“No, I won’t, but it is awfully annoying. Jenny and I rushed down on purpose because of those wretched corals.”
“But you had the good luck to meet us, otherwise you would have been obliged to go to Frascati, to which you seem to have taken a sudden dislike.”
“I would not have gone to Frascati, you may be sure of that, Gunnar, and it would have been much better for me, because now that you have made me come I want to smoke and drink and be out the whole night.”
“I was under the impression that you had suggested it yourself.”
“I think the malachite necklace was very fine,” said Ahlin, by way of interrupting—“and very cheap.”
“Yes, but in Florence malachite is much cheaper still. This thing cost forty-seven lire. In Florence, where Jenny bought her cristallo rosso, I could have got one for thirty-five. Jenny gave only eighteen for hers. But I will make him give me the corals for ninety lire.”
“I don’t quite understand your economy,” said Heggen.
“I don’t want to talk about it any more,” said Miss Jahrman. “I am sick of all this talk—and tomorrow I am going to buy the corals.”
“But isn’t ninety lire an awful price for corals?” Heggen risked the question.