11-beauty and beast-第1章

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BEAUTY　AND　THE　BEAST





ONCE　upon　a　time；　in　a　very　far…off　country；　there

lived　a　merchant　who　had　been　so　fortunate　in　all　his

undertakings　that　he　was　enormously　rich。　As　he　had；

however；　six　sons　and　six　daughters；　he　found　that　his

money　was　not　too　much　to　let　them　all　have　everything

they　fancied；　as　they　were　accustomed　to　do。



But　one　day　a　most　unexpected　misfortune　befell　them。

Their　house　caught　fire　and　was　speedily　burnt　to　the

ground；　with　all　the　splendid　furniture；　the　books；　pic…

tures；　gold；　silver；　and　precious　goods　it　contained；　and

this　was　only　the　beginning　of　their　troubles。　Their

father；　who　had　until　this　moment　prospered　in　all　ways；

suddenly　lost　every　ship　he　had　upon　the　sea；　either　by

dint　of　pirates；　shipwreck；　or　fire。　Then　he　heard　that　his

clerks　in　distant　countries；　whom　he　trusted　entirely；　had

proved　unfaithful；　and　at　last　from　great　wealth　he　fell

into　the　direst　poverty。



All　that　he　had　left　was　a　little　house　in　a　desolate　place

at　least　a　hundred　leagues　from　the　town　in　which　he　had

lived；　and　to　this　he　was　forced　to　retreat　with　his

children；　who　were　in　despair　at　the　idea　of　leading　such　a

different　life。　Indeed；　the　daughters　at　first　hoped　that

their　friends；　who　had　been　so　numerous　while　they　were

rich；　would　insist　on　their　staying　in　their　houses　now　they

no　longer　possessed　one。　But　they　soon　found　that　they

were　left　alone；　and　that　their　former　friends　even　attributed

their　misfortunes　to　their　own　extravagance；　and

showed　no　intention　of　offering　them　any　help。　So　nothing

was　left　for　them　but　to　take　their　departure　to　the

cottage；　which　stood　in　the　midst　of　a　dark　forest；　and

seemed　to　be　the　most　dismal　place　upon　the　face　of　the

earth。　As　they　were　too　poor　to　have　any　servants；　the

girls　had　to　work　hard；　like　peasants；　and　the　sons；　for

their　part；　cultivated　the　fields　to　earn　their　living。

Roughly　clothed；　and　living　in　the　simplest　way；　the　girls

regretted　unceasingly　the　luxuries　and　amusements　of

their　former　life；　only　the　youngest　tried　to　be　brave　and

cheerful。　She　had　been　as　sad　as　anyone　when　misfortune

overtook　her　father；　but；　soon　recovering　her　natural

gaiety；　she　set　to　work　to　make　the　best　of　things；　to

amuse　her　father　and　brothers　as　well　as　she　could；　and

to　try　to　persuade　her　sisters　to　join　her　in　dancing　and

singing。　But　they　would　do　nothing　of　the　sort；　and；

because　she　was　not　as　doleful　as　themselves；　they　declared

that　this　miserable　life　was　all　she　was　fit　for。　But　she

was　really　far　prettier　and　cleverer　than　they　were；　indeed；

she　was　so　lovely　that　she　was　always　called　Beauty。

After　two　years；　when　they　were　all　beginning　to　get　used

to　their　new　life；　something　happened　to　disturb　their

tranquillity。　Their　father　received　the　news　that　one　of

his　ships；　which　he　had　believed　to　be　lost；　had　come

safely　into　port　with　a　rich　cargo。　All　the　sons　and　daughters

at　once　thought　that　their　poverty　was　at　an　end；　and

wanted　to　set　out　directly　for　the　town；　but　their　father；

who　was　more　prudent；　begged　them　to　wait　a　little；　and；

though　it　was　harvest　time；　and　he　could　ill　be　spared；

determined　to　go　himself　first；　to　make　inquiries。　Only　the

youngest　daughter　had　any　doubt　but　that　they　would

soon　again　be　as　rich　as　they　were　before；　or　at　least　rich

enough　to　live　comfortably　in　some　town　where　they

would　find　amusement　and　gay　companions　once　more。

So　they　all　loaded　their　father　with　commissions　for

jewels　and　dresses　which　it　would　have　taken　a　fortune

to　buy；　only　Beauty；　feeling　sure　that　it　was　of　no　use；　did

not　ask　for　anything。　Her　father；　noticing　her　silence；

said：　〃And　what　shall　I　bring　for　you；　Beauty？〃



〃The　only　thing　I　wish　for　is　to　see　you　come　home

safely；〃　she　answered。



But　this　only　vexed　her　sisters；　who　fancied　she　was

blaming　them　for　having　asked　for　such　costly　things。

