d sadly distressed, and cried miserably.

"Ah! Beauty, have you the heart to desert an unhappy Beast like this? What
more do you want to make you happy? Is it because you hate me that you
want to escape?"

"No, dear Beast," answered Beauty softly, "I do not hate you, and I should
be very sorry never to see you any more, but I long to see my father
again. Only let me go for two months, and I promise to come back to you
and stay for the rest of my life."

The Beast, who had been sighing dolefully while she spoke, now replied:

"I cannot refuse you anything you ask, even though it should cost me my
life. Take the four boxes you will find in the room next to your own, and
fill them with everything you wish to take with you. But remember your
promise and come back when the two months are over, or you may have cause
to repent it, for if you do not come in good time you will find your
faithful Beast dead. You will not need any chariot to bring you back. Only
say good-bye to all your brothers and sisters the night before you come
away, and when you have gone to bed turn this ring round upon your finger
and say firmly: 'I wish to go back to my palace and see my Beast again.'
Good-night, Beauty. Fear nothing, sleep peacefully, and before long you
shall see your father once more."

As soon as Beauty was alone she hastened to fill the boxes with all the
rare and precious things she saw about her, and only when she was tired of
heaping things into them did they seem to be full.

Then she went to bed, but could hardly sleep for joy. And when at last she
did begin to dream of her beloved Prince she was grieved to see him
stretched upon a grassy bank sad and weary, and hardly like himself.

"What is the matter?" she cried.

But he looked at her reproachfully, and said:

"How can you ask me, cruel one? Are you not leaving me to my death
perhaps?"

"Ah! don't be so sorrowful," cried Beauty; "I am only going to assure my
father that I am safe and happy. I have promised the Beast faithfully that
I will come back, and he would die of grief if I did not keep my word!"

"What would that matter to you?" said the Prince. "Surely you would not
care?"

"Indeed I should be ungrateful if I did not care for such a kind Beast,"
cried Beauty indignantly. "I would die to save him from pain. I assure you
it is not his fault that he is so ugly."

Just then a strange sound woke her--someone was speaking not very far
away; and opening her e