11-beauty and beast-第2章

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and　bring　my　children　to　share　all　these　delights。〃



In　spite　of　being　so　cold　and　weary　when　he　reached　the

castle；　he　had　taken　his　horse　to　the　stable　and　fed　it。

Now　he　thought　he　would　saddle　it　for　his　homeward

journey；　and　he　turned　down　the　path　which　led　to　the

stable。　This　path　had　a　hedge　of　roses　on　each　side　of　it；

and　the　merchant　thought　he　had　never　seen　or　smelt

such　exquisite　flowers。　They　reminded　him　of　his　promise

to　Beauty；　and　he　stopped　and　had　just　gathered　one　to

take　to　her　when　he　was　startled　by　a　strange　noise　behind

him。　Turning　round；　he　saw　a　frightful　Beast；　which

seemed　to　be　very　angry　and　said；　in　a　terrible　voice：



〃Who　told　you　that　you　might　gather　my　roses？　Was

it　not　enough　that　I　allowed　you　to　be　in　my　palace　and

was　kind　to　you？　This　is　the　way　you　show　your　gratitude；

by　stealing　my　flowers！　But　your　insolence　shall

not　go　unpunished。〃　The　merchant；　terrified　by　these

furious　words；　dropped　the　fatal　rose；　and；　throwing

himself　on　his　knees；　cried：　〃Pardon　me；　noble　sir。　I　am

truly　grateful　to　you　for　your　hospitality；　which　was　so

magnificent　that　I　could　not　imagine　that　you　would　be

offended　by　my　taking　such　a　little　thing　as　a　rose。〃　But

the　Beast's　anger　was　not　lessened　by　this　speech。



〃You　are　very　ready　with　excuses　and　flattery；〃　he

cried；　〃but　that　will　not　save　you　from　the　death　you

deserve。〃



〃Alas！〃　thought　the　merchant；　〃if　my　daughter

could　only　know　what　danger　her　rose　has　brought　me

into！〃



And　in　despair　he　began　to　tell　the　Beast　all　his

misfortunes；　and　the　reason　of　his　journey；　not　forgetting　to

mention　Beauty　s　request。



〃A　king's　ransom　would　hardly　have　procured　all　that

my　other　daughters　asked。〃　he　said：　〃but　I　thought　that

I　might　at　least　take　Beauty　her　rose。　I　beg　you　to　forgive

me；　for　you　see　I　meant　no　harm。〃



The　Beast　considered　for　a　moment；　and　then　he　said；

in　a　less　furious　tone：



〃I　will　forgive　you　on　one　conditionthat　is；　that　you

will　give　me　one　of　your　daughters。〃



〃Ah！〃　cried　the　merchant；　〃if　I　were　cruel　enough　to

buy　my　own　life　at　the　expense　of　one　of　my　children's；

what　excuse　could　I　invent　to　bring　her　here？〃



〃No　excuse　would　be　necessary；〃　answered　the　Beast。

〃If　she　comes　at　all　she　must　come　willingly。　On　no　other

condition　will　I　have　her。　See　if　any　one　of　them　is

courageous　enough；　and　loves　you　well　enough　to　come

and　save　your　life。　You　seem　to　be　an　honest　man；　so　I

will　trust　you　to　go　home。　I　give　you　a　month　to　see　if

either　of　your　daughters　will　come　back　with　you　and　stay

here；　to　let　you　go　free。　If　neither　of　them　is　willing；　you

must　come　alone；　after　bidding　them　good…by　for　ever；

for　then　you　will　belong　to　me。　And　do　not　imagine　that

you　can　hide　from　me；　for　if　you　fail　to　keep　your　word

I　will　come　and　fetch　you！〃　added　the　Beast　grimly。



The　merchant　accepted　this　proposal；　though　he　did

not　really　think　any　of　his　daughters　could　be　persuaded

to　come。　He　promised　to　return　at　the　time　appointed；

and　then；　anxious　to　escape　from　the　presence　of　the

Beast；　he　asked　permission　to　set　off　at　once。　But　the

Beast　answered　that　he　could　not　go　until　next　day。



〃Then　you　will　find　a　horse　ready　for　you；〃　he　said。

〃Now　go　and　eat　your　supper；　and　await　my　orders。〃



The　poor　merchant；　more　dead　than　alive；　went　back

to　his　room；　where　the　most　delicious　supper　was　already

served　on　the　little　table　which　was　drawn　up　before　a

blazing　fire。　But　he　was　too　terrified　to　eat；　and　only

tasted　a　few　of　the　dishes；　for　fear　the　Beast　should　be

angry　if　he　did　not　obey　his　orders。　When　he　had　finished

he　heard　a　great　noise　in　the　next　room；　which　he　knew

meant　that　the　Beast　was　coming。　As　he　could　do　nothing

to　escape　his　visit；　the　only　thing　that　remained　was　to

seem　as　little　afraid　as　possible；　so　when　the　Beast

appeared　and　asked　roughly　if　he　had　supped　well；　the

