THE NECKLACE項(xiàng)鏈(中英對(duì)照).docx

1、THE NECKLACE項(xiàng)鏈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 One evening her husband came home with an air of triumph “I have something nice for you，”he sa

2、id，giving her a large envelope She tore open the envelope，which contained the following printed card： “The Minister of Education and Madame Georges Ramponneau have the honour to request the company of Monsieur and Madame Loisel at the office of the Ministry on Monday evening，January 18th” She did no

3、t seem delightedOn the contrary，she flung the invitation card on the table，and said spitefully： “Whats that to me？” “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 k

4、nowAll the officials will be there，but only a few clerks are invited” She looked at him ruefully and exclaimed： “What do you expect me to wear at a party like that？” It never occurred to him that she had no pretty dresses nor jewelsHe replied hesitatingly： “Why，the dress you wear when you go to the

5、theatre looks very nice to me” 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！ “Whats the matter？”he asked anxiously “Nothing，”she answered with an effort“Its only that I havent a suitable dress，and so I cant go t

6、o the ballGive this card to a friend of yours whose wife has a better wardrobe than I” It was a heart-breaking confession “Come，Mathilde，my dearest，”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 occasio

7、ns after- wards？” She thought for a moment，busy with her calculationsHow much could she ask without shocking the thrifty husband and provoking a flat refusal？ “Im not sure， but I think I could manage with four hundred francs” The husband turned a little paleShe had named the exact sum he had saved t

8、o buy a gun to enjoy shooting on the plain of Nanterre next summer with a few friendsBut he replied： “All rightYou shall have four hundred francsMind you get a really nice dress” * * * The day of the ball drew nearAlthough Madame Loisel had got her coveted dress， she seemed far from pleased “What is

9、 the matter？”her husband asked “You look out of sorts these days” “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 at the party，”she answered “How about wearing natural flowers，then？”her husband suggested“They are no

10、w quite in fashionFor ten francs you can get two or three splendid roses” “Where did you get such a silly idea？”she replied“Cant you see how miserable Id look among rich women？” “Well then，”her husband said“Why dont you go and ask your friend，Madame Forestier，to lend you some jewels？She is a good fr

11、iend of yours，and has a lot of jewellery，hasnt she？” “Yes，of course，”she exclaimed in delight“Why didnt I think of it？” The next day she called on Madame Forestier and explained her troubleMadame Forestier went to her wardrobe，took out a large jewel case，and placed it open in front of her friend “Ta

12、ke what you want，my dear，”she said Madame Loisel first saw some bracelets，then a pearl necklace，then a Venetian gold cross set with jewels，an exquisite piece of magnificent workmanshipShe tried them on，one after another，before the mirror，uncertain which to choose “Have you any more？”she asked “Oh，ye

13、s，look for yourselfI dont know what you would like best” Suddenly Madame Loisel discovered 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 She as

14、ked fearfully： “Would you lend me this？I dont think I need anything else” “Why，yes，certainly” Madame Loisel threw her arms round her friends neck， kissed her，and hurried out，lest her friend should change her mindThe night of the ball came at lastMadame Loisel was a brilliant successShe looked more b

15、eautiful than any other woman presentTriumphantly，full of grace and joy，she danced admirably，aware of the rapt eyes of the companyAll the men inquired her name，wanted to be introduced，asked her for waltzesShe attracted the attention of even the minister him- self She felt as if she were in a beautif

16、ul dream，intoxicated with happinessOh，how long she had been yearning for such a moment！ It was about four in the morning before 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 t

17、he dance He threw round her shoulders her cloak for everyday wear，which looked strangely incongruous with her elegant ball dress，and anxious to escape the eyes of the other women in rich furs，she hurried down the staircase No cab was to be seen in the street，and，shivering with cold，they trudged on t

18、owards 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 She took off her garment before the mirrorShe wanted to enjoy one more glance at herself， decked in all her glorySud

19、denly she cried out in horror “What is the matter？”her husband askedHe was already half undressed；he had to be at the office by ten the next day She turned to him，like one mad “The diamond necklace is gone！” “What？How？Impossible！” They searched the folds of her skirt and cloak， her pockets，everywher

20、e；but the necklace was nowhere to be seen “You had it on when you left the ball？” “Yes，I remember fingering it in the vestibule” “If you had dropped it in the street，we should have heard the soundYou must have lost it in the cab” “Probably，did you notice the number？” “No，I didnt” They gazed at each

21、other in consternation “Ill go back all over the road and try to find it” 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 cab companies，but a

