When I turned seventeen, my parents decided that I should go to the University of Ingolstadt to continue my education. Before that, I had been studying in Geneva, but my father thought it was important for me to experience life and customs outside of my hometown. So, my departure was planned. However, before I could leave, a tragic event changed everything.
Elizabeth, someone very dear to us, got scarlet fever, and her illness was serious. We were all very worried. Despite our efforts to keep my mother away from Elizabeth, as we feared she might also get sick, she couldn’t stay away. She loved Elizabeth too much to leave her side. Thanks to my mother’s care, Elizabeth recovered, but sadly, my mother got sick herself. Her illness became worse each day, and the doctors gave us the dreadful news that she would not recover.
On her deathbed, my mother remained brave. She held mine and Elizabeth’s hands together and told us that she had always dreamed of our future marriage and that we should look after our family. She said goodbye to us with love, and although she tried to stay strong, she was heartbroken to leave us.
When my mother passed away, it left a huge emptiness in our lives. It’s hard to accept that someone you’ve seen every day is suddenly gone forever. The first days after her death were filled with sadness and disbelief, but as time passed, we had to find a way to move forward, knowing that we still had responsibilities to each other.
Although my mother’s death delayed my trip to university, I eventually prepared to leave for Ingolstadt. Before I left, my friend Clerval spent the last evening with us. He wanted to come to university with me, but his father wouldn’t allow it, which made him feel upset. We stayed up late, unable to say a proper goodbye. But the next morning, everyone came to see me off. My father blessed me, Clerval shook my hand, and Elizabeth asked me to write to her often.
As I travelled, I felt lonely. I had always been surrounded by friends and family, and now I was going to a place where I knew no one. But the further I got from home, the more excited I became about learning and gaining new knowledge.
When I arrived in Ingolstadt, I met some professors. The first one, M. Krempe, was unpleasant and mocked the books I had studied. He told me I had wasted my time and needed to start my studies all over again. Although I didn’t like him, I knew he was right about some things, so I decided to give his advice a chance.
Later, I attended a lecture by another professor, M. Waldman. He was kind and passionate about science. His words inspired me. He explained how modern scientists, though not claiming to do impossible things, had achieved incredible discoveries. His lecture reignited my love for science, and I became determined to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of what we know.
I couldn’t sleep that night, as my mind was filled with excitement and ideas. The next day, I visited M. Waldman, who welcomed me warmly. He listened to my story, encouraged me, and even gave me a list of books to study. That day changed everything for me—I knew that science would shape my future.
Summary:
In this chapter, the narrator, at seventeen, is preparing to leave for university, but before he can go, tragedy strikes when his mother dies after taking care of a sick family member, Elizabeth. The narrator struggles with the loss but continues with his plans to study at the University of Ingolstadt. There, he meets two professors. One is rude and dismissive of his previous studies, but the other inspires him to dive deeper into science, setting him on a new path.
Glossary:
Elizabeth, someone very dear to us, got scarlet fever, and her illness was serious. We were all very worried. Despite our efforts to keep my mother away from Elizabeth, as we feared she might also get sick, she couldn’t stay away. She loved Elizabeth too much to leave her side. Thanks to my mother’s care, Elizabeth recovered, but sadly, my mother got sick herself. Her illness became worse each day, and the doctors gave us the dreadful news that she would not recover.
On her deathbed, my mother remained brave. She held mine and Elizabeth’s hands together and told us that she had always dreamed of our future marriage and that we should look after our family. She said goodbye to us with love, and although she tried to stay strong, she was heartbroken to leave us.
When my mother passed away, it left a huge emptiness in our lives. It’s hard to accept that someone you’ve seen every day is suddenly gone forever. The first days after her death were filled with sadness and disbelief, but as time passed, we had to find a way to move forward, knowing that we still had responsibilities to each other.
Although my mother’s death delayed my trip to university, I eventually prepared to leave for Ingolstadt. Before I left, my friend Clerval spent the last evening with us. He wanted to come to university with me, but his father wouldn’t allow it, which made him feel upset. We stayed up late, unable to say a proper goodbye. But the next morning, everyone came to see me off. My father blessed me, Clerval shook my hand, and Elizabeth asked me to write to her often.
As I travelled, I felt lonely. I had always been surrounded by friends and family, and now I was going to a place where I knew no one. But the further I got from home, the more excited I became about learning and gaining new knowledge.
When I arrived in Ingolstadt, I met some professors. The first one, M. Krempe, was unpleasant and mocked the books I had studied. He told me I had wasted my time and needed to start my studies all over again. Although I didn’t like him, I knew he was right about some things, so I decided to give his advice a chance.
Later, I attended a lecture by another professor, M. Waldman. He was kind and passionate about science. His words inspired me. He explained how modern scientists, though not claiming to do impossible things, had achieved incredible discoveries. His lecture reignited my love for science, and I became determined to explore new ideas and push the boundaries of what we know.
I couldn’t sleep that night, as my mind was filled with excitement and ideas. The next day, I visited M. Waldman, who welcomed me warmly. He listened to my story, encouraged me, and even gave me a list of books to study. That day changed everything for me—I knew that science would shape my future.
Summary:
In this chapter, the narrator, at seventeen, is preparing to leave for university, but before he can go, tragedy strikes when his mother dies after taking care of a sick family member, Elizabeth. The narrator struggles with the loss but continues with his plans to study at the University of Ingolstadt. There, he meets two professors. One is rude and dismissive of his previous studies, but the other inspires him to dive deeper into science, setting him on a new path.
Glossary:
- University of Ingolstadt – A university where the narrator goes to study after leaving his hometown.
- Scarlet fever – A serious illness that Elizabeth catches.
- Geneva – The city where the narrator had previously studied.
- Deathbed – The place where a person is about to die, in this case, the narrator’s mother.
- Ingolstadt – A town in Germany where the university is located.
- M. Krempe – A professor at Ingolstadt who criticises the narrator’s past studies.
- M. Waldman – Another professor at Ingolstadt who inspires the narrator to pursue science further.
- Alchemy – An ancient form of chemistry focused on trying to turn metals into gold or find an elixir of life.