Climax is the most intense, exciting, suspenseful part of something. In The Necklace the climax is when they attend the ball and Mathilde has a great time getting looks from all the men and she feels great about herself. However, her husband is very tired from watching his wife get looks from all the other men, so he wants to go home. They go home in a cab which was a horse drawn buggy. When they reach their home after a wonderful night, Mathilde realizes she has lost her beautiful necklace! They try to retrace their steps that whole night and yet they can't find it. They are devastated. They must return the necklace somehow.