If I had known his loose views on divorce--
BARONESS
I am sick of your scruples. You are ze only poor official in Bessarabia.
BARON
Be silent! Have I not forbidden--?
BARONESS [Petulantly]
Forbidden! Forbidden! All your life you have served ze Tsar, and you cannot afford a single automobile. A millionaire son-in-law is just vat you owe me.
BARON
What I owe you?
BARONESS
Yes, ven I married you, I vas tinking you had a good position. I did not know you were too honest to use it. You vere not open viz me, Alexis.
BARON
You knew I was a Revendal. The Revendals keep their hands clean....
[With a sudden start he tiptoes noiselessly to the door leading
to the hall and throws it open. Nobody is visible. He closes it
shamefacedly.]
BARONESS [Has shared his nervousness till the door was opened, but now
bursts into mocking laughter] If you thought less about your precious safety, and more about me and Vera--
BARON
Hush! You do not know Vera. You saw I was even afraid to give my name. She might have sent me away as she sent away the Tsar's plate of mutton.
BARONESS
The Tsar's plate of--?
BARON
Did I never tell you? When she was only a school-girl-at the Imperial High School-the Tsar on his annual visit tasted the food, and Vera, as the show pupil, was given the honour of finishing his Majesty's plate.
BARONESS [In incredulous horror]
And she sent it avay?
BARON
Gave it to a servant.
[Awed silence.] And then you think I can impose a husband on her. No, Katusha, I have to win her love for myself, not for millionaires.
BARONESS [Angry again]
Alvays so affrightfully selfish!
BARON
I have no control over her, I tell you!
[Bitterly] I never could control my womenkind.
BARONESS
Because you zink zey are your soldiers. Silence! Halt! Forbidden! Right Veel! March!
BARON [Sullenly]
I wish I did think they were my soldiers-I might try the lash.
BARONESS [Springing up angrily, shakes parasol at him]
You British barbarian!
VERA [Outside the door leading to the interior]
Yes, thank you, Miss Andrews. I know I have visitors.
BARON [Ecstatically]
Vera's voice!
[The BARONESS lowers her parasol. He looks yearningly toward the
door. It opens. Enter VERA with inquiring gaze.]
VERA [With a great shock of surprise]
Father!!
BARON
Verotschka! My dearest darling!...
[He makes a movement toward her, but is checked by her
irresponsiveness.] Why, you've grown more beautiful than ever.
VERA
You in New York!
BARON
The Baroness wished to see America. Katusha, this is my daughter.
BARONESS [In sugared sweetness]
And mine, too, if she vill let me love her.
VERA [Bowing coldly, but still addressing her father]
But how? When?
BARON
We have just come and--
BARONESS [Dashing in]
Zat charming young man lent us his yacht-he is adoràhble.
VERA
What charming young man?
BARONESS
Ah, she has many, ze little coquette-ha! ha! ha!
[She touches VERA playfully with her parasol.]
BARON
We wished to give you a pleasant surprise.
VERA
It is certainly a surprise.
BARON [Chilled]
You are not very ... daughterly.
VERA
Do you remember when you last saw me? You did not claim me as a daughter then.
BARON [Covers his eyes with his hand]
Do not recall it; it hurts too much.
VERA
I was in the dock.
BARON
It was horrible. I hated you for the devil of rebellion that had entered into your soul. But I thanked God when you escaped.
VERA [Softened]
I think I was more sorry for you than for myself. I hope, at least, no suspicion fell on you.
BARONESS [Eagerly]
But it did-an avalanche of suspicion. He is still buried under it. Vy else did they make Skovaloff Ambassador instead of him? Even now he risks everyting to see you again. Ah, mon enfant, you owe your fazer a grand reparation!
VERA
What reparation can I possibly make?
BARON [Passionately]
You can love me again, Vera.
BARONESS [Stamping foot]
Alexis, you are interrupting--
VERA
I fear, father, we have grown too estranged-our ideas are so opposite--
BARON
But not now, Vera, surely not now? You are no longer
[He lowers his voice and looks around] a Revolutionist?
VERA
Not with bombs, perhaps. I thank Heaven I was caught before I had done any practical work. But if you think I accept the order of things, you are mistaken. In Russia I fought against the autocracy--
BARON
Hush! Hush!
[He looks round nervously.]
VERA
Here I fight against the poverty. No, father, a woman who has once heard the call will always be a wild creature.
BARON
But
[Lowering his voice] those revolutionary Russian clubs here-you are not a member?
VERA
I do not believe in Revolutions carried on at a safe distance. I have found my life-work in America.
BARON
I am enchanted, Vera, enchanted.
BARONESS [Gushingly]
Permit me to kiss you, belle enfant.
VERA
I do not know you enough yet; I will kiss my father.
BARON [With a great cry of joy]
Vera!
[He embraces her passionately.] At last! At last! I have found my little Vera again!
VERA
No, father, your Vera belongs to Russia with her mother and the happy days of childhood. But for their sakes--
[She breaks down in emotion.]
BARON
Ah, your poor mother!
BARONESS [Tartly]
Alexis, I perceive I am too many!
