Page:Beauty and the Beast-1874.djvu/23

Rh looked for her ring, and placed it on the table. In the morning she was at the Palace again, but the Beast was nowhere to be found: at last she ran to the place in the garden that she had dreamed about, and there, sure enough, the poor Beast was, lying senseless on his back.

At this sight Beauty wept and reproached herself for having caused his death. She ran to a fountain and sprinkled his face with water. The Beast opened his eyes, and as soon as he could speak, he said, sorrowfully, “Now that I see you once more, I die contented.” “No, no!” she cried, “you shall not die! Oh, live to be my husband, and Beauty will be your faithful wife!” The moment she had uttered these words, a dazzling light shone everywhere; the Palace windows glittered with lamps, and music was heard around. To her great wonder, a handsome young Prince stood before her, who said that her words had broken the spell of a magician, by which he had been doomed to wear the form of a Beast, until a beautiful girl should love him in spite of his ugliness. The grateful Prince now claimed Beauty as his wife. The Merchant was soon informed of his daughter’s good fortune, and the Prince was married to Beauty on the following day.