The False Gems (Les Faux Bijoux)

Monsieur Lantin had met the young girl at a reception at the house of the second head of his department, and had fallen head over heels in love with her.

Monsieur Lantin bertemu gadis muda itu pada sebuah resepsi di rumah kepala kedua di departemennya, dan langsung jatuh cinta setengah mati kepadanya.

She was the daughter of a provincial tax collector, who had been dead several years. She and her mother came to live in Paris, where the latter, who made the acquaintance of some of the families in her neighborhood, hoped to find a husband for her daughter.

Gadis itu adalah putri seorang pemungut pajak daerah, yang telah meninggal beberapa tahun sebelumnya. Ia dan ibunya pindah ke Paris, tempat sang ibu, yang berkenalan dengan beberapa keluarga di lingkungannya, berharap bisa menemukan suami untuk putrinya.

They had very moderate means, and were honorable, gentle, and quiet.

Mereka hidup dengan penghasilan yang sangat sederhana, dan orangnya terhormat, lembut, serta tenang.

The young girl was a perfect type of the virtuous woman in whose hands every sensible young man dreams of one day intrusting his happiness. Her simple beauty had the charm of angelic modesty, and the imperceptible smile which constantly hovered about the lips seemed to be the reflection of a pure and lovely soul. Her praises resounded on every side. People never tired of repeating: “Happy the man who wins her love! He could not find a better wife.”

Gadis muda itu adalah contoh sempurna dari wanita berbudi luhur yang di tangannya setiap pemuda yang bijak bermimpi suatu hari bisa mempercayakan kebahagiaannya. Kecantikannya yang sederhana memiliki pesona kesopanan bak malaikat, dan senyum tipis yang selalu tersungging di bibirnya seolah menjadi pantulan jiwa yang murni dan indah. Pujian untuknya terdengar di mana-mana. Orang-orang tak henti mengulang: “Beruntunglah pria yang memenangkan cintanya! Ia takkan bisa menemukan istri yang lebih baik.”

Monsieur Lantin, then chief clerk in the Department of the Interior, enjoyed a snug little salary of three thousand five hundred francs, and he proposed to this model young girl, and was accepted.

Monsieur Lantin, yang saat itu menjabat kepala juru tulis di Departemen Dalam Negeri, menikmati gaji yang lumayan sebesar tiga ribu lima ratus franc, dan ia melamar gadis muda teladan ini, dan diterima.

He was unspeakably happy with her. She governed his household with such clever economy that they seemed to live in luxury. She lavished the most delicate attentions on her husband, coaxed and fondled him; and so great was her charm that six years after their marriage, Monsieur Lantin discovered that he loved his wife even more than during the first days of their honeymoon.

Ia begitu bahagia bersamanya, tak terkatakan. Sang istri mengurus rumah tangganya dengan kepandaian mengatur uang sedemikian rupa sehingga mereka tampak hidup dalam kemewahan. Ia mencurahkan perhatian yang paling lembut kepada suaminya, membujuk dan memanjakannya; dan begitu besar pesonanya sehingga enam tahun setelah pernikahan mereka, Monsieur Lantin mendapati bahwa ia mencintai istrinya bahkan lebih besar daripada pada hari-hari pertama bulan madu mereka.

He found fault with only two of her tastes: Her love for the theatre, and her taste for imitation jewelry. Her friends (the wives of some petty officials) frequently procured for her a box at the theatre, often for the first representations of the new plays; and her husband was obliged to accompany her, whether he wished it or not, to these entertainments which bored him excessively after his day's work at the office.

Ia hanya mencela dua kegemaran istrinya: kecintaannya pada teater, dan seleranya pada perhiasan tiruan. Teman-temannya (istri-istri beberapa pejabat kecil) sering mendapatkan untuknya sebuah kotak di teater, sering kali untuk pertunjukan perdana drama-drama baru; dan suaminya terpaksa menemaninya, suka atau tidak, ke pertunjukan-pertunjukan yang sangat membosankan baginya setelah seharian bekerja di kantor.

