4
In my laboratory I made a body. I bought or stole all the pieces of human body that I needed, and slowly and carefully, I put them all together.
I did not let anybody enter my laboratory or my flat while I was doing this awful work. I was afraid to tell anybody my terrible secret.
I had wanted to make a beautiful man, but the face of the creature was horrible. Its skin was thin and yellow, and its eyes were as yellow as its skin. Its long black hair and white teeth were almost beautiful, but the rest of the face was very ugly.
Its legs and arms were the right shape, but they were huge.I had to use big pieces because it was too difficult to join small pieces together. My creature was two and a half metres tall.
For a year I had worked to make this creature, but now it looked terrible and frightening. I almost decided to destroy it.But I could not. I had to know if I could put life into it.
I joined the body to the wires from my machine. More wires joined the machine to the mast. I was sure that my machine could use electricity from lightning to give life to the body. I watched and waited.Two days later I saw dark clouds in the sky, and I knew that a storm was coming. At about one o'clock in the morning the lightning came.My mast began to do its work immediately, and the electricity from the lightning travelled down the mast to my machine. Would the machine work?
At first nothing happened. But after a few minutes I saw the creature's body begin to move.Slowly, terribly, the body came alive. His arms and legs began to move, and slowly he sat up.
The dead body had been an ugly thing, but alive, he was much more horrible. Suddenly I wanted to escape from him. I ran out of the laboratory, and locked the door. I was filled with fear at what I had done.
For hours I walked up and down in my flat. At last I lay down on my bed, and fell asleep. But my sleep was full of terrible dreams, and I woke up suddenly. The horrible thing that I had created was standing by my bed. His yellow eyes were looking at me; his mouth opened and he made strange sounds at me. On his yellow face there was an awful smile. One of his huge hands reached towards me…
Before he could touch me, I jumped off the bed and ran downstairs into the garden. I stayed there all night, but I could not think clearly.I was afraid. And when morning came, I went out into the town and began to walk about.
I did not notice where I was walking, but soon I came to the station. A train from Geneva had just arrived, and the passengers were leaving the station. One of them ran towards me when he saw me. It was my dear friend Henry Clerval.
He was very pleased to see me. He took my hand and shook it warmly.
‘My dear Victor!’ he said.‘What a lucky chance that you are here at the station. Your father, and Elizabeth and the others, are very worried about you, because you have not visited them for a long time. They ask me to make sure that you are well. And I have very good news. My 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 for-got 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?’
‘Don'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.
4
我在我的實(shí)驗(yàn)室中造了一個(gè)人體。我所需要的人體各部分均是我買(mǎi)來(lái)或偷來(lái)的,然后我緩慢而細(xì)心地把它們拼湊到了一起。
在干這項(xiàng)可怕的工作時(shí),我沒(méi)有讓任何人進(jìn)入我的實(shí)驗(yàn)室和我的住處。我不敢告訴任何人我那可怕的秘密。
我曾想造一個(gè)漂亮的男人,但這個(gè)家伙的臉?lè)浅?膳拢浩つw又薄又黃,眼睛同皮膚一樣黃。黑長(zhǎng)的頭發(fā)和白色的牙齒倒也漂亮,臉上的其余部分卻很丑陋。
它的腿和胳膊的形狀是對(duì)的,但它們太大了。因?yàn)槠唇有∑娜梭w太困難了,我只得用大片的去拼接。我創(chuàng)造的這個(gè)東西2.5米高。
我曾為制造這個(gè)東西工作了一年時(shí)間,現(xiàn)在它卻看上去恐怖嚇人。我?guī)缀跻獩Q定毀了它。但我做不到。我必須知道我是否能將生命植入其中。
我把那個(gè)身體同我機(jī)器上的那些電線連接起來(lái)。更多的電線再把機(jī)器和桿子連接起來(lái)。我確信我的機(jī)器可以用閃電給那個(gè)身體生命。我觀察著、等待著。兩天后我看到天上有了烏云,知道將有一場(chǎng)暴風(fēng)雨來(lái)臨。大約在凌晨1點(diǎn)鐘閃電閃了一下。我的桿子立即開(kāi)始工作,閃電通過(guò)桿子傳到了我的機(jī)器上。機(jī)器會(huì)管用嗎?
