The Duchess and the Jeweller is a short story by Virginia Woolf, first published in 1938. It tells the story of a duchess who is in need of money and visits a jeweller to sell her jewels. The jeweller is a shrewd businessman who is determined to get the best deal for himself. He offers her a low price for her jewels, but the duchess is determined to get a better deal. She uses her wit and charm to outsmart the jeweller and get a better price for her jewels. In the end, the duchess gets the price she wants and the jeweller is left with a newfound respect for her. The story is a commentary on the power of wit and charm in a world where money is the ultimate currency.
By Virginia Woolf · First published 1938 · Genre: Modernist Literature, Fiction, Short Story