Chapter 15

"Not long after I had learned to read, something happened that really opened my eyes. One day, I was in the woods looking for food. I found a box with three books inside. I was very lucky. The books were written in French-the language I had learned. 

Until that time, all I knew of the world was what I had seen in the cottage. I read the books I found, and I learned what life was like outside the DeLacy family. I learned about human feelings. I learned some history. 

One book told a story about God at war with His heavenly creatures. This was more than a tale to me. Then I came to the part about the creation of Adam. I wondered where my creator was. Had he turned from me, as God had from Satan? At this time, I read another book. It was in the pocket of the coat I took from your house, Frankenstein. Now that I could read, I opened it. It was the notebook you wrote in during the four months before you created me. In a short time, I had read this notebook. 

Now I knew who and what I was. And, more important, I knew who my creator was. 

I give these notes back to you, Frankenstein. I now know everything about my birth. I know, too, what an evil person you are. How I hate the day you gave me life! You made me ugly and horrible. I have lived a life of sadness. All hands are raised against me. People run when they see me. And I am alone, always alone. Even the lowest animal on earth has a friend. But I don't. I am alone. All I have, Frankenstein, is you. Yet you ran away from me on the very night you gave me life. You must have no heart. 

But there is more to my story. One beautiful autumn day, Agatha, Felix, and Safie went into town. The old man was left alone in the cottage. I had learned much about him and his family. I knew why the young people helped him so much. He was blind. Knowing that DeLacy was blind might help me. Up until now, I had never spoken to a living soul. There was no one for me to speak to. Besides, I knew from my early days that people would run from me. DeLacy could not see how ugly I was. I wanted to talk with him. But I was afraid to take this chance. I don't know how long I stood at the cottage door, afraid to knock. I almost ran away a few times. Finally, I knocked on the door.  

'Who is there?' asked the old man. 'Come in.' I stepped inside. 'Pardon me,' I said to DeLacy. 'I am a tired traveler in need of rest. May I sit a few minutes by your fire?' 'Of course,' the old man said. 'I'm afraid I can't be of much help to you. I can't offer you any food. We have so little.' He couldn't know that I had seen how poor they were. I told DeLacy that I had food. I said that all I needed was a little rest by the fire. I sat down. 

For a few minutes we did not talk. I didn't know what to do next. I had never talked with anyone before. Finally, the old man spoke. 'You speak my language. Are you French?' I smiled as I answered his question. 'No,' I said. 'But I was taught by a French family.' This was quite true. But the old man didn't know that I meant his family. 

'And what brings you to Germany?, he asked. It was easy for me to explain why I was there. 'I have come to see the family that taught me,' I said. 'They are wonderful people. In my way, I love them all. But they have never seen me. I am afraid they won't like me. They may chase me away. If they do that, I will have no friends in all the world.'

'Don't worry, stranger,' the old man said to me. 'If these people are as good as you say, they would never chase you away. Why should they?' I told DeLacy that I was not very pleasant to look at. And that I was afraid that the family would only see how ugly I was on the outside. They might never know how much I loved them. 

'As to your looks, I do not know,' said the old man. 'I am blind. But why not trust these people you love so? If you have done nothing wrong, they will not drive you away. If you tell me your story, maybe I can help you. Do these people live near here?' 

I told him that the family lived very close by. Then he asked me the name of the family. Just as I was about to answer, the young people came back to the cottage. My heart was filled with fear. 'Now is the time!' I cried. 'You can save me. The family I spoke of is yours. Don't let Felix, Agatha, and Safie drive me away!' 

DeLacy stood up in surprise. 'Great God!' he yelled. 'Who are you?' I fell to my knees, and wrapped my arms around the old man's legs. 'Save me!' I cried, as the cottage door opened. Then the three young people walked in and saw me. Agatha fainted, and Safie ran screaming from the cottage. Felix tore me away from the old man. He picked up a stick and began to hit me. I could have torn him to pieces. But I thought of how much I loved the DeLacys. I also thought about how much I had learned from them. 

With tears in my eyes, I ran from the cottage.