How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"The whole secret of this type of speculation," Tamkin had told him, "is in the alertness. You have to act fast—buy it and sell it; sell it and buy in again. But quick! Get to the window and have them wire Chicago at just the right second. Strike and strike again! Then get out the same day. In no time at all you turn over fifteen, twenty thousand dollars' worth of soy beans, coffee, corn, hides, wheat, cotton." (1.25)
Tamkin is a master of sinister chitchat. Over a game of cards, he plants great and glorious visions of easy money in Wilhelm's mind, and sows the seeds of his scam.
Quote #2
Obviously the doctor understood the market well. Otherwise he would not make it sound so simple. (1.25)
The narrator's voice drips with irony here, and reveals the depths of Wilhelm's gullibility and desperation. Tamkin's talk about the commodities market is obviously bogus, but Wilhelm can't see that because he wants so badly for it to be true.
Quote #3
I think about people, just because they have a few bucks to invest, making fortunes. They have no sense, they have no talent, they just have the extra dough and it makes them more dough. I get so worked up and tormented and restless, so restless! [. . .] With all this money around you don't want to be a fool while everyone else is making. I know guys who make five, ten thousand a week just by fooling around. (1.27)
Tamkin makes it sound as though money is just there for the taking. Remember, if it's too good to be true, then it probably is.