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 were ever ſeen. They ceaſed not to extol and envy the happineſs of their friend, who in the meantime, no way diverted herſelf in looking upon theſe rich things, becauſe of the impatience ſhe had to go and open the cloſet of the ground floor. She was ſo much preſſed by her curioſity, that without conſidering the uncivility of leaving her company, ſhe went down a little back ſtair cafe, and with ſuch exceſſive haſte, that ſhe had twice or thrice, like to have broke her neck.
Being come 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 diſobeyed; but the temptation was ſo ſtrong, ſhe could not overcome it: She took then the little key, and opened it trembling: But could not at firſt ſee any thing plainly, becauſe the windows were ſhut. In ſome moments ſhe began to perceive that the floor was all covered with clotted blood, on which lay the bodies of ſeveral dead women ranged againſt the walls: (Theſe were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and murJered one after another.) She thought ſhe would 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 up ſtairs to recover herſelf; but ſhe could not, ſo much was ſhe frightened. Having obſerved that the key of the cloſet was ſtained with blood, the 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 this key was a Fairy, and ſhe could never make
