The Crystal Egg

The Crystal Egg
H.G. Wells
There was, until a year ago, a little and very grimy-looking shop near
Seven Dials, over which, in weather-worn yellow lettering, the name of
"C. Cave, Naturalist and Dealer in Antiquities," was inscribed. The
contents of its window were curiously variegated. They comprised
some elephant tusks and an imperfect set of chessmen, beads and
weapons, a box of eyes, two skulls of tigers and one human, several
moth-eaten stuffed monkeys (one holding a lamp), an old-fashioned
cabinet, a fly-blown ostrich egg or so, some fishing-tackle, and an
extraordinarily dirty, empty glass fish-tank. There was also, at the
moment the story begins, a mass of crystal, worked into the shape of an
egg and brilliantly polished. And at that two people who stood outside
the window were looking, one of them a tall, thin clergyman, the other
a black-bearded young man of dusky complexion and unobtrusive
costume. The dusky young man spoke with eager gesticulation, and
seemed anxious for his companion to purchase the article.
While they were there, Mr. Cave came into his shop, his beard still
wagging with the bread and butter of his tea. When he saw these men
and the object of their regard, his countenance fell. He glanced guiltily
over his shoulder, and softly shut the door. He was a little old man,
with pale face and peculiar watery blue eyes; his hair was a dirty grey,
and he wore a shabby blue frock-coat, an ancient silk hat, and carpet
slippers very much down at heel. He remained watching the two men as
they talked. The clergyman went deep into his trouser pocket,
examined a handful of money, and showed his teeth in an agreeable
smile. Mr. Cave seemed still more depressed when they came into the
shop.
The clergyman, without any ceremony, asked the price of the crystal
egg. Mr. Cave glanced nervously towards the door leading into the
parlour, and said five pounds. The clergyman protested that the price

was high, to his companion as well as to Mr. Cave--it was, indeed, very
much more than Mr. Cave had intended to ask when he had stocked the
article--and an attempt at bargaining ensued. Mr. Cave stepped to the
shop door, and held it open. "Five pounds is my price," he said, as
though he wished to save himself the trouble of unprofitable discussion.
As he did so, the upper portion of a woman's face appeared above the
blind in the glass upper panel of the door leading into the parlour, and
stared curiously at the two customers. "Five pounds is my price," said
Mr. Cave, with a quiver in his voice.
The swarthy young man had so far remained a spectator, watching
Cave keenly. Now he spoke. "Give him five pounds," he said. The
clergyman glanced at him to see if he were in earnest, and when he
looked at Mr. Cave again, he saw that the latter's face was white. "It's a
lot of money," said the clergyman, and, diving into his pocket, began
counting his resources. He had little more than thirty shillings, and he
appealed to his companion, with whom he seemed to be on terms of
considerable intimacy. This gave Mr. Cave an opportunity of collecting
his thoughts, and he began to explain in an agitated manner that the
crystal was not, as a matter of fact, entirely free for sale. His two
customers were naturally surprised at this, and inquired why he had not
thought of that before he began to bargain. Mr. Cave became confused,
but he stuck to his story, that the crystal was not in the market that
afternoon, that a probable purchaser of it had already appeared. The
two, treating this as an attempt to raise the price still further, made as if
they would leave the shop. But at this point the parlour door opened,
and the owner of the dark fringe and the little eyes appeared.
She was a coarse-featured, corpulent woman, younger and very much
larger than Mr. Cave; she walked heavily, and her face was flushed.
"That crystal is for sale," she said. "And five pounds is a good enough
price for it. I can't think what you're about, Cave, not to take the
gentleman's offer!"
Mr. Cave, greatly perturbed by the irruption, looked angrily at her over
the rims of his spectacles, and, without excessive assurance, asserted
his right to manage his business in his own way. An altercation began.

The two customers watched the scene with interest and some
amusement, occasionally assisting Mrs. Cave with suggestions. Mr.
Cave, hard driven, persisted in a confused and impossible story of an
inquiry for the crystal that morning, and his agitation became painful.
But he stuck to his point with extraordinary persistence. It was the
young Oriental who ended