[项链莫泊桑]项链莫泊桑好词好句

[项链莫泊桑]项链莫泊桑好词好句 [项链莫泊桑]项链莫泊桑好词好句 篇一 : 项链莫泊桑好词好句 光临教育部礼堂，参加晚会。” 她不像丈夫预料的那样高兴，她懊恼地将请柬丢在桌上，咕哝着: “你叫我拿着这东西怎么办呢,” “但是，亲爱的，我原以为你一定会喜欢。你从来不出门，这是一个机会，这个，一个好机会～我费了多大力气才弄到手。大家都希望得到，可是很难得到，一向很少发给职员。你在那儿可以看见所有的官员。” 他用恼怒地眼睛瞧着他，不耐烦的大声说: “你打算让我穿什么去呢,” 他没有料到这个，结结巴巴地说: “你上戏园子穿的那件衣裳，我觉得就很好，依我……”他住了口， 惊惶失措，因为看见妻子哭起来了，两颗大大的泪珠慢慢的顺着眼角流到嘴角来了。他吃吃地说: “你怎么了,你怎么了” 她费了很大的力，才抑制住悲痛，擦干那湿润的两腮，用平静的声音回答: “没有什么。只是，没有件像样的衣服，我不能参加这个晚会。你的同事，谁的妻子打扮的比我好，就把这请柬送给谁去吧。” 他难受了，接着说: “好吧，玛蒂尔德。做一身合适的衣服，你在别的场合也能穿，很朴素的，得多少钱呢,” 她想了几秒钟，合计出一个数目，考虑到这个数目可以提出来，不会招致这个俭省的书记立刻的拒绝和惊骇的叫声。 末了，她迟迟地答道: “准数呢，我不知道，不过我想，有四百法郎就可以办到。” 他的脸色有点发白了。他恰恰存着这么一笔款子，预备买一杆猎枪，好在夏季的星期天，跟几个朋友到南代尔平原打云雀。 然而他说: “就这样吧，我给你四百法郎。不过你的把这件长衣裙做得好看些。” 晚会的日子近了，但是路瓦栽夫人显得郁闷，不安，忧愁。她的衣服却做好了。她丈夫有一天晚上对她说: “你怎么了,看看，这三天来你非常奇怪。” 她回答说: “叫我发愁的是一粒珍珠，一块宝石都没有，没有什么戴的。我处处带着穷酸气，很想不去参加这个晚会。” 他说: “戴上几朵鲜花吧。在这个季节里，这是很时新的。花十个法郎，就能买两三朵别致的玫瑰。” 她还是不依。 “不成……在阔太太中间露穷酸相，再难堪也没有了。” 她丈夫大声说: “你多么傻啊～去找你的朋友佛来思节夫人，向她借几样珠宝。你跟她很有交情，这点事满可以办到。” 她发出惊喜的叫声。 “真的～我怎么没有想到这个。” 第二天，她到她的朋友家里，说起自己的烦闷。 佛来思节夫人走近她那个镶着镜子的衣柜，取出一个大匣子，拿过来打开了，对路瓦栽夫人说: “挑吧，亲爱的。” 她先看了几副镯子，又看了一挂珍珠项圈，随后又看了一个威尼斯 式的镶着珠宝的金十字架，做工非常轻巧。她在镜子前面试着这些首饰，犹豫不决，不知道该拿起哪件，放下哪件。她不断的问着: “在没有别的了吗,” “还有呢。你自己找吧，我不知道哪样合你的意。” 忽然她在一个青缎子盒子里发现一挂精美的钻石项链，她高兴的心也跳起来。她双手拿着那项链发抖。她把项链绕着脖子挂在她那长长的高领上，站在镜前对着自己的影子出神好半天。 随后，她迟疑而焦急的问: “你能借给我这件吗,我只借这一件。” “当然可以。” 她跳起来，搂住朋友的脖子，狂热的亲她，接着就带着那件珠宝跑了。 晚会的日子到了，路瓦栽夫人得到成功。她比所有的女宾都漂亮，高雅，迷人，她满脸笑容，兴高采烈。所有的男宾都注视她，打听她 的姓名，求人给介绍;部里机要处的人员都想给她跳舞，部长也注意她了。 她狂热的兴奋的跳舞，沉迷在欢乐里，什么都不想了。她陶醉于自己的美貌胜过一切女宾，陶醉于成功的光荣，陶醉在人们对她的赞美和羡妒所形成的幸福的云雾里，陶醉在妇女们锁认为最美满，最甜蜜的胜利里。 她是早晨四点钟光景离开的。她丈夫从半夜起就跟着三个男宾在一间冷落的小客室里睡着了。那时候，这三个男宾的妻子也正舞得快活。 她丈夫把那件从家里带来预备给他临走时候加穿的衣服，披在了肩上。这是件朴素的家常衣服，这件衣服的寒伧味儿跟舞会上的衣服的豪华气派不相称。她感觉到这一点，为了避免那些穿着珍贵皮衣的女人看见，就赶快逃走。 路瓦栽把她拉住，说: “等一等，你到外边要着凉的。我去叫一辆马车来。” 但是她根本不听，匆忙走下台阶。到了街上，一辆车也没有看见，他们到处找，远远的看见车夫就喊。 他们在失望中顺着塞纳河走去，冷得发抖，终于在河岸上找着一辆破马车。这种车，巴黎只有在夜间才看得见;白天，它们好像自惭形秽，不出来。 车把他们一直拉到马丁街寓所门口，他们惆怅地进了门。在她，一件大事算是完了。她丈夫呢，就想着十点钟得到部里去。 她脱下披在肩膀上的衣服，站在镜子前边，为的是趁着这荣耀的打扮还在身上，在端详一下自己。但是，她猛然喊了一声。脖子上的钻石项链没有了。 她丈夫已经脱了一半衣服，就问: “什么事情,” 她吓昏了，转身想他说: “我……我……我丢了佛来思节夫人的项链了。” 他惊慌失措的直起身子，说: “什么～……怎么了～……哪儿会有这样的事情～” 他们在长衣裙里，大衣褶里寻找，在所有口袋里寻找，竟没有找到。 他问:你确实相信离开舞会的时候它还在吗,” “是的，在教育部走廊上我还摸过它呢。” “但是，如果是在街上丢的，我们总听得见声响。一定是丢在车里了。” “是的，很可能。你记的车的号码吗,” “不记得，你呢，你注意吗,” “没有。” 他们惊惶地面面相觑。末后，路瓦栽重新穿好衣服。 “我去，”他说，“把我们走过的路再走一遍，看看会不会找着。” 他出去了。她穿着那件参加舞会的衣服，连上床睡觉的力气也没有， 只是倒在一把椅子里发呆，一点精神也提不起来，什么也不想。 七点钟光景，丈夫回来了。什么也没找着。 后来，他到警察厅去，到各报馆去，悬赏招寻，也到所有车行里去找。总之，凡有一线希望的地方，他都去过了。 他面对着这不幸的灾祸，整天的等候着，整天的在惊慌的状态里。 晚上，路瓦栽待着瘦削苍白的脸回来了，一无所得。 “应该给你的朋友写信，”他说，“说你把项链的搭构弄坏了，正在修理。这样，我们才有周转的时间。” 她照他说的写了封信。 过了一个和星期，他们所有的希望都断绝了。 路瓦栽，好象老了五年，他决然说: “应该想办法赔偿这件首饰了。” 第二天，他们拿了盛项链的盒子，照着盒子上的招牌字号找到那家珠宝店。老板查看了许多账簿，说: “太太，这挂项链不是我们卖出去的;我只卖出这个盒子。” 于是他们就从这家珠宝店到那家珠宝店，凭着记忆去找一挂同样的项链。两个人都愁苦不堪，差点就病倒了。 在皇宫街一家铺子里，他们看见一挂钻石项链，正跟他们找的那一挂一样，标价四万法郎。老板让了价，只要三万六千。 他们恳求老板，三天之内不要卖出去。他们又订了约，如果原来那一挂在二月底以前找着，那么老板就可以拿三万四千收回这一挂。 路瓦栽现有父亲遗留给他一万八千法郎。其余的，他得去借。 他开始借钱了。向这个借五百法郎，从那儿借五个路易?，从那儿借三个路易。他签了好些债券，订了好些使他破产的契约。他给许多放高利贷的人和各种不同国籍的放债人打交道。他顾不得后半世的生活了，冒险到处签着名，却不知道能不能保持信用。未来的苦恼，将要压在身上的残酷的贫困，肉体的苦楚，精神的折磨，在一切威胁之下，他把三万六千法郎放在商店的柜台上，取来那挂新的项链。 路瓦栽夫人送还相连的时候，佛来思节夫人带着一种不满意的神情对她说: “你应该早一点还我，也许我早就要用它了。” 佛来思节夫人没有打开盒子。她的朋友正担心她打开盒子。如果他发觉是件替代品，她会怎样想呢,会怎样说呢,她不会把自己的朋友当成一个贼吗, 路瓦栽夫人懂得穷人的艰苦生活了。她一下子显出了英雄气概，毅然决然打定了主意。他要偿还这笔可怕的债务。她便设法偿还。她辞退了女仆，迁移了住所，租赁了一个小阁楼住下。 她懂得家里的一切粗苯活儿和厨房里的讨厌的杂事了。她刷洗杯盘碗碟，在那油腻的盆沿上和锅底上磨粗了她那粉嫩的手指。她用肥皂洗衣服，洗抹布，凉在绳子上。每天早晨，她把垃圾从楼上提到街上，再把水从楼下提到楼上，走上一层楼，就站住喘气。她穿得像一个穷苦的女人,胳膊上跨着篮子,到水果店里,杂货店里,肉铺店里,争价钱,受嘲骂,一个铜子一个铜子地节省她那艰难的钱.。 