MENDEL Pappelmeister's idea of relaxation! _I_ should have given them comic opera. [_With sudden call to KATHLEEN, who with her mistress is at the wrong exit._] Kathleen! The elevator's _this_ side! KATHLEEN [_Turning_] What way can that be, when I came up _this_ side? MENDEL You chatter too much. [_FRAU QUIXANO, not understanding, exit._] Come this way. Can't you see the elevator? KATHLEEN [_Perceives FRAU QUIXANO has gone, calls after her in Irish-sounding Yiddish_] _Wu geht Ihr_, bedad?... [_Impatiently_] Houly Moses, _komm' zurick_! [_Exit anxiously, re-enter with FRAU QUIXANO._] Begorra, we Jews never know our way. [_MENDEL, carrying the violin, escorts his mother and KATHLEEN to the elevator. When they are near it, it stops with a thud, and PAPPELMEISTER springs out, his umbrella up, meeting them face to face. He looks happy and beaming over DAVID'S triumph._] PAPPELMEISTER [_In loud, joyous voice_] _Nun, Frau Quixano, was sagen Sie?_ Vat you tink of your David? FRAU QUIXANO _Dovid? Er ist meshuggah._ [_She taps her forehead._] PAPPELMEISTER [_Puzzled, to MENDEL_] _Meshuggah!_ Vat means _meshuggah_? Crazy? MENDEL [_Half-smiling_] You've struck it. She says David doesn't know enough to go in out of the rain. [_General laughter._] DAVID [_Rising_] But it's stopped raining, Herr Pappelmeister. You don't want your umbrella. [_General laughter._] PAPPELMEISTER _So._ [_Shuts it down._] MENDEL _Herein, Mutter._ [_He pushes FRAU QUIXANO'S somewhat shrinking form into the elevator. KATHLEEN follows, then MENDEL._] Herr Pappelmeister, we are all your grateful servants. [_PAPPELMEISTER bows; the gates close, the elevator descends._] DAVID And you won't think _me_ ungrateful for running away--you know my thanks are too deep to be spoken. PAPPELMEISTER And zo are my congratulations! DAVID Then, don't speak them, please. PAPPELMEISTER But you _must_ come and speak to all de people in America who undershtand music. DAVID [_Half-smiling_] To your four connoisseurs? [_Seriously_] Oh, please! I really could not meet strangers, especially musical vampires. PAPPELMEISTER [_Half-startled, half-angry_] Vampires? Oh, come! DAVID Voluptuaries, then--rich, idle æsthetes to whom art and life have no connection, parasites who suck our music---- PAPPELMEISTER [_Laughs good-naturedly_] Ha! Ha! Ha! Vait till you hear vat dey say. DAVID I will wait as long as you like. PAPPELMEISTER Den I like to tell you now. [_He roars with mischievous laughter._] Ha! Ha! Ha! De first vampire says it is a great vork, but poorly performed. DAVID [_Indignant_] Oh! PAPPELMEISTER De second vampire says it is a poor vork, but greatly performed. DAVID [_Disappointed_] Oh! PAPPELMEISTER De dird vampire says it is a great vork greatly performed. DAVID [_Complacently_] Ah! PAPPELMEISTER And de fourz vampire says it is a poor vork poorly performed.