ver 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
so slowly. At last the clock struck nine, but the beast did not come.
Beauty, dreading lest she might truly have caused his death, ran from
room to room, calling out, "Beast, dear beast;" but there was no
answer. At last she remembered her dream, rushed to the grass-plot,
and there saw him lying apparently dead beside the fountain.
Forgetting all his ugliness, she threw herself upon his body, and,
finding his heart still beat, she fetched some water and sprinkled it
over him, weeping and sobbing the while.

The beast opened his eyes: "You forgot your promise, Beauty, and so I
determined to die; for I could not live without you. I have starved
myself to death, but I shall die content since I have seen your face
once more."

"No, dear beast," cried Beauty, passionately, "you shall not die; you
shall live to be my husband. I thought it was only friendship I felt
for you, but now I know it was love."

The moment Beauty had spoken these words, the palace was suddenly
lighted up, and all kinds of rejoicings were heard around them, none
which she noticed, but hung over her dear beast with the utmost
tenderness. At last, unable to restrain herself, she dropped her head
over her hands, covered her eyes, and cried for joy; and, when she
looked up again, the beast was gone. In his stead she saw at her feet
a handsome, graceful young prince, who thanked her with the tenderest
expressions for having freed him from enchantment.

"But where is my poor beas