n a lonely path in the palace
gardens, when she heard groans which seemed to come from some bushes
hiding the entrance of a cave, and running quickly to see what could be
the matter, she found the beast stretched out upon his side, apparently
dying. He reproached her faintly with being the cause of his distress,
and at the same moment a stately lady appeared and said very gravely:

"Ah, Beauty! you are only just in time to save his life. See what
happens when people do not keep their promises! If you had delayed one
day more you would have found him dead."

Beauty was so terrified by this dream that the next morning she
announced her intention of going back at once, and that very night she
said good-by to her father and all her brothers and sisters, and as soon
as she was in bed she turned her ring round upon her finger and said
firmly, "I wish to go back to my palace and see my beast again," as she
had been told to do.

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 sprinkled it
over his face, and to her great delight he began to revive.

"Oh, beast! how you frightened me!" she cried. "I never knew how much I
loved you until just now, when I feared I was too late to save your
life."

"Can you really