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第8章 出诊

"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."

Then he went away, after saying, "Good-bye, Beauty; good-bye, old man;" and though Beauty was beginning to think withgreat dismay of her father's departure, she was afraid to disobeythe Beast's orders; and they went into the next room, which hadshelves and cupboards all round it. They were greatly surprisedat the riches it contained. There were splendid dresses fit for aqueen, with all the ornaments that were to be worn with them;and when Beauty opened the cupboards she was quite dazzledby the gorgeous jewels that lay in heaps upon every shelf. Afterchoosing a vast quantity, which she divided between her sisters--for she had made a heap of the wonderful dresses for each ofthem---she opened the last chest, which was full of gold.

Then she went to bed, but could hardly sleep for joy. Andwhen at last she did begin to dream of her beloved Prince shewas grieved to see him stretched upon a grassy bank sad andweary, and hardly like himself.

him a flight of agate steps, and went up them, and passed throughseveral splendidly furnished rooms. The pleasant warmth of theair revived him, and he felt very hungry; but there seemed to benobody in all this vast and splendid palace whom he could askto give him something to eat. Deep silence reigned everywhere,and at last, tired of roaming through empty rooms and galleries,he stopped in a room smaller than the rest, where a clear fire wasburning and a couch was drawn up cosily close to it. Thinkingthat this must be prepared for someone who was expected, he satdown to wait till he should come, and very soon fell into a sweetsleep.

And then she tenderly embraced Beauty and the Prince, whohad meanwhile been greeting the Fairy and receiving her con-gratulations.

"Indeed I should be ungrateful if I did not care for such a kindBeast," cried Beauty indignantly. "I would die to save him frompain. I assure you it is not his fault that he is so ugly."

But the one she already knew said to her companion:

But the one she already knew said to her companion:

So everything went on for a long time, until at last, happy asshe was, Beauty began to long for the sight of her father and herbrothers and sisters; and one night, seeing her look very sad, theBeast asked her what was the matter. Beauty had quite ceased tobe afraid of him. Now she knew that he was really gentle in spiteof his ferocious looks and his dreadful voice. So she answeredthat she was longing to see her home once more. Upon hearingthis the Beast seemed sadly distressed, and cried miserably.