起先沒(méi)有發(fā)生什么。但是幾分鐘過(guò)后我看見(jiàn)那個(gè)東西的軀體在動(dòng)。那具軀體緩慢而怕人地變活了。他的胳膊和腿開(kāi)始移動(dòng),而且他慢慢地坐了起來(lái)。
那個(gè)無(wú)生命的軀體本來(lái)就可怕,而現(xiàn)在變成活的就更加恐怖了。突然間我想逃開(kāi)。我跑出實(shí)驗(yàn)室并且鎖上了門(mén)。我對(duì)我所做的一切充滿(mǎn)了恐懼。
有好幾個(gè)小時(shí)我都在我的房間里走來(lái)走去。最后我躺倒在床上并睡著了??墒菒簤?mèng)縈繞著我,我便猛然醒了過(guò)來(lái)。我所創(chuàng)造的那個(gè)可怕的東西正站在我的床邊。他的黃色的眼睛正看著我。他的嘴張著并對(duì)我發(fā)出奇怪的聲音。他的黃色的臉龐上露出可怕的笑容。他的一只大手伸向了我……
沒(méi)等他碰到我,我便跳下床沖到了樓下的花園里。我整個(gè)晚上都呆在那兒,只是思維已不清楚了。我很害怕。等到早上,我便走出花園到城里去并開(kāi)始四處逛悠。
我沒(méi)注意我在什么地方走,但不久便到了火車(chē)站。剛好從日內(nèi)瓦來(lái)了一趟火車(chē),乘客正走出車(chē)站。其中一位見(jiàn)到我后便朝我跑了過(guò)來(lái)。原來(lái)是我的好朋友亨利·克勒沃。
他見(jiàn)到我很高興。他抓住我的手熱情地握了起來(lái)。
“我親愛(ài)的維克多!”他說(shuō)道,“你在車(chē)站這兒真是巧極了。你父親、伊麗莎白還有其他人都非常為你擔(dān)心,因?yàn)槟愫芫脹](méi)有探望他們了。他們讓我來(lái)看看你的身體是否還好。另外我還有個(gè)好消息。我父親已同意讓我上大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí),這樣我們就能有好多時(shí)間呆在一起了。”
我聽(tīng)了這個(gè)消息后很高興,并且有一陣兒都忘記了我的恐懼之感。我把亨利帶回我的公寓并讓他在外面等著以便我能進(jìn)去看一看。我害怕那個(gè)家伙還在那兒。但是他已經(jīng)不見(jiàn)了。那時(shí)我沒(méi)有想到過(guò)其他人以及那個(gè)家伙會(huì)對(duì)他們?cè)趺礃?。我把亨利領(lǐng)進(jìn)屋里并給我們做了頓吃的。然而亨利注意到了我有多么瘦削,我還笑得太多,也不能安靜地坐著。
他突然說(shuō)道:“我親愛(ài)的維克多,你怎么啦?你生病了嗎?發(fā)生了什么可怕的事情了嗎?”
“別問(wèn)我這個(gè),”我喊道。我用手捂住眼睛。當(dāng)時(shí)我想我能看見(jiàn)那個(gè)可怕的家伙正在我的面前。我發(fā)瘋似地指向屋子,并且喊道:“他能告訴你。救救我!救救我!”我想去同那個(gè)家伙搏斗,但那兒什么也沒(méi)有。然后我就暈過(guò)去,倒在了地板上。
可憐的亨利!我不知道他當(dāng)時(shí)是怎么想的。他叫了個(gè)醫(yī)生并且一起把我扶到了床上。我大病了兩個(gè)月,亨利一直留下來(lái)照顧我。他那充滿(mǎn)愛(ài)意的護(hù)理把我從死亡那兒救了回來(lái)。
我想盡快回家去見(jiàn)我的家人。在我恢復(fù)得足夠強(qiáng)壯后,我便收拾起衣服和書(shū)籍。我的行李都已準(zhǔn)備好了,但是正當(dāng)我無(wú)比高興時(shí)郵遞員給我送來(lái)了幾封信。其中的一封結(jié)束了我短暫的快樂(lè)時(shí)光。
4
4
In my laboratory I made a body. I bought or stole all the pieces of human body that I needed, and slowly and carefully, I put them all together.
