SCRIPT: The Necklace

NARRATOR: Mme. Mathilde Loisel was one of those pretty and charming girls who are, as if born with a
mistake of destiny, in a family of clerks.

NARRATOR: One night during dinner.....

MME. LOISEL: (While cleaning and cooking) If only we go to dainty dinners with shining silverware and
delicious dishes served on marvelous plates! (Serves the soup)

KIRBY: Be patient, Mathilde. Time will come and we will be rich. (Opens cover of pot) Ahh, pot-au-feu!
This is really the best!

MME. LOISEL: You always say that, yet nothing has changed.

KIRBY: Am I such a disappointment to you?

MME. LOISEL: No dear, I married you for love. Let's eat now.

NARRATOR: She had no jewels nor expensive clothes like those of the other women. Every day while
cleaning the house, she would always imagine attending glamorous balls and dinners.

MME. LOISEL: (Stands up and puts her plate on the side)

KIRBY: (Places hand on pocket then feels a large envelope and gets it) Oh, I almost forgot. My dear, here
is something for you. (Places envelope on the table)

MME. LOISEL: (Goes to the table then picks up envelope, reads the card inside) The Minister of Public
Instruction and Mme. Georges Ramponneau request the honor of M. and Mme. Loisel's company at the
palace of the Ministry on Monday evening, January 18th. (Sighs then throws paper to Mr. Loisel) What
do you want me to do with that? What do you want me to put on my back?

KIRBY: But my dear, I thought you would be glad. Not everyone is invited. You could wear the dress you
go to the theater in.

MME. LOISEL: (Immediately turns her back and cries)

KIRBY: What's the matter?

MME. LOISEL: I have no dress, so I can't go to this ball.

KIRBY: (Thinks) How much would a suitable dress cost?

MME. LOISEL: I don't know exactly, but I think I could manage it with 400 francs.

NARRATOR: He had grown a little pale because he was saving money to buy a gun to treat himself to a
little shooting next summer.
KIRBY: (Gets wallet) Alright. (Sighs) I will give you 400 francs. (Gives the money)

NARRATOR: As the day of the ball drew near, Mme. Loisel seemed sad and anxious.

MME. LOISEL: (Wearing the dress) Husband, look at me! What do you think?

KIRBY: You look stunning, as always. I don’t understand why you look so anxious.

KIRBY: What's wrong my dear?

MME. LOISEL: (Irritated) I have no jewels to put on! It's so humiliating!

KIRBY: Go to your friend, Mme. Forestier and ask her to lend you some jewels.

NARRATOR: The next day, she immediately went to her friend, Mme. Forestier.

MME. FORESTIER: (greets her and kisses on the cheek) I haven't seen you for a while, Mathilde! I have
just arranged my collection.

MME. LOISEL: (Talks with her) I'm sorry, I have been very busy this past few weeks. May I see them?

MME. FORESTIER: (Shows her jewelries to Mme. Loisel) Choose, my dear.

MME. LOISEL: (Tries everything out then sees a necklace that catches her attention) Can I borrow that?

MME. FORESTIER: Yes, certainly.

MME. LOISEL: I shall return it after the ball, thank you! (Kisses Mme. Forestier's cheek)

MME. FORESTIER: Anything for you, my friend. (Kisses Mme. Loisel on the cheek)

NARRATOR: The day of the ball arrived. Mme. Loisel stood out amongst all women. She was the fairest
of them all.

ATTACHÉS OF THE CABINET 1: May I have this dance?

ATTACHÉS OF THE CABINET 2: May I dance with you?

NARRATOR: Mme. Loisel enjoyed herself at the ball. They went away at 4 o'clock in the morning.

KIRBY: (Places a shawl on Mme. Loisel) Wait a bit. You will catch cold outside. I will go and call a cab.

NARRATOR: It took them

KIRBY: (Sees the pale and worried face of Mme. Loisel) My dear, what's wrong?

MME. LOISEL: I-I have lost Mme. Forestier's necklace!

KIRBY: (Shocked) What-How-Impossible!

KIRBY: (Sighs) I shall go back and see if I can find it.

NARRATOR: Mr. Loisel went outside to try to find the missing necklace, but he returned with nothing.

KIRBY: I found nothing. I shall continue the search tomorrow.

NARRATOR: The next day, he went to different places just to look for the necklace.

KIRBY: Uhm, have you seen a necklace?

NEWSPAPER OFFICE: We haven't seen one, sir. Sorry.

KIRBY: Uhm, have you seen a necklace?

POLICE: There is certainly no necklace here,sir.

KIRBY: Uhm, have you seen a necklace?

CAB COMPANIES: Sorry, sir. There was no necklace left here.

KIRBY: They haven’t seen it, either. Write to your friend and tell her you have lost the necklace, and you
are having it mended.

NARRATOR: With that, they gained more time to continue searching for the necklace. After 5 years…

MME. LOISEL: We have no choice but to replace the ornament.

NARRATOR: They went from jeweler to jeweler, trying to find that particular necklace.

JEWELER 1: We haven’t got that type of necklace here.

JEWELER 2: It was not I who sold that necklace, sir.

NARRATOR: At last, they found the very same necklace on one of the jewelry shops.

KIRBY: Excuse me, how much does this necklace cost?

JEWELER 3: 40 thousand francs, sir.

MME. LOISEL: 40 thousand, francs? For a necklace?

JEWELER 3: You can have it for 36 francs, if you wish.

MME. LOISEL: Well, husband, I guess we really have no choice but to buy it.

KIRBY: Could you save this one for us? We shall be back very soon.

JEWELER 3: Alright.
NARRATOR: When they were home…

MME. LOISEL: I’ve inherited about half the amount. What about the rest?

KIRBY: We shall borrow it from associates.

NARRATOR: They returned to the shop and bought the necklace.

MME. LOISEL: Thank goodness, we’re home.

NARRATOR: The two continued to work to pay all their debts. They already dismissed their servants,
fruiters, grocers, and butchers. Her nails were already covered in grease and her skin began to crease.
Finally…..

KIRBY: Today is the day! Our debts are all paid.

MME. LOISEL: Thank you, dear husband for staying with me till the end.

KIRBY: Of course, my dear.

MME. LOISEL: I shall go and take a walk first.

NARRATOR: Mme. Loisel saw Mme. Forestier walking.

MME. LOISEL: Forestier, my friend!

MME. FORESTIER: I’m sorry, you must’ve made a mistake. I don’t know you.

MME. LOISEL: I am Mathilde Loisel.

MME. FORESTIER: Mathilde! What has happened to you!

MME. LOISEL: Well, I have lost your necklace. (Hands the necklace to Forestier)

MME. FORESTIER: But you have just returned it.

MME. LOISEL: I returned a replacement. We borrowed money just to buy another one and worked for
ages to pay our debts. It wasn’t easy for us.

MME. FORESTIER: You bought a diamond necklace to replace mine?

MME. LOISEL: Haven’t you noticed? I knew I found the perfect matching design!

MME. FORESTIER: Oh, my friend, my heart aches! The necklace I lent you was worthless. Ever single
diamond was fake!