5

The horse took the direct road to the palace, and they reached the castle towards evening. The horse went into the stable, and the good man and his daughter came into the great hall, where they found a table splendidly served up and two covers. The merchant didn’t want to eat, but Beauty, endeavoring to appear cheerful, sat down to table and helped him. “Afterwards,” thought she to herself, “the Beast surely has a mind to fatten me before he eats me, since he provides such plentiful entertainment.” When they had supped, they heard a great noise, and the merchant, all in tears, bid his poor child, farewell, for he thought the Beast was coming. Beauty was sadly terrified of his horrid form, but she took courage as well as she could and said to the monster that she came willingly.

The Beast responded, “You are very good, and I am greatly obliged to you; honest man, go your ways tomorrow morning but never think of coming here again.”

“Farewell, Beauty. Farewell, Beast,” answered he, and the monster withdrew immediately. “Oh, daughter,” said the merchant, embracing Beauty, “I am almost frightened to death, believe me, you had better go back and let me stay here.”

“No, father,” said Beauty in a resolute tone, “you shall set out tomorrow morning and leave me to the care and protection of providence.” They went to bed and thought they should not close their eyes all night; but they fell fast asleep quickly, and Beauty dreamed a fine lady came and said to her, “I am content, Beauty, with your good will; this good action of yours in giving up your own life to save your father’s shall not go unrewarded.” Beauty woke and told her father her dream and though it helped to comfort him a little, yet he could not help crying bitterly when he took leave of his dear child.

As soon as he was gone, Beauty sat down in the great hall and started crying, for she firmly believed the Beast would eat her up that night.

However, she thought she might as well walk about until then and view this fine castle, which she could not help admiring; it was a delightful pleasant place, and she was extremely surprised at seeing a door over which was written “Beauty’s Apartment.” She opened it hastily and was quite dazzled with the magnificence that reigned throughout; but what chiefly took up her attention was a large library, a harpsichord, and several music books. Then she reflected, “Were I but to stay here a day, there would not have been all these preparations.” This consideration inspired her with fresh courage; and opening the library, she took a book and read these words in letters of gold:

Welcome Beauty, banish fear,

You are queen and mistress here.

Speak your wishes, speak your will,

Swift obedience meets them still.

Упражнения

1. Переведите на русский язык:

splendidly, to endevour, to appear, cheerful, afterwards, to respond, resolute, hastily, to reign, chiefly, to reflect, preparation, to inspire, mistress, will.

2. Ответьте на вопросы:

1. When did they reach the casle?

2. What did the merchant and his daughter find in the great hall?

3. Was the merchant hungry?

4. What did Beauty think about the Beast?

5. What did the merchant and his daughter hear after they had supped?

6. Why was Beauty terrified?

7. Did the merchant and his daughter sleep well at night?

8. Was the castle a delightful place?

9. What was written over one of the doors?

10. What did Beauty see in the library?

3. Какие утверждения верны?

1. Beauty and her father reached the castle towards morning.

2. When they came into the great hall, they found a table splendidly served up and two covers.

3. When the Beast came, Beauty was so scared that she couldn’t say a word.

4. The Beast looked very angry, and it was clear that he was going to eat Beauty.

5. Beauty refused to go home because she wanted to save her father’s life.

6. Beauty and her father were so excited and frightened that they couldn’t sleep at night.

7. The fine lady in Beauty’s dream wasn’t content that she wanted to save her father’s life.

8. As soon as her father was gone, Beauty sat down in the great hall and started crying, for she firmly believed the Beast would eat her.

6

“Alas,” said she with a sigh, “there is nothing I desire so much as to see my poor father and know what he is doing.” As soon as she said this, to her great amazement, she saw her own home in a great looking glass, where her father arrived with a very dejected countenance. Her sisters went to meet him, and notwithstanding their endeavors to appear sorrowful, their joy, felt for having got rid of their sister, was visible in every feature. A moment after, everything disappeared.

At noon she found dinner ready and, while at table, was entertained with an excellent concert of music, though without seeing anybody. But at night, as she was going to sit down to supper, she heard the noise the Beast made and could not help being sadly terrified. “Beauty,” said the monster, “will you give me leave to see you sup?”

“That is as you please,” answered Beauty trembling.

“No,” replied the Beast, “you alone are mistress here; if my presence is troublesome, I will immediately withdraw. But tell me, do not you think me very ugly?”

“That is true,” said Beauty, “for I cannot tell a lie, but I believe you are very good-natured.”

“So I am,” said the monster, “and I know very well that I am a poor, silly, stupid creature.”

“I don’t think you are silly and stupid creature,” replied Beauty.

“Eat then, Beauty,” said the monster, “and endeavor to amuse yourself in your palace, for everything here is yours, and I should be very uneasy if you were not happy.”

“You are very obliging,” answered Beauty, “I am pleased with your kindness.”

“Yes, yes,” said the Beast, “my heart is good, but still I am a monster.”

“Among mankind,” said Beauty, “there are many that deserve that name more than you, and I prefer you, just as you are, to those who, under a human form, hide a treacherous, corrupt, and ungrateful heart.”

“If I had sense enough,” replied the Beast, “I would make a fine compliment to thank you, but I am so dull that I can only say I am greatly obliged to you.”

Beauty ate her supper and had almost conquered her dread of the monster, but she had like to have fainted away when he said to her, “Beauty, will you be my wife?”

She didn’t answer at once, for she was afraid of making him angry if she refused. At last, however trembling, she said, “no the Beast.” Immediately, the poor monster went to sigh and hissed so frightfully that the whole palace echoed. But Beauty soon recovered her fright, for the Beast having said in a mournful voice, “then farewell, Beauty,” and left the room.

When Beauty was alone, she felt a great deal of compassion for the poor Beast.

Beauty spent three months very contentedly in the palace. Every evening the Beast paid her a visit and talked to her during supper, very rationally, with good common sense, but never with what the world calls wit; and Beauty daily discovered some valuable qualifications in the monster, and seeing him often had so accustomed her to his deformity that she would often look at her watch to see when it would be nine, for the Beast never missed coming at that hour. There was but one thing that gave Beauty any concern, which was that every night before she went to bed, the monster always asked her if she would be his wife.

One day she said to him, “Beast, you make me very uneasy. I wish I could consent to marry you, but I am too sincere to make you believe that will ever happen; I shall always esteem you as a friend. Endeavor to be satisfied with this.”

“I must,” said the Beast. “I know too well my own misfortune, but I love you. However, I ought to think myself happy that you will stay here; promise me never to leave me.”

Beauty blushed at these words; she had seen in her glass that her father had pined himself sick for the loss of her, and she longed to see him again. “I could,” answered she, “indeed, promise never to leave you entirely, but I have so great a desire to see my father that I shall fret to death if you refuse me that satisfaction.”

“I had rather die myself,” said the monster, “than give you the least uneasiness. I will send you to your father; you shall remain with him, and the poor Beast will die with grief.”

“No,” said Beauty weeping, “I love you too well to be the cause of your death. I give you my promise to return in a week. You have shown me that my sisters are married and my brothers went to the army; only let me stay a week with my father.”