BEAUTY will find it growing over the mouth of this cave.
AND THE But, remember—if you give me that, you give me

BEAST

yourself with it. You accept me as your husband.’
In a moment, without speaking, Beauty sprang
out of the cave and hastily plucked a beautiful
white rose that hung down over the mouth.
Returning to the poor Beast, she gave it him, and
said: ‘Dear Beast !—indeed I am yours. Ilove you
with all my heart.’

‘Will you kiss me on my snout?’ asked the Beast.
‘Indeed—indeed I will,’ answered Beauty.

At that moment the sun rose and poured its golden
beams into the cave, and made the walls glitter
and twinkle like a cave of rainbow, and indeed
they were all of ruby, carbuncle, amethyst, topaz,
emerald, and every imaginable stone.

The reflection was so dazzling that Beauty having
kissed the Beast covered her eyes. When she
drew her hands away he had disappeared. In
his place stood her long-dreamed-of, beautiful
Prince. Then he took her by the hand, and said:
‘Dear Beauty, to you, to your faithfulness and
goodness, I owe my delivery. I have been be-
witched by a cruel fairy, who said I should remain
in the form of a hideous monster until some
maiden would consent to be my wife, and in token
of her consent give me a white rose, and kiss me
on the mouth. This is my palace, 1 have an im-
mense kingdom and innumerable treasures. You
shall be my queen, and we will make your father
happy, and, if possible, your sisters shall be made
contented. I shall never forget what you have
done for me, and all my life shall be devoted to’
rendering you happy.’

98