The false gems
fascination
Yvette Samoris
A vendetta
my twenty-five days
“The terror”
Legend of Mont st. Michel
A new year’s gift
friend patience
abandoned
the Maison Tellier
Denis
my wife
the unknown
the apparition
Monsieur Lantin had met the young girl at a reception
at the house of the second head of his department,
and had fallen head over heels in love with her.
She was the daughter of a provincial tax collector,
who had been dead several years. She and her
mother came to live in Paris, where the latter, who
made the acquaintance of some of the families in her
neighborhood, hoped to find a husband for her daughter.
They had very moderate means, and were honorable,
gentle, and quiet.
The young girl was a perfect type of the virtuous
woman in whose hands every sensible young man dreams
of one day intrusting his happiness. Her simple
beauty had the charm of angelic modesty, and the imperceptible
smile which constantly hovered about the lips seemed
to be the reflection of a pure and lovely soul.
Her praises resounded on every side. People never
tired of repeating: “Happy the man who wins
her love! He could not find a better wife.”
Monsieur Lantin, then chief clerk in the Department
of the Interior, enjoyed a snug little salary of three
thousand five hundred francs, and he proposed to this
model young girl, and was accepted.
He was unspeakably happy with her. She governed
his household with such clever economy that they seemed
to live in luxury. She lavished the most delicate
attentions on her husband, coaxed and fondled him;
and so great was her charm that six years after their
marriage, Monsieur Lantin discovered that he loved
his wife even more than during the first days of their
honeymoon.
He found fault with only two of her tastes: Her
love for the theatre, and her taste for imitation
jewelry. Her friends (the wives of some petty
officials) frequently procured for her a box at the
theatre, often for the first representations of the
new plays; and her husband was obliged to accompany
her, whether he wished it or not, to these entertainments
which bored him excessively after his day’s work
at the office.
After a time, Monsieur Lantin begged his wife to request
some lady of her acquaintance to accompany her, and
to bring her home after the theatre. She opposed
this arrangement, at first; but, after much persuasion,
finally consented, to the infinite delight of her husband.
Now, with her love for the theatre, came also the
desire for ornaments. Her costumes remained as
before, simple, in good taste, and always modest;
but she soon began to adorn her ears with huge rhinestones,
which glittered and sparkled like real diamonds.
Around her neck she wore strings of false pearls,
on her arms bracelets of imitation gold, and combs
set with glass jewels.
