t--I wouldn't have had those poor little cripples
cheated out of a moment of your music.

DAVID
Uncle has told you? Ah, it was bully! You should have seen the cripples
waltzing with their crutches!
[_He has moved toward the old woman, and while he holds one hand
to the blaze now pats her cheek with the other in greeting, to
which she responds with a loving smile ere she settles
contentedly to slumber over her book._]
_Es war grossartig_, Granny. Even the paralysed danced.

MENDEL
Don't exaggerate, David.

DAVID
Exaggerate, uncle! Why, if they hadn't the use of their legs, their arms
danced on the counterpane; if their arms couldn't dance, their hands
danced from the wrist; and if their hands couldn't dance, they danced
with their fingers; and if their fingers couldn't dance, their heads
danced; and if their heads were paralysed, why, their eyes danced--God
never curses so utterly but you've _something_ left to dance with!
[_He moves toward his desk._]

VERA [_Infected with his gaiety_]
You'll tell us next the beds danced.

DAVID
So they did--they shook their legs like mad!

VERA
Oh, why wasn't I there?
[_His eyes meet hers at the thought of her presence._]

DAVID
Dear little cripples, I felt as if I could play them all straight again
with the love and joy jumping out of this old fiddle.
[_He lays his hand caressingly on the violin._]

MENDEL [_Gloomily_]
But in reality you left them as crooked as ever.

DAVID
No, I didn't.
[_He caresses the back of his uncle's head in affectionate
rebuke._]
I couldn't play their bones straight, but I played their brains
straight. And hunch-_brains_ are worse than hunch-_backs_....
[_Suddenly perceiving his letter on the desk_]
A letter for _me_!
[_He takes it with boyish eagerness, then hesitates to open it._]

VERA [_Smiling_]
Oh, you may open it!

DAVID [_Wistfully_]
May I?

VERA [_Smiling_]
Yes, and quick--or it'll be _Shabbos_!
[_DAVID looks up at her in wonder._]

MENDEL [_Smiling_]
You read your letter!

DAVID [_Opens it eagerly, then smiles broadly with pleasure._]
Oh, Miss Revendal! Isn't that great! To play again at your Settlement. I
_am_ getting famous.

VERA
But we can't offer you a fee.

MENDEL [_Quickly sotto voce to VERA_]
Thank you!

DAVID
A fee! I'd pay a fee to see all those happy immigrants you gather
together--Dutchmen and Greeks, Poles and Norwegians, Welsh and
Armen