项链 The Necklace(第1页)
项链TheNecklace
居伊·德·莫泊桑GuydeMaupassant
Shewasohoseprettyandggirlsborn,asthoughfatehadblunderedoverher,intoafamilyofartisans。Shehadneportioions,nomeaingkood,loved,andweddedbyamahanddistindsheletherselfbemarriedofftoalittletheMinistryofEdu。
&esweresimplebecauseshehadoaffordasheyasthoughshehadmarriedbehher;forwomeeorclass,theirbeauty,gradcharmservingthemforbirthorfamily。Theirheirinstiheir,aretheironlymarkofrank,andputtheslumgirlohehighestladyintheland。
Shesufferedendlessly,feelingherselfbornforeverydelidluxury。Shesufferedfromthepoornessofherhouse,fromitsmeanwalls,wlys。Allthesethings,ofwhienofherclasswouldnotevenhavebeeedahesightofthelittleBretongirlwhocametodotheworkilehousearousedheart-brretsandhopelessdreamsinhermind。Sheimagiechambers,heavywithorieries,litbytorloftybrohtwofallfootmeninknee-breechessleepinginlargearm-ebytheheavywarmthofthestove。Sheimagisaloonshungwithantiquesilks,exquisitepiecesoffuringprients,andsmall,g,perfumedrooms,createdjustforlittlepartiesofintimatefriends,menwhowerefamousandsoughtafter,whosehomagerousedeveryotherwoman'senviouslongings。
&downfordiheroundtablecoveredwithathree-day-oldcloth,oppositeherhusband,whotookthecoveroffthesoup-tureen,exgdelightedly,"Aha!Scotchbroth!Whatcouldbebetter?"sheimagiemeals,gleamiriespeoplingthewallswithfolkofapastageandstrangebirdsis;sheimagiefoodservedinmarvellousdishes,murmuredgallaehaninscrutablesmileasoherosyfleshoftrsus。
Shehadnoojewels,nothing。Aheonlythingssheloved;shefeltthatshewasmadeforthem。Shehadloocharm,tobedesired,tobewildlyattradsoughtafter。
Shehadarid,anoldschoolfriendwhomsherefusedtovisit,becauseshesufferedsokeeurnedhome。Sheholedays,withgrief,regret,despair,andmisery。
Oneeveningherhusbahaair,holdingalargeenvelopeinhishand。
"Here'ssomethingforyou。"hesaid。
Swiftlyshetorethepaperaaprintedwhichwerethesewords:
&erofEduadameRampohepleasureoftheonsieurandMadameLoiselattheMinistryontheeveningofMonday,Jah。
Insteadofbeied,asherhusbandhoped,shefluiolyacrossthetable,murmuring:
"Whatdoyouwaodowiththis?"
"Why,darling,Ithoughtyou'dbepleased。Yoout,andthisisagreato。Ihadtremendoustroubletogetit。Everyoso'sveryseledveryfewgototheclerks。You'llseeallthereallybigpeoplethere。"
Shelookedathimoutoffuriouseyes,andsaidimpatiently:"AndwhatdoyousupposeIamtowearatsuaffair?"
&thoughtaboutit;hestammered:
"Why,thedressyougotothetheatrein。Itlooksveryome。。。"
&opped,stupefiedaalosswhehiswifewasbeginningtocry。Twetearsranslowlydownfromtheersofhereyestowardstheouth。
"What'sthematterwithyou?What'sthematterwithyou?"hefaltered。
Butwithaviolesheovercamehergriefandrepliedinacalmvoigherwetcheeks:
"Nothing。OadressandsoI'tgotiveyourinvitationtosomefriendofyoursillbeturhanIshall。"
Hewasheart-broken。
"Lookhere,Mathilde,"hepersisted。"Whatwouldbethecostofasuitabledress,whichyoucoulduseonotherosaswell,somethingverysimple?"
&forseveralseds,reguppridalsfeasumshecouldaskwithuponherselfaerefusalaionofhorrorfromthecareful-mindedclerk。
Atlastsherepliedwithsomehesitation:
"Idon'tkly,butIthinkIcoulddoitonfourhundredfrancs。"
Hegrewslightlypale,forthiswasexactlytheamounthehadbeensavingfuogetalittleshootisummerontheplaihsomefrielark-shootingthereonSundays。
&helesshesaid,"Verywell。I'llgiveyoufourhundredfrancs。Buttryaareallyhemo;
&hepartydrewnear,andMadameLoiselseemedsad,uneasyandanxious。Herdresswasready,however。Oneeveningherhusbandsaidtoher:
"What'sthematterwithyou?You'vebeenveryoddforthelastthreedays。"
"I'mutterlymiserableatnothaviasiowear,"shereplied。"Ishalllookabsolutelynoone。Iwouldalmototheparty。"
"Wearflowers,"hesaid。"They'reverysmartatthistimeoftheyear。Fortenfrancsyoucouldgettweousroses。"
&ced。
"No。。。there'snothingsohumiliatingaslookingpoorinthemiddleofalotofrien。"
"Howstupidyouare!"exclaimedherhusband,"GoandseeMadameForestieraolendyousomejewels。Youkewellenoughforthat。"
&eredacryofdelight。"That'strue。Iofit。"