What is the pearl buyer’s real reaction to the pearl? How can we tell? What does he say to Kino?
When Kino puts the pearl down on the velvet square, the pearl buyer falters with the coin game he
is playing in his hand and the coin falls into his lap. We also learn that his fingers tighten into fists.
However, the pearl buyer has a great deal of experience and does not reveal any reaction in his face.
He tells Kino that the pearl is like fool’s gold, so large there is no market for such a thing; it will be of
no interest. He offers Kino a thousand pesos.