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[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 æsthetes to whom art and life have no connection, parasites who suck our music--

PAPPELMEISTER [Laughs good-naturedly]

Ha! Ha! Ha! Vait till you hear vat dey say.

DAVID

I will wait as long as you like.

PAPPELMEISTER

Den I like to tell you now.

[He roars with mischievous laughter.] Ha! Ha! Ha! De first vampire says it is a great vork, but poorly performed.

DAVID [Indignant]

Oh!

PAPPELMEISTER

De second vampire says it is a poor vork, but greatly performed.

DAVID [Disappointed]

Oh!

PAPPELMEISTER

De dird vampire says it is a great vork greatly performed.

DAVID [Complacently]

Ah!

PAPPELMEISTER

And de fourz vampire says it is a poor vork poorly performed.

DAVID [Angry and disappointed]

Oh!

[Then smiling] You see you have to go by the people after all.

PAPPELMEISTER [Shakes head, smiling]

Nein. Ven critics disagree-I agree mit mineself. Ha! Ha! Ha!

[He slaps DAVID on the back.] A great vork dat vill be even better performed next time! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ten dousand congratulations.

[He seizes DAVID'S hand and grips it heartily.]

DAVID

Don't! You hurt me.

PAPPELMEISTER [Dropping DAVID'S hand,-misunderstanding]

Pardon! I forgot your vound.

DAVID

No-no-what does my wound matter? That never stung half so much as these clappings and congratulations.

PAPPELMEISTER [Puzzled but solicitous]

I knew your nerves vould be all shnapping like fiddle-shtrings. Oh, you cheniuses!

[Smiling.] You like neider de clappings nor de criticisms,-was?

DAVID

They are equally-irrelevant. One has to wrestle with one's own art, one's own soul, alone!

PAPPELMEISTER [Patting him soothingly]

I am glad I did not let you blay in Part Two.

DAVID

Dear Herr Pappelmeister! Don't think I don't appreciate all your kindnesses-you are almost a father to me.

PAPPELMEISTER

And you disobey me like a son. Ha! Ha! Ha! Vell, I vill make your excuses to de-vampires. Ha! Ha! Also, David.

[He lays his hand again affectionately on DAVID'S right

shoulder.] Lebe wohl! I must go down to my popular classics.

[Gloomily] Truly a going down! Was?

DAVID [Smiling]

Oh, it isn't such a descent as all that. Uncle said you ought to have given them comic opera.

PAPPELMEISTER [Shuddering convulsively]

Comic opera.... Ouf!

[He goes toward the elevator and rings the bell. Then he turns

to DAVID.] Vat vas dat vord, David?

DAVID

What word?

PAPPELMEISTER [Groping for it]

Mega-megasshu....

DAVID [Puzzled]

Megasshu?

[The elevator comes up; the gates open.]

PAPPELMEISTER

Megusshah! You know.

[He taps his forehead with his umbrella.]

DAVID

Ah, meshuggah!

PAPPELMEISTER [Joyously]

Ja, meshuggah!

[He gives a great roar of laughter.] Ha! Ha! Ha!

[He waves umbrella at DAVID.] Well, don't be ... meshuggah.

[He steps into the elevator.] Ha! Ha! Ha!

[The gates close, and it descends with his laughter.]

DAVID [After a pause]

Perhaps I am ... meshuggah.

[He walks up and down moodily, approaches the parapet at back.] Dropping down is indeed natural.

[He looks over.] How it tugs and drags at one!

[He moves back resolutely and shakes his head.] That would be even a greater descent than Pappelmeister's to comic opera. One must fly upward-somehow.

[He drops on the chair that MENDEL dried. A faint music steals

up and makes an accompaniment to all the rest of the scene. ] Ah! the popular classics!

[His head sinks on a little table. The elevator comes up again,

but he does not raise his head. VERA, pale and sad, steps out and

walks gently over to him; stands looking at him with maternal

pity; then decides not to disturb him and is stealing away when

suddenly he looks up and perceives her and springs to his feet

with a dazed glad cry.] Vera!

VERA [Turns, speaks with grave dignity]

Miss Andrews has charged me to convey to you the heart-felt thanks and congratulations of the Settlement.

DAVID [Frozen]

Miss Andrews is very kind.... I trust you are well.

VERA

Thank you, Mr. Quixano. Very well and very busy. So you'll excuse me.

[She turns to go.]

DAVID

Certainly.... How are your folks?

VERA [Turns her head]

They are gone back to Russia. And yours?

DAVID

You just saw them all.

VERA [Confused]

Yes-yes-of course-I forgot! Good-bye, Mr. Quixano.

DAVID

Good-bye, Miss Revendal.

[He drops back on the chair. VERA walks to the elevator, then

just before ringing turns again.]

VERA

I shouldn't advise you to sit here in the damp.

DAVID

My uncle dried the chair.

[Bitterly] Curious how every one is concerned about my body and no one about my soul.

VERA

Because your soul is so much stronger than your body. Why, think! It has just lifted a thousand people far higher than this roof-garden.