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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of Beauty and the Beast by Anonymous
+
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no
+restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under
+the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or
+online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license
+
+
+
+Title: Beauty and the Beast
+
+Author: Anonymous
+
+Release Date: November 30, 2006 [Ebook #19967]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO 8859-1
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST***
+
+
+
+
+
+Beauty and the Beast
+
+
+by Anonymous
+
+
+
+
+Edition 1, (November 30, 2006)
+
+
+
+
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+
+
+BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
+
+
+Once upon a time, in a very far-off country, there lived a merchant who
+had been so fortunate in all his undertakings that he was enormously rich.
+As he had, however, six sons and six daughters, he found that his money
+was not too much to let them all have everything they fancied, as they
+were accustomed to do.
+
+But one day a most unexpected misfortune befell them. Their house caught
+fire and was speedily burnt to the ground, with all the splendid
+furniture, the books, pictures, gold, silver, and precious goods it
+contained; and this was only the beginning of their troubles. Their
+father, who had until this moment prospered in all ways, suddenly lost
+every ship he had upon the sea, either by dint of pirates, shipwreck, or
+fire. Then he heard that his clerks in distant countries, whom he trusted
+entirely, had proved unfaithful; and at last from great wealth he fell
+into the direst poverty.
+
+All that he had left was a little house in a desolate place at least a
+hundred leagues from the town in which he had lived, and to this he was
+forced to retreat with his children, who were in despair at the idea of
+leading such a different life. Indeed, the daughters at first hoped that
+their friends, who had been so numerous while they were rich, would insist
+on their staying in their houses now they no longer possessed one. But
+they soon found that they were left alone, and that their former friends
+even attributed their misfortunes to their own extravagance, and showed no
+intention of offering them any help. So nothing was left for them but to
+take their departure to the cottage, which stood in the midst of a dark
+forest, and seemed to be the most dismal place upon the face of the earth.
+As they were too poor to have any servants, the girls had to work hard,
+like peasants, and the sons, for their part, cultivated the fields to earn
+their living. Roughly clothed, and living in the simplest way, the girls
+regretted unceasingly the luxuries and amusements of their former life;
+only the youngest tried to be brave and cheerful. She had been as sad as
+anyone when misfortune first overtook her father, but, soon recovering her
+natural gaiety, she set to work to make the best of things, to amuse her
+father and brothers as well as she could, and to try to persuade her
+sisters to join her in dancing and singing. But they would do nothing of
+the sort, and, because she was not as doleful as themselves, they declared
+that this miserable life was all she was fit for. But she was really far
+prettier and cleverer than they were; indeed, she was so lovely that she
+was always called Beauty. After two years, when they were all beginning to
+get used to their new life, something happened to disturb their
+tranquillity. Their father received the news that one of his ships, which
+he had believed to be lost, had come safely into port with a rich cargo.
+All the sons and daughters at once thought that their poverty was at an
+end, and wanted to set out directly for the town; but their father, who
+was more prudent, begged them to wait a little, and, though it was
+harvest-time, and he could ill be spared, determined to go himself first,
+to make inquiries. Only the youngest daughter had any doubt but that they
+would soon again be as rich as they were before, or at least rich enough
+to live comfortably in some town where they would find amusement and gay
+companions once more. So they all loaded their father with commissions for
+jewels and dresses which it would have taken a fortune to buy; only
+Beauty, feeling sure that it was of no use, did not ask for anything. Her
+father, noticing her silence, said: "And what shall I bring for you,
+Beauty?"
+
+"The only thing I wish for is to see you come home safely," she answered.
+
+But this reply vexed her sisters, who fancied she was blaming them for
+having asked for such costly things. Her father, however, was pleased, but
+as he thought that at her age she certainly ought to like pretty presents,
+he told her to choose something.
+
+"Well, dear father," she said, "as you insist upon it, I beg that you will
+bring me a rose. I have not seen one since we came here, and I love them
+so much."
