1、THE NECKLACE项链 Mathilde Loisel was one of those poor girls， pretty，charming and romantic，who，in spite of their romantic dreams，are married to a mediocrityHer husband was a clerk in the Ministry of Education世上有些贫穷人家的姑娘，身段漂亮，相貌迷人，而且充满罗曼蒂克的想法。然而，尽管她们做着美丽浪漫的梦，却嫁给了平民百姓为妻。玛蒂尔德卢瓦泽尔便是其中之一，她的丈夫只是教育部里的一名小职员。O
2、ne evening her husband came home with an air of triumph一天晚上，她丈夫神采飞扬地回到家里。“I have something nice for you，”he said，giving her a large envelope“我有样好东西送给你，”他说道，递给她一个大信封。She tore open the envelope，which contained the following printed card：她拆开信封，里面装着一张请柬，上面印着：“The Minister of Education and Madame Georges
3、 Ramponneau have the honour to request the company of Monsieur and Madame Loisel at the office of the Ministry on Monday evening，January 18th”“教育部长乔治朗蓬诺夫人敬请卢瓦泽尔先生及夫人光临1月18 一晚上 部大 的晚 。”She did not seem delightedOn the contrary，she flung the invitation card on the table，and said spitefully：她 一 ， 而 请柬
4、上， 好 地说：“Whats that to me ”“ 我有 ”“Why，my dear，I thought youd be pleasedYou like a dance，dont you You hardly ever go out，and this is really a good chance for youI had no end of trouble to get itEvery one wants it，you knowAll the officials will be there，but only a few clerks are invited”“ ， 的，我 为你 的。你
5、， 是 你 currency1，“你说fifl是一 好的 。我了 之”到“张请柬。有的员 到。你 道，个人想 ，只请了的职员。”She looked at him ruefully and exclaimed：她地着他， 道：“What do you expect me to wear at a party like that ”“ 上你 我 ”It never occurred to him that she had no pretty dresses nor jewelsHe replied hesitatingly：他 想 ，她 有漂亮 ， 有 。他 地说道：“Why，the dress
6、 you wear when you go to the theatre looks very nice to me”“ ， ，我 ，你上 的 。”She burst into tearsWhy did she marry such a dull，stupid fellow Only because she was born into a poor familyOh，cruel trick of destiny 她的 而currency1。她为 嫁给“样一个 的家 只为她生 贫 人家。 ， 是 “Whats the matter ”he asked anxiously“ ”他 地 道。“Not
7、hing，”she answered with an effort“Its only that I havent a suitable dress，and so I cant go to the ballGive this card to a friend of yours whose wife has a better wardrobe than I”“ ，”她地说道，“只是我 有 适的 ，此我 能去参加 。你哪位朋友的夫人有比我更漂亮的 ， 请柬送给他好了。”It was a heart-breaking confession“是令人心碎的自白。“Come，Mathilde，my dear
8、est，”the distressed husband said，“how much do you think it would cost to have a proper dress，something rather simple which would be useful for other occasions after- wards ”“得啦，玛蒂尔德， 的，”窘迫之 的丈夫说，“你认为买一件 适的， 是说简单些并且 后 其他还能的 花 钱 ”She thought for a moment，busy with her calculationsHow much could she as
9、k without shocking the thrifty husband and provoking a flat refusal 她想了一 ，脑子里飞快地盘算开。 吓着她 节俭的丈夫，使他 断然拒绝，说 好呢 “Im not sure， but I think I could manage with four hundred francs”“我 说 上， 我想400法郎 够开销了。”The husband turned a little paleShe had named the exact sum he had saved to buy a gun to enjoy shooting
10、on the plain of Nanterre next summer with a few friends丈夫脸色略微发白。她报的目正好是他存着买枪，准备和他的个朋友到明年夏天去南特尔平 打猎用的。But he replied： 他回答道：“All rightYou shall have four hundred francsMind you get a really nice dress”“好吧，我给你400法郎。 ，一定得买一件漂漂亮亮的 。”* * *The day of the ball drew nearAlthough Madame Loisel had got her cov
