38 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,

all that he had seen or heard in the palace of the beast. The
two eldest sisters now began to shed tears, and to lay the blame
upon Beauty, who, they said, would be the cause of her father’s
death, “See,” said they, “ what happens from the pride of the
little wretch: why did not she ask for fine things as we did? But
to be sure Miss must not be like other people ; and though she
will be the cause of her father’s death, yet she does not shed a
tear.” —“ It would be of no use,” replied Beauty, “to weep for
the death of my father, for he shall not die now. As the beast
will accept of one of his daughters, I will give myself up to
him ; and think myself happy in being able at once to save
his life, and prove my love for the best of fathers.” “No, sister,”
said the three brothers, “you shall not die; we will go in search
of this monster, and either he or we will perish.’-—‘ Do not
hope to kill him,” said the merchant, “ for his power is far too
great for you to be able to do any such thing. I am charmed
with the kindness of Beauty, but I will not suffer her life to be
Jost. I myself am old, and cannot expect to live much longer;
so I shall but give up a few years of my life, and shall only
grieve for the sake of my children.”—* Never, father,” cried
Beauty, “shall you go to the palace without me; for you
cannot hinder my going after you: though young, I am not
over-fond of life ; and I would much rather be eaten up by
the monster, than die of the grief your loss would give me.”
The merchant in vain tried to reason with Beauty, for she
would go; which, in truth, made her two sisters glad, for they
were jealous of her, because everybody loved her.

‘The merchant was so grieved at the thoughts of losing his
child, that he never once thought of the chest filled with gold ;
but at night, to his great surprise, he found it standing by his
bed-side. He said nothing about his riches to his eldest
daughters, for he knew very well it would at once make them