had married a man of great
learning; but he made no use of it, except to torment and affront all
his friends, and his wife more than any of them. The two sisters were
ready to burst with spite when they saw Beauty dressed like a
princess, and looking so very charming. All the kindness that she
showed them was of no use; for they were vexed more than ever when she
told them how happy she lived at the palace of the beast. The spiteful
creatures went by themselves into the garden, where they cried to
think of her good-fortune.

"Why should the little wretch be better off than we?" said they. "We
are much handsomer than she is."

"Sister," said the eldest, "a thought has just come into my head: Let
us try to keep her here longer than the week for which the beast gave
her leave, and then he will be so angry that perhaps when she goes
back to him he will eat her up in a moment."

"That is well thought of," answered the other, "but to do this we must
pretend to be very kind."

They then went to join her in the cottage, where they showed her so
much false love that Beauty could not help crying for joy.

When the week was ended the two sisters began to pretend such grief at
the thought of her leaving them that she agreed to stay a week more;
but all that time Beauty could not help fretting for the sorrow that
she knew her absence would give her poor beast; for she tenderly
loved him, and much wished for his company again. Among all the grand
and clever people she saw she found nobody who was half so sensible,
so affectionate, so thoughtful, or so kind. The tenth night of her
being at the cottage she dreamed she was in the garden of the palace,
that the beast lay dying on a grass-plot, and with his last breath put
her in mind of her promise, and laid his death to her forsaking him.
Beauty awoke in a great fright, and burst into tears. "Am not I
wicked," said she, "to behave so ill to a beast who has shown me so
much kindness? Why will not I marry him? I am sure I should be more
happy with him than my sisters are with their husbands. He shall not
be wretched any longer on my account; for I should do nothing but
blame myself all the rest of my life."

She then rose, put her ring on the table, got into bed again, and soon
fell asleep. In the morning she with joy found herself in the palace
of the beast. She dressed herself very carefully, that she might
please him the better, and thought she had never known a day pass away
s