11-beauty and beast-第4节

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was　quite　the　other　side　of　the　palace。



There　were　more　birds　in　a　room　farther　on；　parrots

and　cockatoos　that　could　talk；　and　they　greeted　Beauty

by　name；　indeed；　she　found　them　so　entertaining　that　she

took　one　or　two　back　to　her　room；　and　they　talked　to　her

while　she　was　at　supper；　after　which　the　Beast　paid　her

his　usual　visit；　and　asked　her　the　same　questions　as　before；

and　then　with　a　gruff　〃good…night〃　he　took　his　departure；

and　Beauty　went　to　bed　to　dream　of　her　mysterious

Prince。　The　days　passed　swiftly　in　different

amusements；　and　after　a　while　Beauty　found　out　another

strange　thing　in　the　palace；　which　often　pleased　her　when

she　was　tired　of　being　alone。　There　was　one　room　which

she　had　not　noticed　particularly；　it　was　empty；　except

that　under　each　of　the　windows　stood　a　very　comfortable

chair；　and　the　first　time　she　had　looked　out　of　the　window

it　had　seemed　to　her　that　a　black　curtain　prevented　her

from　seeing　anything　outside。　But　the　second　time　she

went　into　the　room；　happening　to　be　tired；　she　sat　down

in　one　of　the　chairs；　when　instantly　the　curtain　was　rolled

aside；　and　a　most　amusing　pantomime　was　acted　before

her；　there　were　dances；　and　colored　lights；　and　music；　and

pretty　dresses；　and　it　was　all　so　gay　that　Beauty　was　in

ecstacies。　After　that　she　tried　the　other　seven　windows

in　turn；　and　there　was　some　new　and　surprising　entertainment

to　be　seen　from　each　of　them；　so　that　Beauty　never

could　feel　lonely　any　more。　Every　evening　after　supper

the　Beast　came　to　see　her；　and　always　before　saying

good…night　asked　her　in　his　terrible　voice：



〃Beauty；　will　you　marry　me？〃



And　it　seemed　to　Beauty；　now　she　understood　him

better；　that　when　she　said；　〃No；　Beast；〃　he　went　away

quite　sad。　But　her　happy　dreams　of　the　handsome　young

Prince　soon　made　her　forget　the　poor　Beast；　and　the　only

thing　that　at　all　disturbed　her　was　to　be　constantly　told

to　distrust　appearances；　to　let　her　heart　guide　her；　and

not　her　eyes；　and　many　other　equally　perplexing　things；

which；　consider　as　she　would；　she　could　not　understand。



So　everything　went　on　for　a　long　time；　until　at　last；

happy　as　she　was；　Beauty　began　to　long　for　the　sight　of

her　father　and　her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　one　night；

seeing　her　look　very　sad；　the　Beast　asked　her　what　was

the　matter。　Beauty　had　quite　ceased　to　be　afraid　of　him。

Now　she　knew　that　he　was　really　gentle　in　spite　of　his

ferocious　looks　and　his　dreadful　voice。　So　she　answered

that　she　was　longing　to　see　her　home　once　more。　Upon

hearing　this　the　Beast　seemed　sadly　distressed；　and　cried

miserably。



〃Ah！　Beauty；　have　you　the　heart　to　desert　an　unhappy

Beast　like　this？　What　more　do　you　want　to　make　you

happy？　Is　it　because　you　hate　me　that　you　want　to

escape？〃



〃No；　dear　Beast；〃　answered　Beauty　softly；　〃I　do　not

hate　you；　and　I　should　be　very　sorry　never　to　see　you　any

more；　but　I　long　to　see　my　father　again。　Only　let　me　go

for　two　months；　and　I　promise　to　come　back　to　you　and

stay　for　the　rest　of　my　life。〃



The　Beast；　who　had　been　sighing　dolefully　while　she

spoke；　now　replied：



〃I　cannot　refuse　you　anything　you　ask；　even　though　it

should　cost　me　my　life。　Take　the　four　boxes　you　will　find

in　the　room　next　to　your　own；　and　fill　them　with　everything

you　wish　to　take　with　you。　But　remember　your

promise　and　come　back　when　the　two　months　are　over；

or　you　may　have　cause　to　repent　it；　for　if　you　do　not

come　in　good　time　you　will　find　your　faithful　Beast　dead。

You　will　not　need　any　chariot　to　bring　you　back。　Only

say　good…by　to　all　your　brothers　and　sisters　the　night

before　you　come　away；　and　when　you　have　gone　to　bed

turn　this　ring　round　upon　your　finger　and　say　firmly：　‘I

wish　to　go　back　to　my　palace　and　see　my　Beast　again。'

