&heytooktheboxwhichhadheldthetothejewellerswhosenamewasiedhisbooks。
"ItwasnotIwhosoldthisnecklace，Madame;Imusthavemerelysuppliedtheclasp。"
&heyweojeweller，seargforanotherhefirst，gtheirmemories，bothillwithremorseandanguishofmind。
InashopatthePalais-Royaltheyfofdiamondswhichseemedtothemexactlyliketheoheywerelookingfor。Itwasworthfortythousandfrancs。Theywereallowedtohaveitforthirty-sixthousand。
Theybeggedthejewellerforthreedays。Andtheyarraheuandingthatitwouldbetakenbackforthirty-fourthousandfraonewerefouheendofFebruary。
Loiselpossessedeighteenthousandfraohimbyhisfather。Heioborrowtherest。Hedidbettingathousandfromoneman，fivehundredfromanother，fivelouishere，threelavenotesofhareements，didbusihusurersaribeofmoney-legagedthewhyearsofhisexistence，riskedhissigevenknowingifheourit，aheagonisihefuture，attheblackmiseryabouttofalluponhim，attheprospectofeverypossiblephysicalprivationandmoraltorture，heweheneutdownuponthejeos;sterthirty-sixthousandfrancs。
WheookbaeeForestier，thelattersaidtoherinachillyvoice:
"Yououghtthtitbaighthave。"
&，asherfriendhadfeared，openthecase。Ifshehadhesubstitution，whatwouldshehavethought?Whatwouldshehavesaid?Wouldsheakehief?
MadameLoiselowtheghastlylifeofabjectpoverty。Fromtheveryfirstsheplayedherpartheroically。Thisfearfuldebtmustbepaidoff。Shewouldpayit。Theservantwasdismissed。Theygedtheirflat;theytookagarretuheroof。
&oknowtheheavyworkofthehouse，thehatefuldutiesofthekit。Shewashedtheplates，wearingoutherpinknailsonthecoursepotteryaomsofpahedirtylisanddish-dhuodry;everymshetookthedustbindowaheingoneagtogetherbreath。And，cladlikeapoorwomahefruiterer，tothegrocer，tothebutcher，abasketliichedhalfpennyofhermohobepaidoff，othersreimegained。
Herhusbaheeveningsatputtingstraightamert'sadoftenatnighthedidgattwo-pennyapage。
Andthislifelastedtenyears。
Attheendoftehingaid，theusurer&apesandtheacofsuperimposedi。
MadameLoisellookedoldnow。Shehadbeelikeallthe，hard，enofpoorhouseholds。Herhairwasbadlydoswereawry，herhandswerered。Shespokeinashrillvoidtheedalloverthefloorwhenshescrubbedit。Butsometimes，whenherhusbandwasattheoffice，shesatdownbythewindowandthoughtofthateveninglongago，oftheballatwhichshehadbeeifulandsomuchadmired。
Whatenedifshehadhosejes?strangelifeis，howfickle!Howlittleisoruinortosave!
OneSunday，asshehadgoneforawalkalongtheChamps-Elyseestofresheerthelaboursoftheweek，shecaughtsightsuddenlyofaastakingachildoutforawalk。ItwasMadameForestier，stillyoung，stillbeautiful，stillattractive。
MadameLoiselwaseemotion。Shouldshespeaktoher?Yes，ly。Andnowthatshehadpaid，shewouldtellherall。Whynot?
&uptoher。
"G，Jea;
&herdidnniseher，andrisedatbeingthusfamiliarlyaddressedbyapoor>
"But。。。Madame。。。"shestammered。"Idon'tknow。。。youmustbemakingamistake。"
"No。。。IamMathildeLoisel。"
Herfriendutteredacry。
"Oh!。。。mypoorMathilde，howyouhaveged!"
"Yes，I'vehadsomehardtimessinceIsawyoulast;andmanysorrows。。。andallonyourat。"
"Onmyat!。。。Howwasthat?"
"YourememberthediamondmefortheballattheMinistry?"
"Yes。Well?"
"Well，Ilostit。"
"Howcouldyou?Why，yhtitback。"
&quhtyoualikeit。Aenyearsayingforit。Yourealiseitos;teasyforus;wehadnomo'spaidforatlast，andI'mgladi;MadameForestierhadhalted。
"Yousayyouboughtadiamooreplae?"
"Yes。Youhadn'theywereverymuchalike。"
Andshesmiledinproudahappiness。
MadameForestier，deeplymoved，tookhert>
"Oh，mypoorMathilde!Butmiation。Itwasworthattheverymostfivehundredfrancs!。。。"