"What is the matter? What is the matter?" asked he tenderly. By violent effort she conquered her grief and calmly said, while wiping her humid cheeks: "Nothing; only I have no toilette [costume], and, of course, cannot go. Give the card to one of your comrades whose wife is fortunate enough to have something suitable for the occasion."
Despairingly he said: "See, Mathilde, how much will a dress cost to wear to this ball; one which can also be used for other occasions--something very simple."
She reflected a few moments, figuring in her own mind the sum she could ask without danger of immediate refusal and frightening her economical husband. Finally she hesitatingly said: "I do not know exactly; but it seems to me I might manage with about 400 francs."
He paled a little, because he had been saving just that sum to buy a gun for the following summer, when he would go with some of his friends to the plains of Nanterre on Sundays to shoot larks. Stifling his regrets, however, he replied: "Very well, I will give you 400 francs, but try to have a beautiful dress."
The day of the fête drew near; but Madame Loisel seemed sad, anxious, and uneasy. Her toilette [evening dress] was ready, what could it be? Her husband said to her one evening: "What is the matter? You have been so queer for the last few days!"
She replied: "It worries me that I have not one jewel, not a precious stone to wear. What a miserable figure I shall be! I think I would rather not go at all!"
"You can wear natural flowers; it is all the rage at this season, and for ten francs you can have two or three magnificent roses."
But she was not convinced. "No; there is nothing more humiliating than to be poorly dressed among so many rich women."
"But how silly you are! Go to your friend, Madame Forestier, and ask her to lend you some jewels. You are friendly enough with her to do that."
She gave a cry of joy. "Yes; that is true--I had not thought of it."
The following day she went to her friend and explained her predicament. Madame Forestier went to a closet and took out a large casket, and, opening it, said: "Choose, my dear; they are at your service."
She saw first bracelets, then a necklace of pearls, a Venetian cross, gold and precious stones of exquisite workmanship. She tried them on before the glass, unable to decide whether to wear them or not.
"Have you nothing else?" said she.
"Oh, yes; look them over, I don't know what might please you."
Suddenly she opened a black satin case, disclosing to view a superb rivière [river] of diamonds. Her heart beat furiously with the desire of possession. She took them in her trembling hands and put them on over her simple high-neck gown, and stood lost in an ecstasy of admiration of herself. Then, fearfully, hesitatingly, dreading the agony of a refusal: "Can you lend me only that?"
"Why, certainly; if it pleases you."
She fell on her friend's neck, embraced her tempestuously, and then left hastily with her treasure.
The day of the ball arrived. Madame Loisel was a success. Among all the beautiful women she was the most beautiful, elegant, gracious, and smiling with joy. She attracted the attention of some of the most distinguished men present, and on all sides was heard:
"?Who is she"
All the attachés of the cabinet sought her dancing card eagerly, and even the Minister himself expressed his approval. She danced with pleasure, thinking of nothing but the triumph of her beauty and the glory of her success. Intoxicated by all the admiration, she seemed to float through a cloud of happiness, intensified by her complete victory and the tribute paid to her charms, so sweet to the hearts of women. She left about four o'clock in the morning; her husband had slept since midnight in a small room, deserted except by two or three gentlemen who also awaited their wives.
He threw over her shoulders the modest cloak which she had brought, whose shabbiness seemed to mock the elegance of the ball toilette [gown]. She felt the incongruity, and walked swiftly away in order not to be seen by those whose rich furs were more in accordance with the occasion.
But she heeded him not, and rapidly descended the staircase. When they reached the street, there was no carriage in sight, and they were obliged to look for one, calling to the drivers who passed by, but in vain. Shiveringly they walked toward the Seine and finally found on the quay [dock, pier] one of those nocturnal [active during the night] coupés [a carriage seating two people with a seat outside for the driver] one finds only in Paris after dark, hovering about the great city like grim birds of prey, who conceal their misery during the day. It carried them to their door, Rue [street] de [of] Martyrs [one who suffers], and they slowly and sadly entered their small apartments. It was ended for her, and he only remembered that he would have to be at his desk at ten o'clock.
She took off her cloak in front of the glass in order to admire herself once more in all her bravery, but, suddenly, she cried out:
"The diamonds are gone!"
Her husband, almost half asleep, started at the cry and asked:
"What is the matter?"
She turned toward him with a frightened air. "I--I have lost Madame Forestier's necklace!"
He rose dismayed. "What--how! But it is not possible!" And they immediately began to search in the folds of the dress, the cloak, in the pockets--everywhere, and found nothing. "Are you sure that you had it when you left the ball?"
"Yes; I felt it while still in the vestibule at the Minister's."
"But if you had lost it in the street we should have heard it drop. It ought to be in the carriage."
"Yes; it is possible. Did you take the number?"
"No; and you have not looked at it, either?"
"No."
They looked at each other fearfully; and finally Loisel dressed himself. "I shall go over the whole ground that we traveled on foot, to see whether I can not find it."
He went out. She sat still in her brilliant ball toilette [gown]; no desire to sleep, no power to think, all swallowed up in the fear of the calamity which had fallen upon them.
Her husband came in at seven o'clock. He had found nothing. He had been to the Prefecture [office] of the Police, to the papers offering a reward, to all small cab companies, anywhere, in short, where he could have the shadow of hope of recovery.
She waited all day in the same state of fear in the face of this frightful disaster.
Loisel returned in the evening pallid and haggard. No news as yet.
"You must write to your friend that you have broken the clasp of the necklace and are having it repaired. That will give us time to look around."
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II... To Be Continued ...II
۞ The NeckLace ۞
.Two large tears
trickled slowly down her cheek
المشاركة الأصلية كتبت بواسطة لك عيوني.
)
I'm fine ..thnx
feeling with u and others
hope others read it .....c ya
