“ Terrified to find himself involved in darkness amidst its boundless wastes, a thousand frightful traditions connected with this dreary scene, darted across his mind---every blast, as it swept in hollow gusts over the heath, seemed to teem with the sighs of departed spirits---and the birds, as they winged their way above his head, appeared, with loud and shrill cries, to warn him of approaching danger. ”

“ Then she once more cried out, "Ann! sister, Ann! do you see any one coming?” "I see,” said her sister, "a cloud of dust a little, to the left.” "Do you think it is my brothers?” continued the wife. "Alas! no, dear sister,” replied she; "it is only a flock of sheep.” “Will you come down or not, madam?” said Blue Beard, in the greatest rage imaginable.
“Only one single moment more,” answered she. And then she called out for the last time, “Sister Ann! do you see any one coming?”
“I see,” replied her sister, “two men on horseback coming to the house; but they are still at a great distance.” ”

“ The remains of the old cottage, with its blackened walls, (haunted of course by a thousand evil spirits,) and the extensive moor, on which a more modern inn (if it can be dignified with an epithet) resembles its predecessor in every thing but the character of its inhabitants; the landlord is deformed, but possesses extraordinary genius; he has himself manufactored a violin, on which he plays with untaught skill,---and if any discord be heard in the house, or any murder committed in it, this is his only instrument. ”

“ The hoarse voices of the men, and the still louder baying of the dog, were now so near, that instant destruction seemed inevitable,---already he felt himself in their fangs, and the bloody knife of the assassin appeared to gleam before his eyes,---despair renewed his energy, and once more, in an agony of affright that seemed verging towards madness, he rushed forward so rapidly that terror seemed to have given wings to his feet. ”

“ A loud cry near the spot he had left arose on his ears without suspending his flight. The hound had stopped at the place where the Pedlar’s wounds bled so profusely, and deeming the chase now over, it lay down there, and could not be induced to proceed; in vain the men beat it with frantic violence, and tried again to put the hound on the scent,---the sight of blood had satisfied the animal that its work was done, and with dogged resolution it resisted every inducement to pursue the same scent a second time. ”

“ You have been in the closet on the ground floor: Vastly well, madam; since you are so mightily fond of this closet, you shall certainly take your place among the ladies you saw there.”
His wife, almost dead with fear, fell upon her knees; asked his pardon a thousand times for her disobedience, and entreated him to forgive her; looking all the time so very sorrowful and lovely, that she would have melted any heart that was not harder than a rock.
But Blue Beard answered; “No, no, madam; you shall die this very minute! ”

“ The boy in a frolicsome mood, thoughtlessly tapped at the window, when they all instantly started up with consternation strongly depicted on their countenances, that he shrunk back involuntarily with an undefined feeling of apprehension; but before he had time to reflect a moment longer, one of the men suddenly darted out of the door, and seizing the boy roughly by the shoulder, dragged him violently into the cottage. ”

“ Despair had a second time nearly taken possession of his soul, when he suddenly started to his feet, and turning round, to his great astonishment and joy, the light of a taper appeared to come from a pot not far distant: a few minutes’ walk brought him to he window whence the light issued, he looked in and saw several individuals busily engaged drinking round a cheerful fire. ”

“ The window-shutters being closed, she at first saw nothing; but in a short time she perceived that the floor was covered with clotted blood, on which the bodies of several dead women were lying. These were all the wives whom Blue Beard had married and murdered, one after another. She was ready to sink with fear, and the key of the closet door, which she held in her hand, fell on the floor. When she had somewhat recovered from her fright, she took it up, locked the door, and hastened to her own room, that she might have a little time to get into humour for amusing her visitors ”

“ The poor wife who was almost as dead as her husband, was unable at first to rise and, embrace her brothers. She soon, however, recovered; and as Blue Beard had no heirs, she found herself the lawful possessor of his great riches.
She employed a portion of her vast fortune in giving a marriage dowry to her sister Ann, who soon after became the wife of a young gentleman by whom she had long been beloved. ”

“ About a month after the marriage had taken place, Blue Beard told his wife that he should be obliged to leave her for a few weeks, as he had some business to do in the country. He desired her to he sure to procure herself every kind of amusement; to invite as many of her friends as she liked, and to treat them with all sorts of delicacies, that the time might pass agreeably during his absence. “Here,” said he, "are the keys of the two large wardrobes. This is the key of the great box that contains the best plate, which we use for company: this belongs to my strong box, where I keep my money ”

“ Not a person exists who would assist me in distress, or shed a single tear if I died this very night.’ ‘Then you are welcome!’ said one of the men with a sneer, while he cast a glance of peculiar expression at the other inhabitants of the cottage. ”

“ At length they came to the drawing-rooms, where their admiration and astonishment were still increased by the costly splendour of the hangings, of the sofas, the chairs, carpets, tables, girandoles, and looking-glasses, the frames of which were silver gilt, most richly ornamented, and in which they saw themselves from head to foot. ”

“ Gradually the inhabitants deserted their dwellings on the heath, and settled in distant quarters, till at length but one of the cottages continued to be inhabited by an old woman and her two sons, who loudly lamented that poverty chained them to this solitary spot. ”