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第2章 大道真解

good-bye to everything she loved, and when the fatal day cameshe encouraged and cheered her father as they mounted togetherthe horse which had brought him back. It seemed to fly ratherthan gallop, but so smoothly that Beauty was not frightened;indeed, she would have enjoyed the journey if she had not fearedwhat might happen to her at the end of it. Her father still triedto persuade her to go back, but in vain. While they were talkingthe night fell, and then, to their great surprise, wonderful coloredlights began to shine in all directions, and splendid fireworksblazed out before them; all the forest was illuminated by them,and even felt pleasantly warm, though it had been bitterly coldbefore. This lasted until they reached the avenue of orange trees,where were statues holding flaming torches, and when they gotnearer to the palace they saw that it was illuminated from theroof to the ground, and music sounded softly from the courtyard.

There were more birds in a room farther on, parrots and cock-atoos that could talk, and they greeted Beauty by name; indeed,she found them so entertaining that she took one or two back toher room, and they talked to her while she was at supper; afterwhich the Beast paid her his usual visit, and asked the samequestions as before, and then with a gruff "good-night" he tookhis departure, and Beauty went to bed to dream of her mysteriousPrince. The days passed swiftly in different amusements, andafter a while Beauty found out another strange thing in the palace,which often pleased her when she was tired of being alone. Therewas one room which she had not noticed particularly; it wasempty, except that under each of the windows stood a verycomfortable chair; and the first time she had looked out of the

The merchant accepted this proposal, though he did not reallythink any of his daughters would be persuaded to come. Hepromised to return at the time appointed, and then, anxious toescape from the presence of the Beast, he asked permission toset off at once. But the Beast answered that he could not go untilthe next day.

Beauty found her supper served just at the time she preferredto have it, but she did not see anyone or hear a sound, and, thoughher father had warned her that she would be alone, she began tofind it rather dull.

"Oh! no, Beast," said Beauty hastily.

"I wish to go back to my palace and see my Beast again," asshe had been told to do.

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

But this excited their curiosity so greatly that presently hetold them his adventures from beginning to end, and then theywere all very unhappy. The girls lamented loudly over their losthopes, and the sons declared that their father should not returnto this terrible castle, and began to make plans for killing theBeast if it should come to fetch him. But he reminded them thathe had promised to go back. Then the girls were very angrywith Beauty, and said it was all her fault, and that if she hadasked for something sensible this would never have happened,and complained bitterly that they should have to suffer for herfolly.

At length he made out some sort of track, and though at thebeginning it was so rough and slippery that he fell down morethan once, it presently became easier, and led him into an avenueof trees which ended in a splendid castle. It seemed to the mer-chant very strange that no snow had fallen in the avenue, whichwas entirely composed of orange trees, covered with flowers andfruit. When he reached the first court of the castle he saw before