bewildered. Who was this parasite? But he could not take the time to think-
The voices of the men of Zurich had reached a crescendo. 1hey were now
shouting at each other.
Heinrich Kroe-ger pounded the table. He had to get control. He had to got
them quiet. “Stop iti . Listen to
335
Mel If you’ll listen to me, I’ll ten you why she can’t do itl She can’t do
it, I tell youl”
One by one the voices became quieter and finally trailed Off into silence.
The men of Zurich watched Kroeger. He pointed at Elizabeth Scarlatti.
“I know this bitch-womani I’ve seen her do this beforel She gets men
together, powerful men, and frightens them. They go into panicand sell outl
She gambles on fear, you cowardsl On fearl”
Daudet spoke quietly. “You have answered nothin& Why can’t she do as she
says?”
Kroeger did not take, his eyes off Elizabeth Scarlatti as he replied.
“Because to do it would destroy everything she’s ever fought for. It would
collapse Scarlattil” –
Sydney Masterson spoke just above a whisper. ‘That would appear to be
obvious. The question remains unanswered.”
“She couldn’t live without that powerl Take my word for itl She couldn’t
live without itl”
“That’s an opinion,” said Elizabeth Scarlatti facing her son at the
opposite end of the table. “Do you ask the majority of those at this table
to risk everything on your opinion?”
“God damn youl”
“This Kroeger’s right, honey.” The Texas drawl was unmistakable. “You’ll
ruin yourself. You won’t have a pot to piss in.”
“Your language matches the crudity of your operations, Mr. Landor.”
“I don’t give pig piss for words, old lady. I do about money, and that’s
what we’re ta&in’ about. Why do you want to pull this here crap?”
“That I’m doing it is sufficient, Mr. Landor… Gentlemen, I said time was
running out. no next twenty-four hours will either be a normal Tuesday or
a day which will never be forgotten in the financial capitals of our world.
. . . Some here will survive. Most of you win noL Which will it be,
gentlemen? . . . I submit that in light of everything I’ve said, it’s a
poor fiscal decision wherein the majority allows the minority to cause its
destruction.,’
“What is it you want of us?” Myrdal was a,cautious bargainer. “A few might
rather weather your threats than
336
accept your demands. … Sometimes I think it is all a game. What are your
demands?”
‘That this … association be disbanded at once. That all financial and
political ties in Germany with whatever factions be severed without delayl
That those of you who have been entrusted with appoititments to the Allied
Controls Commission resign immediatelyl”
“Nol Nof Nol Nol” Heinrich Kroeger was enraged. He banged his fist with all
his might upon the table. ‘This organization has taken years to buildl We
win control the economy of Europe. We will control all Europel We will do
itl”
“Hear me, gentlement Mr. Myrdal said ies a gamel Of course, it’s a gamel A
game we expend our lives on. Our souls onl It consumes us, and we demand
more. and more and more until, at last, we crave our own destruotion…
Herr KroeW says I can’t live without the power I’ve sought and gained. He
may be right, gentlemenl Perhaps ifs time for me to reach that logical end,
the and which I now crave and for which Im willing to pay the price… Of
course, I’ll do as I say, gqntlemen. I welcome deathl”
“Let it be yours, then, not ours.” Sydney Masterson understood.
“So be it, Mr. Masterson. Im not overwhelmed, you know. I leave to all of
you the necessity of coping with this strange new world we’ve entered.
Don’t dunk for a minute, gentlemen, that I can’t understand youl Understand
what you’ve done, Most horridly, why yoWve done Itl . . . You look around
your personal kingdoms and you’re frightened. You see your power
threatened-by theories,. governments, strange-sounding concepts which
eataway at your roots. You have an overpowering anxiety to protect the
feudal system which spawned you. And well you should, perhaps. It won’t
last long… But you will ?w do it this wayll’
“Since you understand so, why do you stop us? This undertaking protects all
of us. Ultimately yourself as well. Why do you stop us?” IYAlmeida could
lose the FrancoItalian rails and survive, if only the remainder could be
saved.
.It always starts that way. The greater good. 1,ees say I stop you because
what you’re doing is a far great.
