THE NECKLACE
Mathilde Loil was one of tho poor girls，pretty，charming and romantic，who，in spite of their romantic dreams，are married to a mediocrity．Her husband was a clerk in the Ministry of Education．
One evening her husband came home with an air of triumph．
“I have something nice for you，”he said，giving her a large envelope．
She tore open the envelope，which contained the following printed card：
“The Minister of Education and Madame Georges Ramponneau have the honour to request the company of Monsieur and Madame Loil at the office of the Ministry on Monday evening，January18th．”
She did not em delighted．On the contrary，she flung the invitation card on the table，and said spitefully：
“What's that to me？”
“Why，my dear，I thought you'd be plead．You like a dance，don't you？You hardly ever go out，and this is really a good chance for you．I had no end of trouble to get it．Every one wants it，you know．All the officials will be there，but only a few clerks are invited．”
She looked at him ruefully and exclaimed：
“What do you expect me to wear at a party like that？”
It never occurred to him that she had no pretty
项链
世上有些贫穷人家的姑娘，身段漂亮，相貌迷人，而且充满罗曼蒂克的想法。然而，尽管她们做着美丽浪漫的梦，却嫁给了平民百姓为妻。玛蒂尔德·卢瓦泽尔便是其中之一，她的丈夫只是教育部里的一名小职员。
一天晚上，她丈夫神采飞扬地回到家里。
“我有样好东西送给你，”他说道，递给她一个大信封。
她拆开信封，里面装着一张请柬，上面印着：
“教育部长乔治·朗蓬诺夫人敬请卢瓦泽尔先生及夫人光临1月18日星期一晚上在本部大楼举行的晚会。”
她似乎一点也不高兴，反而把请柬扔在桌上，没好气地说：
“那跟我有啥关系？”
“嗨，亲爱的，我原以为你会高兴的。你喜欢跳舞，不是吗？你几乎从不出门，这次对你来说可真是一次极好的机会呀。我费了九牛二虎之力才弄到这张请柬。所有的官员都要到场。你知道，每个人都想要，但只邀请了极少数的职员。”
她悲戚地望着他，叫喊道：
“在那种聚会上你叫我穿什么嘛？”
他从未想过，她既没有漂亮衣服，也没有珠宝
dress nor jewels．He replied hesitatingly：
“Why，the dress you wear when you go to the theatre looks very nice to me．”
She burst into tears．Why did she marry such a dull，stupid fellow？Only becau she was born into a poor family．Oh，cruel trick of destiny！
“What's the matter？”he asked anxiously．
“Nothing，”she answered with an effort．“It's only that I haven't a suitable dress，and so I can't go to the ball．Give this card to a friend of yours who wife has a better wardrobe than I．”
It was a heart-breaking confession．
“Come，Mathilde，my dearest，”the distresd husband said，“how much do you think it would cost to have a proper dress，something rather simple which would be uful for other occasions after-wards？”
She thought for a moment，busy with her calculations．How much could she ask without shocking the thrifty husband and provoking a flat refusal？
“I'm not sure，but I think I could manage with four hundred francs．”
The husband turned a little pale．She had named the exact sum he had saved to buy a gun to enjoy shooting on the plain of Nanterre next summer with a few friends．
But he replied：
“All right．You shall have four hundred francs．Mind you get a really nice dress．”
***
The day of the ball drew near．Although Madame 首饰。他吞吞吐吐地说道：什么是团员
“嗯，呃，我看，你上剧院穿的那套就挺不错。”
