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Beauty dressed herself and came down the stairs. Soon she learnt that both her sisters were very unhappy. The eldest had married a gentleman, extremely handsome indeed but so fond of his own person[55] that he completely neglected his wife. The second had married a man of wit, but he only made use of it to mock at everybody—and his wife most of all. Beauty’s sisters sickened with envy[56] when they saw her dressed like a princess, very happy, and more beautiful than ever. They went down into the garden and said one to the other, “In what way is this little creature better than us that she should be so much happier?” “Sister,” said the oldest, “an idea occurred to me[57]; let us endeavor to detain her for over a week, and perhaps the silly monster will be so enraged at her for breaking her word[58] that he will devour her.”
“Right, sister,” answered the other, “therefore we must show her as much kindness as possible.” After they had taken this resolution, they went up and behaved so affectionately to their sister that poor Beauty cried for joy. When the week was expired, they cried and seemed so sorry to part with her that she promised to stay a week longer.
In the meantime, Beauty was thinking about the uneasiness she was likely to cause the poor Beast[59], whom she sincerely loved and really longed to see again. The tenth night she spent at her father’s, she dreamed she was in the palace garden and saw the Beast lying on the grass, who, in a dying voice, reproached her with her ingratitude. Beauty woke up and burst into tears[60]. “Am I not very wicked,” said she, “to act so unkindly to the Beast that has studied so much to please me in everything? Is it his fault if he is so ugly? He is kind and good, and that is sufficient. Why did I refuse to marry him? I should be happier with the monster than my sisters are with their husbands; it is neither wit nor a fine person in a husband that makes a woman happy but virtue, sweetness of temper[61], and complaisance, and Beast has all these valuable qualifications. It is true I do not feel the tenderness of affection for him[62], but I find I have the highest gratitude, esteem, and friendship; I will not make him miserable; were I to be so ungrateful, I should never forgive myself[63].” Saying this, Beauty rose, put her ring on the table, and then laid down again. When she woke the next morning, she was overjoyed to find herself in the Beast’s palace.
She put on one of her best dresses to please him and waited for the evening with utmost impatience. When the clock struck nine, the Beast didn’t appear. Beauty then feared she had been the cause of his death; she ran all about the palace, crying in despair. She looked for him everywhere but couldn’t find him. Then she recollected her dream and ran to the garden where she dreamed she saw him. There she found poor Beast stretched out, quite senseless, and, as she imagined, dead. She threw herself upon him without any dread[64] and, finding his heart beat still, fetched some water from the canal and poured it on his head. The Beast opened his eyes and said to Beauty, “You forgot your promise, and I was so afflicted for having lost you that I resolved to starve myself, but since I have the happiness of seeing you once more, I die satisfied.”
“No, my dear Beast,” said Beauty, “you must not die. Live to be my husband; from this moment I give you my hand and swear to be none but yours. I thought I had only a friendship for you, but the grief I now feel convinces me that I ca
“You see him at your feet,” said the prince. “A wicked fairy had condemned me to remain under that shape until a beautiful girl should consent to marry me.”
Beauty, agreeably surprised, gave the charming prince her hand to rise; they went together into the castle, and Beauty was overjoyed to find in the great hall her father and his whole family, whom the beautiful lady that appeared to her in her dream had conveyed there.
“Beauty,” said this lady, “come and receive the reward of your judicious choice; you have preferred virtue before either wit or beauty and deserve to find a person in whom all these qualifications are united. You are going to be a great queen. I hope the throne will not lessen your virtue or make you forget yourself. As to you, ladies,” said the fairy to Beauty’s two sisters, “I know your hearts and all the malice they contain. Become two statues, but still retain your reason under this transformation. You shall stand before your sister’s palace gate, and be it your punishment, and it will not be in your power to return to your former state[69] until you own your faults, but I am very much afraid that you will always remain statues. Though pride, anger, and idleness are sometimes conquered[70].”
Immediately, the fairy gave a stroke with her wand[71], and in a moment all that were in the hall were transported into the prince’s dominions. He married Beauty and lived with her many years, and their happiness was complete.
Sleeping Beauty
Once upon a time, there was a Queen[72] who had a beautiful baby daughter. She invited all the fairies in the kingdom to the christening but unfortunately forgot to invite one of them, who was a bit of a witch as well[73]. She came anyway, but as she passed the baby’s cradle, she said:
“When you are sixteen, you will injure yourself with a spindle and die!”
“Oh, no!” screamed the Queen in horror. A good fairy quickly chanted a magic spell to change the curse[74]. When she hurt herself, the girl would fall into a very deep sleep[75] instead of dying.
The years went by, the little Princess grew and became the most beautiful girl in the whole kingdom. Her mother was always very careful to keep her away from spindles, but the Princess, on her sixteenth birthday, as she wandered through the castle, came into a room where an old servant was spi
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but so fond of his own person – но настолько самолюбивым
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sickened with envy – умирали от зависти
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an idea occurred to me – мне пришла в голову идея
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for breaking her word – за то, что она не сдержала слово
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she was likely to cause the poor Beast – она собиралась причинить бедному Чудовищу
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burst into tears – разрыдалась
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sweetness of temper – добрый нрав
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I do not feel the tenderness of affection for him – у меня нет к нему нежной привязанности
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were I to be so ungrateful, I should never forgive myself – я никогда себя не прощу, если буду такой неблагодарной
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She threw herself upon him without any dread – Она бросилась к нему без какого бы то ни было страха
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she saw the palace sparkle with light – она увидела, что дворец озарился светом
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seemed to give notice of some great event – казалось, объявили о каком-то важном событии
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who returned her thanks for having put an end to the charm – который благодарил ее за то, что она сняла заклятие
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she could not forbear asking where Beast was – она не могла не спросить о том, куда подевалось Чудовище
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to return to your former state – вернуть свое прежнее обличье
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are sometimes conquered – иногда бывает можно преодолеть
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gave a stroke with her wand – взмахнула своей палочкой
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Once upon a time, there was a Queen – Жила-была королева
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who was a bit of a witch as well – которая отчасти являлась ведьмой
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chanted a magic spell to change the curse – произнесла заклинание, чтобы проклятье не сбылось
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the girl would fall into a very deep sleep – девушка крепко заснет