Atlastshereliedwithsomehesitation:
"Idon&aos;tknowexactly,butIthinkIcoulddoitonfourhundredfrancs。
"
Hegrewslightlyale,forthiswasexactlytheamounthehadbeensavingforagun,intendingtogetalittleshootingnextsummeronthelainofNanterrewithsomefriendswhowentlark-shootingthereonSundays。
Neverthelesshesaid,
"Verywell。I&aos;llgiveyoufourhundredfrancs。Buttryandgetareallynicedresswiththemoney。
"
Thedayoftheartydrewnear,andMadameLoiselseemedsad,uneasyandanxious。Herdresswasready,however。Oneeveningherhusbandsaidtoher:
"What&aos;sthematterwithyou?You&aos;vebeenveryoddforthelastthreedays。
"
"I&aos;mutterlymiserableatnothavinganyjewels,notasinglestone,towear,
"sherelied。
"Ishalllookabsolutelynoone。Iwouldalmostrathernotgotothearty。
"
"Wearflowers,
"hesaid。
"They&aos;reverysmartatthistimeoftheyear。Fortenfrancsyoucouldgettwoorthreegorgeousroses。
"
Shewasnotconvinced。
"No。。。there&aos;snothingsohumiliatingaslookingoorinthemiddleofalotofrichwomen。
"
"Howstuidyouare!
"exclaimedherhusband,
"GoandseeMadameForestierandaskhertolendyousomejewels。Youknowherquitewellenoughforthat。
"
Sheutteredacryofdelight。
"That&aos;strue。Ineverthoughtofit。
"
Nextdayshewenttoseeherfriendandtoldherhertrouble。
MadameForestierwenttoherdressing-table,tookualargebox,broughtittoMadameLoisel,oenedit,andsaid:
"Choose,mydear。
"
Firstshesawsomebracelets,thenaearlnecklace,thenaVenetiancrossingoldandgems,ofexquisiteworkmanshi。Shetriedtheeffectofthejewelsbeforethemirror,hesitating,unabletomakeuhermindtoleavethem,togivethemu。Sheketonasking:
"Haven&aos;tyouanythingelse?
"
"Yes。Lookforyourself。Idon&aos;tknowwhatyouwouldlikebest。
"