She thought for several seconds.
她思索了好几秒钟。
At last she replied with some hesitation, 'I don't know exactly, but I think I could do it on four hundred francs.'
末了她迟迟疑疑地回答：“细数呢，我不晓得，不过我估计，有四百金法郎，总可以办得到。”
He grew slightly pale.
他的脸色有点儿发青了。
Nevertheless he said, 'Very well. I'll give you four hundred francs. But try and get a really nice dress with the money'.
然而他却回答道：“就是这样吧。我给你四百金法郎。不过你要想法子去做一套漂亮的裙袍。”
The day of the party drew near, and Mathilde seemed sad, uneasy and anxious.
晚会的日期已经近了，玛蒂尔蒂好像在发愁，不放心，心里有些焦躁不安。
Her dress was ready, however. One evening her husband said to her, 'What's the matter with you?'
然而她的新裙袍却办好了。她丈夫某一天傍晚问她：“你有怎么了？”
'I'm utterly miserable at not having any jewels to wear,' she replied. 'I would almost rather not go to the party.'
于是她说：“没有一件首饰，没有一粒宝石，插的和戴的，一点儿也没有。现在我宁可不去赴这个晚会。”
'How stupid you are!' exclaimed her husband.
她丈夫高声叫唤起来：“你真糊涂！”
'Go and see your friend Madame Forestier and ask her to lend you some jewels. You know her quite well enough for that.'
“去找你的朋友伏来士洁太太，问她借点首饰。你和她的交情，是可以开口的。”
She uttered a cry of delight. 'That's true. I never thought of it.'
她迸出了一道快活的叫唤：“这是真的。这一层我当初简直没有想过。”
The next day she went to see her friend and told her the trouble.
第二天，她到她这位朋友家里去了，向她谈起了自己的烦闷。
Madame Forestier went to her dressing table and got out a superb diamond necklace.
伏来士洁太太向着梳桩台走过去，取出一条金刚钻镶成的项链。
Mathilde's hands trembled as she lifted it.
玛蒂尔蒂双手拿着那东西发抖。
She fastened it round her neck and remained in ecstasy at sight of herself.
她把它绕在自己的颈项上，对着自己在镜子里的影子出了半天的神。
She went away with her treasure. The day of the party arrived.
她带着这件宝贝走了。晚会的日子到了。
Mathilde was a success. She was the prettiest woman present.
玛蒂尔蒂得到极大的成功，她是现场女宾中最漂亮的。
She danced madly, with no thought for anything, in the triumph of her beauty, in the pride of her success, in a cloud of happiness.
她用陶醉的姿态舞着，满意于自己的容貌的胜利，满意于自己的成绩的光荣，一种幸福的祥云包围着她，她什么都不思虑了。
Mathilde and her husband left the party at about four o'clock in the morning.
玛蒂尔蒂和她丈夫是清晨四点钟光景离开的。
When they were out in the street they could not find a cab.
等他俩走到街上时竟找不着车了。
They walked for a distance and at last found one of those old cabs which are only seen after dark.
他俩走了一段路程，最后竟找着了一辆像旧式轿车——这样的车子要到天黑以后才看得见它们。
In their flat, she took off her coat to see herself before the mirror, but suddenly she uttered a cry.
在寓所，她在镜子跟前脱下外套，再次端详自己。但是陡然间她发出了一声狂叫。
The necklace was no longer round her neck!
她已经没有那串围着颈项的金刚钻项链了！