29 January 1830 - It's over, after 10 years.

Every month we would manage to pay a bit back from who we've loaned from, renew others or obtain more time. My husband would work in the evenings, making up a tradesman's accounts and at night, even copied manuscript for five sous a page. He did his best, I could tell. Seeing all his hard work, I knew that I had to work hard too. He had helped me so much in my entire life, I had to help out too. The housework was hard work, but I had grown used to it.

We've done that for 10 years.

We've paid everything, everything, with the rates of usury and all the compound interest that has accumulated.

I look old, way older than I once looked. I turned strong, harsh, and rough. I now have frowsy hair, with my skirts askew and red hands. I wash the flour with great swishes of water, talking loud at the same time.

However, sometimes when my husband was at the office, I would sit near the window and think of that gay evening so long ago that I had been so beautiful and admired.

I had changed so much from how I had once been. The beautiful and arrogant me, I had completely changed into a rough old lady that does the housework.

If I had not lost the necklace, how different my life would be. Would I have become like this? These kinds of small things can change everything in life, for the better, or the worse.