她的眼泪不禁夺眶而出。她为什么要嫁给这样一个木讷、愚笨的家伙？只因为她生在贫寒人家。唉，命运是多么残酷啊！
“干嘛哭啊？”他焦急地问道。
“没什么，”她费力地说道，“只是我没有合适的衣服，因此我不能去参加舞会。你哪位朋友的夫人有比我更漂亮的衣服，就把请柬送给他好了。”
这是令人心碎的自白。
“得啦，玛蒂尔德，亲爱的，”窘迫之极的丈夫说，“你认为买一件合适的，就是说简单些并且以后在其
他场合还能穿的衣服要花多少钱？”
她想了一会，脑子里飞快地盘算开来。要不吓着她那节俭的丈夫，使他不会断然拒绝，说多少才好呢？
“我也说不上来，不过我想400法郎就够开销了。”
丈夫脸色略微发白。她所报的数目正好是他存着买枪，准备和他的几个朋友到明年夏天去南特尔平原打猎用的。
但他回答道：
“好吧，我给你400法郎。不过，一定得买一件漂漂亮亮的衣服。”
***
舞会的日子愈来愈近了。虽然卢瓦泽尔太太得
Loil had got her coveted dress，she emed far from plead．
“What is the matter？”her husband asked．
“You look out of sorts the days．”
“It's quite annoying to think that I haven't a single piece of jewellery to wear．I might as well stay at home as cut a mirable figure at the party，”she answered．“How about wearing natural flowers，then？”her husband suggested．“They are now quite in fashion．For ten francs you can get two or three splendid ros．”
“Where did you get such a silly idea？”she replied．“Can't you e how mirable I'd look among rich women？”
“Well then，”her husband said．“Why don't you go and ask your friend，Madame Forestier，to lend you some jewels？She is a good friend of yours，and has a lot of jewellery，hasn't she？”
“Yes，of cour，”she exclaimed in delight．“Why didn't I think of it？”
The next day she called on Madame Forestier and explained her trouble．Madame Forestier went to her wardrobe，took out a large jewel ca，and placed it open in front of her friend．
“Take what you want，my dear，”she said．
Madame Loil first saw some bracelets，then a pearl necklace，then a Venetian gold cross t with jewels，an exquisite piece of magnificent workmanship．She tried them on，one after another，before the mirror，uncertain which to choo．“Have you any more？”she asked．
“Oh，yes，look for yourlf．I don't know what you 到了想要的衣服，似乎她还是一点也不高兴。
“怎么啦？”她丈夫问道。
“这些天你怎么没精打采的？”
“想起来就烦人，我连一件珠宝都没有戴的。我最好还是呆在家里，比在晚会上做出一副可怜相强。”她回答道。
绿色的海
“那你认为戴鲜花怎样？”她丈夫建议道。“现在很时兴。花10法郎就可以买两三朵上等的玫瑰花。”
“你如此愚蠢的念头是从哪里冒出来的？”她答道，“你难道就想象不出站在一群贵妇人中间我会显得多寒酸？”
政治术语“呃，那么，”她丈夫说，“你为什么不去找你的朋友福雷斯蒂埃夫人，向她借些首饰呢？她是你的好朋友，她有许多珠宝，不是吗？”
“是啊！当然行，”她兴奋得高声说道，“我怎么就没想到这点呢？”
第二天，她就去拜访福雷斯蒂埃夫人，给她讲了自己的难处。福雷斯蒂埃夫人走到衣橱前，取出一只大珠宝箱，把它打开放在她朋友面前。
“亲爱的，看上哪件就挑哪件吧。”她说。
卢瓦泽尔夫人首先看了一些手镯，然后看了一串珍珠项链，接着又看了一个威尼斯式的镶宝石的金十字架，这件精致的项链手工极棒。她站在镜子前面一件一件地试戴，拿不准选哪件才好。
“你还有没有别的？”她问道。
“啊，有，你自个儿挑吧。我不知道你最喜欢
would like best．”
Suddenly Madame Loil discovered a black satin ca，in which lay a superb diamond neck-lace．Her heart beat fast．With trembling hands，she took it out，fastened it round her neck，and stood gazing at herlf in the mirror，lost in admiration．
She asked fearfully：
“Would you lend me this？I don't think I need anything el．”
“Why，yes，certainly．”
Madame Loil threw her arms round her friend's neck，kisd her，and hurried out，lest her friend should change her mind．
