ses, trimmed all over with
gold, and adorned with pearls and diamonds.

Beauty in her own mind thanked the beast for his kindness, and put on
the plainest gown she could find among them all. She then told the
servant to put the rest away with a great deal of care, for she intended
to give them to her sisters; but as soon as she had spoken these words
the chest was gone out of sight in a moment. Her father then said,
perhaps the beast chose for her to keep them all for herself; and as
soon as he had said this, they saw the chest standing again in the same
place. While Beauty was dressing herself, a servant brought word to her
that her sisters were come with their husbands to pay her a visit. They
both lived unhappily with the gentlemen they had married. The husband of
the eldest was very handsome; but was so very proud of this, that he
thought of nothing else from morning till night, and did not attend to
the beauty of his wife. The second had married a man of great learning;
but he made no use of it, only to torment and affront all his friends,
and his wife more than any of them. The two sisters were ready to burst
with spite when they saw Beauty dressed like a princess, and look so
very charming. All the kindness that she showed them was of no use; for
they were vexed more than ever, when she told them how happy she lived
at the palace of the beast. The spiteful creatures went by themselves
into the garden, where they cried to think of her good fortune. "Why
should the little wretch be better off than we?" said they. "We are much
handsomer than she is." "Sister," said the eldest, "a thought has just
come into my head: let us try to keep her here longer than the week that
the beast gave her leave for: and then he will be so angry, that perhaps
he will eat her up in a moment." "That is well thought of," answered the
other, "but to do this we must seem very kind to her." They then made up
their minds to be so, and went to join her in the cottage where they
showed her so much false love, that Beauty could not help crying for
joy.

When the week was ended, the two sisters began to pretend so much grief
at the thoughts of her leaving them, that she agreed to stay a week
more; but all that time Beauty could not help fretting for the sorrow
that she knew her staying would give her poor beast; for she tenderly
loved him, and much wished for his company again. The tenth night of her
being at the cottage she dreamed she was in t