About the author

Guy de Maupassant (Mo Bosang) Maupassant was born in 1850. His parents separated when he was about six, and he went to live with his mother. At the age of thirteen, he was sent to school, but he was forced to leave there. He went to another school, where he was praised for writing an excellent poem. In this way, he began to write at an early age. During the Franco-Prussian War, he had to give up writing. After the war, he went to Paris to look for a job, hoping to have time to write. It was in Paris that he met one of the greatest writers and learned a lot from him. Although he found many stories when he was a clerk, he found that office life was limited. After one of his novels was published, he left the office to write full-time. By the time he was 34, he was quite famous. During this period, he wrote some of the most famous works, including the Diamond Necklace, one of the most famous short stories in the world.

chapter one

She is one of those beautiful and charming girls. It seems that fate made a big mistake on her and she was born in a craftsman family. She has no right to marry, no expectation, and no way to be known, understood, loved and married by a rich and prominent man; She married herself to a small clerk in the Ministry of Education.

Her taste is very simple, because she can never afford anything else, but she is very unhappy, as if she married a person with a lower status than her; Because women have no caste or class, their beauty, elegance and charm serve their birth or family. Their natural delicacy, instinctive elegance and quick wit are the only signs of their rank, which makes slum girls equal to the noblest ladies in this country.

She endured endless pain and felt that she was born for every delicacy and luxury. She suffers from poor house, poor walls, shabby chairs and ugly curtains. All these things, other women in her class won't even realize, torture and insult her. Seeing little Brittany come to work in her small house aroused heartbreaking regrets and hopeless dreams in her mind. She imagined the silent front hall, covered with oriental tapestries, lit by torches on high bronze sockets, and two tall footmen in knee-length breeches sleeping in big armchairs, enduring the heavy warmth of the stove. She imagined the living room with antique silk, exquisite furniture supporting priceless decorations, and small, charming and fragrant rooms, which were specially built for small gatherings of close friends. These people were famous and popular, and their respect aroused the envy of all other women.

When she sat down for dinner at the round table around the cloth three days ago, her husband was opposite. He opened the lid of the soup bowl and cried happily, "Aha! Scottish broth! What could be better than this? " She imagined exquisite meals, glittering silverware, tapestries with figures from the past on the walls, and strange birds in the fairy forest; She imagined delicious food on a beautiful plate, galante Reese muttered, listening with a mysterious smile, just like a person fiddling with rose trout meat or asparagus chicken wings.

She has no clothes, no jewelry and nothing. These are the only things she likes; She thinks she was born for them. She was so eager to be charming, eager to be desired, eager to be very attractive, eager to be pursued.

She has a rich friend, an old school friend who refuses to visit, because she is in great pain when she comes home. She will cry all day because of sadness, regret, despair and pain.

One night, her husband came home triumphantly with a big envelope in his hand.

"This is something for you," he said.

She quickly tore open the paper and pulled out a printed card that read:

"The Minister of Education and his wife Ramponneau requested Mr. and Mrs. Loisel's company to hold a meeting on Monday night, June 8, 65438/KLOC-0."

Instead of being as happy as her husband hoped, she angrily threw the invitation across the table and muttered:

"What do you want me to do with this?"

"Why, dear, I thought you would be happy. You never go out. This is a great occasion. I had a hard time getting it. Everyone wants one; This is a good choice, and few people go to the staff. You will see all the real big shots there. "

She looked at him with angry eyes and said impatiently, "What do you think I should wear on this occasion?"

He didn't think about it; He stammered:

"Why, you go to the theatre to wear that dress. It looks good to me. . ."

When he saw his wife start crying, he stopped, stupefied and completely at a loss. Two big tears slowly slipped from the corner of her eye to the corner of her mouth.

"What's the matter with you? What's wrong with you? " He faltered.

But she overcame her sadness with violence and answered in a calm voice, wiping her wet cheek:

"Nothing. I just don't have a dress, so I can't go to the party. Give your invitation to some of your friends, and his wife will be better than me. "

He was heartbroken.

"Listen, Mathilde," he insisted. "How much is a very simple dress that is suitable and you can wear on other occasions?"

She thought for a few seconds, calculated the price, and wondered how much she could ask, without causing her to refuse immediately and make a horrible cry to the careful clerk.

Reference translation

Project chain

There are some beautiful women in the world who are full of charm, but they were wrongly arranged by nature and grew up in the family of a small clerk. She is one of them. She has no dowry property, no legacy to look forward to, and there is no way for a rich and powerful man to know her, understand her, love her and marry her; She had to marry a small clerk in the Ministry of Education.

