Once on a time there was a man who had fine town and country houses,
gold and silver plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches gilt all
over; but unfortunately, this man had a blue beard, which made him
look so ugly and terrible, that there was not a woman or girl who did
not run away from him. One of his neighbours, a lady of quality, had
two daughters, who were perfectly beautiful. He proposed to marry one
of them, leaving her to choose which of the two she would give him.
Neither of them would have him; and they sent him from one to the
other, not being able to make up their minds to marry a man who had a
blue beard. What increased their distaste to him was, that he had had
several wives already, and nobody knew what had become of them.
Blue Beard, in order to cultivate their acquaintance, took them, with
their mother, three or four of their most intimate friends, and some
young persons who resided in the neighbourhood, to one of his country
seats, where they passed an entire week. Nothing was thought of but
excursions, hunting and fishing, parties, balls, entertainments,
collations; nobody went to bed; the whole night was spent in merry
games and gambols. In short, all went off so well, that the youngest
daughter began to find out that the beard of the master of the house
was not as blue as it used to be, and that he was a very worthy man.
Immediately upon their return to town the marriage took place. At the
end of a month Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to take a
journey, which would occupy six weeks at least, on a matter of great
consequence; that he entreated she would amuse herself as much as she
could during his absence; that she would invite her best friends, take
them into the country with her if she pleased, and keep an excellent
table everywhere.
"Here," said he to her, "are the keys of my two great store-rooms;
these are those of the chests in which the gold and silver plate is
kept, that is only used on particular occasions; these are the keys of
the strong boxes in which I keep my money; these open the caskets that
contain my jewels; and this is the pass-key of all the apartments. As
for this little key, it is that of the closet at the end of the long
gallery, on the ground floor. Open everything, and go everywhere except
into that little closet, which I forbid you to enter, and I forbid you
so strictly, that if you should venture to open the door, there is
nothing that you may not have to dread from my anger!" She promised to
observe implicitly all his directions, and after he had embraced her,
he got into his coach and set out on his journey.
The neighbours and friends of the young bride did not wait for her
invitation, so eager were they to see all the treasures contained in
the mansion, not having ventured to enter it while the husband was at
home, so terrified were they at his blue beard. Behold them immediately
running through all the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, each apartment
exceeding the other in beauty and richness. They ascended afterwards to
the store-rooms, where they could not sufficiently admire the number
and elegance of the tapestries, the beds, the sofas, the cabinets,
the stands,[1] the tables, and the mirrors in which they could see
themselves from head to foot, and that had frames some of glass,[2]
some of silver, and some of gilt metal, more beautiful and magnificent
than had ever been seen. They never ceased enlarging upon and envying
the good fortune of their friend, who in the meanwhile was not in the
least entertained by the sight of all these treasures, in consequence
of her impatience to open the closet on the ground floor.
Her curiosity increased to such a degree that, without reflecting how
rude it was to leave her company, she ran down a back staircase in such
haste that twice or thrice she narrowly escaped breaking her neck.
Arrived at the door of the closet, she paused for a moment, bethinking
herself of her husband's prohibition, and that some misfortune might
befall her for her disobedience; but the temptation was so strong
that she could not conquer it. She therefore took the little key and
opened, tremblingly, the door of the closet. At first she could discern
nothing, the windows being closed; after a short time she began to
perceive that the floor was all covered with clotted blood, in which
were reflected the dead bodies of several females suspended against
the walls. These were all the wives of Blue Beard, who had cut their
throats one after the other. She was ready to die with fright, and the
key of the closet, which she had withdrawn from the lock, fell from
her hand. After recovering her senses a little, she picked up the key,
locked the door again, and went up to her chamber to compose herself;
but she could not succeed, so greatly was she agitated. Having observed
that the key of the closet was stained with blood, she wiped it two
or three times, but the blood would not come off. In vain she washed
it, and even scrubbed it with sand and free-stone, the blood was still
there, for the key was enchanted, and there were no means of cleaning
it completely: when the blood was washed off one side, it came back on
the other.
