he castle a table was set with
every delicacy. And everywhere there were bowls full of red roses. No
servants were visible; but there was no lack of service, for invisible
hands waited upon her and attended to her every want. She had but to
wish, and whatever she wanted was at once placed before her.

Beauty was filled with astonishment at all this luxury and magnificence.

"Surely the Beast does not wish to harm me," she thought, "or he would
never have so ordered everything for my comfort." And she waited with a
good courage for the coming of the Lord of the Castle.

In the evening the beast appeared. He was certainly very terrible to
look at, and Beauty trembled at the sight of the hideous monster. But
she forced herself to appear brave, and, indeed, there was no cause for
her alarm. The Beast was kindness itself, and so gentle and respectful
in his attentions to her that Beauty soon lost all fear. She soon became
very fond of him, and would have been quite happy had it not been for
the thought of her father and sisters, and the grief which she knew her
father would be suffering on her account. The thought of his sorrow made
her sorrowful too; and one night, when the Beast came to visit her at
his usual hour, she was so sad that he asked her what was the matter.

Then Beauty begged him to let her go and visit her father. The Beast was
very unwilling to grant her request.

"If I let you go, I am afraid you will never come back to me," he said,
"and then I shall die of grief."

Beauty promised most earnestly to come back to him if he would only
allow her to spend a few days with her family; and at last the Beast
yielded to her entreaties.

[Illustration]

He gave her a ring, saying:

"Put this on your little finger when you go to bed to-night, and wish;
and in the morning you will find yourself at home in your father's
house. But if you do not return to me at the end of a week, I shall
die of sorrow."

Beauty's father was almost overcome with joy at seeing his daughter
again, and he was delighted to hear of her happiness and good fortune.
But her two sisters--who in the meantime had married--were more jealous
than ever of their beautiful sister. They were not very happy with their
husbands, who were poor and not over-lovable; and they were very envious
of Beauty's clothes and of all the luxuries with which she told them she
was surrounded. They tried to think of a plan by which they could
prevent their sist