The Return

When she awoke in the morning, she found herself with her father. A chest with a profusion of fine clothes, pearls, and diamonds, were also the gifts of the Beast.

Beauty awoke, put her ring on the table, and soon fell into a slumber again. In the morning she found herself in the palace of the Beast, and accordingly, as she dreamt, discovered him almost lifeless and extended on a grass plat. She recovered him with a little water. The Beast soon opened his eyes, and faltering said, "Beauty, you forgot your promise — I had resolved to starve myself to death, but the sight of you reanimates me." "Oh no, my Beast, you shall not die — you shall live to become my husband." Scarce had she pronounced those words, when the palace became suddenly illuminated: music, fireworks, and all kinds of harmonic sounds announced the most splendid rejoicings. All this change of scene had no effect upon the lamenting Beauty: but judge of her astonishment when, turning aside, she beheld at her feet a handsome prince, who thanked her for having broken his enchantment!

Beauty inquired of this handsome prince, what was become of the Beast? "You see him, Beauty, at your feet," said he: "a wicked Fairy had condemned me to wear the form of a beast, till a beautiful young lady should consent to marry me, and had forbidden me, on pain of death, to show that I had any understanding. You alone, dearest Beauty, have had the generosity to judge of me by the goodness of my heart."

Beauty assisted the prince to rise, and they proceeded together to the palace; when her astonishment was very great to find there her father and all the family, who had been conveyed thither by the beautiful lady she saw in her dream. "Beauty," said the lady, (for she was a great fairy) "receive the reward of the virtuous choice you have made. You have preferred goodness of heart to sense and beauty; you therefore deserve to find these same qualities united in the same person. You are going to be made a queen; I hope a crown will not destroy your virtue. As for you, ladies," said the fairy to the elder sisters, "I have long been a witness to the malice of your hearts and the injustice you have committed. You shall become two statues; yet under that form you shall preserve your present reason; and you shall be fixed at the gates of your sister's palace. You will never recover your natural forms till you are fully sensible of your faults; and to say the truth, I much fear you will ever remain statues." At the same instant, the fairy, with a stroke of her wand, transported all who were present to the young prince's dominions, where he was received with transports of joy by his subjects. He married Beauty, and passed with her a long and happy life, because their actions were founded upon virtue.

---VOCABULARY---

**haughtiness** — the quality of behaving in a proud and superior way, as if you think you are better than other people

**disdainful** — showing that you think something or someone is not worth your attention or respect

**to jeer** — to laugh at or make rude comments about someone in a way that is meant to hurt them

**opulence** — great wealth and luxury; the state of having more than enough money and fine things

**affable** — friendly, easy to talk to, and pleasant in manner

**fatiguing** — very tiring; causing a lot of physical or mental exhaustion

**a harpsichord** — a keyboard instrument similar to a piano, played widely before the piano became popular

**a vessel** — a ship or large boat used for travelling or carrying goods at sea

**trinkets** — small decorative objects or pieces of jewellery that are not very valuable

**baubles** — small, cheap, and showy ornaments or decorations; things that look attractive but have little real value

**a glimmering light** — a faint, unsteady light that flickers in the distance

**sumptuous** — impressively rich, expensive, and comfortable; luxurious

**a banquet** — a large, formal, and very plentiful meal, usually prepared for a special occasion

**nefarious** — wicked, criminal, or morally very wrong

**to entreat** — to ask someone for something in a very serious and emotional way; to beg

**to accede** — to agree to a request or demand, often reluctantly

**timorous** — shy and easily frightened; lacking confidence

**rectitude** — the quality of behaving in a morally correct and honest way

**compassion** — a feeling of sympathy and concern for the suffering of others, with a desire to help

**to reanimate** — to bring something or someone back to life or to a state of activity after near death

**enchantment** — a state of being under a magic spell; also the spell itself

**dominions** — the lands or territories ruled over by a king, queen, or ruler

---QUESTIONS---

**Chapter : The Merchant's Family** . Why did Beauty's sisters feel jealous of her? . How did the two elder sisters behave when the family was rich? Give two examples. . When the family lost their fortune, how did each of the three sisters respond? . What did Beauty do every morning when the family moved to the cottage?

**Chapter : The Journey and the Palace** . What gift did each of the sisters ask their father to bring? What did Beauty ask for, and why? . Why did the merchant's journey end in disappointment before he even started home? . What dangers did the merchant face in the forest at night? . What was strange about the palace the merchant found? What did he discover the next morning? . Why did the Beast become so angry when the merchant picked the roses?

**Chapter : The Beast's Bargain** . What condition did the Beast offer the merchant instead of death? . Why did Beauty decide to go to the Beast, even though her father tried to stop her? . How did the two elder sisters behave when Beauty and her father left? How did the sons behave?

**Chapter : Life in the Palace** . What did Beauty find in her apartment, and how did it change her opinion of the Beast? . How did the magic looking-glass show Beauty what was happening at home? . When the Beast asked Beauty to marry him, what was her answer? How did the Beast react? . What did Beauty say to the Beast when she told him she could not love him? . What condition did the Beast make before allowing Beauty to visit her father?

**Chapter : The Return** . What did Beauty find when she returned to the palace? What had happened to the Beast? . What words broke the enchantment, and what happened immediately afterwards? . What had the wicked Fairy forbidden the prince to do, and why? . What reward did the fairy give Beauty, and what punishment did she give the elder sisters? . The story ends by saying they lived happily "because their actions were founded upon virtue." What virtues does the story celebrate? Find examples from the text.