[_Enters, leaving door wide open. Music swells until door closes_]. That man, Mr. Robin, the one who was here a while ago—he’s back. He insists on seeing you at once. JACK [_Visibly affected_]. It’s Yudelson.... Tell him he’ll have to wait until after this number. JIMMY There’s somebody with him—a lady. JACK A lady? MARY I’ll go, Jack. [_She starts._ JACK _stops her._] JACK No, Mary. Stay here. [JACK _moves swiftly in front of her. He has almost got to the door when_ YUDELSON _enters, followed by_ SARA. _She has evidently come in great haste, for all she wears is a shawl over her house dress. She is almost exhausted from the trip, and numb with the emotions with which she is stricken._] Mama! SARA Jakie, this ain’t you.... YUDELSON It’s a nigger! JACK [_In sudden agony_]. Yudelson, didn’t you tell my mama? YUDELSON I told her everything, the same way you told me, Jakie, but she made me I should bring her here. SARA [_In a monotone_]. Jakie, your papa is sick. He is laying in bed. His face is white.... JACK Mama, sit down, please. [_All this happens very quickly. And now_ JACK, _for an instant, has forgotten everything except his mother’s presence. He places a chair for her and automatically sinks back in his chair, arms on knees, facing her._] SARA [_Continues numbly, hardly seeing the youth in blackface_]. All the time he is talking about you. His eyes is open like a baby’s eyes. His face is white like a _yahrzeit_ candle. He was saying, “Sara,” he said—his voice was so low, I could hardly hear him—“maybe Jakie will sing tonight in the synagogue....” JACK [_Strangely touched_]. He really said that, Mama? SARA He said it—the way I’m sitting here this minute, he said it.... For five generations God always heard a Rabinowitz sing every Day of Atonement, every holy day, every Sabbath. God is used to it now.... Maybe your papa is dying. God will ask him, Is Jakie singing in the synagogue tonight? How can he say, No, he is singing in a theatre!... Oh, my son, my heart is breaking in pieces.... You got two hours before the sun goes out of the sky and it gets dark. Come with me home, Jakie. JACK [_Despairingly, head sunk on his chest_]. Mama, I can’t. I can’t do it! SARA