BEAUTY supper and breakfast? ‘Your insolence shall not
AND THE go unpunished.’

BEAST

The merchant, terrified at these words and threats,
dropped the rose, and casting himself on his knees,
cried: ‘Forgive me, sir; I am sincerely grateful
for your hospitality, which was so profuse that I
hardly thought you would grudge me one rose.’
The Beast’s anger was not mitigated by this speech.
‘I pay no regard to your excuses,’ said he. ‘You
shall most certainly die.’
‘Alas!’ exclaimed the merchant. ‘Oh, Beauty!
Beauty! why did you ask this fatal thing of me?
The white rose you desired will be the death of
your father.’
The Beast asked the merchant the meaning of this
exclamation, and the merchant then related the
story of his misfortunes, and of the requests made
by his daughters. ‘It cost me nearly all I re-
covered of my fortune,’ said he, ‘to buy the diamonds
and pearls for my eldest girls; I did not think I
was doing any harm in plucking the poor little
white rose for my youngest.’
The Beast considered for a while, and then said—
‘I will pardon you on one condition, that is, that
you will give me one of your daughters.’
“Oh! ‘exclaimed the merchant. ‘If I were so cruel
as to buy my own life at the expense of one of my
oe what excuse could I make to bring her
ere?’
‘No excuse is needed,’ answered the Beast. ‘If
she comes at all, she will come willingly. Let me
see if any one of them be brave enough, and loves
you dearly enough, to come here and save your
life. You seem to bean honest man. I give youa
month in which to return home and propose to
one of your daughters to come here tome. If none
of them be willing, then I expect you, on your
honour, to return here to your death. Say good-
bye to them for ever.’

84