博炮作文网>最后一片叶子讲了什么故事 > 第3章 the neckce（第4页）
第3章 the neckce（第4页）
"I&aos;llgooverallthegroundwewalked，
"hesaid，
"andseeifIcanfindit。
"
Andhewentout。Sheremainedinhereveningclothes，lackingstrengthtogetintobed，huddledonachair，withoutvolitionorowerofthought。
Herhusbandreturnedaboutseven。Hehadfoundnothing。
Hewenttotheolicestation，tothenewsaers，toofferareward，tothecabcomanies，everywherethatarayofhoeimelledhim。
Shewaitedalldaylong，inthesamestateofbewildermentatthisfearfulcatastrohe。
Loiselcamehomeatnight，hisfacelinedandale;hehaddiscoverednothing。
"Youmustwritetoyourfriend，
"hesaid，
"andtellherthatyou&aos;vebrokentheclasofhernecklaceandaregettingitmended。Thatwillgiveustimetolookaboutus。
"
Shewroteathisdictation。
Bytheendofaweektheyhadlostallhoe。Loisel，whohadagedfiveyears，declared:
"Wemustseeaboutrelacingthediamonds。
"
Nextdaytheytooktheboxwhichhadheldthenecklaceandwenttothejewellerswhosenamewasinside。Heconsultedhisbooks。
"ItwasnotIwhosoldthisnecklace，Madame;Imusthavemerelysuliedtheclas。
"
Thentheywentfromjewellertojeweller，searchingforanothernecklacelikethefirst，consultingtheirmemories，bothillwithremorseandanguishofmind。
InashoatthePalais-Royaltheyfoundastringofdiamondswhichseemedtothemexactlyliketheonetheywerelookingfor。Itwasworthfortythousandfrancs。Theywereallowedtohaveitforthirty-sixthousand。
Theybeggedthejewellernottosellitforthreedays。Andtheyarrangedmattersontheunderstandingthatitwouldbetakenbackforthirty-fourthousandfrancs，ifthefirstonewerefoundbeforetheendofFebruary。
Loiselossessedeighteenthousandfrancslefttohimbyhisfather。Heintendedtoborrowtherest。Hedidborrowit，gettingathousandfromoneman，fivehundredfromanother，fivelouishere，threelouisthere。Hegavenotesofhand，enteredintoruinousagreements，didbusinesswithusurersandthewholetribeofmoney-lenders。Hemortgagedthewholeremainingyearsofhisexistence，riskedhissignaturewithoutevenknowingifhecouldhonourit，and，aalledattheagonisingfaceofthefuture，attheblackmiseryabouttofalluonhim，attherosectofeveryossiblehysicalrivationandmoraltorture，hewenttogetthenewnecklaceandutdownuonthejeweller&aos;scounterthirty-sixthousandfrancs。
WhenMadameLoiseltookbackthenecklacetoMadameForestier，thelattersaidtoherinachillyvoice:
"Yououghttohavebroughtitbacksooner;Imighthaveneededit。
"
Shedidnot，asherfriendhadfeared，oenthecase。Ifshehadnoticedthesubstitution，whatwouldshehavethought?Whatwouldshehavesaid?Wouldshenothavetakenherforathief?
MadameLoiselcametoknowtheghastlylifeofabjectoverty。Fromtheveryfirstshelayedherartheroically。Thisfearfuldebtmustbeaidoff。Shewouldayit。Theservantwasdismissed。Theychangedtheirflat;theytookagarretundertheroof。
Shecametoknowtheheavyworkofthehouse，thehatefuldutiesofthekitchen。Shewashedthelates，wearingoutherinknailsonthecourseotteryandthebottomsofans。Shewashedthedirtylinen，theshirtsanddish-cloths，andhungthemouttodryonastring;everymorningshetookthedustbindownintothestreetandcarrieduthewater，stoingoneachlandingtogetherbreath。And，cladlikeaoorwoman，shewenttothefruiterer，tothegrocer，tothebutcher，abasketonherarm，haggling，insulted，fightingforeverywretchedhalfennyofhermoney。Everymonthnoteshadtobeaidoff，othersrenewed，timegained。
Herhusbandworkedintheeveningsatuttingstraightamerchant&aos;saccounts，andoftenatnighthedidcoyingattwo-ence-halfennyaage。
Andthislifelastedtenyears。
Attheendoftenyearseverythingwasaidoff，everything，theusurer&aos;schargesandtheaccumulationofsuerimosedinterest。
MadameLoisellookedoldnow。Shehadbecomelikealltheotherstrong，hard，coarsewomenofoorhouseholds。Herhairwasbadlydone，herskirtswereawry，herhandswerered。Shesokeinashrillvoice，andthewatersloedalloverthefloorwhenshescrubbedit。Butsometimes，whenherhusbandwasattheoffice，shesatdownbythewindowandthoughtofthateveninglongago，oftheballatwhichshehadbeensobeautifulandsomuchadmired。
Whatwouldhavehaenedifshehadneverlostthosejewels。Whoknows?Whoknows?Howstrangelifeis，howfickle!Howlittleisneededtoruinortosave!
OneSunday，asshehadgoneforawalkalongtheChams-Elyseestofreshenherselfafterthelaboursoftheweek，shecaughtsightsuddenlyofawomanwhowastakingachildoutforawalk。ItwasMadameForestier，stillyoung，stillbeautiful，stillattractive。
MadameLoiselwasconsciousofsomeemotion。Shouldsheseaktoher?Yes，certainly。Andnowthatshehadaid，shewouldtellherall。Whynot?
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