d knocking, he walked inside. There he found a table laid
with every delicacy, and, being very hungry, he sat down and made a
good repast. After he had finished his supper he laid himself down
on a luxurious couch, and in a few minutes was fast asleep.

In the morning, after eating a hearty breakfast, which he found prepared
for him, he left the mysterious castle, without having set eyes on a
single person. As he was passing through the garden he found himself in
an avenue of rose-trees, all covered with beautiful red roses.

[Illustration]

"Here are such thousands of flowers," he said to himself, "that, surely,
one bud will not be missed;" and, thinking of Beauty, he broke off a
rose from one of the bushes.

[Illustration]

Scarcely had he done so when he heard a terrible noise, and, turning
round, he saw coming towards him a hideous Beast, who exclaimed in an
awful tone:

"Ungrateful wretch! You have partaken of my hospitality, have eaten of
my food, have slept in my house, and in return you try to rob me of my
roses. For this theft you shall die!"

The Merchant fell on his knees and begged for pardon, but the Beast
would not listen to him.

"Either you must die now, or else you must swear to send me in your
stead the first living thing that meets you on your return home," he
said; and the Merchant, overcome with terror, and thinking that one of
his dogs would be sure to be the first creature to greet him, gave his
promise.

But to his horror and dismay, it was his youngest daughter, Beauty, who
first ran out to greet him on his return. She had seen him coming from
afar, and hastened to welcome him home.

She did not at first understand her father's grief at seeing her; but
when he told her the story of the Beast and his promise she did her
best to comfort him.

"Do not fear, dear father," she said, "perhaps the Beast will not prove
so terrible as he looks. He spared your life; he may spare mine, since I
have done him no harm."

Her father shook his head mournfully; but there was no help for it. He
had promised to send the Beast the first living creature that met him
on his return, so he was obliged to send Beauty herself in his place.

[Illustration]

When he left Beauty at the palace of the Beast she found everything
prepared for her comfort and convenience. A beautiful bedchamber was
ready for her use; the rooms were filled with everything that she could
possibly want, and in the great hall of t