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158
. Belle at the Study.
Who comes knocking at my door?
“ Let mo in,” says Belle.
Ah, I’ve heard that voice before—
“ Let me in,” says Belle—
“ I will be so good and still,
Dear papa, you know I will,
Just a little corner fill,
Let me in,” says Belle.
So I spoke the welcome word,
‘‘Come in, little Belle;”
Then two tiny feet I heard —
“ Here I come.” says Belle-
In there peeped a golden head:
Chubby face, with cheeks so red—
“ Welcome, darling Belle,” I said —
“ Here I come,” says Belle.
I was tired and full of gloom
When you came, my Belle,
Dark and lonely seemed the room,
Till you came, my Belle.
But your presence changed it quite,
In you brought a flood of light;
Made my study warm and bright—
Saucy little Belle.
Written for Burke’s Weekly.
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.
DRAMATIZED FROM MISS MULOCH’S VERSION.
BY MRS. E. P. M.
Characters. —A merchant; his three daughters,
two of them dressed in tawdry finery, the third,
Beauty, very simply dressed, with little apron,
white cap, etc.; a Beast (this character must
be gotten up by some ingenious person, a hid
eous mask procured, if possible, and a bear
skin. As the species of beast is left entirely to
the imagination, any object, so that it be suf
ficiently frightful, will do to represent it).
Scene Ist. —Room in a cottage, plainly fur
nished, where two sisters are lazily reclining on
couches or arm-chairs; Beauty in one corner
at a table, busily engaged in washing up cups and
saucers; enter Merchant.
Merchant —Good news, my dear chil
dren ! I have just heard that one of my
ships, which I had long given up for lost,
has come into port; and I must imme
diately start off on a journey to the city.
Now tell me, my daughters, what shall I
bring back for each of you ?
Ist Daughter —l should like, father, a
velvet dress, with a train three yards
long, and a necklace of diamonds and
pearls.
2 d Daughter —And I, father, wish an
emerald brooch, with ear-rings to match,
and a dozen lace caps, each one of a dif
ferent pattern.
Merchant —And you, Beauty, what will
you have ?
Beauty —Dear father, I should be glad
if you would bring me a rose, for we
have not a single rose bush in our garden.
Merchant —l will try to gratify your
desires, my dear children; and now adieu,
for I must hasten. Exit Merchant .
Scene 2d.—Room with breakfast table, from
which Merchant has just risen ; a vase filled with
roses (artificial ones will do). In one corner of
this room a curtain must be arranged that can be
easily drawn back, and behind this curtain Beast
lies on the floor flower pots, with shrubbery and
flowers arranged here and there, so as partly to
screen him.
BTJRKE’S WEEKLY.
Merchant —Well, is not this extraor
dinary ! losing my way in the storm,
last night, I arrived unexpectedly at this
castle. I entered, and everything ap
peared to have been prepared for me; a
hot supper, a luxurious bed, and this
morning a delicious breakfast; and yet I
have not seen a living soul! But I must
hasten to depart. What a bitter disap
pointment it will be to my children to
hear that the report of my ship’s arrival
in port turned out to be false, and that I
return as poor as I left them; but (look
ing at the roses) I can at least gratify
the wish of my dear Beauty, and carry
her a rose. (He takes one from the
vase.)
[The curtain is drawn aside, showing Beast,
who exclaims in a loud, harsh voice :]
Ungrateful man ! I have saved your
life by admitting yon into my palace,
and in return you steal my roses, which
I value more than anything I possess.
But you shall atone for your fault; you
shall die in a quarter of an hour.
Merchant —Sir, I humbly beg your par
don. I only took a rose for one of my
daughters. Do not kill me, my lord.
Beast —l am not a lord, but a beast;
and I hate false compliments. But you
say you have daughters. If one of them
will come and die in your stead I will
spare your life ; but if not, you may go
home and bid them adieu, but you must
return to die.
[Exit Merchant, looking very sorrowful.
Scene 3d. —Room in the cottage ; the two sis
ters idle, as before, Beauty sewing; enter Mer
chant weeping ; he gives Beauty the rose, saying :
Take this rose, Beauty ; but little do
you think how dear it has cost your poor
father.
[The sisters look astonished. Beauty runs up
to him, and exclaims :]
What is the matter, dear father?
Merchant —l am too weary to-night,
my child, to tell you the sad story ; but
to-morrow you shall all hear it. Leave
me alone now, for indeed the sight of
you overpowers me.
Scene 4th.—Merchant, daughters, Beauty.
ls-£ Daughter —See, Beauty, what comes
from your pride. Why did you not wish
for the same things as we did ? Because
Dou could not be like other people you
will be the cause of our father’s death.
2 d Daughter —Yes, you will cause our
father s death ; and yet you do not shed
a tear.
Beauty —Because it would be useless,
for my father shall not die. As the Beast
will accept one of his daughters, I will
give myself up, and be only too happy to
prove my love for the best of fathers.
Merchant— No, Beauty; your young
life shall not be sacrificed. I am old. and
so shall only give up a few years of my
life ; and I shall only grieve for the sake
of my children.
Beauty —Never, father ! If you go back
to the Beast’s palace you cannot hinder
my going after you. Though young, I
am not over fond of life, and I would
much rather be eaten up by the monster
than die of grief for your loss.
Scene sth. —Beast’s palace—room as before,
with curtain, behind which the Beast is : Merchant
and Beauty sitting by eacli other, looking very
sorrowful; the curtain is suddenly drawn aside,
and Beauty nearly faints with fright when she
sees the Beast.
Beast (in a terrible tone) —Have you
come quite of your own accord, Beauty?
Beauty (faintly) —Yes, Beast.
Beast —Then you are a good girl, and I
am much obliged to you; and you, Mer
chant, must leave my palace in the morn
ing, and never return to it again. And
now, good night to you both.
[The curtain in front of Beast is drawn.
Merchant —Oh! my child, I am half
dead already at the thought of leaving
you with this dreadful Beast. You shall
go back and let me stay in your place.
Beauty —No, father, I will never agree
to that. You must go homo to-morrow
morning.
[They both weep.
Scene 6th.— The same room in Beast’s palace ;
Beauty alone.
Beauty —How strange! I have now
been here for three weeks, and instead of
having devoured me, the Beast has an
ticipated my every wish, and continues
to treat me with the greatest kindness
and consideration, although I have sev
eral time refused his offers of marrying
me. Indeed, I am beginning to feel a sin
cere friendship for him, for he certainly
has a good heart; but he has sent to call
me, and I must attend.
[She draws aside the curtain ; Beast is behind
the curtain as before ; a chair placed by Beast.]
Beast —l have sent for you to sit by
me a little while, Beauty,—if you are
willing.
Beauty —That is as you please, Beast.
Beast —Not at all; you alone command
in this palace. Tell me, Beauty, do you
not think me very ugly ?
Beauty —Yes, Beast —I cannot tell you
a falsehood—but I think you are very
good.
Beast —Am I ? Yet I am also very
stupid, and I know well enough that 1
am only a Beast.
Beauty —Very stupid people, Beast, are
never aware of it themselves; and you
are so kind that I almost forget you are
ugly-