Mr. Bridge_ A Novel - Evan S. Connell [44]
“All right then, I guess we’ve settled cousin Lulu,” he remarked. It was not quite the proper thing to say, but nobody noticed.
48 Nevacal
Avrum Rheingold, as though scenting the money, turned up next day at the Muehlebach luncheon table. Dr. Sauer had invited him. Mr. Bridge, trying to conceal the aversion he felt, said very little and avoided looking at the broker; it seemed to him that Rheingold was, if possible, more repulsive than when they had first met. He was the color of veal and he smelled of lotion. A diamond stickpin glittered on his tie. His veined skull reflected the lights of the Terrace Grill, and what remained of his hair appeared to have been dyed blue and was brushed forward in a bizarre attempt to hide his baldness. He resembled a decadent Roman senator, or perhaps just an unctuous fat man who thought of himself as senatorial. Avrum Rheingold licked his lips. His small brown eyes glistened while he inspected the food. His jowls quivered. He belched with anticipation. His teeth were discolored. This was the man Alexis Sauer trusted to conduct stock market transactions.
Munching radishes, swallowing coffee, buttering rolls, heaping beans and mashed potatoes on his fork with the assistance of his knife, pausing only to pick his teeth, Avrum Rheingold discoursed on the merits of a company called Nevacal. Priced at four times earnings, with such a potential, at three dollars and fifty cents a share it was a steal. Gold mines in Nevada, land in California. A beautiful little company growing like a beanstalk.
Mr. Bridge did not ask any questions about Nevacal. He had never heard of it. He knew it would have no rating with Standard and Poor’s, it would not be listed on the New York exchange, and certainly it paid no dividend. These things being so, and quite apart from his mistrust of the broker, he knew he was not going to drop a single dollar into it. He wondered if Sauer had invested. This was not impossible; in fact, it was possible that not only had Sauer invested in this will-o’-the-wisp, he had invited the broker to spread the gospel.
Some days later he was shocked to learn the effect of Avrum Rheingold’s recommendation: four members of the round table had bought shares of Nevacal. Only Virgil Barron had not; and when they discussed this they agreed that it was, at best, a dangerous speculation. Beyond that it could be a deliberate fraud. Barron knew something about Avrum Rheingold. The broker’s reputation matched his appearance.
That evening Mr. Bridge looked in the paper. As he suspected, the company was unlisted. The next morning he telephoned his brokerage firm to inquire about it. After some delay, during which he was twice asked to spell the name, a quote was obtained. The price had risen to four dollars. He said he did not want to buy any stock, he was merely curious about the price.
A week later he called again. Nevacal was selling for approximately six dollars a share. He hung up the telephone in a bad humor. The price of Nevacal would drop as sharply as it had risen, he was positive of that.
He did not call the brokerage office again, because it would be embarrassing to inquire three times about Nevacal without buying any, but at luncheon when the conversation got around to the stock market he inquired in a jocular tone if anybody knew how Nevacal was doing. Everybody knew. He was the only one at the table who did not know. It was selling for nine dollars. Virgil Barron had reconsidered and bought some.
Mr. Bridge laughed. He advised them to sell out while they were ahead.
Alex Sauer said he was in close touch with Avrum Rheingold. Rheingold believed it would go higher.
“Suit yourselves, but don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Mr. Bridge remarked, and he tapped the table for emphasis.
The following Friday there was an item in the Wall Street Journal. Nevacal had reported a three-hundred percent increase in profit over the previous fiscal year. Management was predicting further gains for the year ahead. The stock, still unlisted, was quoted at eleven dollars a share.