when the door flew open in an instant, and discovered such a dismal scene, that Fatima instantly fainted away, the walls were lined with the skeletons, and the floor was strewed with the limbs of the dead wives the cruel Blue Beard had already murdered, which were swimming in their blood, into which, when Fatima fainted, she dropt the key. At one end of this dismal room stood the figure of death holding a dart, and over him was wrote, in characters of blood, The punishment of curiosity. 'Mercy on me!' said Fatima, as soon as she recovered, 'what will become of me. Abomelique will surely find me out, and no doubt serve me as he has done the poor creatures we have just seen.'

'Come, dear sister,' said Irene, 'let us get away, I am very sorry I persuaded you to open the door;'—'Where is the key gone,' says Fatima, ''tis not in the door?' 'Perhaps it is dropt,' says Irene; and so it was sure enough, and what was worse, into the blood: she took it up, locked the door, and wiped the blood from off her hands, but in spite of all they could do, they could not wipe it from the key. Now you must know this key was the gift of a fairy to Blue Beard; and when poor Fatima found she could not clean it, she cried bitterly, and Irene could not help crying too. 'You know, my dear, 'tis a saying, one trouble seldom comes alone;' and that was the case now; for while they were thinking what they should do, a black slave entered to tell them Abomelique was returned, and expected them in the grand saloon. This was terrible news for Fatima, who gave herself up for lost; however, go she must.

'Now as they were going,' Fatima says to Irene, 'my dear sister, yesterday I wrote to Selim, and as I make no doubt but he received the letter, this day I hoped to see him; pray do you go to the top of the tower, and if he should be coming, beckon him with your handkerchief to make haste.' Away went Irene with a heavy heart; while Fatima, with a heavier one, went to meet Blue Beard; who, as soon as he saw her, cried out, 'Well Madam, how have you entertained yourself? don't you think there are sights in the Castle worth looking at?' 'Yes,' replied Fatima, sighing, 'there are indeed!'—'But why sigh, my love!' says Blue Beard, 'I hope you have not broke the order I gave you; come, give me the keys.' Poor Fatima with an aching heart, put her hand into her pocket, and pulling out the keys, gave them to him with a trembling hand.

Blue Beard was afraid something had happened by her trembling; he no sooner saw the blood on the key of the chamber he forbid her to enter, than his countenance changed, and he roared out in a voice like thunder, 'Ah! wretch, I see what you have been at; you have seen my former wives, who have forfeited their lives by their curiosity, and you shall now go and lay among them.'

So saying he seized her by the hair of her head: when, falling on her knees, she besought him to spare her life; but he was a monster not to be moved. When she found he was determined to kill her, she begged him to grant her a little time to say her prayers. He bid her go, but not be long or he would fetch her.

Getting up into her chamber, she called for her sister, and asked her if she saw any thing. 'No, dear sister,' said Irene, 'nothing but the dreary common and the sky.' 'Are you most done?' said Blue Beard; 'yes,' cried Fatima; when calling again to Irene, she said, 'sister, what do you see?' 'Nothing, dear sister, but a flock of sheep.' 'Are you not a coming?' said Blue Beard, in a surlier voice than before; 'yes directly,' said Fatima; when calling to her sister, she asked her if she saw nothing? 'yes,' cried