The Eternal Song
GERSON Drunk you are yourself, Peseh! Don’t you see him sitting here? With his bride he sits— with our Channah!
PESEH (who still has not looked about her) Gerson! Mercy on us, Gerson!
GERSON (pushing David toward Peseh and prompt-
in Wall, tell her what you told me. ‘“Always— even from childhood . . . Here .. .” Go on! Shoot it out and have done with it—and an end! Don’t be bashful! She is, after all, a relative of yours. Tell her you love Channah as you love life! Look at him! He’s forgotten how to count two and two! I suppose that’s why there isn’t his equal at the shop.
PESEH David! Is it all true?
DAVID True, Reb Gerson’s wife. I love your Channah. Your husband is not against it, and you surely will not stand in our way?
GERSON What nonsense you talk! Why should she object? Ha, ha, ha!
(He pulls out of his pocket a quarter of a loaf of bread, which he lays upon the table. Channah spreads out a towel on the edge of the table, hands him salt, a knife and fork and a herring on a plate. Gerson washes his hands and begins to eat his supper, constantly teasing Channah,
while Peseh talks quietly with David.)
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