have pretended to
give us all these things, knowing that I could not carry them away."

"Let us wait and see," answered Beauty. "I cannot believe that he meant to
deceive us. All we can do is to fasten them up and leave them ready."

So they did this and returned to the little room, where, to their
astonishment, they found breakfast ready. The merchant ate his with a good
appetite, as the Beast's generosity made him believe that he might perhaps
venture to come back soon and see Beauty. But she felt sure that her
father was leaving her for ever, so she was very sad when the bell rang
sharply for the second time, and warned them that the time was come for
them to part. They went down into the courtyard, where two horses were
waiting, one loaded with the two trunks, the other for him to ride. They
were pawing the ground in their impatience to start, and the merchant was
forced to bid Beauty a hasty farewell; and as soon as he was mounted he
went off at such a pace that she lost sight of him in an instant. Then
Beauty began to cry, and wandered sadly back to her own room. But she soon
found that she was very sleepy, and as she had nothing better to do she
lay down and instantly fell asleep. And then she dreamed that she was
walking by a brook bordered with trees, and lamenting her sad fate, when a
young prince, handsomer than anyone she had ever seen, and with a voice
that went straight to her heart, came and said to her, "Ah, Beauty! you
are not so unfortunate as you suppose. Here you will be rewarded for all
you have suffered elsewhere. Your every wish shall be gratified. Only try
to find me out, no matter how I may be disguised, as I love you dearly,
and in making me happy you will find your own happiness. Be as
true-hearted as you are beautiful, and we shall have nothing left to wish
for."

"What can I do, Prince, to make you happy?" said Beauty.

"Only be grateful," he answered, "and do not trust too much to your eyes.
And, above all, do not desert me until you have saved me from my cruel
misery."

After this she thought she found herself in a room with a stately and
beautiful lady, who said to her:

"Dear Beauty, try not to regret all you have left behind you, for you are
destined to a better fate. Only do not let yourself be deceived by
appearances."

[Illustration]

Beauty found her dreams so interesting that she was in no hurry to awake,
but presently the clock roused her by