The Devil and Tom Walker

1) He proposed, therefore, that Tom should employ it in the black traffic; that is to say, that he should fit out a slaveship.

This, however, Tom resolutely refused; he was bad enough in all conscience, but the devil himself could not tempt him to turn slave-trader.

2) Finding Tom so squeamish on this point, he did not insist upon it, but proposed, instead, that he should turn usurer; the devil being extremely anxious for the increase of usurers, looking upon them as his peculiar people.

Usurers were money-lenders.

To this no objections were made, for it was just to Tom's taste.