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“Look,” he said, “here’s something for you.”

She tore open the paper and drew out a card, on which was printed the words:

“The Minister of Education and Mme. Georges Rampouneau request the pleasure of M.
and Mme. Loisel’s company at the Ministry, on the evening of Monday January 18th.”

Instead of being delighted, as her husband had hoped, she threw the invitation on the
table resentfully, and muttered:

“What do you want me to do with that?”

“But, my dear, I thought you would be pleased. You never go out, and it will be such a
lovely occasion! I had awful trouble getting it. Every one wants to go; it is very exclusive,

and they’re not giving many invitations to clerks. The whole ministry will be there.”

She stared at him angrily, and said, impatiently,
“And what do you expect me to wear if I go?”

He hadn’t thought of that. He stammered:
“Why, the dress you go to the theatre in. It seems very nice to me ...”

He stopped, stunned, distressed to see his wife crying. Two large tears ran slowly from

the corners of her eyes towards the corners of her mouth. He stuttered,
“What’s the matter? What’s the matter?”

With great effort she overcame her grief and replied in a calm voice, as she wiped her

wet cheeks,

“Nothing. Only I have no dress and so I can’t go to this party. Give your invitation to
a friend whose wife has better clothes than I do.”

He was distraught, but tried again,

“Let’s see, Mathilde. How much would a suitable dress cost, one which you could use
again on other occasions, something very simple?”

She thought for a moment, computing the cost, and also wondering what amount she
could ask for without an immediate refusal and an alarmed
exclamation from the thrifty clerk.
What you Think?ou Think?
At last she answered hesitantly, What y
What is Mathilde’s
reaction when her
“I don’t know exactly, but I think I could do it with four husband gives her an
hundred francs.” invitation to a high-
society event?
He turned a little pale, because he had been saving that
exact amount to buy a gun and treat himself to a hunting

trip the following summer, in the country near Nanterre, with a few friends who went

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