She did not know where his rooms in the palace were, but she felt she
could not wait till supper-time before seeing him, so she ran hither
and thither, calling his name. But the palace was empty, and no one
answered her when she called.
Then she ran through the gardens, calling his name again and again,
but still there was silence.
"Oh! what shall I do if I cannot find him?" she said. "I shall never
be happy again."
Then she remembered her dream, and ran to the rose garden, and there,
sure enough, beside the basin of the big fountain, lay the poor Beast
without any sign of life in him.
Beauty flung herself on her knees beside him.
"Oh, dear Beast," she cried, "and are you really dead? Alas! alas!
then I, too, will die, for I cannot live without you."
Immediately the Beast opened his eyes, sighed, and said:
"Beauty, will you marry me?"
And Beauty, beside herself with joy when she found that he was still
alive, answered:
"Yes, yes, dear Beast, for I love you dearly."
At these words the rough fur dropped to the ground, and in place of
the Beast stood a handsome Prince, dressed in a doublet of white and
silver, like one made ready for a wedding. He knelt at Beauty's feet
and clasped her hands.
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