11-beauty and beast-第4章

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must　go　back　to　the　Beast's　palace　for　ever；　they　lamented

loudly。　Then　Beauty　asked　her　father　what　he　thought

could　be　the　meaning　of　her　strange　dreams；　and　why　the

Prince　constantly　begged　her　not　to　trust　to　appearances。

After　much　consideration；　he　answered：　〃You　tell　me

yourself　that　the　Beast；　frightful　as　he　is；　loves　you　dearly；

and　deserves　your　love　and　gratitude　for　his　gentleness

and　kindness；　I　think　the　Prince　must　mean　you　to　understand

that　you　ought　to　reward　him　by　doing　as　he　wishes

you　to；　in　spite　of　his　ugliness。〃



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　herself　with　her　sisters。　But

though　they　were　rich　now；　and　lived　in　town　again；　and

had　plenty　of　acquaintances；　Beauty　found　that　nothing

amused　her　very　much；　and　she　often　thought　of　the

palace；　where　she　was　so　happy；　especially　as　at　home　she

never　once　dreamed　of　her　dear　Prince；　and　she　felt　quite

sad　without　him。



Then　her　sisters　seemed　to　have　got　quite　used　to　being

without　her；　and　even　found　her　rather　in　the　way；　so

she　would　not　have　been　sorry　when　the　two　months

were　over　but　for　her　father　and　brothers；　who　begged　her

to　stay；　and　seemed　so　grieved　at　the　thought　of　her

departure　that　she　had　not　the　courage　to　say　good…by　to

them。　Every　day　when　she　got　up　she　meant　to　say　it　at

night；　and　when　night　came　she　put　it　off　again；　until　at

last　she　had　a　dismal　dream　which　helped　her　to　make

up　her　mind。　She　thought　she　was　wandering　in　a　lonely

path　in　the　palace　gardens；　when　she　heard　groans　which

seemed　to　come　from　some　bushes　hiding　the　entrance　of

a　cave；　and　running　quickly　to　see　what　could　be　the

matter；　she　found　the　Beast　stretched　out　upon　his　side；

apparently　dying。　He　reproached　her　faintly　with　being

the　cause　of　his　distress；　and　at　the　same　moment　a

stately　lady　appeared；　and　said　very　gravely：



〃Ah！　Beauty；　you　are　only　just　in　time　to　save　his　life。

See　what　happens　when　people　do　not　keep　their　promises！

If　you　had　delayed　one　day　more；　you　would　have

found　him　dead。〃



Beauty　was　so　terrified　by　this　dream　that　the　next

morning　she　announced　her　intention　of　going　back　at

once；　and　that　very　night　she　said　good…by　to　her　father

and　all　her　brothers　and　sisters；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　in

