“Gawd,” exclaimed Doc, after the first gulp. “What the hell is that?”
“Grappa,” replied the prince. “Here in Ticino they make some of the best, in any case the strongest grappa in the world. They say its alcoholic content can rise to as high as ninety percent.”
“Where did she get it from?”
“Our wine cellar,” replied Albert.
“Our wine cellar,” repeated Doc, but after thinking it over, decided to let the subject pass without further comment.
“Albert,” he said abruptly, “what do you know about silver?”
“Silver bullion?”
“Yes.”
“It sells for $1.29 an ounce.”
“Doesn’t the price fluctuate?”
“During the past few years, no. The United States government has pegged the price at this level, and keeps it there by regulating the market.”
“Why?”
“It’s really a hangover from the days when silver, like gold, was part of the monetary system of the United States. It still is, in a way. After all, most of our coins are still made from silver. The U.S. government maintains an enormous inventory of the metal, not just for minting purposes, but also as a strategic raw material reserve. Silver is an important metal for our defense industry. That’s why Uncle Sam controls the market and the price.”
“But can you and I buy silver bullion?”
“Naturally.”
“Where? From the government?”
“No. On the commodity exchanges—in New York, Chicago, or London.”
“Anybody can do that?”
“Sure. Of course, you have to go through a broker, just like you do in the stock market. Actually, Doc, it’s interesting you bring up silver. An increasing number of people feel a worldwide shortage is developing.”
“I thought you said our government has piles of the stuff.”
“They do, but every year this pile is diminishing, because they have to keep selling silver over the commodity exchanges in order to hold the price at $1.29 an ounce. But at some point, they’ll have to stop, because, as I just told you Doc, the government is committed to keep a large stockpile as a strategic reserve.”
“And then?”
“The price will zoom up.”
“Albert, my boy, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. We have arranged to get 50 percent of the biggest silver mine on this earth.”
“Where? In Canada?”
“No. In Iran.”
“I’ve never heard of any silver mine in Iran.”
“That’s the point. Neither has anybody else. And nobody can. It’s got to remain a secret.”
“That’s not going to be easy,” said Albert immediately. “I mean you can hardly just hide a big operation like a silver mine.”
“In Iran you can. John and I went over the whole setup. We’re convinced it can be done, aren’t we John?”
“Absolutely.”
“All right, Doc, if you say so.” Albert did not look convinced.
“Now Albert, there are still a few technical matters to be worked out. Maybe you can give us some ideas.”
“I’ll try.”
“We’ll have to set up a special account in the bank, and then make a loan of $5 million to it. Think you could work that out?”
“Sure. That should be no great problem. But Doc, where are we going to get the five million from?”
“The rials. We’ve got four hundred million with us.”
“But,” interjected the prince, for the first time, “Agha said that he did not want his money to . . .”
“What Agha doesn’t know at this point won’t hurt him. After all, he wanted to deposit the money in the bank, and from now on it’s up to the bank to decide what it does with its money.”
“Yes, but . . .”
“Forget it. Now Albert, what do you know about rials?”
“Enough.”
“How?”
“From our money dealer.”
“Money dealer?”
“Yes, we hired one last Thursday. Also a securities dealer.”
“On whose authority?”
“Doc, before you left you said we should try to improve things here. Well, we’ve tried.”
“Where did you find these guys?”
“Also at American Express.”
“I thought American Express was a travel office.”
“In the States it is. Here it’s also a bank.”
“Why would these guys want to join a broken down bank like ours?”
“It’s not so broken down any more. Wait until you see our new building, and how we’re going to refurbish it. That’s one reason why these fellows are coming. In addition, we’re paying them a lot more.”
“With what?”
“Doc, we’ve made out fine so far, and I’m sure things will get much better quickly.”
“You’re right, Albert. Either we move ahead, or give up. And with that silver deal in our pocket, we’re sure as hell not going to give up now. So what about my question: What’s with rials?”
“There’s a market for them in Geneva. Since nobody is supposed to have rials outside of Iran, it’s a gray market. Still, the Geneva rate is only 2 percent below the official exchange rate, so it’s a good deal. Our man said he can take care of everything the same day he gets the rials.”
