After the wedding¹ a large number of our friends came to a party at our house． When the party had started，Elizabeth and I said goodbye and left for our honeymoon．We travelled first by boat， and planned to spend the night at a hotel on the other side of the lake． The mountains and the lake were calm and beautiful，and at last Elizabeth and I were together．For the first time for months， and for the last time ever，I enjoyed the feeling of happiness．

In the evening the wind became stronger and soon a great storm broke above us．Every noise frightened me，and I kept my hand on my gun under my coat．I saw the monster⁴ in every shadow．Suddenly I realized how terrible the fight would be for Elizabeth．I asked her to go to bed and I decided⁶ to search for the monster．I planned to join her when I was sure he was not in or around the hotel．

Elizabeth left me and I searched every corner of the hotel—every dark doorway⁷ and staircase．I could not find him，and I began to hope that he had not followed us to the hotel．But suddenly，I heard a loud and terrible scream．

It came from our room．

Then—too late—I understood．The monster had promised to be with me on my wedding night，but he had not planned to kill me．

The scream⁹ came again，and I ran to our room．Why did I 72not die there and then？

On the bed， Elizabeth lay still， in the cold sleep of death． I took her in my arms… and saw the marks of the murderer's fingers on her neck．

Other people in the hotel had heard the screams¹⁰ and came into our room． I sent one of them to call the police．The others left me alone with my misery．I held Elizabeth close， and as I held her， I saw the monster watching me through the open window of the room．There was an evil¹² laugh on his face．I pulled my gun from my coat and fired at him． I missed， and he ran from the window and jumped into the lake．The other people heard the noise of the shot¹³ and came back into the room． I showed them the place where the monster had jumped into the lake．We searched the edge¹⁴ of the lake，but we could not find him．I returned to our room and lay on the bed next to my dear wife．

Suddenly I had another terrible thought．At this very moment perhaps my father was fighting the monster， with Ernest dead at his feet． I left the hotel and returned to Geneva as fast as I could．My father and Ernest were safe，but the awful news of Elizabeth's death killed my father．He had loved Elizabeth dearly． He be－came ill，and after a few days he died in my arms．So the evil monster had brought unhappiness and death to a dear old man who had never hurt anybody．

I do not know what happened next．I think I left the real world， and entered a dangerous world of dreams and madness．Later I found that they had put me in prison¹⁵ because of my madness．

After many months they let me free．I had only one wish—to find and kill the monster．

婚礼之后我们的大批朋友都来我们家聚会。聚会开始后，我和伊丽莎白向他们道了别并离开度蜜月去了。我们首先乘船旅行，并计划晚上在湖对岸的一家旅馆过夜。群山和湖泊宁静而美丽，我和伊丽莎白终于结合在了一起。我几个月来第一次、也是最后一次享受到了幸福的感觉。

傍晚风刮得更猛了，不久还来了一场大的暴风雨。每一个声响都让我恐惧，我一直把手放在外套下面的枪上。我在每个阴暗处都看到了那个怪物。突然间我意识到这场搏斗对于伊丽莎白来说将会是多么恐怖。我让她上床睡觉而我则决定去寻找那个怪物。我打算在确信怪物不在旅馆及其附近后再回到伊丽莎白身边。

伊丽莎白离开了我，我搜寻了旅馆里的每一个角落——每一个黑暗的门厅和楼梯。我没能找到他，于是便开始希望他并没有随我们到旅馆来。但是突然间我听到了一声可怕的尖叫。

那是从我们的房间里传出来的。

于是我明白过来了——但已经是太晚了。怪物曾许诺要在我的新婚之夜跟着我的，但他并未打算要杀了我。

尖叫声又一次传来，我于是跑到了我们的房间。我为什么没有在当时当地便死去呢？

床上，伊丽莎白静静地躺着，在冰冷中长眠。我把她抱在怀中……并看见了凶手在她脖子上留下的指痕。

旅馆里的其他人听到了尖叫声，他们走进了我们的房间。我让其中的一人去报警。其他人走后，留下我一个人在痛苦中煎熬。我紧紧地搂着伊丽莎白，而我抱着她时看见怪物正透过开着的窗户看着我。他的脸上挂着邪恶的笑容。我从外套中拔出枪朝他开了火。我没有打中，他从窗户处跑开并跳到了湖里。其他人听到了枪声便又来到了那个房间。我将怪物跳湖之处指给他们看。我们在湖边搜寻，但没能找到他。我回到房间里躺到我亲爱的妻子身旁。

突然间我有了另外一个可怕的想法：也许我父亲这时正在同那个怪物打斗并且欧内斯特已死在他的脚边。

我离开旅馆并以尽最快的速度赶回了日内瓦。我父亲和欧内斯特都平安无事，但伊丽莎白死去的噩耗夺去了我父亲的生命。他曾深深地爱着伊丽莎白。他病倒了，几天之后便死在了我的怀里。这样那个邪恶的怪物将不幸和死亡带给了从未伤害过任何人的我那亲爱的老人。

我不知道接下去会发生什么。我想我当时离开了现实的世界而进入了梦幻和疯狂的危险境界。后来我才知道他们当时因为我疯狂而把我送进了监狱。

好几个月之后他们释放了我。我只有一个愿望——找到并杀死那个怪物。