+
+So the merchant set out and reached the town as quickly as possible, but
+only to find that his former companions, believing him to be dead, had
+divided between them the goods which the ship had brought; and after six
+months of trouble and expense he found himself as poor as when he started,
+having been able to recover only just enough to pay the cost of his
+journey. To make matters worse, he was obliged to leave the town in the
+most terrible weather, so that by the time he was within a few leagues of
+his home he was almost exhausted with cold and fatigue. Though he knew it
+would take some hours to get through the forest, he was so anxious to be
+at his journey's end that he resolved to go on; but night overtook him,
+and the deep snow and bitter frost made it impossible for his horse to
+carry him any further. Not a house was to be seen; the only shelter he
+could get was the hollow trunk of a great tree, and there he crouched all
+the night, which seemed to him the longest he had ever known. In spite of
+his weariness the howling of the wolves kept him awake, and even when at
+last the day broke he was not much better off, for the falling snow had
+covered up every path, and he did not know which way to turn.
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+At length he made out some sort of track, and though at the beginning it
+was so rough and slippery that he fell down more than once, it presently
+became easier, and led him into an avenue of trees which ended in a
+splendid castle. It seemed to the merchant very strange that no snow had
+fallen in the avenue, which was entirely composed of orange trees, covered
+with flowers and fruit. When he reached the first court of the castle he
+saw before him a flight of agate steps, and went up them, and passed
+through several splendidly furnished rooms. The pleasant warmth of the air
+revived him, and he felt very hungry; but there seemed to be nobody in all
+this vast and splendid palace whom he could ask to give him something to
+eat. Deep silence reigned everywhere, and at last, tired of roaming
+through empty rooms and galleries, he stopped in a room smaller than the
+rest, where a clear fire was burning and a couch was drawn up cosily close
+to it. Thinking that this must be prepared for someone who was expected,
+he sat down to wait till he should come, and very soon fell into a sweet
+sleep.
+
+When his extreme hunger wakened him after several hours, he was still
+alone; but a little table, upon which was a good dinner, had been drawn up
+close to him, and, as he had eaten nothing for twenty-four hours, he lost
+no time in beginning his meal, hoping that he might soon have an
+opportunity of thanking his considerate entertainer, whoever it might be.
+
+But no one appeared, and even after another long sleep, from which he
+awoke completely refreshed, there was no sign of anybody, though a fresh
+meal of dainty cakes and fruit was prepared upon the little table at his
+elbow. Being naturally timid, the silence began to terrify him, and he
+resolved to search once more through all the rooms; but it was of no use.
+Not even a servant was to be seen; there was no sign of life in the
+palace! He began to wonder what he should do, and to amuse himself by
+pretending that all the treasures he saw were his own, and considering how
+he would divide them among his children. Then he went down into the
+garden, and though it was winter everywhere else, here the sun shone, and
+the birds sang, and the flowers bloomed, and the air was soft and sweet.
+The merchant, in ecstacies with all he saw and heard, said to himself:
+
+"All this must be meant for me. I will go this minute and bring my
+children to share all these delights."
+
+In spite of being so cold and weary when he reached the castle, he had
+taken his horse to the stable and fed it. Now he thought he would saddle
+it for his homeward journey, and he turned down the path which led to the
+stable. This path had a hedge of roses on each side of it, and the
+merchant thought he had never seen or smelt such exquisite flowers. They
+reminded him of his promise to Beauty, and he stopped and had just
+gathered one to take to her when he was startled by a strange noise behind
+him. Turning round, he saw a frightful Beast, which seemed to be very
+angry and said, in a terrible voice:
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+"Who told you that you might gather my roses? Was it not enough that I
+allowed you to be in my palace and was kind to you? This is the way you
+show your gratitude, by stealing my flowers! But your insolence shall not
+go unpunished." The merchant, terrified by these furious words, dropped
+the fatal rose, and, throwing himself on his knees, cried: "Pardon me,
+noble sir. I am truly grateful to you for your hospitality, which was so
+magnificent that I could not imagine that you would be offended by my
+taking such a little thing as a rose." But the Beast's anger was not
+lessened by this speech.
+
+"You are very ready with excuses and flattery," he cried; "but that will
+not save you from the death you deserve."
+
+"Alas!" thought the merchant, "if my daughter Beauty could only know what
+danger her rose has brought me into!"
+
+And in despair he began to tell the Beast all his misfortunes, and the
+reason of his journey, not forgetting to mention Beauty's request.
