第3章 The Necklace（第3页）

&heytooktheboxwhichhadheldthetothejewellerswhosenamewasiedhisbooks。

"ItwasnotIwhosoldthisnecklace，Madame;Imusthavemerelysuppliedtheclasp。"

&heyweojeweller，seargforanotherhefirst，gtheirmemories，bothillwithremorseandanguishofmind。

InashopatthePalais-Royaltheyfofdiamondswhichseemedtothemexactlyliketheoheywerelookingfor。Itwasworthfortythousandfrancs。Theywereallowedtohaveitforthirty-sixthousand。

Theybeggedthejewellerforthreedays。Andtheyarraheuandingthatitwouldbetakenbackforthirty-fourthousandfraonewerefouheendofFebruary。

Loiselpossessedeighteenthousandfraohimbyhisfather。Heioborrowtherest。Hedidbettingathousandfromoneman，fivehundredfromanother，fivelouishere，threelavenotesofhareements，didbusihusurersaribeofmoney-legagedthewhyearsofhisexistence，riskedhissigevenknowingifheourit，aheagonisihefuture，attheblackmiseryabouttofalluponhim，attheprospectofeverypossiblephysicalprivationandmoraltorture，heweheneutdownuponthejeos;sterthirty-sixthousandfrancs。

WheookbaeeForestier，thelattersaidtoherinachillyvoice:

"Yououghtthtitbaighthave。"

&，asherfriendhadfeared，openthecase。Ifshehadhesubstitution，whatwouldshehavethought?Whatwouldshehavesaid?Wouldsheakehief?

MadameLoiselowtheghastlylifeofabjectpoverty。Fromtheveryfirstsheplayedherpartheroically。Thisfearfuldebtmustbepaidoff。Shewouldpayit。Theservantwasdismissed。Theygedtheirflat;theytookagarretuheroof。

&oknowtheheavyworkofthehouse，thehatefuldutiesofthekit。Shewashedtheplates，wearingoutherpinknailsonthecoursepotteryaomsofpahedirtylisanddish-dhuodry;everymshetookthedustbindowaheingoneagtogetherbreath。And，cladlikeapoorwomahefruiterer，tothegrocer，tothebutcher，abasketliichedhalfpennyofhermohobepaidoff，othersreimegained。

Herhusbaheeveningsatputtingstraightamert'sadoftenatnighthedidgattwo-pennyapage。

Andthislifelastedtenyears。

Attheendoftehingaid，theusurer&apesandtheacofsuperimposedi。

MadameLoisellookedoldnow。Shehadbeelikeallthe，hard，enofpoorhouseholds。Herhairwasbadlydoswereawry，herhandswerered。Shespokeinashrillvoidtheedalloverthefloorwhenshescrubbedit。Butsometimes，whenherhusbandwasattheoffice，shesatdownbythewindowandthoughtofthateveninglongago，oftheballatwhichshehadbeeifulandsomuchadmired。

Whatenedifshehadhosejes?strangelifeis，howfickle!Howlittleisoruinortosave!

OneSunday，asshehadgoneforawalkalongtheChamps-Elyseestofresheerthelaboursoftheweek，shecaughtsightsuddenlyofaastakingachildoutforawalk。ItwasMadameForestier，stillyoung，stillbeautiful，stillattractive。

MadameLoiselwaseemotion。Shouldshespeaktoher?Yes，ly。Andnowthatshehadpaid，shewouldtellherall。Whynot?

&uptoher。

"G，Jea;

&herdidnniseher，andrisedatbeingthusfamiliarlyaddressedbyapoor>

"But。。。Madame。。。"shestammered。"Idon'tknow。。。youmustbemakingamistake。"

"No。。。IamMathildeLoisel。"

Herfriendutteredacry。

"Oh!。。。mypoorMathilde，howyouhaveged!"

"Yes，I'vehadsomehardtimessinceIsawyoulast;andmanysorrows。。。andallonyourat。"

"Onmyat!。。。Howwasthat?"

"YourememberthediamondmefortheballattheMinistry?"

"Yes。Well?"

"Well，Ilostit。"

"Howcouldyou?Why，yhtitback。"

&quhtyoualikeit。Aenyearsayingforit。Yourealiseitos;teasyforus;wehadnomo'spaidforatlast，andI'mgladi;MadameForestierhadhalted。

"Yousayyouboughtadiamooreplae?"

"Yes。Youhadn'theywereverymuchalike。"

Andshesmiledinproudahappiness。

MadameForestier，deeplymoved，tookhert>

"Oh，mypoorMathilde!Butmiation。Itwasworthattheverymostfivehundredfrancs!。。。"