337
er blentish than it is a cure. And that’s all I’ll say about itill
“From you, that’s ludicrous I I tell you again, she won’t do itl” Kroeger
pounded the flat of his hand on the table, but no one paid much attention
to him.
“When you say time is running out, Madame Scarlatti, how do you mean it?
From what you said, I gathered time had run out. The expensive road had
been taken. . . .”
“rhere’s a man in Geneva, Mr. Masterson, who’s awaiting a phone call from
me. If he receives that phone call, a cable will be sent to my offices in
New York. If that cable arrives, the operation is canceled. If it doesn’t,
it’s executed on schedule.”
“fhat’s impossiblel Such complexity untangled with a cablegram? I don’t
believe you.” Monsieur Daudet was certain of ruin.
“I assume considerable financial penalties by the action.”
“You assume more than that, I would suspect, madame. You’ll never be
trusted again. Scarlatti will be isolatedl”
“It’s a prospect, Mr. Masterson. Not a conclusion. The marketplace is
flexible. . . . Well, gentlemen? Your ‘answer?”
Syndey Masterson rose from his chair. “Make your phone call. There’s no
other choice, is there, gentlemen?”
The men of Zurich looked at each other. Slowly they began to get out of
their chairs, gathering the papers in front of them.
“It’s finished. I am out of it.” Kindorf folded the manila envelope and put
it in his pocket.
“You’re a beastly tiger. I shouldn’t care to meet you in the arena with an
army at my back.” Leacock stood erect.
“You may be bullshitter, but rm not gonna slip on itl” Landor nudged
Gibson, who found it difficult to adjust.
“We can’t be sure. . . . Tbat’s our problem. We can’t be, sure,” said
Gibson.
“Waitt Waitt Wait a minutel” Heinrich Kroeger began to shout “You do thisl
You walk outl You’re deadl … Every God damn one of you leeches is dead!
Leechesl Yellow-bellied leeches! . . . You suck our blood; you make
agreements with us. Then you walk out? … Afraid
338
for your little businesses? You God damn Jew bastardst We don’t need youl
Anyof yout But you’re going to need usl Well cut you up and feed you to
dogsl God damn swinel” Kroeger’s face was Bushed. His words spewed out,
tumbling over one another.
“Stop it, Kroegerl’ Masterson took a step toward the raving man with the
splotched face. “Ies finishedl Can!t you understand? Its finishedt”
“Stay where you are, you scum, you English fairyl” Kroeger drew the pistol
from his holster. Canfield, standing by Elizabeth, saw that it was a
long-barreled fortyflveand would blast half a man!s body off with one shot
“Stay where you arel … Finishedl Nothing’s finished until I say it’s
finished. God damn filthy pigsl Frightened little slug wormsl We’re too far
alongl … No one will stop us nowl . . .” He waved the pistol toward
Elizabeth and Canfield. “Finishedl I’ll tell you who’s finis-hedl She isl
. . . Get out of my way.” He started down the left side of the table as the
Frenchman, Daudet, squealed.
“Don’t do it, monsieurl Don’t kill herl You do, and we am ruinedl”
‘I warn. you, Kroegerl You murder her and you’ll answer to ust Well not be
intimidated by youl We’ll not destroy ourselves because of youl” Masterson
stood at Kroegees side, -their shoulders nearly touching. The Englishman
would not move.
Without a word, without warning, Heinrich Kroeger pointed his pistol at
Masterson’s stomach and fired. The shot was deafening and Sydney Masterson
was jackknifed into the air. He fell to the floor, blood drenching his en-
tire front, instantaneously dead.
The eleven men of Zurich gasped, some screamed In horror at the sight of
the bloody corpse. Heinrich Kweger kept walking. Those in his path -got out
of his way.
Elizabeth Scarlatti held her place. She locked her eyes with those of her
killer son. “I curse the day you were born. You revile the house of your
father. But know this, Heinrich Kroeger, and know it welli” The old woman’s
voice filled the cavernotisroom. Her power was such that her son was
momentanly stunned, staring at her in hatred as she pronounced his sentence
of execution. -your identity will be spread across every front page of