+
+"A king's ransom would hardly have procured all that my other daughters
+asked," he said; "but I thought that I might at least take Beauty her
+rose. I beg you to forgive me, for you see I meant no harm."
+
+The Beast considered for a moment, and then he said, in a less furious
+tone:
+
+"I will forgive you on one condition--that is, that you will give me one
+of your daughters."
+
+"Ah!" cried the merchant, "if I were cruel enough to buy my own life at
+the expense of one of my children's, what excuse could I invent to bring
+her here?"
+
+"No excuse would be necessary," answered the Beast. "If she comes at all
+she must come willingly. On no other condition will I have her. See if any
+one of them is courageous enough, and loves you well enough to come and
+save your life. You seem to be an honest man, so I will trust you to go
+home. I give you a month to see if either of your daughters will come back
+with you and stay here, to let you go free. If neither of them is willing,
+you must come alone, after bidding them good-bye for ever, for then you
+will belong to me. And do not imagine that you can hide from me, for if
+you fail to keep your word I will come and fetch you!" added the Beast
+grimly.
+
+The merchant accepted this proposal, though he did not really think any of
+his daughters would be persuaded to come. He promised to return at the
+time appointed, and then, anxious to escape from the presence of the
+Beast, he asked permission to set off at once. But the Beast answered that
+he could not go until the next day.
+
+"Then you will find a horse ready for you," he said. "Now go and eat your
+supper, and await my orders."
+
+The poor merchant, more dead than alive, went back to his room, where the
+most delicious supper was already served on the little table which was
+drawn up before a blazing fire. But he was too terrified to eat, and only
+tasted a few of the dishes, for fear the Beast should be angry if he did
+not obey his orders. When he had finished he heard a great noise in the
+next room, which he knew meant that the Beast was coming. As he could do
+nothing to escape his visit, the only thing that remained was to seem as
+little afraid as possible; so when the Beast appeared and asked roughly if
+he had supped well, the merchant answered humbly that he had, thanks to
+his host's kindness. Then the Beast warned him to remember their
+agreement, and to prepare his daughter exactly for what she had to expect.
+
+"Do not get up to-morrow," he added, "until you see the sun and hear a
+golden bell ring. Then you will find your breakfast waiting for you here,
+and the horse you are to ride will be ready in the courtyard. He will also
+bring you back again when you come with your daughter a month hence.
+Farewell. Take a rose to Beauty, and remember your promise!"
+
+The merchant was only too glad when the Beast went away, and though he
+could not sleep for sadness, he lay down until the sun rose. Then, after a
+hasty breakfast, he went to gather Beauty's rose, and mounted his horse,
+which carried him off so swiftly that in an instant he had lost sight of
+the palace, and he was still wrapped in gloomy thoughts when it stopped
+before the door of the cottage.
+
+His sons and daughters, who had been very uneasy at his long absence,
+rushed to meet him, eager to know the result of his journey, which, seeing
+him mounted upon a splendid horse and wrapped in a rich mantle, they
+supposed to be favorable. But he hid the truth from them at first, only
+saying sadly to Beauty as he gave her the rose:
+
+"Here is what you asked me to bring you; you little know what it has
+cost."
+
+But this excited their curiosity so greatly that presently he told them
+his adventures from beginning to end, and then they were all very unhappy.
+The girls lamented loudly over their lost hopes, and the sons declared
+that their father should not return to this terrible castle, and began to
+make plans for killing the Beast if it should come to fetch him. But he
+reminded them that he had promised to go back. Then the girls were very
+angry with Beauty, and said it was all her fault, and that if she had
+asked for something sensible this would never have happened, and
+complained bitterly that they should have to suffer for her folly.
+
+Poor Beauty, much distressed, said to them:
+
+"I have indeed caused this misfortune, but I assure you I did it
+innocently. Who could have guessed that to ask for a rose in the middle of
+summer would cause so much misery? But as I did the mischief it is only
+just that I should suffer for it. I will therefore go back with my father
+to keep his promise."
