this is a TLC recording all TLC recordings are in the public domain Frankenstein by Mary Shelley chapter 10 I spent the following day roaming through the valley I stood beside the sources of the Arbor on which take their rise in a glacier that with slow pace is advancing down from the summit of the hills to barricade the valley the abrupt sides of vast mountains were before me the icy wall of the glacier overhung me a few shattered Pines were scattered around and the solemn silence of this glorious presence chamber of Imperial nature was broken only by the brawling waves or the fall of some vast fragment the thunders sound of the Avalanche or the cracking reverberate 'add along the mountains of the accumulated ice which through the silent working of immutable laws was ever and anon rent in torn as if it had been but a plaything in their hands these sublime and magnificent scenes afforded me the greatest consolation that I was capable of receiving they elevated me from all littleness of feeling and although they did not remove my grief they subdued and tranquillized it in some degree also they diverted my mind from the thoughts over which it had brooded for the last month I retired to rest at night my slumbers as it were waited on and ministered to by the assemblance of grand shapes which I had contemplated during the day they congregated round me the unstained snowy mountaintop the glittering pinnacle the pine woods and ragged bare ravine the eagle soaring amidst the clouds they all gathered round me and bade me be at peace where had they fled when the next morning Iowa all of soul and spirit and fled with sleep and dark melancholy clouded every thought the rain was pouring in torrents and thick mists hid the summit's of the mountains so that I even saw not the faces of those mighty friends still I would penetrate their misty veil and seek them in their cloudy retreats what were rain and storm to me my mule was brought to the door and I resolved to ascend to the summit of mount Mont invert I remembered the effect that the view of the tremendous and ever-moving glacier had produced upon my mind when I first saw it it had then filled me with a sublime ecstasy that gave wings to the soul and allowed it to soar from the obscure world to light and joy the light of the awful and majestic in nature had indeed always the effect of solemnizing my mind and causing me to forget the passing cares of life I determined to go without a guide for I was well acquainted with the path and the presence of another would destroy the solitary grandeur of the scene the ascent is precipitous but the path is cut into continual and short windings which enable you to surmount the perpendicularity of the mountain is a scene terrifically desolate in a thousand spots the traces of the winter avalanche may be perceived where trees lie broken and strewed on the ground some entirely destroyed others bent leaning upon the jutting rocks of the mountain or transversely upon other trees the path as you ascend higher is intersected by ravines of snow down wedge stones continually roll from above one of them is particularly dangerous as the slightest sound such as even speaking in a loud voice produces a concussion of air sufficient to draw destruction upon the head of the speaker the pines are not tall a luxurious but they are sumber and add an air of severity to the scene I looked on the valley beneath vast mists were rising from the rivers which ran through it and curling in thick wreaths around the opposite mountains whose summits were hid in the uniform clouds while rain poured from the dark sky and added to the melancholy impression I received from the objects around me alas why does man boast of sensibility superior to those apparent in the brute they only renders them more necessary beings if our impulses were confined to hunger thirst and desire we might be nearly free but now we are moved by every wind that blows and a chance word or scene that word may convey to us we rest a dream has power to poison sleep we rise one wondering thought pollutes the day we feel conceive or reason laugh or weep embrace fun whoa or cast our cares away it is the same for be it joy or sorrow the path of its departure still is free man's yesterday may never be like his morrow not may endure but mutability it was nearly noon when I arrived at the top of the ascent for some time I sat upon the rocks that overlooks the sea of ice a mists covered both that in the surrounding mountains presently a breeze dissipated the cloud and I descended upon the glacier the surface is very uneven rising like the waves of a troubled sea descending low and interspersed by rifts that sink deep the field of ice is almost a league in width but I spent nearly two hours and crossing it the opposite mountain is a bear perpendicular rock from the side where I now stood mountain vert was exactly opposite at the distance of a league and above it rose Mont Blanc in awful majesty I remained in a recess of the rock gazing on this wonderful and stupendous scene the sea or rather the vast river of ice wound among its dependent mountains whose aerial summits hung over its recesses their icy and glittering Peaks shone in the sunlight over the clouds my heart which was before sorrowful now swelled with something like joy I exclaimed wandering spirits if indeed ye wander and do not rest in your narrow beds allow me this faint happiness or take me as your companion away from the joys of life as I said this I suddenly beheld the figure of a man at some distance advancing towards me with superhuman speed he bounded over the crevices in the ice among which I had walked with caution his stature also as he approached seemed to exceed that of man I was troubled a mist came over my eyes and I felt a faintness seize me but I was quickly restored by the cold gale of the mountains I perceived as the shape came nearer sight tremendous and abhorred that it was the wretch whom I had created I trembled with rage and horror resolving to wait his approach and then close with him in mortal combat he approached his countenance bespoke bitter anguish combined with disdain and malignity while it's unearthly ugliness rendered it almost too horrible for human eyes but I scarcely observed this rage and hatred had at first deprived me of utterance and I recovered only to overwhelm him with words expresses of furious