y they
went upstairs to the storerooms, and there they could not admire enough
the profusion and magnificence of the tapestries, beds, sofas, cabinets,
tables, and stands. There were mirrors in which they could view
themselves from top to toe, some with frames of plate glass, others with
frames of silver and gilt lacquer, that were the most superb and
beautiful things that had ever been seen. They were loud and persistent
in their envy of their friend's good fortune. She, on the other hand,
derived little amusement from the sight of all these riches, the reason
being that she was impatient to go and inspect the little room on the
lower floor.

So overcome with curiosity was she that, without reflecting upon the
discourtesy of leaving her guests, she ran down a private staircase, so
precipitately that twice or thrice she nearly broke her neck, and so
reached the door of the little room. There she paused for a while,
thinking of the prohibition which her husband had made, and reflecting
that harm might come to her as a result of disobedience. But the
temptation was so great that she could not conquer it. Taking the little
key, with a trembling hand she opened the door of the room.

At first she saw nothing, for the windows were closed, but after a few
moments she perceived dimly that the floor was entirely covered with
clotted blood, and that in this were reflected the dead bodies of
several women that hung along the walls. These were all the wives of
Blue Beard, whose throats he had cut, one after another.

She thought to die of terror, and the key of the room, which she had
just withdrawn from the lock, fell from her hand.

When she had somewhat regained her senses, she picked up the key, closed
the door, and went up to her chamber to compose herself a little. But
this she could not do, for her nerves were too shaken. Noticing that the
key of the little room was stained with blood, she wiped it two or three
times. But the blood did not go. She washed it well, and even rubbed it
with sand and grit. Always the blood remained. For the key was
bewitched, and there was no means of cleaning it completely. When the
blood was removed from one side, it reappeared on the other.

[Illustration: '_She washed it well_']

Blue Beard returned from his journey that very evening. He had received
some letters on the way, he said, from which he learned that the
business upon which he had set forth had just been concluded to his
sat