29-blue beard-第1节

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BLUE　BEARD





THERE　was　a　man　who　had　fine　houses；　both　in　town

and　country；　a　deal　of　silver　and　gold　plate；　embroidered

furniture；　and　coaches　gilded　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　of

her　one　of　them　in　marriage；　leaving　to　her　choice　which

of　the　two　she　would　bestow　on　him。　They　would

neither　of　them　have　him；　and　sent　him　backward　and

forward　from　one　another；　not　being　able　to　bear　the

thoughts　of　marrying　a　man　who　had　a　blue　beard；　and

what　besides　gave　them　disgust　and　aversion　was　his

having　already　been　married　to　several　wives；　and　nobody

ever　knew　what　became　of　them。



Blue　Beard；　to　engage　their　affection；　took　them；　with

the　lady　their　mother　and　three　or　four　ladies　of　their

acquaintance；　with　other　young　people　of　the　neighbor…

hood；　to　one　of　his　country　seats；　where　they　stayed　a

whole　week。



There　was　nothing　then　to　be　seen　but　parties　of

pleasure；　hunting；　fishing；　dancing；　mirth；　and　feasting。

Nobody　went　to　bed；　but　all　passed　the　night　in　rallying

and　joking　with　each　other。　In　short；　everything

succeeded　so　well　that　the　youngest　daughter　began　to

think　the　master　of　the　house　not　to　have　a　beard　so　very

blue；　and　that　he　was　a　mighty　civil　gentleman。



As　soon　as　they　returned　home；　the　marriage　was

concluded。　About　a　month　afterward；　Blue　Beard　told　his

wife　that　he　was　obliged　to　take　a　country　journey　for

six　weeks　at　least；　about　affairs　of　very　great

consequence；　desiring　her　to　divert　herself　in　his　absence；　to

send　for　her　friends　and　acquaintances；　to　carry　them

into　the　country；　if　she　pleased；　and　to　make　good　cheer

wherever　she　was。



〃Here；〃　said　he；　〃are　the　keys　of　the　two　great

wardrobes；　wherein　I　have　my　best　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　lay　the　bodies

of　several　dead　women；　ranged　against　the　walls。　（These

were　all　the　wives　whom　Blue　Beard　had　married　and

murdered；　one　after　another。）　She　thought　she　should

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　upstairs　into

her　chamber　to　recover　herself；　but　she　could　not；　she

was　so　much　frightened。　Having　observed　that　the　key

of　the　closet　was　stained　with　blood；　she　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　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。



Blue　Beard　returned　from　his　journey　the　same　evening；

and　said　he　had　received　letters　upon　the　road；　in…

forming　him　that　the　affair　he　went　about　was　ended　to

his　advantage。　His　wife　did　all　she　could　to　convince

him　she　was　extremely　glad　of　his　speedy　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！〃　said　he；　〃is　not　the　key　of　my　closet　among　the

rest？〃



〃I　must　certainly　have　left　it　above　upon　the　table；〃

said　she。



〃Fail　not　to　bring　it　to　me　presently；〃　said　Blue

Beard。



After　several　goings　backward　and　forward　she　was

forced　to　bring　him　the　key。　Blue　Beard；　having　very

attentively　considered　it；　said　to　his　wife；



〃How　comes　this　blood　upon　the　key？〃



〃I　do　not　know；〃　cried　the　poor　woman；　paler　than

death。



〃You　do　not　know！〃　replied　Blue　Beard。　〃I　very　well

know。　You　were　resolved　to　go　into　the　closet；　were

you　not？　Mighty　well；　madam；　you　shall　go　in；　and

take　your　place　among　the　ladies　you　saw　there。〃



Upon　this　she　threw　herself　at　her　husband's　feet；　and

begged　his　pardon　with　all　the　signs　of　true　repentance；

vowing　that　she　would　never　more　be　disobedient。　She

would　have　melted　a　rock；　so　beautiful　and　sorrowful

was　she；　but　Blue　Beard　had　a　heart　harder　than　any

rock！



〃You　must　die；　madam；〃　said　he；　〃and　that　presently。〃



〃Since　I　must　die；〃　answered　she　（looking　upon　him

with　her　eyes　all　bathed　in　tears）；　〃give　me　some　little

time　to　say　my　prayers。〃



〃I　give　you；〃　replied　Blue　Beard；　〃half　a　quarter　of

an　hour；　but　not　one　moment　more。〃



When　she　was　alone　she　called　out　to　her　sister；　and

said　to　her：



〃Sister　Anne〃　（for　that　was　her　name）；　〃go　up；　I　beg

you；　upon　the　top　of　the　tower；　and　look　if　my　brothers

are　not　coming　over；　they　promised　me　that　they　would

come　today；　and　if　you　see　them；　give　them　a　sign　to

make　haste。〃



Her　sister　Anne　went　up　upon　the　top　of　the　tower；　and

the　poor　afflicted　wife　cried　out　from　time　to　time：



〃Anne；　sister　Anne；　do　you　see　anyone　coming？〃



And　sister　Anne　said：



〃I　see　nothing　but　the　sun；　which　makes　a　dust；　and

the　grass；　which　looks　green。〃



In　the　meanwhile　Blue　Beard；　holding　a　great　sabre

in　his　hand；　cried　out　as　loud　as　he　could　bawl　to　his

wife：



〃Come　down　instantly；　or　I　shall　come　up　to　you。〃



〃One　moment　longer；　if　you　please；〃　said　his　wife；　and

then　she　cried　out　very　softly；　〃Anne；　sister　Anne；　dost

thou　see　anybody　coming？〃



And　sister　Anne　answered：



〃I　see　nothing　but　the　sun；　which　makes　a　dust；　and

the　grass；　which　is　green。〃



〃Come　down　quickly；〃　cried　Blue　Beard；　〃or　I　will

come　up　to　you。〃



〃I　am　coming；〃　answered　his　wife；　and　then　she　cried；

〃Anne；　sister　Anne；　dost　thou　not　see　anyone　coming？〃



〃I　see；〃　replied　sister　Anne；　〃a　great　dust；　which　comes

on　this　side　here。〃



〃Are　they　my　brothers？〃



〃Alas！　no；　my　dear　sister；　I　see　a　flock　of　sheep。〃



〃Will　you　not　come　down？〃　cried　Blue　Beard



〃One　moment　longer；〃　said　his　wife；　and　then　she

cried　out：　〃Anne；　sister　Anne；　dost　thou　see　nobody　coming？〃



〃I　see；〃　said　she；　〃two　horsemen；　but　they　are　yet　a

great　way　off。〃



〃God　be　praised；〃　replied　the　poor　wife　joyfully；　〃they

are　my　brothers；　I　will　make　them　a　sign；　as　well　as　I

can；　for　them　to　make　haste。〃



Then　Blue　Beard　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。