Tom eagerly accepts the occupation of usurer, which is a somewhat outdated term for a person who lends money at an unreasonably high rate of interest.
As part of his agreement with "Old Scratch" (the Devil), to acquire a lost pirate fortune, Tom agreed to meet various terms and conditions that were set forth by Scratch. Some of these terms go unmentioned by the narrator, though it is heavily implied that Tom traded his soul,...
Tom eagerly accepts the occupation of usurer, which is a somewhat outdated term for a person who lends money at an unreasonably high rate of interest.
As part of his agreement with "Old Scratch" (the Devil), to acquire a lost pirate fortune, Tom agreed to meet various terms and conditions that were set forth by Scratch. Some of these terms go unmentioned by the narrator, though it is heavily implied that Tom traded his soul, a "generally understood" condition of the Devil granting favors to people. One of the additional terms is that Tom must use the money in a way which furthers the Devil's purpose; after refusing to become the owner of a slave ship (which is too "low" even for Tom) he happily agrees to become a usurer, as this job suits his tastes.
At least part of the reason for the further conditions set forth in the story is probably to differentiate it from the tale of Faust, upon which it relies heavily for source material, and also to further emphasize Tom's wicked nature; it is not enough that he has lost his soul, but he must visit further evil upon others in order to enjoy his transitory fortunes. Usury is also specifically mentioned and forbidden in the Bible, thereby emphasizing Tom's continued immorality.
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