selected writings-第41部分

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with　huge　rhinestones　which　glittered　and　sparkled　like　real

diamonds。　Around　her　neck　she　wore　strings　of　false　pearls；　and

on　her　arms　bracelets　of　imitation　gold。



Her　husband　frequently　remonstrated　with　her；　saying：



〃My　dear；　as　you　cannot　afford　to　buy　real　diamonds；　you　ought　to

appear　adorned　with　your　beauty　and　modesty　alone；　which　are　the

rarest　ornaments　of　your　sex。〃



But　she　would　smile　sweetly；　and　say：



〃What　can　I　do？　I　am　so　fond　of　jewelry。　It　is　my　only　weakness。

We　cannot　change　our　natures。〃



Then　she　would　roll　the　pearl　necklaces　around　her　fingers；　and

hold　up　the　bright　gems　for　her　husband's　admiration；　gently

coaxing　him：



〃Look！　are　they　not　lovely？　One　would　swear　they　were　real。〃



M。　Lantin　would　then　answer；　smilingly：



〃You　have　Bohemian　tastes；　my　dear。〃



Often　of　an　evening；　when　they　were　enjoying　a　tete…a…tete　by　the

fireside；　she　would　place　on　the　tea　table　the　leather　box

containing　the　〃trash；〃　as　M。　Lantin　called　it。　She　would　examine

the　false　gems　with　a　passionate　attention　as　though　they　were　in

some　way　connected　with　a　deep　and　secret　joy；　and　she　often

insisted　on　passing　a　necklace　around　her　husband's　neck；　and

laughing　heartily　would　exclaim：　〃How　droll　you　look！〃　Then　she

would　throw　herself　into　his　arms　and　kiss　him　affectionately。



One　evening　in　winter　she　attended　the　opera；　and　on　her　return

was　chilled　through　and　through。　The　next　morning　she　coughed；

and　eight　days　later　she　died　of　inflammation　of　the　lungs。



M。　Lantin's　despair　was　so　great　that　his　hair　became　white　in

one　month。　He　wept　unceasingly；　his　heart　was　torn　with　grief；

and　his　mind　was　haunted　by　the　remembrance；　the　smile；　the

voiceby　every　charm　of　his　beautiful；　dead　wife。



Time；　the　healer；　did　not　assuage　his　grief。　Often　during　office

hours；　while　his　colleagues　were　discussing　the　topics　of　the

day；　his　eyes　would　suddenly　fill　with　tears；　and　he　would　give

vent　to　his　grief　in　heartrending　sobs。　Everything　in　his　wife's

room　remained　as　before　her　decease；　and　here　he　was　wont　to

seclude　himself　daily　and　think　of　her　who　had　been　his

treasurethe　joy　of　his　existence。



But　life　soon　became　a　struggle。　His　income；　which　in　the　hands

of　his　wife　had　covered　all　household　expenses；　was　now　no　longer

sufficient　for　his　own　immediate　wants；　and　he　wondered　how　she

could　have　managed　to　buy　such　excellent　wines；　and　such　rare

delicacies；　things　which　he　could　no　longer　procure　with　his

modest　resources。



He　incurred　some　debts　and　was　soon　reduced　to　absolute　poverty。

One　morning；　finding　himself　without　a　cent　in　his　pocket；　he

resolved　to　sell　something；　and；　immediately；　the　thought

occurred　to　him　of　disposing　of　his　wife's　paste　jewels。　He

cherished　in　his　heart　a　sort　of　rancor　against　the　false　gems。

They　had　always　irritated　him　in　the　past；　and　the　very　sight　of

them　spoiled　somewhat　the　memory　of　his　lost　darling。



To　the　last　days　of　her　life；　she　had　continued　to　make

purchases；　bringing　home　new　gems　almost　every　evening。　He

decided　to　sell　the　heavy　necklace　which　she　seemed　to　prefer；

and　which；　he　thought；　ought　to　be　worth　about　six　or　seven

