The wedding night: Frankenstein episode 9

This is a podcast from BBC Learning English dot com. For more information, visit our website.

Frankenstein, episode nine. Scientist Viktor Frankenstein gets married.

Hello, I'm scientist Viktor Frankenstein. And I'm here in the Arctic, the end of the Earth,  

because I'm looking for the Creature which destroyed my  

happiness. The last time I was happy was… with Elizabeth. Our wedding day was coming… 

Let me check the guest list again… How many guests have we planned earlier, Mr Frankenstein? 

There were 60, the last time I counted, dear Elizabeth. 

Is the house big enough for all our guests?

Yes, it is, my darling. Invite more people.  

Let's have a banquet and plenty of good wine!  

How much wine shall we order? Are two hundred bottles too many?

No. I'll pay for it all gladly. Nothing is too  

expensive for my dear son and his bride. Let's all drink and be merry! It will be a wedding nobody will ever forget!

Are you happy, my dear?

Oh, I'm very happy! 

It's very cold here! Well, Elizabeth and I  got married on a warm day. There was a lot

of catching up with friends. Elizabeth looked so pretty. But I was worried. I got used to walking

around with a gun in my pocket. The threat by the Creature was very much alive in my mind…

I'll have my revenge. I'll be with you on your wedding night! 

I didn't give the monster a bride, so it  said it would destroy my life. It killed  

my best friend Henry, my brother William and his nanny Justine was blamed for the  

boy's murder… and now it was coming after me. This was in my thoughts when we arrived for  

our honeymoon at the house we rented by the side of Lake Como in Italy. It was raining heavily… 

It's a pity we have to close the windows. The view of the lake is fantastic! 

Yes. But I'm sure the rain won't last. Why don't you go to the bedroom, my darling? 

Aren't you coming? What are you looking for, dear Viktor? 

I just want to make sure that everything is alright and we are safe. I'll go as soon as

I do that, my sweet Elizabeth.

Are you expecting someone? 

No, darling wife. Go, and I'll join you as soon as I can. I don't want anything to worry you.

I was indeed expecting something to happen: a battle to the death between me and the  

Creature. I didn't care if it was too strong for me. I had enough hate in my heart to defeat  

the monster. I just didn't want Elizabeth to see the fight. I left the house with my gun  

and decided to walk around to check if it was there. But all of a sudden, a scream… 

Ahhhhhhh!

Elizabeth! Elizabeth! 

My dear Elizabeth! My beloved wife… is dead!! 

You horrible Creature! I'll kill you!

I'll put a bullet in your head! I hate you! I hate you with all  

my heart! My Elizabeth!

William, Justine, Henry and  

now Elizabeth. There was nothing else for me and… for my father. As soon as he heard that

my wife was killed on our wedding night, he fell ill and died heartbroken. And all because of me!

I'd thought about telling Elizabeth that I had created a monster. But there wasn't enough time…  

After her death I tried to warn others and I was put in a hospital for a while. Nobody believed  

me… So I decided to put an end to the problem I had created and find the creature at once.

The world is not big enough for both of us. I'm still looking for it. I might find it next time.