Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-02-11
THE DIAMOND NECKLACE.
BY GUY DE MAUPAssANT.

BY GUY DE MAUPAssANT.
She was one of those pretty, charm
ing girls, born as though through a mis-
take of destiny, among a family of
clerks. She had no dot, no hopes; there
was no way of her becoming known, I'M
derstood, loved and married by rich
and distinguished man; and she allowed
herself to be married to petty clerk at
the Ministry of Public Instruction.
She dressed simply, according to her
means, but was unhappy as a person Of
no defined position; for women have no
estate nor race, their beauty, grace and
charm taking the place of birth and
family. Their innate shrewdness, their
instinct of fashion, their subtility of
mind, are their only hierarchy, and
make the daughters of the poor the
equals of the greatest ladies.
When she sat down to dinner before
the round table covered with a three
day-old cloth, opposite her husband,
who as soon as he described the soup
tureen declared joyously: "Ah! good
soup and boiled meat! know nothing
better than that" She dreamed of
fine dinners, of glttering silver-plate, Of
tapestries peopling the walls with by
gone personages and strange birds in
the midst of fairy forest; she dreamed
of exquisite dishes served in wonderful
plates, of whispered compliments listen
ed to with sphinx-like smile as she eat
the pink trout or chicken wing.
She had no fine toilets, no jewels, and
they were all she cared for, she thought
herself fit for such things. She wished
to please; to be envied, to be attractive,
and sought after.
She had rich friend, an old school
mate at the convent, whom she would
no longer go and see, so much did she
grieve on her return. And she wept
whole days from grief, despair and dis
tress.
Now, one evening her husband came
home with a proud manner, and hold
ing in his hand a huge envelope.
Here" he said, "here is something
for YOU"
She quickly tore open the paper, and
drew from it a printed card bearing these
words:
The Minister of Public Instruction and
Mime. Georges Ramponneau beg Nj. and
Nine. Loisel to do them the honor of
passing the evening at the hotel of the
Minister on Monday, January Is.
Instead of being enchanted, as her
husband had hoped, she threw the
invitation on the table with rage, and
muttered:
What do you want me to do with
that?"
"Why, my dear, 1 thought you
would like it. You never go out, and
this is an opportunity, and such fine
one. l have had great trouble in get
ting it. Every one wants one; they
are much sought after, and are given
to but few of the clerks. You will see
all the official world there"
She looked at him angrily, and de-
clared with Impotence:
"What do you want me to wear if
should 90 there?"
He had not thought of that, he
stammered.
'Why, the dress you wear to the
theater. 1t seems to me a very good
one"
He was silent, stupefied, distracted,
when he saw his wife weeping. Two
large tears rolled slowly down from
the corners of her eyes towards the
corner of her mouth; he stammered:
"What is the matter? what is the
matter?''
But with a violent effort she con-
troiled her grief, and answered calm
ly, as she wiped her cheeks:
Nothing. Only l have no dress
and consequently can not go tdthis
fete. Give the card to some colleague
whose wife is better fitted out than |.
He was greatly distressed. He an
swered:
Come, Mathildc. How much
would it cost, a suitable dress, which
you could also wear at other times,
something very simpler"
She reflected few moments, max
ing up her accounts and thinking also
of the sum she could ask for without
drawing on herself an immediate re-
fusal and a frightened exclamation
from the frugal clerk. At last she an
swered with hesitation:
II don't know exactly, but it seems
to me that with four hundred francs
could do it."
He became somewhat pale, for he
had put aside just that sum to buy q
gun and give himself some shooting
the following summer on the plain
of Nauterre, with some friends who
were going to shoot larks there, or
Sundays.
give you four hundred francs. But de
your best to have handsome dress"
The day of the fete was at hand, ant
Mime. Loisel seemed sad, restless, anx
ious. Her toilet was ready, however
Her husband said to her one evening.
What is the matter with you? Come
you have been very queer for tire
days"
And she answered:
ut worries me to have no jewels, no
. stone, nothing to put on. l sha,
make wretched appearance. Ihad a
most rather not 60 that evening"
He replied:
.You can put on natural flowers.
is very chic at this season. For tie
francs you can get two or three magnif
cent roses"
She was not convinced.
.No-there is nothing more humilia
ing than to look poverty stricken anon
lot of rich women"
But her husband exclaimed:
''How foolish you are! Go and fin
your friend, Nine. Forester, and as
her to lend you some jewels. You al
intimate enough with her for that"
She uttered a cry of joy.
1T is true. had no thought of il. v
The next day she went to her frien
and told her Of her distress.
Mime. Forester went to her lookin,
glass, took from it large box, opent
L, and said to Mime. Loisel;
Choose. my dear"
She first saw bracelets, then strir
Of pearls. then Venetian cross of go
and precious stones of admirable worl
manship. She tried on the reckless b
fore the glass. hcsitated, could not d
eide to leave them, to give them u
She still asked;
s'Havc you nothing else"
s-Oh. yes. Look! Idon't know VIII
You want"
Suddenly she discovered in a blac
satin box superb set OF diamonds, an
her hsAzt began to beat with an inmo