personnel, and because the probably had no one else around she could
browbeat into silence as easily as this money-hungry social gadfly. Hed be
a convenient chauffeur, a manservant. Kroeger hated the type.
Or was he anything eLw?
Why had the salesman stared at him? Had Elizabeth
331
told him anything? She wouldn7t be that big a fool. The -n was the sort whod
blackmail in a minute.
One thing was sure. Hed have to be killed.
But who had tried. to kin him previously? Who had trW to stop Elizabeth?
And why?
The same question was being considered by Elizabeth Scarlatti. For she
believed Kroeger when he disavowed the attempts on their lives.
“Please continue, Madame ScariattLI, it was Fritz Thyssen, his cherubic
face still flushed with anger over Elizabeth’s disclosure of his Cawo
trade. He had removed the booklet ftom the center of the table.
“I shall.” She approached the side of her chair but did not sit down.
instead, she reached once more into her briefcase. “I have one thing
further, gentlemen. With it we can conclude our business, and decisions can
be made. There is a copy for each of the twelve remamiag investorL Those
with aides will have to share themL My apolo. sh:s, Mr. Kroeger. I find I
haven’t one for you.” From her position at the end of the table she
distributed twelve slender -nila envelopeL They were sealed, and as the men
passed them down, the investors taking one apiece, it was apparent that
each found it difficult not to rip open the top and withdraw the contents
at owe. But none wished to betray such obvious aninety
Finally, as each of the twelve held his envelope in hxmt of him. one by one
the men began to open them.
For nearly two minutes the only sound was the nading of pages. Otherwise,
silence. Even breathing was seemingly suspended. The men from Zurich were
mesmerized by what they saw. Elizabeth spoke.
“Yes. gentlemen. What yon hold in your hands is the scheduled liquidation
of the Scarlatti Industries. . . . So that you have no illusions of doubt
concerning the validity of this document, you will note that after each
subdivision of holdings is typed the names of the individuals,
corporations, or syndicates who we the purchasers. . . . Every one of those
mentioned, the individuals as well as the organizatiom are known to each of
you. if not personally, then certainly by reputation. You know their
capabilities, and rm sure you’re not unaware of their ambitions. Within the
next twenty four hours they will own ScarlattL-
For most of the Zurich men Ebzabeth!s sealed infor.
332
mation was the confirmation of the whispered rumors. Word had reached them
that something unusual was taking place at ScarlattL Some sort of unloading
under Wange circumstances.
So this was it. The head of Scarlatti was getting out.
“A massiye operation, Madame Scarlatti.” Olaffsen!s low Swedish voice
vibrated throughout the room. “But to repeat Daudet’s question, what is it
you prepare us for?”
“Please take note of the bottom figure on the last page, gentlemen.
Although I’m quite sure you all have.” The rustle of pages. Each man had
turned swiftly to the final p4ge. “It reads seven hundred and fifteen
million dollars. . . . The combined, immediately convertible assets of this
table, placed at the highest figure is one billion, one hundred and ten
million. . . . Therefore, a disparity of three hundred and ninety-five
million exists between us. . . . Another way to approach this difference is
to calculate it from the opposite direction. The Scarlatti liquidation will
realize sixty-four point four percent of this table’s holdings-if, indeed,
you gentlemen could convert your personal assets in such a manner as to
preclude financial panics.”
Silence.
A number of the Zurich men reached for their first envelopes. The
breakdowns of their own worth.
One of these was Sydney Masterson, who turned to Elizabeth with an unamused
smile. “And what you’re saying, I presume, Madame ScarlattL is that this
sixtyfour point plus percent is the club you hold over our headsr,
“Precisely, Mr. Masterson.”
“My dear lady, I really must question your sanity . .
“I wouldn’t, if I were you.”
“Then I &hall, Frau ScarlattL” 1. G. Farben’s Von Schnitzler spoke in a
dWq;reeable manner, lounging back in his chair as if toying verbally with
an imbecile, “To accomplish what you have must have been a costly sacri-
fice. . .,. I wonder to what purpose? You can not buy what there is not to
sell. . . . We are not a public corpombon. You can not force into defeat
something which does not existl” His German lisp was pronounced, his ar-
rogance every bit as unattractive as reputed. Elizabeth disliked him
intensely.
ezirre
.,C4 voit Schnitzler.”
