BLUE BEARD
woman's beauty in despair could have melted a heart of stone, the sight of her would have melted his. But it will not astonish you to know that his heart was as flinty as his beard was blue, and Fatima realised this as she looked again at his terrible face.
'I have said it, madam,' he replied to her pleadings. 'None can disobey me and live. Prepare, then, for death.'
'Then,' said she, her imploring eyes brimming with tears, 'you will give me a little time to prepare? If I must die, I must say my prayers.'
'Ten minutes will suffice for that. Not a second more.'
Fatima hurried away towards her own room, but on the way she met her sister Anne, who was looking for her.
'Oh! dear Anne,' sobbed Fatima, as she embraced her sister; 'ask me no questions; there is no time. My husband has returned, and, because I disobeyed him, he has threatened to kill me. Oh! where are my brothers? If they were only here!'
'They are on the way hither,' said Anne quickly. 'They were delayed, but promised to follow me very soon.'
'Then run, dear sister, if you love me; run to the top of the tower, and, if you can see them coming, make a sign to them to hasten; for in ten minutes I must die.'
Quickly Anne ran up and up until she reached the roof of the tower; and Fatima, standing at the foot, called up to her:
'Sister Anne! Dear sister Anne! Do you see any one coming?'
And Anne answered her:
'I see naught but dust a-blowing, naught but the green grass growing.'
Presently Fatima called up again:
'Sister Anne, can you see no one coming? '
'Nay, I see naught but dust a-blowing, naught but the green grass growing.'
Fatima, in despair, continued to call again and again, but always the same answer came down from the roof of the tower.
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