DAVID No---- [_He suddenly catches sight of two figures entering from the left--FRAU QUIXANO and KATHLEEN clad in their best, and wearing tiny American flags in honour of Independence Day. KATHLEEN escorts the old lady, with the air of a guardian angel, on her slow, tottering course toward DAVID. FRAU QUIXANO is puffing and panting after the many stairs. DAVID jumps up in surprise, releases the violin-case to MENDEL._] They at my symphony! MENDEL Mother _would_ come--even though, being _Shabbos_, she had to walk. DAVID But wasn't she shocked at my playing on the Sabbath? MENDEL No--that's the curious part of it. She said that even as a boy you played your fiddle on _Shabbos_, and that if the Lord has stood it all these years, He must consider you an exception. DAVID You see! She's more sensible than you thought. I daresay whatever I were to do she'd consider me an exception. MENDEL [_In sullen acquiescence_] I suppose geniuses _are_. KATHLEEN [_Reaching them; panting with admiration and breathlessness_] Oh, Mr. David! it was like midnight mass! But the misthress was ashleep. DAVID Asleep! [_Laughs half-merrily, half-sadly._] Ha! Ha! Ha! FRAU QUIXANO [_Panting and laughing in response_] He! He! He! _Dovidel lacht widder._ He! He! He! [_She touches his arm affectionately, but feeling his wet coat, utters a cry of horror._] _Du bist nass!_ DAVID _Es ist gor nicht_, Granny--my clothes are thick. [_She fusses over him, wiping him down with her gloved hand._] MENDEL But what brought you up here, Kathleen? KATHLEEN Sure, not the elevator. The misthress said 'twould be breaking the _Shabbos_ to ride up in it. DAVID [_Uneasily_] But did---did Miss Revendal send you up? KATHLEEN And who else should be axin' the misthress if she wasn't proud of Mr. David? Faith, she's a sweet lady. MENDEL [_Impatiently_] Don't chatter, Kathleen. KATHLEEN But, Mr. Quixano----! DAVID [_Sweetly_] Please take your mistress down again--don't let her walk. KATHLEEN But _Shabbos_ isn't out yet! MENDEL Chattering again! DAVID [_Gently_] There's no harm, Kathleen, in going _down_ in the elevator. KATHLEEN Troth, I'll egshplain to her that droppin' down isn't ridin'. DAVID [_Smiling_] Yes, tell her dropping down is natural--not _work_, like flying up. [_Kathleen begins to move toward the stairs, explaining to FRAU QUIXANO._] And, Kathleen! You'll get her some refreshments. KATHLEEN [_Turns, glaring_] Refrishments, is it? Give her refrishments where they mix the mate with the butther plates! Oh, Mr. David! [_She moves off toward the stairs in reproachful sorrow._] MENDEL [_Smiling_] I'll get her some coffee. DAVID [_Smiling_] Yes, that'll keep her awake. Besides, Pappelmeister was so sure the people wouldn't understand me, he's relaxing them on Gounod and Rossini.