How had Mme Loisel’s sacrifice all been in vain?

The pleasure of looking pretty at the ball, proved an expensive bargain for Matilda and her husband Mr. Loisel, since she had lost the diamond necklace borrowed from Mme Forestier. They both searched everywhere but couldn’t find it. Mr. Loisel went on foot to the whole track from where they had walked, to search for the necklace in such cold weather. He made a police complaint, made an enquiry in cab offices, gave an advertisement in newspapers but all went vain. They thought of replacing the necklace. They bought a real diamond necklace for thirty-six thousand francs. They took loan from moneylenders. It took Loisel’s ten long years to pay back the huge sum they borrowed to replace the lost necklace.

Years later, when Matilda saw Mme Forestier, she disclosed the truth about the lost necklace. She was dumbfounded to discover that it was not a genuine piece of jewellery and had been worth just five hundred francs. All her sacrifices and compromises had been meaningless. Thus she herself was responsible for her sufferings. One must never build castles in the air. One must be contented in life with what one has.