There was nothing then to be seen but parties of pleasure , hunting , fishing , dancing , mirth , and feasting . Nobody went to bed , but all passed the night in rallying and joking with each other . In short , everything succeeded so well that the youngest daughter began to think the master of the house not to have a beard so very blue , and that he was a mighty civil gentleman . As soon as they returned home , the marriage was concluded . About a month afterward , Blue Beard told his wife that he was obliged to take a country journey for six weeks at least , about affairs of very great consequence , desiring her to divert herself in his absence , to send for her friends and acquaintances , to carry them into the country , if she pleased , and to make good cheer wherever she was . `` Here , '' said he , `` are the keys of the two great wardrobes , wherein I have my best furniture ; these are of my silver and gold plate , which is not every day in use ; these open my strong boxes , which hold my money , both gold and silver ; these my caskets of jewels ; and this is the master-key to all my apartments . But for this little one here , it is the key of the closet at the end of the great gallery on the ground floor . Open them all ; go into all and every one of them , except that little closet , which I forbid you , and forbid it in such a manner that , if you happen to open it , there 's nothing but what you may expect from my just anger and resentment . '' She promised to observe , very exactly , whatever he had ordered ; when he , after having embraced her , got into his coach and proceeded on his journey . Her neighbors and good friends did not stay to be sent for by the new married lady , so great was their impatience to see all the rich furniture of her house , not daring to come while her husband was there , because of his blue beard , which frightened them . They ran through all the rooms , closets , and wardrobes , which were all so fine and rich that they seemed to surpass one another . After that they went up into the two great rooms , where was the best and richest furniture ; they could not sufficiently admire the number and beauty of the tapestry , beds , couches , cabinets , stands , tables , and looking-glasses , in which you might see yourself from head to foot ; some of them were framed with glass , others with silver , plain and gilded , the finest and most magnificent ever were seen . They ceased not to extol and envy the happiness of their friend , who in the meantime in no way diverted herself in looking upon all these rich things , because of the impatience she had to go and open the closet on the ground floor . She was so much pressed by her curiosity that , without considering that it was very uncivil to leave her company , she went down a little back staircase , and with such excessive haste that she had twice or thrice like to have broken her neck . Coming to the closet-door , she made a stop for some time , thinking upon her husband 's orders , and considering what unhappiness might attend her if she was disobedient ; but the temptation was so strong she could not overcome it . She then took the little key , and opened it , trembling , but could not at first see anything plainly , because the windows were shut . After some moments she began to perceive that the floor was all covered over with clotted blood , on which lay the bodies of several dead women , ranged against the walls . -LRB- These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and murdered , one after another . -RRB- She thought she should have died for fear , and the key , which she pulled out of the lock , fell out of her hand . After having somewhat recovered her surprise , she took up the key , locked the door , and went upstairs into her chamber to recover herself ; but she could not , she was so much frightened .
Having observed that the key of the closet was stained with blood , she tried two or three times to wipe it off , but the blood would not come out ; in vain did she wash it , and even rub it with soap and sand ; the blood still remained , for the key was magical and she could never make it quite clean ; when the blood was gone off from one side , it came again XXXXX the other .
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