The Ghetto Part 25

SACHEL.

Ah yes--a dozen of everything, Rafael; a dozen of the finest. Her father has told me so.

_Enter ESTHER, followed by a servant with gla.s.ses of wine on a tray._

And a dowry of ten thousand guilders! What do you think of that, my boy? The wine--here! I shall propose a toast! [_He takes a gla.s.s and gives gla.s.ses to the others; ESTHER and THE RABBI take theirs unwillingly._] Here! Here!

THE RABBI.

[_Holding his gla.s.s toward RAFAEL._] I suggest a toast to an open heart--to a tongue that leads no man astray!

RAFAEL.

Hear! The Rabbi suggests that--with _his_ tongue! I'll drink that toast with _you_, Rabbi!

SACHEL.

It is my wine! I am proposing the toast! I----

THE RABBI.

[_To SACHEL._] You had better drink in silence, and go home. You are deceiving yourself: you know not where you stand!

RAFAEL.

What! What does he mean, father? Am I deceiving myself? Are you not planning to marry me to Rebecca? Do you fear, then, that I have fallen in love with her? Is she not an honest girl--a shrinking girl--a girl as good as Father Aaron?

SACHEL.

Yes, and better!

RAFAEL.

Will she not bring me a dozen of everything, and ten thousand guilders? Could man ask more? What's wrong here? Why do they not raise their gla.s.ses?

SACHEL.

Because they will not let me manage my own affairs! He is my son, not yours! It is my wine, not yours! Drink, then, drink to Rebecca, the richest girl in the Ghetto, a beautiful young girl, a marvellous young girl----

[_ESTHER turns appealingly to THE RABBI; both look on in distress and perplexity._

RAFAEL.

But they do not raise their gla.s.ses, father; they will not drink, father! Why? Do they see handwriting on the wall? Do they think I have forsaken my race? Do they think I have given my heart and soul to the heart and soul of another? Why do they not raise their gla.s.ses?

SACHEL.

Let them throw it on the ground if they will! Every one tries to thwart me, every one but you; but they shall not! I am Sachel! Drink with me! Drink to Rebecca, your wife, Rafael! For this day I have seen Aaron; I have sat with him--yesterday and to-day I have sat with him! I have laboured with him, my boy; your father was not wanting! He would have squirmed into my house with eight thousand; but I raised him! I raised him two thousand, my boy! We have agreed, agreed! She is yours, Rafael--yours! To Rebecca, my daughter-in-law!

Now will you drink--will you clink your gla.s.ses? [_He reaches about; no one clinks; RAFAEL turns away and pours his wine on the ground._]

Where are you? I'm all alone! What's the matter? What's the matter?

RAFAEL.

They have not touched their gla.s.ses, father! They stand staring at you, without words!

ESTHER.

Sachel, come home!

SACHEL.

What do you mean? You fools, what do I care what you mean! He's going to stay at home and be my boy, my comfort, my staff in my old age; he's going to marry Rebecca! Rafael and Rebecca! Rafael and Rebecca! Does it not sound beautiful--beautiful!

_Enter AARON by way of the street, dragging REBECCA by the hand; she holds back in deep mortification._

AARON.

Ha, ha! It does! It does!

REBECCA.

Father!

AARON.

Don't be afraid, my girl. [_To the others._] I suspected what you were doing! Rafael--[_effusively_]--since the day she was born I've had an eye on you! Eh, what's the matter? Why are you all so glum?

RAFAEL.

[_He goes to the table and gets a gla.s.s, then back._] On this solemn occasion, sir, I was about to propose a toast.

SACHEL.

Yes.

AARON.

[_Goes to table._] We'll drink it here.

[_He offers the gla.s.s to REBECCA._

REBECCA.

I don't want to drink, father; I want to go in, father!

AARON.

Bos.h.!.+ What are you afraid of? Speak on, my boy!