英语故事:The Story of Blue Beard

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A LONG time ago, there lived a man who was very rich. He owned vast tractsof land, and lived in a splendid castle, that stood upon a high, steep hill, from whence he could see for miles around.

But this man had the misfortune to be very ill-looking, and had a beard which, from its color, caused him to be called Blue Beard.

Not far from his castle lived a lady who had two very pretty daughters. Blue Beard asked her for one of them in marriage, leaving it to her to choose which it should be. But both girls, when his offer was reported to them, refused him, not only on account of his beard, but because there were stories afloat that although he had already been married more than once, nobody could tell what had become of his wives.

Blue Beard, thinking, to overcome the objections of the sisters, invited them to make a visit at his castle. They went and spent a week there, during which there were constant feasts and balls. In fact, Blue Beard managed so well that before the end of the week, Fatima, the youngest of the sisters, outgrewher dislike for him, and became his wife.

A month was given up to festivity in honor of the marriage, and the time passed away like a dream. At the end of it, Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to leave her for a few weeks, as he had some affairs to attend to in a distant part of the country.

"But my dear Fatima," said he, "you can enjoy yourself in my absence, in any way that you please. You can give dinners, and invite your friends to visit you, for you are the sole mistress in this castle. Here are the keys to all the rooms in the house. This small key belongs to the Blue Closet, at the end of the long hall, on the ground floor. I give you leave," he continued "to open or do what you like, with all of the castle, except this closet; but this, my dear, you must not enter, nor even put the key into its lock. Now, do not forget, for if you fail to obey me, you must expect the most dreadful punishment."

Fatima promised not to forget, and Blue Beard, after kissing her in a tender manner, stepped into his coach and was driven away.

As soon as he was gone, Fatima sent word to her sister Anne, and to several friends, to come without delay and make her a visit. She also sent a note to her two brothers, both officers in the army, asking them to obtain a leave of absence, and spend a few days with her.

Her brothers wrote to her that they would arrive the next day. So eager, however, were her other friends to see the riches of Blue Beard, that they all came within two hours. They went from room to room, showing fresh wonder and admirationat every new object they beheldinto secrets, you shall take up your abodewith the ladies you saw there!"

Almost dead with terror, Fatima sank upon her knees and entreatedhim in the most piteous manner to forgive her. But the cruel Blue Beard, deaf to her cries, drew his sword and bade her prepare for death at once.

She begged that he would at least allow her a short time to pray. "I will give you half an hour," said Blue Beard, in a harsh voice, "and no more." Then he left the room.

As soon as he left her, Fatima ran to her sister, and told her as well as she could for her sobsbut the sun which makes a dust, and the grass which is green."

At last they heard the angry voice of Blue Beard, who cried out, "Are you ready? the time is up." Fatima begged for five minutes more, which he, knowing she was wholly at his mercy, granted. Fatima then called again to her sister "Sister Anne, do you see any one coming yet?"

Her sister replied as before, "I see nothing but the sun which makes a dust, and the grass which is green."

Quickly the five minutes sped away, and then the voice of Blue Beard was heard calling "Are you ready yet?"

Again she begged for a brief delay, only two minutes longer. Then she called, "Anne, sister Anne, do you not see some one now?"

"I see," said her sister, "a cloud of dust on the left hand side of the road, not far off."

"Do you think it is our brothers?" said the wife.

"Alasswords, and, when they saw what Blue Beard was about, quickly put an end, to him.

Fatima had fallen into a faint at the time Blue Beard seized her by the hair, and she lay so pale and lifeless that one would have thought that she was dead too, but she soon recovered her senses, and then she could scarcely believe that she was safe, and that her cruel husband had met the death he so richly merited. But there he lay, starkand cold, and by her side were her sister Anne, and her dear brothers whose coming had saved her from a horrible death.

As Blue Beard had no relations, all his riches went to Fatima. She gave each of her brothers money enough to enable him to live in comfort, and to her sister, who was married shortly afterward, she gave a large dowry. She herself became in due time, the wife of a young nobleman, whose kind treatment soon made her forget Blue Beard's cruelty.

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