The Coffee Trader

Two weeks later, Miguel is at the exchange, ready to enact his plan. He meets Parido, who makes a wager with him. If Miguel can bring the price of coffee down to 30 guilders per barrel by the close of the day, Parido will let him buy 90 barrels from him at 20 guilders each. If Miguel fails, he must confess his true dealings with Joachim to the Ma’amad, who will excommunicate him. Miguel agrees, and they draw up a contract.

Alferonda uses his Tudesco contacts to drive down the price of coffee. Watching from the sidelines, Daniel understands what is going on, but instead of helping to drive down the price, he stays silent. However, Joachim uses his influence among the Dutch to lower the price further. Miguel sees Nunes and demands ownership of the coffee he ordered; Nunes admits that he has been working with Parido out of fear. Miguel’s plan succeeds, and he wins his bet with Parido.

After his success at the exchange, Miguel moves out of Daniel’s house into his own home, but not before confronting Daniel about the money he owes from the whale oil. Daniel is angry at Miguel for his apparent ungratefulness and his ruthless destruction of Parido: “I had always thought you lax and undisciplined, too free with drink and women, but I had never before thought you a villain” (357).