And so, not long afterwards, there was a grand wedding, and the widow’s younger daughter became Mrs. Bluebeard.

About a month later, Bluebeard told his wife that he must leave her for several weeks, having to travel on business.

“While I am absent, my dear,” said he, “invite your relations and friends and enjoy yourself just as you please in entertaining them.  See here are my keys, the keys of the rooms and of the chests where I keep my money, my gold and silver plate, and my jewels.  Unlock rooms and chests and use freely what you will.”

[Illustration]

“This small key,” he added, pointing to quite a little one, “is the key of the door at the end of the lower landing, you will not need to use this at all.  In fact, should you open that door, or even put this key into the lock, I should be dreadfully angry, indeed I should make you suffer for it in a terrible way.”

Then Bluebeard bid his wife good-bye, and departed.

As soon as Mrs. Bluebeard’s friends and relations knew that her husband was away, they came flocking to visit her, for they longed to see all her splendid possessions, but had feared to come before.

They could not enough admire the magnificent apartments, and ran from one to another praising everything they beheld.

But the young wife heeded nothing they said or did, all she thought of was that little key which she must not use, wondering more and more why she ought not to open that one particular door.

At last she could bear it no longer, but slipping away from her visitors, she ran along the passages and stairs, nearly falling down them, so great was her haste, until she came to that door at the end of the corridor.

Not pausing an instant, she thrust the key into the lock, and the door sprang open.

At first she could distinguish nothing, for the room was dark and gloomy, but then, all of a sudden, she knew what had become of Bluebeard’s other wives, for there they lay, in a long, straight row, all dead.  She stood horrified for a moment or two, gazing at the pale faces, and long hair spread out around them, then picking up the little key which she had taken from the lock but dropped in her fright, she hastily quitted the room, shut and locked the door, and ran to her own chamber to calm herself before returning to her guests.  But she was unable to rest for an instant, so dreadful were her feelings; then with terror she noticed that on the key there was a stain.  She wiped it with her handkerchief, but alas! it was blood that would not be wiped away.  She washed the key and rubbed it, and scraped it and polished it, but all to no purpose, if she succeeded in cleansing one side, the mark came out on the other.  For the key was enchanted.

[Illustration:  Painted by Jennie Harbour BLUEBEARD]

That same evening Bluebeard returned saying he had met the man whom he was wanting to see, and so the long journey was unnecessary, and he was rejoiced to be at home again.