The Melting-Pot - LightNovelsOnl.com
You're reading novel online at LightNovelsOnl.com. Please use the follow button to get notifications about your favorite novels and its latest chapters so you can come back anytime and won't miss anything.
KATHLEEN Sure, not the elevator. The misthress said 'twould be breaking the _Shabbos_ to ride up in it.
DAVID [_Uneasily_]
But did---did Miss Revendal send you up?
KATHLEEN And who else should be axin' the misthress if she wasn't proud of Mr.
David? Faith, she's a sweet lady.
MENDEL [_Impatiently_]
Don't chatter, Kathleen.
KATHLEEN But, Mr. Quixano----!
DAVID [_Sweetly_]
Please take your mistress down again--don't let her walk.
KATHLEEN But _Shabbos_ isn't out yet!
MENDEL Chattering again!
DAVID [_Gently_]
There's no harm, Kathleen, in going _down_ in the elevator.
KATHLEEN Troth, I'll egshplain to her that droppin' down isn't ridin'.
DAVID [_Smiling_]
Yes, tell her dropping down is natural--not _work_, like flying up.
[_Kathleen begins to move toward the stairs, explaining to FRAU QUIXANO._]
And, Kathleen! You'll get her some refreshments.
KATHLEEN [_Turns, glaring_]
Refrishments, is it? Give her refrishments where they mix the mate with the b.u.t.ther plates! Oh, Mr. David!
[_She moves off toward the stairs in reproachful sorrow._]
MENDEL [_Smiling_]
I'll get her some coffee.
DAVID [_Smiling_]
Yes, that'll keep her awake. Besides, Pappelmeister was so sure the people wouldn't understand me, he's relaxing them on Gounod and Rossini.
MENDEL Pappelmeister's idea of relaxation! _I_ should have given them comic opera.
[_With sudden call to KATHLEEN, who with her mistress is at the wrong exit._]
Kathleen! The elevator's _this_ side!
KATHLEEN [_Turning_]
What way can that be, when I came up _this_ side?
MENDEL You chatter too much.
[_FRAU QUIXANO, not understanding, exit._]
Come this way. Can't you see the elevator?
KATHLEEN [_Perceives FRAU QUIXANO has gone, calls after her in Irish-sounding Yiddish_]
_Wu geht Ihr_, bedad?...
[_Impatiently_]
Houly Moses, _komm' zurick_!
[_Exit anxiously, re-enter with FRAU QUIXANO._]
Begorra, we Jews never know our way.
[_MENDEL, carrying the violin, escorts his mother and KATHLEEN to the elevator. When they are near it, it stops with a thud, and PAPPELMEISTER springs out, his umbrella up, meeting them face to face. He looks happy and beaming over DAVID'S triumph._]
PAPPELMEISTER [_In loud, joyous voice_]
_Nun, Frau Quixano, was sagen Sie?_ Vat you tink of your David?
FRAU QUIXANO _Dovid? Er ist meshuggah._ [_She taps her forehead._]
PAPPELMEISTER [_Puzzled, to MENDEL_]
_Meshuggah!_ Vat means _meshuggah_? Crazy?
MENDEL [_Half-smiling_]
You've struck it. She says David doesn't know enough to go in out of the rain.
[_General laughter._]
DAVID [_Rising_]
But it's stopped raining, Herr Pappelmeister. You don't want your umbrella.
[_General laughter._]
PAPPELMEISTER _So._ [_Shuts it down._]
MENDEL _Herein, Mutter._ [_He pushes FRAU QUIXANO'S somewhat shrinking form into the elevator. KATHLEEN follows, then MENDEL._]
Herr Pappelmeister, we are all your grateful servants.
[_PAPPELMEISTER bows; the gates close, the elevator descends._]
DAVID And you won't think _me_ ungrateful for running away--you know my thanks are too deep to be spoken.
PAPPELMEISTER And zo are my congratulations!
DAVID Then, don't speak them, please.
PAPPELMEISTER But you _must_ come and speak to all de people in America who undershtand music.
DAVID [_Half-smiling_]
To your four connoisseurs?
[_Seriously_]
Oh, please! I really could not meet strangers, especially musical vampires.
PAPPELMEISTER [_Half-startled, half-angry_]
Vampires? Oh, come!
DAVID Voluptuaries, then--rich, idle aesthetes to whom art and life have no connection, parasites who suck our music----
PAPPELMEISTER [_Laughs good-naturedly_]
