Madame Loisel was a pretty girl bor

Madame Loisel was a pretty girl born into a poor family. She had no expectations
and she felt so trapped by her situation that she married a little clerk in a
goverment office. Her tastes were simple because she had never been able to
afford any other, but she was as unhappy as though she had married beneath her
status; for women have no caste or class, their beauty, grace, and charm serving
them for birth or family. She suffered endlessly, feeling herself born for every
delicacy and luxury. She suffered from the poorness of her house, from its bare
walls, worn chairs, and ugly curtains.
You make any dress come to life, my dear. How ravishing
you look!
[Pouting and whining] But I'll be disgraced!
Disgraced? What can you possibly mean? You will be the
most beautiful woman there!
You just don't understand! It's so annoying! I don't have a
single piece of jewelry to wear with my gown.
There is one thing, one possibility that you've forgotten.
[sniffs.] What's that?
Your old classmate! Madame Jeanne Forestier! She is
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MADAME LOISEL :
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MADAME LOISEL :
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MADAME LOISEL :
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
Scene 2:
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MADAME LOISEL :
MADAME LOISEL :
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MADAME LOISEL :
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
MADAME LOISEL :
MONSIEUR LOISEL:
Isn't it wonderful?
What do you mean? What can I do with it?
I have nothing suitable to wear to this glamorous
occasion?
Why... Why, you can wear your theater gown, of course.
It's really quite suitable.
What's the matter? Why are you crying?
I'll be humiliated in that old gown. It's so tattered and
completely out of style. I can't go to the ball wearing
that rag.
There must be a way! How much do you think a suitable
gown would cost, something very simple but elegant as
well, of course.
I'm not too sure, but maybe 400 francs.
I've been saving and I think I have just about 400 francs
you could take it to buy a gown.
[She tosses the invitation onto the table.]
[Madame Loisel breaks into tears.]
[Monsieur Loisel paces and thinks.]
"The Minister and Madame Ramponneau
request the pleasure of the company of
Monsieur and Madame Loisel
at the Ministry on the evening of Monday, January the eighteenth."really well off. I'm sure she would be willing to lend you
some of her jewelry!
MADAME LOISEL :
MADAME FORESTIER:
MADAME LOISEL :
MADAME FORESTIER:
The necklace you have is actually just a replacement. I'm
afraid that I lost yours. We borrowed money to purchase
a replacement and have spent the past ten years paying
off the debt, but today, we have made the last payment.
Ten years? Surely it could not have taken that long to pay
off the amount needed to replace the necklace?
What do you mean?
Mine was a fake; the replacement should have cost you
nothing more than 500 francs. Oh, my poor, poor, dear
Matilda.
Scene 1
MONSIEUR LOISEL: Sweetheart, I have a surprise for you.
MADAME LOISEL : Really, what is the surprise?
MONSIEUR LOISEL: See for yourself.
(He places the invitation on the table.)
Swiftly she tears open the envelop and draws out a printed card and reads out