English
Insteadofbeingdelighted,asherhusbandhadhoped,shethrewtheinvitationonthetablecrossly,muttering:
"Whatdoyouwishmetodowiththat?"
"Why,mydear,Ithoughtyouwouldbeglad.Younevergoout,andthisissuchafineopportunity.Ihadgreattroubletogetit.Everyonewantstogo;itisveryselect,andtheyarenotgivingmanyinvitationstoclerks.Thewholeofficialworldwillbethere."
Shelookedathimwithanirritatedglanceandsaidimpatiently:
"Andwhatdoyouwishmetoputonmyback?"
Hehadnotthoughtofthat.Hestammered:
"Why,thegownyougotothetheatrein.Itlooksverywelltome."
Hestopped,distracted,seeingthathiswifewasweeping.Twogreattearsranslowlyfromthecornersofhereyestowardthecornersofhermouth.
"What'sthematter?What'sthematter?"heanswered.
Byaviolenteffortsheconqueredhergriefandrepliedinacalmvoice,whileshewipedherwetcheeks:
"Nothing.OnlyIhavenogown,and,therefore,Ican'tgotothisball.GiveyourcardtosomecolleaguewhosewifeisbetterequippedthanIam."
Hewasindespair.Heresumed:
"Come,letussee,Mathilde.Howmuchwoulditcost,asuitablegown,whichyoucoulduseonotheroccasions--somethingverysimple?"
Shereflectedseveralseconds,makinghercalculationsandwonderingalsowhatsumshecouldaskwithoutdrawingonherselfanimmediaterefusalandafrightenedexclamationfromtheeconomicalclerk.
Finallysherepliedhesitating:
"Idon'tknowexactly,butIthinkIcouldmanageitwithfourhundredfrancs."
Hegrewalittlepale,becausehewaslayingasidejustthatamounttobuyagunandtreathimselftoalittleshootingnextsummerontheplainofNanterre,withseveralfriendswhowenttoshootlarksthereofaSunday.
Buthesaid:
"Verywell.Iwillgiveyoufourhundredfrancs.Andtrytohaveaprettygown."
ThedayoftheballdrewnearandMadameLoiselseemedsad,uneasy,anxious.Herfrockwasready,however.Herhusbandsaidtoheroneevening:
"Whatisthematter?Come,youhaveseemedveryqueertheselastthreedays."
Andsheanswered:
"Itannoysmenottohaveasinglepieceofjewelry,notasingleornament,nothingtoputon.Ishalllookpoverty-stricken.Iwouldalmostrathernotgoatall."
"Youmightwearnaturalflowers,"saidherhusband."They'reverystylishatthistimeofyear.Fortenfrancsyoucangettwoorthreemagnificentroses."
Shewasnotconvinced.
"No;there'snothingmorehumiliatingthantolookpooramongotherwomenwhoarerich."
"Howstupidyouare!"herhusbandcried."Golookupyourfriend,MadameForestier,andaskhertolendyousomejewels.You'reintimateenoughwithhertodothat."
Sheutteredacryofjoy:
"True!Ineverthoughtofit."
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