Anathema A Tragedy in Seven Scenes 20
Weeps; continues trustfully._
Now I am calm, now I am happy: I am at the feet of David, who has
brought joy to mankind.
DAVID.
_Irresolutely._
But you have come too late, woman. I have already given away everything
I had, and I have nothing left.
ANATHEMA.
Yes. We have distributed all the money. Go home, woman,--we have
nothing left. We feel sorry for you, but you are too late. Do you
understand? You are too late,--only this morning we gave away the last
penny.
DAVID.
Don't be so cruel, Nullius.
ANATHEMA.
But it is the truth, David.
WOMAN.
_Doubtingly._
That is impossible!
_Lifting her eyes._
Are you David? How kind-hearted you are. Did you say that I am too
late? No, he said it--his face is mean. David, please give me some
money and save me. I am tired to death. And your name is Sarah? You are
his wife? I have heard about you, too.
_Crawls over to her and kisses her dress._
WOMAN.
Plead for me, Sarah.
SARAH.
_Weeping._
Give her some money, David. Get up, my dear; it is very dusty here--you
have such beautiful black hair. Sit down here, and rest yourself. David
will soon give you money.
_Lifts the woman and seats her near herself upon a
rock, and caresses her._
DAVID.
What shall I do?
_Confusedly; wiping his face with a red kerchief._
What shall I do, Nullius? You are such a wise man,--help me.
ANATHEMA.
_Outstretching his arms._
By God, I do not know. Here is the list--we have not a cent, and I am
an honest lawyer, not a counterfeiter. I can't bring you every day an
inheritance from America.
_Whistles._
I have nothing to do, so I roam about the world.
DAVID.
_Indignantly._
That is cruel, Nullius. I did not expect it from you. But what shall I
do? what shall I do?
_Anathema shrugs his shoulders._
SARAH.
Sit here, my dear; I will come back soon. David, let us step aside; I
must tell you something.
_They step aside and whisper._
ANATHEMA.
Did they beat you hard, woman? Evidently the man who was beating you
was not skillful--he did not knock your eyes out, as he wanted to do.
WOMAN.
_Covering her face with her hair._
Do not look upon me!
SARAH.
Nullius, come over here.
ANATHEMA.
_Goes to her._
Here I am, madam Leizer.
DAVID.
_In a low voice._
How much money have we for our journey to Jerusalem?
ANATHEMA.
Three hundred roubles.
DAVID.
Give it to the woman.
_Smiling and crying._
Sarah does not want to go to Jerusalem. She wants to continue in
business here until death comes. What a foolish woman, Nullius, isn't
she?
_Cries restrainedly._
SARAH.
Does that cause you much pain, David? Were you so eager to go?
DAVID.
What a foolish woman, Nullius. She does not understand that I also want
to remain in business here.
_Cries._
ANATHEMA.
_Moved._
You are not an ordinary man, David.
DAVID.
It was my dream, Nullius, to die in the Holy City and to join my dust
to the dust of the righteous people buried there. But (_he smiles_) is
not the ground everywhere kind to its dead? Give the money to the poor
woman. Well, Sarah, how shall it be? We must open a store and learn
from Sonka how to make good soda-water.
ANATHEMA.
_Triumphantly._
Woman, David, who has brought joy to mankind, gives you money and
happiness.
BEZKRAINY.
_To Sonka._
I told you that he has not distributed all his money. He has millions.
WANDERER.
_Listening._
That's right. How could David give away everything? He only started to
give away.
_The woman thanks David and Sarah; he places his
hands upon her head, as though blessing her. Behind
him, from the side of the field, something grey
appears, dust-covered, moving slowly. They move
silently, and it is hard to discern at first that
they are human beings. The grey dust has equalized
them--their distress and their suffering have made
them brethren. There is something alarming in their
dull, inflexible movement--and the people look upon
them uneasily._
BEZKRAINY.
Who is coming there on the road?
SONKA.
Something grey is crawling along the road. If they are human beings, they do not look like human beings.
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