After a time, Monsieur Lantin begged his wife to request some lady of her acquaintance to accompany her, and to bring her home after the theatre. She opposed this arrangement, at first; but, after much persuasion, finally consented, to the infinite delight of her husband.

Setelah beberapa waktu, Monsieur Lantin memohon kepada istrinya untuk meminta salah satu kenalan wanitanya menemaninya, dan mengantarnya pulang setelah teater. Mula-mula ia menolak susunan itu; tetapi, setelah banyak bujukan, akhirnya ia setuju, dan itu membuat suaminya sangat gembira tak terkira.

Now, with her love for the theatre, came also the desire for ornaments. Her costumes remained as before, simple, in good taste, and always modest; but she soon began to adorn her ears with huge rhinestones, which glittered and sparkled like real diamonds. Around her neck she wore strings of false pearls, on her arms bracelets of imitation gold, and combs set with glass jewels.

Nah, seiring kecintaannya pada teater, muncul pula hasratnya pada perhiasan. Busananya tetap seperti sebelumnya, sederhana, berselera baik, dan selalu sopan; tetapi tak lama kemudian ia mulai menghiasi telinganya dengan batu-batu imitasi besar, yang berkilau dan berkilat seperti berlian asli. Di lehernya ia mengenakan untaian mutiara palsu, di lengannya gelang emas imitasi, dan sisir yang dihiasi permata kaca.

Her husband frequently remonstrated with her, saying:

Suaminya sering menegurnya, katanya:

“My dear, as you cannot afford to buy real jewelry, you ought to appear adorned with your beauty and modesty alone, which are the rarest ornaments of your sex.”

“Sayangku, karena kau tak mampu membeli perhiasan asli, seharusnya kau tampil dihiasi kecantikan dan kesopananmu saja, yang merupakan perhiasan paling langka bagi kaummu.”

But she would smile sweetly, and say:

Namun ia hanya tersenyum manis, dan berkata:

“What can I do? I am so fond of jewelry. It is my only weakness. We cannot change our nature.”

“Apa yang bisa kulakukan? Aku begitu menyukai perhiasan. Itulah satu-satunya kelemahanku. Kita tak bisa mengubah watak kita.”

Then she would wind the pearl necklace round her fingers, make the facets of the crystal gems sparkle, and say:

Lalu ia akan melilitkan kalung mutiara itu di jarinya, membuat sisi-sisi permata kristalnya berkilauan, dan berkata:

“Look! are they not lovely? One would swear they were real.”

“Lihat! Bukankah indah? Orang pasti bersumpah itu asli.”

Monsieur Lantin would then answer, smilingly:

Monsieur Lantin kemudian akan menjawab, sambil tersenyum:

“You have bohemian tastes, my dear.”

“Kau punya selera bohemian, sayangku.”

Sometimes, of an evening, when they were enjoying a tete-a-tete by the fireside, she would place on the tea table the morocco leather box containing the “trash,” as Monsieur Lantin called it. She would examine the false gems with a passionate attention, as though they imparted some deep and secret joy; and she often persisted in passing a necklace around her husband's neck, and, laughing heartily, would exclaim: “How droll you look!” Then she would throw herself into his arms, and kiss him affectionately.

Kadang-kadang, di suatu petang, ketika mereka menikmati waktu berdua di dekat perapian, ia akan meletakkan di meja teh kotak kulit maroko yang berisi “sampah”, seperti sebutan Monsieur Lantin untuknya. Ia akan mengamati permata-permata palsu itu dengan perhatian yang penuh gairah, seolah-olah benda itu memberikan suatu kegembiraan yang dalam dan tersembunyi; dan ia sering bersikeras mengalungkan sebuah kalung ke leher suaminya, dan, sambil tertawa lepas, berseru: “Betapa lucunya penampilanmu!” Lalu ia akan melemparkan dirinya ke pelukan suaminya, dan menciumnya penuh kasih sayang.

One evening, in winter, she had been to the opera, and returned home chilled through and through. The next morning she coughed, and eight days later she died of inflammation of the lungs.