月月都得还一批旧债,借一些新债,这样来延缓清偿的时日。 她丈夫一到晚上就给一个商人誊写账目，常常到了深夜还在抄写五个铜子一页的书稿。 这样的生活继续了十年。 第十年底，债都还清了，连那高额的利息和利上加利滚成的数目都还清了。 路瓦栽夫人现在显得老了。她成了一个穷苦人家的粗壮耐劳的妇女了。她胡乱的挽起头发，歪斜地系着裙子，露出一双通红的手，高声大气地说着话，用大桶的水刷洗地板。但是有时候，她丈夫办公去了，她一个人坐在窗前，就会想起当年那个舞会来，那个晚上，她多么美丽，多么使人倾倒啊～ 要是那时候没有丢掉那挂项链，她现在是怎样的一种境况呢,谁知道呢,谁知道呢,人生是多么奇怪，多么变幻无常啊，极细小的一件事就可以败坏你，也可以成全你～ 有一个星期天，她到极乐公园走走，舒散一星期的疲劳。这时候，她忽然看见一个妇人领着一个孩子在散步。原来是佛来思节夫人，她依旧年轻，依旧美丽动人。 路瓦栽夫人无限感慨。她要上前去跟佛来思节夫人说话吗,当然，一定得去。而且现在她把债都还清，她可以告诉她了。为什么不呢, 她走上前去。 “你好，珍妮。” 那一个竟一点也不认识她了。一个平民妇人这样亲昵地叫她，她非常惊讶。她磕磕巴巴地说: “可是……太太……我不知道……你一定是认错了。” “没有错。我是玛蒂尔德?路瓦栽。” 她的朋友叫了一声: “啊!……我可怜的玛蒂尔德，你怎么变成这样了～……” “是的，多年不见面啦，这些年来我忍受着许多苦楚……而且都是因为你!……” “因为我,……这是怎么讲的,” “你一定记得你借给我的那挂项链吧，我戴了去参加教育部晚会的那挂。” “记得。怎么样呢,” “怎么样,我把它丢了。” “哪儿的话～你已经还给我了。” “我还给你的是另一挂，跟你那挂完全相同。你瞧，我们花了十年功夫，才付清它的代价。你知道，对于我们这样什么也没有的人，这可不是容易的啊～……不过事情到底了结了，我倒很高兴了。” 佛来思节夫人停下脚步，说: “你是说你买了一挂钻石项链赔给我吗,” “对呀。你当时没有看出来,简直是一摸一样啊。” 于是她带着天真的得意的神情笑了。 佛来思节夫人感动极了，抓住她的双手，说: “唉～我可怜的马蒂尔德～可是我那一挂是假的，至多值五百法 郎～……”篇三 : 《项链》莫泊桑 Guy deMaupassant She was one of thosepretty and charming girls born, as though fate had blundered overher, into a family of artisans. She had no marriage portion, noexpectations, no means of getting known, understood, loved, andwedded by a man of wealth and distinction; and she let herself bemarried off to a little clerk in the Ministry of Education. Hertastes were simple because she had never been able to afford anyother, but she was as unhappy as though she had married beneathher; for women have no caste or class, their beauty, grace, andcharm serving them for birth or family, their natural delicacy,their instinctive elegance, their nimbleness of wit, are their onlymark of rank, and put the slum girl on a level with the highestlady in the land. Shesuffered endlessly, feeling herself born for every delicacy andluxury. She suffered from the poorness of her house, from its meanwalls, worn chairs, and ugly curtains. All these things, of whichother women of her class would not even have been aware, tormentedand insulted her. The sight of the little Breton girl who came todo the work in her little house aroused heart-broken regrets andhopeless dreams in her mind. She imagined silent antechambers,heavy with Oriental tapestries, lit by torches in lofty bronzesockets, with two tall footmen in knee-breeches sleeping in largearm-chairs, overcome by the heavy warmth of the stove. She imaginedvast saloons hung with antique silks, exquisite pieces of furnituresupporting priceless ornaments, and small, charming, perfumedrooms, created just for little parties of intimate friends, men whowere famous and sought after, whose homage roused every otherwoman’s envious longings. Whenshe sat down for dinner at the round table covered with athree-days-old cloth, opposite her husband, who took the cover offthe soup-tureen, exclaiming delightedly: “Aha! Scotch broth! Whatcould be better?” she imagined delicate meals, gleaming silver,tapestries peopling the walls with folk of a past age and strangebirds in faery forests; she imagined delicate food served inmarvellous dishes, murmured gallantries, listened to with aninscrutable smile as one trifled with the rosy flesh of trout orwings of asparagus chicken. Shehad no clothes, no jewels, nothing. And these were the only thingsshe loved; she felt that she was made for them. She had longed soeagerly to