【文章內(nèi)容簡介】 father has agreed to let me study at the university， so we shall be able to spend a lot of time together．’　　I was very happy to hear this news， and for a moment I forgot my fears．I took Henry back to my flat and asked him to wait outside while I went in to look． I was afraid that the creature was still there． But he had disappeared．At that time I did not think of other people， and what the creature could do to them．I took Henry into the flat and cooked a meal for us．But Henry noticed how thin I was，and that I was laughing too much and could not sit still．　　Suddenly he said：‘My dear Victor， what is the matter with you？Are you ill？ Has something awful happened？’　　‘Don39。t ask me that，’ I cried． I put my hands over my eyes．I thought I could see the horrible creature there in front of me． I pointed wildly across the room， and shouted：‘He can tell you． Save me！ Save me！’ I tried to fight the creature，but there was nothing there． Then I fainted and fell to the floor．　　Poor Henry！ I do not know what he thought． He called a doctor and they put me to bed． I was very ill for two months，and Henry stayed and looked after me． His loving care saved me from death．　　I wanted to go home and see my family as soon as possible．When I was well enough，I packed my clothes and books．All my luggage was ready， and I was feeling very happy when the postman arrived with some letters．One of the letters ended my short time of happiness．　5　　　The letter was from my father in Geneva， and this is what he wrote：　　My dear Victor，　　I want you to know before you arrive home that an awful thing has happened．Your dear youngest brother，William，is dead． He was murdered． It happened last Thursday evening when Elizabeth and I and your two brothers， Ernest and William， went for a walk outside the city． William and Ernest were playing． William had hidden from Ernest， and Ernest asked Elizabeth and me to help find William． We all began to search for him， but we couldn39。t find him． We searched all night． At five in the morning I found him． He was lying on the grass， white and still． I could see the marks of fingers on his neck—the murderer had strangled him．　　Elizabeth had let him wear a gold chain of hers round his neck．On the chain was a very small picture of your mother．We all think that someone murdered William to steal the gold chain．Poor Elizabeth is terribly unhappy at William39。s death． She thinks he died because she let him wear the chain． Hurry home， my dear Victor． You are the only one who can help Elizabeth， and we all need you．　　With all our love，　　Your Father　　Henry helped me to catch the train． The journey seemed very long， and it was late at night before the train reached Geneva． I decided to spend the night in a village outside the town and go home early in the morning． I wanted to see the place where William had died．　　As I started my walk， a storm broke and lightning lit the sky． The police had put posts round the place where the murderer had strangled William，so I found it easily．I cried sadly as I stood there． My poor brother had been a kind and happy boy， and we had all loved him．　　Again the lightning lit the sky， and I saw a huge figure standing in the rain． When I saw it， I knew at once what it was．It was the creature that I had made．　　What was he doing there？But although I asked myself the question， I knew the answer． He had murdered my brother． I was sure that I was right．　　I decided to try and catch him．But as I moved， he ran to－wards the mountains． He ran much faster than any man． He climbed the mountain easily， reached the top， and disappeared．　　I stood there in the dark and the rain， and knew that I had created a monster． And he had murdered my brother．　6　　　At first I decided to tell the police my story． But would they believe me？ I had been very ill． When the police learnt about my illness， they would think the monster was just one of my bad dreams． I decided that I could not tell anybody．　　I went home to my family and they were very pleased to see me． Then they told me that the police had found the murderer． Perhaps you will think that this was good news，but I have not told you who the police had arrested．　　As I went into the house，I noticed that one person did not e to meet me． It was Justine，the young woman who looked after the children and who was like a sister to us． And it was Justine that the police had arrested．　　A few days after the murder， the police had searched the house and had found the gold chain in Justine39。s coat pocket．Everyone in the family knew that Justine had not murdered William． I knew who the murderer was， but I could not tell anyone． We were sure that Justine would be free after the trial， because nobody could believe that she was a murderer．But we were wrong．　　The trial did not go well for Justine． There were a number of strange facts that were difficult to explain， and the judge decided that she was the murderer． The punishment for murder was death． We argued and cried． We said she could not murder anyone． But nothing could change the judge39。s order．　　So I got up early and went to the judge39。s house and told him about the monster． He did not believe me． He thought I was lying in order to save Justine39。s life．　　In the prison Justine waited quietly for death． We spent many hours with her， and she spoke calmly and kindly to us．She was happy because we believed that she had not killed William． And she was almost looking forward to death， be－cause then she would be with William and our dear mother in a place of peace．　　Her love and gentleness added to my great unhappiness． I knew she was going to die because of me． I knew my brother had died because of me． I had brought nothing but sadness and misery to my family．　　I took a boat and went out on Lake Geneva． Why didn39。t I end my life then？ Two things stopped me． My father was old and another death would probably kill him． And I had to stay alive—to keep my family s