what would have happened to matilda if she had confessed to her friend that she had lost her necklace

If Matilda had confessed to her friend that she had lost the necklace, she would have avoided the severe consequences of her secrecy. Her friend might have been angry but would likely have been understanding and asked Matilda to replace it. More importantly, Matilda would have learned that the necklace was actually an imitation and far less expensive to replace. By confessing, Matilda would have saved herself and her husband from about ten years of poverty, debt, and hard labor spent trying to pay off the costly replacement. Their friendship might have even remained intact, and Matilda would have avoided the tremendous stress and hardship she endured due to the lie and the debt incurred.