Suatu malam, di musim dingin, ia telah pergi ke opera, dan pulang ke rumah dengan tubuh yang kedinginan hingga ke tulang. Keesokan paginya ia batuk, dan delapan hari kemudian ia meninggal karena radang paru-paru.

Monsieur Lantin's despair was so great that his hair became white in one month. He wept unceasingly; his heart was broken as he remembered her smile, her voice, every charm of his dead wife.

Kesedihan Monsieur Lantin begitu besar sehingga rambutnya memutih dalam waktu sebulan. Ia menangis tak henti-henti; hatinya hancur ketika mengenang senyumnya, suaranya, setiap pesona dari istrinya yang telah tiada.

Time did not assuage his grief. Often, during office hours, while his colleagues were discussing the topics of the day, his eyes would suddenly fill with tears, and he would give vent to his grief in heartrending sobs. Everything in his wife's room remained as it was during her lifetime; all her furniture, even her clothing, being left as it was on the day of her death. Here he was wont to seclude himself daily and think of her who had been his treasure-the joy of his existence.

Waktu tak meredakan kesedihannya. Sering, di jam-jam kantor, ketika rekan-rekannya membicarakan topik hari itu, matanya tiba-tiba akan berkaca-kaca, dan ia akan meluapkan kesedihannya dengan isak tangis yang menyayat hati. Segala sesuatu di kamar istrinya tetap seperti semula selama hidupnya; semua perabotannya, bahkan pakaiannya, dibiarkan seperti pada hari kematiannya. Di sanalah ia biasa menyendiri setiap hari dan mengenang wanita yang telah menjadi harta karunnya—kegembiraan hidupnya.

But life soon became a struggle. His income, which, in the hands of his wife, covered all household expenses, was now no longer sufficient for his own immediate wants; and he wondered how she could have managed to buy such excellent wine and the rare delicacies which he could no longer procure with his modest resources.

Namun hidup segera menjadi sebuah perjuangan. Penghasilannya, yang di tangan istrinya mampu menutupi seluruh biaya rumah tangga, kini tak lagi cukup untuk kebutuhannya sendiri; dan ia bertanya-tanya bagaimana istrinya bisa membeli anggur sebagus itu dan makanan lezat langka yang kini tak sanggup lagi ia peroleh dengan penghasilannya yang sederhana.

He incurred some debts, and was soon reduced to absolute poverty. One morning, finding himself without a cent in his pocket, he resolved to sell something, and immediately the thought occurred to him of disposing of his wife's paste jewels, for he cherished in his heart a sort of rancor against these “deceptions,” which had always irritated him in the past. The very sight of them spoiled, somewhat, the memory of his lost darling.

Ia berutang, dan segera jatuh dalam kemiskinan mutlak. Suatu pagi, mendapati dirinya tanpa sepeser pun di sakunya, ia bertekad menjual sesuatu, dan seketika terlintas dalam pikirannya untuk melepas perhiasan tiruan istrinya, sebab dalam hatinya ia menyimpan semacam kedengkian terhadap “penipuan-penipuan” itu, yang selalu membuatnya jengkel di masa lalu. Sekadar memandangnya saja sudah agak merusak kenangan akan kekasihnya yang telah tiada.

To the last days of her life she had continued to make purchases, bringing home new gems almost every evening, and he turned them over some time before finally deciding to sell the heavy necklace, which she seemed to prefer, and which, he thought, ought to be worth about six or seven francs; for it was of very fine workmanship, though only imitation.

Hingga hari-hari terakhir hidupnya, sang istri terus berbelanja, membawa pulang permata baru hampir setiap malam, dan ia membolak-balik semuanya beberapa waktu sebelum akhirnya memutuskan untuk menjual kalung berat yang tampaknya paling disukainya, dan yang menurutnya seharusnya bernilai sekitar enam atau tujuh franc; sebab pengerjaannya sangat halus, meski hanya imitasi.

He put it in his pocket, and started out in search of what seemed a reliable jeweler's shop. At length he found one, and went in, feeling a little ashamed to expose his misery, and also to offer such a worthless article for sale.

