This tells the story of a simple French peasant named Hauchecorne, an honest man, and the day at the country fair, the day that ruined his life. On his way in to the fair he bent down to pick up a piece of string and was met by Malandain, a man he had quarrelled with many years ago over money. Not wanting Malandain to know that he was picking up a piece of string he pretended he was looking for something else. But later when it was announced by the mayor that a man had lost his pocket book with 500 francs in it Malandain intent on malicious revenge accused Hauchecorne of the crime, saying he had seen him picking up the pocket book, Hauchecorne told the mayor that it was only a piece of string he had picked up but the mayor did not believe him any more than anyone else did. 

Excellent classic story!