furniture; these are of my silver and gold plate, which is
not every day in use; these open my strong boxes, which hold my money,
both gold and silver; these my caskets of jewels; and this is the
master-key to all my apartments. But for this little one here, it is the
key of the closet at the end of the great gallery on the ground floor.
Open them all; go into all and every one of them, except that little
closet, which I forbid you, and forbid it in such a manner that, if you
happen to open it, there's nothing but what you may expect from my just
anger and resentment."

She promised to observe, very exactly, whatever he had ordered; when
he, after having embraced her, got into his coach and proceeded on his
journey.

Her neighbors and good friends did not stay to be sent for by the
new married lady, so great was their impatience to see all the rich
furniture of her house, not daring to come while her husband was there,
because of his blue beard, which frightened them. They ran through all
the rooms, closets, and wardrobes, which were all so fine and rich that
they seemed to surpass one another.

After that they went up into the two great rooms, where was the best
and richest furniture; they could not sufficiently admire the number
and beauty of the tapestry, beds, couches, cabinets, stands, tables, and
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 ever were seen.

They ceased not to extol and envy the happiness of their friend, who in
the meantime in no way diverted herself in looking upon all these rich
things, because of the impatience she had to go and open the closet on
the ground floor. She was so much pressed by her curiosity that, without
considering that it was very uncivil to leave her company, she went
down a little back staircase, and with such excessive haste that she had
twice or thrice like to have broken her neck.

Coming 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 was disobedient; but the temptation was so strong she could not
overcome it. She then took the little key, and opened it, trembling, but
could not at first see anything plainly, because the windows were shut.
After some moments she began to perceive that the floor was all covered
over with clotted blood, on which