she was wandering in 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-bye
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.

[Illustration]

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 j