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第7章 左护法

But he looked at her reproachfully, and said:

And then her dreams changed, but the charming Prince figuredin them all; and when morning came her first thought was to lookat the portrait and see if it was really like him, and she found thatit certainly was.

"Well, Queen, this is Beauty, who has had the courage torescue your son from the terrible enchantment. They love oneanother, and only your consent to their marriage is wanting tomake them perfectly happy."

Then he asked if she thought she could be happy in his palace;and Beauty answered that everything was so beautiful that shewould be very hard to please if she could not be happy. And afterabout an hour's talk Beauty began to think that the Beast was notnearly so terrible as she had supposed at first. Then he got up toleave her, and said in his gruff voice:

"Pretty little creatures," she said, "how I wish that your cagewas nearer to my room, that I might often hear you sing!"

"No excuse would be necessary," answered the Beast. "If shecomes at all she must come willingly. On no other condition willI have her. See if any one of them is courageous enough, andloves you well enough to come and save your life. You seem tobe an honest man, so I will trust you to go home. I give you amonth to see if either of your daughters will come back with you

quite tired, she stopped for a minute's rest, and saw that she was

"The only thing I wish for is to see you come home safely,"she answered.

sprinkled it over his face, and to her great delight he began to