e, she heard the noise of the
beast, and could not help trembling with fear. "Beauty," said he, "will
you give me leave to see you sup?" "That is as you please," answered
she, very much afraid. "Not in the least," said the beast; "you alone
command in this place. If you should not like my company, you need only
to say so, and I will leave you that moment. But tell me, Beauty, do you
not think me very ugly?" "Why, yes," said she, "for I cannot tell a
story; but then I think you are very good." "You are right," replied the
beast; "and, besides being ugly, I am also very stupid: I know very well
enough that I am but a beast."

"I should think you cannot be very stupid," said Beauty, "if you
yourself know this." "Pray do not let me hinder you from eating," said
he; "and be sure you do not want for any thing; for all you see is
yours, and I shall be vastly grieved if you are not happy." "You are
very kind," said Beauty: "I must needs own that I think very well of
your good nature, and then I almost forget how ugly you are." "Yes, yes,
I hope I am good-tempered," said he, "but still I am a monster." "There
are many men who are worse monsters than you are," replied Beauty; "and
I am better pleased with you in that form, though it is so ugly, than
with those who carry wicked hearts under the form of a man." "If I had
any sense," said the beast, "I would thank you for what you have said;
but I am too stupid to say any thing that would give you pleasure."
Beauty ate her supper with a very good appetite, and almost lost all her
dread of the monster; but she was ready to sink with fright, when he
said to her, "Beauty, will you be my wife?" For a few minutes she was
not able to speak a word, for she was afraid of putting him in a
passion, by refusing. At length she said, "No, beast." The beast made no
reply, but sighed deeply, and went away. When Beauty found herself
alone, she began to feel pity for the poor beast. "Dear!" said she,
"what a sad thing it is that he should be so very frightful, since he is
so good-tempered!"

Beauty lived three months in this palace, very well pleased. The beast
came to see her every night, and talked with her while she supped; and
though what he said was not very clever, yet as she saw in him every day
some new mark of his goodness, so instead of dreading the time of his
coming, she was always looking at her watch, to see if it was almost
nine o'clock; for that was the time when he never failed to