DAVID [_With prophetic pa.s.sion_]
But you shall not kill my dream! There shall come a fire round the Crucible that will melt you and your breed like wax in a blowpipe----
QUINCY [_Furiously, with clenched fist_]
You----
DAVID America _shall_ make good...!
PAPPELMEISTER [_Who has sat down and remained imperturbably seated throughout all this scene, springs up and waves his umbrella hysterically_]
_Hoch Quixano! Hoch! Hoch! Es lebe Quixano! Hoch!_
QUINCY Poppy! You"re dismissed!
PAPPELMEISTER [_Goes to DAVID with outstretched hand_]
_Danke._ [_They grip hands. PAPPELMEISTER turns to QUINCY DAVENPORT._]
Comic Opera! Ouf!
QUINCY [_Goes to street-door, at white heat._]
Are you coming, Miss Revendal?
[_He opens the door._]
VERA [_To QUINCY, but not moving_]
Pray, pray, accept my apologies--believe me, if I had known----
QUINCY [_Furiously_]
Then stop with your Jew!
[_Exit._]
MENDEL [_Frantically_]
But, Mr. Davenport--don"t go! He is only a boy.
[_Exit after QUINCY DAVENPORT._]
You must consider----
DAVID Oh, Herr Pappelmeister, you have lost your place!
PAPPELMEISTER And saved my soul. Dollars are de devil. Now I must to an appointment.
_Auf baldiges Wiedersehen._ [_He shakes DAVID"S hand._]
Fraulein Revendal!
[_He takes her hand and kisses it. Exit. DAVID and VERA stand gazing at each other._]
VERA What have you done? What have you done?
DAVID What else could I do?
VERA I hate the smart set as much as you--but as your ladder and your trumpet----
DAVID I would not stand indebted to them. I know you meant it for my good, but what would these Europe-apers have understood of _my_ America--the America of my music? They look back on Europe as a pleasure ground, a palace of art--but I know [_Getting hysterical_]
it is sodden with blood, red with b.e.s.t.i.a.l ma.s.sacres----
VERA [_Alarmed, anxious_]
Let us talk no more about it.
[_She holds out her hand._]
Good-bye.
DAVID [_Frozen, taking it, holding it_]
Ah, you are offended by my ingrat.i.tude--I shall never see you again.
VERA No, I am not offended. But I have failed to help you. We have nothing else to meet for.
[_She disengages her hand._]
DAVID Why will you punish me so? I have only hurt myself.
VERA It is not a _punishment_.
DAVID What else? When you are with me, all the air seems to tremble with fairy music played by some unseen fairy orchestra.
VERA [_Tremulous_]
And yet you wouldn"t come in just now when I----
DAVID I was too frightened of the others....
VERA [_Smiling_]
Frightened indeed!
DAVID Yes, I know I became overbold--but to take all that magic sweetness out of my life for ever--you don"t call that a punishment?
VERA [_Blushing_]
How could I wish to punish you? I was proud of you!
[_Drops her eyes, murmurs_]
Besides it would be punishing _myself_.
DAVID [_In pa.s.sionate amaze_]
Miss Revendal!... But no, it cannot be. It is too impossible.
VERA [_Frightened_]
Yes, too impossible. Good-bye.
[_She turns._]
DAVID But not for always?
[_VERA hangs her head. He comes nearer. Pa.s.sionately_]
Promise me that you--that I---- [_He takes her hand again._]
VERA [_Melting at his touch, breathes_]
Yes, yes, David.
DAVID Miss Revendal!
[_She falls into his arms._]
VERA My dear! my dear!