Страшные сказки / Scary stories

“What!” said he, “is not the key of my closet among the rest?”

“I left it”, said she, “upstairs upon the table”.

“Bring it to me!” said Blue Beard, “At once!”

She went backwards and forwards, and finally brought him the key. Blue Beard looked at it very attentively and said to his wife,

“Why is there blood on the key?”

“I do not know”, cried the poor woman, paler than death.

“You do not know!” replied Blue Beard. “I very well know.

Upon this she begged his pardon with all the signs of a true repentance. She promised him to be obedient. She was beautiful and sorrowful; but Blue Beard had a heart harder than any rock!

“You must die, madam”, said he, “at once”.

“Since I must die”, answered she, “give me some time to say my prayers”.

“I give you”, replied Blue Beard, “seven minutes, but not one moment more”.

When she was alone she called out to her sister, and said to her,

“Sister Anne, go up, I beg you, to the top of the tower, and tell me: are there my brothers on the way? They promised me to come today, and if you see them, give them a sign to make haste”.

Her sister Anne went up to the top of the tower, and the poor wife cried out from time to time,

“Anne, sister Anne, do you see anyone?”

And sister Anne said,

“I see nothing but a cloud of dust in the sun, and the green grass”.

In the meanwhile Blue Beard took a great saber, and cried out,

“Come down instantly, or I shall come up to you”.

“One moment longer, if you please”, said his wife; and then she cried out very softly, “Anne, sister Anne, do you see anybody on the road?”

And sister Anne answered,

“I see nothing but a cloud of dust in the sun, and the green grass”.

“Come down quickly!” cried Blue Beard, “or I shall come up to you!”

“One moment”, answered his wife; and then she cried, “Anne, sister Anne, do you not see anybody on the road?”

“I see”, replied sister Anne, “a great cloud of dust”.

“Are they my brothers?”

“Alas, no my dear sister, I see a flock of sheep”.

“Will you not come down?” cried Blue Beard.