22、ll in vainMadame Forestiers di- amond necklace seemed to have vanished into thin air“Write to your friend，”the husband said，“that you have injured the clasp of her necklace and that you are having it mendedWe must have time to think over the matter” * * * A week had passed without bringing them any

23、spark of hopeLoisel，who now looked five years older，said， “Well have to replace the necklace” The next day they took the empty case to the jewellers whose name they found inside the lidHe consulted his books “We did not sell the necklaceWe only supplied the case” They went from jeweller to jeweller，

24、searching for a necklace 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 They begged him not to sell it for three days， and they got him to pro

25、mise that he would buy it back for thirty-four thousand francs，in case they should find the lost necklace by the end of February He rushed for a loan to everybody， asking a thousand francs from one man，five hundred from another，five louis here，three louis thereHe blindly signed promissory notes，agre

26、ed to unreasonable terms，even called on professional money- lenders At last he obtained the thirty-six thousand francs，but at the risk of his whole futureHow could he hope to return so much money？And when？Crushing despair gnawed at his heart * * * Madame Forestier received the necklace with an air o

27、f displeasure “You should have returned it soonerI might need it at any moment” 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 * * * Then came to the couple days，weeks and

28、 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 every sonHer daydreaming

29、 was replaced by a constant endeavour to pay her way Each month some of the promissory notes had to be renewed，only to gain timeThe husband worked after office hours，keeping accounts for a tradesman，and late at night copying manuscripts at five sons a page A new year came，followed by another andanot

30、her，and still they grubbed on，until ten years had flowed onTheir efforts were not in vainAt the end of that time they had managed to pay off everything，including interest at high rate Madame Loisel now looked older than her ageHer hair disheveled，her skirt turned to one side， her hands rough and har

31、dened，the former sentimental，romantic woman had turned into a stout- hearted 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 t

32、he necklace？Who knows？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！ Madame Forestier looked as young，as beautiful， and as charming as ten years beforeMadame Loisel felt her hear

33、t 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 “Hello，Jeanne！” Her friend looked mystified，addressed by a poorlydressed stranger：She had not recognized Madame Loisel “Im afraid youve made a mistakeSor

34、ry，but I dont know you，she said Jeanne！Its meMathilde Loisel” Madame Forestier uttered a cry of surprise “Oh，my poor Mathild！Whats happened to you？Youre quite a stranger！ “Yes， Ive had a very hard time since thenand all through you！ “Through me！How can that be？” “You remember the diamond necklace I

35、borrowed from you to attend the dance at the Educa-10tion Office？” “Yes，Well？” “Well，I lost it” “What makes you say so？You returned it to me” “What I returned to you was another one，exactly like itAnd for the last ten years my husband and I have been working hard to pay for itYou know，it is hard for

36、 us poor people to pay thirtysix thousand francsBut dont worry！Its all over nowWeve paid it in full” Madame Forestier stopped short “You say that you lost my necklace and bought a diamond necklace like mine to replace it？ “YesYouve never noticed it，then！They were exactly alike” Madame Forestier， dee

37、ply moved，seized bothher hands “Oh， my poor Mathilde！What have you done？Why， mine was only imitation， not genuine！ * * * “Then you dont think our ten years labour wasted？”the husband asked “Wasted？Oh，no！ When you were at the office，I often sat by the window and wondered what sortof person I should b

38、e if I had not lost the necklaceNow I know my answer” “ I know your answer， my dear，the husbandsaid “Yes，it was the lost necklace that inspired us with courage，endurance and perseveranceBut for that incident，Id have remained a selfish，graceless， thankless personWasted？Oh，no！” At that moment there ca

39、me a knock at the doorMadame Loisel opened it，and found Madame Forestier standing there， her face radiant with smiles “Madame Forestier！” “My dear Mathilde，Im going on a tour tomorrow，”Madame Forestier hastily said“Before I start，I want to make you a present of this necklacePlease accept it” Before

40、Mathilde could say anything，Madame Forestier was gone世上有些貧窮人家的姑娘，身段漂亮，相貌迷人，而且充滿羅曼蒂克的想法。然而，盡管她們做著美麗浪漫的夢(mèng)，卻嫁給了平民百姓為妻?，?shù)贍柕卤R瓦澤爾便是其中之一，她的丈夫只是教育部里的一名小職員。 一天晚上，她丈夫神采飛揚(yáng)地回到家里。 “我有樣好東西送給你，”他說道，遞給她一個(gè)大信封。 她拆開信封，里面裝著一張請(qǐng)柬，上面印著： “教育部長(zhǎng)喬治朗蓬諾夫人敬請(qǐng)盧瓦澤爾先生及夫人光臨1月18日星期一晚上在本部大樓舉行的晚會(huì)?！?她似乎一點(diǎn)也不高興，反而把請(qǐng)柬扔在桌上，沒好氣地說： “那跟我有啥關(guān)系？” “

