[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.