to bed very sad at seeing him so afflicted. When she waked the next
morning, she found herself at her father's, and having rang a little
bell, that was by her bed-side, she saw the maid come; who, the moment
she saw her, gave a loud shriek; at which the good man ran up stairs,
and thought he should have died with joy to see his dear daughter again.
He held her fast locked in his arms above a quarter of an hour. As soon
as the first transports were over, Beauty began to think of rising, and
was afraid she had no clothes to put on; but the maid told her, that she
had just found, in the next room, a large trunk full of gowns, covered
with gold and diamonds. Beauty thanked good Beast for his kind care,
and taking one of the plainest of them, she intended to make a present
of the others to her sisters. She scarce had said so, when the trunk
disappeared. Her father told her, that Beast insisted on her keeping
them herself; and immediately both gowns and trunk came back again.

[Illustration: Beauty at Supper with the Beast]

Beauty dressed herself; and in the mean time they sent to her sisters,
who hasted thither with their husbands. They were both of them very
unhappy. The eldest had married a gentleman, extremely handsome indeed,
but so fond of his own person, that he was full of nothing but his own
dear self, and neglected his wife. The second had married a man of wit,
but he only made use of it to plague and torment every body, and his
wife most of all. Beauty's sisters sickened with envy, when they saw her
dressed like a Princess, and more beautiful than ever; nor could all her
obliging affectionate behaviour stifle their jealousy, which was ready
to burst when she told them how happy she was. They went down into the
garden to vent it in tears; and said one to the other, "In what is this
little creature better than us, that she should be so much happier?"
"Sister, said the eldest, a thought just strikes my mind; let us