The Tale of Bluebeard and His Many Wives.
The Tale of Bluebeard and His Many Wives There was a man who had fine houses, both in town and country, a deal of silver and gold plate, embroidered furniture, and coaches covered all over with gold. But this man was so unlucky as to have a blue beard, which made him so frightfully ugly that all the women and girls ran away from him. One of his neighbors, a lady of quality, had two daughters who were perfect beauties. He desired one of them in marriage. Neither of them would have him, and sent him backward and forward from one another, not being able to bear the thought of marrying a man who had a blue beard and besides that was his having already been married to many wives, and nobody ever knew what became of them. Bluebeard to engage their affection took them, to one of his country homes where they stayed a whole week. Everything worked out so well that the youngest daughter began to think that Bluebeard was a very civil gentleman. As soon as they got home, the marriage was concluded. About a month after, Bluebeard told his wife that he was obliged to take a business trip for six weeks at least. "Here," he said, "are the keys of the two great rooms where I have my best furniture;
these open my safe, which hold my money, both gold and silver; these my boxes of jewels; and this is the master-key to all my rooms. But for this little one here, it is the key of the closet at the end of the great hall on the bottom floor. Open them all; go into every one of them, except that little closet, which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner that, if you open it, there will be a severe consequence. She promised to obey, very exactly, whatever he had ordered when after having said this, ...
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these open my safe, which hold my money, both gold and silver; these my boxes of jewels; and this is the master-key to all my rooms. But for this little one here, it is the key of the closet at the end of the great hall on the bottom floor. Open them all; go into every one of them, except that little closet, which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner that, if you open it, there will be a severe consequence. She promised to obey, very exactly, whatever he had ordered when after having said this, got into his coach and continued on his journey. She invited her friend to come over to look at all the rooms except the one room that she tried so hard to ignore. But She was so much pressed by her curiosity that, without considering what bluebeard said she went down a little back staircase, and with such fear that she had twice turned back up the stairs. Coming to the closet-door, she made a stop for some time, thinking about her husband's orders, and considering what might happen to her if she was disobedient but the temptation was so strong she could not overcome it. She took the little key, and opened it, trembling, but could not at first see anything plainly, because the windows were shut. After some time she began to see that the floor was all covered over with blood on which lay the bodies of eight dead women, laid against the walls. (These were all the wives that Bluebeard had married and murdered, one after another.) She thought she should have died of fear, and the key that she pulled out of the lock fell out of her hand. After having somewhat recovered her surprise, she picked up the key, locked the door, and went upstairs into her room to recover herself; but she couldn’t, she was so frightened. Having seen that the key for the closet was stained with blood. She tried two or three times to wipe it off, but the blood would not come off; she washed it, and even rubbed it with soap and sand. But 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 on the other. Bluebeard returned from his journey the same day, and said he had gotten letters upon the road, informing him that the affair he went about was ended to his advantage. His wife did all she could to convince him that she was extremely glad of his return. Next morning he asked her for the keys, which she gave him, but with such a trembling hand that he easily guessed what had happened.” What!" he said, "Where is the key of my closet among the rest?” I must certainly have left it on the table," she said.” bring it to me quickly," said Bluebeard. After several goings back and forth she was forced to bring him the key. Bluebeard said, "How comes this blood on the key?” I don’t know," cried the poor woman, paler than death.” You don’t know!" replied Bluebeard. "I very well know. You went into the closet! Very well, you shall go in, and take your place among the rest you saw there.” When she heard this she threw herself at her husband's feet, and begged his forgivness. You must die," he said, ""Since I must die," she answered (looking at him with her eyes all bathed in tears), "give me some time to live.” fine!" replied Bluebeard, "half of an hour, but not one second more.” When she was alone she called out to her sister, and said to her: "Sister "go up on the top of the tower, and look if my brothers are coming over; they promised me that they would come today, and if you see them, give them a sign to make haste.” In the meanwhile Bluebeard, holding a great sword in his hand, cried out as loud as he could to his wife: "Come down now, or I shall come up to you.” One moment longer, if you please," said his wife.” Come down quickly," cried Bluebeard, "or I will come up to you.” I am coming," answered his wife.” Will you not come down?" cried Bluebeard.” One moment longer," said his wife. Then Bluebeard bawled out so loud that he made the whole house tremble. The distressed wife came down, and threw herself at his feet, all in tears, with her hair about her shoulders. Bluebeard took hold of her hair with one hand, and lifting up the sword with the other, he was going to take off her head. The poor lady, turning about to him, and looking at him with dying eyes, desired him to give her one little moment to collect herself.” No, no," he said. At this very instant there was such a loud knocking at the gate that Bluebeard made a sudden stop. The gate was opened, and presently entered two horsemen, who, drawing their swords, ran directly to Bluebeard. He knew them to be his wife's brothers so he threw his wife to the floor and killed the horsemen. In shock the wife tried to get away but was too slow. When bluebeard caught her she too joined bluebeards other wives in the closet along with others that joined after until bluebeard was murdered. And so ends the tale of bluebeard and his many wives. The End By: Chad Scobie 8-4