11、eted dress， she seemed far from pleased 的 子愈愈近了。虽然卢瓦泽尔太太得到了想 的 ， 她还是一 。“What is the matter ”her husband asked“怎啦 ”她丈夫 道。“You look out of sorts these days”“些天你怎 精打采的 ”“Its quite annoying to think that I havent a single piece of jewellery to wearI might as well stay at home as cut a miserable figure a
12、t the party，”she answered“想起 烦人，我连一件 有戴的。我最好还是呆 家里，比 晚 上做currency1一副fi怜相强。”她回答道。“How about wearing natural flowers，then ”her husband suggested“They are nowquite in fashionFor ten francs you can get two or three splendid roses”“ 你认为戴鲜花怎样 ”她丈夫建议道。“现 很时 。花10法郎 fi 买两三朵上等的玫瑰花。”“Where did you get such a s
13、illy idea ”she replied“Cant you see how miserable Id look among rich women ”“你如此 蠢的念头是哪里冒currency1的 ”她答道，“你难道 想象 currency1站 一群贵妇人中间我 显得 酸 ”“Well then，”her husband said“Why dont you go and ask your friend，Madame Forestier，to lend you some jewels She is a good friend of yours，and has a lot of jeweller
14、y，hasnt she ”“ ， ，”她丈夫说，“你为 去找你的朋友福雷斯蒂埃夫人，向她借些 呢 她是你的好朋友，她有许 ， 是 ”“Yes，of course，”she exclaimed in delight“Why didnt I think of it ”“是 当然 ，”她 奋得 声说道，“我怎 想到“ 呢 ”The next day she called on Madame Forestier and explained her troubleMadame Forestier went to her wardrobe，took out a large jewel case，and p
15、laced it open in front of her friend第天，她 去拜访福雷斯蒂埃夫人，给她讲了自 的难 。福雷斯蒂埃夫人 到 ， currency1一只大 ，打开 她朋友面 。“Take what you want，my dear，”she said“ 的， 上哪件 哪件吧。”她说。Madame Loisel first saw some bracelets，then a pearl necklace，then a Venetian gold cross set with jewels，an exquisite piece of magnificent workmanship
16、She tried them on，one after another，before the mirror，uncertain which to choose卢瓦泽尔夫人 先 了一些 ，然后 了一 项链， 着 了一个 斯 的 的 ，“件精 的项链 。她站 子 面一件一件地 戴， 准 哪件好。“Have you any more ”she asked“你还有 有 的 ”她 道。“Oh，yes，look for yourselfI dont know what you would like best”“，有，你自个 吧。我 道你最。”Suddenly Madame Loisel discovere
17、d a black satin case，in which lay a superb diamond neck-laceHer heart beat fastWith trembling hands， she took it out，fastened it round her neck，and stood gazing at herself in the mirror，lost in admiration然，卢瓦泽尔夫人发现了一个色面的 ，里面装着一 上等的 项链。她的心currency1。她用“着的 currency1项链， 子上，然后站 子面 currency1神地fi着自 。She as
18、ked fearfully：她flfl 地 道：“Would you lend me this I dont think I need anything else”“你能 “ 借给我 其他的我 用了。”“Why，yes，certainly”“，当然fi 。”Madame Loisel threw her arms round her friends neck， kissed her，and hurried out，lest her friend should change her mind卢瓦泽尔夫人一 她朋友的子，了她 currency1而去， 她朋友 ”。* * *The night of
19、 the ball came at lastMadame Loisel was a brilliant successShe looked more beautiful than any other woman presentTriumphantly，full of grace and joy，she danced admirably，aware of the rapt eyes of the companyAll the meninquired her name，wanted to be introduced，asked her for waltzesShe attracted the at