francs；　for　although　paste　it　was；　nevertheless；　of　very　fine

workmanship。



He　put　it　in　his　pocket　and　started　out　in　search　of　a　jeweler's

shop。　He　entered　the　first　one　he　sawfeeling　a　little　ashamed

to　expose　his　misery；　and　also　to　offer　such　a　worthless　article

for　sale。



〃Sir；〃　said　he　to　the　merchant；　〃I　would　like　to　know　what　this

is　worth。〃



The　man　took　the　necklace；　examined　it；　called　his　clerk　and　made

some　remarks　in　an　undertone；　then　he　put　the　ornament　back　on

the　counter；　and　looked　at　it　from　a　distance　to　judge　of　the

effect。



M。　Lantin　was　annoyed　by　all　this　detail　and　was　on　the　point　of

saying：　〃Oh！　I　know　well　enough　it　is　not　worth　anything；〃　when

the　jeweler　said：　〃Sir；　that　necklace　is　worth　from　twelve　to

fifteen　thousand　francs；　but　I　could　not　buy　it　unless　you　tell

me　now　whence　it　comes。〃



The　widower　opened　his　eyes　wide　and　remained　gaping；　not

comprehending　the　merchant's　meaning。　Finally　he　stammered：。　〃You

sayare　you　sure？〃　The　other　replied　dryly：　〃You　can　search

elsewhere　and　see　if　anyone　will　offer　you　more。　I　consider　it

worth　fifteen　thousand　at　the　most。　Come　back　here　if　you　cannot

do　better。〃



M。　Lantin；　beside　himself　with　astonishment；　took　up　the　necklace

and　left　the　store。　He　wished　time　for　reflection。



Once　outside；　he　felt　inclined　to　laugh；　and　said　to　himself：

〃The　fool！　Had　I　only　taken　him　at　his　word！　That　jeweler　cannot

distinguish　real　diamonds　from　paste。〃



A　few　minutes　after；　he　entered　another　store　in　the　Rue　de　la

Paix。　As　soon　as　the　proprietor　glanced　at　the　necklace；　he　cried

out：



〃Ah；　parbleu！　I　know　it　well；　it　was　bought　here。〃



M。　Lantin　was　disturbed；　and　asked：



〃How　much　is　it　worth？〃



〃Well；　I　sold　it　for　twenty　thousand　francs。　I　am　willing　to　take

it　back　for　eighteen　thousand　when　you　inform　me；　according　to

our　legal　formality；　how　it　comes　to　be　in　your　possession。〃



This　time　M。　Lantin　was　dumfounded。　He　replied：



〃Butbutexamine　it　well。　Until　this　moment　I　was　under　the

impression　that　it　was　paste。〃



Said　the　jeweler：



〃What　is　your　name；　sir？〃



〃LantinI　am　in　the　employ　of　the　Minister　of　the　Interior。　I

live　at　No。　16　Rue　des　Martyrs。〃



The　merchant　looked　through　his　books；　found　the　entry；　and　said：

〃That　necklace　was　sent　to　Mme。　Lantin's　address；　16　Rue　des

Martyrs；　July　20；　1876。〃



The　two　men　looked　into　each　other's　eyesthe　widower　speechless

with　astonishment；　the　jeweler　scenting　a　thief。　The　latter　broke

the　silence　by　saying：



〃Will　you　leave　this　necklace　here　for　twenty…four　hours？　I　will

give　you　a　receipt。〃



〃Certainly；〃　answered　M。　Lantin；　hastily。　Then；　putting　the

ticket　in　his　pocket；　he　left　the　store。



He　wandered　aimlessly　through　the　streets；　his　mind　in　a　state　of

dreadful　confusion。　He　tried　to　reason；　to　understand。　His　wife

could　not　afford　to　purchase　such　a　costly　ornament。　Certainly

not。　But；　then；　it　must　have　been　a　present！a　present！a

present　from　whom？　Why　was　it　given　her？



He　stopped　and　remained　standing　in　the　middle　of　the　street。　A

horrible　doubt　entered　his　mindshe？　Then　all　the　other　gems

must　have　been　presents；　too！　The　earth　seemed　to　tremble　beneath

him；the　tree　before　him　was　fallingthrowing　up　his　arms；　he

fell　to　the　ground；　unconscious。　He　recovered　his　senses　in　a

