Question

Place the following list of events in the correct order. (The piece of String)

Answer 1

The question concerns Guy de Maupassant's 1883 short story named The Piece of String. The correct order of the events for the story is in the following way:

• Maitre Hauchecorne is going into Goderville for the market-day which is describes how the story begins.
• Maitre Hauchecorne sees a piece of string on the road and bends down to pick it up.
• Maitre Malandain, the harness-maker sees Maitre Hauchecorne pick up the piece of string but does not know what he actually picked up. 
• A missing wallet and reward for its return is announced to the residents of Goderville by a public-crier.
• A police officer states that Maitre Hauchecorne is accused of taking the wallet by Maitre Houlbreque.
• Maitre Hauchecorne is upset by the accusation and pleads his innocence. 
• The wallet is found by a farmer and returned.
• Maitre Hauchecorne tries to persuade anyone who will listen that he did not take the wallet. 
• The people of Goderville mock Maitre Hauchecorne and his pleas of innocence.
• The townspeople believe that Maitre Hauchecorne had someone else turn in the wallet for him. 
• Everyone's comments about Maitre Hauchecorne make him sick.
• Maitre Hauchecorne visibly wastes himself away.
• On his deathbed, Maitre Hauchecorne still fruitlessly begs for someone to believe him when he dies in delirium.

Answer 2

The correct order of the events is the following:

1 - Maitre Hauchecorne is going into Goderville for the market-day.

2 - Maitre Hauchecorne sees a piece of string on the road and bends down to pick it up.

3 - Maitre Malandain sees Maitre Hauchecorne pick up the piece of string but does not know what he actually picked up. 

4 - A missing wallet and reward for its return is announced to the residents of Goderville.

5 - A police officer states that Maitre Hauchecorne is accused of taking the wallet by Maitre Malandain.

6 - Maitre Hauchecorne is upset by the accusation and pleads his innocence. 

7 - The wallet is returned.

8 - Maitre Hauchecorne tries to persuade anyone who will listen that he did not take the wallet. 

9 - The people of Goderville mock Maitre Hauchecorne and his pleas of innocence.

10 - The townspeople believe that Maitre Hauchecorne had someone else turn in the wallet for him. 

11 - Everyone's comments about Maitre Hauchecorne make him sick.

12 - Maitre Hauchecorne wastes away.

13 - On his deathbed, Maitre Hauchecorne still fruitlessly begs for someone to believe him. 

"The Piece of String" is a short story written by the French author, Guy de Maupassant, in 1883, and was included in his collection of short stories called "Miss Harriet".