Text A The Jewels of M Lantin（第1页）

TextATheJewelsofM。Lantin

GuydeMaupassant

TranslatedbyRoodman

[1]M。Lantin，havihisyoungladyatapartygivenbyhisimmediatesuperior，wasliterallyenmeshedbylove。

[2]Shewasthedaughterofaprovincialtaxcollectorwhohadbeendeadseveralyears。Withhermother，shehadetoParis。Hermotherbedlywithseveralmiddle-classfamiliesoftheneighborhoodinhopesofftheyounglady。Mhterwerepoor，hoahegirlseemedtobethetypicaldreamwomanintowhosehandsanyyoungmaoentrusthisentirelife。Hermodestbeautyhadanangelicquality，andtheimperceptiblesmilewhitlygracedherlips，seemedarefleofherheart。

[3]Everyonesangherpraises;everyonewhokedily:“Itwillbealuckyfelloinsher。You’tfich!”

[4]M。Lantin，nowchiefiheIasalaryof3500francs，askedandreceivedherhandinmarriage。

[5]Hewasunbelievablyhappy。Shemahehousewithsuchskillthattheirlifewasoneofluxury。Therewasnodeliofherhusband’swhichshedidisfy;andherpersonalcharmwassuchthat，sixyearsaftertheirfirstmeeting，helovedherevehaially。

[6]Hebegrudgedheronlytwotraits—herloveofthetheaterandherpassionforartificialjewels。

[7]Herfriehewivesofseveralminorfunaries）werealwaysgettihefashionableplays，sometimesevenfhts;andshedraggedherpoorhusband，willy-nilly，totheseeswhipletelyworehimout，tiredashewasafterahardday’swedhertotothetheaterwithsomeladyfriendofherswhoanyherhome。Shetookaloodecide，gthisamostiarralast，hreed，andherofouoher。

[8]Now，thistasteforthetheaternaturallystirredioprimp。Hertoiletteremaiobesure—alwaysmodestbutingoodtaste;alegrace，herirresistible，humble，smilioaewsavorfromthesimplicityofherdress，butshebecameaedttwohugerhis，whichlookedlikediamonds;aringsofartificialpearlsaroundhernedworebrailargems。

[9]Herhusband，whosomewhatsedthisloveofgarishdisplay，said，“Dearest，whehemeanstowearrealjewelry，youshouldshowyourselfadornedonlywithyradbeauty;thesearethetruepearls。”

[10]Butshe，smilily，wouldinsist，“Ihelpit?Iloveitso。Thisismyviydear，howabshtyouare;butI’treallyremakemyself，I?IthinkIwouldjustidolizerealjewelry。”

[11]Andshewouldrollthepearlsinherfingers。“Seehowperfect，”she’dsay。“You’dswearthey

[12]Sometimes，duringtheevenibeforethefire，shewoutherjewelchest，putitoable，aoexamiswithpassioion，asthoughthereweresomesubtleandprofhtinthispursuit。Shepersistedindrapingstringsofpearlsaroundherhusbahenshewouldlaughmerrily，g，“Howsillyyoulo!”Ahrowherselfintohisarmsandkisshimwildly。

[13]，whenshehadbeenattheopera，sheeshiveringwithextdayshewasgwretchedly。Aweeklatershedied。

[14]Lantinnearlyfollowedheriomb。Hisdespairwassuchthat，inamonth’stime，hishairture。Heweptily，hisverysoulsearedbyunbearablesufferihememory，thesmile，thevoice—bythebeautyofhisdeceasedwife。

[15]Eventhepassageoftimefailedtostemhisgrief。Frequently，athisoffice，whilehiscolleaguesweregidly，hisbleandhiseyeswouldfillwithtears;hewouldgrimacehorriblyaosob。

[16]Hekepthiswife’sroomintadsealedhimselfiomeditate。Allherfurnitureandevenherdressesremaiwheretheyhadbeealday。

[17]Livingbecamediffi。Hisinewhiderhiswife’sma，amplysuppliedtheh，nowbesuffialone。Dazed，hewonderedhowshehadbeeopurchasethesuperbwinesanddelicacieswhichheolongerafford。

[18]Hefelliaosoneyasdoesanyonesuddeopoverty。Onefinem，findinghimselfpennilessafullweekbeforepayday，hethoughtaboutsellihiheideasweptoverhimoftakingalookathiswife’streasuretrove，because，ifthetruthbetold，hehadalwaysharboredsomereseowardsthisstoreofbrilliaofthemslightlytarhememoryofhisbeloved。

[19]Itwasadiffiess，seargthroughthecaseofjewels，because，evenuptotheverylastdaysofherlife，hisedstubbhomesomeicallyeverynight。Hefinallyagnecklacesheseemedtohavepreferred，which，hefigured，wasworthsixorsevenfrancs，because，forartificialgems，itwasreallyamasterpieanship。

[20]WiththejewelsinhispockethewalkedtowardstheMinistry，lookingforareliablejeweler。

[21]Spottiered—somewhatedtobemakingthispublicdisplayofhispovertyaemptingtosellsoworthlessa。

[22]Heapproachedthemert。“Excuseme。Iwovalueyouwouldplathispiece。”

[23]Themantookthenecklaedit，turhedit，calledtohispartohiminlowtoheheter，andsizeditcarefullyfromadistahoughjudgi。

[24]M。Lantihisproedhismouthtoprotest:“Oh!Iknoie’tworthanything，”butjustatthatmomeorekeepersaid:

[25]“Mohispieceiselveahousandfrancs，butIotbuyitulyhoossessionofit。”

[26]Lantinstared，wide-eyed，silent—unprehending。Hefinallystammered，“What?You’reabsolutelysure?”

[27]Thegentlemanseemedoffendedbyhisattitude，andsaidwryly，“Youmaygoelsewhereifyouthinkyoudobetter。Tomethatisworthfifteenthousandattheverymost。Ifyoufieroffer，youmayebackhere。”

[28]M。Lantiookthe，feelingacurietobealoneandundisturbed。

[29]But，beforehehadgonefar，hewasseizedulsetolaugh，a，“Imbecile!Whatafool!WhatifIhadtakenhimathiseler—nottoknowthediffereweenrealgemsandfakes!”

[30]AherjewelrystoreontheRuedelaPaix。Assoohejewel，thedealercried，“Ofcourse!Iknowthisnecklacewell，Isoldit!”

[31]Deeplydisturbed，M。Lantinasked，“Howmuchisitworth?”

[32]“Sir—Isolditfortwehousandfraakeitbackfhteenthousand，ifyouwilltellme—thelaw，youknow—hoe。”

[33]ThistimeLantinsatparalyzedwithastouttered，“But—but—examiveryclosely，sir。Ihavealwaysthoughtitwas—artificial。”