Previously in Frankengeld. In the Hurenhaus Lord Philip continues to test Damion's Priapus Potion, with good results. They observe, through a special window, Madam Minna learning to become a whore after she agreed to the 'Hammer and Anvil' lovemaking of Klaus the Blacksmith. On the way home Damion learns that there has been an accident amongst the search parties for the monster and Victor Frankenstein has been taken home. The next day Damion is summoned to treat an exhausted Victor, and is told the tale of the creation of the New Man.
Now read on...
20th June in the year 1784.
Victor continued his story. He had just declared that it, his creation, was alive!
"I had hoped to create a superior being, to outdo God whose creations are often ugly, stupid, selfish, or criminal. And whose creations must be made by the joining of sweat-polluted flesh, the beast with two backs. But, when the bandages were removed and he was dressed, the truth was revealed."
Victor slumped down, looking as if he were trying to shrink into the cushions, and screwed his eyes tight shut. Clearly whatever he was seeing in his mind's eye was terrible to behold.
"It was horrible, Damion. It was all the things I hated. Ugly, clumsy, barely able to speak except for a snarl. It ate like an animal, and looked at the daylight like a child seeing it for the first time, with no comprehension."
He grabbed at my lapel and pulled me down close, whispering.
"I confess, I would have nothing to do with it. I could not even look at it. I had imagined teaching it to live in society, or have it teach me what it understood of the world. I could not even bring myself to say one word to it. We put it in the cellar of the tower and I sat for hours looking at my notes. I had failed."
The emotion in those last three words were, I believed, the source of his nervous exhaustion. He had spent years building up to this moment of triumph, only to fail. But rather than feeling concern for the creature he had made, he felt sorry for himself. He had rejected the thing, with possibly lethal consequences.
"I sat upstairs trying to discover what I had done wrong, but I could see no error in my work. And downstairs Fritz was taking delight in torturing the poor creature. Scaring it with a burning brand, letting the flames lick against hands thrust forward in defence. I heard the cries, and the rattling of its chains, all the way at the top of the tower and came to see what was amiss. I told him to leave the thing alone, to come away, many times. But he did not heed my words."
He waved his hand at the water carafe and Helena moved quickly to bring him another glass of water. He looked surprised to see her, as if he'd forgotten she was in the room.
"Thank you miss," he gasped, then looked me straight in the eyes. "Fritz is dead, Damion. The monster killed him. I had returned again to my papers, convinced that I had missed some vital process, though I could not imagine what. By the time I had reacted to the screams Fritz was slain. Hanged and, I think, pulled until his neck snapped. The monster was gone. I wandered the tower in a daze, I do not know how long."
So guilt must be added to the weight upon his mind, I thought. And it confirmed his creation must be of considerable strength. To single-handedly lift a struggling man and hang him by the neck needed great strength. At least the creature had demonstrated some compassion, by pulling he had broken his tormentor's neck, shortening his suffering.
"Shortly after that Paul arrived. He has been visiting the tower each day to check upon me, and carry my regards back to Elizabeth, often returning with nothing more than insults from Fritz. I was a coward and told him Fritz was slain by an intruder. He took charge and raised the alarm."
I listened, feeling a little like a priest receiving confession. The difference being, I could not offer absolution. It occurred to me that Victor could not have revealed this to anyone else. Only I, Helena, and the Mystery Club members knew the nature of his work. What he had made with his own hands. I noted that he had started to refer to his creation as a monster. How his vision had fallen from the superior being he wished to create.
"I joined the search parties and was most diligent in hunting that which I had mistakenly made. As it became dark we lit torches. The men in my team were reluctant to push on in the dark, but I insisted. Somehow I got separated from the rest. I came round an outcrop of rock, and there he was. The Monster! My creation!"
"By the light of my torch I could see he was fearful of the flame. The legacy of Fritz. I foolishly thought it made me safe from him. The look in its eyes was terrible to behold, anger and betrayal, in equal quantities. And who could blame it. I had made it, then rejected it."
"The monster snarled my name, it seemed to be all he could speak, then sprang at me. It grasped me by the arm, the other hand reaching for my throat, but I slipped and fell off the outcropping leaving him with only a piece of sleeve as a trophy. I lay stunned on the cold, hard, ground. When the others came, moments later, with their many torches the creature had already fled. I lost consciousness and when I awoke I was here."
Victor seemed less agitated now, as if telling his tale - that had been trapped within him for many hours - had helped spread the load of his distress. He looked at me for comment but I was no priest, to offer God's forgiveness, or judge, to pronounce his sentence. I was a doctor, dedicated where I could, to helping people. And that is how I responded.
"I know you want to go out to hunt this creature again, Victor" I said. "To try to put right what has happened. But you must rest. It is vital."
He watched my face, looking, I suspected for signs that I was disgusted by what he had done. That our friendship was over. I remained the professional and continued, "If you do not rest then you may suffer a complete collapse of body and mind. So, I prescribe bed rest, good sustaining but easily digested food, and plenty of sleep. I will tell your father and Elizabeth what you require for your diet." I nodded towards Helena, "We will leave a tonic for your nerves and a sleeping draught of my preparation, to ensure a dreamless sleep."
He had relaxed back into the chaise-longe now and just listened to me.