+
+At first nobody would hear of this arrangement, and her father and
+brothers, who loved her dearly, declared that nothing should make them let
+her go; but Beauty was firm. As the time drew near she divided all her
+little possessions between her sisters, and said good-bye to everything
+she loved, and when the fatal day came she encouraged and cheered her
+father as they mounted together the horse which had brought him back. It
+seemed to fly rather than gallop, but so smoothly that Beauty was not
+frightened; indeed, she would have enjoyed the journey if she had not
+feared what might happen to her at the end of it. Her father still tried
+to persuade her to go back, but in vain. While they were talking the night
+fell, and then, to their great surprise, wonderful colored lights began to
+shine in all directions, and splendid fireworks blazed out before them;
+all the forest was illuminated by them, and even felt pleasantly warm,
+though it had been bitterly cold before. This lasted until they reached
+the avenue of orange trees, where were statues holding flaming torches,
+and when they got nearer to the palace they saw that it was illuminated
+from the roof to the ground, and music sounded softly from the courtyard.
+
+"The Beast must be very hungry," said Beauty, trying to laugh, "if he
+makes all this rejoicing over the arrival of his prey."
+
+But, in spite of her anxiety, she could not help admiring all the
+wonderful things she saw.
+
+The horse stopped at the foot of the flight of steps leading to the
+terrace, and when they had dismounted her father led her to the little
+room he had been in before, where they found a splendid fire burning, and
+the table daintily spread with a delicious supper.
+
+The merchant knew that this was meant for them, and Beauty, who was rather
+less frightened now that she had passed through so many rooms and seen
+nothing of the Beast, was quite willing to begin, for her long ride had
+made her very hungry. But they had hardly finished their meal when the
+noise of the Beast's footsteps was heard approaching, and Beauty clung to
+her father in terror, which became all the greater when she saw how
+frightened he was. But when the Beast really appeared, though she trembled
+at the sight of him, she made a great effort to hide her horror, and
+saluted him respectfully.
+
+This evidently pleased the Beast. After looking at her he said, in a tone
+that might have struck terror into the boldest heart, though he did not
+seem to be angry:
+
+"Good-evening, old man. Good-evening, Beauty."
+
+The merchant was too terrified to reply, but Beauty answered sweetly:
+
+"Good-evening, Beast."
+
+"Have you come willingly?" asked the Beast. "Will you be content to stay
+here when your father goes away?"
+
+Beauty answered bravely that she was quite prepared to stay.
+
+"I am pleased with you," said the Beast. "As you have come of your own
+accord, you may stay. As for you, old man," he added, turning to the
+merchant, "at sunrise to-morrow you will take your departure. When the
+bell rings get up quickly and eat your breakfast, and you will find the
+same horse waiting to take you home; but remember that you must never
+expect to see my palace again."
+
+Then turning to Beauty, he said:
+
+"Take your father into the next room, and help him to choose everything
+you think your brothers and sisters would like to have. You will find two
+traveling-trunks there; fill them as full as you can. It is only just that
+you should send them something very precious as a remembrance of
+yourself."
+
+Then he went away, after saying, "Good-bye, Beauty; good-bye, old man;"
+and though Beauty was beginning to think with great dismay of her father's
+departure, she was afraid to disobey the Beast's orders; and they went
+into the next room, which had shelves and cupboards all round it. They
+were greatly surprised at the riches it contained. There were splendid
+dresses fit for a queen, with all the ornaments that were to be worn with
+them; and when Beauty opened the cupboards she was quite dazzled by the
+gorgeous jewels that lay in heaps upon every shelf. After choosing a vast
+quantity, which she divided between her sisters--for she had made a heap
+of the wonderful dresses for each of them---she opened the last chest,
+which was full of gold.
+
+"I think, father," she said, "that, as the gold will be more useful to
+you, we had better take out the other things again, and fill the trunks
+with it." So they did this; but the more they put in, the more room there
+seemed to be, and at last they put back all the jewels and dresses they
+had taken out, and Beauty even added as many more of the jewels as she
+could carry at once; and then the trunks were not too full, but they were
+so heavy that an elephant could not have carried them!
+
+"The Beast was mocking us," cried the merchant; "he must have pretended to
+give us all these things, knowing that I could not carry them away."
+
+"Let us wait and see," answered Beauty. "I cannot believe that he meant to
+deceive us. All we can do is to fasten them up and leave them ready."
