Читать книгу Красавица и чудовище. Золушка. Спящая красавица. Рапунцель. Волшебная лампа Аладдина / The Beauty and the Beast. Cinderella. The Sleeping Beauty. Rapunzel. The Story of Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp - Группа авторов - Страница 15

“You shall be there tomorrow morning,[52]” said the Beast, “but remember your promise. You need only lay your ring on a table before you go to bed, when you have a mind to come back.[53] Farewell Beauty.” Beast sighed, as usual, bidding her good night,[54] and Beauty went to bed very sad at seeing him so afflicted. When she waked the next morning, she found herself at her father’s, and when she rang a little bell, that was by her bedside, she saw the maid come, who, the moment she saw her, gave a loud shriek,[55] at which her father ran up the stairs, and thought he should have died with joy to see his dear daughter again.

Beauty dressed herself and came down the stairs. Soon she learnt that her sisters were both of them very unhappy. The eldest had married a gentleman, extremely handsome indeed, but so fond of his own person,[56] that he completely neglected his wife. The second had married a man of wit, but he only made use of it to mock at everybody, and his wife most of all. Beauty’s sisters sickened with envy,[57] when they saw her dressed like a princess, very happy, and more beautiful than ever. They went down into the garden and said one to the other, in what way is this little creature better than us, that she should be so much happier? “Sister,” said the oldest, “an idea occurred to me;[58] let us endeavor to detain her above a week, and perhaps the silly monster will be so enraged at her for breaking her word,[59] that he will devour her.”

“Right, sister,” answered the other, “therefore we must show her as much kindness as possible.” After they had taken this resolution, they went up, and behaved so affectionately to their sister, that poor Beauty cried for joy. When the week was expired, they cried and seemed so sorry to part with her, that she promised to stay a week longer.

In the meantime, Beauty was thinking about the uneasiness she was likely to cause poor Beast,[60] whom she sincerely loved, and really longed to see again. The tenth night she spent at her father’s, she dreamed she was in the palace garden, and that she saw Beast lying on the grass, who, in a dying voice, reproached her with her ingratitude. Beauty woke up and burst into tears.[61] “Am I not very wicked,” said she, “to act so unkindly to Beast, that has studied so much, to please me in everything? Is it his fault if he is so ugly? He is kind and good, and that is sufficient. Why did I refuse to marry him? I should be happier with the monster than my sisters are with their husbands; it is neither wit, nor a fine person, in a husband, that makes a woman happy, but virtue, sweetness of temper,[62] and complaisance, and Beast has all these valuable qualifications. It is true, I do not feel the tenderness of affection for him,[63] but I find I have the highest gratitude, esteem, and friendship; I will not make him miserable, were I to be so ungrateful I should never forgive myself.[64]” Saying this Beauty rose, put her ring on the table, and then laid down again. When she waked the next morning, she was overjoyed to find herself in the Beast’s palace.

She put on one of her best dresses to please him, and waited for evening with the utmost impatience. When the clock struck nine, the Beast didn’t appear. Beauty then feared she had been the cause of his death; she ran crying all about the palace in despair. She looked for him everywhere, but couldn’t find him. Then she recollected her dream, and ran to the garden, where she dreamed she saw him. There she found poor Beast stretched out, quite senseless, and, as she imagined, dead. She threw herself upon him without any dread,[65] and finding his heart beat still, she fetched some water from the canal, and poured it on his head. Beast opened his eyes, and said to Beauty, “You forgot your promise, and I was so afflicted for having lost you, that I resolved to starve myself, but since I have the happiness of seeing you once more, I die satisfied.”

“No, dear Beast,” said Beauty, “you must not die. Live to be my husband; from this moment I give you my hand, and swear to be none but yours. I thought I had only a friendship for you, but the grief I now feel convinces me, that I cannot live without you.” When Beauty said these words, she saw the palace sparkle with light;[66] and fireworks, instruments of music, everything seemed to give notice of some great event.[67] She turned to her dear Beast, for whom she trembled with fear; but how great was her surprise! Beast disappeared, and she saw, at her feet the loveliest prince; who returned her thanks for having put an end to the charm,[68] under which he had so long resembled a Beast. Though this prince was worthy of all her attention, she could not forbear asking where Beast was.[69]

“You see him at your feet, said the prince. A wicked fairy had condemned me to remain under that shape until a beautiful girl should consent to marry me.”

Beauty, agreeably surprised, gave the charming prince her hand to rise; they went together into the castle, and Beauty was overjoyed to find, in the great hall, her father and his whole family, whom the beautiful lady, that appeared to her in her dream, had conveyed there.

“Beauty,” said this lady, “come and receive the reward of your judicious choice; you have preferred virtue before either wit or beauty, and deserve to find a person in whom all these qualifications are united. You are going to be a great queen. I hope the throne will not lessen your virtue, or make you forget yourself. As to you, ladies,” said the fairy to Beauty’s two sisters, “I know your hearts, and all the malice they contain. Become two statues, but, under this transformation, still retain your reason. You shall stand before your sister’s palace gate, and be it your punishment; and it will not be in your power to return to your former state,[70] until you own your faults, but I am very much afraid that you will always remain statues. Though pride, anger and idleness are sometimes conquered.[71]”

Immediately the fairy gave a stroke with her wand,[72] and in a moment all that were in the hall were transported into the prince’s dominions. He married Beauty, and lived with her many years, and their happiness was complete.