[She begins to go toward the door.]
BARON
No, no, Katusha. Vera will learn to love you, too.
VERA [To BARONESS]
What does my loving you matter? I can never return to Russia.
BARONESS [Pausing]
But ve can come here-often-ven you are married.
VERA [Surprised]
When I am married?
[Softly, blushing] You know?
BARONESS [Smiling]
Ve know zat charming young man adores ze floor your foot treads on!
VERA [Blushing]
You have seen David?
BARON [Hoarsely]
David!
[He clenches his fist.]
BARONESS [Half aside, as much gestured as spoken]
Sh! Leave it to me.
[Sweetly.] Oh, no, ve have not seen David.
VERA [Looking from one to the other]
Not seen-? Then what-whom are you talking about?
BARONESS
About zat handsome, quite adoràhble Mr. Davenport.
VERA
Davenport!
BARONESS
Who combines ze manners of Europe viz ze millions of America!
VERA [Breaks into girlish laughter]
Ha! Ha! Ha! So Mr. Davenport has been talking to you! But you all seem to forget one small point-bigamy is no
t permitted even to millionaires.
BARONESS
Ah, not boz at vonce, but--
VERA
And do you think I would take another woman's leavings? No, not even if she were dead.
BARONESS
You are insulting!
VERA
I beg your pardon-I wasn't even thinking of you. Father, to put an end at once to this absurd conversation, let me inform you I am already engaged.
BARON [Trembling, hoarse]
By name, David.
VERA
Yes-David Quixano.
BARON
A Jew!
VERA
How did you know? Yes, he is a Jew, a noble Jew.
BARON
A Jew noble!
[He laughs bitterly.]
VERA
Yes-even as you esteem nobility-by pedigree. In Spain his ancestors were hidalgos, favourites at the Court of Ferdinand and Isabella; but in the great expulsion of 1492 they preferred exile in Poland to baptism.
BARON
And you, a Revendal, would mate with an unbaptized dog?
VERA
Dog! You call my husband a dog!
BARON
Husband! God in heaven-are you married already?
VERA
No! But not being unemployed millionaires like Mr. Davenport, we hold even our troth eternal.
[Calmer] Our poverty, not your prejudice, stands in the way of our marriage. But David is a musician of genius, and some day--
BARONESS
A fiddler in a beer-hall! She prefers a fiddler to a millionaire of ze first families of America!
VERA [Contemptuously]
First families! I told you David's family came to Poland in 1492-some months before America was discovered.
BARON
Christ save us! You have become a Jewess!
VERA
No more than David has become a Christian. We were already at one-all honest people are. Surely, father, all religions must serve the same God-since there is only one God to serve.
BARONESS
But ze girl is an ateist!
BARON
Silence, Katusha! Leave me to deal with my daughter.
[Changing tone to pathos, taking her face between his hands ]
Oh, Vera, Verotschka, my dearest darling, I had sooner you had
remained buried in Siberia than that--
[He breaks down.]
VERA [Touched, sitting beside him]
For you, father, I was as though buried in Siberia. Why did you come here to stab yourself afresh?
BARON
I wish to God I had come here earlier. I wish I had not been so nervous of Russian spies. Ah, Verotschka, if you only knew how I have pored over the newspaper pictures of you, and the reports of your life in this Settlement!
VERA
You asked me not to send letters.
BARON
I know, I know-and yet sometimes I felt as if I could risk Siberia myself to read your dear, dainty handwriting again.
VERA [Still more softened]
Father, if you love me so much, surely you will love David a little too-for my sake.
BARON [Dazed]
I-love-a Jew? Impossible.
[He shudders.]
VERA [Moving away, icily]
Then so is any love from me to you. You have chosen to come back into my life, and after our years of pain and separation I would gladly remember only my old childish affection. But not if you hate David. You must make your choice.
BARON [Pitifully]
Choice? I have no choice. Can I carry mountains? No more can I love a Jew.
[He rises resolutely.]
BARONESS [Who has turned away, fretting and fuming, turns back to her
husband, clapping her hands] Bravo!
VERA [Going to him again, coaxingly]
I don't ask you to carry mountains, but to drop the mountains you carry-the mountains of prejudice. Wait till you see him.
BARON
I will not see him.
VERA
Then you will hear him-he is going to make music for all the world. You can't escape him, papasha, you with your love of music, any more than you escaped Rubinstein.
BARONESS
Rubinstein vas not a Jew.
VERA
Rubinstein was a Jewish boy-genius, just like my David.
BARONESS
But his parents vere baptized soon after his birth. I had it from his patroness, ze Grande Duchesse Helena Pavlovna.
VERA
And did the water outside change the blood within? Rubinstein was our Court pianist and was decorated by the Tsar. And you, the Tsar's servant, dare to say you could not meet a Rubinstein.
BARON [Wavering]
I did not say I could not meet a Rubinstein.
VERA
You practically said so. David will be even greater than Rubinstein. Come, father, I'll telephone for him; he is only round the corner.
BARONESS [Excitedly]
Ve vill not see him!
