The HAND of the POTTER BY THEODORE I?REISER A Tragedy in Four Acts BONI AND LIVERIGHT NEW YORK 1918 (i'&^^'t £^ v^ Copyright, 1918, Bt BONI & UVERIGHT, Inc. , All rights reserved, including rights of production and adaptation itP 2/ !9!9 ©Ci.A530 97l ■^■ Jiecorded *Wha\t! did the Hand then of the Potter shake?* " Omae Khayyam. Chaeacters Aaron Berchansky, the father, cm' old Jewish thread peddler. Rebecca, his wife. ISADORE — 21 their daughters^ -r -.« .their sons Joseph — 17 Masha, lame, an embroideress hy trade -i Rae, a manicure Esther (Mrs. Greenbaum), am> elderl sister George Greenbaum, Esther^s husband. TiLLiE, the Greenhaumis^ daughter, Kitty Neafie, aged eleven, daughter of an Irish neighbor. Mary Neafie, her mother. Mrs. Lersch, a neighbor. RuTGER B. Miller, Assistant District Attorney. The Clerk of the Grand Jury. Characters — Continued Foreman of the Grand Jury. A Doorkeeper. Emil Daubenspeck, a German cabmet-maker. RuFus Bush, an expressman. Samuel Elkas, keeper of a furnished-room house. Hagar Elkas, his daughter. Thomas McKagg, policeman. Ed Armsby, of the Herald Stephen Leach, of the Times [reporters, Dennis Quinn, of the Sun McGranahan 1 Harsh {.detectives. Skumm J An Inspector of Police. Neighbors. Jurors. Voices. ACT I THE HAND OF THE POTTER ACT I Scene The top floor -flat of Aaron Beechansky in the crowded Jewish section of the Upper East Side of New York City, In this instance the dining and living rooms are one. Forward of left center a door, giving out into the general hall, where oc- casionally noises of tenants going to and fro on the stairs below can be heard. Bach of this door a little way, and against the wall, a cheap yellow bookcase filled with more or less shabby books, old magazines and papers. On the top of this bookcase, center, an old-fashioned wooden clock which ticks noisily whenever other sounds cease; to its right, facing it, a five-branch candlestick of brass con^ taini/ng half-burned candles. Right center, a win- dow with a fire-escape giving into a court, and beyond this court the whitewashed wall and window of another apartment, obviously vacant. In the center of the room a general dining and work table 15 16 THE HAND OF THE POTTER of the same quality as the hoolccase, and on it a red cotton tablecloth, a basket filed with sewing (socks, underwear, buttons), and to one side an inkstand and pen. A few chairs of poor design are scattered about. Right center, agavnst the wall, an old sewing machine, severely battered, with a cheap velour cover on it. On it a samovar of brass. Forward of left center, a door giving into a bathroom. Rear of left center, two doors, one giving into a small bedroom or alcove, the' other, beyond it, into the kitchen. The doors into the bedroom and kitchen are curtained with faded half-cotton, half-silk portieres. On the inside of the door, which gives into the hall, a mezuze, the Jewish luck-piece. Time About two-thirty of a hot Saturday afternoon in July. As the curtain rises, the father, mother, and lame daughter Mash a are disclosed. Owing to the fact that Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath, no work is being done, though the Saturday afternoon gayety and activity of the city is pl-aimly vn the air. Aaron Berchansky is sitting at the table reading. The lame girl is also reading, between the table and the window. Mrs. Berchansky, who has been in the kitchen, is seen entering. She is wear- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 17 inff a worn black silk shawl, and is ohviously pre- pared to go somewhere. She is of that order of poor Jewess who has suffered much, whose face is sad and careworn, and who, at her time of life, goes uncorseted. MRS. BERCHANSKY [^Speaking with the Yiddish accent and in the vernacular of her class. 1 You hear me ! Are you ready to come ? Oi, it's hot! MASHA [^ dark, pale, thin-faced girl, with delicate, bloodless hands. She pauses from her reading and looks up.'\ Oh, yes ; come. Let's go to the park. The sun on this tin roof is terrible. It makes me sick. No wonder the Hirshes moved out. [^She looks across the court to the emptif apartment.^ They couldn't stand that top floor. BERCHANSKY \_Looking up and over also, and closing his book. He is a kind-faced, slightly stooped and griz- zled man of fifty-five, with sunken bloodless 18 THE HAND OF THE POTTER cheeJcs, a very spare frame, and deep-set, hea'mly eye-browed eyes. His partially hold head is surmounted by the customary Jewish hlacJc cotton skull-cap. Tufts of hair pro- trude fropi over his ears. He has a weary, mdefinite and yet meditative air.^ So ! Dey vent ! Yes, but, Masha, my dear, it'takes money to move. I voiild never live under a tin roof if I could afford somet'ing better. \^Rises and walks over to her and takes her hand and pats if.] Come, now. You read later. Mamma, leben, ve vill go, den. Yes. {JReturning to the table.^ But dis book — it interests me. Here is a writer — oi! but he knows! If t'ings should be so as he makes dem, den ve vould not live under tin roofs in hot vedder — de rich so rich, de poor so poor, Ach! \Picks up the book.^ Masha, my dear, come here. Look. Oi, it's fine leather! In a second-hand store I got it. Twenty- five cents ! {With a movement of his hands. '\ But I should care! Now, it vould be vorth five dollars.. Ach, I take it along. Under de trees I can read. MRS. BERCHANSKY {Bringing the lame girl her hat and ca/ne.'