我在我的實(shí)驗(yàn)室中造了一個(gè)人體。我所需要的人體各部分均是我買(mǎi)來(lái)或偷來(lái)的,然后我緩慢而細(xì)心地把它們拼湊到了一起。
I did not let anybody enter my laboratory or my flat while I was doing this awful work. I was afraid to tell anybody my terrible secret.
在干這項(xiàng)可怕的工作時(shí),我沒(méi)有讓任何人進(jìn)入我的實(shí)驗(yàn)室和我的住處。我不敢告訴任何人我那可怕的秘密。
I had wanted to make a beautiful man, but the face of the creature was horrible. Its skin was thin and yellow, and its eyes were as yellow as its skin. Its long black hair and white teeth were almost beautiful, but the rest of the face was very ugly.
我曾想造一個(gè)漂亮的男人,但這個(gè)家伙的臉?lè)浅?膳拢浩つw又薄又黃,眼睛同皮膚一樣黃。黑長(zhǎng)的頭發(fā)和白色的牙齒倒也漂亮,臉上的其余部分卻很丑陋。
Its legs and arms were the right shape, but they were huge.I had to use big pieces because it was too difficult to join small pieces together. My creature was two and a half metres tall.
它的腿和胳膊的形狀是對(duì)的,但它們太大了。因?yàn)槠唇有∑娜梭w太困難了,我只得用大片的去拼接。我創(chuàng)造的這個(gè)東西2.5米高。
For a year I had worked to make this creature, but now it looked terrible and frightening. I almost decided to destroy it.But I could not. I had to know if I could put life into it.
我曾為制造這個(gè)東西工作了一年時(shí)間,現(xiàn)在它卻看上去恐怖嚇人。我?guī)缀跻獩Q定毀了它。但我做不到。我必須知道我是否能將生命植入其中。
I joined the body to the wires from my machine. More wires joined the machine to the mast. I was sure that my machine could use electricity from lightning to give life to the body. I watched and waited.Two days later I saw dark clouds in the sky, and I knew that a storm was coming. At about one o'clock in the morning the lightning came.My mast began to do its work immediately, and the electricity from the lightning travelled down the mast to my machine. Would the machine work?
我把那個(gè)身體同我機(jī)器上的那些電線連接起來(lái)。更多的電線再把機(jī)器和桿子連接起來(lái)。我確信我的機(jī)器可以用閃電給那個(gè)身體生命。我觀察著、等待著。兩天后我看到天上有了烏云,知道將有一場(chǎng)暴風(fēng)雨來(lái)臨。大約在凌晨1點(diǎn)鐘閃電閃了一下。我的桿子立即開(kāi)始工作,閃電通過(guò)桿子傳到了我的機(jī)器上。機(jī)器會(huì)管用嗎?
At first nothing happened. But after a few minutes I saw the creature's body begin to move.Slowly, terribly, the body came alive. His arms and legs began to move, and slowly he sat up.
起先沒(méi)有發(fā)生什么。但是幾分鐘過(guò)后我看見(jiàn)那個(gè)東西的軀體在動(dòng)。那具軀體緩慢而怕人地變活了。他的胳膊和腿開(kāi)始移動(dòng),而且他慢慢地坐了起來(lái)。
The dead body had been an ugly thing, but alive, he was much more horrible. Suddenly I wanted to escape from him. I ran out of the laboratory, and locked the door. I was filled with fear at what I had done.
那個(gè)無(wú)生命的軀體本來(lái)就可怕,而現(xiàn)在變成活的就更加恐怖了。突然間我想逃開(kāi)。我跑出實(shí)驗(yàn)室并且鎖上了門(mén)。我對(duì)我所做的一切充滿(mǎn)了恐懼。
For hours I walked up and down in my flat. At last I lay down on my bed, and fell asleep. But my sleep was full of terrible dreams, and I woke up suddenly. The horrible thing that I had created was standing by my bed. His yellow eyes were looking at me; his mouth opened and he made strange sounds at me. On his yellow face there was an awful smile. One of his huge hands reached towards me…
有好幾個(gè)小時(shí)我都在我的房間里走來(lái)走去。最后我躺倒在床上并睡著了??墒菒簤?mèng)縈繞著我,我便猛然醒了過(guò)來(lái)。我所創(chuàng)造的那個(gè)可怕的東西正站在我的床邊。他的黃色的眼睛正看著我。他的嘴張著并對(duì)我發(fā)出奇怪的聲音。他的黃色的臉龐上露出可怕的笑容。他的一只大手伸向了我……
Before he could touch me, I jumped off the bed and ran downstairs into the garden. I stayed there all night, but I could not think clearly.I was afraid. And when morning came, I went out into the town and began to walk about.
