"I give you," replied the cruel Blue Beard, "half a quarter of an hour; not one 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, "Prithee," said she, "sister Ann" (this was her sister's name), "run up to the top of the tower, and see if my brothers are yet in sight, for they promised to come and visit me to-day; and if you see them, make a sign for them to gallop as fast as possible."
Her sister instantly did as she was desired, and the terrified lady every minute called out to her, "Ann! sister Ann! do you see any one coming?" and her sister answered, "I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which looks green."
In the meanwhile Blue Beard, with a great scimitar in his hand, bawled as loud as he could to his wife, "Come down instantly, or I will fetch you."
"One moment longer, I beseech you," replied she; and again called softly to her sister—"Sister Ann, do you see any one coming?" To which she answered, "I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which looks green."
Blue Beard now again bawled out, "Come down, I say, this very moment, or I shall come and fetch you."
"I am coming; indeed I will come in one minute," sobbed his unhappy wife. Then she once more cried out—"Ann! sister Ann! do you see any one coming?" "I see," said her sister, "a cloud of dust a little to the left." "Do you think it is my brothers?" continued the wife. "Alas! no, dear sister," replied she; "it is only a flock of sheep."
"Will you come down or not, madam?" said Blue Beard, in the greatest rage imaginable.
"Only one single moment more," answered she. And then she called out for the last time—"Sister Ann! do you see any one coming?"
"I see," replied her sister, "two men on horseback coming to the house, but they are still at a great distance."