项链 The Necklace（第2页）

&dayshewenttoseeherfriendarouble。

MadameForestierwentt-table，tookupalargebhtittoMadameLoisel，ope，andsaid:

"ydear。"

Firstshesawsomebracelets，thenapearlheiangoldandgems，ofexquisite。Shetriedtheeffectofthejewelsbeforethemirror，hesitatiomakeuphermihem，togivethemup。Shekeptonasking:

"Haven'tyoua;

"Yes。Lookforyourself。Idon'tknoouldlikebest。"

Suddenlyshediscovered，inablacase，asuperbdiamondnecklace;herheartbegaously。Herhandstrembledassheliftedit。Shefasteroundherneherhighdress，aasyatsightofherself。

&hhesitation，sheaskedinanguish:

"ethis，justthisalo;

"Yes，ofcourse。"

Sheflungherselfonherfriend'sbreast，embracedherfrenziedly，aawaywithhertreasure。

&hepartyarrived。MadameLoiselwasasuccess。Sherettiestrese，graceful，smiling，andquiteaboveherselfihemeher，inquiredhername，aobeioher。AlltheUariesofStatewereeagertowaltzwithher。TheMiicedher。

Shedancedmadly，ecstatically，drunkwithpleasure，withnoth，iriumphofherbeauty，intheprideofhersuacloudofhappihisuniversalhomageandadmiration，ofthedesiresshehadaroused，ofthepletenessofavictorysodeartoherfemi。

&aboutfouro'them。Siherhusbandhadbeendoziedlittleroom，inpanywiththreeothermenerehavingagoodtime。Hethrewoverhersharmentshehadbroughtforthemtogohomeieverydayclothes，whosepovertyclashedwiththebeautyoftheball-dress。Shewassciousofthisandwasanxioustohurryaway，sothatsheshouldicedbytheotherwomenputtilyfurs。

&rainedher。

"Waitalittle。You'llcattheopen。I'mgoichacab。"

Butshedidohimandrapidlydesdedthestairtheywereoutiheyotfindacab;theybegantolookforoingatthedriverswhomtheysawpassiance。

TheyardstheSeiealasttheyfoundonthequayohoseoldnight-preswhilytobeseeninParisafterdark，asthoughtheywereashamedoftheirshabbihedaylight。

Itbroughtthemtotheirdooriyrs，andsadlytheytotheiroartment。Itwastheend，forher。Asforhim，hewasthinkibeattheoffi。

&ookoffthegarmentsinwhichshehadedhershoulders，soastoseeherselfinallherglorybeforethemirror。Butsuddeeredaecklaolongerroundherneck!

"What'sthematterwithyou?"askedherhusband，alreadyhalfundressed。

&owardshimidistress。

"I。。。I。。。I'veMadameForestier'snecklace…”

&edwithasto。

"ossible!"

Theysearthefoldsofherdress，inthefoldsofherthepockets，everywhere。Theyotfindit。

"Areyousurethatyoustillhaditonwhenyoucameawayfromtheball?"heasked。

"Yes，ItouthehallattheMinistry。"

"Butifyouhadlostiti，weshouldhavehearditfall。"

"Yes。Probablyweshould。Didyoutakethehecab?"

"No。Youdidn't，didyou?"

"No。"

&aredatoher，dumbfoulastLoiselputonhisclothesagain。

"I'llgooverallthegroundwewalked，"hesaid，"andseeifIdit。"

A。Sheremainedihes，lagstreobed，huddledonachair，withoutvolitiohought。

Herhusbaseven。Hehadfoundnothing。

&hepoli，totheoofferareward，tothepahatarayofhopeimpelledhim。

&edalldayloateofbewildermentatthisfearfulcatastrophe。