Beauty and the Beast | Page 2

and at supper-time, the Beast after knocking timidly, would walk in and talk so amiably, that she soon lost all fear of him; and once when he failed to come, felt quite disappointed! At last, one night, he said to her, "Am I so very ugly?" "Yes, indeed, you are," said Beauty, "but you are so kind and generous, that I do not mind your looks." "Will you marry me, then, dear Beauty?" said the poor Beast, with a look of such eager entreaty in his eyes, that Beauty's heart melted within her, and she was upon the point of saying "Yes!"
[Illustration: Beauty takes her Fathers place.]
But happening to look towards him, at that moment her courage failed her, and, turning away her head, she replied softly, "Oh! do not ask me." The Beast then bade her good-night, with a sad voice, and went away sighing as if his heart would break. The palace was full of rooms, containing the most beautiful objects. In one room she saw a numerous troupe of monkeys, of all sizes and colors. They came to meet her, making her very low bows, and treating her with the greatest respect. Beauty was much pleased with them, and asked them to show her about the palace. Instantly, two tall and graceful apes, in rich dresses, placed themselves, with great gravity, one on each side of her, while two sprightly little monkeys held up her train as pages. And from this time forth they waited upon her wherever she went, with all the attention and respect, that officers of a royal palace are accustomed to pay to the greatest Queens and Princesses.
[Illustration: Am I so very ugly.]
In fact, Beauty was the Queen of this splendid palace. She had only to wish for anything to have it; and she would have been quite contented if she could have had some company; for, except at supper-time, she was always alone! Then the Beast would come in and behave so agreeably, that she liked him more and more. And when he would say to her "dear Beauty will you marry me?" in his soft and tender way, she could hardly find it in her heart to refuse him.
Now, although Beauty had everything that heart could wish, she could not forget her father and sisters. At last, one evening she begged so hard to go home for a visit, that the Beast consented to her wish, on her promising not to stay more than two months. He then gave her a ring, telling her to place it on her dressing-table, when she wished either to go or return; and showed her a wardrobe filled with the most elegant clothes, as well as a quantity of splendid presents for her father and sisters.
The poor Beast was more sad than ever, after he had given his consent to her absence. It seemed to him as if he could not look at her enough, nor muster courage to leave her. She tried to cheer him, saying, "Be of good heart, Beauty will soon return," but nothing seemed to comfort him, and he went sadly away.
Beauty felt very badly when she saw how much the poor Beast suffered. She tried, however, to dismiss him from her thoughts, and to think only of the joy of seeing her dear father and sisters on the morrow. Before retiring to rest, she took good care to place the ring upon the table, and great was her joy, on awaking the next morning, to find herself in her father's house, with the clothes and gifts from the palace at her bed-side!
At first she hardly knew where she was, for everything looked strange to her; but soon she heard the voice of her father, and, rushing out of the room, threw her loving arms around his neck. Beauty then related all the kindness and delicacy of the Beast toward her, and in return discovered that he had been as liberal to her father and sisters. He had given them the large and handsome house in which they now lived, with an income sufficient to keep them in comfort.
For a long time Beauty was happy with her father and sisters; but she soon discovered that her sisters were jealous of her, and envied her the fine dresses and jewels the Beast had given her. She often thought tenderly of the poor Beast, alone in his palace; and as the two months were now over, she resolved to return to him as she had promised. But her father could not bear to lose her again, and coaxed her to stay with him a few days longer; which she at last consented to do, with many misgivings, when she thought of her broken promise to the lonely beast. At last, on the night