Beauty and the Beast | Page 2

these words: "Beauty is Queen here; all things will
obey her." Her meals were served to the sound of music; 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