11-beauty and beast-第3节

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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…by；　Beauty；

good…by；　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　sistersfor　she　had　made　a　heap　of　the　wonderful

dresses　for　each　of　themshe　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　had　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。〃



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　to　even　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　workribbons

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。



There　were　more　birds　in　a　room　farther　on；　parro