41、嗨，親愛的，我原以為你會(huì)高興的。你喜歡跳舞，不是嗎？你幾乎從不出門，這次對(duì)你來說可真是一次極好的機(jī)會(huì)呀。我費(fèi)了九牛二虎之力才弄到這張請(qǐng)柬。所有的官員都要到場(chǎng)。你知道，每個(gè)人都想要，但只邀請(qǐng)了極少數(shù)的職員?！?她悲戚地望著他，叫喊道： “在那種聚會(huì)上你叫我穿什么嘛？” 他從未想過，她既沒有漂亮衣服，也沒有珠寶首飾。他吞吞吐吐地說道： “嗯，呃，我看，你上劇院穿的那套就挺不錯(cuò)?！?她的眼淚不禁奪眶而出。她為什么要嫁給這樣一個(gè)木訥、愚笨的家伙？只因?yàn)樗谪毢思摇０?，命運(yùn)是多么殘酷啊！ “干嘛哭啊？”他焦急地問道。 “沒什么，”她費(fèi)力地說道，“只是我沒有合適的衣服，因此我不能去參加舞會(huì)。你哪位朋友

42、的夫人有比我更漂亮的衣服，就把請(qǐng)柬送給他好了?！?這是令人心碎的自白?！暗美?，瑪?shù)贍柕?，親愛的，”窘迫之極的丈夫說，“你認(rèn)為買一件合適的，就是說簡(jiǎn)單些并且以后在其他場(chǎng)合還能穿的衣服要花多少錢？” 她想了一會(huì)，腦子里飛快地盤算開來。要不嚇著她那節(jié)儉的丈夫，使他不會(huì)斷然拒絕，說多少才好呢？ “我也說不上來，不過我想400法郎就夠開銷了?！?丈夫臉色略微發(fā)白。她所報(bào)的數(shù)目正好是他存著買槍，準(zhǔn)備和他的幾個(gè)朋友到明年夏天去南特爾平原打獵用的。 但他回答道： “好吧，我給你400法郎。不過，一定得買一件漂漂亮亮的衣服?！?舞會(huì)的日子愈來愈近了。雖然盧瓦澤爾太太得到了想要的衣服，似乎她還是一點(diǎn)也不高興。 “

43、怎么啦？”她丈夫問道?！斑@些天你怎么沒精打采的？” “想起來就煩人，我連一件珠寶都沒有戴的。我最好還是呆在家里，比在晚會(huì)上做出一副可憐相強(qiáng)?！彼卮鸬??！澳悄阏J(rèn)為戴鮮花怎樣？”她丈夫建議道?！艾F(xiàn)在很時(shí)興?；?0法郎就可以買兩三朵上等的玫瑰花?！?“你如此愚蠢的念頭是從哪里冒出來的？”她答道，“你難道就想象不出站在一群貴婦人中間我會(huì)顯得多寒酸？” “呃，那么，”她丈夫說，“你為什么不去找你的朋友福雷斯蒂埃夫人，向她借些首飾呢？她是你的好朋友，她有許多珠寶，不是嗎？” “是??！當(dāng)然行，”她興奮得高聲說道，“我怎么就沒想到這點(diǎn)呢？” 第二天，她就去拜訪福雷斯蒂埃夫人，給她講了自己的難處。福雷斯蒂埃夫

44、人走到衣櫥前，取出一只大珠寶箱，把它打開放在她朋友面前。 “親愛的，看上哪件就挑哪件吧?！彼f。 盧瓦澤爾夫人首先看了一些手鐲，然后看了一串珍珠項(xiàng)鏈，接著又看了一個(gè)威尼斯式的鑲寶石的金十字架，這件精致的項(xiàng)鏈?zhǔn)止O棒。她站在鏡子前面一件一件地試戴，拿不準(zhǔn)選哪件才好。 “你還有沒有別的？”她問道。 “啊，有，你自個(gè)兒挑吧。我不知道你最喜歡什么?！?突然，盧瓦澤爾夫人發(fā)現(xiàn)了一個(gè)黑色緞面的首飾盒，里面裝著一串上等的鉆石項(xiàng)鏈。她的心怦怦直跳。她用哆嗦著的手取出項(xiàng)鏈，把它扣在脖子上，然后站在鏡子面前出神地欣賞著自己。 她猶猶豫豫地問道： “你能把這串借給我嗎？其他的我就不用了?！?“啊，當(dāng)然可以。” 盧瓦