pharmacy　into　which　the　passers…by　had　taken　him；　and　was　then

taken　to　his　home。　When　he　arrived　he　shut　himself　up　in　his　room

and　wept　until　nightfall。　Finally；　overcome　with　fatigue；　he

threw　himself　on　the　bed；　where　he　passed　an　uneasy；　restless

night。



The　following　morning　he　arose　and　prepared　to　go　to　the　office。

It　was　hard　to　work　after　such　a；　shock。　He　sent　a　letter　to　his

employer　requesting　to　be　excused。　Then　he　remembered　that　he　had

to　return　to　the　jeweler's。　He　did　not　like　the　idea；　but　he

could　not　leave　the　necklace　with　that　man。　So　he　dressed　and

went　out。



It　was　a　lovely　day；　a　clear　blue　sky　smiled　on　the　busy　city

below；　and　men　of　leisure　were　strolling　about　with　their　hands

in　their　pockets。



Observing　them；　M。　Lantin　said　to　himself：　〃The　rich；　indeed；　are

happy。　With　money　it　is　possible　to　forget　even　the　deepest

sorrow。　One　can　go　where　one　pleases；　and　in　travel　find　that

distraction　which　is　the　surest　cure　for　grief。　Oh！　if　I　were

only　rich！〃



He　began　to　feel　hungry；　but　his　pocket　was　empty。　He　again

remembered　the　necklace。　Eighteen　thousand　francs！　Eighteen

thousand　francs！　What　a　sum！



He　soon　arrived　in　the　Rue　de　la　Paix；　opposite　the　jeweler's。

Eighteen　thousand　francs！　Twenty　times　he　resolved　to　go　in；　but

shame　kept　him　back。　He　was　hungry；　however；very　hungry；　and

had　not　a　cent　in　his　pocket。　He　decided　quickly；　ran　across　the

street　in　order　not　to　have　time　for　reflection；　and　entered　the

store。



The　proprietor　immediately　came　forward；　and　politely　offered　him

a　chair；　the　clerks　glanced　at　him　knowingly。



〃I　have　made　inquiries；　M。　Lantin；〃　said　the　jeweler；　〃and　if　you

are　still　resolved　to　dispose　of　the　gems；　I　am　ready　to　pay　you

the　price　I　offered。〃



〃Certainly；　sir；〃　stammered　M。　Lantin。



Whereupon　the　proprietor　took　from　a　drawer　eighteen　large　bills；

counted　and　handed　them　to　M。　Lantin；　who　signed　a　receipt　and

with　a　trembling　hand　put　the　money　into　his　pocket。



As　he　was　about　to　leave　the　store；　he　turned　toward　the

merchant；　who　still　wore　the　same　knowing　smile；　and　lowering　his

eyes；　said：



〃I　haveI　have　other　gems　which　I　have　received　from　the　same

source。　Will　you　buy　them　also？〃



The　merchant　bowed：　〃Certainly；　sir。〃



M。　Lantin　said　gravely：　〃I　will　bring　them　to　you。〃　An　hour　later

he　returned　with　the　gems。



The　large　diamond　earrings　were　worth　twenty　thousand　francs；　the

bracelets　thirty…five　thousand；　the　rings；　sixteen　thousand；　a

set　of　emeralds　and　sapphires；　fourteen　thousand；　a　gold　chain

with　solitaire　pendant；　forty　thousandmaking　the　sum　of　one

hundred　and　forty…three　thousand　francs。



The　jeweler　remarked；　jokingly：



〃There　was　a　person　who　invested　all　her　earnings　in　precious

stones。〃



M。　Lantin　replied；　seriously：



〃It　is　only　another　way　of　investing　one's　money。〃



That　day　he　lunched　at　Voisin's　and　drank　wine　worth　twenty

francs　a　bottle。　Then　he　hired　a　carriage　and　made　a　tour　of　the

Bois；　and　as　he　scanned　the　various　turn…outs　with　a　contemptuous

air　he　could　hardly　refrain　from　crying　out　to　the　occupants：



〃I；　too；　am　rich！I　am　worth　two　hundred　thousand　francs。〃



Suddenly　he　thought　of　his　employer。　He　drove　up　to　the　office；

and　entered　gaily；　saying