She has no money to dress up, so it is very simple; But my heart is very painful, just like the situation of a noble marrying; This is because women do not have a certain class or race. Their beauty, their charm and their charm can all be regarded as their origin and family background. There is a hierarchy between them only because of their natural intelligence, aesthetic instinct and flexible brains, which can make the people's girls keep pace with the noblest married women.

She always feels that she was born to enjoy all kinds of luxurious life, so she feels endless pain. The living room is so simple, the walls are unadorned, the chairs and stools are so shabby, and the clothes are so ugly that she looks very painful. These situations, if not her but another woman in the class, may not even pay attention, but they have given her great pain and made her very angry. When she sees Brittany, the little woman who does housework for her, there will be many sad feelings and fantasies in her heart. She will think of the quiet reception room with oriental silk and bronze high lights; She would think of how two tall footmen in shorts and stockings in the reception room were made sleepy by the heat of the heating pipe and fell asleep in the spacious armchair. She will think of the antique silk-walled living room with exquisite furniture of precious antiques and those exquisite and fragrant inner living rooms, which are specially designed for talking with her closest boyfriend at five o'clock in the afternoon. Those friends, of course, are celebrities coveted by all women, eager to be favored and wooed by many parties.

Every time she sat down at the round table washing tablecloths after three days of dinner, the husband sitting opposite opened the lid and said with satisfaction? Quot ah! What a delicious stew! There is nothing better in the world ... ",she thought of those exquisite banquets, shiny silver tableware, tapestries hanging on the wall, on which ancient figures and rare birds in the fairyland forest were woven; She also thought of delicious food on expensive plates; She also thought about eating pink perch meat or grouse wings while listening to her boyfriend's whisper with an unfathomable smile.

She has no beautiful clothes, no jewelry, in short, nothing. However, she likes these things; She feels that she was born to enjoy these things. What she wants most is to please men, arouse women's admiration, be romantic and be popular everywhere.

She has a rich girlfriend who is a classmate at school. Now, she doesn't want to visit her again, because she always feels very painful when she comes back. She would cry for days with sadness, regret, despair and pain.

But one night, her husband came home with a big envelope in his hand and a smug face.

"Take it!" He said, "This is something specially prepared for you."

She quickly opened the envelope and pulled out an invitation from the inside, which read:

A party will be held in our building on Monday 1 month 18. Please come on time.

Mr and Mrs Loisel.

George, Minister of Education? Mrs. and Mrs. Langpuno hereby order

Instead of being as happy as her husband hoped, she angrily threw the invitation on the table and muttered:

"I want this to do? Think about it for me. "

"But, my dear, I thought you would be very happy. You never go out to be a guest, this is an opportunity, and it is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I managed to get this invitation. Everyone wants it, it's hard to get it, and generally they don't want to give it to small staff. You can see all those officials there. "

Her eyes glared at him angrily and finally said impatiently:

"Can you tell me what to wear to go there?"

This, but he never thought of; Then he hesitated to say:

"That you wear that dress in the theater? In my opinion, it seems very good ... "

He can't go on. He was surprised and flustered when he saw that his wife had cried. Two big tears slowly flow from the corner of his wife's eye to the corner of his mouth; He stammered:

"What's the matter with you? What's wrong with you? "

She was determined to suppress the pain, then wiped her cheeks wet with tears and said in a calm voice:

"Nothing happened. But since I have no clothes, of course I can't go to the party. If a colleague's wife can have better clothes than mine, please send him an invitation. "

He embarrassed said:

"Mathilde, let's discuss it. How much does it cost to wear a decent suit and a simple suit that can be worn at other times? "

She thought for a few seconds, calculated the money in her mind, and considered how to come up with a figure that would not be rejected on the spot by the thrifty clerk and would not scare him out.

She finally said hesitantly:

"I can't tell you the exact price;" But with 400 francs, we can probably finish it. "

His face turned a little pale, because he happened to save such a sum of money to buy a gun, so that he could hunt with some friends in summer and shoot larks in Nanterre Plain on Sunday.

But he still said, "okay. I'll give you four hundred francs. But you must work hard to come up with a beautiful dress. "

chapter two

Finally, she replied with some hesitation:

"I don't know the exact amount, but I think I can do it with 400 francs."

His face turned a little pale, because it was the money he had saved to buy a gun. He planned to go hunting in Nanterre Plain with some friends next summer, and they would go there to hunt larks on Sunday.

However, he said, "Good. I'll give you four hundred francs. But try to buy a really beautiful dress with this money. "

As the day of the party drew near, Mrs. Loisel looked sad, uneasy and anxious. However, her clothes have been made. One night her husband said to her:

"What's the matter with you? You have been very strange for the past three days. "

"There is no jewelry, no stone to wear, and I am in great pain," she replied. "I look absolutely no one. I almost prefer not to go to the party. "

"Wear flowers," he said. "They are very smart at this time of year. You can get two or three beautiful roses for ten francs. "

She was not persuaded.

