Mathilde and her husband, who works in a minister’s office, are not rich. Mathilde, however, loves beautiful clothes and her husband loves her so much that he lets her do anything she wants. One day they receive an invitation to an important party and she wants to look her best. She borrows a beautiful diamond necklace from her rich friend. The necklace is lost and she is too proud to tell her friend what has happened. She and her husband buy a replacement. The friend doesn’t notice the difference. Mathilde and her husband spend 10 years paying off the debt. When Mathilde meets her friend again, her hair has turned white out of sorrow.  The friend tells Mathilde that the necklace is a fake.