BLUF BEARD, 59

time turning as white asa shect. “ You do not know?” said
Blue Beard, sternly: “ but I know well enough. You have
been in the closet on the ground-floor! Very well, madam ;
since you are so mighty fond of this closet, you shall be sure to
take your place among the ladies you saw there.” His wife,
who was almost dead with fear, now fell upon her knees, asked
his pardon a thousand times for her fault, and begged him to
forgive her; looking all the time so very mournful and lovely,
that she would have melted any heart that was not harder
than a rock. But Blue Beard only said, “No, no, madam : you
shall die this very minute !"—“ Alas!" said the poor trembling
creature, “If I must 1 +

die, give me, at Ieast,a >. \|

little time to say my H

prayers.” — “I give
you,” replied the cruel
Blue Beard, “half a
quarter of an hour, not
a moment longer.”
When Blue Beard had
left her to herself, she
called her sister; and
after telling her, as well
as she could for sobbing, that she had but half a quarter of an
hour to live, “ Pr'ythee,” said she, ‘ sister Anne ” (this was her
sister’s name), run up to the top of the tower, and see if my
brothers are not in sight, for they said they would visit me
to-day ; and, if you see them, make a sign for them to gallap
on as fast as ever they can.” Hier sister straight did as she was
desired ; and the poor trembling lady every minute cried out to
her, “ Anne! sister Anne! do you see any one coming?” Her
sister said, “I see nothing but the sup, which makes a dust,
and the grass, which looks green.”