\ Stop talking books. Vot you read, it don't help. Ve verk just de same. {Aside, nudging her daugh- ter,!^ Tell him he should hurry. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 19 MASHA [CTieerfuUy, taking her hat and caneJ\ V We're ready, papa. [^Steps are heard on the stair; the door opens.^ That's Rae, I guess. BERCHANSKY \With a desire to he cheerf'ul.'\ So, you're home, den. RA£ \Entervrhg.'\ Hello, everybody ! Gee, it's hot ! I'm all in. I've done seven heads this mornin' without a break, not a minute between. Maybe ya think that ain't work. Say! Wotcha doin', everybody? Where ya goin'? [Takes of her hat and coat, and begins to tmdo her waist. She is of that vulgar- smart class of young Jewess that affects the latest and most gaudy of everything. Her hat is of var-^ nished black straw with a white hand, givvng her face a mannish look. Her suit of linen is of a black-and-white check. White silk stock- ings, high-heeled slippers, a plain lawn shirt^ waist decorated with a large pink cameo, com- plete her costume. As she loosens her waist she starts to walk to the bedroom,^ 20 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MASHA l^Limping to the xmndow and looki/ng outJ} To the park. Do jou want to come? BAE \_Frovi the hedroom.'] Park? Quitcha kiddin'. Think that's all I gotta do — sit on a bench in a park? Good night! I've got something better'n that. [By this time she has partially disrobed, and returns in skirt and himiono. Berchansky, hy a motion of the hands and a lift of the eyebrows, has signified plainly that he does not approve of this modern looseness of tongue and man- ner. '\ Say, whaddya think I heard t'day ? Who d'ya think saw Isadore, an' where? At a prize fight I Two weeks ago. An' whaddya think he was doin'r Carryin' a bucket an' a sponge to rub off one o' the men ! A prize fight rubber ! An' him only out o' the penitentiary three months, an' on probation! [At the mention of this, a visible pain passes over the faces of the others. Mrs. Berchan SKY looks at her husband. He stiffens anc looks into space, avoiding their glances Masha looks from mother to father, helplessli and in pity. J THE HAND OF THE POTTER 21 BEECHANSKY Rae ! Dat you should say such t'ings ! BAB [Htirriedly, and without appearing to notice the effect, the while taking the pirns out of her hairS^ Well, it's so, ain't it? A swell job, eh? Abe Gruber had a box seat an' saw him. Gee, I thought I'd drop when he told me! I thought my ears 'ud fry an' fall off! First it's two years in the peni- tentiary for assaultin' a little girl, an' now he's gotta come an' hang around here an' sponge at prize fights ! A. swell chance we've got, tryin' to do anything or be anybody. We'll never get away from that. Why don't he get out o' New York if he can't do any bet- ter than that? BEECHANSKY Rae ! I forbid you ! Your own brother ! MASHA \^Appealingly.^ You know he isn't quite right. Why do you talk so? Why don't you give him a chance? Think of his spells. 22 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MES. BERCHANSKY Ach, Rae! {Putting her hands to her face and sighing. 1^ Ach, mein Gott! Mein Gott! Trouble, trouble, trouble! RAE [Defiantly.'\ A chance! Fine use he's made of his chances! What use could he make of it if he had it? {She stares. '\ Why don't you put him away before he does any more damage? You say he ain't right; sure, he ain't. Then what's he doin' outside Bloom- ingdale ? MRS. BERCHANSKY [Lifting her hands. ^ Bloomingdale ! BERCHANSKY [Horrified at the mention of am asylwrn.^ An asylum! Ach, dat's horrible! RAE Oh, well! Have it your way. You'll probably find out when it's too late. [She walks off iizto the bedroom, shrugging her shoulder s.'\ THE HAND OP THE POTTER m MES. BERCHANSKY \_Commff o'ver to her husband and patting Mm on the shoulder. 1 Ach, Aaron. Let's go. It vill be nicer in de park. MASHA Yes, let's. [^She picJcs up her book, which she has put down, and the three prepare to leave. As they approach the door to open it, other footsteps are heard. Pleasantly.'] It's Joe. {^Enter Joseph, a clean, spruce, brisk-looking boy of seventeen. He is jieatly, but sojnewhat extremely, dressed in a light tan suit and straw hat, and has an air of gayety and play- fulness about him. As he enters, he takes off his coat.] JOE [^Looking lightly from one to the other.] Cold, ain't it? What's the row.'' \_He goes toward the bedroom.] BERCHANSKY [Wearily and gloomily.] Plenty ! Plenty ! It is vith love for one anudder dat I vould hev my children grow up, but instead, vot do I hear? Nutting but quarreling an' hard S4 THE HAND OF THE POTTER t'ings ! Oi ! Oi ! Such a business ! Such a business ! [^He shakes his head.^ MRS. BERCHANSKY ISadlt/.'] Alvays dis fighting, dis fighting! RAB [Comkig to the bedroom door.'\ Who's fightin'? Who said anything? Fm sure I didn't. JOE What's the row? Wliat's the trouble? MASHA [SootTmigly.l Oh, nothing. It's about Isadore, but let's not talk any more. We were just going out in the park. JOE Well, what about him? Where is he? MASHA Oh, some one saw him at a prize fight, and told Rae. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 25 JOE What fight ? Well, what of it ? What's he doin' ? Has he got a job? \^He walks into the bathroom, takes off his tie, and returns.^ MASHA Oh, we don't know. Rae's mad because he was helping sponge one of the men. JOE l^Interestedl^.'\ H'm! With his game arm.? What fight was it — the Neil-Kerens bout.'' MASHA J[SadXi/.^ Oh, I don't know. One of Rae's friends saw him. RAE \_Appeanng at the bedroom door.'\ Yes, an' you know as well as I do he oughtn't to be there. He oughtn't to be out at all. He ain't right, an' you know it. \_Returns.'\ BERCHANSKY [^Excitedly.'] Are ve goin' to begin again.'' Are ve goin' to begin again.'' 26 THE HAND OF THE POTTER JOE Well, what's so bad about that? I don't see. He hasn't done anything very wrong, has he? Plenty of fellows help at prize fights. [Rae clicks her tongue disdainfully.^ He hasn't been around here, has he? MASHA No. Rae wants us to put him away. JOE Where? MASHA Bloomingdale. JOE [ Though tfully. ] Oh, I don't know. He ain't so bad. There are plenty of fellows worse'n him walkin' around. [Pauses. 1 Of course, with that arm — [pauses again.^ If he'd only get a job an' stick to it, he'd be all right. [He disappears into the bathroom agamJ^ MES. BERCHANSKY \HeanMy.'] Ach, my poor boy! My poor boy! Vot vill be- come of him? Vot vill be de end? [She, Bebchansky, and Masha move toward the door, when other steps are heard, and Isa- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 27 DOBE enters. He is a tall, lithe, broad- shouldered young man of twenty or twenty- one, so strangely composed mentally and physically that he is bizarre. He is so badly compounded chemically .that he seems never to be of one mood, and has a restless, jerky, fidgety gait and manner. From moment to moment his facial expres- sion changes. Also, he has an affliction of the left arm and shoulder, which causes it to twitch or jerk involuntarily. He has an odd, receding forehead, black hair, large brown eyes, and a pale yet healthy skin. A huge seal ring of a cheap quality is on one finger^ a glass garnet of great size in his tie, which is of a flaring yellow. His hat is a small, round, satsyedge straw, with a bright striped band. His collar is very high, of the turn- down order, and slightly soiled. His shoes are yellow and patched, his socks white. Un- der his arm are a number of newspapers rolled up.^ ISADORE [Mock cheerfully. Surveying the family witH an air of general well being. ^ Well, here I arji- 28 THE HAND OF THE POTTER [ Jf t the sight of him Mr. and Mrs. Berchanskt and Masha fall hack. Berchansky opens his mouth slightly, Mrs. Berchansky squeezes her daughter's arm, Masha stiffens a/nd stands up very straightj\ BERCHANSKY MRS. BERCHANSKY MASHA Isadore ! RAE [LooJcing out of the bedroom.'\ Well, of all things! So you're back, are you? MASHA \_Gently and calmly.^ We're glad you've come, Isadore. [Mrs. Berch- ansky crosses over to where he is.^ How are you? ISADORE J^With a slight touch of irritation at their sur- prise.'] Oh, I'm all right. What's the matter with you all? Whaddy ya all want to stare at me for? MRS. BERCHANSKY \^Pleadingly.'\ Isadore ! Ve're not staring. Ve're glad. \^Shc smooths his hand.^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 29 MASHA You know we're always glad to see you, Isadore. Why shouldn't we be? JOE [Appearkig at the bathroom door.'\ Hello, Is! Where do you come from? ISADORE Well, where do you think? New York, of course. But I'm not goin' to use that name Isadore any more. It's a kike name. People laugh at it. I'm Irving from now on. You get me ? JOE {Lightly. 1 Oh, all right. You can't get me mad. [He smiles.'] BEBCHANSKY For vy you change your name? Ain't Isadore good enough? ISADORE Didn't I just tell you? It's a joke. Whoevjer picked that out must 'a' wanted to hoodoo me. 30 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MRS. BERCHANSKY {^Tenderli/.'l Isadore, vy should you say dat? ISADORE l^Softenmg and turning to herJ^ That's all right, mom. I don't mean nothin'. You know me. [Smooths her armJ\ MRS. BERCHANSKT [Solicitously, to Masha and Berchansky.] You go, an' I'll stay here an' talk to Isadore. [She talies his hand.^ ISADORE [Loftily.'\ No, you all go. I don't need anybody here while I work. I want to answer these ads. [He goes to the table, takes off his coat, and umfolds the papers.^ I'll be all right. You don't mind me stayin' here, do you? I'll come an' meet you later. Where'll you be.'* [His shoulder jerks. ~\ JOE [Coming out of the bathroom and passing into the bedroom, accidentally kicking over a box in the bedroom, en route. '\ What's this box doin' in here.^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 31 RAE J[Commg out to make room for Mm.^ It's mamma's rags. I'll put 'em away after a bit. BERCHANSKY [^Coming over to Isadore, who has sat down at the table and is spreading out his news- papers — nervously, and with a rising i/nflec- tion,^ You lost your last place? Den dey found out? isadore Sure, they did. A detective snitched on me. But I'll fix 'em this time. I'm goin' to get out o' New York soon. I'm goin' to get a job an' earn a little money an' then I'm goin' to go. BERCHANSKY {^Shaking his head and wringing Ms hands.'] More trouble. Oi ! Oi ! ISADORE \LigTitly and with a careless bravado and half- charm, the while his shoulder jerks occasionr ally.] Don't worry any more about me, pop. I'm all right. Can't you see? [Takes hold of his hand in an S2 THE HAND OF THE POTTER affectionate way. Mrs. Berchansky comes over and stands hy him.