Beauty and the Beast | Page 5

obedience meets them still."
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"Alas, (said she, with a sigh,) there is nothing I desire so much as to see
my poor father, and to know what he is doing." She had no sooner said
this, when casting her eyes on a great looking-glass, to her great
amazement she saw her own home, where her father arrived with a very
dejected countenance; her sisters went to meet him, and,
notwithstanding their endeavours to appear sorrowful, their joy, felt for
having got rid of their sister, was visible in every feature: a moment
after, every thing disappeared, and Beauty's apprehensions at this proof
of Beast's complaisance.
[Illustration: Beauty Looking in the Glass]
At noon she found dinner ready, and while at table, was entertained
with an excellent concert of music, though without seeing any body:
but at night, as she was going to sit down to supper, she heard the noise
Beast made; and could not help being sadly terrified. "Beauty, (said the
monster,) will you give me leave to see you sup?" "That is as you
please," answered Beauty, trembling. "No, (replied the Beast,) you
alone are mistress here; you need only bid me be gone, if my presence
is troublesome, and I will immediately withdraw: but tell me, do not
you think me very ugly?" "That is true, (said Beauty,) for I cannot tell a
lie; but I believe you are very good-natured." "So I am, (said the
monster,) but then, besides my ugliness, I have no sense; I know very
well that I am a poor, silly, stupid creature." "'Tis no sign of folly to
think so, (replied Beauty,) for never did fool know this, or had so
humble a conceit of his own understanding." "Eat then, Beauty, (said
the monster,) and endeavour to amuse yourself in your palace; for
every thing here is yours, and I should be very uneasy if you were not
happy." "You are very obliging, (answered Beauty;) I own I am pleased
with your kindness, and when I consider that, your deformity scarce
appears." "Yes, yes, (said the Beast,) my heart is good, but still I am a
monster." "Among mankind, (says Beauty,) there are many that deserve
that name more than you, and I prefer you, just as your are, to those,
who, under a human form, hide a treacherous, corrupt, and ungrateful
heart." "If I had sense enough, (replied the Beast,) I would make a fine
compliment to thank you, but I am so dull, that I can only say, I am
greatly obliged to you." Beauty ate a hearty supper, and had almost
conquered her dread of the monster; but she had liked to have fainted
away, when he said to her, "Beauty, will you be my wife?" She was

some time before she durst answer; for she was afraid of making him
angry, if she refused. At last, however, she said, trembling, "No,
Beast." Immediately the poor monster began to sigh, and hissed so
frightfully, that the whole palace echoed. But Beauty soon recovered
her fright, for Beast having said, in a mournful voice, "then farewell,
Beauty," left the room; and only turned back, now and then, to look at
her as he went out.
When Beauty was alone, she felt a great deal of compassion for poor
Beast. "Alas, (said she,) 'tis a thousand pities any thing so good-
natured should be so ugly."
Beauty spent three months very contentedly in the palace: every
evening Beast paid her a visit, and talked to her during supper, very
rationally, with plain good common sense, but never with what the
world calls wit; and Beauty daily discovered some valuable
qualifications in the monster; and seeing him often, had so accustomed
her to his deformity, that, far from dreading the time of his visit, she
would often look on her watch to see when it would be nine; for the
Beast never missed coming at that hour. There was but one thing that
gave Beauty any concern, which was, that every night, before she went
to bed, the monster always asked her, if she would be his wife. One day
she said to him, "Beast, you make me very uneasy, I wish I could
consent to marry you, but I am too sincere to make you believe that
will ever happen: I shall always esteem you as a friend; endeavour to be
satisfied with this." "I must, said the Beast, for, alas! I know too well
my own misfortune; but then I love you with the tenderest affection:
however, I ought to think myself happy that you will stay here; promise
me never to leave me." Beauty blushed at these words; she had seen in
her glass, that her father had pined himself sick for the loss of her, and
she longed