The Necklace

(Guy de Maupassant)
(adapted by Mack Lewis sourced at
http://teacher.scholastic.com/scholasticnews/magazines/assets/scope/SCOPE-Archive-
TheNecklace.pdf)
Characters:
 Maupassant (maw-pah-sawn): the narrator
 Madame Matilda Liosel: a young woman
 Monsiieur Loisel: Matilda’s husband
 Marcel: the chimney sweep who helps in the narration
 Marie-Claire: the maid
 Madame Forester Matilda’s friend
 Madam Ambassador
 Ambassador
 Gentleman
 Jeweler

SCENE 1
Maupassant: The year is 1875 and this is the home of Madame Matilda Liosel, a young
lady as charming as she is discontent. Here she come now.
Matilda: (distressed) Marie-Claire? Marie-Claire?
Marie-Claire: Oui (hwee), Madame?
Matilda: Marie-Claire, do try to straighten up before the master gets home.
Everything looks so shabby!
Marie-Claire: But, Madame, you have such a beautiful home.
Matilda: Nothing but faded wall paper and dilapidated furniture. How it tortures
me to live here!
Maupassant: As I was saying, Madame is charming. She also has rich tastes.
Matilda: Make it better, Marie-Claire!
Marie-Claire: Madame?
Matilda: Dust, Marie-Claire! Straighten! Fluff!
Marie-Claire: Yes, Madame. Right away.
Maupassant: Ah, here comes Monsier Loisel. Madame wishes he were royalty or a
wealthy man. He is neither, but tonight, he does have a gift.
Liosel: Dear Matilda, have I got a surprise for you!
Matilda: What’s this?
Liosel: An invitation to the Ambassador’s Ball. I went to a great deal of trouble to
get it.
Matilda: (angry) What would I want with this?
Loisel: But this is such a big event!
Matilda: What do you think I own that I can wear to such a fancy affair?
Loisel: Why, how about that dress you wear to the theater? It’s pretty enough!
Matilda: The dress I wear to the theater?! Are you mad?
Loisel: Please don’t cry, Matilda. What’s wrong?
Matilda: Nothing. Only I can’t go. Give the invitation to someone whose wife is
better dressed than I.
Loisel: Don’t be sad. How much would a new gown cost?

Matilda: Well, I don’t know exactly. I should think 400 franc (frahnks) ought to do
it.
Loisel: Very well. I will give you 400 francs. Do try to get a dress you’ll be happy
with.
Maupassant: Poor Loisel. He looks a little pale.

SCENE 2
Marcel: Wait a minute!
Maupassant: This is Marcel, the chimney sweep. Marcel, if MarieClaire knew you were
traipsing around the house covered in soot, she’d wallop you with her
dust mop.
Marcel: Dust mop, shmust mop. Now listen, you mean to tell me that Monsieur
Loisel is going to empty his savings account and work overtime just so
Matilda can buy a new dress?
Maupassant: We’re already in Scene 2, Marcel, so I suspect he already has.
Marcel: Does he honestly think a new dress will make her happy?
Maupassant: Why wouldn’t it?
Marcel: Because she –
Maupassant: Shhh. Tois-toi (tay-twah), Marcel. They’re coming.
Marie-Claire Oh my, Madame, you look simply beautiful.
Loisel: Stunning, my dear. Ravishing!
Matilda: Something’s not right.
Marie-Claire: Madame?
Loisel: Not right? What could be wrong?
Matilda: (crying) Oh, no. Oh, no! What am I to do?
Loisel: What is it Matilda?
Matilda: I haven’t any jewelry. I shall look so poor!
Loisel: You can wear so flowers?
Matilda: How embarrassing it would be to appear so shabby amidst such opulent
women. No, I can’t go.
Loisel: Call on your friend, Madame Forestier! She will certainly lend you some
jewels.
Matilda: C’est vrai [seh vray]! I hadn’t thought of that. We must go at once!

SCENE 3:
Matilda: (to herself) I do hope Madame Forestier takes pity on me.
Forestier: Matilda, how nice to see you! What brings you?
Matilda: It seems I’ve been invited to the Ambassador’s Ball. Loisel has gone out
of his way to get me an invitation and buy me a dress.
Forestier: The Ambassador’s Ball! You must be thrilled.
Matilda: Yes . . . and no. I’m ashamed to say I haven’t any jewelry. My husband
means well, but after all, he’s merely a clerk. May I borrow some from
you?
Forestier: Why, of course! Here’s my case.
Matilda: Oh là là [oo law law]! However will I choose? There are so many
wonderful pieces!
Forestier: Just trinkets, my dear. Choose whatever you wish.
Maupassant: Matilda and a case full of jewels? This could take a while, so allow me to
advance the story. It seems nothing in the case will satisfy Matilda’s
 tastes—until she discovers the necklace. Her heart skips a beat. Her
hands tremble.
Matilda: Would you lend me this diamond necklace? Only this?
Forestier: Certainly! Now go enjoy the ball.