bed　she　turned　her　ring　round　upon　her　finger；　and　said

firmly；　〃I　wish　to　go　back　to　my　palace　and　see　my　Beast

again；〃　as　she　had　been　told　to　do。



Then　she　fell　asleep　instantly；　and　only　woke　up　to　hear

the　clock　saying　〃Beauty；　Beauty〃　twelve　times　in　its

musical　voice；　which　told　her　at　once　that　she　was　really

in　the　palace　once　more。　Everything　was　just　as　before；

and　her　birds　were　so　glad　to　see　her！　But　Beauty　thought

she　had　never　known　such　a　long　day；　for　she　was　so

anxious　to　see　the　Beast　again　that　she　felt　as　if　suppertime

would　never　come。



But　when　it　did　come　and　no　Beast　appeared　she　was

really　frightened；　so；　after　listening　and　waiting　for　a　long

time；　she　ran　down　into　the　garden　to　search　for　him。　Up

and　down　the　paths　and　avenues　ran　poor　Beauty；　calling

him　in　vain；　for　no　one　answered；　and　not　a　trace　of　him

could　she　find；　until　at　last；　quite　tired；　she　stopped　for　a

minute's　rest；　and　saw　that　she　was　standing　opposite　the

shady　path　she　had　seen　in　her　dream。　She　rushed　down

it；　and；　sure　enough；　there　was　the　cave；　and　in　it　lay　the

Beastasleep；　as　Beauty　thought。　Quite　glad　to　have

found　him；　she　ran　up　and　stroked　his　head；　but；　to　her

horror；　he　did　not　move　or　open　his　eyes。



〃Oh！　he　is　dead；　and　it　is　all　my　fault；〃　said　Beauty；

crying　bitterly。



But　then；　looking　at　him　again；　she　fancied　he　still

breathed；　and；　hastily　fetching　some　water　from　the　near…

est　fountain；　she　sprinkled　it　over　his　face；　and；　to　her

great　delight；　he　began　to　revive。



〃Oh！　Beast；　how　you　frightened　me！〃　she　cried。　〃I

never　knew　how　much　I　loved　you　until　just　now；　when

I　feared　I　was　too　late　to　save　your　life。〃



〃Can　you　really　love　such　an　ugly　creature　as　I　am？〃

said　the　Beast　faintly。　〃Ah！　Beauty；　you　only　came　just

in　time。　I　was　dying　because　I　thought　you　had　forgotten

your　promise。　But　go　back　now　and　rest；　I　shall　see　you

again　by　and　by。〃



Beauty；　who　had　half　expected　that　he　would　be　angry

with　her；　was　reassured　by　his　gentle　voice；　and　went

back　to　the　palace；　where　supper　was　awaiting　her；　and

afterward　the　Beast　came　in　as　usual；　and　talked　about

the　time　she　had　spent　with　her　father；　asking　if　she　had

enjoyed　herself；　and　if　they　had　all　been　very　glad　to　see

her。



Beauty　answered　politely；　and　quite　enjoyed　telling

him　all　that　had　happened　to　her。　And　when　at　last　the

time　came　for　him　to　go；　and　he　asked；　as　he　had　so　often

asked　before；　〃Beauty；　will　you　marry　me？〃



She　answered　softly；　〃Yes；　dear　Beast。〃



As　she　spoke　a　blaze　of　light　sprang　up　before　the

windows　of　the　palace；　fireworks　crackled　and　guns

banged；　and　across　the　avenue　of　orange　trees；　in　letters

all　made　of　fire…flies；　was　written：　〃Long　live　the　Prince

and　his　Bride。〃



Turning　to　ask　the　Beast　what　it　could　all　mean；

Beauty　found　that　he　had　disappeared；　and　in　his　place

stood　her　long…loved　Prince！　At　the　same　moment　the

wheels　of　a　chariot　were　heard　upon　the　terrace；　and　two

ladies　entered　the　room。　One　of　them　Beauty　recognized

as　the　stately　lady　she　had　seen　in　her　dreams；　the　other

was　also　so　grand　and　queenly　that　Beauty　hardly　knew

which　to　greet　first。



But　the　one　she　already　knew　said　to　her　companion：



〃Well；　Queen；　this　is　Beauty；　who　has　had　the　courage

to　rescue　your　son　from　the　terrible　enchantment。　They

love　one　another；　and　only　your　consent　to　their　marriage

is　wanting　to　make　them　perfectly　happy。〃



〃I　consent　with　all　my　heart；〃　cried　the　Queen。　〃How

can　I　ever　thank　you　enough；　charming　girl；　for　having

restored　my　dear　son　to　his　natural　form？〃



And　then　she　tenderly　embraced　Beauty　and　the

Prince；　who　had　meanwhile　been　greeting　the　Fairy　and

receiving　her　congratulations。



〃Now；〃　said　the　Fairy　to　Beauty；　〃I　suppose　you　would

like　me　to　send　for　all　your　brothers　and　sisters　to　dance

at　your　wedding？〃



And　so　she　did；　and　the　marriage　was　celebrated　the

very　next　day　with　the　utmost　splendor；　and　Beauty　and

the　Prince　lived　happily　ever　after。＇1＇





＇1＇　La　Belle　et　la　Bete。　Par　Madame　de　Villeneuve。