Ia memasukkannya ke sakunya, dan berangkat mencari toko perhiasan yang tampak dapat dipercaya. Akhirnya ia menemukan satu, dan masuk, merasa sedikit malu untuk memperlihatkan kesengsaraannya, dan juga menawarkan barang yang tak berharga semacam itu untuk dijual.

“Sir,” said he to the merchant, “I would like to know what this is worth.”

“Tuan,” katanya kepada pedagang itu, “saya ingin tahu berapa nilai barang ini.”

The man took the necklace, examined it, called his clerk, and made some remarks in an undertone; he then put the ornament back on the counter, and looked at it from a distance to judge of the effect.

Pria itu mengambil kalung tersebut, memeriksanya, memanggil juru tulisnya, dan berbisik beberapa patah kata; ia kemudian meletakkan kembali perhiasan itu di atas meja, dan memandanginya dari jauh untuk menilai efeknya.

Monsieur Lantin, annoyed at all these ceremonies, was on the point of saying: “Oh! I know well enough it is not worth anything,” when the jeweler said: “Sir, that necklace is worth from twelve to fifteen thousand francs; but I could not buy it, unless you can tell me exactly where it came from.”

Monsieur Lantin, jengkel dengan segala upacara ini, hampir hendak berkata: “Ah! Saya sudah cukup tahu ini tak ada harganya,” ketika si pedagang perhiasan berkata: “Tuan, kalung ini bernilai antara dua belas hingga lima belas ribu franc; tetapi saya tak bisa membelinya, kecuali Anda bisa memberi tahu saya persis dari mana asalnya.”

The widower opened his eyes wide and remained gaping, not comprehending the merchant's meaning. Finally he stammered: “You say—are you sure?” The other replied, drily: “You can try elsewhere and see if any one will offer you more. I consider it worth fifteen thousand at the most. Come back; here, if you cannot do better.”

Sang duda membelalakkan matanya lebar-lebar dan tetap ternganga, tak memahami maksud sang pedagang. Akhirnya ia tergagap: “Anda bilang—apakah Anda yakin?” Yang lain menjawab dengan datar: “Anda bisa mencoba di tempat lain dan lihat apakah ada yang menawarkan lebih. Saya menilainya paling banter lima belas ribu. Kembalilah ke sini, jika Anda tak mendapat harga yang lebih baik.”

Monsieur Lantin, beside himself with astonishment, took up the necklace and left the store. He wished time for reflection.

Monsieur Lantin, terheran-heran hingga tak bisa berpikir jernih, mengambil kembali kalung itu dan meninggalkan toko. Ia ingin waktu untuk merenung.

Once outside, he felt inclined to laugh, and said to himself: “The fool! Oh, the fool! Had I only taken him at his word! That jeweler cannot distinguish real diamonds from the imitation article.”

Begitu berada di luar, ia merasa ingin tertawa, dan berkata pada dirinya sendiri: “Bodoh sekali! Oh, bodoh sekali! Andai saja aku langsung menerima tawarannya! Pedagang perhiasan itu tak bisa membedakan berlian asli dari barang tiruan.”

A few minutes after, he entered another store, in the Rue de la Paix. As soon as the proprietor glanced at the necklace, he cried out:

Beberapa menit kemudian, ia memasuki toko lain, di Rue de la Paix. Begitu sang pemilik toko melirik kalung itu, ia berseru:

“Ah, parbleu! I know it well; it was bought here.”

“Ah, astaga! Saya sangat mengenalinya; ini dibeli di sini.”

Monsieur Lantin, greatly disturbed, asked:

Monsieur Lantin, sangat terguncang, bertanya:

“How much is it worth?”

“Berapa nilainya?”

“Well, I sold it for twenty thousand francs. I am willing to take it back for eighteen thousand, when you inform me, according to our legal formality, how it came to be in your possession.”

“Baik, saya menjualnya seharga dua puluh ribu franc. Saya bersedia membelinya kembali seharga delapan belas ribu, bila Anda memberi tahu saya, sesuai formalitas hukum kami, bagaimana benda ini bisa berada di tangan Anda.”

