Anathema A Tragedy in Seven Scenes 9
_Shows him how to do it._
Madam Leizer, dancing is quite like mathematics, a circle is necessary.
SARAH.
Do you hear, David?
DAVID.
I hear.
DANCING-MASTER.
Please, monsieur Naum. One--two--three.
_Plays on his violin._
NAUM.
_Out of breath._
One, two, three. One, two, three. One, two, three.
_He turns around, and then, suddenly, almost falls
down. He stops. His face is exhausted, deathly
pale; he is seized with a fit of coughing. Then he
resumes dancing._
NAUM,
One, two, three.
DANCING-MASTER.
That's the way, that's the way, monsieur Naum. Please, more neatly!
More neatly, please! One, two, three.
_He plays. Anathema walks over to Sarah cautiously
and says in a low voice, yet loud enough to be
heard by David:_
ANATHEMA.
Madam Leizer, does it not seem to you that Naum is rather tired? This
dancing-master knows no mercy.
DAVID.
_Turning around._
Yes, it is enough. Sarah, you are willing to torture the boy.
SARAH.
_Confusedly._
What have I to do with it, David? Don't I see that he is tired, but he
wants to dance? Naum, Naum!
DAVID.
Enough, Naum! Take a rest.
NAUM.
_Out of breath._
I want to dance.
_Stops and stamps his foot hysterically._
Why am I not allowed to dance? Or do you all want me to die soon?
SARAH.
You will live yet, Naum. You will live yet.
NAUM.
_Almost crying._
Why don't they allow me to dance? I want to dance. I have looked for
credit long enough, I want to amuse myself. Am I an old man to be in
bed and cough there? Cough! Cough!
_He coughs and cries simultaneously. Anathema
whispers something to the dancing-master, who
expresses compassion, nods his head, and prepares
to go._
DANCING-MASTER.
Until to-morrow, monsieur Naum. I am afraid that our lesson was a
little too long.
NAUM.
To-morrow--don't fail to come to-morrow. Do you hear? I want to dance.
_The dancing-master goes out, bowing. Naum follows
him._
NAUM.
To-morrow, without fail. Do you hear? Without fail.
_They go out._
ANATHEMA.
What are you thinking of, David? Allow me to be not only your private
secretary--although I am proud of this honor--but also your friend.
Since the time when you received the money you are oppressed by a dark
sorrow, and it pains me to look at you.
DAVID.
What is there that I should rejoice over, Nullius?
SARAH.
And Rosa? Do not sin against God, David! Do not our eyes rest upon her
beauty and youth? Before even the silent moon dared not look at her,
one star dared not whisper about her to any other star,--while now she
is riding about in a carriage, and everybody looks at her, and horsemen
gallop after her. Just think of it, Nullius, horsemen gallop after her!
DAVID.
And Naum?
SARAH.
What about Naum? He has long been ill, you know it, and death upon a
soft bed is not worse than death upon the pavement. And perhaps he
will live yet, he will live yet (_cries._) David, Abraham Khessin and
Sonka's girl are waiting for you in the yard.
DAVID.
_Morosely._
What do they want, money? Sarah, give them a few pennies and let them
go.
SARAH.
In the end they will draw out all the money we have, Nullius. I have
given to Khessin twice already. He is like sand,--no matter how much
water you pour into it, it is always dry and greedy.
DAVID.
Nonsense! we have too much money, Sarah. But it pains me to look at the
people, Nullius. Since the time when you brought us this fortune--
ANATHEMA.
Which you earned by your sufferings, Leizer.
DAVID.
Since that time, the people have changed so much for the worse. You
like to have the people bow to you very low, Nullius? I do not like
it--human beings are not dogs that they should crawl on their bellies.
And you like to have the people tell you, Nullius, that you are the
wisest, the most magnanimous, the best of all living beings--whereas
you are only an ordinary old Jew, like many another Jew. I do not
like it, Nullius,--for the sons of the God of truth and mercy it is
unbecoming to lie, even while dying of the cruelties of truth.
ANATHEMA.
_Thoughtfully._
Riches are a terrible power, Leizer. No one asks you where your money
came from; they see your might and they worship it.
DAVID.
Might? And Naum? And I, Nullius? Can I buy for all the money even a
single day of health and life?
ANATHEMA.
You look considerably fresher now.
DAVID.
_Smiling gloomily._
Yes? Should I, perhaps, also engage a dancing-master? What do you
advise me, Nullius?
SARAH.
Don't forget Rosa, father. Is it not a great sin against God to hide
the beauty of the face? It is given as a joy and a pleasure to the
eyes; God Himself reveals His beauty in a beautiful face, and did we
not lift our hands against God Himself when we stained our Rosa's face
with coal and soot, when we made her terrible and sorrowful to look upon?
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