^ I'm goin' to get a good job soon, mom. You know me. I like to work. I just got some newspapers, an' I'm goin' to answer the ads. [To Masha.] You haven't got any paper an' envelopes, have you.-* MASHA [Goi/ng to a drawer m the machme.^ How many do you want.? Will six do? ISADOBE [Judicially. '\ Better give me a dozen. [He turns to his father. Masha brings them over and puts them^ down. His shoulder jerks, and Mrs. Berchansky, who is behind him and out of his view, shakes her head sadly. ^ How's the needle an' thread business, pop? Not much in it, eh? An' hard work, too. Well, never mind ; I'll get a j ob now, an' everything's goin' to be all right. I'm not goin' to hang around here any more. [He scratches his ear meditatively. Seeing Rae, who has come out of the bathroom, looking at him.'\ You needn't be afraid of me, Rae. I'm not goin' to stay in New York much longer to disgrace you. I wanted to see the folks an' get these ads answered. That's why I'm here. Gee, it's hot out. Terrible. Where were you folks goin'? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 33 MASHA Out to the park. JOE [^Bustling out -fully dressed.^ Well, so long, everybody. I've gotta go. [^He goes out.'] MASHA \Nudgmg her father. '\ You better come with us and leave him alone for a while. Don't ask him too many questions now. BERCHANSKY [^HeavUi/.'l Yes. Yes. Veil, you'll come, den? Ve'U be near de statue out here under de trees. MRS. BERCHANSKY You'll come, Isadore, yes? Ve'U vait for you. Everyt'ing vill be all right. You'll stay for dinner, yes? ISADORE Well, maybe. \^He nods condescendmgly. They all go — all hut Rae. As they disappear, he turns to his papers. To himself .J But how am I goin' to do it — that's what I'd like to know ? What kind o' ref- erences can I give? Say, every time a detective sees me now he wants to know what I'm doin'. \_The clock S4« THE HAND OF THE POTTER strikes three. 1 An' I can't seem to keep one when I get it. \_His shoulder jerJcs.J An' I've gotta report to that probation officer every month like a schoolboy. Say ! \^He pauses and stares at the paper.'] But it ain't that. It ain't that. It's their faces an' their nice make-ups an' the way they do their hair. That's what's the matter with me. It's their stockin's an' their open shirtwaists an' their shoulders an' arms. I can't stand it no more. I can't seem to think of no'thin' else. It's the way they walk an' talk an' laugh — their teeth always showin', an' their red lips. It's gettin' worse all the time. [^He gets up, stiffens. A strange^ fierce, animal light comes into his eyes. He breathes heav^ Uy and clenches his hands.] EAE [^Entering from the bedroom and noting him standing. She is powdered and painted — a picture of gauche tenement-house finery. She is trifling with an imitation gold chain purse.] Wotcha doin'.? ISADORE [Startled, and sinJcing back into his chair and his normal mood.] Answerin' some ads. Didn't I tell you.'' Whaddy ya think I'm doin'."* Whaddy ya wanta look at me THE HAND OF THE POTTER 35 that way for? {^Surveys her, and as he does so his mood changes. He softens and becomes objection- ably mushy.^ Gee, but you look good, kid. [Bech- onsJ^ Come over here. Give us a kiss, will you.'* EAE {^Savagely. 1 Say, what the devil's the matter with you, any- how? Cut the comedy! Whaddy ya think I am? Another ten-year-old? \^She sniffs and switches toward the door.'\ ISADORE [Jumping after her and reaching the door first. He seizes her by the arm, the while his face becomes livid and his shoulder jerhs.^ What's the matter with you, anyhow, Rae? Whaddy ya think I am? Whaddy ya wanta throw up my past to me for? You ain't like a sister to me, anyhow. You never was. [^He attempts to pull her to him. She strikes him in the face.^ RAE Let go! What's the matter with you, anyhow? Whaddy ya think I am? Don't try to pull that stuff on me. You nut! \^She pushes him back.l^ Want me to call the police or the neighbors? A 36 THE HAND OF THE POTTER fine brother you are ! \_She pulls loose ami opens the door.^ You must he crazy — your own sister! [^She steps into the hall.^ I should think you'd be ashamed of yourself. Wait'U the family hears o' this! ISADOBE [WeaJcemng as she mentions the police and the family. '\ Gee, I must be crazy. I don't seem to be able to stand anything no more. You look so nice, — that's the trouble. Don't say anything to the folks, will you, Rae? I ain't quite right, I guess. Ain't I suffered enough.? Don't you know what I'm up against, havin' the feelin's I do? I ain't so bad. I just can't stand things, that's all. [His shoulder jerks; his face contorts.^ It's just their pretty faces, an' their mouths, an' their shoul- ders, an' the way they fix their hair. [He hecoTues incoherent. Steps are heard outside. He turns, relaxes his expression, and straightens up.'] [Enter Mrs. Greenbaum, with her six-year-old daughter. She is tall, statuesque, neatly dressed. From the quality of her apparel it is very plain that she is in considerably bet- ter circumstances than her parents. A tan silk foulard dress, white hat, and black-and- white striped parasol are the chief outstand- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 37 mg features of her garb. Her daughter is neatly dressed in a starched, stiff white dress and a green straw hat.