The Eternal Song
GERSON (making an effort to understand) You—you—love my Channah, yes? (He rubs his hand across his forehead.) You love her? And she? (To Channah) And you, Channah?
CHANNAH (with bowed head) I—I— DAVID (hastily) She, too, yes, yes—only she’s ashamed. GERSON So? Then everything’s all right! What more do you want? DAVID Are you willing, Reb Gerson?
GERSON Of course, why not? (David and Gerson fall to kissing each other.) Good! Good! Does mamma know already, Channah?
CHANNAH ‘No.
GERSON She don’t know! Oh, won’t she be happy! (Calling loudly.) Peseh! Peseh! Hear!
PESEH (aroused out of a sound slumber) May you become dumb! Loafer, you! You’ve come home, huh? May all the bad dreams that I dreamed tonight and last night come down on your head, on your hands, on your feet, and on your whole body and soul! Did you ever hear! Just listen to his bellowing! The drunk! Forgets all about wife, children— let them die of hunger—so long as he can sit
carousing with his companions, who drag him
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