_Megasshu?_
[_The elevator comes up; the gates open._]

PAPPELMEISTER
_Megusshah!_ You know.
[_He taps his forehead with his umbrella._]

DAVID
Ah, _meshuggah_!

PAPPELMEISTER [_Joyously_]
_Ja, meshuggah!_
[_He gives a great roar of laughter._]
Ha! Ha! Ha!
[_He waves umbrella at DAVID._]
Well, don't be ... _meshuggah_.
[_He steps into the elevator._]
Ha! Ha! Ha!
[_The gates close, and it descends with his laughter._]

DAVID [_After a pause_]
Perhaps I _am_ ... _meshuggah_.
[_He walks up and down moodily, approaches the parapet at back._]
Dropping down is indeed natural.
[_He looks over._]
How it tugs and drags at one!
[_He moves back resolutely and shakes his head._]
That would be even a greater descent than Pappelmeister's to comic
opera. One _must_ fly upward--somehow.
[_He drops on the chair that MENDEL dried. A faint music steals
up and makes an accompaniment to all the rest of the scene._]
Ah! the popular classics!
[_His head sinks on a little table. The elevator comes up again,
but he does not raise his head. VERA, pale and sad, steps out and
walks gently over to him; stands looking at him with maternal
pity; then decides not to disturb him and is stealing away when
suddenly he looks up and perceives her and springs to his feet
with a dazed glad cry._]
Vera!

VERA [_Turns, speaks with grave dignity_]
Miss Andrews has charged me to convey to you the heart-felt thanks and
congratulations of the Settlement.

DAVID [_Frozen_]
Miss Andrews is very kind.... I trust you are well.

VERA
Thank you, Mr. Quixano. Very well and very busy. So you'll excuse me.
[_She turns to go._]

DAVID
Certainly.... How are your folks?

VERA [_Turns her head_]
They are gone back to Russia. And yours?

DAVID
You just saw them all.

VERA [_Confused_]
Yes--yes--of course--I forgot! Good-bye, Mr. Quixano.

DAVID
Good-bye, Miss Revendal.
[_He drops back on the chair. VERA walks to the elevator, then
just before ringing turns again._]

VERA
I shouldn't advise you to sit here in the damp.

DAVID
My uncle dried the chair.
[_Bitterly_]
Curious how every one is concerned about my body and no one about my
soul.

VERA
Because your soul is so much stronger than your body. Why, think! It has
just lifted a thousand people far higher than this roof-garden.

DAVID
Please don't you congratulate me, too! That wo