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and as she observed nothing to intimidate her, she entered with some little degree of resolution. She had only advanced a few steps, when the most frightful scene met her view. and, struck with horror and dismay, she dropt the key of the closet. She was in the midst of blood; and the heads, bodies, and the mutilated limbs of murdered ladies, lay scattered on the floor. These ladies had all been married to blue beard, and had suffered for their imprudent curiosity.
Blue Beard's first wife was a bold-spirited woman, with whom he quarrelled soon after marriage; and having in the heat of his anger murdered her, he concealed the body in this blue closet. The rest of his wives, who, like Fatima, could not refrain from indulging their curiosity, he had killed for acting contrary to his express commands; and the key, which was the gift of a fairy, had always betrayed their fatal disodedience.
The terror of Fatima, whose blood was chilled within her, while her hair stood on end, was not diminished on discerning these dreadful words on the wall, in large characters—"The Reward of Disobedience and imprudent Curiosity!" She trembled violently; but, on recovering a little, she summoned