Her　father；　however；　was　pleased；　but　as　he　thought　that

at　her　age　she　certainly　ought　to　like　pretty　presents；　he

told　her　to　choose　something。



〃Well；　dear　father；〃　she　said；　〃as　you　insist　upon　it；　I

beg　that　you　will　bring　me　a　rose。　I　have　not　seen　one

since　we　came　here；　and　I　love　them　so　much。〃



So　the　merchant　set　out　and　reached　the　town　as

quickly　as　possible；　but　only　to　find　that　his　former

companions；　believing　him　to　be　dead；　had　divided　between

them　the　goods　which　the　ship　had　brought；　and　after　six

months　of　trouble　and　expense　he　found　himself　as　poor

as　when　he　started；　having　been　able　to　recover　only　just

enough　to　pay　the　cost　of　his　journey。　To　make　matters

worse；　he　was　obliged　to　leave　the　town　in　the　most

terrible　weather；　so　that　by　the　time　he　was　within　a　few

leagues　of　his　home　he　was　almost　exhausted　with　cold

and　fatigue。　Though　he　knew　it　would　take　some　hours

to　get　through　the　forest；　he　was　so　anxious　to　be　at　his

journey's　end　that　he　resolved　to　go　on；　but　night　overtook

him；　and　the　deep　snow　and　bitter　frost　made　it

impossible　for　his　horse　to　carry　him　any　further。　Not　a

house　was　to　be　seen；　the　only　shelter　he　could　get　was

the　hollow　trunk　of　a　great　tree；　and　there　he　crouched　all

the　night　which　seemed　to　him　the　longest　he　had　ever

known。　In　spite　of　his　weariness　the　howling　of　the

wolves　kept　him　awake；　and　even　when　at　last　the　day

broke　he　was　not　much　better　off；　for　the　falling　snow　had

covered　up　every　path；　and　he　did　not　know　which　way

to　turn。



At　length　he　made　out　some　sort　of　track；　and　though

at　the　beginning　it　was　so　rough　and　slippery　that　he　fell

down　more　than　once；　it　presently　became　easier；　and　led

him　into　an　avenue　of　trees　which　ended　in　a　splendid

castle。　It　seemed　to　the　merchant　very　strange　that　no

snow　had　fallen　in　the　avenue；　which　was　entirely

composed　of　orange　trees；　covered　with　flowers　and　fruit。

When　he　reached　the　first　court　of　the　castle　he　saw　before

him　a　flight　of　agate　steps；　and　went　up　them；　and　passed

through　several　splendidly　furnished　rooms。　The　pleasant

warmth　of　the　air　revived　him；　and　he　felt　very　hungry；

but　there　seemed　to　be　nobody　in　all　this　vast　and　splendid

palace　whom　he　could　ask　to　give　him　something　to

eat。　Deep　silence　reigned　everywhere；　and　at　last；　tired

of　roaming　through　empty　rooms　and　galleries；　he　stopped

in　a　room　smaller　than　the　rest；　where　a　clear　fire　was

burning　and　a　couch　was　drawn　up　closely　to　it。　Thinking

that　this　must　be　prepared　for　someone　who　was

expected；　he　sat　down　to　wait　till　he　should　come；　and

very　soon　fell　into　a　sweet　sleep。



When　his　extreme　hunger　wakened　him　after　several

hours；　he　was　still　alone；　but　a　little　table；　upon　which

was　a　good　dinner；　had　been　drawn　up　close　to　him；　and；

as　he　had　eaten　nothing　for　twenty…four　hours；　he　lost　no

time　in　beginning　his　meal；　hoping　that　he　might　soon

have　an　opportunity　of　thanking　his　considerate　entertainer；

whoever　it　might　be。　But　no　one　appeared；　and

even　after　another　long　sleep；　from　which　he　awoke

completely　refreshed；　there　was　no　sign　of　anybody；　though

a　fresh　meal　of　dainty　cakes　and　fruit　was　prepared　upon

the　little　table　at　his　elbow。　Being　naturally　timid；　the

silence　began　to　terrify　him；　and　he　resolved　to　search

once　more　through　all　the　rooms；　but　it　was　of　no　use。

Not　even　a　servant　was　to　be　seen；　there　was　no　sign　of

life　in　the　palace！　He　began　to　wonder　what　he　should　do；

and　to　amuse　himself　by　pretending　that　all　the　treasures

he　saw　were　his　own；　and　considering　how　he　would

divide　them　among　his　children。　Then　he　went　down　into

the　garden；　and　though　it　was　winter　everywhere　else；

here　the　sun　shone；　and　the　birds　sang；　and　the　flowers

bloomed；　and　the　air　was　soft　and　sweet。　The　merchant；

in　ecstacies　with　all　he　saw　and　heard；　said　to　himself：



〃All　this　must　be　meant　for　me。　I　will　go　this　minute

and　bring　my　children　to　share　all　these　delights。〃