^ TILIilE {^Runming forward. 1 Hello, Aunty Rae ! [Kisses her.'\ K.AE Hello, Tillie! How are you? MRS. GREENBAUM [Oh serving only Rae at first, and her expres- sion.]^ Hello, Rae! What's the matter? [Seeing Isa- DORE, and being plainly astonished.] Why, hello, Isadore! Home again? Where'd you come from? ISADORE Oh, around town. Where'd you think I come from? But my name's not Isadore any more from now on. It's Irving. I'm changin' it. I'm tired of that kike name. Don't forget that, will you? RAE [Looking up semi-sarcasticaUy at her sister and smiling, as if to say: "Something new.'* 38 THE HAND OF THE POTTER \_He chiichs her vmder the chin. Tillie loolcs up at him affectionutely and smiles. '[ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 65 MRS. GREENBAUM That's the way you always spoil them, papa. You always did. BERCHANSKY Ach, dey're babies only vunce. Dat time comes no more. \_He looks henignly at the chUd.^ MRS. GREENBAUM But, papa, you know how it is with children. I have a hard time enough with her, as it is. MRS. berchansk:^ l^Wearili/.l Ach, Esther, children is children. masha [Leaning Iter head on the table and shaJcing it slightly. '\ It's terrible! MRS. GREENBAUM [Addressing Masha.] What's the matter.? MASHA [Softly.^ The heat. [JShe shafces her head agam.'\ 66 THE HAND OF THE POTTER BERCHANSKY Ven it's hot, it's hot. Inside, outside. Vot's de difference ? [^The clock strikes eight.^ MRS. GREENBAUM Goodness, it's eight. I'll have to go. [^She rises.'] George will be home soon. I promised him I'd be home by eight. Come, Tillie. You've had enough. You've had too much. You'll be sick to-morrow. '[She goes to the corner and secures her para- sol.'\ BERCHANSKY [Patting Tillie on the back and kissing her.^ Nu, dis little von't hurt, vill it.? [Helps Tillie doirni.^ Nu! [Kisses her. Tillie kisses her grandmother.] tillie Good-by, grandma. MRS. BERCHANSKY [Patting her.] So ! Dat's a nice girl. MASHA [As Tillie approaches and puts up her mouth.] Good-by! [She rises, preparatory to going into THE HAND OF THE POTTER 67 the kitchen. Tillie runs to the door, then comes running back, and putting up her arms, pulls Masha's head down and whispers something in her ear. Masha nods.^ Oh, yes. J[She limps to the machine drawer and takes something out.^ MBS. GREENBAUM Tillie! Now, Masha, I won't have that! [To TiLLiE.] You just give that back. \_As the child pouts.'l No, no, no! Now, I'll get you some ice- cream soda myself. Masha, take that. I won't have her asking for pennies. \^The child gives up the coin. Mrs. Greene aum approaches the door.^ Come on, now ! \_Takes Tillie's hand.'\ Will you all come over to-morrow.'' George's mother is coming. masha [^Contemplating her mother in a distressed 'majf.'[ Yes, we'll come. MRS. GREENBAUM [Going out.'[ Good-by I TILLIB Bye-bye ! [Exit.l 68 THE HAND OF THE POTTER BEBCHANSKY [^Rising and brushing off his waistcoat. 1 Veil, it's nice. Esther, she gets along so veil. She has a nice home, a nice husband. He didn't hev much ven dey got married, but dey verked an' saved. Now, Tniie she ken hev piano lessons, an' dey ken live in a nice place. It's good. [^He goes o'oer to the bookcase and begins to examine some half-smoked cigars he is keep- ing there in an old cigar box. He picks up one and another, exammmg them critically.^ MRS. BERCHANSKY iSoftly.-] Unberufen ! Unberuf en I BERCHANSKY [Sniffing at one fairly long butt doubtfully.'} Veil, dis vill smoke me till I go to bed. Maybe my oder two girls dey marry good, too. Ach, I Aash I could play pinochle to-night ! Pinochle I can play alvays, even vet it's hot. MRS. BERCHANSKY {^HeavUyJ] Papa! \_She hesitates' and says no more.} THE HAND OF THE POTTER 69 BERCHANSKY Veil, vot is it? Vot is it? MRS. BERCHANSKY Papa, you know it's funny. I don't say it's any- t'ing ... he vouldn't do anyt'ing now. {^She pauses. 1 BERCHANSKY [^Coming to attention.'] Who? Vot? Vot are you talking about? MASHA Oh, it may be nothing, mamma. She may not have been up here. It may not be her shoe. \_She places her fingers to her lips.'\ Maybe he's just gone to mail his letters. MRS. BERCHANSKY But de box ! De oil cloth ! Who vould take dem ? An' my rags all over de floor ! \_She stares at Masha. But vy didn't I stay? {^She shakes her head.] Vy didn't I stay? BERCHANSKY \_In a troubled voice.'] Box? Oil clawt? Shoe? Vot box? Vot is it you talk? \_Thei/ do not reply at once.] Box? Oil clawt? Shoe? Vot's dat? 70 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MRS. BERCHANSKY You know. De box vere I keep my rags. Dat big one in de bedroom. It's gone. [^SJie rises and goes to the machme drawer, takes out the shoe and returns with it. J Ven I come in I found dis in dere. [^She indir- cates the bedroom.^ Now Kitty Neafie is not home. An' de oil cloth from de kitchen table is gone. [^She •wrings her hands.^ An' here's de rags, but vere is de box.^* BERCHANSKY \Gettvng up and taking the shoe and examining it, a strained, puzzled look on his face.