Matilda is an ordinary woman who married a simple clerk, but desires wealth and status. When invited to a ball, she borrows an expensive necklace from a rich friend to pretend she is wealthy. At the ball, Matilda enjoys the attention and praise for her beauty. However, she loses the borrowed necklace, plunging her and her husband into years of hardship to replace it. Her husband Mr. Loisel loves his wife but wants to live within their means as clerks, in contrast to Matilda's vain desires.