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第3章 小人物的命运

So they did this and returned to the little room, where, to theirastonishment, they found breakfast ready. The merchant ate hiswith a good appetite, as the Beast's generosity made him believethat he might perhaps venture to come back soon and see Beauty.But she felt sure that her father was leaving her for ever, so shewas very sad when the bell rang sharply for the second time, andwarned them that the time was come for them to part. They wentdown into the courtyard, where two horses were waiting, oneloaded with the two trunks, the other for him to ride. They werepawing the ground in their impatience to start, and the merchantwas forced to bid Beauty a hasty farewell; and as soon as he wasmounted he went off at such a pace that she lost sight of him inan instant. Then Beauty began to cry, and wandered sadly backto her own room. But she soon found that she was very sleepy,and as she had nothing better to do she lay down and instantlyfell asleep. And then she dreamed that she was walking by abrook b

"Well, dear father," she said, "as you insist upon it, I beg thatyou will bring me a rose. I have not seen one since we camehere, and I love them so much."

bitterly.

"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 bedeceived by appearances."

As soon as Beauty was alone she hastened to fill the boxeswith all the rare and precious things she saw about her, and onlywhen she was tired of heaping things into them did they seem tobe full.

This morning she decided to amuse herself in the garden,for the sun shone, and all the fountains were playing; but shewas astonished to find that every place was familiar to her, andpresently she came to the brook where the myrtle trees weregrowing where she had first met the Prince in her dream, and thatmade her think more than ever that he must be kept a prisonerby the Beast. When she was tired she went back to the palace,and found a new room full of materials for every kind of work--ribbons to make into bows, and silks to work into flowers. Thenthere was an aviary full of rare birds, which were so tame thatthey flew to Beauty as soon as they saw her, and perched uponher shoulders and her head.

At first nobody would hear of this arrangement, and her fatherand brothers, who loved her dearly, declared that nothing shouldmake them let her go; but Beauty was firm. As the time drew nearshe divided all her little possessions between her sisters, and said

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 herselfwith her sisters. But though they were rich now, and lived in atown again, and had plenty of acquaintances, Beauty found thatnothing amused her very much; and she often thought of the

"Who told you that you might gather my roses? Was it notenough that I allowed you to be in my palace and was kindto you? This is the way you show your gratitude, by stealingmy flowers! But your insolence shall not go unpunished." Themerchant, terrified by these furious words, dropped the fatal rose,and, throwing himself on his knees, cried: "Pardon me, noblesir. I am truly grateful to you for your hospitality, which was somagnificent that I could not imagine that you would be offendedby my taking such a little thing as a rose." But the Beast's angerwas not lessened by this speech.