^ Nu! \^He beats the table with his fingers.^ It's not Tillie's.? Nu.? MASHA No, it doesn't belong to her, nor to Rae, either. MRS. BERCHANSKY [^Uncertainli/.^ An' Kitty not home ! She may hev been up here. MASHA [^Consolingli/.l Dh, I wouldn't be so nervous, mamma. She may not have been here. Why worry so ? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 71 BERCHANSKT [Foldmg his hands and swaying to a/nd fro slightly. His face is a study in fear, pv^zle, wonder.'] Nu? You t'ink — [His face blanches.] MASHA Oh!! MRS. BERCHANSKY [Leading the way to the kitchen door,"] An' de oilcloth out here . . . it's gone! BERCHANSKY Oilclawt' ! Ach, Gott, vot could anybody vant vit' oilclawt'? [He pauses.] De box — it's gone, is it? MRS. BERCHANSKY [Returning.] Yes. Here are de rags, but I can't find de box. [They look into the bedroom.] BERCHANSKY Nu — you think — [He throws up his hands. They return to the center of the room.] MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi — I don't understend! I don't know. Maybe he did somet'ins? 72 THE HAND OF THE POTTER BERCHANSKY Yes, vot? Vot could he do vit' a box? \_Pauses.'] But vy vorry before ve know? It's maybe nutting. [^He looks distressed himself. 1 Don't vorry so much. l^He begins to z&alk up and down the floor.'\ MASHA [^7/ the chair on which Mrs. Greenbaum has laid Isadore^s paper s.l^ Yes. . . . And here are his envelopes. I guess he didn't write, after all. \_She looks at her mother.l^ MRS. BERCHANSKY Ach, weh-is-mer! Weh-is-mer! \^She wrings her hands. 1^ I vish I know vot it is ! BERCHANSKY [Pausing and staring at the floor.'\ Maybe's more trouble. Sometimes I don't know vot to t'ink. [A noise is heard on the stairs. The door is thrown open.^ [Enter Is ad ore. He stands im the entry way, surprised and irritated. His eyes are strained and restless, his hair disheveled, his face scratched, the marks of dust on one arm. One trousers leg is partially covered with burrs, the other has a tear. He looks irri- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 73 table, somewhat savage. Berchansky hides the shoe behind him.^ ISADOEE [^Sharply.'] Oh, you're back, are you? J[He crosses and enters the kitchen.^ MRS. BERCHANSKY [FoUowing and looking after him.^ You vant supper, Isadore? \_She stands, awe- stricken.^ ISADOEE {Calling back.^ Supper, no ! I gotta go right away again, any- how. {He returns, stuffing somethvng into his pocket. '\ BERCHANSKY [Nervously, a quality of fear and vnsufficiency in his voice, approaching and standing before him.^ Vot is dis hurry? Look at your face! Vere hev you been? Your suit — [Leans down and picks a burr.'\ Vot's dis? ISADORE O}\0 nothing. I've been playin' ball. {His shoul- der jerks.l^ 74 THE HAND OF THE POTTER BEK.CHANSKY Ball? You play ball ven it's dark? ^Touching his elbow.^ Look at your sleeve ! [^Points to his left trouser legJj^ Here it's torn. Vot iss dis? {He stares at Isadore's face.^ ISADOEB {Irritabli/.'] Nothing. Nothing, I tell you. What should it be? Leave me alone. I've been in a fight. {His shoulder jerks. 1 BERCHANSKY A fight? On Shabbas! Mit who? First you're playin' ball, den it's a fight. Now vich is it? ISADORE Oh, don't bother ! I tell you I was in a fight ! I'm all right, though. I've gotta go. \_He starts.^ BERCHANSKY [Uncertainly, because of his lesser strength, hut placing himself in Isadore's path.'\ Vy you run avay? Go, vash your face! Clean your suit ! It's a shame ! It's a shame ! MRS. BERCHANSKY {Gentli/.J Take off your coat, Isadore. I fix it. Maybe you'll eat somet'ing? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 75 ISADORE l^Irritabli/.'] No, no, no ! Don't bother ! I've gotta go, I tell you. [^Starts again. His shoulder ^erT€S.~\ BERCHANSKY \With a slight shorn of anger. ^ No, no, no ! I don't believe dis ! You tell me first, vot is dis? [He produces the shoe.'\ Whose is dis? [IsADORE stares at it.'\ Vere did it come from? ISADORE {^Savagely and with a touch of wildness vn his manner.^ What, that? I don't know where it come from. What're you talkin' about? \_His shoulder jerJcs.'] BERCHANSKY An' de box? An' de oilclawt'? Vot iss it about dem? Vot did you do vit' dem? Did you take dem? Vot becomes of de oilclawt' here? [He motions toward the kitchen.^ ISADORE [^Savagely.'\ What box? What oilcloth? I didn't see no box, nor no oilcloth ! What are you people talkin' about 76 THE HAND OF THE POTTER — what are you lookin' at me for? What do I know? What are you tryin' to find out? [^His shovMer jerks, J BEECHANSKY Veil, it vuz on de kitchen table. Now it's gone. An' de box! An' dis! \_He holds up the slipper. 1^ Vot is it about dis? Vot I vant to know is, how did dis come here? Vuz Kitty Neafie up here to-day? Did you see her? ISADOEE [^Nervousli/.'\ I tell you I don't know ! She wasn't here when I was here. What do I know about any box or oil- cloth? I haven't seen them, I tell you. [^He starts to ffO.'] MRS. BEECHANSKY l^Nervoiisli/.'] De box in de bedroom, Isadore. It's gone, too. You didn't take it, maybe? [^She looks at him ap- pealinglif.~\ ISADOEE Me? No, no, no! What do I want with a box? I tell you I don't know anything about it ! I haven't seen no box nor no oilcloth. I don't know what you're talkin' about. [He starts agam.'\ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 77 BERCHANSKY \Laying a hand on hvm.'