Answer :
In the story 'The Necklace' by Guy de Maupassant, Mathilde buys a new necklace and as a result of it, she and her husband go into a terrible debt that takes 10 years to pay off. They have to sell off their home, do away with the maid and Mathilde has to do all the housework herself which includes scrubbing floors and mopping water. Slowly, this drudgery starts taking a toll on her health and her beauty. She starts looking old and her appearance starts getting somewhat haggard. She learns the true meaning of poverty by working hard for ten years for clearing the debt for replacing the lost necklace.