hearts of those sisters were evil, and in their hands they brought no blessing. Yet did Beauty strive to give them such kindly welcoming as she might. Some pity, indeed, must she give them; for no happy life was theirs. The elder had espoused a very proud and learned man, but poor; and by him she was greatly despised. And the younger had for husband a rich man, of very seemly person, who cared nought for other goodliness than his own; and had scorn for his wife, withal she was so fair. So when they were lighted down from their horses, and had come into the house, and had begun to consider their young sister, how she was well beseen like a princess, in her shining gown, though serving them with such kindly grace, they were passing envious; and hatred, like a sharp thorn, pierced through their jealous hearts. Sore grieved were they when they knew that to her the Beast was in no wise perilous. But to her sisters Beauty made but short the tale of how she fared in that place. So within a while the two sisters departed secretly into the green close behind the old tower, and came to a little hazel-brake anigh the wild; and there they sat them down and made complaint, bewailing them with tears and moans. [Illustration: ONE SISTER’S HUSBAND, LIKE NARCISSUS OF OLD, WORSHIPPED HIS OWN BEAUTY. BUT THE OTHER WAS FULL OF LEARNING. LEIGHTON, BROS.] “Now are we in most evil plight,” said they, “that our sister, younger than we, should go thus apparelled in silken stuffs, and live in a king’s palace” (for so they called the house of the Beast). And then they took secret council one with the other; for they said, “so we may but prevail to keep her here yet another seven nights over and above the time she appointed with the Beast, he will surely be avenged of her falsehood; and then shall no gold save her life!” And none heard save only the raven who abode in the trees. So these two women came softly back into the house; and they showed unwonted love for their sister, making much of her, and praying her to forget their mauger, and the wrong they had done her in the old days before time past. [Illustration: ONLY THE RAVEN IN THE BRAKE, SAW THE SISTERS WEEP FOR RAGE, AND HEARD THEM PLOT HER DEATH. LEIGHTON, BROS.] And the maid, in her guilelessness, heard with joy their false words. And when the day was almost come that she should depart they made show of grief, and besought her to abide with them but one seven nights longer. Beauty looked to her father; but he covered his face, and dared say nought, for he was sore afeared of the Beast’s wroth. And so for that while Beauty forgot her promise, and let herself be forsworn, and yielded her will to those two women, nought witting of their most felon device. Thus it came to pass that she was well-nigh lost for the bitter malice of them that wished her death.