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diff --git a/7074.txt b/7074.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3837e92 --- /dev/null +++ b/7074.txt @@ -0,0 +1,885 @@ +Project Gutenberg's Beauty and the Beast, by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Beauty and the Beast + +Author: Marie Le Prince de Beaumont + +Posting Date: March 19, 2014 [EBook #7074] +Release Date: December, 2004 +First Posted: March 6, 2003 + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST *** + + + + +Produced by Kim Pickett and The Hockliffe Project. HTML +version by Al Haines. + + + + + + + + + + +BEAUTY AND THE BEAST. + +A TALE + +FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT OF + +JUVENILE READERS. + +Ornamented with Elegant Engravings. + + + +by Marie Le Prince de Beaumont + + + +[Illustration: FRONTISPIECE The Beast Attacking the Merchant] + + +BEAUTY + +AND + +THE BEAST. + +* * * * * + +There was once a very rich merchant, who had six children, three sons, +and three daughters; being a man of sense, he spared no cost for their +education, but gave them all kinds of masters. His daughters were +extremely handsome, especially the youngest; when she was little, every +body admired her, and called her _The little Beauty_; so that, as +she grew up, she still went by the name of _Beauty_, which made her +sisters very jealous. The youngest, as she was handsome, was also +better than her sisters. The two eldest had a great deal of pride, +because they were rich. They gave themselves ridiculous airs, and would +not visit other merchants' daughters, nor keep company with any but +persons of quality. They went out every day upon parties of pleasure, +balls, plays, concerts, etc. and laughed at their youngest sister, +because she spent the greatest part of her time in reading good books. +As it was known that they were to have great fortunes, several eminent +merchants made their addresses to them; but the two eldest said they +would never marry, unless they could meet with a Duke, or an Earl at +least. Beauty very civilly thanked them that courted her, and told them +she was too young yet to marry, but chose to stay with her father a few +years longer. + +All at once the merchant lost his whole fortune, excepting a small +country-house at a great distance from town, and told his children, with +tears in his eyes, they most go there and work for their living. The +two eldest answered, that they would not leave the town, for they had +several lovers, who they were sure would be glad to have them, though +they had no fortune; but in this they were mistaken, for their lovers +slighted and forsook them in their poverty. As they were not beloved on +account of their pride, every body said, "they do not deserve to be +pitied, we are glad to see their pride humbled, let them go and give +themselves quality airs in milking the cows and minding their dairy. +But, (added they,) we are extremely concerned for Beauty, she was such a +charming, sweet-tempered creature, spoke so kindly to poor people, and +was of such an affable, obliging disposition." Nay, several gentlemen +would have married her, though they knew she had not a penny; but she +told them she could not think of leaving her poor father in his +misfortunes, but was determined to go along with him into the country to +comfort and attend him. Poor Beauty at first was sadly grieved at the +loss of her fortune; "but, (she said to herself,) were I to cry ever so +much, that would not make things better, I must try to make myself happy +without a fortune." When they came to their country-house, the merchant +and his three sons applied themselves to husbandry and tillage; and +Beauty rose at four in the morning, and made haste to have the house +clean, and breakfast ready for the family. In the beginning she found +it very difficult, for she had not been used to work as a servant; but +in less than two months she grew stronger and healthier than ever. +After she had done her work, she read, played on the harpsichord, or +else sung whilst she spun. On the contrary, her two sisters did not +know how to spend their time; they got up at ten, and did nothing but +saunter about the whole day, lamenting the loss of their fine clothes +and acquaintance. "Do but see our youngest sister, (said they one to +the other,) what a poor, stupid mean-spirited creature she is, to be +contented with such an unhappy situation." The good merchant was of a +quite different opinion; he knew very well that Beauty out-shone her +sisters, in her person as well as her mind, and admired her humility, +industry, and patience; for her sisters not only left her all the work +of the house to do, but insulted her every moment. + +[Illustration: Beauty Making the Family's Breakfast] + +The family had lived about a year in this retirement, when the merchant +received