Loisel turned a little pale, because he had been saving that exact amount of money to buy a gun for hunting summer, in the country near Nanterre, with a few friends. However, he said, “Very well, I can give you four hundred francs. But try and get a really beautiful dress.”
The day of the party drew near, Madame Loisel seemed sad, restless, anxious, though her dress was ready.
One evening her husband said to her, “What's the matter ? You've been acting strange these last three days.”
She replied: “I'm upset that I have no jewels, not a single stone to wear. I would rather not go to the party.”
“You could wear flowers,” he said, They are very fashionable at this time of year.”
She was not convinced.
She had a rich friend, a former schoolmate at the convent, whom she avoided visiting, because afterwards she would weep with regret, despair and misery.
The next day, Mathilde went to her friends house and told her of her distress.
Madame Foretier went to her mirrored wardrobe, took out a large box, brought it back, opened it, and said to Madame Loisel:
“Choose my dear.”
First Mathide saw some bracelets, then a pearl necklace. She tried on the jewellery in the miror.
She kept asking, “You have nothing else?”
“Why, yes. But I don't know what you like.”
Suddenly she discovered, in a black satin box, a superb pearl necklace, and her heart began to beat with uncontrolled desire. Her hand trembled as she took it. She fastened it around her neck and stood lost in ecstasy as she looked herself.
The she asked her anxiously, hesitantly, “Would you lend me this, just this? ”
“Why, yes, of course.”
She threw her arms around her friend's neck, rapturously, then fled with her treasure.
After some time time she arrived at her home.
YOU ARE READING
The necklace
HumorA girl who has over confidence that she deserves the best always get or have to go through the worst.
