D

There are four pearl dealers in our town of La Paz. About a week after my father had cut the pearl, the four men came to our home. They came early in the afternoon, dressed in their best black suits and carrying a scale and calipers (卡尺) and their money in a bag. When word got around that the dealers were going to buy the great black pearl, a crowd followed them and stood outside our gate.

The four men wore serious faces and they put their scale and calipers on the table and their brown bag as well. They sat down and folded their hands and said nothing. Then my father said. “The bag is very small, gentlemen. I doubt that it holds enough money to buy the great Pearl of Heaven.”

The four dealers did not like this. One of them, named Martin, was big and shaped like a barrel and had small white hands. “I have heard that the pearl is the size of a grapefruit,” he said, “If so, we have more money than we need. For as you know, the large ones are of little value.” “They do not live long, these monsters,” said Palomares, who was as fat as Martin. “They often die or become dull before a year passes.” “And so do many of the small ones,” my father said. “Like the pink one Palomares sold us last month.” Palomares shrugged his shoulders.

“Before I show the Pearl of Heaven,” my father said, “I will tell you the price. It is twenty thousand pesos, no more and no less.”

My father went out of the room and came back with the pearl wrapped in a piece of white velvet. He laid it on the table in front of the four dealers. The great pearl caught the light, gathered it and softened it into a moon of dark fire. None of the dealers spoke for a moment or two.

Then Martin said, “It is as I feared, more like a grapefruit than a pearl.” “It’s a monster all right,” Palomares said. “The kind that often has a brief life and is very hard to sell.” One of the dealers who had not spoken cleared his throat and said, “But still we will make an offer.” The other dealers nodded seriously. “Ten thousand pesos,” said Martin. Palomares grasped the pearl and studied it. “I think that I see a flaw (瑕疵),” he said after a long time. “Ten thousand is too much.” The great pearl was passed around to the other dealers and they all turned it in their hands. As last Martin used the calipers and placed the pearl on the scale. “His readings were the same as I had made almost. Eleven thousand pesos,” he said. My father answered, “In your lives you have never seen a pearl like this one, nor will you.” “Twelve thousand,” said Palomares.

For most of an hour the price the dealers offered went up two hundred and fifty pesos at a time until the figure reached the sum of fifteen thousand pesos.

“Then,” said my father, “I shall take the great pearl to Mexico City and ask twice that amount and sell it to dealers who know its true worth.” Palomares picked up the pearl and put it down. “If you remember,” he said, “you made the long journey to the City of Mexico once before. And what did you find there? You found that the dealers are not so generous (慷慨的) with their money as we are here in La Paz.And you came home after the long journey with your tail between your legs.”

My father stopped pacing and signed to me. “Go to the church,” he said, “and bring Father Gallardo. Whatever he is doing, see that he comes. Go quickly.”

Everybody fell silent as we came in. Then my father turned to the priest and bowed. “Here is the Pearl of Heaven,” he said. “My son and I give it to you so that you may give it to the Madonna, our beloved Lady-of-the-Sea, to hold and keep forever.”