a letter, with an account that a vessel, on board of which he +had effects, was safely arrived. This news had liked to have turned the +heads of the two eldest daughters, who immediately flattered themselves +with the hopes of returning to town; for they were quite weary of a +country life; and when they saw their father ready to set out, they +begged of him to buy them new gowns, caps, rings, and all manner of +trifles; but Beauty asked for nothing, for she thought to herself, that +all the money her father was going to receive would scarce be sufficient +to purchase every thing her sisters wanted. "What will you have, +Beauty?" said her father. "Since you are so kind as to think of me, +(answered she,) be so kind as to bring me a rose, for as none grow +hereabouts, they are a kind of rarity." Not that Beauty cared for a +rose, but she asked for something, lest she should seem by her example +to condemn her sisters' conduct, who would have said she did it only to +look particular. The good man went on his journey; but when he came +there, they went to law with him about the merchandize, and after a +great deal of trouble and pains to no purpose, he came back as poor as +before. + +He was within thirty miles of his own house, thinking on the pleasure he +should have in seeing his children again, when going through a large +forest he lost himself. It rained and snowed terribly, besides, the +wind was so high, that it threw him twice off his horse; and night +coming on, he began to apprehend being either starved to death with cold +and hunger, or else devoured by the wolves, whom he heard howling all +around him, when, on a sudden, looking through a long walk of trees, he +saw a light at some distance, and going on a little farther, perceived +it came from a palace illuminated from top to bottom. The merchant +returned God thanks for this happy discovery, and hasted to the palace; +but was greatly surprised at not meeting with anyone in the out-courts. +His horse followed him, and seeing a large stable open, went in, and +finding both hay and oats, the poor beast, who was almost famished, fell +to eating very heartily. The merchant tied him up to the manger, and +walked towards the house, where he saw no one, but entering into a large +hall, he found a good fire, and a table plentifully set out, with but +one cover laid. As he was wet quite through with the rain and snow, he +drew near the fire to dry himself. "I hope, (said he,) the master of +the house, or his servants, will excuse the liberty I take; I suppose it +will not be long before some of them appear." + +He waited a considerable time, till it struck eleven, and still nobody +came: at last he was so hungry that he could stay no longer, but took a +chicken and ate it in two mouthfuls, trembling all the while. After +this, he drank a few glasses of wine, and growing more courageous, he +went out of the hall, and crossed through several grand apartments with +magnificent furniture, till he came into a chamber, which had an +exceeding good bed in it, and as he was very much fatigued, and it was +past midnight, he concluded it was best to shut the door, and go to bed. + +It was ten the next morning before the merchant waked, and as he was +going to rise, he was astonished to see a good suit of clothes in the +room of his own, which were quite spoiled. "Certainly, (said he,) this +palace belongs to some kind fairy, who has seen and pitied my distress." +He looked through a window, but instead of snow saw the most delightful +arbours, interwoven with the most beautiful flowers that ever were +beheld. He then returned to the great hall, where he had supped the +night before, and found some chocolate ready made on a little table. +"Thank you, good Madam Fairy, (said he aloud,) for being so careful as +to provide me a breakfast; I am extremely obliged to you for all your +favours." + +The good man drank his chocolate, and then went to look for his horse; +but passing through an arbour of roses, he remembered Beauty's request +to him, and gathered a branch on which were several; immediately he +heard a great noise, and saw such a frightful beast coming towards him, +that he was ready to faint away. "You are very ungrateful, (said the +beast to him, in a terrible voice) I have saved your life by receiving +you into my castle, and, in return, you steal my roses, which I value +beyond any thing in the universe; but you shall die for it; I give you +but a quarter of an hour to prepare yourself, to say your prayers." The +merchant fell on his knees, and lifted up both his hands: "My Lord (said +he,) I beseech you to forgive me, indeed I had no intention to offend in +gathering a rose for one of my daughters, who desired me to bring her +one." "My name is not My Lord, (replied the monster,) but Beast; I +don't love compliments, not I; I like people