_Laughs good-naturedly_]
Ha! Ha! Ha! Vait till you hear vat dey say.

DAVID
I will wait as long as you like.

PAPPELMEISTER
Den I like to tell you now.
[_He roars with mischievous laughter._]
Ha! Ha! Ha! De first vampire says it is a great vork, but poorly
performed.

DAVID [_Indignant_]
Oh!

PAPPELMEISTER
De second vampire says it is a poor vork, but greatly performed.

DAVID [_Disappointed_]
Oh!

PAPPELMEISTER
De dird vampire says it is a great vork greatly performed.

DAVID [_Complacently_]
Ah!

PAPPELMEISTER
And de fourz vampire says it is a poor vork poorly performed.

DAVID [_Angry and disappointed_]
Oh!
[_Then smiling_]
You see you _have_ to go by the people after all.

PAPPELMEISTER [_Shakes head, smiling_]
_Nein._ Ven critics disagree--I agree mit mineself. Ha! Ha! Ha!
[_He slaps DAVID on the back._]
A great vork dat vill be even better performed next time! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ten dousand congratulations.
[_He seizes DAVID'S hand and grips it heartily._]

DAVID
Don't! You hurt me.

PAPPELMEISTER [_Dropping DAVID'S hand,--misunderstanding_]
Pardon! I forgot your vound.

DAVID
No--no--what does my wound matter? That never stung half so much as
these clappings and congratulations.

PAPPELMEISTER [_Puzzled but solicitous_]
I knew your nerves vould be all shnapping like fiddle-shtrings. Oh, you
cheniuses!
[_Smiling._]
You like neider de clappings nor de criticisms,--_was_?

DAVID
They are equally--irrelevant. One has to wrestle with one's own art,
one's own soul, _alone_!

PAPPELMEISTER [_Patting him soothingly_]
I am glad I did not let you blay in Part Two.

DAVID
Dear Herr Pappelmeister! Don't think I don't appreciate all your
kindnesses--you are almost a father to me.

PAPPELMEISTER
And you disobey me like a son. Ha! Ha! Ha! Vell, I vill make your
excuses to de--vampires. Ha! Ha! _Also_, David.
[_He lays his hand again affectionately on DAVID'S right
shoulder._]
_Lebe wohl!_ I must go down to my popular classics.
[_Gloomily_]
Truly a going down! _Was?_

DAVID [_Smiling_]
Oh, it isn't such a descent as all that. Uncle said you ought to have
given them comic opera.

PAPPELMEISTER [_Shuddering convulsively_]
Comic opera.... Ouf!
[_He goes toward the elevator and rings the bell. Then he turns
to DAVID._]
Vat vas dat vord, David?

DAVID
What word?

PAPPELMEISTER [_Groping for it_]
_Mega--megasshu_....

DAVID [_Puzzled_]