20、tention of even the minister him- self 之临。卢瓦泽尔太太 。她 上去比有 的人漂亮。她满，尔，着令人 的， 自得地着的迷的目光。有的 人 打 她的姓名， 人 ，请她 尔 ， 连部长 人 ”到了她。She felt as if she were in a beautiful dream，intoxicated with happinessOh，howlong she had been yearning for such a moment 她 到自 做着美丽的梦， 之中。，“一她 了 了 It was about four in the morning be
21、fore she could tear herself away from the ballHer husband had been dozing since midnight in a little deserted drawing room with three other gentlemen whose wives were enjoying the dancecurrency1到 大 4 ，她 地开 。她丈夫自 起 一间 而 用的小 里打 ， 还有三位先生，他们的夫人 正尽 地着。He threw round her shoulders her cloak for everyday w
22、ear，which looked strangelyincongruous with her elegant ball dress，and anxious to escape the eyes of the other women in rich furs，she hurried down the staircase他 夫人 的 她的 头。她 上的 件面的 相比，“件 显得 地 相。为 些身着名贵 的人们的 ”，她 地跑下 梯。No cab was to be seen in the street，and，shivering with cold，they trudged on towards
23、the SeineAt last，on the quay，they found an old，rickety cab rarely seen in Paris in the daytimeOn reaching their dwelling，they climbed the stairs to their flat in gloomy silence街上一辆马车 找 着，他们冷得currency1打“，朝著塞纳河吃地 下去。 码头，他们找到一辆破旧的摇摇晃晃的currency1租马车，“车白天 巴黎街头是见 到的。到了， 死一般的沉寂中，他们爬上 梯回到家里。She took off her
24、garment before the mirrorShe wanted to enjoy one more glance at herself， decked in all her glorySuddenly she cried out in horror她站 子 去 。她想趁现 满身荣耀， 自 再 瞧一 。然，她惊 起。“What is the matter ”her husband askedHe was already half undressed；he had to be at the office by ten the next day“事 ”她丈夫 道。他 了一半，明天10 还得准
25、时上班呢。She turned to him，like one mad她转身朝着他，活像个疯子。“The diamond necklace is gone ”“ 项链丢了 ”“What How Impossible ”“ 怎 fi能 ”They searched the folds of her skirt and cloak， her pockets，everywhere；but thenecklace was nowhere to be seen他们搜寻她的裙子和 的折层，搜寻她的 袋，搜寻个地方， 项链 是找 到。“You had it on when you left the ball
26、 ”“开 时你还戴着 ”“Yes，I remember fingering it in the vestibule”“是，我记得 里还摸 。”“If you had dropped it in the street，we should have heard the soundYou must have lost it in the cab”“如果你 掉 街上，我们该 到声响。你肯定是 马车上丢掉的。”“Probably，did you notice the number ”“ 许。你 ”到车号了 ”“No，I didnt”“ 有。”They gazed at each other in con
27、sternation他们惊万状地相互 着。“Ill go back all over the road and try to find it”“我 刚 的路回去重 一遍，设法 找回。”He hurried outShe flung herself down in a chair，and remained there blankly，the very picture of despairAbout seven oclock he re- turned，empty-handedThen he reported to the police and made inquiries among the c
28、ab companies，but all in vainMadame Forestiers di- amond necklace seemed to havevanished into thin air他 地赶了currency1去。她猛地瘫坐 椅子上， 一片茫然，一幅完全绝的 景。 摸7 ，他回了，两空空。之后他去警察局报案，向currency1租马车的公司逐个打 ，全白劲。福雷斯蒂埃夫人的 项链 好像飞到了霄云 。“Write to your friend，”the husband said，“that you have injured the clasp of her necklace
29、and that you are having it mendedWe must have time to think over the matter”“给你的朋友写信，”丈夫说道，“ 说你 项链的环”坏了，正 请人修。我们得有时间 “件事好好考虑一下。”* * *A week had passed without bringing them any spark of hopeLoisel，who now looked five years older，said，一个 去了，并 有给他们带丁 希。卢瓦泽尔好像一下子老了5岁，他说：“Well have to replace the neckla