charm, to be desired, to be wildly attractive and soughtafter. Shehad a rich friend, an old school friend whom she refused to visit,because she suffered so keenly when she returned home. She wouldweep whole days, with grief, regret, despair, and misery. * One evening her husband came home with an exultant air, holding alarge envelope in his hand. “Here’ssomething for you,” he said. Swiftlyshe tore the paper and drew out a printed card on which were thesewords: “TheMinister of Education and Madame Ramponneau request the pleasure ofthe company of Monsieur and Madame Loisel at the Ministry on theevening of Monday, January the 18th.” Insteadof being delighted, as her husband hoped, she flung the invitationpetulantly across the table, murmuring: “Whatdo you want me to do with this?” “Why,darling, I thought you’d be pleased. You never go out, and this isa great occasion. I had tremendous trouble to get it. Every onewants one; it’s very select, and very few go to the clerks. You’llsee all the really big people there.” Shelooked at him out of furious eyes, and said impatiently: “And whatdo you suppose I am to wear at such an affair?” Hehad not thought about it; he stammered: “Why,the dress you go to the theatre in. It looks very nice, to me . ..” Hestopped, stupefied and utterly at a loss when he saw that his wifewas beginning to cry. Two large tears ran slowly down from thecorners of her eyes towards the corners of her mouth. “What’sthe matter with you? What’s the matter with you?” hefaltered. Butwith a violent effort she overcame her grief and replied in a calmvoice, wiping her wet cheeks: “Nothing.Only I haven’t a dress and so I can’t go to this party. Give yourinvitation to some friend of yours whose wife will be turned outbetter than I shall.” Hewas heart-broken. “Lookhere, Mathilde,” he persisted. “What would be the cost of asuitable dress, which you could use on other occasions as well,something very simple?” Shethought for several seconds, reckoning up prices and also wonderingfor how large a sum she could ask without bringing upon herself animmediate refusal and an exclamation of horror from thecareful-minded clerk. Atlast she replied with some hesitation: “Idon’t know exactly, but I think I could do it on four hundredfrancs.” Hegrew slightly pale, for this was exactly the amount he had beensaving for a gun, intending to get a little shooting next summer onthe plain of Nanterre with some friends who went lark-shootingthere on Sundays. Neverthelesshe said: “Very well. I’ll give you four hundred francs. But try andget a really nice dress with the money.” Theday of the party drew near, and Madame Loisel seemed sad, uneasyand anxious. Her dress was ready, however. One evening her husbandsaid to her: “What’sthe matter with you? You’ve been very odd for the last threedays.” “I’mutterly miserable at not having any jewels, not a single stone, towear,” she replied. “I shall look absolutely no one. I would almostrather not go to the party.” “Wearflowers,” he said. “They’re very smart at this time of the year.For ten francs you could get two or three gorgeous roses.” Shewas not convinced. “No. . . there’s nothing so humiliating as looking poor in the middleof a lot of rich women.” “Howstupid you are!” exclaimed her husband. “Go and see MadameForestier and ask her to lend you some jewels. You