Красавица и чудовище / Beauty and the Beast

Entering into a large hall, he found a good fire and a table plentifully set out with but one cover laid[13 - plentifully set out with but one cover laid – с большим количеством блюд, но всего лишь на одну персону]. As he was wet quite through with the rain and snow, he drew near the fire[14 - he drew near the fire – он устроился у огня] 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.”

3

He waited a considerable time until 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. 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 until 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 decided it was best to shut the door and go to bed.

It was ten the next morning before the merchant woke, and as he was going to rise, he was astonished to see a good suit of clothes in the room of his own; “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 and beautiful flowers. He then returned to the great hall, where he had taken supper the night before, and found some chocolate 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[15 - obliged to you for all your favours – признателен вам за вашу благосклонность].”

The good man ate the 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 with several flowers; 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. You shall die for it; I give you just a quarter of an hour to prepare yourself and say your prayers[16 - say your prayers – помолиться].