30、ce”“我们只好买条项链赔了。”The next day they took the empty case to the jewellers whose name they found inside the lidHe consulted his books第天，他们 的盖子里发现了 店的店名，便 着空子去找老板，他查了他的登记簿。“We did not sell the necklaceWe only supplied the case”“我们 有卖 “条项链。我们只配了“个 。”They went from jeweller to jeweller，searching for a neck
31、lace like the one they had lostAt last，in a shop at the Palais Royal they found a diamond necklace exactly like Madame ForestiersThe price was forty thousand francsThe jeweller agreed to sell it for thirty-six他们找了一家 一家 店，想寻找一条他们丢失的项链相 的。 王宫街的一家店铺里发现一条福雷斯蒂埃夫人 一模一样的，标价4万法郎。店后答应 36 000法郎currency1 。They
32、 begged him not to sell it for three days， and they got him to promise thathe would buy it back for thirty-four thousand francs，in case they should find the lost necklace by the end of February他们 他给他们保留3天，并且 他讲妥，万一他们 2月底 找到 丢失的项链，店愿” 34 000法郎的价购回。He rushed for a loan to everybody， asking a thousand
33、francs from one man，five hundred from another，five louis here，three louis thereHe blindly signed promissory notes，agreed to unreasonable terms，even called on professional money- lenders他上天入地到 借钱，向“个借1000法郎，向 个借500；“里借5个 路易， 里借3个 路易。他盲目签 ，答应 的 条件， 向职 借 。At last he obtained the thirty-six thousand fra
34、ncs，but at the risk of his wholefutureHow could he hope to return so much money And when Crushing despair gnawed at his heart36000法郎 了， 是 自 的后半 子 为 的。他怎能 还 “样一大 钱 时 还得完 绝 着他的心，他万念 。* * *Madame Forestier received the necklace with an air of displeasure福雷斯蒂埃夫人 为 地 项链。“You should have returned it soone
35、rI might need it at any moment”“你该 还，我 时fi能 戴。”Madame Loisel feared lest her friend should examine the necklace and notice the differenceHowever，Madame Forestier carelessly put the case away without looking at the contents卢瓦泽尔夫人 她的朋友查 项链， 心她 currency1 。好 福雷斯蒂埃夫人连 里面装的东西，子 下 起了。* * *Then came to the
36、couple days，weeks and years of drudgeryThey heroically resolved to pay the appalling debt by working hardThey quitted the flat and moved into a garretThey bought nothing except daily necessaries，which they tried to do without often enoughShe learned to bargain with tradesmen，ready to quarrel for eve
37、ry sonHer daydreaming was replaced by a constant endeavour to pay her way是， 一 ，年 一年的 岁月临了。他们 地定 还 人 的currency1。他们掉了公“，到了一 上。了 用fi，他们 买， 连 用fi 尽fl买。她 了人价还价， 时准备为一钱人。 有了白 梦， 而 之的是为还而的。Each month some of the promissory notes had to be renewed，only to gain timeThe husband worked after office hours，keepi
38、ng accounts for a tradesman，and late at night copying manuscripts at five sons a page为了”长还 ，月得 签一些 。丈夫下班后 一个人记， 时还为 人子，一5个。A new year came，followed by another andanother，and still they grubbed on，untilten years had flowed onTheir efforts were not in vainAt the end of that timethey had managed to pay
