e children that is to say--about seven
o'clock, for Cissy had got leave to sit up an hour longer, there came a
ring at the hall bell, and a very funny-looking letter was handed in,
which a boy in a muffled voice told the servant was for the ladies and
gentlemen, and that she was to tell them the "act" would begin in five
minutes "in the theatre hall of the day nursery." The parlour maid, who
(of course!) had not the least idea in the world that the messenger was
Master Ted, gravely handed the letter to Miss Mabel, who was the first
person she saw, and Mabel hastened to explain to the others that its
contents, quarters of old calling-cards with numbers marked on them,
were evidently meant to be tickets for the performance. The big people
were all much amused, but all of course were quite ready to "assist"
at the "act." They thought it better to wait a little more than five
minutes before going upstairs to the theatre hall, to give Ted time to
get ready before the spectators arrived, not understanding, you see,
that all he had to do was to pin his father's rough brown railway rug
on, to imitate the Beast. So when they at last all marched upstairs the
actors were both ready awaiting them.

Illustration:
"Oh dear, oh dear!" cries Beauty, jumping up in a fright, "he's
coming to eat me."--P. 133.

There was a row of chairs arranged at one side of the nursery for the
visitors, and the hearth-rug, pulled out of its place, with a couple
of footstools at each side, served for the stage. Scene first was Miss
Beauty sitting in a corner crying, after her father had left her in the
Beast's garden.

"He'll eat me up! oh, he'll eat me up!" she sobs out; and then a low
growl is heard, and from a corner behind a table where no one had
noticed him, a very remarkable-looking shapeless sort of dark brown lump
rolls or waddles along the floor.

"Oh dear, oh dear!" cries Beauty, jumping up in a fright, "he's coming
to eat me."

"No, I'm not going to eat you, dear Beauty," the growly voice replies;
"I'm not going to hurt you, dear Beauty. I've brought you something nice
to eat for your tea. I'm sure you must be hungry;" and from somewhere
or other the Beast produces a plate with some biscuits, which he humbly
lays at her feet and then waddles off again. Beauty nibbles at the
biscuits, then murmuring to herself, "He's a very kind Beast," she moves
away, her window curtain train sweeping gracefully after her, behind the
screen, whic