Gaston expected Belle to never read a book, to cook his dinner, clean the house, massage his feet, birth his kids and just be the little wife who sat still, looked pretty and listened to every word he said, only speaking when spoken too.

Beast encouraged her to read, gave her books, shared her love of them and enjoyed listening and showing her things, he had depth, never asked her to cook for him or massage him and bearing his kids was probably the last thing on his mind.

so was Gaston, how can that man afford 5 dozen eggs every day? and he owns a tavern.

that's because water dripping it a singular repetitive noise that is hard to ignore when it's solitary and never ending. Rainfall sort of morphs into relaxing white noise or just amplifies sounds of nature.