SCRIPT OF

PRIVATE AND CONFIDENTIAL

SCRIPT OF

................................................................................................................................................

THE NECKLACE by GUY DE MAUPASSANT

ORIGINAL TITTLE : LA PARURE

COUNTRY : FRANCE

GENRE (S) : SHORT STORY

PUBLICATION DATE : 1884

SCENE 1

NARRATORShe was one of those pretty and charming girls born, as though fate had blundered over her, into a family of artisans. She had no marriage portion, no expectations, no means of getting known, understood, loved, and wedded by a man of wealth and distinction; and she let herself be married off to a little clerk in the Ministry of Education. Her tastes were simple because she had never been able to afford any other, but she was as unhappy as though she had married beneath her; for women have no caste or class, their beauty, grace, and charm serving them for birth or family, their natural delicacy, their instinctive elegance, their nimbleness of wit, are their only mark of rank, and put the slum girl on a level with the highest lady in the land.

( CURTAINS OPEN )Madame Mathilde Loisel : Ugh ! I hate this life. Living in a poor house with its mean

walls, worn chairs and ugly curtains! What I want is bon

vivant, to live in an elegant house, with chambers heavy

oriented tapestries, vast saloon hung antique silk and

exquisite pieces of furniture. I want to escape poverty!

( Sighs )

( CURTAINS CLOSE)

SCENE 2

NARRATOR

One night Madame Mathilde Loisel and Monsieur Loisel sat down for dinner at the table covered with three days old cloth opposite Monsieur Loisel.

( CURTAINS OPEN )

Monsieur Loisel : Aha! Scotch broth! What could be better? Whats the matter

my dear?

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Im not hungry! Im still imagining of the delicate meals in

the gleaming silver that I want to dream for todays dinner.

But this is what weve got?

Monsieur Loisel : But this soup tastes bet---

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Hmph! Just eat it alone!

( CURTAINS CLOSE)

SCENE 3

NARRATOR

One evening, her husband came in with an exultant air, holding a large envelope in his hand.

( CURTAINS OPEN )

Monsieur Loisel : Here Ive got something for you!

Madame Mathilde Loisel : What is this?

Monsieur Loisel : Open up! I bet you will be happy!

Madame Mathilde Loisel : What do you want to do with this?

Monsieur Loisel : Why, darling ? I thought youd be pleased. You never go out,

and this is a great occasion. I had tremendous trouble to get

it and everyone wants one; its very select and very few go to

the clerks. Youll see all really big people there.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : And what do you suppose I am to wear to such an affair? You

think I have possibly something elegant to wear?

Monsieur Loisel : ( stammered ) What about the dress you wore for the

theatre? It looks very nice to me.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Nothing. Only I have no dress and so I cannot go for this

party. Give your invitation to some friends of yours whose

will be turned out than I shall.

Monsieur Loisel : ( heart broken ) Look here, Mathilde! What should be the

cost of a suitable dress, which you could use on other

Occasion as well, something very simple!

Madame Mathilde Loisel : I am not really sure about it, but I think I could do it on

four hundred francs.

Monsieur Louisel : Very well! Ill give you four hundred francs. But try and get

a really nice dress with the money.

( CURTAINS CLOSE )

SCENE 4

NARRATOR

The day the party drew near; Mathilde seems so sad, uneasy and anxious. Her dress was raedy. However, one evening her husband notices her and approaches her.

( CURTAINS OPEN )

Monsieur Loisel : Whats the matter with you? Youve been very odd for the

last three days.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Im utterly miserable and not having any jewels, not a single

stones to wear. I shall look absolutely terrible. I would almost

rather not go to the party.

Monsieur Loisel : Why not wear flowers? They are very smart as this time of

the year. For ten francs you would get two or three gorgeous

roses.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : ( not convinced ) No........theres nothing so humiliating as

Looking poor in the midst of rich womans.

Monsieur Loisel : How stupid you are?! Go and see Madame Forestier and

ask her to lend you some jewels. You know her quite well

enough for that.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Thats true! I have never thought of that.

( CURTAINS CLOSE )

SCENE 5

NARRATOR

The next day she went to Madame Foerestier, to tell about her trouble.

( CURTAINS OPEN )

Madame Forestier : Choose my dear. Pick what you like!

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Dont you have anything else? Anything simple maybe?

Madame Forestier : Yes, look for yourself! I do not know what you would like the

best.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : ( awesome ) Could you lend me this alone?

Madame Forestier : Yes, of course!

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Thank you so much! ( hugged each other )

Madame Forestier : Dont mention it! Anytime Madame Loisel!

( CURTAINS CLOSE )

SCENE 6

NARRATOR

At the Ministers party, Madame Mathilde Loisel scores a success. She appears to be the prettiest woman in the room; all mens eyes are in her. Even the minister notices her.

( CURTAINS OPEN )

Guest 1 : Do you know who she is?

Guest 2 : Damn, isnt she beautiful?

Guest 1 : I think I know her. Shes Monsieur Loisels wife.

Guest 2 : She looks stunning. Shall we walk up to her and greet?

Guest 1 : Why not?

Guest 1 : Good Evening, Mrs Monsieur Loisel. Hope you are having a

great night.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : ( smiles ) Definitely, I am!

Guest 1 and 2 : You are looking absolutely beautiful! ( compliment )

Madame Mathilde Loisel : ( blushes ) Thank you so much!

The Minister notices her.

Monsieur Loisel : Wait a little. Youll catch cold in the open. Im going to fetch

a cab.

( CURTAINS CLOSE )

SCENE 7

NARRATOR

As Madame Mathilde takes off her garments that were on her shoulders and looked at the mirror.

( CURTAINS OPEN )

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Oh my God! Where is the necklace? How can it go

missing? This is not happening! ( cries )

Monsieur Loisel : What is the matter with you?

Madame Mathilde Loisel : I...I...I...Ive no longer got Madame Forestiers necklace!

Monsieur Loisel : What!? Impossible......

They searched everywhere.

Monsieur Loisel : Lets check in your coat.

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Nope, its not to be found anywhere!

Monsieur Loisel : Are you sure that you still had it on when you came away

from the ball?

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Yes, I remember touching it at the Ministry!

Monsieur Loisel : But if you lost it in the street, we would have heard it fall

Madame Mathilde Loiser : Yes, probably we should! Did you take the number of the

cab?

Monsieur Loiser : No. You didnt notice it, did you?

Madame Mathilde Loiser : No!

( staring at each other )

Monsieur Loiser : Ill go around the ground we walked and see if I can find

it!

Monsieur Loisel and Madame Mathilde Loisel are searching for the Diamond Necklace.

Monsieur Loisel : I couldnt find it anywhere! Im so sorry!

Madame Mathilde Loisel : Its okay!

( CURTAINS CLOSE )

SCENE 8

NARRATOR

Just to find the lost borrowed necklace of his wife, Monsieur Loisel went to the police station, to the newspapers, to offer a reward, to the cab companies, everywhere a ray of hope impelled in him. But on the other side.........