"Children's Books - Beauty and Beast" - читать интересную книгу автора (Children's Books)

for saving my life." So Beauty was led to the castle. The Beast, however, had
quite an unexpected greeting for the girl. Instead of menacing doom as it had
done with her father, it was surprisingly pleasant.
In the beginning, Beauty was frightened of the Beast, and shuddered at the
sight of it. Then she found that, in spite of the monster's awful head, her
horror of it was gradually fading as time went by. She had one of the finest
rooms in the Castle, and sat for hours, embroidering in front of the fire. And
the Beast would sit, for hours on end, only a short distance away, silently
gazing at her. Then it started to say a few kind words, till in the end,
Beauty was amazed to discover that she was actually enjoying its conversation.
The days passed, and Beauty and the Beast became good friends. Then one day,
the Beast asked the girl to be his wife. .-~
Taken by surprise, Beauty did not know what to say. Marry such an ugly
monster? She would rather die! But she did not want to hurt the feelings of
one who, after all, had been kind to her. And she remembered too that she owed
it her own life as well as her father's.
"I really can't say yes," she began shakily. "I'd so much like to . . ."
The Beast interrupted her with an abrupt gesture.
"I quite understand! And I'm not offended by your refusal!" Life went on as
usual, and nothing further was said. One day, the Beast presented Beauty with
a magnificent magic mirror. When Beauty peeped into it, she could see her
family, far away.
"You won't feel so lonely now," were the words that accompanied the gift.
Beauty stared for hours at her distant family. Then she began to feel worried.
One day, the Beast found her weeping beside the magic mirror.
"What's wrong?" he asked, kindly as always.
"My father is gravely ill and close to dying! Oh, how I wish I could see
him again, before it's too late!" But the Beast only shook its head.
"No! You will never leave this castle!" And off it stalked in a rage.
However, a little later, it returned and spoke solemnly to the girl._
"If you swear that you will return here in seven days time, I'll let you go
and visit your father!" Beauty threw herself at the Beast's feet in delight.
"I swear! I swear I will! How kind you are! You've made a loving daughter
so happy!" In reality, the merchant had fallen ill from a broken heart at
knowing his daughter was being kept prisoner. When he embraced her again, he
was soon on the road to recovery. Beauty stayed beside him for hours on end,
describing her life at the Castle, and explaining that the Beast was really
good and kind. The days flashed past, and at last the merchant was able to
leave his bed. He was completely well again. Beauty was happy at last.
However, she had failed to notice that seven days had gone by.
Then one night she woke from a terrible nightmare. She had dreamt that the
Beast was dying and calling for her, twisting in agony.
"Come back! Come back to me!" it was pleading. The solem promise she had
made drove her to leave home immediately.
"Hurry! Hurry, good horse!" she said, whipping her steed onwards towards
the castle, afraid that she might arrive too late. She rushed up the stairs,
calling, but there was no reply. Her heart in her mouth, Beauty ran into the
garden and there crouched the Beast, its eyes shut, as though dead. Beauty
threw herself at it and hugged it tightly.
"Don't die! Don't die! I'll marry you . . ." At these words, a miracle took