“Great, Albert. I hate to say this, but you and Marvin have done all right. Where is Marvin, by the way? He sneaked out of here without saying a word.”
“Gee, I really don’t know, Doc. Maybe it’s because of Ringo.”
At just this moment Marvin reappeared. With Ringo. Ringo took one quick look around the room, and headed straight for Doc. In fact, the front end of him ended sprawled across Doc’s lap.
“Get him out of here!” Doc yelled.
“Ah, come on, Doc. He likes you,” said Marvin.
Ringo’s tail backed up Marvin’s statement, as it wagged wildly in the air, brushing a coffee cup to the floor in the process. He even tried a few swipes of his tongue on Doc’s face. Doc hesitated, waivered, and then gave the dog a few tentative pats on the head.
“You know, he really does. Marvin, you probably don’t know this, but I have always had a great way with dogs.” Ringo responded with a few more licks.
“That’s enough boy,” ordered Doc. “Sit!”
Ringo obeyed immediately, taking a position on his haunches, watching Doc’s face eagerly for further instructions.
“Say, that’s a really smart dog. Where did you get him, Marvin?”
“He came with the house.”
“I never should have asked. Now listen, Marvin, this is not just some dumb dog. There can be no doubt that Ringo is a pure-bred Alsatian. They need lots of food, and the right food. What have you been feeding him?”
“Hamburger.”
“That’s not good enough. They need quality meat. And they need a walk every day. A long one.”
“Sure, Doc. I’ll take care of him. Can we keep him?”
“Of course. A fine dog like that. In fact, Marvin, I’ll help you take care of him. After all, we need a watchdog around here.”
“Doc, can I take him for a walk now?”
“Go ahead, my boy. But be careful of cars. Keep him on a leash.”
The prince who had spoken very few words since returning to Swiss soil, now attempted to cut in.
“Doc,” he said, “I have an idea.”
“About what?”
“Well, it’s like you said. Now we are going to definitely make something out of this bank. Is that not right?”
“Yes.”
“And we will have this fine new building, new staff, everything new.”
“Yes.”
“Then we must seek to get recognition, publicity. So we get customers.”
“Sure, but how?”
“I think I know how. We throw the biggest party Lugano has ever seen. I will invite all my friends. They will come, I’m sure. And they
include some of the most famous names in Europe. Then we can invite local people. They will also come. The Swiss love aristocracy, because they have none of their own. In that, they are like Americans.”
“Albert,” asked Doc, “what do you think?”
“It’s a great idea, Doc. In fact, terrific, if the prince can really pull it off like he says.”
“Pull it off?” asked the prince, puzzled.
“That means produce. Like whether all those people would really show up.”
“But of course they will. After all, we will pay their expenses.”
That created a slight lull.
“So what,” said Doc finally. “If it works it will be worth every dollar we put in. When?”
“The architects told me the renovation of our new bank building should be completed in June,” said Albert.
“Then July 1?” suggested the prince.
“No,” stated Doc, “July 4. It would be perfect. We could decorate the bank with lots of American—and, of course, Swiss—flags. Maybe even fireworks afterwards. In fact, prince, we must try to get the American ambassador to come. Then . . .”
6
IN 1967, July 4th fell on a Friday. Normally, it went unnoticed in Lugano, as everywhere else in Europe. But not that year. For word had gotten out that some super-rich American bankers were putting on a real show. Typical. But still, not to be ignored. In fact, receiving an invitation to the big opening became a matter of local prestige. Rumor had it that half the aristocracy of Europe was coming. A very reliable source reported Princess Grazia of Monaco had definitely accepted. And this was followed up by a, perhaps, even more startling revelation: Elizabeth Taylor had insisted she be invited. To be sure, the authority in this instance was a well-known gossip. Swiss TV made a tentative probe, suggesting they might want to cover the affair. But a word from the chief executive of one of the large Swiss banks stopped that. Anyway, the prince would not have allowed it. He insisted that this remain an exclusive affair, not one to be peeped at by the masses. He also personally attended to every detail of the planning, except for the costs, which he left to the staff of the bank, which had already increased to twenty-two by the time this memorable day arrived. A definite aura of success surrounded the Bank of Sicily and America in Switzerland.