This time, Monsieur Lantin was dumfounded. He replied:

Kali ini, Monsieur Lantin tercengang tak berkata-kata. Ia menjawab:

“But—but—examine it well. Until this moment I was under the impression that it was imitation.”

“Tapi—tapi—periksalah baik-baik. Sampai saat ini saya mengira ini hanya imitasi.”

The jeweler asked:

Sang pedagang perhiasan bertanya:

“What is your name, sir?”

“Siapa nama Anda, Tuan?”

“Lantin—I am in the employ of the Minister of the Interior. I live at number sixteen Rue des Martyrs.”

“Lantin—saya bekerja di Kementerian Dalam Negeri. Saya tinggal di nomor enam belas Rue des Martyrs.”

The merchant looked through his books, found the entry, and said: “That necklace was sent to Madame Lantin's address, sixteen Rue des Martyrs, July 20, 1876.”

Sang pedagang memeriksa buku catatannya, menemukan entrinya, dan berkata: “Kalung itu dikirim ke alamat Madame Lantin, nomor enam belas Rue des Martyrs, 20 Juli 1876.”

The two men looked into each other's eyes—the widower speechless with astonishment; the jeweler scenting a thief. The latter broke the silence.

Kedua pria itu saling menatap—sang duda tak berkata-kata karena keterkejutan; sang pedagang perhiasan mencium bau seorang pencuri. Yang terakhir memecah keheningan itu.

“Will you leave this necklace here for twenty-four hours?” said he; “I will give you a receipt.”

“Maukah Anda meninggalkan kalung ini di sini selama dua puluh empat jam?” katanya; “Saya akan memberi Anda kwitansi.”

Monsieur Lantin answered hastily: “Yes, certainly.” Then, putting the ticket in his pocket, he left the store.

Monsieur Lantin buru-buru menjawab: “Ya, tentu saja.” Lalu, memasukkan tiket itu ke sakunya, ia meninggalkan toko.

He wandered aimlessly through the streets, his mind in a state of dreadful confusion. He tried to reason, to understand. His wife could not afford to purchase such a costly ornament. Certainly not.

Ia berjalan tanpa tujuan menyusuri jalan-jalan, pikirannya dalam kekacauan yang mengerikan. Ia mencoba berpikir jernih, mencoba memahami. Istrinya tak mungkin mampu membeli perhiasan semahal itu. Tentu tidak.

But, then, it must have been a present!—a present!—a present, from whom? Why was it given her?

Tetapi, kalau begitu, pastilah itu sebuah hadiah!—sebuah hadiah!—sebuah hadiah, dari siapa? Mengapa hadiah itu diberikan kepadanya?

He stopped, and remained standing in the middle of the street. A horrible doubt entered his mind—She? Then, all the other jewels must have been presents, too! The earth seemed to tremble beneath him—the tree before him to be falling; he threw up his arms, and fell to the ground, unconscious. He recovered his senses in a pharmacy, into which the passers-by had borne him. He asked to be taken home, and, when he reached the house, he shut himself up in his room, and wept until nightfall. Finally, overcome with fatigue, he went to bed and fell into a heavy sleep.

Ia berhenti, dan tetap berdiri di tengah jalan. Sebuah keraguan mengerikan memasuki pikirannya—Dia? Kalau begitu, semua perhiasan lainnya pasti juga hadiah! Bumi seolah bergetar di bawah kakinya—pohon di depannya seolah roboh; ia mengangkat tangannya, dan jatuh ke tanah, tak sadarkan diri. Ia siuman di sebuah apotek, tempat orang-orang yang lewat membawanya. Ia meminta diantar pulang, dan, setiba di rumah, ia mengunci diri di kamarnya, dan menangis hingga malam tiba. Akhirnya, dikuasai kelelahan, ia pergi tidur dan jatuh dalam tidur yang berat.

The sun awoke him next morning, and he began to dress slowly to go to the office. It was hard to work after such shocks. He sent a letter to his employer, requesting to be excused. Then he remembered that he had to return to the jeweler's. He did not like the idea; but he could not leave the necklace with that man. He dressed and went out.

