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  POPULAR STORY

  OF

  BLUE BEARD.




  FRONTISPIECE.


  [Illustration caption: While Fatima is kneeling to Blue Beard, and
  supplicating for mercy, he seizes her by the hair, and raises his
  scymetar to cut off her head.]




  THE
  POPULAR STORY
  OF
  BLUE BEARD.


  Embellished with neat Engravings.

  [Illustration]

  COOPERSTOWN:
  Printed and sold by H. and E. Phinney.
  1828




  _The Alphabet._


  A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K
  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T
  U  V  W  X  Y  Z

  a  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  i  j  k  l  m  n  o
  p  q  r  s  t  u  v  w  x  y  z

  _A  B  C  D  E  F  G  H  I  J  K
  L  M  N  O  P  Q  R  S  T
  U  V  W  X  Y  Z_

  _a  b  c  d  e  f  g  h  i  j  k  l  m  n  o
  p  q  r  s  t  u  v  w  x  y  z_

  fi  fl  ff  ffi  ffl--_fi  fl  ff  ffi  ffl_

  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  0

 . ,  ;  : ? ! ' ()  []  *  [dagger]  [double dagger]  Sec.  ||  ¶




  THE
  POPULAR STORY
  OF
  BLUE BEARD.


A long time ago, and at a considerable distance from any town, there
lived a gentleman, who was not only in possession of great riches, but
of the largest estates in that part of the country. Although he had some
very elegant neat mansions on his estates, he generally resided in a
magnificent castle, beautifully situated on a rising ground, surrounded
with groves of the finest evergreens, and other choice trees and shrubs.

The inside of this fine castle was even more beautiful than the outside;
for the rooms were all hung with the richest damask, curiously
ornamented; the chairs and sofas were covered with the finest velvet,
fringed with gold; and his table-dishes and plates were either of silver
or gold, finished in the most elegant style. His carriages and horses
might have served a king, and perhaps were finer than any monarch's of
the present day. The gentleman's appearance, however, did not altogether
correspond to his wealth; for, to a fierce disagreeable countenance, was
added an ugly blue beard, which made him an object of fear and disgust
in the neighbourhood, where he usually went by the name of Blue Beard.

There resided, at some considerable distance from Blue Beard's castle,
an old lady and her two daughters, who were people of some rank, but by
no means wealthy. The two young ladies were very pretty, and the fame of
their beauty having reached Blue Beard, he determined to ask one of them
in marriage. Having ordered a carriage, he called at their house, where
he saw the two young ladies, and was very politely received by their
mother, with whom he begged a few moments conversation.

  [Illustration]

After the two young ladies left the room, he began by describing his
immense riches, and then told her the purport of his visit, begging she
would use her interest in his favour. They were both so lovely, he said,
that he would be happy to get either of them for his wife, and would
therefore leave it to their own choice to determine upon the subject,
and immediately took his leave.

When the proposals of Blue Beard were mentioned to the young ladies
by their mother, both Miss Anne and her sister Fatima protested, that
they would never marry an ugly man, and particularly one with such a
frightful blue beard; because, although he possessed immense riches,
it was reported in the country, that he had married several beautiful
ladies, and nobody could tell what had become of them.

Their mother said, that the gentleman was agreeable in his conversation
and manners; that the ugliness of his face, and the blue beard, were
defects which they would soon be reconciled to from habit: that his
immense riches would procure them every luxury their heart could desire;
and he was so civil, that she was certain the scandalous reports about
his wives must be entirely without foundation.

The two young ladies were as civil as they possibly could be, in order
to conceal the disgust they felt at Blue Beard, and, to soften their
refusal, replied to this effect,--That, at present, they had no desire
to change their situation; but if they had, the one sister could never
think of depriving the other of so good a match, and that they did not
wish to be separated.

Blue Beard having called next day, the old lady told him what her
daughters had said; on which he sighed deeply, and pretended to be
very much disappointed; but as he had the mother on his side, he still
continued his visits to the family. Blue Beard, knowing the attractions
that fine houses, fine furniture, and fine entertainments, have on the
minds of ladies in general, invited the mother, her two daughters, and
two or three other ladies who were then on a visit to them, to spend a
day or two with him at his castle.

  [Illustration]

Blue Beard's invitation was accepted, and having spent a considerable
time in arranging their wardrobe, and in adorning their persons, they
all set out for the splendid mansion of Blue Beard.

On coming near the castle, although they had heard a great deal of the
taste and expense that had been employed in decorating it, they were
struck with the beauty of the trees that overshadowed the walks through
which they passed, and with the fragrancy of the flowers which perfumed
the air. When they reached the castle, Blue Beard, attended by a number
of his servants in splendid dresses, received them with the most polite
courtesy, and conducted them to a magnificent drawing-room.

