Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1883-08-18
CHAPTER ".

II was on dreary night OF No
vember that beheld the accom-
plishment of my tolls. With an
anxiety that almost amounted to
agony, | collected the instruments
of life around me, that | might in
fuse spark of being into the life
less thing that lay at my feet. 1t
was already one in the morning /;
the rain pattered dismally against
the panes, and my candle was
nearly burnt out, when, by the
glimmer Of the half-extinguished
light, [ saw the dull yellow eye of
the creature open it breathed hard
and cOnvulsive motion agitated
its limbs.
How can describe my emotions
at this catastrophe, or how delineate
the wretch whom, with such infin-
ite pains and care, / had endeavOred
to form? His limbs were i'm pro-
portion, and | had selected his feat
ures as beautiful. Beautiful ! Great
God! His yellow skin scarcely
covered the work of muscles and
arteries beneath; his hair was of a
lustrous black, and flowing; his
teeth of pearly whiteness; but these
luXuriances only formed more
horrid contrast with his Watery
eyes, that seemed almost of the
same color as the dun-white sockets
in which they were set, his shriv-
eled complexion, and straight black
lips.
The different accidents of life are
not so changeable as the feelings of
human nature. | had worked hard
for nearly two years, for the sole
purpose OF infusing life into an in
animate body. For this | had de-
prived myself of rest and health. 1
had desired it with an ardor that
far exceeded moderation but now
that | had finished, the beauty of
the dream vanished, and breathleSs
horror and disgust filled my heart.
Unable to endure the aspect OF the
being had created, | rushed out of
the room, and continued a long
time traver5ing my bed-chamber,
unable to compose my mind to
sleep. At length laSsitude succeeded
to the tumult | had before endured, +,
and threw myself on the bed in
my clothes, endeavoring to seek a
few moments of fOrgettulness. But
it was in vain | slept indeed, but
| was disturbed by the widest
dreams, / thought saw Elizabeth, i,
in the bloom Of health. walking in
the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted
and surprised, | embraced Ter; but
as / imprinted the first kiss on her
lips, they became liVid with the hue
OF death her features appeared to
change, and 1 thought that l held
the corpse of my dead mother in
my arms a shrOud envelOped her
form, and ] saw the grave-wOrms
crawling in the folds Of the flannel.
| started from my sleep with hor-
ror a cold dew covered my fore
head, my teeth chartered, and every
limb became convulsed /; when, by
the dim and yellow light of the
moon, as it forced its way through
the WindOW-shutters, / beheld the
wretch, the miserable monster
whom / had created. He held up
the curtain of the bed and his
eyes, if eyes they may be called,
were fixed on me. His jaws open
ed, and he muttered some inarticu-
late sounds, while grin Wrinkled
his cheeks.
He might have spoken, but / did
not hear; one hand was stretched
out, seemingly to detain me, but |
escaped, and rushed down stairs.
| took refuge in the courtyard be-
longing to the house which / in
habited where I remained during
the rest of the night, walking up
and down in the greatest agitation,
listening attentively, catching and
fearing each sound as il it were to
announce the approach of the de-
moniacaI corse to which l had CIV
en- life.
Oh. no mortal could support the
horror of that countenance. A
mummy again endued with anima-
ton could not be so hideous as that
wretch. had gazed on him while
unfinished he was ugly then but
when the muscles and joints were
rendered capable of motion, it be
came a thing such as even Dante
could not have conceived.
I passed the night wretchedIy.
Sometimes my pulse beat SO quickly
and hardly, that / felt the palpita'
tion Of every artery; at others,
nearly sank to the ground through
languor and extreme weakness
Mingled with this horror, / felt the
bitterness, of disappointment