ust now, when I feared I was too late to save your life."

"Can you really love such an ugly creature as I am?" said the Beast
faintly. "Ah! Beauty, you only came just in time. I was dying because I
thought you had forgotten your promise. But go back now and rest, I shall
see you again by-and-by."

Beauty, who had half expected that he would be angry with her, was
reassured by his gentle voice, and went back to the palace, where supper
was awaiting her; and afterwards the Beast came in as usual, and talked
about the time she had spent with her father, asking if she had enjoyed
herself, and if they had all been very glad to see her.

Beauty answered politely, and quite enjoyed telling him all that had
happened to her. And when at last the time came for him to go, and he
asked, as he had so often asked before:

"Beauty, will you marry me?" she answered softly:

"Yes, dear Beast."

As she spoke a blaze of light sprang up before the windows of the palace;
fireworks crackled and guns banged, and across the avenue of orange trees,
in letters all made of fire-flies, was written: "Long live the Prince and
his Bride."

Turning to ask the Beast what it could all mean, Beauty found that he had
disappeared, and in his place stood her long-loved Prince! At the same
moment the wheels of a chariot were heard upon the terrace, and two ladies
entered the room. One of them Beauty recognized as the stately lady she
had seen in her dreams; the other was also so grand and queenly that
Beauty hardly knew which to greet first.

But the one she already knew said to her companion:

"Well, Queen, this is Beauty, who has had the courage to rescue your son
from the terrible enchantment. They love one another, and only your
consent to their marriage is wanting to make them perfectly happy."

"I consent with all my heart," cried the Queen. "How can I ever thank you
enough, charming girl, for having restored my dear son to his natural
form?"

And then she tenderly embraced Beauty and the Prince, who had meanwhile
been greeting the Fairy and receiving her congratulations.

"Now," said the Fairy to Beauty, "I suppose you would like me to send for
all your brothers and sisters to dance at your wedding?"

And so she did, and the marriage was celebrated the very next day with the
utmost splendor, and Beauty and the Prince lived happily ever after.

***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST***

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