Beauty and the Beast | Page 3

seen and pitied my
distress." He looked through a window, but instead of snow saw the
most delightful arbours, interwoven with the most beautiful flowers
that ever were beheld. He then returned to the great hall, where he had
supped the night before, and found some chocolate ready made on a
little table. "Thank you, good Madam Fairy, (said he aloud,) for being
so careful as to provide me a breakfast; I am extremely obliged to you
for all your favours."
The good man drank his chocolate, and then went to look for his horse;
but passing through an arbour of roses, he remembered Beauty's
request to him, and gathered a branch on which were several;
immediately he heard a great noise, and saw such a frightful beast
coming towards him, that he was ready to faint away. "You are very
ungrateful, (said the beast to him, in a terrible voice) I have saved your
life by receiving you into my castle, and, in return, you steal my roses,
which I value beyond any thing in the universe; but you shall die for it;
I give you but a quarter of an hour to prepare yourself, to say your
prayers." The merchant fell on his knees, and lifted up both his hands:
"My Lord (said he,) I beseech you to forgive me, indeed I had no

intention to offend in gathering a rose for one of my daughters, who
desired me to bring her one." "My name is not My Lord, (replied the
monster,) but Beast; I don't love compliments, not I; I like people
should speak as they think; and so do not imagine I am to be moved by
any of your flattering speeches; but you say you have got daughters; I
will forgive you, on condition that one of them come willingly, and
suffer for you. Let me have no words, but go about your business, and
swear that if your daughter refuse to die in your stead, you will return
within three months." The merchant had no mind to sacrifice his
daughters to the ugly monster, but he thought, in obtaining this respite,
he should have the satisfaction of seeing them once more; so he
promised upon oath, he would return, and the Beast told him he might
set out when he pleased; "but, (added he,) you shall not depart empty
handed; go back to the room where you lay, and you will see a great
empty chest; fill it with whatever you like best, and I will send it to
your home," and at the same time Beast withdrew. "Well (said the good
man to himself) if I must die, I shall have the comfort, at least, of
leaving something to my poor children."
He returned to the bed-chamber, and finding a great quantity of broad
pieces of gold, he filled the great chest the Beast had mentioned, locked
it, and afterwards took his horse out of the stable, leaving the palace
with as much grief as he had entered it with joy. The horse, of his own
accord, took one of the roads of the forest; and in a few hours the good
man was at home. His children came around him, but, instead of
receiving their embraces with pleasure, he looked on them, and,
holding up the branch he had in his hands, he burst into tears. "Here,
Beauty, (said he,) take these roses; but little do you think how dear they
are like to cost your unhappy father; and then related his fatal adventure:
immediately the two eldest set up lamentable outcries, and said all
manner of ill-natured things to Beauty, who did not cry at all. "Do but
see the pride of that little wretch, (said they); she would not ask for fine
clothes, as we did; but no, truly, Miss wanted to distinguish herself; so
now she will be the death of our poor father, and yet she does not so
much as shed a tear." "Why should I, (answered Beauty,) it would be
very needless, for my father shall not suffer upon my account, since the
monster will accept of one of his daughters, I will deliver myself up to
all his fury, and I am very happy in thinking that my death will save my

father's life, and be a proof of my tender love for him." "No, sister,
(said her three brothers,) that shall not be, we will go find the monster,
and either kill him, or perish in the attempt." "Do not imagine any such
thing, my sons, (said the merchant,) Beast's power is so great, that I
have no hopes of your overcoming him; I am charmed with Beauty's
kind and generous offer, but I cannot yield to it; I am old, and have not
long to