ow morning, and
leave me to the mercy of Heaven. Perhaps pity will be taken on me.'

They retired to rest, thinking they would not sleep at all during the
night, but they were hardly in bed before their eyes were closed in
sleep. In her dreams there appeared to Beauty a lady, who said to her:

'Your virtuous character pleases me, Beauty. In thus undertaking to give
your life to save your father you have performed an act of goodness
which shall not go unrewarded.'

When she woke up Beauty related this dream to her father. He was
somewhat consoled by it, but could not refrain from loudly giving vent
to his grief when the time came to tear himself away from his beloved
child.

As soon as he had gone Beauty sat down in the great hall and began to
cry. But she had plenty of courage, and after imploring divine
protection she determined to grieve no more during the short time she
had yet to live.

She was convinced that the Beast would devour her that night, but made
up her mind that in the interval she would walk about and have a look at
this beautiful castle, the splendour of which she could not but admire.

Imagine her surprise when she came upon a door on which were the words
'Beauty's Room'! She quickly opened this door, and was dazzled by the
magnificence of the appointments within. 'They are evidently anxious
that I should not be dull,' she murmured, as she caught sight of a
large bookcase, a harpsichord, and several volumes of music. A moment
later another thought crossed her mind. 'If I had only a day to spend
here,' she reflected, 'such provision would surely not have been made
for me.'

This notion gave her fresh courage. She opened the bookcase, and found a
book in which was written, in letters of gold:

'Ask for anything you wish: you are mistress of all here.'

'Alas!' she said with a sigh, 'my only wish is to see my poor father,
and to know what he is doing.'

As she said this to herself she glanced at a large mirror. Imagine her
astonishment when she perceived her home reflected in it, and saw her
father just approaching. Sorrow was written on his face; but when her
sisters came to meet him it was impossible not to detect, despite the
grimaces with which they tried to simulate grief, the satisfaction they
felt at the loss of their sister. In a moment the vision faded away, yet
Beauty could not but think that the Beast was very kind, and that she
had nothing much to fear from him.

At midday she fo