They were walking through jostling crowds down Coventry Street towards the Café de l'Afrique where Castleton would meet them to discuss a project of gayety. Jenny's soft hand on his arm was not successful in banishing the aggrieved notes from Maurice's petulant defense of opals.
"Oh, you miserable old thing!" she said. "Don't look so cross."
"It's a little disappointing to choose a present and then be told by the person it's intended for that she dislikes it."
"Oh, don't be silly. I never said I didn't like it. How could I? I haven't seen it yet."
"It's hardly worth while showing it to you. You won't like it. I'd throw it in the gutter, if it wasn't for this beastly crowd of fools that will bump into us all the time."
"You are stupid. Give it to me. Please, Maurice."
"No, I'll get you something else," he retorted, determined to be injured. "I'm sorry I can't afford diamonds. I took a good deal of trouble to find you something old and charming. I ransacked every curiosity shop in London. That's why I couldn't meet you till to-night. Damned lot of use it's been. I'd much better have bought you a turquoise beetle with pink topaz eyes or a lizard in garnets or a dragon-fly that gave you quite a turn, it was so like a real one, or a——"
"Oh, shut up," said Jenny, withdrawing her arm.
"It's so frightfully disheartening."
"But what are you making yourself miserable over? I haven't said I don't like your present. I haven't seen it."