At four o’clock the first limousine arrived in front of the bank. Uniformed doormen were there waiting. The party of two, Prinz Johannes von und zu Hohenlohe and Prinzess Hildebrunn, noted for their punctuality, were not in the slightest embarrassed to note they were the first arrivals. They caught the reception line in a state of slight disarray, but Annunzio soon restored order. It was, of course, he who headed the line. Beside him was, of all people, Joe Fiore, bursting with pride and also almost bursting from the tuxedo which, in spite of having cost over a thousand dollars, still did not fit right. Next to him was Doc, and finally Albert. Rather a meager lineup for an affair of this size, but it was generally accepted as a display of tasteful understatement.
The second arrival was La Marquesa d’Annecy. The Marquis had been reunited with his forefathers for at least twenty years. Her flaming red hair was tied in an orange ribbon, and her immense bosom heaved as the prince bowed gracefully to kiss her hand. Joe Fiore, with a touch of real Las Vegas gallantry, did the same, and even managed to utter a close approximation of the going words. “Enchanté, madam.” Then came a bit of contrast: a short, fat man who made his presence known through a succession of firm handshakes, clicks of heels, accompanied each time by a sharp, gutteral “Bauer, Heinrich, Hochtiefbau Duisburg, sehr angenehm.” Nobody had the faintest idea what the chap was saying until it was later explained that he was Heinrich Bauer, formerly of Hochtiefbau Construction of Duisburg, Germany, now as Swiss as his tax advisors in Lugano. The next pair of newcomers were Agha and Shireen Firdausi. Shireen came in a low-cut dress of brilliant green. Her eyes shone as they met Doc’s, and her gloved hand stayed longer in his clasp than was required by protocol. Doc was so stunned by her appearance that he barely managed to bring out the necessary words. The mayor of Lugano and his wife followed. Then the Ambassador of the United States and Mrs. Randolph. Since they represented the prize coup of the evening, the prince personally accompanied them down the reception line, and insisted on serving them their first drinks. By this time the new arrivals were already spilling over into the streets. At least a hundred spectators were out there, waiting for a glimpse of either Grace or Liz. But to no avail. The only movie star that finally came was Ursula Munding, famous in Switzerland for her 1938 portrayal of Heidi’s father’s sister, which made her Heidi’s aunt, come to think of it.
By 5:30 the party inside the bank was developing into a resounding success. The caterers were being assisted by the bank staff who, with their natural Swiss multilingual talents, were able to make everyone more or less at home in his or her native tongue. Joe Fiore, finally released from the reception line, went straight to the improvised bar and asked for a shot of bourbon, neat. Then he got Albert aside.
“My boy, this is wonderful. Just wonderful. It must be costing us a packet, but it sure as hell is worth every nickel. Look, I want you to meet one of my friends whom I personally invited. He’s over there, talking to Doc.” So father and son moved.
“Tony,” Joe said, “I want you to meet my boy, Albert. He was one of the men who has made all this possible. Albert, Toni Regazzoni, from New York.”
While Joe stood beaming, Tony caught Albert in a huge embrace.
“Albert,” he said, “I was just telling Doc. Your old man offered me and some of our mutual friends a piece of this bank, and like stupid bastards, we turned it down. But lemme tell you, I’ve changed my mind.”
Then Joe Fiore spoke up. “I guessed as much, Tony, but so have I. I’ve decided that this is going to remain a family affair, my family.”
“Now Joe, I know that you don’t really mean that.”
“Yes I do. And that’s it. But look Tony, that doesn’t mean we all can’t work together. Everything I told you guys in Arizona still holds. We can manage your money, put it to work, and nobody can possibly find out. Isn’t that right Doc?”
“That’s right, Joe. In fact, I was just explaining our setup here to Tony. He’s already promised to send over one million next week. And he said that from his organization in New York alone, he expects at least another ten million to follow. We’ve even worked out how the courier service will work.”
