The Black Pearl by Scott O’Dell Read Free Book Online

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 solemnly.
    "Ten thousand pesos," said Martin.
    Señor Palomares grasped the pearl in a small, white hand and studied it.
    "I think that I see a flaw," he said after a long time. "Ten thousand is too much."
    "There is no flaw," my father said. "And the price, gentlemen, remains twenty thousand pesos."
    The great pearl was passed around to the other dealers and they all turned it in their hands and squinted at it. At last Señor Martin used the calipers and placed the pearl on the scales. His readings were the same as I had made, almost.
    "Eleven thousand pesos," he said.
    "Nine thousand more is required," my father answered. "In your lives you have never seen a pearl like this one nor will you."
    "Twelve thousand," said Señor Palomares.
    After that and 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. And then tempers began to rise and my mother brought in a pitcher of cold juice and a platter of buñuelos. I knew that she wanted to take the dealers' offer, for I stood where I could see her in the hall making gestures to my father. She had set her mind on a beautiful red carriage and four white horses she had seen in Loreto and was fearful of losing her wish if my father did not lower the price.
    Señor Martin wiped his mouth and said, "Fifteen thousand pesos is our last offer."
    "Then," said my father, "I shall take the great pearl to Mexico City and ask twice that amount and sell it without haggling to dealers who know its true worth."
    Señor Palomares picked up the pearl and put it down. His small head was sunk deep in the folds of his fat neck. Suddenly his head came forth like the head of a turtle and he looked at my father who was pacing back and forth.
    "If you remember," he said, "you made the long journey to the City of México once before. And what did you find there? You found that the dealers are not so generous with their money as we are here in La Paz. And you came home after the long journey with your tail between your legs."
    Señor Palomares got to his feet and the others followed him.
    "Fifteen thousand, two hundred and fifty pesos," he said. "This is our final offer."
    My father had not liked what Señor Palomares had said about the journey to Mexico City, for it had long rankled him. Nor had he liked Palomares's picture of him coming home with his tail between his legs. He stopped pacing and motioned to me.
    "Go to the church," he said, "and bring Father Gallardo. Whatever he is doing, see that he comes. Go quickly."
    I ran out the door and into the plaza and past the silent crowd, not knowing why I had been sent on such an errand. I found Father Gallardo taking his afternoon siesta. I awakened him after some difficulty and dragged him back to the house. When we reached the patio I heard Señor Martín say, "We offer five hundred more," and my father answer, "The price is twenty thousand pesos."
    Everybody fell silent as we came in. The four dealers, who had their heads together, looked up. Señor Palomares was holding the pearl and my father strode over and took it from him. 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."
    A scream went up from the hallway. I think it was my mother who screamed, but it might have been my sister, for she too had been dreaming of things she wished to buy. Then the four men silently picked up their instruments and the brown crocodile bag filled with money and put on their hats and left. As he took the great pearl, Father Gallardo tripped over his long robe and began to stutter. As for me, I had not wished for anything especially, so I looked at my