沒(méi)等他碰到我,我便跳下床沖到了樓下的花園里。我整個(gè)晚上都呆在那兒,只是思維已不清楚了。我很害怕。等到早上,我便走出花園到城里去并開(kāi)始四處逛悠。
I did not notice where I was walking, but soon I came to the station. A train from Geneva had just arrived, and the passengers were leaving the station. One of them ran towards me when he saw me. It was my dear friend Henry Clerval.
我沒(méi)注意我在什么地方走,但不久便到了火車(chē)站。剛好從日內(nèi)瓦來(lái)了一趟火車(chē),乘客正走出車(chē)站。其中一位見(jiàn)到我后便朝我跑了過(guò)來(lái)。原來(lái)是我的好朋友亨利·克勒沃。
He was very pleased to see me. He took my hand and shook it warmly.
他見(jiàn)到我很高興。他抓住我的手熱情地握了起來(lái)。
‘My dear Victor!’ he said.‘What a lucky chance that you are here at the station. Your father, and Elizabeth and the others, are very worried about you, because you have not visited them for a long time. They ask me to make sure that you are well. And I have very good news. My father has agreed to let me study at the university, so we shall be able to spend a lot of time together.’
“我親愛(ài)的維克多!”他說(shuō)道,“你在車(chē)站這兒真是巧極了。你父親、伊麗莎白還有其他人都非常為你擔(dān)心,因?yàn)槟愫芫脹](méi)有探望他們了。他們讓我來(lái)看看你的身體是否還好。另外我還有個(gè)好消息。我父親已同意讓我上大學(xué)學(xué)習(xí),這樣我們就能有好多時(shí)間呆在一起了。”
I was very happy to hear this news, and for a moment I for-got 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.
我聽(tīng)了這個(gè)消息后很高興,并且有一陣兒都忘記了我的恐懼之感。我把亨利帶回我的公寓并讓他在外面等著以便我能進(jìn)去看一看。我害怕那個(gè)家伙還在那兒。但是他已經(jīng)不見(jiàn)了。那時(shí)我沒(méi)有想到過(guò)其他人以及那個(gè)家伙會(huì)對(duì)他們?cè)趺礃印N野押嗬I(lǐng)進(jìn)屋里并給我們做了頓吃的。然而亨利注意到了我有多么瘦削,我還笑得太多,也不能安靜地坐著。
Suddenly he said:‘My dear Victor, what is the matter with you?Are you ill? Has something awful happened?’
他突然說(shuō)道:“我親愛(ài)的維克多,你怎么啦?你生病了嗎?發(fā)生了什么可怕的事情了嗎?”
‘Don'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.
“別問(wèn)我這個(gè),”我喊道。我用手捂住眼睛。當(dāng)時(shí)我想我能看見(jiàn)那個(gè)可怕的家伙正在我的面前。我發(fā)瘋似地指向屋子,并且喊道:“他能告訴你。救救我!救救我!”我想去同那個(gè)家伙搏斗,但那兒什么也沒(méi)有。然后我就暈過(guò)去,倒在了地板上。
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.
可憐的亨利!我不知道他當(dāng)時(shí)是怎么想的。他叫了個(gè)醫(yī)生并且一起把我扶到了床上。我大病了兩個(gè)月,亨利一直留下來(lái)照顧我。他那充滿(mǎn)愛(ài)意的護(hù)理把我從死亡那兒救了回來(lái)。
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.
我想盡快回家去見(jiàn)我的家人。在我恢復(fù)得足夠強(qiáng)壯后,我便收拾起衣服和書(shū)籍。我的行李都已準(zhǔn)備好了,但是正當(dāng)我無(wú)比高興時(shí)郵遞員給我送來(lái)了幾封信。其中的一封結(jié)束了我短暫的快樂(lè)時(shí)光。