The Pearl-John Steinbeck- Chapter 4

This was extravagant and not to be countenanced.

All of the neighbors hoped that sudden wealth would not turn Kino's head, would not make a rich man of him, would not graft onto hiim the evil limbs of greed and hatred and coldness.

Kino put on his large straw hat and felt it with his hand to see that it was properlyplaced, not on the back or side of his head, like a rash, unmarried, irresponsible man, and not flat as an elder would wear it, but tilted a little forward to show aggressiveness and seriousness and vigor.

...not on the back or side of his head, like a rash, unmarried, irresponsible man...

Kino stepped with dignity out of the house, and Juana followed him, carrying Coyotito.

And some are in the ramparts and some far deep in the darkness of the walls.

The gathering procession was solemn for they sensed the importance of this day, and any children who showed a tendency to scuffle, to scream, to cry out, to steal hats and rumple hair, were hissed to silence by their elders.

So important was this day that an old man came to see, ridding on the stalwart shoulders of his nephew.

His face was fatherly and benign, and his eyes twinkled with friendship.

His door stood open to the morning, and he hummed under his breath while his right hand practiced legerdemain.

The hand tossed the great pearl back in the tray, the forefinger poked and insulted it, and on the dealer's face there came a sad and contemptuous smile.

Go to their offices and show your pearl--or better let them come here, so that you can see there is no collusion, Boy.

This is not a pearl--it is a monstrosity.

But Kino had lost his old world and he must clamber on to a new one.