should speak as they think; +and so do not imagine I am to be moved by any of your flattering +speeches; but you say you have got daughters; I will forgive you, on +condition that one of them come willingly, and suffer for you. Let me +have no words, but go about your business, and swear that if your +daughter refuse to die in your stead, you will return within three +months." The merchant had no mind to sacrifice his daughters to the +ugly monster, but he thought, in obtaining this respite, he should have +the satisfaction of seeing them once more; so he promised upon oath, he +would return, and the Beast told him he might set out when he pleased; +"but, (added he,) you shall not depart empty handed; go back to the room +where you lay, and you will see a great empty chest; fill it with +whatever you like best, and I will send it to your home," and at the +same time Beast withdrew. "Well (said the good man to himself) if I +must die, I shall have the comfort, at least, of leaving something to my +poor children." + +He returned to the bed-chamber, and finding a great quantity of broad +pieces of gold, he filled the great chest the Beast had mentioned, +locked it, and afterwards took his horse out of the stable, leaving the +palace with as much grief as he had entered it with joy. The horse, of +his own accord, took one of the roads of the forest; and in a few hours +the good man was at home. His children came around him, but, instead of +receiving their embraces with pleasure, he looked on them, and, holding +up the branch he had in his hands, he burst into tears. "Here, Beauty, +(said he,) take these roses; but little do you think how dear they are +like to cost your unhappy father;" and then related his fatal adventure: +immediately the two eldest set up lamentable outcries, and said all +manner of ill-natured things to Beauty, who did not cry at all. "Do but +see the pride of that little wretch, (said they); she would not ask for +fine clothes, as we did; but no, truly, Miss wanted to distinguish +herself; so now she will be the death of our poor father, and yet she +does not so much as shed a tear." "Why should I, (answered Beauty,) it +would be very needless, for my father shall not suffer upon my account, +since the monster will accept of one of his daughters, I will deliver +myself up to all his fury, and I am very happy in thinking that my death +will save my father's life, and be a proof of my tender love for him." +"No, sister, (said her three brothers,) that shall not be, we will go +find the monster, and either kill him, or perish in the attempt." "Do +not imagine any such thing, my sons, (said the merchant,) Beast's power +is so great, that I have no hopes of your overcoming him; I am charmed +with Beauty's kind and generous offer, but I cannot yield to it; I am +old, and have not long to live, so can only lose a few years, which I +regret for your sakes alone, my dear children." "Indeed, father (said +Beauty), you shall not go to the palace without me, you cannot hinder me +from following you." It was to no purpose all they could say, Beauty +still insisted on setting out for the fine palace; and her sisters were +delighted at it, for her virtue and amiable qualities made them envious +and jealous. + +[Illustration: Beauty Delivered up to the Beast] + +The merchant was so afflicted at the thoughts of losing his daughter, +that he had quite forgot the chest full of gold; but at night, when he +retired to rest, no sooner had he shut his chamber-door, than, to his +great astonishment, he found it by his bedside; he was determined, +however, not to tell his children that he was grown rich, because they +would have wanted to return to town, and he was resolved not to leave +the country; but he trusted Beauty with the secret: who informed him, +that two gentlemen came in his absence, and courted her sisters; she +begged her father to consent to their marriage, and give them fortunes; +for she was so good, that she loved them, and forgave them heartily all +their ill-usage. These wicked creatures rubbed their eyes with an +onion, to force some tears when they parted with their sister; but her +brothers were really concerned. Beauty was the only one who did not shed +tears at parting, because she would not increase their uneasiness. + +The horse took the direct road to the palace; and towards evening they +perceived it illuminated as at first: the horse went of himself into the +stable, and the good man and his daughter came into the great hall, +where they found a table splendidly served up, and two covers. The +merchant had no heart to eat; but Beauty endeavoured to appear cheerful, +sat down to table, and helped him. Afterwards, thought she to herself, +"Beast surely has a mind to fatten me before he eats me, since he +provides such a plentiful entertainment." When they had supped, they +heard a great noise, and the merchant, all in tears, bid his poor child +farewell, for he thought Beast was coming. Beauty was sadly terrified +at his horrid form, but she took courage as well as she could, and the +monster having asked her if she came willingly; "y--e--s," said she, +trembling. "You are very good, and I am greatly obliged to you; honest +man, go your ways tomorrow morning, but never think of returning here +again. Farewell, Beauty." "Farewell, Beast," answered she; and +immediately the monster withdrew. "Oh, daughter, (said the merchant, +embracing Beauty,) I am almost frightened to death; believe me, you had +better go back, and let me stay here." "No, father, (said Beauty, in a +resolute tone,) you shall set out tomorrow morning, and leave me to the +care and protection of Providence." They went to bed, and thought they +should not close their eyes all night; but scarce were they laid down, +than they fell fast asleep; and Beauty dreamed, a fine lady came, and +said to her, "I am content, Beauty, with your good will; this good +action of yours, in giving up your own life to save your father's, shall +not go unrewarded." Beauty waked, and told her father her dream, and +though it helped to comfort him a little, yet he could not help crying +bitterly, when he took leave of his dear child. + +As soon as he was gone, Beauty sat down in the great hall, and fell a +crying likewise; but as she was mistress of a great deal of resolution, +she recommended herself to God, and resolved not to be uneasy the little +time she had to live; for she firmly believed Beast would eat her up +that night. + +However, she thought she might as well walk about till then, and view +this fine castle, which she could not help admiring; it was a delightful +pleasant place, and she was extremely surprised at seeing a door, over +which was wrote, "BEAUTY'S APARTMENT." She opened it hastily, and was +quite dazzled with the magnificence that reigned throughout; but what +chiefly took up her attention, was a large library, a harpsichord, and +several music books. "Well, (said she to herself,) I see they will not +let my time hang heavy on my hands for want of amusement." Then she +reflected, "Were I but to stay here a day, there would not have been all +these preparations." This consideration inspired her with fresh courage; +and opening the library, she took a book, and read these words in +letters of gold:-- + + "Welcome, Beauty, banish fear, + You are queen and mistress here; + Speak your wishes, speak your will, + Swift obedience meets them still." + +"Alas, (said she, with a sigh,) there is nothing I desire so much as to +see my poor father, and to know what he is doing." She had no sooner +said this, when casting her eyes on a great looking-glass, to her great +amazement she saw her own home, where her father arrived with a very +dejected countenance; her sisters went to meet him, and, notwithstanding +their endeavours to appear sorrowful, their joy, felt for having got rid +of their sister, was visible in every feature: a moment after, every +thing disappeared, and Beauty's apprehensions at this proof of Beast's +complaisance. + +[Illustration: Beauty Looking in the Glass] + +At noon she found dinner ready, and while at table, was entertained with +an excellent concert of music, though without seeing any body: but at +night, as she was going to sit down to supper, she heard the noise Beast +made; and could not help being sadly terrified. "Beauty, (said the +monster,) will you give me leave to see you sup?" "That is as you +please," answered Beauty, trembling. "No, (replied the Beast,) you +alone are mistress here; you need only bid me be gone, if my presence is +troublesome, and I will immediately withdraw: but tell me, do not you +think me very ugly?" "That is true, (said Beauty,) for I cannot tell a +lie; but I believe you are very good-natured." "So I am, (said the +monster,) but then, besides my ugliness, I have no sense; I know very +well that I am a poor, silly, stupid creature." "'Tis no sign of folly +to think so, (replied Beauty,) for never did fool know this, or had so +humble a conceit of his own understanding." "Eat then, Beauty, (said the +monster,) and endeavour to amuse yourself in your palace; for every +thing here is yours, and I should be very uneasy if you were not happy." +"You are very obliging, (answered Beauty;) I own I am pleased with your +kindness, and when I consider that, your deformity scarce appears." +"Yes, yes, (said the Beast,) my heart is good, but still I am a +monster." "Among mankind, (says Beauty,) there are many that deserve +that name more than you, and I prefer you, just as your are, to those, +who, under a human form, hide a treacherous, corrupt, and ungrateful +heart." "If I had sense enough, (replied the Beast,) I would make a +fine compliment to thank you, but