Английские сказки для девочек / English Fairy Tales for Girls - стр. 10
“You are very obliging,” answered Beauty, “I am pleased with your kindness.”
“Yes, yes,” said the Beast, “my heart is good, but still I am a monster.”
“Among mankind,” said Beauty, “there are many that deserve that name more than you, and I prefer you, just as you are, to those who, under a human form, hide a treacherous, corrupt, and ungrateful heart.”
“If I had sense enough,” replied the Beast, “I would make a fine compliment to thank you, but I am so dull that I can only say I am greatly obliged to you.”
Beauty ate her supper and had almost conquered her dread of the monster,[39] but she had like to have fainted away[40] when he said to her, “Beauty, will you be my wife?”
She didn’t answer at once, for she was afraid of making him angry if she refused. At last, however trembling, she said, “no the Beast.” Immediately, the poor monster went to sigh and hissed so frightfully that the whole palace echoed. But Beauty soon recovered her fright,[41] for the Beast having said in a mournful voice, “then farewell, Beauty,” and left the room.
When Beauty was alone, she felt a great deal of compassion for the poor Beast.
Beauty spent three months very contentedly in the palace. Every evening the Beast paid her a visit[42] and talked to her during supper, very rationally, with good common sense,[43] but never with what the world calls wit; and Beauty daily discovered some valuable qualifications in the monster, and seeing him often had so accustomed her to his deformity[44] that she would often look at her watch to see when it would be nine, for the Beast never missed coming at that hour. There was but one thing that gave Beauty any concern,[45] which was that every night before she went to bed, the monster always asked her if she would be his wife.
One day she said to him, “Beast, you make me very uneasy. I wish I could consent to marry you, but I am too sincere to make you believe that will ever happen; I shall always esteem you as a friend. Endeavor to be satisfied with this.”
“I must,” said the Beast. “I know too well my own misfortune, but I love you. However, I ought to think myself happy[46] that you will stay here; promise me never to leave me.”
Beauty blushed at these words; she had seen in her glass that her father had pined himself sick for the loss of her,[47] and she longed to see him again. “I could,” answered she, “indeed, promise never to leave you entirely, but I have so great a desire to see my father that I shall fret to death if you refuse me that satisfaction.”