***
The night of the ball came at last．Madame Loil was a brilliant success．She looked more beautiful than any other woman prent．Triumphantly，full of grace and joy，she danced admirably，aware of the rapt eyes of the company．All the men inquired her name，wanted to be introduced，asked her for waltzes．She attracted the attention of even the minister him-lf．
She felt as if she were in a beautiful dream，intoxicated with happiness．Oh，how long she had been yearning for such a moment！
猪肘子
It was about four in the morning before she could tear herlf away from the ball．Her husband had been dozing since midnight in a little derted drawing room with three other gentlemen who wives were enjoying the dance．
He threw round her shoulders her cloak for everyday wear，which looked strangely incongruous 什么。”
突然，卢瓦泽尔夫人发现了一个黑色缎面的首饰盒，里面装着一串上等的钻石项链。她的心怦怦直跳。她用哆嗦着的手取出项链，把它扣在脖子上，然后站在镜子面前出神地欣赏着自己。
她犹犹豫豫地问道：
“你能把这串借给我吗？其他的我就不用了。”
“啊，当然可以。”
带星字的网名卢瓦泽尔夫人一把搂住她朋友的脖子，吻了她就急忙出门而去，惟恐她朋友会改变主意。
***
舞会之夜终于来临。卢瓦泽尔太太非常成功。她看上去比所有在场的女人都漂亮。她满怀喜悦，温文尔雅，迈着令人赞叹的舞步，洋洋自得地瞟着舞伴投来的痴迷的目光。所有的男人都在打听她的姓名，求人介绍，请她跳华尔兹舞，甚至连部长本人也注意到了她。
她感到自己仿佛做着美丽的梦，陶醉在欢乐之中。啊，这一刻她已盼了多久了！
直到早晨大约4点钟，她才依依不舍地离开舞会。她丈夫自午夜起就在一间弃而未用的小客厅里打瞌睡，另外还有三位先生，他们的夫人也正尽情地跳着舞。
他把夫人日常穿的披风披在她的肩头。与她在舞会上穿的那件体面的衣服相比，这件披风显得格
with her elegant ball dress，and anxious to escape the eyes of the other women in rich furs，she hurried down the stairca．
No cab was to be en in the street，and，shivering with cold，they trudged on towards the Seine．At last，on the quay，they found an old，rickety cab rarely en in Paris in the daytime．On reaching their dwelling，they climbed the stairs to their flat in gloomy silence．She took off her garment before the mirror．She wanted to enjoy one more glance at herlf，decked in all her glory．Suddenly she cried out in horror．“What is the matter？”her husband asked．He was already half undresd；he had to be at the office by ten the next day．
She turned to him，like one mad．
“The diamond necklace is gone！”
“What？How？Impossible！”
They arched the folds of her skirt and cloak，her pockets，everywhere；but the necklace was nowhere to be en．
“You had it on when you left the ball？”
“Yes，I remember fingering it in the vestibule．”
“If you had dropped it in the street，we should have heard the sound．You must have lost it in the cab．”
“Probably，did you notice the number？”
“No，I didn't．”
They gazed at each other in consternation．
“I'll go back all over the road and try to find it．”
He hurried out．She flung herlf down in a chair，and remained there blankly，the very picture of 外地不相称。为急于逃脱那些身着名贵裘衣的女人们的注意，她匆匆忙忙地跑下楼梯。
海带营养价值街上一辆马车也找不着，他们冷得直打哆嗦，朝著塞纳河吃力地走下去。在码头，他们终于找到一辆破旧的摇摇晃晃的出租马车，这种车白天在巴黎街头是见不到的。到了住所，在死一般的沉寂中，他们爬上楼梯回到家里。
她站在镜子前脱去外套。她想趁现在满身荣耀，把自己再多瞧一眼。突然，她惊叫起来。
“什么事？”她丈夫问道。他衣服已脱了一半，明天10点还得准时上班呢。
她转身朝着他，活像个疯子。
“钻石项链丢了！”
“什么？怎么会？不可能！”
他们搜寻她的裙子和披风的折层，搜寻她的衣袋，搜寻每个地方，但那项链就是找不到。
“离开舞会时你还戴着吗？”
“是啊，我记得在门厅里还摸过。”
“如果你把它掉在街上，我们该会听到声响。你肯定是在马车上丢掉的。”幼儿园教师随笔
“也许。你注意到车号了吗？”
“没有。”
他们惊恐万状地相互看着。
“我要把刚才走过的路回去重走一遍，设法把它找回来。”
半个馒头他急匆匆地赶了出去。她猛地瘫坐在椅子上，