VERA [Ignoring her]
He shall bring his violin and play to you. There! You see, little father, you are already less frowning-now take that last wrinkle out of your forehead.
[She caresses his forehead.] Never mind! David will smooth it out with his music as his Biblical ancestor smoothed that surly old Saul.
BARONESS
Ve vill not hear him!
BARON
Silence, Katusha! Oh, my little Vera, I little thought when I let you study music at Petersburg--
VERA [Smiling wheedlingly]
That I should marry a musician. But you see, little father, it all ends in music after all. Now I will go and perform on the telephone, I'm not angel enough to bear one in here.
[She goes toward the door of the hall, smiling happily. ]
BARON [With a last agonized cry of resistance]
Halt!
VERA [Turning, makes mock military salute]
Yes, papasha.
BARON [Overcome by her roguish smile]
You-I-he-do you love this J-this David so much?
VERA [Suddenly tragic]
It would kill me to give him up.
[Resuming smile] But don't let us talk of funerals on this happy day of sunshine and reunion.
[She kisses her hand to him and exit toward the hall.]
BARONESS [Angrily]
You are in her hands as vax!
BARON
She is the only child I have ever had, Katusha. Her baby arms curled round my neck; in her baby sorrows her wet face nestled against little father's.
[He drops on a chair, and leans his head on the table.]
BARONESS [Approaching tauntingly]
So you vill have a Jew son-in-law!
BARON
You don't know what it meant to me to feel her arms round me again.
BARONESS
And a hook-nosed brat to call you grandpapa, and nestle his greasy face against yours.
BARON [Banging his fist on the table]
Don't drive me mad!
[His head drops again.]
BARONESS
Then drive me home-I vill not meet him.... Alexis!
[She taps him on the shoulder with her parasol. He does not
move.] Alexis Ivanovitch! Do you not listen!...
[She stamps her foot.] Zen I go to ze hotel alone.
[She walks angrily toward the hall. Just before she reaches the
door, it opens, and the servant ushers in HERR PAPPELMEISTER with
his umbrella. The BARONESS'S tone changes instantly to a sugared
society accent.] How do you do, Herr Pappelmeister?
[She extends her hand, which he takes limply.] You don't remember me? Non?
[Exit servant.] Ve vere with Mr. Quincy Davenport at Wiesbaden--ze Baroness Revendal.
PAPPELMEISTER
So!
[He drops her hand.]
BARONESS
&nbs
p; Yes, it vas ze Baron's entousiasm for you zat got you your present position.
PAPPELMEISTER [Arching his eyebrows]
So!
BARONESS
Yes-zere he is!
[She turns toward the BARON.] Alexis, rouse yourself!
[She taps him with her parasol.] Zis American air makes ze Baron so sleepy.
BARON [Rises dazedly and bows]
Charmed to meet you, Herr--
BARONESS
Pappelmeister! You remember ze great Pappelmeister.
BARON [Waking up, becomes keen]
Ah, yes, yes, charmed-why do you never bring your orchestra to Russia, Herr Pappelmeister?
PAPPELMEISTER [Surprised]
Russia? It never occurred to me to go to Russia-she seems so uncivilised.
BARONESS [Angry]
Uncivilised! Vy, ve have ze finest restaurants in ze vorld! And ze best telephones!
PAPPELMEISTER
So?
BARONESS
Yes, and the most beautiful ballets-Russia is affrightfully misunderstood.
[She sweeps away in burning indignation. PAPPELMEISTER murmurs
in deprecation. Re-enter VERA from the hall. She is gay and
happy.]
VERA
He is coming round at once--
[She utters a cry of pleased surprise.] Herr Pappelmeister! This is indeed a pleasure!
[She gives PAPPELMEISTER her hand, which he kisses.]
BARONESS [Sotto voce to the BARON]
Let us go before he comes.
[The BARON ignores her, his eyes hungrily on VERA.]
PAPPELMEISTER [To VERA]
But I come again-you have visitors.
VERA [Smiling]
Only my father and--
PAPPELMEISTER [Surprised]
Your fader? Ach so!
[He taps his forehead.] Revendal!
BARONESS [Sotto voce to the BARON]
I vill not meet a Jew, I tell you.
PAPPELMEISTER
But you vill vant to talk to your fader, and all I vant is Mr. Quixano's address. De Irish maiden at de house says de bird is flown.
VERA [Gravely]
I don't know if I ought to tell you where the new nest is--
PAPPELMEISTER [Disappointed]
Ach!
VERA [Smiling]
But I will produce the bird.
PAPPELMEISTER [Looks round]
You vill broduce Mr. Quixano?
VERA [Merrily]
By clapping my hands.
[Mysteriously] I am a magician.
BARON [Whose eyes have been glued on VERA]
You are, indeed! I don't know how you have bewitched me.
[The BARONESS glares at him.]
VERA
Dear little father!
[She crosses to him and strokes his hair.] Herr Pappelmeister, tell father about Mr. Quixano's music.
PAPPELMEISTER [Shaking his head]
Music cannot be talked about.
The Melting-Pot Page 7
