Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-09-17
WORLD.FAMOUS STORIES
THE NECKLACE
RY GUY DE MAUPASSiNT

Guy de .Msupassant il one of the most
famous writer's OF the short story: he. was
born IN France in 1880. and died in 1898:
He wrote number of fine novels. as we'll
as his little masterpieces OF hrevitv, among
which The. Necklace is Justly we'll known
and read wherever literature IS loved)
She was one of those pretty and
charming girls who are sometimes,
as if by a mistake of destiny, born in
ia family of clerks. she had no
dowry, no expectations. no means of
being known, understood. loved,
welded by any rich and distin-
guished man; and she let herself no
ministry of public instruction.
She dressed plainly because SHE
could not dress we'll, but she was as
unhappy as though she had really
fallen from her proper station; since
with women there is neither caste nor
rank, and beauty, grace and charm
act instead of family and birth.
Natural fineness, instinct for what is
elegant, suppleness of wit. are the sole
hierarchy, and make from women of
the people the equals of the very
greatest ladies.
She suffered ceasclessly, feeling
he1self born for all the delicacies and
Al the luXuries. She suffered from
ii
things, of which another woman OF
her rank would never even have
been conscious. tortured her and made
her angry. When she sat down to
dinner, before the round table covered
with a cloth three days old, opposite
her husba nd, who uncovered the
soup-tureen with an exclamation of
pleasure at it's commonplace contents,
she thought Of dainty dinners, OF
shining silverware, of tapestry which
people the walls with ancient per.
sonages and with strange birds flying
in the midst of fairy forest; and she
thought of delicious dishes served on
marvellous plates, and of the wide
spread Gallantry which you listen 10
with a sphinXlike smile, while you
are eating the pink flesh of a trout
or the wings of a quail.
She had no dress, no jewels, moth
ing. And she loved nothing but that;
she felt made for that. She had a
friend who was rich, and whom she
did not like to go to see any more,
because she suffered so much when
she came back.
Then, because of her husbands po-
sition, there came an invitation to a
bali at the palace of the ministry
Her husband, of course, thought she
would be plea sed-he went to such
great trouble to get the invitation for
them.
And what do you expect me to
put on my back" she asked. And
great tears came into her eyes. Her
husband had not thought Of that.
with no DRESS" she said, Il cannot
60"
Finally. however. he gave her the
money he had been saving to buy
himself a gun. to do little shoot
ing the next Summer. "Try to get
a pretty dress with it." he said.
She got the dress. but as the day
Of the ball drew near she seemed
unhappy. at annoys me not to have
single jewel" she explained to her
solicitous husband. Not single
stone. nothing to put on. l shall look
like distress. 1 should almost rather
not go at ALL"
How stupid you are" exclaimed
her husband. go to your rich friend
and ask her to lend you some jewels.
You know her quite well enough for
that"
She was overjoyed. $50 I can. ]
never thought of that"
Her friend was glad to help her
and let her choose what she liked
She finally. after a great deal OF
hesitation. decided upon a superb
| necklace of pearls-and. yes. her
friend would lend it to her. She
was rapturous with delight.
At the ball, the little wife of the
clerk was great success She was
| prettier than them all; elegant, gra
cious, smiling and delirious with joy
All the men looked at her, asked her
name. sought introductions. She was
| noticed by the minister himself.
She left about 4 in the morning
finding her husband sleeping. where
he had been since midnight, with
three other men, in an anteroom,
whose wives were having a good time.