Frankenstein

CHAPTER 7: A World Apart from Science

In her letter, Elizabeth begged me to write home, even one word. It had been so long since they had heard from me. She told me she had had to convince my father not to come to Germany to get me! In her sweet writing, she told me how she wanted to come to Ingolstadt, too, but she had to look after the house and my brothers.

The words on the page was gave me only good news. My brother Ernest had just turned sixteen. She told me all about how he wanted to enter the Foreign Service, just like our father. How proud I would be of him, she wrote, for being such a good Swiss citizen! She wrote on about how well the children's nanny, Justine, was doing, and how pleased she was to have a female friend around.

"We are like sisters!" she wrote. "I am so happy yo have her here with me, especially because William is such a handful!"

She filled the rest of the letter with local news about our friends and neighbors. I enjoyed every word. Elizbeth finished the letter by asking me again to write home, for her sake. What a sweet, sweet girl. I missed her so much at that moment. I felt so foolish for getting so caught up with my miserable work.I had forgotten what was important in the world - the love of friends and family.

I wrote back to her at once. I told her how much I missed her and how much I loved her. When I was finished, I put the letter in that day's post.

Two more weeks passed and I was finally able to leave my room. It was a good thing, too, because Henry was about to start his classes and I could show him around the school.

We spent a day walking around. I introduced Henry to everyone I knew. I took him around to all my old science buildings and showed him all of my old classrooms. When we got to the laboratory, I felt the blood drain from my face. Seeing all the equipment again greatly bothered me. Henry noticed I was upset and kindly help me outside. I know he wanted me to tell him what was wrong, but I just couldn't do it. The truth was too awful.

Henry started school within a couple of days. He had no interest inn science at all. Instead, he wanted to learn all about the different languages of the world. Never one to just rest, I decided to study them, too.

We spent the summer like this, reading and studying together. It was good to keep my mind busy. I sent word to my father that I would be coming home to Geneva in the fall. But when it came time for me to leave, the weather turned poor and I was forcedto stay in Insolstadt for the season.

It was May before the roads were safe to drive. Ince again, the spring weather made me feel better. A year had passed since my fit, and I was stronger than ever. I waas feeling so well, in fact, that Henry suggested we take a walking tour of the country around the school. I thought it was a great idea. I coud say goodbye to the land I had called home for the past few years.

We traveled around for two weeks. The fresh air did my heart and lungs good. I had spent far too long in my laboratory with my nose burried in books and experiments. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed just being outside. The flowers bloomed, and theier beauty amazed me. The trees smelled wonderful. The lake shone. I forgot the last, miserable year.

Henry and I walked and talked, and then walked and talked some more. We got along so well, and his good company made me fell very happy. I was reminded of who I was before coming to school, before I played with nature, and before I made the mistake of creating an awful monster.

We got back to school on a Sunday afternoon. We met only cheerful people on the road back to Ingolstadt. My spirit flew. The was a spring in my step. My heart was full of joy.