know her quitewell enough for that.” Sheuttered a cry of delight. “That’strue. I never thought of it.” Nextday she went to see her friend and told her her trouble. MadameForestier went to her dressing-table, took up a large box, broughtit to Madame Loisel, opened it, and said: “Choose,my dear.” Firstshe saw some bracelets, then a pearl necklace, then a Venetiancross in gold and gems, of exquisite workmanship. She tried theeffect of the jewels before the mirror, hesitating, unable to makeup her mind to leave them, to give them up. She kept onasking: “Haven’tyou anything else?” “Yes.Look for yourself. I don’t know what you would like best.” Suddenlyshe discovered, in a black satin case, a superb diamond necklace;her heart began to beat covetously. Her hands trembled as shelifted it. She fastened it round her neck, upon her high dress, andremained in ecstasy at sight of herself. Then,with hesitation, she asked in anguish: “Couldyou lend me this, just this alone?” “Yes,of course.” Sheflung herself on her friend’s breast, embraced her frenziedly, andwent away with her treasure. The day of the party arrived. MadameLoisel was a success. She was the prettiest woman present, elegant,graceful, smiling, and quite above herself with happiness. All themen stared at her, inquired her name, and asked to be introduced toher. All the Under-Secretaries of State were eager to waltz withher. The Minister noticed her. Shedanced madly, ecstatically, drunk with pleasure, with no thoughtfor anything, in the triumph of her beauty, in the pride of hersuccess, in a cloud of happiness made up of this universal homageand admiration, of the desires she had aroused, of the completenessof a victory so dear to her feminine heart. Sheleft about four o’clock in the morning. Since midnight her husbandhad been dozing in a deserted little room, in company with threeother men whose wives were having a good time. He threw over hershoulders the garments he had brought for them to go home in,modest everyday clothes, whose poverty clashed with the beauty ofthe ball-dress. She was conscious of this and was anxious to hurryaway, so that she should not be noticed by the other women puttingon their costly furs. Loiselrestrained her. “Waita little. You’ll catch cold in the open. I’m going to fetch acab.” Butshe did not listen to him and rapidly descended the staircase. Whenthey were out in the street they could not find a cab; they beganto look for one, shouting at the drivers whom they saw passing inthe distance. Theywalked down towards the Seine, desperate and shivering. At lastthey found on the quay one of those old nightprowling carriageswhich are only to be seen in Paris after dark, as though they wereashamed of their shabbiness in the daylight. Itbrought them to their door in the Rue des Martyrs, and sadly theywalked up to their own apartment. It was the end, for her. As forhim, he was thinking that he must be at the office at ten. Shetook off the garments in which she had wrapped her shoulders, so asto see herself in all her glory before the mirror. But suddenly sheuttered a cry. The necklace was no longer round her neck! “What’sthe matter with you?” asked her husband, already halfundressed. Sheturned towards him in the utmost distress. “I. . . I . . . I’ve no longer got Madame Forestier’s necklace. . ..” Hestarted