+
+So they did this and returned to the little room, where, to their
+astonishment, they found breakfast ready. The merchant ate his with a good
+appetite, as the Beast's generosity made him believe that he might perhaps
+venture to come back soon and see Beauty. But she felt sure that her
+father was leaving her for ever, so she was very sad when the bell rang
+sharply for the second time, and warned them that the time was come for
+them to part. They went down into the courtyard, where two horses were
+waiting, one loaded with the two trunks, the other for him to ride. They
+were pawing the ground in their impatience to start, and the merchant was
+forced to bid Beauty a hasty farewell; and as soon as he was mounted he
+went off at such a pace that she lost sight of him in an instant. Then
+Beauty began to cry, and wandered sadly back to her own room. But she soon
+found that she was very sleepy, and as she had nothing better to do she
+lay down and instantly fell asleep. And then she dreamed that she was
+walking by a brook bordered with trees, and lamenting her sad fate, when a
+young prince, handsomer than anyone she had ever seen, and with a voice
+that went straight to her heart, came and said to her, "Ah, Beauty! you
+are not so unfortunate as you suppose. Here you will be rewarded for all
+you have suffered elsewhere. Your every wish shall be gratified. Only try
+to find me out, no matter how I may be disguised, as I love you dearly,
+and in making me happy you will find your own happiness. Be as
+true-hearted as you are beautiful, and we shall have nothing left to wish
+for."
+
+"What can I do, Prince, to make you happy?" said Beauty.
+
+"Only be grateful," he answered, "and do not trust too much to your eyes.
+And, above all, do not desert me until you have saved me from my cruel
+misery."
+
+After this she thought she found herself in a room with a stately and
+beautiful lady, who said to her:
+
+"Dear Beauty, try not to regret all you have left behind you, for you are
+destined to a better fate. Only do not let yourself be deceived by
+appearances."
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+Beauty found her dreams so interesting that she was in no hurry to awake,
+but presently the clock roused her by calling her name softly twelve
+times, and then she got up and found her dressing-table set out with
+everything she could possibly want; and when her toilet was finished she
+found dinner was waiting in the room next to hers. But dinner does not
+take very long when you are all by yourself, and very soon she sat down
+cosily in the corner of a sofa, and began to think about the charming
+Prince she had seen in her dream.
+
+"He said I could make him happy," said Beauty to herself.
+
+"It seems, then, that this horrible Beast keeps him a prisoner. How can I
+set him free? I wonder why they both told me not to trust to appearances?
+I don't understand it. But, after all, it was only a dream, so why should
+I trouble myself about it? I had better go and find something to do to
+amuse myself."
+
+So she got up and began to explore some of the many rooms of the palace.
+
+The first she entered was lined with mirrors, and Beauty saw herself
+reflected on every side, and thought she had never seen such a charming
+room. Then a bracelet which was hanging from a chandelier caught her eye,
+and on taking it down she was greatly surprised to find that it held a
+portrait of her unknown admirer, just as she had seen him in her dream.
+With great delight she slipped the bracelet on her arm, and went on into a
+gallery of pictures, where she soon found a portrait of the same handsome
+Prince, as large as life, and so well painted that as she studied it he
+seemed to smile kindly at her. Tearing herself away from the portrait at
+last, she passed through into a room which contained every musical
+instrument under the sun, and here she amused herself for a long while in
+trying some of them, and singing until she was tired. The next room was a
+library, and she saw everything she had ever wanted to read, as well as
+everything she had read, and it seemed to her that a whole lifetime would
+not be enough even to read the names of the books, there were so many. By
+this time it was growing dusk, and wax candles in diamond and ruby
+candlesticks were beginning to light themselves in every room.
+
+Beauty found her supper served just at the time she preferred to have it,
+but she did not see anyone or hear a sound, and, though her father had
+warned her that she would be alone, she began to find it rather dull.
+
+But presently she heard the Beast coming, and wondered tremblingly if he
+meant to eat her up now.
+
+However, as he did not seem at all ferocious, and only said gruffly:
+
+"Good-evening, Beauty," she answered cheerfully and managed to conceal her
+terror. Then the Beast asked her how she had been amusing herself, and she
+told him all the rooms she had seen.