“Is that right, Tony?”
“Look, Joe, I already told you I’m sold on this place. So I do something about it. Right? And I still want a piece of this action. But we’ll talk about that later. You go and have a good time.”
Then Marvin showed up. “Mr. Fiore, can I borrow Albert for a minute?”
“Who wants him?”
“Some guy from Amsterdam. He wants to know about silver.”
“Silver! Albert don’t know nothing about silver, do you Albert?”
“Yes, father, I do. I’ll tell you about it later. O.K. Marvin, where is he?”
The guy’s name was Richard von der Zuider. He knew Prince Gianfranco Annunzio di Siracusa from yachting. He’d heard silver was a good investment. Was that true? Yes it was. Was the U.S. government going to stop controlling the price? Albert felt that it was very likely very soon. And then? Then it could go to two dollars an ounce and beyond. Could the bank handle a rather sizable investment in silver for him? Certainly. The best would be for Mr. von der Zuider to call at the bank on Monday. Would ten A.M.be too early? No. Good. He would bring his bank references from Amsterdam.
Doc, by this time, had joined the Firdausis. He was not the only one. Some nit who called himself the Duque de la Torrera had been trying to monopolize Shireen’s attention ever since he had spotted her. And Heinrich Bauer was pumping Agha, trying to find out whether any quick money was to be made in Iran. His English was spotty, but he managed to convey, quite regularly, that he had twenty million marks, in cash, looking for a home. He expected at least t
en percent return. But, as he explained after Doc had arrived, he would settle, temporarily, for five percent. Could his bank offer that? Doc suggested he come to the bank on Monday. Perhaps they could have lunch together? Heinrich did not hesitate. Jawohl, lunch would be perfect. He would bring along his bank references from Duisburg.
With some difficulty, Doc managed to get Agha into a private corner after that.
“Agha,” he asked, “is everything going as planned?”
“Almost. We’re a little behind schedule, but that’s not your fault. The funds arrived in Kuwait much more quickly than I expected, and the letter of credit arrangements were completed just two days later. Then my Englishman, Howard, and I spent three weeks in Rhodesia. The problem was delivery. We now expect the equipment to arrive in Dubai in September. That means our first bullion will be ready for shipment probably in December.”
“Did you hear the rumor about a possible change in the American government’s policy on silver?”
“Yes, of course. That would make the whole venture all the better. Now tell me, has all the paperwork been done here?”
“Yes. It will require some signatures.”
“Excellent. You name the time and I’ll be there. Of course, Shireen will also have to come. She has equal rights with me in this matter.”
“Naturally. Perhaps we could best get together at a place we have outside of town. In fact, now that I think of it, you and Shireen must be our guests up there. For as long as you want.”
“You are sure it will be no trouble?”
“Of course not.”
“Then we accept. Doc, I suggest we continue our talks later. This is not exactly the place for us to go into any details.”
“I agree. Anyway, it’s time we move on.”
At 6:30 the prince managed to subdue the din sufficiently to announce in five languages that the limousines were waiting outside. It was quite a sight: somehow Annunzio had rounded up fifty luxury cars, ranging from Mercedes 600’s, to Lincolns, to Bentleys to Citroens. They came from rental agencies as far away as Geneva, Zurich, Milano, and even Frankfurt. Lugano buzzed with the news that evening in almost every bar, restaurant, and home. The convoy wound its way through Lugano, across the Swiss-Italian frontier, and then twenty-four kilometers along the narrow twisting road, through endless vineyards, to the shores of Lake Como. In Menagio the lake steamer was waiting. The trip across took twenty minutes. And when they arrived at the dock of the Villa Sebelloni in Bellagio, thirty waiters, all dressed completely in white, including their gloves, were lined up on both sides of the stairway leading to the immense terrace of the hotel which, of itself, formed a small peninsula. They held trays of champagne, holding seven glasses each. The orchestra caught the spirit of the occasion and blasted out with “Quando, quando” in a manner which had nothing whatsoever to do with the style of Guy Lombardo, despite their common heritage.
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