The Ghetto Part 11

RAFAEL.

And that afternoon I went with my father to the synagogue; I did not pray, I could not speak. I only gazed at my father's face, waiting to see it soften into some shade of doubt, of repentance, of remorse. And the dead eyes faced up to the rafters where the sun shone through--they faced up there with the same impa.s.sive stare--the same holy calm, as when he stood with his foot on the scales. Ah, when we walked home, how cold and pitiless the sky looked down at me that winter day! We sat at our Sabbath table. He complained that I was silent. He said prayers, he dipped the bread in the salt. The lamplight shone on him, and I stared into his face, and I saw nothing--nothing I had always thought I saw--and my heart was ice; and he rose and stumbled over a stool and fell, and I picked him up--and my heart was still ice. He was no longer blind to me--he was nothing--nothing but a--ah no, no,--what's the use--what's the use?

SACHEL.

[_Hoa.r.s.ely._] Have I been different from the others? Aaron, Levy, Isaac, would they not have done the same? Is there any one who would not take advantage of my eyes? No; business is business.

RAFAEL.

Business,--Aaron, Levy, Isaac! G.o.d, how I have despised them all my life!

ESTHER.

Oh, he would give overweight!

RAFAEL.

I will quarrel no more with you. When I am gone----

SACHEL.

You are not going--you shall not go! [_Trembling._] I have nothing in the world but you. Didn't I do it all for you? When I am dead the money will be yours, and the blame sewed up in my shroud with me.

Can't you be content?

RAFAEL.

[_After looking at him for a moment, hopelessly._] It is getting late.

I am tired. Let us go to bed, and to-morrow let us part friends.

ESTHER.

You eat something. Then you'll feel differently. H'm! He go away! I shall call up Rosa!

RAFAEL.

Thanks, no. I could not eat now. Has she not done enough this sweltering day?

ESTHER.

Then I'm going to bed. No wonder, to be so irregular in your ways. You were up last night. Couldn't you sleep?

RAFAEL.

I did not sleep until nearly morning.

[_Exit ESTHER. SACHEL goes to try the shutters._

Well, good-night, father. You won't answer? Well, good-night!

[_Music begins in the house at the back._] [_Aside._] They are playing my music. Give me time--I will show you what is in my soul!

SACHEL.

[_Aside._] The scales--that is not the only reason!

_Enter ROSA, who does not see SACHEL. She starts to go to RAFAEL.

SACHEL hears her._

Rosa, why are you not in bed? [_ROSA stops motionless, mute, frightened._] Is that Rosa? [_He is suspicious._

[_They do not answer. Exit SACHEL into the house, evidently with a purpose._

ROSA.

[_Rushing to RAFAEL._] Rafael! Rafael! Tell me the truth. Am I not your wife? Don't you love me? Do you love some one else? Do you love Aaron's daughter? They are planning to marry her to you. What does it mean? [_He motions her to be silent._] Does it mean that you wish it? No--no, it can't be that: you have said you were going away; but you didn't tell them of me. Why? Why do you not tell them of me?--soon enough you'll have to; and then--then you will have to choose--choose between the rage of your father--between disinheritance--poverty--the wrath of all the Ghetto, and me--only me! Rafael, my life is in your hands. Love me--love me, Rafael!

Don't let me doubt you! [_He stops her mouth. Suddenly SACHEL opens the window over the shop-door; he leans out, listens, hears nothing, withdraws._] He's in my room--he's searching for me--he suspects us--he has said so. He's coming down now; he's going to accuse us; he's going to tell you to desert me--desert me or starve! Rafael, what are you going to say? Rafael, what are you going to say?

[_He stops her mouth again; they look in through the door. A pause._

_Enter SACHEL._

SACHEL.

She's not in the house! Rosa--where are you?

ROSA.

[_Whispering to RAFAEL._] Where? Where?

RAFAEL.

[_Quietly taking her in his arms._] Rosa is here, father.

A WATCHMAN.

[_Heard in the distance._] Ten o'clock, and all's well! Ten o'clock, and all's well!

[_SACHEL shakes his head._

END OF THE FIRST ACT.

THE SECOND ACT

SCENE: _A living room in the rear of SACHEL'S shop. A door at the back opens into the street; at the left a staircase runs up over a fireplace to a gallery which gives access to two rooms off the stage._

_ROSA is discovered at the fireplace. ESTHER is at the dining-table, which is set with the Sabbath-cloth. ESTHER crosses to a door at the left._