Frankenstein (Condensed for easy studying)

Ch. 20

I was quickly in front of the magistrate, who was a old man who appeared kind. There were also 6 men there as witnesses. One man told his story. He had been out fishing with his son and brother in law, and at about 10 o'clock, there was a strong northern wind and so they went in to shore. It was a very dark night, the moon wasn't out. As he walked on the beach he tripped on an object, and fell on the ground. His friends lit a lamp, and saw that he had tripped on a corpse.

They thought he had drowned, but he was not wet. They took him to an old healer, who couldn't revive him. He had dark bruises on his neck, in the shape of fingers. The man looked to be about 25 years old, and in good health. 

I was bored for the first part of the story, however when the part about the manner of death came around, I found myself quite agitated. I remembered my brother, his unfair demise. The magistrate saw my agitation, and this observation caused him to prosecute me further. The son agreed with the fathers story. The brother in law swore he saw a single man in a boat, one that was similar to the one I came in with. A woman said she saw a boat with a single man in it push off an hour before the discovery of the body. Another woman agreed with her story. 

Several men agreed that it was possible that I had killed the man, gone out into the sea, and with the horrible conditions, returned. Mr. Kirwin decided I should see the body to see what reaction I had. I was struck by all of the coincidences, but I felt safe because I had been speaking to several people on my island while the murder had been committed. 

I entered the chamber of the corpse, to find no other than Henry Clerval! I gasped for breath, and threw myself on him. "Clerval, my friend, I have failed you!" I exclaimed. I fell to the ground in a fit, and was laying for 2 months in sickness. I felt the entire guilt for Clerval's death, and Justine and William. I said this in my fits, and due to my changing of language, Mr. Kirwin alone understood me. 

Why didn't I die? I was so miserable. But I was doomed to live. In 2 months, I find myself in a prison. An old woman was across from me, she was my nurse. Her tone expressed indifference to my condition, and she asked if I was okay. I said that I thought I was, but the misery would forever with me. She said that it may be better if I was dead, and that I would probably be hung soon, but she was sent to get me well. 

I did not like this woman at all, and turned away from her. Darkness surrounded me, and I had no caring hands on me, and why should I? One day, Mr. Kirwin came into my room. He wanted to know if there was anything he could do to make me more comfortable. I told him the only thing that would be a kindness would be my death. Mr. Kirwin was kind, and was sympathetic to my struggles. He said that he found letters to my father, and other family. He wrote to my family. I asked him what horrors had happened, but he said my family was safe.

He said a friend was coming to visit me. I instantly thought of the demon, and trembled in fear. I demanded that the visitor be taken away. Mr. Kirwin asked why, when my father had been so good to me, that I would send him away. My mood changed instantly, knowing my father was coming to me. The magistrate was pleased to see my mood change.

My father came into my cell. He said that Elizabeth and Ernest were okay, which filled my heart with joy. My father remarked that no matter where I ran, unhappiness followed me. I agreed with him, saying that I believed some horrible fate was waiting for me. I didn't speak to him for long, so as to keep my strength up. But his very presence helped me to recover. 

I recovered in body, but not in mind. Deep sadness engulfed me. I welcomed my death, it would bring me peace. I had to travel over 100 miles to be tried. Mr. Kirwin mounted my defense, and I was freed on account of my being on the Orkney Island at the hour of my friends death. I felt no relief, because to me death was more painful than life. 

My father tried to cheer me up, speaking of home, of Elizabeth, and of nature. Despite this, I still wished that I may kill myself. Certainly it would be fair, I had essentially killed William, Justine, and poor Clerval. And the beast was not done! My father and I left for Dublin. I tried to remember my ambition as a young man, but it was a painful place to go, and I could not think of it. I had to take sleeping medicine now, and they still didn't eliminate my nightmares of the fiend. Life was challenging and scary now.