I am so dull, that I can only say, I +am greatly obliged to you." Beauty ate a hearty supper, and had almost +conquered her dread of the monster; but she had liked to have fainted +away, when he said to her, "Beauty, will you be my wife?" She was some +time before she durst answer; for she was afraid of making him angry, if +she refused. At last, however, she said, trembling, "No, Beast." +Immediately the poor monster began to sigh, and hissed so frightfully, +that the whole palace echoed. But Beauty soon recovered her fright, for +Beast having said, in a mournful voice, "then farewell, Beauty," left +the room; and only turned back, now and then, to look at her as he went +out. + +When Beauty was alone, she felt a great deal of compassion for poor +Beast. "Alas, (said she,) 'tis a thousand pities any thing so +good-natured should be so ugly." + +Beauty spent three months very contentedly in the palace: every evening +Beast paid her a visit, and talked to her during supper, very +rationally, with plain good common sense, but never with what the world +calls wit; and Beauty daily discovered some valuable qualifications in +the monster; and seeing him often, had so accustomed her to his +deformity, that, far from dreading the time of his visit, she would +often look on her watch to see when it would be nine; for the Beast +never missed coming at that hour. There was but one thing that gave +Beauty any concern, which was, that every night, before she went to bed, +the monster always asked her, if she would be his wife. One day she +said to him, "Beast, you make me very uneasy, I wish I could consent to +marry you, but I am too sincere to make you believe that will ever +happen: I shall always esteem you as a friend; endeavour to be satisfied +with this." "I must, said the Beast, for, alas! I know too well my own +misfortune; but then I love you with the tenderest affection: however, I +ought to think myself happy that you will stay here; promise me never to +leave me." Beauty blushed at these words; she had seen in her glass, +that her father had pined himself sick for the loss of her, and she +longed to see him again. "I could, (answered she), indeed promise never +to leave you entirely, but I have so great a desire to see my father, +that I shall fret to death, if you refuse me that satisfaction." "I had +rather die myself, (said the monster,) than give you the least +uneasiness: I will send you to your father, you shall remain with him, +and poor Beast will die with grief." "No, (said Beauty, weeping,) I +love you too well to be the cause of your death: I give you my promise +to return in a week: you have shewn me that my sisters are married, and +my brothers gone to the army; only let me stay a week with my father, as +he is alone." "You shall be there tomorrow morning, (said the Beast,) +but remember your promise: you need only lay your ring on the table +before you go to bed, when you have a mind to come back: farewell, +Beauty." Beast sighed as usual, bidding her good night; and Beauty went +to bed very sad at seeing him so afflicted. When she waked the next +morning, she found herself at her father's, and having rang a little +bell, that was by her bed-side, she saw the maid come; who, the moment +she saw her, gave a loud shriek; at which the good man ran up stairs, +and thought he should have died with joy to see his dear daughter again. +He held her fast locked in his arms above a quarter of an hour. As soon +as the first transports were over, Beauty began to think of rising, and +was afraid she had no clothes to put on; but the maid told her, that she +had just found, in the next room, a large trunk full of gowns, covered +with gold and diamonds. Beauty thanked good Beast for his kind care, +and taking one of the plainest of them, she intended to make a present +of the others to her sisters. She scarce had said so, when the trunk +disappeared. Her father told her, that Beast insisted on her keeping +them herself; and immediately both gowns and trunk came back again. + +[Illustration: Beauty at Supper with the Beast] + +Beauty dressed herself; and in the mean time they sent to her sisters, +who hasted thither with their husbands. They were both of them very +unhappy. The eldest had married a gentleman, extremely handsome indeed, +but so fond of his own person, that he was full of nothing but his own +dear self, and neglected his wife. The second had married a man of wit, +but he only made use of it to plague and torment every body, and his +wife most of all. Beauty's sisters sickened with envy, when they saw her +dressed like a Princess, and more beautiful than ever; nor could all her +obliging affectionate behaviour stifle their jealousy, which was ready +to burst when she told them how happy she was. They went down into the +garden to vent it in tears; and said one to the other, "In