merchant　answered　humbly　that　he　had；　thanks　to　his

host's　kindness。　Then　the　Beast　warned　him　to　remember

their　agreement；　and　to　prepare　his　daughter　exactly　for

what　she　had　to　expect。



〃Do　not　get　up　to…morrow；〃　he　added；　〃until　you　see

the　sun　and　hear　a　golden　bell　ring。　Then　you　will　find

your　breakfast　waiting　for　you　here；　and　the　horse　you

are　to　ride　will　be　ready　in　the　courtyard。　He　will　also

bring　you　back　again　when　you　come　with　your　daughter

a　month　hence。　Farewell。　Take　a　rose　to　Beauty；　and

remember　your　promise！〃



The　merchant　was　only　too　glad　when　the　Beast　went

away；　and　though　he　could　not　sleep　for　sadness；　he　lay

down　until　the　sun　rose。　Then；　after　a　hasty　breakfast；

he　went　to　gather　Beauty's　rose；　and　mounted　his　horse；

which　carried　him　off　so　swiftly　that　in　an　instant　he　had

lost　sight　of　the　palace；　and　he　was　still　wrapped　in

gloomy　thoughts　when　it　stopped　before　the　door　of　the

cottage。



His　sons　and　daughters；　who　had　been　very　uneasy　at

his　long　absence；　rushed　to　meet　him；　eager　to　know　the

result　of　his　journey；　which；　seeing　him　mounted　upon　a

splendid　horse　and　wrapped　in　a　rich　mantle；　they

supposed　to　be　favorable。　He　hid　the　truth　from　them　at

first；　only　saying　sadly　to　Beauty　as　he　gave　her　the　rose：



〃Here　is　what　you　asked　me　to　bring　you；　you　little

know　what　it　has　cost。〃



But　this　excited　their　curiosity　so　greatly　that　presently

he　told　them　his　adventures　from　beginning　to　end；　and

then　they　were　all　very　unhappy。　The　girls　lamented

loudly　over　their　lost　hopes；　and　the　sons　declared　that

their　father　should　not　return　to　this　terrible　castle；　and

began　to　make　plans　for　killing　the　Beast　if　it　should

come　to　fetch　him。　But　he　reminded　them　that　he　had

promised　to　go　back。　Then　the　girls　were　very　angry

with　Beauty；　and　said　it　was　all　her　fault；　and　that　if　she

had　asked　for　something　sensible　this　would　never　have

happened；　and　complained　bitterly　that　they　should　have

to　suffer　for　her　folly。



Poor　Beauty；　much　distressed；　said　to　them：



〃I　have；　indeed；　caused　this　misfortune；　but　I　assure

you　I　did　it　innocently。　Who　could　have　guessed　that　to

ask　for　a　rose　in　the　middle　of　summer　would　cause　so

much　misery？　But　as　I　did　the　mischief　it　is　only　just

that　I　should　suffer　for　it。　I　will　therefore　go　back　with

my　father　to　keep　his　promise。〃



At　first　nobody　would　hear　of　this　arrangement；　and

her　father　and　brothers；　who　loved　her　dearly；　declared

that　nothing　should　make　them　let　her　go；　but　Beauty

was　firm。　As　the　time　drew　near　she　divided　all　her　little

possessions　between　her　sisters；　and　said　good…by　to

everything　she　loved；　and　when　the　fatal　day　came　she

encouraged　and　cheered　her　father　as　they　mounted

together　the　horse　which　had　brought　him　back。　It　seemed

to　fly　rather　than　gallop；　but　so　smoothly　that　Beauty　was

not　frightened；　indeed；　she　would　have　enjoyed　the　journey

if　she　had　not　feared　what　might　happen　to　her　at　the

end　of　it。　Her　father　still　tried　to　persuade　her　to　go　back；

but　in　vain。　While　they　were　talking　the　night　fell；　and

then；　to　their　great　surprise；　wonderful　colored　lights

began　to　shine　in　all　directions；　and　splendid　fireworks

blazed　out　before　them；　all　the　forest　was　illuminated　by

them；　and　even　felt　pleasantly　warm；　though　it　had　been

bitterly　cold　before。　This　lasted　until　they　reached　the

avenue　of　orange　trees；　where　were　statues　holding　flaming

torches；　and　when　they　got　nearer　to　the　palace　they

saw　that　it　was　illuminated　from　the　roof　to　the　ground；

and　music　sounded　softly　from　the　courtyard。　〃The

Beast　must　be　very　hungry；〃　said　Beauty；　trying　to

laugh；　〃if　he　makes　all　this　rejoicing　over　the　arrival　of

his　prey。



But；　in　spite　of　her　anxiety；　she　could　not　help　admiring

all　the　wonderful　things　she　saw。



The　horse　stopped　at　the　foot　of　the　flight　of　steps

leading　to　the　terrace；　and　when　they　had　dismounted　her

father　led　her　to　the　little