BEAUTY When she opened her eyes, she could hardly
AND THE believe her senses. She was in a very different

BEA

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place from the palace of the Beast. The room
was neat and comfortable, but not splendid.
Where could she be? She dressed herself hastily,
and then saw that the boxes she had packed were
in the room.
Whilst she was wondering where she was, she
heard her father’s voice. She at once left the
room, and, seeing him, threw herself into his arms.
She was, in fact, in the new house to which her
father had removed from the cottage, when his
fortunes were improved. Her sisters were greatly
astonished to see her. All embraced her with
demonstrations of the greatest joy, but her sisters
were not in heart glad tosee her. Their jealousy
was not extinguished.
She was made to tell her story, and it filled all
with astonishment. But when she said that her
stay with them was limited to two months, then
her father was sorrowful, but her sisters secretly
rejoiced.
Her father had much to tell her, and her sisters
had made many acquaintances, and the time was
spent in going about making visits and in receiv-
ing company. Nevertheless, somehow, Beauty
did not feel as happy as she had been with her
Beast. The time had come at last when she ought
to return; but her father was so sorrowful when she
spoke of departure, and there was always some-
thing arranged for the next day for which she was
expected to remain, so that she did not fulfil her
promise exactly. Besides, she so loved her father
that she could not make up her mind to bid him
good-bye.
One night she had adreadful dream. She thought
she was back again in the Beast’s palace, and that
she was walking through the rooms seeking him.
Not finding him anywhere, she went into the
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