+
+Then he asked if she thought she could be happy in his palace; and Beauty
+answered that everything was so beautiful that she would be very hard to
+please if she could not be happy. And after about an hour's talk Beauty
+began to think that the Beast was not nearly so terrible as she had
+supposed at first. Then he got up to leave her, and said in his gruff
+voice:
+
+"Do you love me, Beauty? Will you marry me?"
+
+"Oh! what shall I say?" cried Beauty, for she was afraid to make the Beast
+angry by refusing.
+
+"Say 'yes' or 'no' without fear," he replied.
+
+"Oh! no, Beast," said Beauty hastily.
+
+"Since you will not, good-night, Beauty," he said. And she answered:
+
+"Good-night, Beast," very glad to find that her refusal had not provoked
+him. And after he was gone she was very soon in bed and asleep, and
+dreaming of her unknown Prince. She thought he came and said to her:
+
+"Ah, Beauty! why are you so unkind to me? I fear I am fated to be unhappy
+for many a long day still."
+
+And then her dreams changed, but the charming Prince figured in them all;
+and when morning came her first thought was to look at the portrait and
+see if it was really like him, and she found that it certainly was.
+
+This morning she decided to amuse herself in the garden, for the sun
+shone, and all the fountains were playing; but she was astonished to find
+that every place was familiar to her, and presently she came to the brook
+where the myrtle trees were growing where she had first met the Prince in
+her dream, and that made her think more than ever that he must be kept a
+prisoner by the Beast. When she was tired she went back to the palace, and
+found a new room full of materials for every kind of work--ribbons to make
+into bows, and silks to work into flowers. Then there was an aviary full
+of rare birds, which were so tame that they flew to Beauty as soon as they
+saw her, and perched upon her shoulders and her head.
+
+"Pretty little creatures," she said, "how I wish that your cage was nearer
+to my room, that I might often hear you sing!"
+
+So saying she opened a door, and found to her delight that it led into her
+own room, though she had thought it was quite the other side of the
+palace.
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+There were more birds in a room farther on, parrots and cockatoos that
+could talk, and they greeted Beauty by name; indeed, she found them so
+entertaining that she took one or two back to her room, and they talked to
+her while she was at supper; after which the Beast paid her his usual
+visit, and asked the same questions as before, and then with a gruff
+"good-night" he took his departure, and Beauty went to bed to dream of her
+mysterious Prince. The days passed swiftly in different amusements, and
+after a while Beauty found out another strange thing in the palace, which
+often pleased her when she was tired of being alone. There was one room
+which she had not noticed particularly; it was empty, except that under
+each of the windows stood a very comfortable chair; and the first time she
+had looked out of the window it had seemed to her that a black curtain
+prevented her from seeing anything outside. But the second time she went
+into the room, happening to be tired, she sat down in one of the chairs,
+when instantly the curtain was rolled aside, and a most amusing pantomime
+was acted before her; there were dances and colored lights, and music, and
+pretty dresses, and it was all so gay that Beauty was in ecstacies. After
+that she tried the other seven windows in turn, and there was some new and
+surprising entertainment to be seen from each of them, so that Beauty
+never could feel lonely any more. Every evening after supper the Beast
+came to see her, and always before saying good-night asked her in his
+terrible voice:
+
+"Beauty, will you marry me?"
+
+And it seemed to Beauty, now she understood him better, that when she
+said, "No, Beast," he went away quite sad. But her happy dreams of the
+handsome young Prince soon made her forget the poor Beast, and the only
+thing that at all disturbed her was to be constantly told to distrust
+appearances, to let her heart guide her, and not her eyes, and many other
+equally perplexing things, which, consider as she would, she could not
+understand.
+
+So everything went on for a long time, until at last, happy as she was,
+Beauty began to long for the sight of her father and her brothers and
+sisters; and one night, seeing her look very sad, the Beast asked her what
+was the matter. Beauty had quite ceased to be afraid of him. Now she knew
+that he was really gentle in spite of his ferocious looks and his dreadful
+voice. So she answered that she was longing to see her home once more.
+Upon hearing this the Beast seemed sadly distressed, and cried miserably.
+
+"Ah! Beauty, have you the heart to desert an unhappy Beast like this? What
+more do you want to make you happy? Is it because you hate me that you
+want to escape?"
