For seventeen years my life was very happy． Then the first sad thing happened． My mother became very ill，and soon she knew that she was dying． Just before she died，she asked Elizabeth and me to go to her room． She held our hands and said：

‘My children， I am very happy because you love each other，and because one day you will get married． Everyone in the family loves you， Elizabeth． Will you take my place in the family， my dear？ I can die happy if you will look after them when I have gone．’

My mother died， and we were very sad， because we loved her dearly Elizabeth was brave and helped us； her sweet smile gave us some happiness³ in the unhappy days after my mother's death．

The time came for me to go to university．I did not want to leave my sad family， but we all knew that I should go． It was hard to leave， too， because the parents of my good friend Henry Clerval would not let him go to university with me． And so I had to go alone．

On my first day at the university I met my teacher， Professor⁴ Waldman， who was one of the greatest scientists in the world． He gave a wonderful talk to all the students who were starting at the university． He ended his talk by saying：‘Some of you will become the great scientists of tomorrow． You must study hard and discover everything that you can． That is why God⁵ made you intelligent—to help other people．’

After the professor's talk，I thought very carefully．I remembered the storm when I was fifteen． I remembered how the lightning⁶ had destroyed the tree．I wanted to use electricity⁷ to help people， and I wanted to discover the secrets of life．I decided⁸ to work on these two things． I did not know then that my work would destroy me and the people that I loved．

I started work the next day． I worked very hard and soon Professor Waldman and I realized that I could learn to be a very good scientist．

The professor helped me very much， and other important scientists who were his friends helped me，too． I was interested in my work and I did not take one day's holiday during the next two years． I did not go home， and my letters to my family were very short．

After two years I had discovered many things and I built a scientific⁹ machine that was better than anything in the university． My machine would help me answer the most important question of all． How does life begin？ Is it possible to put life into dead things？ To answer these questions about life I had to learn first about death．I had to watch bodies from the moment when they died and the warm life left them． In the hospital and in the university， I watched the dying¹ and the dead．Day after day， month after month， I followed death．It was a dark and terrible time．

Then one day， the answer came to me． Suddenly I was sure that I knew the secret of life． I knew that I could put life into a body that was not alive．

I worked harder and harder now． I slept for only a short time each night， and I did not eat much food．I wrote to my family less often． But they loved me and did not stop writing to me．They said they understood how busy I was． They did not want me to stop work to write or to see them． They would wait until I had more time． They hoped to see me very soon．

The professors¹⁰ realized that I was doing very important work， and so they gave me my own laboratory． There was a small flat above the laboratory， where I lived， and sometimes I stayed inside the building for a week and did not go out．

Above the laboratory¹¹ I built a very tall mast． It was 150metres high， and higher than the tallest building in the city．The mast¹² could catch lightning and could send the electricity down to my machine in the laboratory． I had never forgotten the lightning that had destroyed the tree． There had been so much power in the electricity of that lightning． I believed I could use that electricity to give life to things that were dead．

I will say no more than that． The secret of my machine must die with me． I was a very clever scientist， but I did not realize then what a terrible mistake I was making．

在17年的生命历程中我都很幸福。后来第一件悲伤的事发生了。我母亲病得很厉害，不久她便知道自己将不久于人世。就在她去世之前，她把伊丽莎白和我叫到她的房间。她抓住我们的手说道：

“孩子们，你们彼此相爱并且将会结婚，我因此非常高兴。家里的每个人都很爱你，伊丽莎白。你愿意取代我在家中的位置吗，亲爱的？如果你在我走后能照顾他们，我将会走得很幸福。”

我母亲死了，我们都非常伤心，因为我们非常爱她。伊丽莎白很勇敢并帮着我们；她那甜美的微笑在母亲死后的那些不快的日子里给我们带来了一些快乐。

到了我该上大学的时候了。我不想离开我那悲伤的家，可我们都知道我应该去。离别也是很难的，因为我的好朋友克勒沃的父母不让他和我一起去上大学。这样我只能独自一人去了。

大学的第一天我遇到了我的老师沃得曼教授，他是世界上最伟大的科学家之一。他给我们所有开始大学生活的学生做了一次精彩的演讲。他在结束讲话时说：“你们中的一些人将成为明天的科学家。你们必须努力学习并且去揭示你们所能揭示的事物。这就是上帝为什么给了你们智慧——去帮助他人。”

教授演讲过后，我进行了非常认真的思考。我想起了我15岁时的那场暴风雨。我记得那次的闪电是如何摧毁了那棵树的。我想利用电去帮助人们，我还想去揭示生命的奥秘。我决心去从事这两项工作。我当时没有想到我的工作会毁了我还有我所爱的人们。

第二天我就开始了工作。我工作非常努力，我和沃得曼教授不久便意识到我可以通过学习成为一名出色的科学家。

教授帮了我很多的忙，那些是教授的朋友的、重要的科学家们也帮助过我。我对我的工作很感兴趣，在接下来的两年里我没有休过一天假。我没有回过家，给家里写的信也非常短。

两年后我发现了很多的事物并建造了一台比大学里的任何机器都好的科学机器。我的机器能帮助我回答最重要的问题。生命是如何开始的？可以把生命注入无生命的东西中去吗？要回答有关生命的这些问题我首先得了解死亡。我得从他们刚死、滚热的生命离开人体的那一刹那起进行观察。在医院里和大学里，我观察着垂死的人和已死的人。日复一日、月复一月，我都在跟踪死亡。那是黑暗和恐惧的日子。

后来有一天我得到了答案。我突然间确信自己懂得了生命的奥秘。我知道我能将生命注入一个无生命的身体中去。

现在我工作越来越努力。每天晚上我只睡很短的时间，吃的东西也很少。我给家里写的信更加少了。但是家里的人爱我，他们没有停止给我写信。他们说他们理解我有多忙。他们不想让我停止工作而去给他们写信或是去看望他们。他们愿意等到我有时间的时候再说。他们希望很快见到我。

教授们意识到我在从事一项重要的工作，因而给了我一间实验室。实验室的上面有一个小的套房，我就住在里面；有时候我一个星期都呆在那座建筑物里不出去。

我在实验室的上方建起了一个很高的杆子。它有150米高，比全城最高的建筑物都要高。那个杆子能够“捕获”闪电并把电送到我实验室的机器上。我从未忘记摧毁那棵树的闪电。那次闪电中的电曾有那么大的力量。我相信我可以利用电给无生命的东西注以生命。

我不想再多说什么了。我的机器的秘密必须随我一起消亡。我是个很聪明的科学家，可我那时没有意识到我在犯多么可怕的错误。