with astonishment. “What!. . . Impossible!” Theysearched in the folds of her dress, in the folds of the coat, inthe pockets, everywhere. They could not find it. “Areyou sure that you still had it on when you came away from theball?” he asked. “Yes,I touched it in the hall at the Ministry.” “Butif you had lost it in the street, we should have heard itfall.” “Yes.Probably we should. Did you take the number of the cab?” “No.You didn’t notice it, did you?” “No.” Theystared at one another, dumbfounded. At last Loisel put on hisclothes again. “I’llgo over all the ground we walked,” he said, “and see if I can’tfind it.” Andhe went out. She remained in her evening clothes, lacking strengthto get into bed, huddled on a chair, without volition or power ofthought. Herhusband returned about seven. He had found nothing. Hewent to the police station, to the newspapers, to offer a reward,to the cab companies, everywhere that a ray of hope impelledhim. Shewaited all day long, in the same state of bewilderment at thisfearful catastrophe. Loiselcame home at night, his face lined and pale; he had discoverednothing. “Youmust write to your friend,” he said, “and tell her that you’vebroken the clasp of her necklace and are getting it mended. Thatwill give us time to look about us.” Shewrote at his dictation. * By the end of a week they had lost all hope. Loisel,who had aged five years, declared: “Wemust see about replacing the diamonds.” Nextday they took the box which had held the necklace and went to thejewellers whose name was inside. He consulted his books. “Itwas not I who sold this necklace, Madame; I must have merelysupplied the clasp.” Thenthey went from jeweller to jeweller, searching for another necklacelike the first, consulting their memories, both ill with remorseand anguish of mind. Ina shop at the Palais-Royal they found a string of diamonds whichseemed to them exactly like the one they were looking for. It wasworth forty thousand francs. They were allowed to have it forthirty-six thousand. Theybegged the jeweller not to sell it for three days. And theyarranged matters on the understanding that it would be taken backfor thirty-four thousand francs, if the first one were found beforethe end of February. Loiselpossessed eighteen thousand francs left to him by his father. Heintended to borrow the rest. Hedid borrow it, getting a thousand from one man, five hundred fromanother, five louis here, three louis there. He gave notes of hand,entered into ruinous agreements, did business with usurers and thewhole tribe of money-lenders. He mortgaged the whole remainingyears of his existence, risked his signature without even knowingif he could honour it, and, appalled at the agonising face of thefuture, at the black misery about to fall upon him, at the prospectof every possible physical privation and moral torture, he went toget the new necklace and put down upon the jeweller’s counterthirty-six thousand francs. WhenMadame Loisel took back the necklace to Madame Forestier, thelatter said to her in a chilly voice: “Youought to have brought it back sooner; I might have neededit.” Shedid not, as her friend had feared, open the case. If she hadnoticed the substitution, what would she have thought? What wouldshe have said? Would she not have taken her for a thief? * Madame Loisel came to know the