Blue Beard returned that very evening, and said that he had received
letters on the road informing him that the business on which he was
going had been settled to his advantage. His wife did all she could
to persuade him that she was delighted at his speedy return. The next
morning he asked her for his keys again; she gave them to him; but her
hand trembled so, that he had not much difficulty in guessing what had
occurred. "How comes it," said he, "that the key of the closet is not
with the others?" "I must have left it," she replied, "upstairs on my
table." "Fail not," said Blue Beard, "to give it me presently." After
several excuses, she was compelled to produce the key. Blue Beard
having examined it, said to his wife, "Why is there some blood on
this key?" "I don't know," answered the poor wife, paler than death.
"You don't know?" rejoined Blue Beard. "I know well enough. You must
needs enter the closet. Well, madam, you shall enter it, and go take
your place amongst the ladies you saw there." She flung herself at her
husband's feet, weeping and begging his pardon, with all the signs of
true repentance for having disobeyed him. Her beauty and affliction
might have melted a rock, but Blue Beard had a heart harder than a
rock. "You must die, madam," said he, "and immediately." "If I must
die," she replied, looking at him with streaming eyes, "give me a
little time to say my prayers." "I give you half a quarter of an hour,"
answered Blue Beard, "but not a minute more." As soon as he had left
her, she called her sister, and said to her, "Sister Anne" (for so she
was named), "go up, I pray thee, to the top of the tower, and see if my
brothers are not coming. They have promised me that they would come to
see me to-day; and if you see them, sign to them to make haste." Sister
Anne mounted to the top of the tower, and the poor distressed creature
called to her every now and then, "Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see
anything coming?" And sister Anne answered her, "I see nothing but the
sun making dust, and the grass growing green."
In the meanwhile Blue Beard, with a great cutlass in his hand, called
out with all his might to his wife, "Come down quickly, or I will come
up there." "One minute more, if you please," replied his wife; and
immediately repeated in a low voice, "Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not
see anything coming?" And sister Anne replied, "I see nothing but the
sun making dust, and the grass growing green." "Come down quickly,"
roared Blue Beard, "or I will come up there." "I come," answered
his wife, and then exclaimed, "Anne! sister Anne! dost thou not see
anything coming?" "I see," said sister Anne, "a great cloud of dust
moving this way." "Is it my brothers?" "Alas! no, sister, I see a flock
of sheep." "Wilt thou not come down?" shouted Blue Beard. "One minute
more," replied his wife, and then she cried, "Anne! sister Anne! dost
thou not see anything coming?" "I see," she replied, "two horsemen
coming this way; but they are still at a great distance." "Heaven be
praised!" she exclaimed, a moment afterwards. "They are my brothers! I
am making all the signs I can to hasten them." Blue Beard began to roar
so loudly that the whole house shook again. The poor wife descended,
and went and threw herself, with streaming eyes and dishevelled
tresses, at his feet.
"It is of no use," said Blue Beard. "You must die!" Then seizing her by
the hair with one hand, and raising his cutlass with the other, he was
about to cut off her head. The poor wife turned towards him, and fixing
upon him her dying eyes, implored him to allow her one short moment
to collect herself. "No, no," said he; "recommend thyself heartily to
Heaven." And lifting his arm---- At this moment there was so loud a
knocking at the gate, that Blue Beard stopped short. It was opened,
and two horsemen were immediately seen to enter, who, drawing their
swords, ran straight at Blue Beard. He recognised them as the brothers
of his wife--one a dragoon, the other a musqueteer, and, consequently,
fled immediately, in hope to escape; but they pursued him so closely,
that they overtook him before he could reach the step of his door,
and, passing their swords through his body, left him dead on the spot.
The poor wife was almost as dead as her husband, and had not strength
to rise and embrace her brothers. It was found that Blue Beard had no
heirs, and so his widow remained possessed of all his property. She
employed part of it in marrying her sister Anne to a young gentleman
who had long loved her; another part, in buying captains' commissions
for her two brothers, and with the rest she married herself to a very
worthy man, who made her forget the miserable time she had passed with
Blue Beard.
Provided one has common sense,
And of the world but knows the ways,
This story bears the evidence
Of being one of bygone days.
No husband now is so terrific,
Impossibilities, expecting:
Though jealous, he is still pacific,
Indifference to his wife affecting.
And of his beard, whate'er the hue,
His spouse need fear no such disaster.
Indeed, 'twould often puzzle you
To say which of the twain is master.