3

He waited a considerable time until it struck eleven, and still nobody came. At last he was so hungry that he could stay no longer but took a chicken and ate it in two mouthfuls. After this, he drank a few glasses of wine and, growing more courageous, he went out of the hall and crossed through several grand apartments with magnificent furniture until he came into a chamber, which had an exceeding good bed in it, and as he was very much fatigued and it was past midnight, he decided it was best to shut the door and go to bed.

It was ten the next morning before the merchant woke, and as he was going to rise, he was astonished to see a good suit of clothes in the room of his own; “Certainly,” said he, “this palace belongs to some kind fairy, who has seen and pitied my distress.” He looked through a window, but instead of snow saw the most delightful arbours and beautiful flowers. He then returned to the great hall, where he had taken supper the night before, and found some chocolate on a little table. “Thank you, good Madam Fairy,” said he aloud, “for being so careful, as to provide me a breakfast; I am extremely obliged to you for all your favours.”

The good man ate the chocolate and then went to look for his horse, but passing through an arbour of roses, he remembered Beauty’s request to him and gathered a branch with several flowers; immediately he heard a great noise and saw such a frightful Beast coming towards him that he was ready to faint away.

“You are very ungrateful,” said the Beast to him in a terrible voice; “I have saved your life by receiving you into my castle, and, in return, you steal my roses, which I value beyond any thing in the universe. You shall die for it; I give you just a quarter of an hour to prepare yourself and say your prayers.”

The merchant fell on his knees and lifted up both his hands. “My lord,” said he, “I beseech you to forgive me; indeed I had no intention to offend in gathering a rose for one of my daughters, who desired me to bring her one.”

“My name is not My Lord,” replied the monster, “but Beast; I don’t love compliments. I like people to speak as they think, and so do not imagine I am to be moved by any of your flattering speeches. But you say you have got daughters. I will forgive you on condition that one of them comes willingly and suffers for you. Go and swear that if your daughter refuses to die instead of you, you will return within three months.”

Упражнения

1. Переведите на русский язык:

magnificent, chamber, astonished, fairy, distress, to provide, request, to gather, frightful, ungrateful, to steal, to value, intention, on condition, willingly, to swear, within.

2. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What did the merchant eat and drink?

2. Where did the merchant go after supper?

3. When did the merchant wake the next morning?

4. What did he see in the room of his own?

5. What did he see looking through the window?

6. What did the merchant remember passing through an arbour of roses?

7. Was the merchant frightened when he saw the Beast? Why?

8. What did the Beast say to the merchant?

9. Why was the Beast angry?

10. Was the Beast ready to forgive the merchant?

3. Вставьте правильные предлоги (for, in, through).

1. The merchant crossed ___________ several grand apartments with magnificent furniture.

2. He looked ___________ a window but instead of snow saw the most delightful arbours and beautiful flowers.

3. He was astonished to see a good suit of clothes ___________ the room of his own.

4. I will forgive you on condition that one of your daughters comes willingly and suffers ___________ you.

4. Дополните предложения, используя следующие слова:

a branch, intention, to prepare yourself, willingly, suit of clothes, steal, arbours, crossed

1. Growing more courageous, he went out of the hall and ______________ through several grand apartments with magnificent furniture.

2. He was astonished to see a good ______________ in the room of his own.

3. Instead of snow he saw the most delightful ______________ and beautiful flowers.

4. Passing through an arbour of roses, he remembered Beauty’s request to him and gathered ______________ with several flowers.

5. I have saved your life by receiving you into my castle, and, in return, you ______________ my roses, which I value beyond any thing in the universe.

6. I give you just a quarter of an hour _________________________.

7. I had no ______________ to offend in gathering a rose for one of my daughters, who desired me to bring her one.

8. I will forgive you on condition that one of them comes ______________ and suffers for you.

4

The merchant had no mind to sacrifice his daughters to the ugly monster, but he thought in obtaining this respite he should have the satisfaction of seeing them once more, so he promised upon oath, he would return, and the Beast told him he might set out when he pleased. “But,” added he, “you shall not depart empty-handed; go back to the room where you lay, and you will see a great empty chest; fill it with whatever you like best, and I will send it to your home,” and at the same time Beast withdrew.