\ Ach, I don't understend! I don't understend! Vait! I vant to know about dese t'ings. First it's ball, den it's a fight. Your coat torn, your face scratched ! Here is a shoe ! De oilclawt' is gone, an' de box. An' dese things Ipointing to the hurrs'\ — I don't know vot dey are. But I know, I feel, it's somet'ing else. You ken't tell me it ain't, Isadora. An' I shell know now, vot is it? Vot hev you done? Vere is Kitty Neafie? Vuz she here to-day? [H^ becomes very intense.^ MRS. BERCHANSKY [^Appealingly.'] Isadore, if it's somet'ing, vy don't you tell? You know it's better. Ve are your parents. Maybe ve cen help you. [She plucks at his sleeve.'\ ISADORE [^Smnging about irritably.^ Oh, you're all crazy! \^His shoulder jerks.'] I don't know what you're talkin' about ! I don't know anything about Kitty Neafie ! I gotta go ! [^Starts. As he does so, his father seizes him vigorously by the arm.] 78 THE HAND OF THE POTTER BERCHANSKY No ! Here you stay ! You liar ! You loafer ! You good-f or-nutting ! You run de streets an' get in jail, an' den you come here an' you von't tell me vot you do ! Now, you shell tell me ! I vant to know! I vill know! [Isadore's shoulder jerJcs.]^ Vot hev you done? You shell tell me now before you leave dis house! [^He reaches a great height of furi/.] ISADORE [Savagely, a little wildly. 1 Let go ! I don't know what you're talkin' about ! You're all crazy. \He jerks himself loose. A -fierce angry light blazes in his eyes. He moves about the table trying to puU away from his father, who hangs on. In the struggle, his right hand, which is in his right pocket, is withdrawn, and with it a tangle of cord. His shoulder jerks.^ BERCHANSKY [^Shouting. ^ An' dis! Vot's dis now! Ach, mein Gott! Vot for is it? \^He grabs the string.^ ISADORE {^Tearing it away and yet struggling with him.'\ Let go ! Let go ! THE HAND OF THE POTTER 79 J[He throws Ms father about. The table is struck, the chairs upset. Berchansky is thrown to his knees. Isadore's shoulder jerJcs.'l BERCHANSKY [^StUl shouting,^ Isadore! You hear me! Ach, mein Gott! I'll know before you go from dis house. Know, I vill! You shell tell me ! ^His coat is torn, Ms skvU-cap falls off. He gets to Ms feet.'\ MRS. BERCHANSKY [^To one side with Mash a.] Don't, papa! Don't! Oh, Isadore! Don't! Ach! masha [^Limping to and fro.^ Oh, this is terrible! I can't stand it! [-Ap- proaches her father and begins to cry.'\ Let him alone, papa. Please let him alone ! Don't, Isadore ! For shame! BERCHANSKY [^Shouting to her out of the contest.'\ Go 'vay! Go 'vay! Dis time I know vot I do. Tell me, he must ! He vill tell me before he goes from here, [To Isadore.] Before you leave dis house, 80 THE HAND OF THE POTTER you vill tell me. I am your fader. Dis time you vill obey me. You hear me? ISADORE [^Throwing hvm off and down. His shovMer jerJ£s.'\ Let go! [Berchansky falls to the floor. Isadore dashes to the door, pulls it open and runs down the stairs, slamming it after him. Ber- CHANSKY, getting to his feet, seizes a chair, runs after him, and, aiming it, runs as far as the door, then stops and puts it down, opens the door and shouts.^ BERCHANSKY Isadore! [^ pause.'\ Isadore! \^The sound of Isadore's clattering feet is heard on the stairs. The hall door below is heard to slam. As it does so, Berchansky ceases to call, drops his hands, then his head, and repeats softly.'] Isadore! [There is a silence in which Masha goes to the window and looks out. The clock is heard to tick. Mrs. Berchansky, nonplussed and frightened, crosses over to her husband and lays a hand on his arm.] THE HAND OF THE POTTER 81 MBS. BERCHANSKY ^ Tck ! Tck ! Tck ! Dis should heppen in our old days! Vot comes now? [Berchansky strikes his hands and shakes his head, but says nothing. As he stands there, the curtai/n descends for a few moments. The theater remains dark.Ji CURTAIN Scene 2 Same as Scene One. Two hours are supposed to elapse. As the curtain rises the clock is striking ten. Berchansky, Mrs. Beechansky, Masha, Joe, and Mr. and Mrs. Greenbaum are disclosed, scattered about the room and around the table. Joe is leaning against a side of the bathroom door, one foot crossed over the other. Masha, Mrs. Berchansky and Mrs. Greenbaum are seated at the table. Berchansky is standing behind Masha, near the table, "very pale and distressed. George Greenbaum is seated on the window sill He is a si/mple, unpretentious, American-loohvng business man — very neat and silent. The shoe is on the table. greenbaum Well, 3^ou don't really know that he's done any- thing, yet. What's the use getting so worked up about it.f^ The slipper may not belong to her, after all. berchansky [Argumentatively, and with a considerable amount of emotion.^ 82 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 83 Yes, but who else should it belong to? It's not Tillie's, an' who else vuz here? No vun! Unless Kitty, maybe, or some vun else. He hes done some- t'ing, dat much I know. An' de box an' de oilclawt', de scratches on his face, de string. Vy did he run avay? He didn't look right to me — he didn't act right. l^He rubs his chm.