244  SELLING  LATIN  AMERICA
The  Spanish  language  is  especially  equipped
for  the  purpose  and  provides  means  for  raising ­
  to  its  nth  power  the  superlative  degree.
Do  not  for  a  moment  get  the  idea  that  you  are
dealing  with  a  child,  for  though,  like  the
Chinaman,  he  presents  a  bland  exterior,  he  is
uncannily  wise.  He  knows  his  line  and  prices
and  market  conditions.  Existing  in  a  world
of  little  excitement,  few  amusements,  and  one
foreign  mail  per  week,  his  mind  is  not  diverted
and  he  unconsciously  concentrates  and  becomes ­
  a  specialist  in  his  business.  Having  always ­
  lived  thousands  of  miles  from  markets  he
has  learned  to  prognosticate  trade  developments ­
  years  ahead.
He  expects  to  talk  to  you  in  Spanish  excepting ­
  in  Brazil  where  the  language  is  Portuguese, ­
  and  he  will  tell  you  that  100,000,000
people  all  over  the  world  speak  in  this  tongue;
that  European  salesmen  converse  with  him  in
this  tongue.  Obviously,  if  you  can  discuss
affairs  with  him  in  his  own  idiom  you  are
on  the  road  to  success.  He  often  speaks
French  too,  and  if  you  cannot  talk  in  the  lan ­