39、 off everything，including interest at high rate一年 一年的 去了，他们旧 活，一currency1了10年。他们的 有白。10年后，他们还 了有currency1， 。Madame Loisel now looked older than her ageHer hair disheveled，her skirt turned to one side， her hands rough and hardened，the former sentimental，romantic woman had turned into a stout- hearted
40、 matron who had tasted the bitters of lifeNow and then，however，when her husband was away at the office，she would sit by the window and think of the glory of that danceWhat sort of woman would she be now，if she had not lost the necklace Whoknows 卢瓦泽尔夫人现 比她的 年老得 。她的头发，裙子 到一 ， 得 有。“个 浪漫 的子现 了 生活 的 娘子。然
41、而，当丈夫去上班时，她 尔坐 回 上的荣光。如果她 有丢失 条项链，她现 是样的人呢 道 One Sunday she went for a stroll in the Champs-Elyses to divert her mind from the labours of the week，when she caught sight of a lady with a childIt was Madame restier 有一个 天，她去 丽大道 ， 一的。然，她 到一个带着小的妇人，此人正是福雷斯蒂埃夫人 Madame Forestier looked as young，as beautif
42、ul， and as charming as ten years beforeMadame Loisel felt her heart beat hardShould she speak to her Yes，of courseThe debt had all been paid； she might tell her all about itWhy not She went up to Madame Forestier福雷斯蒂埃夫人 上去 10年 一样年 ，一样漂亮，一样迷人。卢瓦泽尔夫人的心 得发 。她该给她讲 是的，当然应该 还 ，她当然fi 她“一 的一 。为 呢 她 currency
43、1朝福雷斯蒂埃夫人去。“Hello，Jeanne ”“ ，你好 ”Her friend looked mystified，addressed by a poorly dressed stranger：She had notrecognized Madame Loisel给一个 着 的 生人 ，她的朋友显得 为茫然，她 认卢瓦泽尔夫人了。“Im afraid youve made a mistakeSorry，but I dont know you，she said“我想 你 了。 起，我 认你。”她答道。Jeanne Its meMathilde Loisel”“ 是我 玛蒂尔德卢瓦泽尔。”M
44、adame Forestier uttered a cry of surprise福雷斯蒂埃夫人 地惊 了一声。“Oh，my poor Mathild Whats happened to you Youre quite a stranger “ ，fi怜的玛蒂尔德 你到底怎啦 你完全了样 ”“Yes， Ive had a very hard time since thenand all through you “是。 天开 我 一天好 子，而“一 是为你 ”“Through me How can that be ”“为我 “怎fi能呢 ”“You remember the diamond ne
45、cklace I borrowed from you to attend the dance at the Educa-10tion Office ”“你记得我为了去参加教育部大 的 ，向你借的 条 项链 ”“Yes，Well ”“是的， 怎样 ”“Well，I lost it”“怎样，我 ”丢了。”“What makes you say so You returned it to me”“你怎“样说呢 你 项链还给我了。”“What I returned to you was another one，exactly like itAnd for the last ten years my h
46、usband and I have been working hard to pay for itYou know，it is hard for us poor people to pay thirty six thousand francsBut dont worry Itsall over nowWeve paid it in full”“我还给你的是 一条，完全相像的 一条。为了还钱，我和丈夫 “ 去的10年里 活。你 道，我们穷人说， 还36000法郎是相当 易的。 心，现 一 去了，我们 全部还 了。”Madame Forestier stopped short福雷斯蒂埃夫人然 。“
47、You say that you lost my necklace and bought a diamond necklace like mine to replace it “你说你 我 条项链丢了，并且买了条 相 的 项链还我 ”“YesYouve never noticed it，then They were exactly alike”“是的。 ，你是 有发现 “两条项链完全一模一样。”Madame Forestier， deeply moved，seized bothher hands福雷斯蒂埃夫人 ，抓了她的 。“Oh， my poor Mathilde What have you done Why， mine was only imitation， not genuine “ ，fi怜的玛蒂尔德 你了些 我 条 是假的， 是fl货 ”* * *“Then you dont think our ten years labour wasted ”the husband asked“ 你认为我们“10年的 是白了 ”丈夫 道。“Wasted Oh，no When you were at the office，I often sat by
