Original Short Stories — Volume 07

Monsieur Lantin, a modest clerk in the Department of the Interior, falls deeply in love with a gentle, modest young woman whose reputation for virtue and charm spreads through Parisian society. Their marriage seems idyllic: she runs the household with clever frugality, lavishes tender affection on him, and fills their evenings with trips to the theatre. Yet Lantin cannot overlook her fascination with imitation jewelry—bright rhinestones, faux pearls, and glass‑set ornaments that glitter as if they were real.

When a harsh winter illness claims his beloved only eight days after a night at the opera, Lantin is plunged into profound grief. His once‑steady world unravels; he is haunted by memories of her smile and the lingering sparkle of her false gems. As the days pass, the comforts she provided fade, leaving him to confront a quiet desperation that threatens both his heart and his modest means.