Matahari membangunkannya keesokan paginya, dan ia mulai berpakaian perlahan untuk pergi ke kantor. Sulit untuk bekerja setelah guncangan semacam itu. Ia mengirim surat kepada atasannya, meminta izin cuti. Kemudian ia teringat bahwa ia harus kembali ke toko pedagang perhiasan itu. Ia tak menyukai gagasan itu; tetapi ia tak bisa membiarkan kalung itu tetap di tangan pria itu. Ia berpakaian dan keluar.

It was a lovely day; a clear, blue sky smiled on the busy city below. Men of leisure were strolling about with their hands in their pockets.

Hari itu indah sekali; langit biru yang cerah tersenyum pada kota yang sibuk di bawahnya. Orang-orang berkecukupan berjalan-jalan dengan tangan di saku mereka.

Monsieur Lantin, observing them, said to himself: “The rich, indeed, are happy. With money it is possible to forget even the deepest sorrow. One can go where one pleases, and in travel find that distraction which is the surest cure for grief. Oh if I were only rich!”

Monsieur Lantin, memperhatikan mereka, berkata pada dirinya sendiri: “Orang kaya, memang, berbahagia. Dengan uang, mungkin melupakan bahkan kesedihan yang paling dalam sekalipun. Orang bisa pergi ke mana pun ia suka, dan dalam perjalanan menemukan pengalihan yang merupakan obat paling pasti untuk kesedihan. Oh, andai saja aku kaya!”

He perceived that he was hungry, but his pocket was empty. He again remembered the necklace. Eighteen thousand francs! Eighteen thousand francs! What a sum!

Ia menyadari bahwa ia lapar, tetapi sakunya kosong. Ia kembali teringat kalung itu. Delapan belas ribu franc! Delapan belas ribu franc! Jumlah yang luar biasa!

He soon arrived in the Rue de la Paix, opposite the jeweler's. Eighteen thousand francs! Twenty times he resolved to go in, but shame kept him back. He was hungry, however—very hungry—and not a cent in his pocket. He decided quickly, ran across the street, in order not to have time for reflection, and rushed into the store.

Ia segera tiba di Rue de la Paix, di seberang toko pedagang perhiasan itu. Delapan belas ribu franc! Dua puluh kali ia bertekad untuk masuk, tetapi rasa malu menahannya. Namun ia lapar—sangat lapar—dan tak sepeser pun di sakunya. Ia memutuskan dengan cepat, berlari menyeberang jalan, agar tak sempat berpikir ulang, dan bergegas masuk ke dalam toko.

The proprietor immediately came forward, and politely offered him a chair; the clerks glanced at him knowingly.

Sang pemilik toko segera maju, dan dengan sopan menawarinya kursi; para juru tulis melirik ke arahnya dengan penuh pengertian.

“I have made inquiries, Monsieur Lantin,” said the jeweler, “and if you are still resolved to dispose of the gems, I am ready to pay you the price I offered.”

“Saya telah menyelidikinya, Monsieur Lantin,” kata sang pedagang perhiasan, “dan jika Anda masih bertekad untuk melepas permata-permata itu, saya siap membayar Anda dengan harga yang saya tawarkan.”

“Certainly, sir,” stammered Monsieur Lantin.

“Tentu saja, Tuan,” Monsieur Lantin tergagap.

Whereupon the proprietor took from a drawer eighteen large bills, counted, and handed them to Monsieur Lantin, who signed a receipt; and, with trembling hand, put the money into his pocket.

Lalu sang pemilik toko mengambil dari laci delapan belas lembar uang besar, menghitungnya, dan menyerahkannya kepada Monsieur Lantin, yang menandatangani kwitansi; dan, dengan tangan gemetar, memasukkan uang itu ke sakunya.

As he was about to leave the store, he turned toward the merchant, who still wore the same knowing smile, and lowering his eyes, said:

Ketika ia hendak meninggalkan toko, ia berbalik ke arah pedagang itu, yang masih mengenakan senyum penuh pengertian yang sama, dan menundukkan matanya, berkata:

“I have—I have other gems, which came from the same source. Will you buy them, also?”

