“I give you,” replied Blue Beard, “half a quarter of an hour, but not one moment more.” When she was alone she called out to her sister: “Sister Anne, go up, I beg you, on top of the tower and see if my brothers are not coming; they promised me that they would come to-day, and if you see them, give them a sign to make haste.” Sister Anne went up on the top of the tower, and the poor afflicted wife cried out from time to time: “Anne, sister Anne, do you see anyone coming?” And sister Anne replied: “I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which looks green.” In the meanwhile Blue Beard, holding a great saber in his hand, cried out as loud as he could bawl to his wife: “Come down instantly, or I shall come up after you.” “One moment longer, if you please,” said his wife; and then she cried out softly: “Anne, sister Anne, dost thou see anybody coming?” And sister Anne answered: “I see nothing but the sun, which makes a dust, and the grass, which is green.” “Come down quickly,” shouted Blue Beard, “or I will come up after you.” “I am coming,” answered his wife; and then she cried: “Anne, sister Anne, dost thou not see any one coming?” “I see,” replied sister Anne, “a great dust, which comes on this side.” “Are they my brothers?” “Alas! no, my dear sister, I see a flock of sheep.” “Will you not come down?’ roared Blue Beard. “One moment longer,” said his wife, and then she cried out: “Anne, sister Anne, dost thou see nobody coming?” “I see,” said she, “two horsemen, but they are yet a great way off.” “God be praised!” replied the poor wife joyfully; “they are my brothers; I will make them a sign, as well as I can, for them to make haste.” Then Blue Beard bawled out so loud that he made the whole house tremble. The distressed wife came down and threw herself at his feet, all in tears, with her hair about her shoulders. “That will not help you,” says Blue Beard; “you must die;” then, taking hold of her hair with one hand, and lifting up the sword with the other, he was going to cut off her head. The poor lady, turning to him and looking at him with dying eyes, begged him to give her one little moment more. “No, no,” said he; “say your prayers,” and was just about to strike… At this very instant there was such a loud knocking at the gate that Blue Beard looked up in alarm. The gate was opened and two horsemen entered, who drew their swords and ran directly at Blue Beard. He knew them to be his wife’s brothers, one a dragoon, the other a musketeer; so that he quickly ran to save himself; but the two brothers pursued so close that they overtook him before he could get to the steps of the porch, and ran their swords through his body and left him dead. The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not strength enough to rise and welcome her brothers.