to test a ssin and contempt devil I exclaimed do you dare approach me and do not you fear the fierce vengeance of my arm wreaked on your miserable head begone vile insect or rather stay that I may trample you to dust and o that I could with the extinction of your miserable existence restore those victims whom you have so diabolically murdered I expected this reception said the daemon all men hate the wretched how then must I be hated who had miserable beyond all living things yet you my Creator detest and spurn me thy creature to whom thou art bound by ties only dis all Yubel by the annihilation of one of us you propose to kill me how dare you sport thus with life do your duty towards me and I will do mine towards you and the rest of mankind if you will comply with my conditions I will leave them and you at peace but if you refuse I will glut the maw of death until it be satiated with the blood of your remaining friends abhorrent monster fiend that thou art the tortures of hell are too mild of vengeance for thy crimes wretched devil you reproach me with your creation come on then that I may extinguish the spark which I so negligently just bestowed my rage was without bounds I sprang on him and held by all the feelings which can arm one being against the existence of another he easily eluded me and said be calm I entreat you to hear me before you give vent to your hatred on my devoted head have I not suffered enough that you seek to increase my misery life although it may only be an accumulation of anguish is dear to me and I will defend it remember thou hast made me more powerful than thyself my height is superior to thine my joints more supple but I will not be tempted to set myself in opposition to thee I am thy creature and I will be even mild and docile to my natural Lord and king if that will also perform thy part the which thou host me o Frankenstein be not equitable to every other and trample upon me alone to whom thy justice and even thy clemency and affection is most do remember that I am thy creature I ought to be thy atom but I am rather the fallen angel whom thou drive us from joy for no misdeed everywhere I see bliss from which I alone and irrevocably excluded I was benevolent and good misery made me a fiend make me happy and I shall again be virtuous begone I will not hear you there can be no community between you and me we are enemies begone or let us try our strength in a fight in which one must fall how can I move thee will no entreaties cause thee to turn a favourable eye upon that creature who implores thy goodness and compassion believe me Frankenstein I was benevolent my soul glowed with love and humanity but am I not alone miserably alone you my Creator abhor me what hope can I gather from your fellow creatures who owe me nothing they spurn and hate me the desert mountains and dreary glaciers are my refuge I have wandered here many days the caves of ice which I only do not fear are adding to me and the only one which man does not grudge these bleak skies I hail for they are kinder to me than your fellow beings if the multitude of mankind knew of my existence they would do as you do and arm themselves for my destruction shall I not then hate them who abhor me I will keep no terms with my enemies I am miserable and they shall share my wretchedness yet it is in your power to recompense me and deliver them from an evil witch it only remains for you to make so great that not only you and your family but thousands of others shall be swallowed up in the whirlwinds of its rage let your compassion be moved and do not disdain me listen to my tale when you have heard that abandon or commiserate me as you shall judge that I deserve but hear me the guilty are allowed by human laws bloody as they are to speak in their own defence before they are condemned listen to me Frankenstein you accused me of murder and yet you would with a satisfied conscience destroy your own creature oh praise the eternal justice of man yeah I asked you not to spare me listen to me and then if you can and if you will destroy the work of your hands why do you call to my remembrance I rejoined circumstances of which I shudder to reflect that I have been the miserable origin and author cursed be the day abhorred evil in which you first saw a light curse it although I cursed myself be the hands that formed you you have made me wretched beyond expression you have left me no power to consider whether I am just to you or not begone relieve me from the sight of your detested form thus I relieve thee my Creator he said and placed his hatred hated hands before my eyes which I flung from me with violence thus I take from the site which you abhor still thou canst listen to me and grant me thy compassion by the virtues that I once possessed I demand this from you hear my tale it is long and strange and the temperature of this place is not fitting to your fine sensations come to the hut upon the mountain the Sun is yet high in the heavens before it descends to hide itself behind your snowy precipices and illuminate another world you will have heard my story and can decide on you it rests whether I quit forever the neighbourhood of man and lean a harmless life or become the scourge of your fellow creatures and the author of your own speedy ruin as he said this he led the way across the ice I followed my heart was full and I did not answer him but as I proceeded I weighed the various arguments that he had used and determined at least to listen to his tale I was partly urged by curiosity and compassion confirmed my resolution I had hitherto supposed him to be the murder of my brother and I eagerly sought a confirmation or denial of this opinion for the first time also I felt what the duty of a creator towards his creature were and that I ought to render him happy before I complained of his wickedness these motives urged me to comply with his demand we crossed the ice therefore and ascended the opposite Rock the air was cold and the rain again began to his descent we entered the hut the fiend with an air of exhaustion I with a heavy heart and depressed spirits but I consented to listen and seating myself by the fire which my odious companion had led lighted he thus began his tale end of chapter 10 please click the link below to continue on to chapter 11 this has been a TLC recording thank you for listening and please be sure to subscribe you