ow shutters being closed, she at
first saw nothing; but in a short time she perceived that the floor was
covered with clotted blood, on which the bodies of several dead women
were lying. These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and
murdered, one after another. She was ready to sink with fear, and the
key of the closet door, which she held in her hand, fell on the floor.
When she had somewhat recovered from her fright, she took it up, locked
the door, and hastened to her own room, that she might have a little
time to get into humour for amusing her visitors; but this she found
impossible, so greatly was she terrified by what she had seen.

As she observed that the key of the closet had got stained with blood in
falling on the floor, she wiped it two or three times over to clean it;
still, however, the blood remained the same as before; she next washed
it, but the blood did not stir at all; she then scoured it with
brickdust, and afterwards with sand, but notwithstanding all she could
do the blood was still there, for the key was a fairy, who was Blue
Beard's friend, so that as fast as she got it off on one side, it
appeared again on the other.

Early in the evening Blue Beard returned home, saying he had not
proceeded far on his journey before he was met by a messenger who was
coming to tell him that his business was happily concluded without his
being present, upon which his wife said everything she could think of,
to make him believe she was transported with joy at his unexpected
return.

The next morning he asked for the keys: she gave them to him; but as she
could not help showing her fright, Blue Beard easily guessed what had
happened. "How is it," said he, "that the key of the closet upon the
ground floor is not here?"

"Is it not? Then I must have left it on my dressing-table," said she,
and left the room in tears.

"Be sure you give it to me by and by," cried Blue Beard.

After going several times backwards and forwards, pretending to look for
the key, she was at last obliged to give it to Blue Beard. He looked at
it attentively, and then said, "How came the blood upon the key?"

"I am sure I do not know," replied the lady, turning at the same time as
pale as death.

"You do not know," said Blue Beard sternly; "but I know well enough. You
have been in the closet on the ground floor. Very well, madam; since you
are so mightily fond of this closet, you shall certainly take your place
among the