"No. . . Nothing is more humiliating than looking poor among a group of rich women. "

"You are so stupid!" Her husband said loudly. "Go and see Mrs. Frais Festival and ask her to lend you some jewels. You know her very well. "

She gave a cry of joy.

"That's true. I never thought about it. "

The next day, she went to see her friend and told her about her trouble.

Mrs. Frais went to the dresser, picked up a big box, handed it to Mrs. Loisel, opened the box and said:

"Choose, dear."

First, she saw some bracelets, then a pearl necklace, and then a finely crafted Venetian golden cross. She tried the effect of jewelry in front of the mirror, hesitating, unable to make up her mind to leave them and give them up. She kept asking:

"Have you nothing else?"

"yes. Find it yourself. I don't know what you like best. "

Suddenly, she found an excellent diamond necklace in a black satin box. Her heart began to beat greedily. Her hands trembled when she lifted it. She tied it around her neck and her long skirt, and when she saw herself, she was ecstatic.

Then, she hesitated and painfully asked:

"Can you lend me this, just this one?"

"Yes, of course."

She threw herself on her friend's chest, hugged her madly and left with her treasure. It's time for the party. Mrs Loisel is very successful. She is the most beautiful woman present, elegant, dignified, smiling and very happy. All the men stared at her, asked her name and asked to be introduced to her. All the deputy secretaries of state are eager to dance with her. The minister noticed her.

She danced ecstatically, intoxicated with happiness, thinking nothing, intoxicated with her beautiful victory, intoxicated with the pride of her success, intoxicated with the clouds of happiness composed of this universal respect and admiration, intoxicated with the desire she aroused, intoxicated with the perfection of victory cherished by her female heart.

She left around four o'clock in the morning. Since midnight, her husband has been taking a nap in an abandoned small room. There are three other men with him, and their wives have a good time. He put the clothes he took home on her shoulders, plain daily clothes, and its poverty conflicted with the beauty of the ball clothes. She realized this and was eager to leave so that she wouldn't be noticed by other women wearing expensive leather clothes.

Loisel stopped her.

"Wait a minute. You'll catch cold outdoors. I'll call a taxi. "

But she didn't listen to him and quickly went down the stairs. When they are in the street, they can't find a taxi; They started looking for one, yelling at the drivers they saw passing in the distance.

They walked towards the Seine with trembling despair. Finally, they found an old night carriage on the dock, which can only be seen in Paris after dark, as if they were ashamed of their shabby during the day.

It took them to the door of Martyrs Street, and they walked sadly to their apartment. For her, this is the end. As for him, he is thinking that he must be in the office at ten o'clock.

She took off the clothes wrapped around her shoulders so that she could see her best in front of the mirror. But she suddenly let out a cry. The necklace is no longer around her neck!

Reference translation

She finally said hesitantly:

"I can't say how much it will cost; But with 400 francs, you can probably do it. "

His face turned a little pale, because he happened to save such a sum of money to buy a gun, so that he could hunt with some friends in summer and shoot larks in Nanterre Plain on Sunday.

But he still said, "All right. I'll give you four hundred francs. But you must try to make a beautiful dress. "

The day of the party is coming, but Mrs. Loisel seems very sad, uneasy and worried. Her clothes are all ready. One night, her husband asked her:

"What's the matter with you? Your temper has been so strange for three days. "

"I am very upset. I have neither jewelry nor jewelry, and I can't wear anything. It's cold. I don't want to attend this party at all. "

He said, "You can bring some flowers. This season is very beautiful. For ten francs, you can have two or three very beautiful roses. "

This method didn't convince her at all.

"Nothing ... nothing is more humiliating than showing a poor face among those rich women."

Her husband suddenly shouted, "You are so confused! Why not go to your friend Mrs. Forrest and borrow some jewels from her? Take your friendship with her. "

She shouted happily:

"That's true. I didn't expect it. "

The next day she went to a friend's house and told her about her troubles.

Mrs. Foretstier immediately went to her wardrobe with a mirror, took out a big jewelry box, brought it here and opened it, and said to Mrs. Loisel:

"Pick it! Dear. "

The first thing she saw was several bracelets, and then a pearl necklace, a gold cross inlaid with jewelry made in Xianning, which was extremely fine in workmanship. She wore these jewels and tried them in the mirror, hesitating whether to take them off and return them to her master. Her mouth is always asking:

"Nothing else?"

