12
any heart which was not harder than stone. However, it had no effect on the cruel Blue Beard; for he drew his dreadful scimitar, and desired her to prepare for immediate death.
Blue Beard had raised his arm to perpetrate the horrible deed, when a dreadful shriek from her sister, who at that moment entered her apartment arrested his attention. Her sister entreated him to spare the life of Fatima, but he was deaf to her intercession, and the only favour that the relentless tyrant would grant to her entreaties, was a respite of a
quarter of an hour, that she might make her peace with heaven before he put her to death.
Blue Beard, after he had promised to allow this, in order to secure his victim during the short space allotted her for prayer, and that her screams or groans might not reach the domestics, led, or rather dragged her up to a large hall, in the top of the tower of the castle, to which they were followed by her sister. He then told her to make the best use of her time, as she might expect his return the moment it elapsed, and immediately left the place.
When alone with her sister, Fatima felt her dreadful situation, and again burst into tears. Only fifteen short minutes between her and the most cruel death, without the least chance of escape; for Blue Beard had secured the door when he retired, and the staircase they saw only led to the battlements. Fatima's thoughts were now turned to her brothers, whom she expected that day, and she requested her sister to ascend to the top of the tower, to see if there were any appearance of them, for on them her whole expectation of deliverance now rested; or, if she saw any person approaching, to beckon them to come to her assistance.
Fatima's sister immediately ascended to the top of the
