Excerpt from T. Dreiser. “Financier”
In the fourteenth year of his life, Frank Cowperwood first embarked on a commercial adventure. One day, walking down front street, street of importing and wholesale companies, he noticed an auction flag above the door of a wholesale grocery store; the voice of the auctioneer was heard from within: – What will I be offered for a batch of excellent Javanese coffee? Wholesale market price today seven dollars thirty-two cents per bag. How much do you give? The party only goes in its entirety. How much do you give? – Eighteen dollars, – shouted the shopkeeper at the door, actually just for that, to start bidding. Frank stopped. – Twenty two, – said another voice. – Thirty, – a third was heard. – Thirty five! – exclaimed the fourth. The price went up to seventy-five dollars, which was less than half of the real cost of coffee.