333
‘Then, perhaps’~–the German Mughed—you have been a foolish woman. I
would not wish to absorb your losses. I mean, really, you can not go to
some mythical Baumeister and tell him you have more funds than wotherefore,
he must drive us out into the streetsl”
Several of the Zurich men laughed.
‘That, of oourse, would be the simplest, would it not? The appeal to one
entity, negotiating with one power It’s a shame that I can’t do that. It
would be so much e
I
.asier, so much less costly . . . . But I’m
forced to take another road, an expensive one
. . . . I should put that another way. I have
taken it, gentlemen. It has been accomplished.
The time is nmning out for its execution.”
Elizabeth looked at the men at Zurich. Some had their eyes riveted on
her-watching for the slightest waver of confidence, the smallest sign of
bluff. Others fixed their stares on manimate objects-,caring only to filter
the words, the tone of her voice, for a false statement or a lapse of
judgment. These were men who moved nations with a single gesture, a
solitary word.
‘At the start of toniorrow’s business, subject to time zones, enormous
transfers of Scarlatti capital will have been made to the financial centers
of the five nations represented at this table, In Berlin, Paris, Stockholm,
London, and New York, negotiations have already been completed for massive
purchases on the open market of the outstanding shares of your central
companies… Before noon of the next business day, gentlemen. Scaflatti
will have considerable though, of course, minority owner ship in many of
your vast enterpriseL . . . Six hundred and seventy million dollars’ worthl
. . . Do you realize what this means, sentlemenr’
Kindorf roared. “Jal You will drive up the prices and makes us fortunesl
You will own nothingl”
“My dear lady, you are extraordinary.” Innes-Rowen’s textile prices had
remained conservativ& He was overjoyed at the prospects.
D’Almeida, who realized she could not enter his FrancoItalian rails, took
another view. “You can not purchase one share of my property, madamel”
“Some of you are more fortunate than others. Monsieur D’Almeida.”
Leacock, the financier, the gentlest trace of a brogue in his cultivated
voim spoke up- “Granting what you say,
334
and it is entirely possible, Madame Scarlatti, what have we suffered? . . .
We have not lost a daughter, but gained a minor associate.” He tamed to the
others who, he hoped, wotild find humor in his analogy.
Elizabeth held her breath before speaking. She waited until the men of
Zurich were onceagain focused on her.
“I said before noon Scarlatti would be in the position I outlined… One
hour later a tidal wave will form in the Kurfuerstendamin in Berlin and end
in New York’s Wall Streetl One hour later Scarlatti will divest itself of
these holdings at a fraction of their costl I have estimated three cents on
the dollar. . . . Sitnultaneously, every bit of information Scarlatti has
learned of your questionable activities will be released to the major wire
services in each of your countries…. You might sustain slander by itself,
gentlemen. You will not be the same men when it is accompanied by fu~mcial
panict Some of you will remain barely intact. Some will be wiped out. The
majority of you will be affected disastrouslyl”
After the briefest moment of shocked silence, the room exploded. Aides were
questioned peremptorily Answers were bellowed to be heard.
Heinrich Kroeger rose from his chair and screamed at the men. “Sitopf StopI
You damn fools, stop id Shed never do itl Shesbluffingl”
‘Vo you really think sor, Elizabeth shouted above the voices.
“I’ll kill you, you bitchl”
“You am demented, Frau S=lattil”
Try it … Kroegerl Try id” Matthew Canfield stood by Elizabeth, his eyes
bloodshot with fury as he stared at Ulster Stewart Scarlett.
‘TVho the hell am you, you lousy peddlerr The an called Kroeger, hands
gripping the table. returned Canfield’s stare and screeched to be heard by
the salesman.
“Look at we soodf rin your executionerl”
“Whatl”
The man called Heinrich Kroeger squinted his misshapen eyes. He was