The Eternal Song
(He carries her hand to his mouth, and breathes upon it.) And then I kissed your hands, then your face, and then your eyes... Do you remember? Do you remember?
PESEH (dreamily) I remember! I remember!
(David sits beside Channah, talking to her very softly. Her eyes are dropped on her work, but now and then she raises them and glances at him affectionately. She starts to thread a needle, but her hands tremble and she is unsuccessful. He takes her hand and warms it in his, then kisses it. She tries to stop him, but in so doing the needle falls to the floor. He finds it and threads it for her. She commences to sew again. The old people are engrossed in their own talk and do not notice the young ones.)
GERSON In a week we were betrothed bride and groom, and four months later we were husband and wife. From the beginning your father lived with us. My earnings with yours were suffi- cient for all of us, and for a long, long time we were happy! For how long, Peseh dear?
PESEH -
For a whole year. After I had the first baby, it went badly with us right from the start. I couldn’t earn anything and our expenses be- came larger. Then I got sick, you remember?
GERSON (sad/y)
Woe is me! Oh, do I remember! We thought
then you would die! Your sickness ate up every-
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