressed by cold, I found a fire which had been `
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left by some wandering beggars, and was overcome with delight at the `
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warmth I experienced from it. In my joy I thrust my hand into the live `
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embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain. How strange, `
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I thought, that the same cause should produce such opposite effects! I `
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examined the materials of the fire, and to my joy found it to be `
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composed of wood. I quickly collected some branches, but they were wet `
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and would not burn. I was pained at this and sat still watching the `
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operation of the fire. The wet wood which I had placed near the heat `
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dried and itself became inflamed. I reflected on this, and by touching `
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the various branches, I discovered the cause and busied myself in `
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collecting a great quantity of wood, that I might dry it and have a `
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plentiful supply of fire. When night came on and brought sleep with `
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it, I was in the greatest fear lest my fire should be extinguished. I `
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covered it carefully with dry wood and leaves and placed wet branches `
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upon it; and then, spreading my cloak, I lay on the ground and sank `
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into sleep. `
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"It was morning when I awoke, and my first care was to visit the fire. `
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I uncovered it, and a gentle breeze quickly fanned it into a flame. I `
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observed this also and contrived a fan of branches, which roused the `
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embers when they were nearly extinguished. When night came again I `
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found, with pleasure, that the fire gave light as well as heat and that `
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the discovery of this element was useful to me in my food, for I found `
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some of the offals that the travellers had left had been roasted, and `
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tasted much more savoury than the berries I gathered from the trees. I `
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tried, therefore, to dress my food in the same manner, placing it on `
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the live embers. I found that the berries were spoiled by this `
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operation, and the nuts and roots much improved. `
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`
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"Food, however, became scarce, and I often spent the whole day `
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searching in vain for a few acorns to assuage the pangs of hunger. When `
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I found this, I resolved to quit the place that I had hitherto `
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inhabited, to seek for one where the few wants I experienced would be `
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more easily satisfied. In this emigration I exceedingly lamented the `
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loss of the fire which I had obtained through accident and knew not how `
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to reproduce it. I gave several hours to the serious consideration of `
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this difficulty, but I was obliged to relinquish all attempt to supply `
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it, and wrapping myself up in my cloak, I struck across the wood `
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towards the setting sun. I passed three days in these rambles and at `
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length discovered the open country. A great fall of snow had taken `
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place the night before, and the fields were of one uniform white; the `
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appearance was disconsolate, and I found my feet chilled by the cold `
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damp substance that covered the ground. `
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`
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"It was about seven in the morning, and I longed to obtain food and `
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shelter; at length I perceived a small hut, on a rising ground, which `
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had doubtless been built for the convenience of some shepherd. This `
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was a new sight to me, and I examined the structure with great `
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curiosity. Finding the door open, I entered. An old man sat in it, `
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near a fire, over which he was preparing his breakfast. He turned on `
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hearing a noise, and perceiving me, shrieked loudly, and quitting the `
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hut, ran across the fields with a speed of which his debilitated form `
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hardly appeared capable. His appearance, different from any I had ever `
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before seen, and his flight somewhat surprised me. But I was enchanted `
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by the appearance of the hut; here the snow and rain could not `
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penetrate; the ground was dry; and it presented to me then as exquisite `
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and divine a retreat as Pandemonium appeared to the demons of hell `
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after their sufferings in the lake of fire. I greedily devoured the `
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remnants of the shepherd's breakfast, which consisted of bread, cheese, `
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milk, and wine; the latter, however, I did not like. Then, overcome by `
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fatigue, I lay down among some straw and fell asleep. `
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`
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"It was noon when I awoke, and allured by the warmth of the sun, which `
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shone brightly on the white ground, I determined to recommence my `
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travels; and, depositing the remains of the peasant's breakfast in a `
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wallet I found, I proceeded across the fields for several hours, until `
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at sunset I arrived at a village. How miraculous did this appear! The `
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huts, the neater cottages, and stately houses engaged my admiration by `
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turns. The vegetables in the gardens, the milk and cheese that I saw `
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placed at the windows of some of the cottages, allured my appetite. One `
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of the best of these I entered, but I had hardly placed my foot within `
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the door before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted. `
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The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, `
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grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons, I `
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escaped to the open country and fearfully took refuge in a low hovel, `
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quite bare, and making a wretched appearance after the palaces I had `
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beheld in the village. This hovel however, joined a cottage of a neat `
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and pleasant appearance, but after my late dearly bought experience, I `
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dared not enter it. My place of refuge was constructed of wood, but so `
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low that I could with difficulty sit upright in it. No wood, however, `
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was placed on the earth, which formed the floor, but it was dry; and `
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although the wind entered it by innumerable chinks, I found it an `
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agreeable asylum from the snow and rain. `
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`
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"Here, then, I retreated and lay down happy to have found a shelter, `
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however miserable, from the inclemency of the season, and still more `
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from the barbarity of man. As soon as morning dawned I crept from my `
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kennel, that I might view the adjacent cottage and discover if I could `
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remain in the habitation I had found. It was situated against the back `
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of the cottage and surrounded on the sides which were exposed by a pig `
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sty and a clear pool of water. One part was open, and by that I had `
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crept in; but now I covered every crevice by which I might be perceived `
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with stones and wood, yet in such a manner that I might move them on `
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occasion to pass out; all the light I enjoyed came through the sty, and `
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that was sufficient for me. `
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`
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"Having thus arranged my dwelling and carpeted it with clean straw, I `
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retired, for I saw the figure of a man at a distance, and I remembered `
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too well my treatment the night before to trust myself in his power. I `
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had first, however, provided for my sustenance for that day by a loaf `
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of coarse bread, which I purloined, and a cup with which I could drink `
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more conveniently than from my hand of the pure water which flowed by `
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my retreat. The floor was a little raised, so that it was kept `
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perfectly dry, and by its vicinity to the chimney of the cottage it was `
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tolerably warm. `
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`
`
"Being thus provided, I resolved to reside in this hovel until `
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something should occur which might alter my determination. It was `
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indeed a paradise compared to the bleak forest, my former residence, `
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the rain-dropping branches, and dank earth. I ate my breakfast with `
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pleasure and was about to remove a plank to procure myself a little `
`
water when I heard a step, and looking through a small chink, I beheld `
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