45、澤爾夫人一把摟住她朋友的脖子，吻了她就急忙出門而去，惟恐她朋友會(huì)改變主意。 舞會(huì)之夜終于來臨。盧瓦澤爾太太非常成功。她看上去比所有在場(chǎng)的女人都漂亮。她滿懷喜悅，溫文爾雅，邁著令人贊嘆的舞步，洋洋自得地瞟著舞伴投來的癡迷的目光。所有的男人都在打聽她的姓名，求人介紹，請(qǐng)她跳華爾茲舞，甚至連部長(zhǎng)本人也注意到了她。 她感到自己仿佛做著美麗的夢(mèng)，陶醉在歡樂之中。啊，這一刻她已盼了多久了！ 直到早晨大約4點(diǎn)鐘，她才依依不舍地離開舞會(huì)。她丈夫自午夜起就在一間棄而未用的小客廳里打瞌睡，另外還有三位先生，他們的夫人也正盡情地跳著舞。 他把夫人日常穿的披風(fēng)披在她的肩頭。與她在舞會(huì)上穿的那件體面的衣服相比，這件披風(fēng)

46、顯得格外地不相稱。為急于逃脫那些身著名貴裘衣的女人們的注意，她匆匆忙忙地跑下樓梯。 街上一輛馬車也找不著，他們冷得直打哆嗦，朝著塞納河吃力地走下去。在碼頭，他們終于找到一輛破舊的搖搖晃晃的出租馬車，這種車白天在巴黎街頭是見不到的。到了住所，在死一般的沉寂中，他們爬上樓梯回到家里。 她站在鏡子前脫去外套。她想趁現(xiàn)在滿身榮耀，把自己再多瞧一眼。突然，她驚叫起來。 “什么事？”她丈夫問道。他衣服已脫了一半，明天10點(diǎn)還得準(zhǔn)時(shí)上班呢。 她轉(zhuǎn)身朝著他，活像個(gè)瘋子。 “鉆石項(xiàng)鏈丟了！” “什么？怎么會(huì)？不可能！” 他們搜尋她的裙子和披風(fēng)的折層，搜尋她的衣袋，搜尋每個(gè)地方，但那項(xiàng)鏈就是找不到。 “離開舞會(huì)時(shí)

47、你還戴著嗎？”“是啊，我記得在門廳里還摸過?！?“如果你把它掉在街上，我們?cè)摃?huì)聽到聲響。你肯定是在馬車上丟掉的?！?“也許。你注意到車號(hào)了嗎？” “沒有?！?他們驚恐萬狀地相互看著。 “我要把剛才走過的路回去重走一遍，設(shè)法把它找回來?！?他急匆匆地趕了出去。她猛地癱坐在椅子上，眼前一片茫然，一幅完全絕望的情景。約摸7點(diǎn)，他回來了，兩手空空。之后他去警察局報(bào)案，向出租馬車的公司逐個(gè)打聽，但全都白費(fèi)勁。福雷斯蒂埃夫人的鉆石項(xiàng)鏈就好像飛到了九霄云外。 “給你的朋友寫信，”丈夫說道，“就說你把項(xiàng)鏈的扣環(huán)弄壞了，正在請(qǐng)人修。我們得有時(shí)間把這件事好好考慮一下。”一個(gè)星期過去了，并沒有給他們帶來丁點(diǎn)兒希望。盧瓦澤爾好像一下子老了5歲，他說： “我們只好買條項(xiàng)鏈來賠了。” 第二天，他們?cè)谀鞘罪椇械纳w子里發(fā)現(xiàn)了珠寶店的店名，便拿著空盒子去找老板，他查了他的登記簿。 “我們沒有賣過這條項(xiàng)鏈。我們只配了這個(gè)首飾盒?！?他們找了一家又一家珠寶店，想尋找一條與他們丟失的項(xiàng)鏈相仿的。終于在王宮街的一家店鋪里發(fā)現(xiàn)一條與福雷斯蒂埃夫人那串一模一樣的，標(biāo)價(jià)4萬法郎。店主后來答應(yīng)以36 000法郎出手。 他們求他給他們保留3天，并且跟他講妥，萬一他們?cè)?月底以前找到那串丟失的項(xiàng)鏈，店主愿意以34 000法郎的價(jià)格購回。 他上天入地到處借錢，向這個(gè)借1000法郎，向那個(gè)借500；這里