The line about 'having named the last day which his existence could be continued without possession of the toothpick-case' is one of the best LOL lines for me in the whole book. I often think of it whenever I see anyone who is just dying to possess some trivial, irrelevant object.

The scene is the perfect introduction to Robert Ferrars, and as soon as they are properly introduced to him in Ch. 36, all his name-dropping and talk about cottages and seating dinner guests and education and how much better he is than Edward and on an on show what a masterful little scene the tooth-pick case purchase was, as it showed so much about him in such a short time.