Frankenstein ( after Marry Shelly). (ІV ч)

CHAPTER 4

Home Again

I was home again at last, but how unhappy I was. My father looked like an old man. My dear Elizabeth's face was thin and sad. Elizabeth showed me a picture of my mother. It was a small painting in a gold frame.

- Look, Victor, - Elizabeth said. - William died because of this picture. He was wearing it on a gold chain on the day he died. He wore the picture round his neck. The picture is very valuable. That is why the murderer took it. William was killed for this picture.

- Then you know who the murderer is? - I cried, - you have seen him?

- Him? - My father repeated and surprised, - No, Victor. The murderer is a woman. She is the young girl who looked after William. We thought she was a good girl. But she killed our dear boy.

- What do you mean? - I asked him. - I know the murderer; I have seen him.

- How can you know the murderer? - Elizabeth asked me. - You have just come back to Geneva, Victor. No, this picture was found in the young girl's hand. She is guilty. We know she killed William. She is in prison now.

- She is not guilty, - I cried. I must talk to someone. I must tell what I know, I must go to the prison at once.

-You are too late, - my father said. - She is going to die. She will be hanged at 10 o'clock this morning.

- I must see her! - I cried, - I know the truth! Someone must listen to me!

I took a horse and rode as fast as I could to the prison. There were many people standing outside the prison gates. I jumped down from my horse. At that moment the clock stroke 10. The crowd of people shouted:

- She's dead! She's dead!

I turned away and my eyes were full of tears. Two innocent people had died. First - my brother, and now - this young girl. They had died because of me. I was a murderer too. I returned to the house sadly. But I did not want to stay with my father and Elizabeth. I was afraid to tell them the truth. I knew that the monster had murdered William, and I had made the monster. I could not live at home with my terrible secret. I decided to go away alone. Perhaps I could forget everything in the beautiful mountains of Switzerland. I packed my bags and went into the mountains.

It was the middle of summer, but the weather was bad. In the high mountains the wind blew strongly. The rain fell and the air was cold. But I did not care. I went up higher and higher. I came to the highest mountain and I went on climbing. The path was very sticky but I walked slowly on. It was midday when I reached the top. The sun shone on the ice and snow. For the first time since William's death I began to fell happy.

As I rested there I saw a figure coming towards me. It was walking quickly over the ice. Was it a man? It was moving too quickly. The figure came nearer and nearer. As I looked a feeling of terror came into my heart. I stood up. It was the monster!

- Stop! - I cried. - Don't come near me! Why are you living when my brother is dead? I must destroy you before you murder again.

- You've made me, - the monster answered. - If I kill you are guilty. But do not hate me. I do not want to kill. If you help me I can live happily.

- Why should I help you? - I cried.

- Because you've made me, - the monster repeated. - And remember: I am bigger and stronger than you. I can kill you easily. No one will find you here.

I was not afraid. I was going to kill the monster. But as I moved towards the monster he spoke again:

- Stop! - he said, - you must listen to my story. When you gave me life I was not wicked. But you've made me ugly. Because of that all living things hate me. So I hate you, my maker.

- Tell me your story, quickly! - I answered.

After-Reading Section

1. Match the word - combinations with their translation:

a) to be at home 1. доглядати

2. because of smth 2. бути повішеним

c) to be killed 3. бути вбитим

d) to look after 4. бути злим

e) to be guilty 5. бути винним

f) to be imprisoned 6. спаковувати

g) to be hanged 7. бути вдома

h) to jump down 8. через щось

i) to pack smth 9. зістрибнути

j) to be wicked 10. бути ув'язненим

2. Write down as many synonyms as you know:

a) unhappy ________________________________________________________

b) sad ____________________________________________________________

c) picture _________________________________________________________

d) valuable ________________________________________________________

e) murder _________________________________________________________

f) guilty __________________________________________________________

g) innocent ________________________________________________________

3. Choose the correct variant:

1. Victor was home again at last but how… he was.

1. happy;

2. unhappy;

3. weak.

2. Elizabeth showed him…

1. a picture of his mother;

2. a portrait of William;

3. a photo of his mother.

3. William was wearing a picture on a gold chain…

1. around his neck;

2. around his arm;

3. in a pocket.

4. Victor's father thought that William's murderer was…

1. a monster;

2. a young girl;

3. their neighbour Henry.

5. Victor took a horse and rode…

1. to the graveyard;

2. to his friend;

3. to the prison.

6. As Victor rested in the mountains he saw…

1. a father;

2. a monster;

3. his friend Henry.

4. Complete the sentences filling in missing words from the text:

1. I was at home again at last but how _______________________________

2. My father looked like ________________________________________

3. Elizabeth showed me a picture of ______________________________

4. William was wearing it ______________________________________

5. I took a horse and rode _______________________________________

6. The crowd of people shouted __________________________________

7. I turned away and my eyes were _______________________________

8. As I rested in the mountains I saw ______________________________

5. Guess the meaning:

1. A painting, drawing or photograph - _____________________________

2. A border of wood or metal that goes around the outside of a door, picture, window etc - _______________________________________________

3. A line of metal rings that are joined together - ____________________

4. Worth a lot of money - _______________________________________

5. To be responsible for or take care of smb/smth - ___________________

6. A building where criminals are kept as a punishment - ______________

7. The part of a fence, wall etc like a door that can be opened to let people or vehicles through - ___________________________________________

8. A large number of people in one place - _________________________

9. Drops of water that come from your eyes when you are crying - _____

10. Air that is moving across the surface of the earth - _________________

6. Answer the questions:

1. How did Victor's father look like?

____________________________________________________________

2. What did Elizabeth show Victor?

____________________________________________________________

3. What kind of picture was it?

___________________________________________________________

4. Who killed William to Victor's father's mind?

____________________________________________________________

5. What happened to the young girl?

____________________________________________________________

6. Where did Victor ride?

____________________________________________________________

7. Where did Victor decide to go?

____________________________________________________________

8. Whom did Victor meet there?

____________________________________________________________

7. Odd one out:

1. miserable/unhappy/happy/unfortunate;

2. joyful/rueful/mournful/sad;

3. valuable/cheap/expensive/precious;

4. murderer/founder/assassin/killer;

5. guilty/culpable/innocent /wrong.

8. Write down questions to the given answers:

1. Victor's father looked like an old man.

_____________________________________________________________

2. Victor's dear Elizabeth's face was thin and sad.

_____________________________________________________________

3. He was wearing it on a gold chain round his neck.

_____________________________________________________________

4. She was hanged at 10 o'clock.

____________________________________________________________

5. Victor decided to go away alone.

____________________________________________________________

9. Write down special questions to the sentences:

1. William was wearing a picture on a gold chain on the day he died.

a)____________________________________________________________

b)____________________________________________________________

c)____________________________________________________________

d)____________________________________________________________

e)____________________________________________________________

2. The girl was imprisoned after that.

a)____________________________________________________________

b)____________________________________________________________

c)____________________________________________________________

d)____________________________________________________________

e)____________________________________________________________

3. She will be hanged at 10 o'clock.

a)____________________________________________________________

b)____________________________________________________________

c)____________________________________________________________

d)____________________________________________________________

e)____________________________________________________________

4. At that moment the clock struck 10.

a)____________________________________________________________

b)____________________________________________________________

c)____________________________________________________________

d)____________________________________________________________

e)____________________________________________________________

5. Then Victor packed his bags and went into the mountains.

a)____________________________________________________________

b)____________________________________________________________

c)____________________________________________________________

d)____________________________________________________________

e)____________________________________________________________