+
+"No, dear Beast," answered Beauty softly, "I do not hate you, and I should
+be very sorry never to see you any more, but I long to see my father
+again. Only let me go for two months, and I promise to come back to you
+and stay for the rest of my life."
+
+The Beast, who had been sighing dolefully while she spoke, now replied:
+
+"I cannot refuse you anything you ask, even though it should cost me my
+life. Take the four boxes you will find in the room next to your own, and
+fill them with everything you wish to take with you. But remember your
+promise and come back when the two months are over, or you may have cause
+to repent it, for if you do not come in good time you will find your
+faithful Beast dead. You will not need any chariot to bring you back. Only
+say good-bye to all your brothers and sisters the night before you come
+away, and when you have gone to bed turn this ring round upon your finger
+and say firmly: 'I wish to go back to my palace and see my Beast again.'
+Good-night, Beauty.  Fear nothing, sleep peacefully, and before long you
+shall see your father once more."
+
+As soon as Beauty was alone she hastened to fill the boxes with all the
+rare and precious things she saw about her, and only when she was tired of
+heaping things into them did they seem to be full.
+
+Then she went to bed, but could hardly sleep for joy. And when at last she
+did begin to dream of her beloved Prince she was grieved to see him
+stretched upon a grassy bank sad and weary, and hardly like himself.
+
+"What is the matter?" she cried.
+
+But he looked at her reproachfully, and said:
+
+"How can you ask me, cruel one? Are you not leaving me to my death
+perhaps?"
+
+"Ah! don't be so sorrowful," cried Beauty; "I am only going to assure my
+father that I am safe and happy. I have promised the Beast faithfully that
+I will come back, and he would die of grief if I did not keep my word!"
+
+"What would that matter to you?" said the Prince. "Surely you would not
+care?"
+
+"Indeed I should be ungrateful if I did not care for such a kind Beast,"
+cried Beauty indignantly. "I would die to save him from pain. I assure you
+it is not his fault that he is so ugly."
+
+Just then a strange sound woke her--someone was speaking not very far
+away; and opening her eyes she found herself in a room she had never seen
+before, which was certainly not nearly so splendid as those she was used
+to in the Beast's palace. Where could she be? She got up and dressed
+hastily, and then saw that the boxes she had packed the night before were
+all in the room. While she was wondering by what magic the Beast had
+transported them and herself to this strange place she suddenly heard her
+father's voice, and rushed out and greeted him joyfully. Her brothers and
+sisters were all astonished at her appearance, as they had never expected
+to see her again, and there was no end to the questions they asked her.
+She had also much to hear about what had happened to them while she was
+away, and of her father's journey home. But when they heard that she had
+only come to be with them for a short time, and then must go back to the
+Beast's palace for ever, they lamented loudly. Then Beauty asked her
+father what he thought could be the meaning of her strange dreams, and why
+the Prince constantly begged her not to trust to appearances. After much
+consideration he answered: "You tell me yourself that the Beast, frightful
+as he is, loves you dearly, and deserves your love and gratitude for his
+gentleness and kindness; I think the Prince must mean you to understand
+that you ought to reward him by doing as he wishes you to, in spite of his
+ugliness."
+
+Beauty could not help seeing that this seemed very probable; still, when
+she thought of her dear Prince who was so handsome, she did not feel at
+all inclined to marry the Beast. At any rate, for two months she need not
+decide, but could enjoy herself with her sisters. But though they were
+rich now, and lived in a town again, and had plenty of acquaintances,
+Beauty found that nothing amused her very much; and she often thought of
+the palace, where she was so happy, especially as at home she never once
+dreamed of her dear Prince, and she felt quite sad without him.
+
+Then her sisters seemed to have got quite used to being without her, and
+even found her rather in the way, so she would not have been sorry when
+the two months were over but for her father and brothers, who begged her
+to stay, and seemed so grieved at the thought of her departure that she
+had not the courage to say good-bye to them. Every day when she got up she
+meant to say it at night, and when night came she put it off again, until
+at last she had a dismal dream which helped her to make up her mind. She
+thought she was wandering in a lonely path in the palace gardens, when she
+heard groans which seemed to come from some bushes hiding the entrance of
+a cave, and running quickly to see what could be the matter, she found the
+Beast stretched out upon his side, apparently dying. He reproached her
+faintly with being the cause of his distress, and at the same moment a
+stately lady appeared, and said very gravely:
+
+"Ah! Beauty, you are only just in time to save his life. See what happens
+when people do not keep their promises! If you had delayed one day more,
+you would have found him dead."
