anathema A Tragedy in Seven Scenes 14

anathema A Tragedy in Seven Scenes 14

ANATHEMA.

 

Ready.

 

_All listen, standing._

 

DAVID.

 

_Solemnly._

 

Upon the death of my brother, Moses Leizer, I received an inheritance

(_on the counting-board_) of two million dollars.

 

ANATHEMA.

 

_Nervously, lifting four fingers._

 

Which means four million roubles.

 

DAVID.

 

_Sternly._

 

Do not interrupt me, Nullius. Yes, it does mean four million roubles.

And now, submitting to the voice of my conscience and the command of

God, and also in memory of my children, Hannah, Benjamin, Raphael, and

Moses, who died of hunger and disease in their childhood....

 

_He lowers his head and weeps bitterly. Sarah also

cries bitterly._

 

SARAH.

 

Oh, my little Moishe! David, David, our little Moishe is dead.

 

DAVID.

 

_Wiping his eyes with a large red handkerchief._

 

Be silent, Sarah. What was I going to say to them, Nullius?... Well,

write, Nullius, write. I know.

 

_Firmly._

 

I have resolved, in accordance with the command of God, who is Truth

and Mercy, to distribute all my possessions to the poor. Am I speaking

properly, Nullius?

 

ANATHEMA.

 

I hear God in your words.

 

_At first no one believes David; but soon joyous

doubts and unexpected fear come over them. As

though in sleep the people repeat: "Four millions,

four millions!" and they hide their faces with

their hands. The Organ-grinder comes forward._

 

ORGAN-GRINDER.

 

_Morosely._

 

Will you buy me a new organ, David?

 

ANATHEMA.

 

Hush, musician! Back!

 

ORGAN-GRINDER.

 

_Retreating._

 

I want also a new monkey.

 

DAVID.

 

Let your hearts rejoice, O unfortunate people, and with a smile on your

lips answer the mercy of Heaven. Go from here to the city, like heralds

of happiness,--go through all its streets and squares, and shout

everywhere: "David Leizer, the old Jew, who is to die soon, received

an inheritance and now distributes it among the poor." And if you will

see a man weeping, and a child whose face is bloodless and whose eyes

are dim, and a woman whose breasts are shrunken like those of an old

goat,--tell them also: "Go, David is calling you." Do I speak properly,

Nullius?

 

ANATHEMA.

 

Yes, yes. But have you called all those who should be called?

 

DAVID.

 

And if you should see an intoxicated man slumbering amidst his

vomitings, wake him and tell him: "Go, David is calling you." And if

you should see a thief thrashed in the market-place by those he had

robbed, call him also, with words of kindness, yet firm enough to be

regarded as a command: "Go, David is calling you." And if you should

see people who in their misery have become irritated and furious and

who are beating one another with sticks and bits of brick, announce to

them also in words of peace: "Go, David is calling you." And if you

should see a bashful man, who while walking in the wide street lowers

his eyes before the eyes of others, but who stares greedily when no

one looks at him, tell him also in a low voice, without offending his

pride: "Are you not looking for David? Go, he has long been waiting for

you." And if in the evening, when the Devil sows the seeds of night

over the earth, you should see a woman, hideously painted, just as the

heathen paint the bodies of their dead, and who stares boldly, for she

has lost all shame, and who lifts her shoulders, for fear of a blow,

tell her also: "Go, David is calling you." Do I speak properly, Nullius?

 

ANATHEMA.

 

Yes, David. But have you called all who should be called?

 

DAVID.

 

And whatever form of aversion or fear poverty may assume, and in

whatever colors misery may paint itself, and by whatever words

suffering may fence itself around, rouse with a loud call those who

are fatigued, in words of life return life to those who are dying! Do

not trust the silence and the darkness if they obstruct your way like

a wall: Shout more loudly into the silence and the darkness, for there

dwells unspeakable horror.

 

ANATHEMA.

 

That's right, David, that's right! I see how your spirit climbs to the

peak of the mountain and how you knock loudly at the iron gates of

eternity: Open! I love you, David, I kiss your hand, David,--like a dog

I am ready to crawl before you and to obey your commandments. Call,

David, call! Rise, O earth! North and South, East and West, I command

you, by the will of David, my master, answer the call of him who calls

you, and stop at his feet like four oceans of tears. Call, David, call!

 

DAVID.

 

_Lifting his hands._

 

North and South....

 

ANATHEMA.

 

East and West....

 

DAVID.

 

David is calling you all.

 

ANATHEMA.

 

David is calling you all.

 

_Confusion, tears, laughter,--for all believe him

now. Anathema kisses David's hand, springing about

delightedly. He drags the Organ-grinder by the

collar to the center._

 

ANATHEMA.

 

Look, David, here's a musician!

 

_Laughs and shakes the Organ-grinder._

 

So you don't want your old music, eh? You need a new monkey, eh?

Perhaps you will ask for a powder that destroys the fleas? Ask; we

shall give you everything.

 

DAVID.

 

Be quiet, Nullius, be quiet. We must work. You are an expert at

counting, Nullius, are you not?

 

ANATHEMA.

 

I? Oh, Rabbi David! I am myself Numbers, I am myself--Measures and

Weights.

 

DAVID.

 

Be seated, then; write and count. But there is one more thing, my dear

children: I am an old Jew, who can divide a piece of garlic into ten

portions. I know not only the need of man, but I saw also how a roach

was starving--yes,--I saw also how small children died of hunger....

 

_Lowers his head and heaves a deep sigh._

 

Therefore do not deceive me, and remember that there is a number and a

measure for everything. And where ten copecks are needed, do not ask

for twenty, and where one measure of grain is needed, do not ask for

two, for what is superfluous for one is always essential to another.

Like brothers having one mother whose breasts are full but are quickly

exhausted, do not abuse one another, and do not offend the generous but

careful mother.... You may begin. Nullius, is everything ready?

 

ANATHEMA.

 

You may begin. I am waiting, David.

 

DAVID.

 

Stand in line, then, I beg you. I have not received the money yet; it

is still in America, but I shall write down exactly how much each one

of you is to get according to his need.

 

SARAH.

 

David, David, what are you doing with us? Look at Rosa, look at poor

Naum.