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第6章 一千一百二十六章 圣王境

"Ah! Beauty, you are only just in time to save his life. Seewhat happens when people do not keep their promises! If youhad delayed one day more, you would have found him dead."

"I cannot refuse you anything you ask, even though it shouldcost me my life. Take the four boxes you will find in the roomnext to your own, and fill them with everything you wish to takewith you. But remember your promise and come back when thetwo months are over, or you may have cause to repent it, for ifyou do not come in good time you will find your faithful Beastdead. You will not need any chariot to bring you back. Onlysay good-bye to all your brothers and sisters the night before youcome away, and when you have gone to bed turn this ring roundupon your finger and say firmly: 'I wish to go back to my palaceand see my Beast again.' Good-night, Beauty. Fear nothing,sleep peacefully, and before long you shall see your father oncemore."

ty?"

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.

"Here is what you asked me to bring you; you little know whatit has cost."

Then she fell asleep instantly, and only woke up to hear theclock saying, "Beauty, Beauty," twelve times in its musical voice,which told her at once that she was really in the palace oncemore. Everything was just as before, and her birds were so gladto see her! but Beauty thought she had never known such a longday, for she was so anxious to see the Beast again that she felt as

The merchant was too terrified to reply, but Beauty answeredsweetly:

a dark forest, and seemed to be the most dismal place upon theface of the earth. As they were too poor to have any servants,the girls had to work hard, like peasants, and the sons, for theirpart, cultivated the fields to earn their living. Roughly clothed,and living in the simplest way, the girls regretted unceasingly theluxuries and amusements of their former life; only the youngesttried to be brave and cheerful. She had been as sad as anyonewhen misfortune first overtook her father, but, soon recoveringher natural gaiety, she set to work to make the best of things, toamuse her father and brothers as well as she could, and to tryto persuade her sisters to join her in dancing and singing. Butthey would do nothing of the sort, and, because she was not asdoleful as themselves, they declared that this miserable life wasall she was fit for. But she was really far prettier and clevererthan they were; indeed, she was so lovely that she was alwayscalled Beauty. After two years, when they were all b

one answered, and not a trace of him could she find; until at last,