"But—madame—I do not know you. You must have made a mistake."
"No, I am Mathilde Loisel."
Her friend uttered a cry.
"Oh! my poor Mathilde, how changed you are!"
"Yes, I have had days hard enough since I saw you, days wretched enough—and all because of you!"
"Me? How so?"
"You remember that necklace of diamonds that you lent me to wear to the ministerial ball?"
"Yes. Well?"
"Well, I lost it."
"How can that be? You returned it to me."