After

Blue Beard had no children and no family to inherit his money and property. Everything went to his wife.

She used part of the money to help her sister Anne marry a young man who had loved her for a long time. She used another part to buy good positions in the army for her two brothers. With the rest, she married again — a kind and honest man who helped her forget the terrible time she had spent with Blue Beard.

---VOCABULARY---

**a beard** — the hair that grows on a man's face, on his cheeks, chin, and neck

**a carriage** — a vehicle pulled by horses, used for travelling before cars existed

**a wardrobe** — a large piece of furniture used for storing clothes

**furniture** — the objects in a room that you use or sit on, such as tables, chairs, beds, and cupboards

**a closet** — a small room or large cupboard, usually used for storage; here it is a secret, locked room

**forbidden** — not allowed; something you must not do

**curiosity** — the strong desire to know or see something; wanting to find out

**to forbid** — to tell someone they must not do something

**clotted blood** — blood that has dried and become thick, like a dark paste

**to beg** — to ask for something in a very emotional or desperate way

**to forgive** — to stop being angry at someone for something wrong they did

**a prayer** — words spoken to God, often to ask for help or to give thanks

**a sword** — a long, sharp metal weapon used for fighting

**a saber** — a type of heavy sword with a curved blade, used by soldiers on horseback

**cavalry** — soldiers who fight on horseback

**to inherit** — to receive money or property from someone who has died

**an heir** — a person who will receive someone's money or property when that person dies

**property** — land, houses, and other things that a person owns

---QUESTIONS---

**Chapter : The Blue-Bearded Neighbour** . Why were the two daughters afraid to marry the blue-bearded man at first? . What two reasons made him seem frightening, apart from his blue beard? . What did he do to make the younger daughter change her mind about him?

**Chapter : The Forbidden Key** . Where was the husband going, and for how long? . He gave his wife many keys. What could she open with them? . What was the one thing she was forbidden to do?

**Chapter : The Closet** . Why did the wife's friends not visit while the husband was at home? . Why did the wife leave her friends and go downstairs alone? . What did she find inside the forbidden closet? . Why could she not clean the key, even after washing it many times?

**Chapter : The Return** . How did the husband know his wife had opened the closet? . What did the husband say would happen to his wife? . What did the wife ask for before she died, and how much time did her husband give her?

**Chapter : Sister Anne** . Why did the wife ask her sister to go up to the tower? . What did Sister Anne see the first two times she looked out? . Who came at the last moment, and what did they do?

**Chapter : After** . What happened to Blue Beard's money and property after he died? . How did the wife help her sister and brothers with the money? . Blue Beard told his wife she must not open the closet, but he left her the key. Why do you think he did that? . Is the wife's curiosity understandable? Do you think she was wrong to open the door?