An elegant repast was ready in the dining-room, to which they adjourned.
Here they were again astonished by the grandeur of the apartment and the
elegance of the entertainment, and they felt so happy, that the evening
passed away before they were aware.

Next day, after they had finished breakfast, the ladies proceeded to
examine the pictures and furniture of the rooms that were open, and were
truly astonished at the magnificence that every where met their view.

  [Illustration]

The time rolled pleasantly away amidst a succession of the most
agreeable amusements, consisting of hunting, music, dancing, and
banquets, where the richest wines, and most tempting delicacies, in most
luxurious profusion, presented themselves in every direction.

The party felt so agreeable amidst these scenes of festivity, that they
continued at the castle several days, during which the cunning Blue
Beard, by every obsequious service, tried to gain the favour of his fair
guests. Personal attentions, even although paid us by an ugly creature,
seldom fail to make a favourable impression; it was therefore no wonder
that Fatima, the youngest of the two sisters, began to think Blue Beard
a very polite, pleasant, and civil gentleman; and that the beard, which
she and her sister had been so much afraid of, was not so very blue.

A short time after her return home, Fatima, who was delighted with
the attention which had been paid her at the castle, told her mother
that she did not now feel any objections to accept of Blue Beard as a
husband. The old lady immediately communicated to him the change in her
daughter's sentiments.

Blue Beard, who lost no time in paying the family a visit, was in a few
days privately married to the young lady and soon after the ceremony,
Fatima, accompanied by her sister, returned to the castle the wife of
Blue Beard.

  [Illustration]

On arriving there, they were received at the entrance by all his
retinue, attired in splendid dresses, and Blue Beard, after saluting his
bride, led the way to an elegant entertainment, where, every thing that
could add to to their comfort being prepared, they spent the evening in
the most agreeable manner.

The next day, and every succeeding day, Blue Beard always varied the
amusements, and a month had passed away imperceptibly, when he told his
wife that he was obliged to leave her for a few weeks, as he had some
affairs to transact in a distant part of the country, which required his
personal attendance.

"But," said he, "my dear Fatima, you may enjoy yourself in my absence in
any way that will add to your happiness, and you can invite your friends
to make the time pass more agreeably, for you are sole mistress in this
castle. Here are the keys of the two large wardrobes; this is the key of
the great box that contains the best plate, which we use for company;
this of my strong box, where I keep my money; and this belongs to the
casket, in which are all my jewels. Here also is a master-key to all
the rooms in the house; but this small key belongs to the blue closet
at the end of the long gallery on the ground floor. I give you leave,"
he continued, "to open, or do what you like with all the rest of the
castle except this closet: now, my dear, remember you must not enter
it, nor even put the key into the lock. If you do not obey me in this,
expect the most dreadful of punishments."

  [Illustration]

She promised him implicit obedience to his orders, and then accompanied
him to the gate, where Blue Beard, after saluting her in a tender
manner, stepped into the coach, and drove away.

When Blue Beard was gone, Fatima sent a kind invitation to her friends
to come immediately to the castle, and ordered a grand entertainment
to be prepared for their reception. She also sent a messenger to her
two brothers, both officers in the army, who were quartered about forty
miles distant, requesting they would obtain leave of absence, and spend
a few days with her. So eager were her friends to see the apartments and
the riches of Blue Beard's castle, of which they had heard so much, that
in less than two hours after receiving notice, the whole company were
assembled, with the exception of her brothers, who were not expected
till the following day.

As her guests had arrived long before the time appointed them for the
entertainment. Fatima took them thro' every apartment in the castle,
and displayed all the wealth she had acquired by her marriage with Blue
Beard. They went from room to room, and from wardrobe to wardrobe,
expressing fresh wonder and delight at every new object they came to;
but their surprise was increased when they entered the drawing-rooms,
and saw the grandeur of the furniture.

During the day, Fatima was so much engaged, that she never once thought
of the blue closet, which Blue Beard had ordered her not to open; but
when all the visitors were gone, she felt a great curiosity to know its
contents. She took out the key, which was made of the finest gold, and
went to consult with her sister on the subject. Anne used every argument
she could think of to dissuade Fatima from her purpose, and reminded her
of the threats of Blue Beard; but all in vain, for Fatima was now bent
on gratifying her curiosity.

She therefore, in spite of all her sister could do, seized one of the
candles, and hurried down stairs to the fatal closet. On reaching the
door she stopped, and began to reason with herself on the propriety
of her conduct; but her curiosity at length overcame every other
consideration, and, with a trembling hand, she applied the key to the
lock, and opened the door. She had only advanced a few steps, when the
most frightful scene met her view, and, struck with horror and dismay,
she dropped the key of the closet