ghastly life of abject poverty. Fromthe very first she played her part heroically. This fearful debtmust be paid off. She would pay it. The servant was dismissed. Theychanged their flat; they took a garret under the roof. Shecame to know the heavy work of the house, the hateful duties of thekitchen. She washed the plates, wearing out her pink nails on thecoarse pottery and the bottoms of pans. She washed the dirty linen,the shirts and dish-cloths, and hung them out to dry on a string;every morning she took the dustbin down into the street and carriedup the water, stopping on each landing to get her breath. And, cladlike a poor woman, she went to the fruiterer, to the grocer, to thebutcher, a basket on her arm, haggling, insulted, fighting forevery wretched halfpenny of her money. Everymonth notes had to be paid off, others renewed, time gained. Herhusband worked in the evenings at putting straight a merchant’saccounts, and often at night he did copying at twopence-halfpenny apage. Andthis life lasted ten years. Atthe end of ten years everything was paid off, everything, theusurer’s charges and the accumulation of superimposedinterest. MadameLoisel looked old now. She had become like all the other strong,hard, coarse women of poor households. Her hair was badly done, herskirts were awry, her hands were red. She spoke in a shrill voice,and the water slopped all over the floor when she scrubbed it. Butsometimes, when her husband was at the office, she sat down by thewindow and thought of that evening long ago, of the ball at whichshe had been so beautiful and so much admired. Whatwould have happened if she had never lost those jewels. Who knows?Who knows? How strange life is, how fickle! How little is needed toruin or to save! OneSunday, as she had gone for a walk along the Champs-Elysees tofreshen herself after the labours of the week, she caught sightsuddenly of a woman who was taking a child out for a walk. It wasMadame Forestier, still young, still beautiful, stillattractive. MadameLoisel was conscious of some emotion. Should she speak to her? Yes,certainly. And now that she had paid, she would tell her all. Whynot? Shewent up to her. “Goodmorning, Jeanne.” Theother did not recognise her, and was surprised at being thusfamiliarly addressed by a poor woman. “But. . . Madame . . .” she stammered. “I don’t know . . . you must bemaking a mistake.” “No. . . I am Mathilde Loisel.” Herfriend uttered a cry. “Oh!. . . my poor Mathilde, how you have changed! . . .” “Yes,I’ve had some hard times since I saw you last; and many sorrows . .. and all on your account.” “Onmy account! . . . How was that?” “Youremember the diamond necklace you lent me for the ball at theMinistry?” “Yes.Well?” “Well,I lost it.” “Howcould you? Why, you brought it back.” “Ibrought you another one just like it. And for the last ten years wehave been paying for it. You realise it wasn’t easy for us; we hadno money. . . . Well, it’s paid for at last, and I’m gladindeed.” MadameForestier had halted. “Yousay you bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?” “Yes.You hadn’t noticed it? They were very much alike.” Andshe smiled in proud and innocent happiness. MadameForestier, deeply moved, took her two hands. “Oh,my poor Mathilde! But mine was imitation. It was worth at the verymost five hundred francs! . . . “