“Well,” said the good man to himself, “if I must die, I shall have the comfort, at least, of leaving something to my poor children.” He returned to the bedchamber, and finding a great quantity of gold, he filled the great chest the Beast had mentioned, locked it, and afterwards took his horse out of the stable, leaving the palace with as much grief as he had entered it with joy. The horse took one of the roads of the forest, and in a few hours the good man was at home.

His children came round him but didn’t receive their embraces with pleasure. Instead, he looked at them and, holding up the branch he had in his hands, burst into tears. “Here, Beauty,” said he, “take these roses, but little do you think how dear they are like to cost your unhappy father,” and then told them about his unhappy adventure. Immediately, the two eldest daughters started to cry and said all manner of ill-natured things to Beauty, who did not cry at all.

“Do but see the pride of that little wretch,” said they, “she would not ask for fine clothes as we did, but she wanted to distinguish herself, so now she will be the death of our poor father, and yet she does not so much as shed a tear.”

“Why should I?” answered Beauty, “It would be very needless, for my father shall not suffer upon my account, since the monster will accept one of his daughters, and I am very happy in thinking that my death will save my father’s life and be a proof of my tender love for him.”

“No, sister,” said her three brothers, “that shall not be; we will go and find the monster and either kill him or perish in the attempt.”

“Do not imagine any such thing, my sons,” said the merchant, “The Beast’s power is so great that I have no hopes of your overcoming him. I am charmed with Beauty’s kind and generous offer, but I cannot yield to it. I am old and have not long to live.”

“Indeed, father,” said Beauty, “you shall not go to the palace without me; you cannot hinder me from following you.” It was to no purpose all they could say. Beauty still insisted on setting out for the fine palace, and her sisters were delighted at it, for her virtue and amiable qualities made them envious and jealous.

The merchant was so afflicted at the thoughts of losing his daughter that he had quite forgot the chest full of gold, but at night when he retired to rest, no sooner had he shut his chamber door, then, to his great astonishment, he found it by his bedside; he was determined, however, not to tell his children that he was grown rich because they would have wanted to return to town, and he was resolved not to leave the country; but the Beauty informed him that two gentlemen came in his absence and courted her sisters. She begged her father to consent to their marriage and give them fortunes, for she was so good that she loved them and forgave heartily their behaviour. These wicked creatures rubbed their eyes with an onion to force some tears when they parted with their sister, but her brothers were really concerned.

Упражнения

1. Переведите на русский язык:

to sacrifice, to respite, satisfaction, oath, chest, quantity, embraces, to suffer, proof, tender, charmed, offer, to yield, jealous, to consent, fortune, concerned.

2. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. Was the merchant ready to sacrifice his daughters to the monster?

2. What did the merchant do with the chest?

3. Did the merchant cry when he returned home? Why?

4. What did the sisters say about Beauty?

5. What did Beauty decide to do to save her father’s life?

6. Was the merchant charmed with Beauty’s offer?

7. Were Beauty’s sisters delighted? Why?

8. What did the merchant forget about?

9. Why did the merchant decide not to tell his children about the chest?

10. Were the sisters sad when they parted with Beauty?

3. Какие утверждения верны?

1. The merchant decided to sacrifice his daughters to the monster.

2. The merchant promised to the Beast that he would return.

3. The merchant left the Beast’s castle empty-handed.

4. Having returned home, the merchant burst into tears.

5. The Beauty decided to sacrifice herself to the monster.

6. Beauty’s brothers were very scared and didn’t want to help their sister and father.

7. The merchant thought his sons could overcome the Beast.

8. The merchant at first forgot about the chest.

9. The merchant was determined to tell his children that he was grown rich.

10. The Beauty begged her father to consent to her sisters’ marriage.