Page:Lange - The Blue Fairy Book.djvu/151

 Then she fell asleep instantly, and only woke up to hear the clock saying, ‘Beauty, Beauty,’ twelve times in its musical voice, which told her at once that she was really in the palace once more. Everything was just as before, and her birds were so glad to see her! but Beauty thought she had never known such a long day, for she was so anxious to see the Beast again that she felt as if supper-time would never come.

But when it did come and no Beast appeared she was really frightened; so, after listening and waiting for a long time, she ran down into the garden to search for him. Up and down the paths and avenues ran poor Beauty, calling him in vain, for no one answered, and not a trace of him could she find; until at last, quite tired, she stopped for a minute’s rest, and saw that she was standing opposite the shady path she had seen in her dream. She rushed down it, and, sure enough, there was the cave, and in it lay the Beast—asleep, as Beauty thought. Quite glad to have found him, she ran up and stroked his head, but to her horror he did not move or open his eyes.

‘Oh! he is dead; and it is all my fault,’ said Beauty, crying bitterly.



But then, looking at him again, she fancied he still breathed, and, hastily fetching some water from the nearest fountain, she