SCENE 4
Marcel: So she’s going to the ball?
Maupassant: She’s already there.
Marcel: Wow, look at that! Wealth, power, beauty—it’s all here, isn’t it? But how
did I get here?
Maupassant: You’re not here. You’re merely telling the story.
Marcel: I am? Really? Well, then, so Matilda arrives at the ball.
Madame Ambassador: And who is this elegant young lady?
Loisel: Ambassador, Madame Ambassador, I’d like you to meet my wife.
Madame Ambassador: What a radiant smile you have! Come, darling, let me show
you around.
Ambassador: That’s a lovely lady you have there, young man.
Marcel: So she’s a hit!
Maupassant: See for yourself.
Gentleman: Excuse me. May I have this dance?
Matilda: Certainly!
Gentleman: You’re the prettiest thing here.
Matilda: You undoubtedly say that to all the women.
Gentleman: Only when they are as lovely as you!
Maupassant: Matilda spends the evening in a cloud of happiness. It is four in the
morning before Loisel can convince her to leave.
Matilda: We must hurry out before someone sees my coat.
Loisel: No one will notice your coat, Matilda.
Matilda: It’s old and unfashionable. Please, let’s hurry.
Loisel: At least let me call a cab. It’s chilly out.
Matilda: But we’ll be noticed. We can walk down the street. A cab will happen by
sooner or later.
Loisel: Very well, if only to keep up appearances.

SCENE 5
Marcel: I don’t see what the big deal is. She goes to the ball. She has a great time.
End of story.
Maupassant: Not quite, Marcel. There’s still a lesson to be learned.
Loisel: (at home) I thought we’d never find a cab. I’m still shivering.
Matilda: Oh, but it was worth it. Do you know I waltzed with the Ambassador?
Loisel: I’m glad you enjoyed yourself, but I still have to report to work this
morning.
Matilda: Just one more look.
Maupassant: That’s when Matilda looks into the mirror.
Matilda: The necklace . . . it’s gone!
Loisel: What? Did you have it when we left the ball?

Matilda: Yes, I felt it around my neck as we came out.

Loisel: Perhaps it’s in the cab.

Maupassant: Loisel searches the streets. He goes to the police and to the cab offices.

Marcel: Does he find it?

Matilda: Darling, I’m so glad you’re home! Tell me you found it!

Loisel: (sadly) Tell your friend you are having the clasp repaired . That will give us
time to find a replacement.

SCENE 6

Marcel: A replacement? They can’t afford a replacement. A diamond necklace like

Maupassant: After a great deal of searching, they finally find a necklace just like it.
Loisel: Excuse me, sir. May we have a look at that diamond necklace?

Jeweler: Very well, but if you must know, it is exceptionally expensive. I cater to a
very exclusive clientele.

Matilda: It’s nearly identical. We must have it!

Maupassant: Loisel swallows hard and braves the question.

Loisel: How much is it?

Jeweler: Forty-thousand francs.

Jeweler: As I said, we serve a select clientele.

Matilda: Surely you can see we’re desperate.

Jeweler: Very well. I will accept thirty-six thousand.

Marcel: Not Marie-Claire! Oh, how I love that old woman!

Maupassant: They move to a truly shabby one-room apartment. Loisel gets a second
job at night. Matilda takes in work as a washerwoman.

Marcel: They go on like that for 10 years?

Maupassant: What else can they do? Not long after making the final payment on their
debt, Matilda bumps into Madame Forestier on the street.

Matilda: Madame Forestier, good morning.

Forestier: Do I know you?

Matilda: It’s me, Matilda Loisel.

Forestier: My poor Matilda! How you’ve changed.

Matilda: I’ve had some toilsome times, and all because of you.

Forestier: Because of me? Whatever do you mean?

Matilda: Do you recall the diamond necklace you lent me? Well, I lost it.

Forestier: But you returned it to me.

Matilda: I returned another exactly like it. It has taken us 10 years to pay for it. You
can understand how hard it’s been for us to live in poverty for so long, but
it is finally finished and I am decently content.

Forestier: You bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?

Matilda: Yes. They were exactly alike.

Forestier: Oh, my poor Matilda. Had you only come to me and told me the truth! My
diamonds were fake. They weren’t worth but 500 francs!

Marcel: (after a pause): Boy, that is a hard lesson.

Maupassant: Indeed, Marcel. A lesson for us all.

-The End-