"yes. Find it yourself. I don't know what you like? "

Suddenly, she found a beautiful diamond necklace in a black satin box. An excessive desire made her heart beat violently. Her hand was shaking when she took it. She put it around her neck, wore it outside her clothes, looked at herself in the mirror and saw God.

Then she was very anxious and asked hesitantly:

"Can you lend this to me? I only borrow this one. "

"Of course."

She put her arm around her friend's neck, kissed her warmly, and then ran away quickly with the child.

It's time for the party. Mrs Leusser is very successful. She is more beautiful than all women, beautiful and charming. She always has a smile on her face and is almost crazy happy. All the men stared at her, asking her name and asking for introductions. Everyone in the minister's office will dance with her. The minister is also very concerned about her.

She has been intoxicated with joy and wants nothing but dancing wildly with excitement. Her beauty triumphs over everything, and her success is full of brilliance. All these people are attentive to themselves, flattering and salivating. A woman thinks that the sweetest victory is entirely in her own hands, and she dances in this happy cloud.

She didn't leave until four in the morning. Her husband has been asleep in an abandoned small living room since twelve o'clock. There are three other gentlemen in the living room, and their wives are enjoying themselves. He was afraid that she would catch cold when she went out, so he put the clothes he had brought on her shoulders. They are everyday household clothes, and the cold and beautiful dance clothes are very out of proportion. She felt this at once, and in order not to attract the attention of the ladies wrapped in luxurious leather clothes next to her, she rushed out of the door.

Loisel also took her not to let go:

"You wait a moment. You will catch cold outside. I'll call a carriage. "

But she didn't listen to him and walked down the stairs quickly. When they got to the street, there were no taxis. So they got up and saw the carriage passing in the distance, so they chased it and shouted at the driver.

They walked all the way to the Seine, coughing all over and very disappointed. Finally, I found an old carriage by the river for business at night. This kind of carriage can only be seen after dark in Paris. They are in rags and seem shy when they come out during the day.

This car took them all the way to Martyrs Street, right in front of their house, and they climbed the stairs and went home. It's all over for her. As for him, what he thinks is that he should go to the Ministry at ten o'clock.

She took off the clothes over her shoulders, which she took off in front of the big mirror in order to see herself in glory again. But she suddenly let out a cry. The necklace around her neck is missing.

chapter three

"What's the matter with you?" Asked her husband, half undressed.

She turned to him in agony.

"I ... I ... I don't have Mrs. Frais's necklace anymore. . . ."

He was taken aback.

"what! . . . Impossible! "

They searched everywhere in the folds of her clothes, in the folds of her coat and in her pockets. They can't find it.

"Are you sure you were still wearing it when you left the dance?" He asked.

"Yes, I touched it in the hall of the Ministry."

"But if you lose it in the street, we should hear it fall."

"yes. Maybe we should. Did you write down the number of the taxi? "

"No. You didn't notice, did you? "

"No."

They looked at each other, dumbfounded. Finally, Loisel put on his clothes again.

"I'm going to check all the places we've walked," he said, "and see if I can find them."

He's out. She is still wearing an evening dress, unable to go to bed, curled up in a chair, unable to have the strength of will or thought.

Her husband will be back around seven. He found nothing.

He went to the police station, the newspaper, the reward, the taxi company and every place where there was a glimmer of hope to drive him.

She waited all day and was equally confused about this terrible disaster.

Loisel came home at night, his face wrinkled and pale; He found nothing.

"You must write to your friend," he said. "Tell her that you broke the clasp of her necklace and are repairing it. That will give us time to look around. "

She wrote it according to his dictation.

By the end of the week, they had lost all hope.

Loisel, five years old, declared:

"We must try to replace the diamonds."

The next day, they took a box with necklaces to the jewelry store, which contained their names. He consulted his book.

"I didn't sell this necklace, madam; I must have just provided buttons. "

Then they went to one jewelry store after another, looking for another necklace just like the first one, and looking up their memories. They were all filled with remorse and pain.

In a shop in the Royal Palace, they found a string of diamonds, which, in their opinion, was exactly what they were looking for. It's worth forty thousand francs. They were allowed to buy it for 36,000 pounds.

They begged the jeweler not to sell it for three days. They arranged that if the first one was found before the end of February, they could get back 34 thousand francs.

Loisel has 18,000 francs left to him by his father. He is going to borrow the rest.

He did borrow it. He borrowed a thousand from one person, five hundred from another, five Louis here and three Louis there. He issued bad checks, signed destructive agreements, and did business with usurers and the whole money-lending tribe. He mortgaged the rest of his life, risking his signature and not even knowing that he could cash it, and, shocking.