书名：弗兰肯斯坦
作者：玛丽·雪莱
简介：或许以这个悲伤而恐怖的故事拍成的电影要比世界上由任何其他故事拍成的电影都要多。为什么有这么多的人喜欢它？因为当我们第一次读到它时，它就好像是出自我们梦中的记忆一样。
这是一个古老的故事，也是一个新的故事。说它“古老”是因为它创作于一百五十多年以前，那时的科学发展才刚刚起步；说它“新”是因为弗兰肯斯坦的问题也就是我们今天所面临的问题。科学给予我们力量去改造世界，但这种力量也可能与我们作对并毁灭我们。弗兰肯斯坦创造了一个新的人，他比任何其他人都要巨大和强壮——然而弗兰肯斯坦控制不了他，这个怪物毁灭了弗兰肯斯坦所爱的一切。今天的科学家正在创造着巨大的机器、电脑和武器，他们声称这些东西对我们有益——但我们能够驾驭它们吗？
玛丽·雪莱（1797—1851）是维多利亚时代的一位重要作家。她的丈夫是英格兰最著名的诗人之一——珀西·比希·雪莱
第十五章
Captain Walton's Note
沃尔顿船长的记录
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．
我，罗伯特•沃尔顿船长已给该故事加了如下记录。读过后，你就会知道维克多•弗兰肯斯坦的故事是真实的。
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.
维克多•弗兰肯斯坦在写完他最后一个字几小时后便死去了。看到他死去我很伤心，因为他已经成了我的好朋友。然而，他将不再会有伤心和痛苦了，因此我为他而高兴。
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．
我们把他的尸体放在了我旁边的船舱里。后来我听到了从船舱里发出的响声。我走进那个船舱，看见尸体旁站着一个巨大的身躯。我知道站在那儿的那个令人恐怖的家伙就是弗兰肯斯坦的那个怪物。
‘So I have killed you，too，’the monster said to Frankenstein's body．‘Oh，Frankenstein，forgive me．How I wish you could answer me．’
“这样一来我把你也杀了。”怪物对着弗兰肯斯坦的尸体说道，“噢，弗兰肯斯坦，请原谅我。我多么希望你能回答我。”
I went towards him，and said：‘It is too late for Frankenstein to forgive you．He is dead．His pain is ended．’
我走近他说道：“让弗兰肯斯坦原谅你已经太晚了。他已经死了，痛苦已经结束了。”
‘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．
“你不知道我感受到了多少痛苦和悲伤。”怪物说，“我知道我做的事情是邪恶的，可是我阻止不了我自己。你认为我喜欢杀人吗？我的心是为爱而造的，如同一般人的一样。在我杀死亨利•克勒沃后，我恨我自己，但是我阻止不了自己去杀更多的人。弗兰肯斯坦不肯给我一个妻子，他却想着给自己找个妻子并从那儿找到幸福。他对我不公平。但现在这件事情已经结束了。弗兰肯斯坦将是我杀死的最后一个人。”
‘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．’
“我已经做了那么多邪恶的事情，但难道只是我一个人的错吗？我需要爱和友谊。想一想菲力克斯和他的家人：我给了他们爱而他们却恨我。想一想那个男人：我从河里救了他女儿而他却朝我开枪。然而我知道我做了邪恶的事，我因而比你们还要恨我自己。我的死期已经不远了。我将离开轮船越过冰面往北去。我要生一堆大火，然后躺在上面死去。我将欢迎烈火所带来的痛苦，因为它会帮我忘记内心的痛苦。我已经比弗兰肯斯坦忍受了更多的痛苦。在烈火熄灭之时，我也会安宁了。”
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．
怪物边说这些话边从船舱的窗户跳了出去。他上了他曾用来爬上轮船的那只小船。海水很快把他带走，他消失在了黑暗之中。