Good…night；　Beauty。　Fear　nothing；　sleep　peacefully；　and

before　long　you　shall　see　your　father　once　more。〃



As　soon　as　Beauty　was　alone　she　hastened　to　fill　the

boxes　with　all　the　rare　and　precious　things　she　saw　about

her；　and　only　when　she　was　tired　of　heaping　things　into

them　did　they　seem　to　be　full。



Then　she　went　to　bed；　but　could　hardly　sleep　for　joy。

And　when　at　last　she　did　begin　to　dream　of　her　beloved

Prince　she　was　grieved　to　see　him　stretched　upon　a　grassy

bank；　sad　and　weary；　and　hardly　like　himself。



〃What　is　the　matter？〃　she　cried。



He　looked　at　her　reproachfully；　and　said：



〃How　can　you　ask　me；　cruel　one？　Are　you　not　leaving

me　to　my　death　perhaps？〃



〃Ah！　don't　be　so　sorrowful；〃　cried　Beauty；　〃I　am　only

going　to　assure　my　father　that　I　am　safe　and　happy。　I

have　promised　the　Beast　faithfully　that　I　will　come　back；

and　he　would　die　of　grief　if　I　did　not　keep　my　word！〃



〃What　would　that　matter　to　you？〃　said　the　Prince

〃Surely　you　would　not　care？〃



〃Indeed；　I　should　be　ungrateful　if　I　did　not　care　for

such　a　kind　Beast；〃　cried　Beauty　indignantly。　〃I　would

die　to　save　him　from　pain。　I　assure　you　it　is　not　his　fault

that　he　is　so　ugly。〃



Just　then　a　strange　sound　woke　hersomeone　was

speaking　not　very　far　away；　and　opening　her　eyes　she

found　herself　in　a　room　she　had　never　seen　before；　which

was　certainly　not　nearly　so　splendid　as　those　she　was

used　to　in　the　Beast's　palace。　Where　could　she　be？　She

got　up　and　dressed　hastily；　and　then　saw　that　the　boxes

she　had　packed　the　night　before　were　all　in　the　room。

While　she　was　wondering　by　what　magic　the　Beast　had

transported　them　and　herself　to　this　strange　place　she

suddenly　heard　her　father's　voice；　and　rushed　out　and

greeted　him　joyfully。　Her　brothers　and　sisters　were　all

astonished　at　her　appearance；　as　they　had　never　expected

to　see　her　again；　and　there　was　no　end　to　the　questions

they　asked　her。　She　had　also　much　to　hear　about　what

had　happened　to　them　while　she　was　away；　and　of　her

father's　journey　home。　But　when　they　heard　that　she　had

only　come　to　be　with　them　for　a　short　time；　and　then

must　go　back　to　the　Beast's　palace　for　ever；　they　lamented

loudly。　Then　Beauty　asked　her　father　what　he　thought

could　be　the　meaning　of　her　strange　dreams；　and　why　the

Prince　constantly　begged　her　not　to　trust　to　appearances。

After　much　consideration；　he　answered：　〃You　tell　me

yourself　that　the　Beast；　frightful　as　he　is；　loves　you　dearly；

and　deserves　your　love　and　gratitude　for　his　gentleness

and　kindness；　I　think　the　Prince　must　mean　you　to　understand

that　you　ought　to　reward　him　by　doing　as　he　wishes

you　to；　in　spite　of　his　ugliness。〃



Beauty　could　not　help　seeing　that　this　seemed　very

probable；　still；　when　she　thought　of　her　dear　Prince　who

was　so　handsome；　she　did　not　feel　at　all　inclined　to　marry

the　Beast。　At　any　rate；　for　two　months　she　need　not

decide；　but　could　enjoy　herself　with　her　sisters。　But

though　they　were　rich　now；　and　lived　in　town　again；　and

had　plenty　of　acquaintances；　Beauty　found　that　nothing

amused　her　very　much；　and　she　often　thought　of　the

palace；　where　she　was　so　happy；　especially　as　at　home　she

never　once　dreamed　of　her　dear　Prince；　and　she　felt　quite

sad　without　him。



Then　her　sisters　seemed　to　have　got　quite　used　to　being

without　her；　and　even　found　her　rather　in　the　way；　so

she　would　not　have　been　sorry　when　the　two　months

were　over　but　for　her　father　and　brothers；　who　begged　her

to　stay；　and　seemed　so　grieved　at　the　thought　of　her

departure　that　she　had　not　the　courage　to　say　good…by　to

them。　Every　day　when　she　got　up　she　meant　to　say　it　at

night；　and　when　night　came　she　put　it　off　again；　until　at

last　she　had　a　dismal　dream　which　helped　her　to　make

up　her　mind。　She　thought　she　was　wandering　in　a　lonely

path　in　the　palace　gardens；　when　she　heard　groans　which

seemed　to　come　from　some　bushes　hiding　the　entrance　of

a　cave；　and　running　quickly　to　see　what　could　be　the

matter；　she　found　the　Beast　stretched　out　upon　his　side；

apparently　dying。　He　reproached　her　faintly　with　being

the　cause　of　his　distress；　and　at　the　same　moment　a

stately　lady　appeared；　and　said　very　gravely：



〃Ah！　Beauty；　you　are　only　just　in　time　to　save　his　life。

See　what　happens　when　people　do　not　keep　their　promises！

If　you　had　delayed　one　day　more；　you　would　have

found　him　dead。〃



Beauty　was　so　terrified　by　this　dream　that　the　next

morning　she　announced　her　intention　of　going　back　at

once；　and　that　very　night　she　said　good…by　to　her　father

and　all　her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　in

bed　she　turned　her　ring　round　upon　her　finger；　and　said

firmly；　〃I　wish　to　go　back　to　my　palace　and　see　my　Beast

again；〃　as　she　had　been　told　to　do。



Then　she　fell　asleep　instantly；　and　only　woke　up　to　hear

the　clock　saying　〃Beauty；　Beauty〃　twelve　times　in　its

musical　voice；　which　told　her　at　once　that　she　was　really

in　the　palace　once　more。　Everything　was　just　as　before；

and　her　birds　were　so　glad　to　see　her！　But　Beauty　thought

she　had　never　known　such　a　long　day；　for　she　was　so

anxious　to　see　the　Beast　ag