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Bedtime Stories: The Diamond Necklace by Guy de Maupassant

20:33 Bedtime Stories Apr 03, 2021 4 comments 980 487

Download (20 MB, MP3)

This touching short story by Guy de Maupassant was written in 1884, but many of the themes still ring true. The ending is particularly poignant, I think.

Listen as you drift off (you can always play it back later if you want to know how it ends :P)


Other audios in Bedtime Stories

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  • CharlieRomeoLima on 2021-04-06 07:07:33 (UTC)

    How fitting that this Madame Loisel who is overly concerned with the superficial trappings of wealth and high social station unwittingly adorns herself with costume jewelry! Loved the twist ending even if I could see it coming near the end. Certainly in this case, honesty would've been the best policy. With your soothing, lovely narration this is most definitely a top notch bedtime story, & had I been listening in bed on a tablet instead of my desk chair I think I would've nodded off and had to listen to the ending in the morning! :)

    Mme. Loisel working herself to the bone to pay off that 36k francs + interest & losing her beauty in the process reminded me of poor Fantine who had descended to street prostitution in Les Miserables. I don't think hard work truly dulls a woman's beauty but then in olden-day France perhaps beauty was tied to class & the marks of a life of ease such as soft hands not calloused by toil, or pale complexions from not having to farm the fields in the sun.

    • A Eve on 2021-04-07 20:42:23 (UTC)

      I think you're right, you could only be considered beautiful back then if you looked like you did zero work, especially outdoors. And I also like to think that Mathilde was so incensed by having to work at menial jobs, like a servant, and having no money for anything like the theatre anymore that her own misery made her look tired and worn out before her time.

      Thanks for listening!

  • MadWithLust on 2021-04-05 12:23:09 (UTC)

    I was having some trouble sleeping and gave this a listen. It didn't put me to sleep but I was captivated by the story!

    I didn't know what to expect at all but I was drawn in by the grandiose lady and her predicament. And I was quite charmed by the wonderful narration!

    And what an ending! Poignant, indeed, and I was left pondering it for a while. What would I have done in that situation? How much of that is true even today? Is it happening to me and I don't even know it???

    I kind of felt like a kid who still didn't want to go to bed after their bedtime story... :P

    • A Eve on 2021-04-07 20:40:28 (UTC)

      Aww, that's adorable! Thank you MWL! xox