[_He winds his muffler round his throat._]

DAVID
Why, where are you going?

MENDEL [_Ironically_]
Where _should_ I be going--in the snow--on the eve of the Sabbath?
Suppose we say to synagogue!

DAVID
Oh, uncle--how you always seem to hanker after those old things!

MENDEL [_Tartly_]
Nonsense!
[_He takes his umbrella from the stand._]
I don't like to see our people going to pieces, that's all.

DAVID
Then why did you come to America? Why didn't you work for a Jewish land?
You're not even a Zionist.

MENDEL
I can't argue now. There's a pack of giggling schoolgirls waiting to
waltz.

DAVID
The fresh romping young things! Think of their happiness! I should love
to play for them.

MENDEL [_Sarcastically_]
I can see you are yourself again.
[_He opens the street-door--turns back._]
What about your own lesson? Can't we go together?

DAVID
I must first write down what is singing in my soul--oh, uncle, it seems
as if I knew suddenly what was wanting in my music!

MENDEL [_Drily_]
Well, don't forget what is wanting in the house! The rent isn't paid
yet.
[_Exit through street-door. As he goes out, he touches and kisses
the_ Mezuzah _on the door-post, with a subconsciously
antagonistic revival of religious impulse. DAVID opens his desk,
takes out a pile of musical manuscript, sprawls over his chair
and, humming to himself, scribbles feverishly with the quill.
After a few moments FRAU QUIXANO yawns, wakes, and stretches
herself. Then she looks at the clock._]

FRAU QUIXANO
_Shabbos!_
[_She rises and goes to the table and sees there are no candles,
walks to the chiffonier and gets them and places them in the
candlesticks, then lights the candles, muttering a ceremonial
Hebrew benediction._]
_Boruch atto haddoshem elloheinu melech hoolam assher kiddishonu
bemitzvosov vettzivonu lehadlik neir shel shabbos._
[_She pulls down the blinds of the two windows, then she goes to
the rapt composer and touches him, remindingly, on the shoulder.
He does not move, but continues writing._]
_Dovidel!_
[_He looks up dazedly. She points to the candles._]
_Shabbos!_
[_A sweet smile comes over his face, he throws the quill
resignedly away and submits his head to her hands and her
muttered Hebrew blessing._]
_Yesimcho elohim ke-efrayim vechimnasseh--yevorechecho haddoshem
veyishmerecho, yoer hadoshem ponov eilecho vechunecho