A Nightmare of Death and Decay

Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room,

and continued a long time traversing my bed-chamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep.

At length lassitude succeeded to the tumult I had before endured; and I threw myself on the bed

in my clothes, endeavouring to seek a few moments of forgetfulness. But it was in vain:

I slept indeed, but I was disturbed by the wildest dreams. I thought I saw Elizabeth,

in the bloom of health, walking in the streets of Ingolstadt. Delighted and surprised,

I embraced her; but as I imprinted the first kiss on her lips, they became livid

with the hue of death; her features appeared to change, and I thought that I held the corpse