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第6章 赶尽杀绝

you will be rewarded for all you have suffered elsewhere. Yourevery wish shall be gratified. Only try to find me out, no matterhow I may be disguised, as I love you dearly, and in making mehappy you will find your own happiness. Be as true-hearted asyou are beautiful, and we shall have nothing left to wish for."

ite of his weariness the howling of the wolves kept him awake,and even when at last the day broke he was not much better off,for the falling snow had covered up every path, and he did notknow which way to turn.

"Take your father into the next room, and help him to chooseeverything you think your brothers and sisters would like to have.You will find two traveling-trunks there; fill them as full as youcan. It is only just that you should send them something veryprecious as a remembrance of yourself."

So the merchant set out and reached the town as quickly aspossible, but only to find that his former companions, believinghim to be dead, had divided between them the goods which theship had brought; and after six months of trouble and expensehe found himself as poor as when he started, having been ableto recover only just enough to pay the cost of his journey. Tomake matters worse, he was obliged to leave the town in themost terrible weather, so that by the time he was within a fewleagues of his home he was almost exhausted with cold andfatigue. Though he knew it would take some hours to get throughthe forest, he was so anxious to be at his journey's end that heresolved to go on; but night overtook him, and the deep snowand bitter frost made it impossible for his horse to carry him anyfurther. Not a house was to be seen; the only shelter he could getwas the hollow trunk of a great tree, and there he crouched all thenight, which seemed to him the longest he had ever known. Insp

did not move or open his eyes.

"Dear Beauty, try not to regret all you have left behind you,for you are destined to a better fate. Only do not let yourself bedeceived by appearances."

"Well, Queen, this is Beauty, who has had the courage torescue your son from the terrible enchantment. They love oneanother, and only your consent to their marriage is wanting tomake them perfectly happy."

After this she thought she found herself in a room with astately and beautiful lady, who said to her:

The merchant was only too glad when the Beast went away,and though he could not sleep for sadness, he lay down until