“Saya punya—saya punya permata lain, yang berasal dari sumber yang sama. Maukah Anda membelinya juga?”

The merchant bowed: “Certainly, sir.”

Sang pedagang membungkuk: “Tentu saja, Tuan.”

Monsieur Lantin said gravely: “I will bring them to you.” An hour later, he returned with the gems.

Monsieur Lantin berkata dengan tegas: “Saya akan membawanya kepada Anda.” Satu jam kemudian, ia kembali membawa permata-permata itu.

The large diamond earrings were worth twenty thousand francs; the bracelets, thirty-five thousand; the rings, sixteen thousand; a set of emeralds and sapphires, fourteen thousand; a gold chain with solitaire pendant, forty thousand—making the sum of one hundred and forty-three thousand francs.

Anting-anting berlian besar itu bernilai dua puluh ribu franc; gelang-gelangnya, tiga puluh lima ribu; cincin-cincinnya, enam belas ribu; satu set zamrud dan safir, empat belas ribu; kalung emas dengan liontin solitaire, empat puluh ribu—menjadikan total seratus empat puluh tiga ribu franc.

The jeweler remarked, jokingly:

Sang pedagang perhiasan berkomentar, sambil bercanda:

“There was a person who invested all her savings in precious stones.”

“Ada seseorang yang menginvestasikan seluruh tabungannya pada batu-batu berharga.”

Monsieur Lantin replied, seriously:

Monsieur Lantin menjawab, dengan serius:

“It is only another way of investing one's money.”

“Itu hanyalah cara lain untuk menginvestasikan uang seseorang.”

That day he lunched at Voisin's, and drank wine worth twenty francs a bottle. Then he hired a carriage and made a tour of the Bois. He gazed at the various turnouts with a kind of disdain, and could hardly refrain from crying out to the occupants:

Hari itu ia makan siang di Voisin's, dan minum anggur seharga dua puluh franc sebotol. Kemudian ia menyewa sebuah kereta dan berkeliling Bois. Ia memandang berbagai kendaraan yang lewat dengan semacam sikap merendahkan, dan hampir tak bisa menahan diri untuk berteriak kepada para penumpangnya:

“I, too, am rich!—I am worth two hundred thousand francs.”

“Aku, juga, kaya!—Aku bernilai dua ratus ribu franc.”

Suddenly he thought of his employer. He drove up to the bureau, and entered gaily, saying:

Tiba-tiba ia teringat akan atasannya. Ia menuju kantor, dan masuk dengan riang, berkata:

“Sir, I have come to resign my position. I have just inherited three hundred thousand francs.”

“Tuan, saya datang untuk mengundurkan diri dari jabatan saya. Saya baru saja mewarisi tiga ratus ribu franc.”

He shook hands with his former colleagues, and confided to them some of his projects for the future; he then went off to dine at the Cafe Anglais.

Ia berjabat tangan dengan mantan rekan-rekannya, dan membagikan kepada mereka beberapa rencananya untuk masa depan; ia kemudian pergi makan malam di Cafe Anglais.

He seated himself beside a gentleman of aristocratic bearing; and, during the meal, informed the latter confidentially that he had just inherited a fortune of four hundred thousand francs.

Ia duduk di sebelah seorang pria berpenampilan bangsawan; dan, selama makan, memberitahukan kepadanya secara rahasia bahwa ia baru saja mewarisi kekayaan sebesar empat ratus ribu franc.

For the first time in his life, he was not bored at the theatre, and spent the remainder of the night in a gay frolic.

Untuk pertama kalinya dalam hidupnya, ia tak merasa bosan di teater, dan menghabiskan sisa malam itu dalam kesenangan yang riang.

Six months afterward, he married again. His second wife was a very virtuous woman; but had a violent temper. She caused him much sorrow.

Enam bulan kemudian, ia menikah lagi. Istri keduanya adalah wanita yang sangat berbudi luhur; tetapi memiliki temperamen yang keras. Ia membuatnya banyak menderita kesedihan.