40 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST,

night, beast,” said she ; and then the monster went out of the
room,

“Ah! my dear child,” said the merchant, kissing his dangh-
ter, “I am half dead already, at the thoughts of leaving you
with this dreadful beast ; you had better go back and let me
stay in your place.” —“ No,” said Beauty, boldly, “ 1 will never
agree to that ; you must go home to-morrow morning.” They
then wished each other good night, and went to bed, both of
them thinking they should not be able to close their eyes; but
as soon as ever they had lain down, they fell into a deep sleep,
and did not awake till morning. Beauty dreamed that a lady
came up to her, who said, “Iam very much pleased, Beauty,
with the goodness you ‘have shown, in being willing to give
your life to save that of your father, and it shall not go with-
out a reward.” As soon as Beauty awoke, she told her father
this dream ; but though it gave him some comfort, he could not
take leave of his darling child without shedding many tears.
‘When the merchant got out of sight, Beauty sat down in the
Jarge hall, and began to cry also: yet she had a great deal
of courage, and so she soon resolved not to make her sad case
still worse by sorrow, which she knew could not be of any use
to her, but to wait as well as she could till night, when she
thought the beast would not fail to come and eat her up. She
walked about to take a view of all the palace, and the beauty
of every part of it much charmed her.

But what was her surprise, when she came to a door on
which was written, Beaury's Room! She opened it in haste,
and her eyes were all at once dazzled at the grandeur of the
inside of the room. What made her wonder more than all the
rest, was a large library filled with books, a harpsichord, and
many pieces of music, “ The beast takes care I shall not be
at a Joss how to amuse myself,” said she. She then thought
that it was not likely such things would have been got ready