quel

TheSequelofThenecklace

Mathilde’sfacebecomespaleandpale,eyebrowsknitinafrown,lipscannotstop

quiveringbutwithoutsayingaword,vacanteyesjuststareatJenny’scharming

ceechoedthroughhermind,’it’safake,onlycostatmostfivehundred

dollars"MathildeputdownJenny’shandtorpidlyandturnedaround,tryingtowalk

eelsreallyguiltyaboutthat,thenshetakestwosteps

forwardtoovertakemathilde:"dearMathilde,Ireallydonotknowwhattosay,there’s

toldyouthetruthwhenyou

borrowedthenecklace!Mydearcouldyoupleafollowmetomyhou?I'llbringthe

necklacetoyou!"However,noresponfromMathilde,shejustkeeponwalkinglikea

ealizedthatthevalueofthenecklaceistooheavy,it’snotonly

thirty-sixthousandfrancs,thatisherfriend’rtstorunbacktoher

houforthenecklace.

Mathildefeelsdeadenedtotheworldaroundher,onlythebestnightofherlifecame

backtohermind---Shewasthebeautyqueen,morecharmingthananywomanatthat

d!shewasjustlikeadescentofangels!Andhowaboutnow?The

sweetestmemoryisjustthingthatkillingher.

Theriveratsuntisverybleak,muchbleakthanadecadeago,nomoreripple.

Mathildegetsbacktothesmallattic,ksaround,itwasthis

smallattic,dayafterday,yearafteryear,roughenherdelicatehands,wrinkledher

sarenolongerflashinglight;Herblondehairnolongerroll

waves;Evenhergoodshapedisappearedcompletely...

"Mydear,I'mhome!"Thehusbanddidn'theartheloudreply,

speeduptoher,,＂Areyoualrightmylove?"＂

Honey,doyouthinkI’mbeautiful?"Hedidn’tgivethecondthought,asmileonhis

lips:"dear,youarealwaysmymostbeautifulqueen,Iloveyou!”hethoughtshewould

behappywith,butsheShestumbledintohisarmsandwept.

Atthemoment,shefinallyrealizedthatthemanwhoalwaysbyhersideisonlyher

bandwasshockedanddoesn'tknowwhattodo,"Baby,iswear

thatisallmytruthicrossmyheart!I’msosorryididn’tknowitwouldbotheryou

thatmuch..."Mathildestopshimbeforehefinishedhiswordsbyfinger,pointedand

coveredhislips:"no,honey,it’

workthathardtopayformymess,Ireallydon'tknowhowtoreturnthelovethat

you’vegiven..."Thehusbandhugsthewomanheloveshappilyandreply,"No,honey,

youknow,IdothisbecauIloveyou,Iammotivatedbylove,andexpectednothing

inreturn."Theyhuggedtightly...

"Mom,there’saprettyladylookingforyou."7yearsolddaughterAlicecameandsaid.

"who'sthere?""I'msorry,Mathilde,I’mheretogiveyouthenecklace!"Jennyhelps

Mathildetoputonthenecklace."Mydear,youstillsobeautiful!"Mathildeandher

nsheturnstoJenny,looksatherguilty

face,smiledandsaid,"Well,youbettertakemetoabigbigdinner,oryouwouldnever

forgiveyourlf!"Jennysurprid,andthenhappilynods...

Finally,Mathilderealized,thegreatesttreasureintheworldisnothingelbutlove,

eventenmillionsfrancscan’taffordit.