Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1910-09-06
- THE NECKLACE -
By Guy De Maupassant
By Guy De Maupassant
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loved. welded by any rich and dls'ih-
guished man: and so she let herse"
he married to a petty clerk in the bu-
reau of Public Instruction.
She was simple in her dress because
Sba could not he elaborate, but she
was as unhappy as if she had ialen
from a higher rank. for with women
there is no distinction of higher anu
lower; their beauty, their grace anu
their natural charm fill the place oil
birth and family. Natural dellcacE'
instructive elegance, a lively Wit, are
the ruling forces in the social realm'
and make daughters of the common
people the equals of their finest iau'es'
She suffered ceaselessly, feeling her-
self horn for all the refnemehls anu
Injuries of life. She suffered from 'he
noyertv of her home as she looked at
the dirty walls, the worn-out chairs'
the ugly curtains. All those thlnss VI
which another woman OF her station
wouId have been quite unconscious
tortured her and made her Indignant.
The sight of the country girl VINO was
maid-of-all-w in her humpie
household filled her almost with des-
peration.
She dreamed of echoing halls hung
with Oriental draperies and lighted by
tall bronze candelabra, while TWO Ia"
rootmen in knee breeches drowsed IN
great armchairs 10y reason OF the neat
ing stoves oppressive warmth She
dreamed of splendid parlors furnlsheu
in rare old silks, of carved capli'e's
loaded with priceless curlosltles' anu
of enhancing little boudoirs just rlShl
for afternoon chats with bosom 1rlehds
mon famous and sought after, the
envy and the desire of all the "theF
women.
When she sat down to dinner at
little table covered with cl"th three
DAYS old, and looked across at her NUS
hand os he uncovered the soup ana
exclaimed with an air of rapture oh'
the delicious stew! l know nothlhS
hetter than that" she dreamed OF
dainty dinners. of shining sliNerWare'
of tapestries which peopled the walls
with antique figures and strange BIRDS
in fairy forests; she dreamed OF dell
cious yiands served in wonderlui
dishes. of whispered gallantries heard
with a sphinx-like smile as YOU eat the
mink flesh of a trout or the wing oil
bird.
She had no dresses, no jewels, noth-
inc. and she loved only that, she lelt
made for that. She was filled with
desire to please, to be envied' I" De
bewitching and sought after. She had
n rich friend, a former schoolmate a'
the convent, whom she no longer WISH
ed to visit because she suffered so
much when she came home. For
whole days at a time she wept without
ccasing in bitterness and hopeless
misery.
Now. one evening her husband came
home with a triumphant air, holding
i'm his hand a large envelope.
There" said he. there is something
for you"
She quickly tore open the paper ana
drew out a printed card. bearing these
worlds
"The Minister of Public Instruction
and Nine. Georges Rampouneau re-
quest the honor of NJ. and Nine. Lol-
sells company at the palace OF the
Ministry. Monday evening, January
18TH"
Instead of being overcome with de-
light. as her husband expected. she
threw the invitation on the table with
disdain. murmuring:
What do YOU wish me to do with
that"
'Whv. my dear, | thought YOU would
be pleased. You never go out, ana II
is such fine opportunity. this. | had
awful trouble i'm getting it. Every one
wants To go: it is very select. and
they are not giving many invitations
to clerks. You will see the whole Off
cial world"
She looked at him with irritation.
and said. impatiently:
What do YOU wish me To put on my
back if | go?"
He had not thought of that He
Stammcrcd:
"Whv. the dress ynu go t" tn" th"-
atrc i'm. 1t seems all right t" me-.
II stopped, stupefcd, distracted. on
seeing that his wife was crying. Tw"
great tears descending slowly from
the corners "r her eyes toward tn" cor
ncrs of her mouth. He suffered:
whats the matter? What's the
matter"
IN violent effort sh" suhdu"d her
feelings and replied in a calm voice,
AS she wiped her wet checks:
"Nnthing. only have n" dress and
consequently | cannot Z" I" this ball
Give your invitation t" som" friend
whose. wife is better equipped than l..
He was in despair. II" replied:
Let us see. Mathilde. How murh
would it cost. a sutahl" dress. which
vnu could wear again ON future "cca-
sinns. something very simple"
She reflected for some seconds. com
ultiny the cost, and also wondering
what sum she could ask without bring
mg down upon herself an immediate
refusal and an ast"miSh"d exclamation
from the economical clerk.
At last she answered hrsitatin@ly:
II don't know exactly. but ii seems
10 m" that with four hundred francs
could manage"
He turned Il trinr pale. for he had
been saving Just that sum I" buy a
gun and treat himself I" a it'll" huht
ing the f"ll"win" summer. IN th'
country near Nant"rr". with few
friends who went there t" shoot larks
Of a Sunday.
However. hc said:
"Wcll. | think | can Civ" You i"uI
hundred francs Hut So" that You have
u pretty dress"