what is this +little creature better than us, that she should be so much happier?" +"Sister, said the eldest, a thought just strikes my mind; let us +endeavour to detain her above a week, and perhaps the silly monster will +be so enraged at her for breaking her word, that he will devour her." +"Right, sister, answered the other, therefore we must shew 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 wept +for joy. When the week was expired, they cried and tore their hair, and +seemed so sorry to part with her, that she promised to stay a week +longer. + +In the mean time, Beauty could not help reflecting on herself for the +uneasiness she was likely to cause poor Beast, 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 that she saw +Beast extended on the grass-plot, who seemed just expiring, and, in a +dying voice, reproached her with her ingratitude. Beauty started out of +her sleep and bursting into tears, "Am not I very wicked, (said she) to +act so unkindly to Beast, that has studied so much to please me in every +thing? Is it his fault that he is so ugly, and has so little sense? 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, and complaisance: and +Beast has all these valuable qualifications. It is true, I do not feel +the tenderness of affection for him, but I find I have the highest +gratitude, esteem, and friendship; and I will not make him miserable; +were I to be so ungrateful, I should never forgive myself." Beauty +having said this, rose, put her ring on the table, and then laid down +again; scarce was she in bed before she fell asleep; and when she waked +the next morning, she was overjoyed to find herself in the Beast's +palace. She put on one of her richest suits to please him, and waited +for evening with the utmost impatience; at last the wished-for hour +came, the clock struck nine, yet no Beast appeared. Beauty then feared +she had been the cause of his death; she ran crying and wringing her +hands all about the palace, like one in despair; after having sought for +him every where, she recollected her dream, and flew to the canal in 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, and finding his heart beat still, +she fetched some water from the canal, and poured it on his head. 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, 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. +Alas! I thought I had only a friendship for you, but, the grief I now +feel convinces me, that I cannot live without you." Beauty scarcely had +pronounced these words, when she saw the palace sparkle with light; and +fireworks, instruments of music, every thing, seemed to give notice of +some great event: but nothing could fix her attention; she turned to her +dear Beast, for whom she trembled with fear; but how great was her +surprise! Beast had disappeared, and she saw, at her feet, one of the +loveliest Princes that eye ever beheld, who returned her thanks for +having put an end to the charm, under which he had so long resembled a +Beast. Though this Prince was worthy of all her attention, she could +not forbear asking where Beast was. "You see him at your feet, (said +the Prince): a wicked fairy had condemned me to remain under that shape +till a beautiful virgin should consent to marry me: the fairy likewise +enjoined me to conceal my understanding; there was only you in the world +generous enough to be won by the goodness of my temper; and in offering +you my crown, I can't discharge the obligations I have to you." 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 thither. + +"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, under this transformation, still +retain your reason. You shall stand before your sister's palace gate, +and be it your punishment to behold her happiness; and it will not be in +your power to return to your former state till you own your faults; but +I am very much afraid that you will always remain statues. Pride, +anger, gluttony, and idleness, are sometimes conquered, but the +conversion of a malicious and envious mind is a kind of miracle." +Immediately the fairy gave a stroke with her wand, and in a moment all +that were in the hall were transported into the Prince's palace. His +subjects received him with joy; he married Beauty, and lived with her +many years; and their happiness, as it was founded on virtue, was +complete. + + +FINIS + + + + + + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Beauty and the Beast, by +Marie Le Prince de Beaumont + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEAUTY AND THE BEAST *** + +***** This file should be named 7074.txt or 7074.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/7/0/7/7074/ + +Produced by Kim Pickett and The Hockliffe Project. HTML +version by Al Haines. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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