+
+Beauty was so terrified by this dream that the next morning she announced
+her intention of going back at once, and that very night she said good-bye
+to her father and all her brothers and sisters, and as soon as she was in
+bed she turned her ring round upon her finger, and said firmly:
+
+"I wish to go back to my palace and see my Beast again," as she had been
+told to do.
+
+Then she fell asleep instantly, and only woke up to hear the clock saying,
+"Beauty, Beauty," twelve times in its musical voice, which told her at
+once that she was really in the palace once more. Everything was just as
+before, and her birds were so glad to see her! but Beauty thought she had
+never known such a long day, for she was so anxious to see the Beast again
+that she felt as if supper-time would never come.
+
+                              [Illustration]
+
+But when it did come and no Beast appeared she was really frightened; so,
+after listening and waiting for a long time, she ran down into the garden
+to search for him. Up and down the paths and avenues ran poor Beauty,
+calling him in vain, for no one answered, and not a trace of him could she
+find; until at last, quite tired, she stopped for a minute's rest, and saw
+that she was standing opposite the shady path she had seen in her dream.
+She rushed down it, and, sure enough, there was the cave, and in it lay
+the Beast--asleep, as Beauty thought. Quite glad to have found him, she
+ran up and stroked his head, but to her horror he did not move or open his
+eyes.
+
+"Oh! he is dead; and it is all my fault," said Beauty, crying bitterly.
+
+But then, looking at him again, she fancied he still breathed, and,
+hastily fetching some water from the nearest fountain, she sprinkled it
+over his face, and to her great delight he began to revive.
+
+"Oh! Beast, how you frightened me!" she cried. "I never knew how much I
+loved you until just now, when I feared I was too late to save your life."
+
+"Can you really love such an ugly creature as I am?" said the Beast
+faintly. "Ah! Beauty, you only came just in time. I was dying because I
+thought you had forgotten your promise. But go back now and rest, I shall
+see you again by-and-by."
+
+Beauty, who had half expected that he would be angry with her, was
+reassured by his gentle voice, and went back to the palace, where supper
+was awaiting her; and afterwards the Beast came in as usual, and talked
+about the time she had spent with her father, asking if she had enjoyed
+herself, and if they had all been very glad to see her.
+
+Beauty answered politely, and quite enjoyed telling him all that had
+happened to her. And when at last the time came for him to go, and he
+asked, as he had so often asked before:
+
+"Beauty, will you marry me?" she answered softly:
+
+"Yes, dear Beast."
+
+As she spoke a blaze of light sprang up before the windows of the palace;
+fireworks crackled and guns banged, and across the avenue of orange trees,
+in letters all made of fire-flies, was written: "Long live the Prince and
+his Bride."
+
+Turning to ask the Beast what it could all mean, Beauty found that he had
+disappeared, and in his place stood her long-loved Prince! At the same
+moment the wheels of a chariot were heard upon the terrace, and two ladies
+entered the room. One of them Beauty recognized as the stately lady she
+had seen in her dreams; the other was also so grand and queenly that
+Beauty hardly knew which to greet first.
+
+But the one she already knew said to her companion:
+
+"Well, Queen, this is Beauty, who has had the courage to rescue your son
+from the terrible enchantment. They love one another, and only your
+consent to their marriage is wanting to make them perfectly happy."
+
+"I consent with all my heart," cried the Queen. "How can I ever thank you
+enough, charming girl, for having restored my dear son to his natural
+form?"
+
+And then she tenderly embraced Beauty and the Prince, who had meanwhile
+been greeting the Fairy and receiving her congratulations.
+
+"Now," said the Fairy to Beauty, "I suppose you would like me to send for
+all your brothers and sisters to dance at your wedding?"
+
+And so she did, and the marriage was celebrated the very next day with the
+utmost splendor, and Beauty and the Prince lived happily ever after.
+
+
+
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST***
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