with joy, could not help crying as he
looked at them. He held in his hand the bunch of roses, which he gave to
Beauty, saying: "Take these roses, Beauty; but little do you think how
dear they have cost your poor father;" and then he gave them an account
of all that he had seen or heard in the palace of the beast. The two
eldest sisters now began to shed tears, and to lay the blame upon
Beauty, who they said would be the cause of her father's death "See,"
said they, "what happens from the pride of the little wretch. Why did
not she ask for fine things as we did? But, to be sure, miss must not be
like other people; and though she will be the cause of her father's
death, yet she does not shed a tear." "It would be of no use," replied
Beauty, "to weep for the death of my father, for he shall not die now.
As the beast will accept of one of his daughters, I will give myself up
to him; and think myself happy in being able at once to save his life,
and prove my love for the best of fathers." "No, sister," said the three
brothers, "you shall not die; we will go in search for this monster, and
either he or we will perish." "Do not hope to kill him," said the
merchant, "for his power is far too great for you to be able to do any
such thing. I am charmed with the kindness of Beauty, but I will not
suffer her life to be lost. I myself am old, and cannot expect to live
much longer; so I shall but give up a few years of my life, and shall
only grieve for the sake of my children." "Never, father," cried Beauty,
"shall you go to the palace without me; for you cannot hinder my going
after you. Though young, I am not over fond of life; and I would much
rather be eaten up by the monster, than die of the grief your loss would
give me." The merchant tried in vain to reason with Beauty, for she
would go; which, in truth, made her two sisters glad, for they were
jealous of her, because everybody loved her.

The merchant was so grieved at the thoughts of losing his child, that he
never once thought of the chest filled with gold; but at night, to his
great surprise, he found it standing by his bedside. He said nothing
about his riches to his eldest daughters, for he knew very well it would
at once make them want to return to town; but he told Beauty his secret,
and she then said, that while he was away, two gentlemen had been on a
visit to their cottage, who had fallen in love with her two sisters. She
then begged her father to marry them withou