^ GREENBAUM Yes, that's all true enough, but we really don't know that Kitty was up here. She isn't home yet, but that doesn't prove that he saw her. MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi! Oi! Oi! MRS. GREENBAUM Yes, and the way he looked at Tillie this afternoon frightened me. When Rae went out she said he wasn't acting right. If that little girl came in here — l^She pauses.^ GREENBATJM How not acting right? ]^He shifts his position as though he has been talking for some ti7ne.ll What did she say? MRS. GREENBAUM Well, I didn't have a chance to talk to her. She had to go. But she said he was olF again to-day. 84 THE HAND OF THE POTTER and that I was to look out for him. He didn't seem so bad, outside of the way he looked at Tillie. MASHA Well, I don't know that I'd listen to what Rae says, anyhow. You know how she is. He doesn't like her and she doesn't like him, and she might have excited him. JOE Yes, but that shoe and the box and oilcloth.? What about them.'' It looks pretty tough to me. MRS. BERCHANSKT Ach, if ve could only keep him at home an' take care of him ! If only I hed stayed here ! MES. GREENBAUM Yes, if you could afford it. GEORGE GREENBAUM [^Thought fulli/.^ I can't see that there is any sense in getting so excited until we know something positively. It's true, things do look bad. Still, there may be noth- ing. You haven't heard whether she's come home yet, have you? t THE HAND OF THE POTTER 85 MASHA No. GREENBAUM Well, I wouldn't inquire, if I were you. If any- thing is wrong it would look bad afterwards. What I don't see is why you take any more chances with him. He's not right, really — that's plain now, isn't it.'' I hate to say it, but it's true. I've tried to help him several times, but I'm afraid to recommend hinn to anybody any more, and we can't use him in our business. He hasn't any sense for that work. He doesn't look right. The best thing to do would be to put him in a home somewhere, I think, where he'd be looked after, and yet where he'd have plenty to do and not feel shut up. He's not a bad boy, actually. He likes to work. He's good-hearted, too. I know that. [Mrs. Berchansky nods.^ But he can't help himself. He's too restless and excitable, and he's crazy about girls. If you let him run around much longer by himself these days, he's sure to come to some harm. He can't help it — the way the girls dress now, with their short skirts and open shirt- waists. It seems to have a bad effect on him. He may not have done anything wrcng to-day, but he will some time. He can't help it, and it won't be his fault. \^He sits down.^ 86 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MRS. GEEENBAFM After that look I saw him give Tillie to-day, I'd be afraid to have him around. Really, I would. I think something had better be done. MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi ! Oi ! Oi ! Trouble, trouble, trouble ! JOE Well, why don't we send him away, then? There's no use waitin' any longer, is there.? BERCHANSKY An asylum ! An asylum ! Ach ! Veil, maybe it is best. After to-night, I know it is. [^He rubs his chin. Steps are heard on the stairs. Enter Rae, decked out in all her fineri/.'\ rae Hello, everybody! Wotcha doin'.'' Wotcha talkin' about ? MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi ! Oi ! Oi ! Trouble, trouble, trouble ! BERCHANSKY \Folding and unfolding his hands on his breast.^ Plenty to vorry about. Plenty! [^He shakes his head.^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 87 JOE It's Isadora again. RAK lEagerli^.'] Well, what about him? What's he been doin' now? MRS. GREENBAUM Oh, nothing that we know of. He was in here a while ago all scratched up, with some burrs on him, and his coat torn, and he wouldn't tell where he'd been, or what he had been doing, or where he was going, and they're afraid he's done something. They found a little girl's shoe in the bedroom, and Kitty Neafie hadn't come home by seven o'clock, and her mother was up here looking for her. Mother's big rag box and the oilcloth from the kitchen table are gone. BAE Kitty Neafie! You found a shoe? Let's see it. [They show it to her. She exclaims.^ An' that big piece of yellow oilcloth out in the kitchen — you say it's gone? MRS. GREENBAUM Yes, and papa thinks he came back for some twine. [^She gets up.^ 88 THE HAND OF THE POTTER JOE He come in an' went into the kitchen an' grabbed a whole handful of cord out of the cupboard, an' run out again. Pop tried to stop him, but Isadore threw him all around the place. MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi ! Oi ! Weh-is-mer ! BERCHANSKY It is somet'ing! I know! Ach, if I only knew! He's not right. I know now ! MRS. GREENBAUM Oh, dear, I wonder what he could have wanted with that.? RAE Tck! Tck! Tck! This is terrible! Kitty Neafie! Goodness, if he's done anything to her — \_she staresj. Well, I warned ja all. You knew he wasn't right, an' he oughtn't to be out an' around loose. Still you wouldn't listen. Only to-day he tried to stop me in here when I was goin' out — wanted me to kiss him — said I didn't seem like a sis- ter to him. I had to slap his face before he'd let me alone. \_She takes a defiant pose.J^ I was almost afraid to leave Esther, only I know he's afraid of THE HAND OF THE POTTER 89 her. l^She walks into the bedroom, taking off her hat.^ Well, I s'pose you'll agree, now, that he oughta be put away. BERCHANSKY [^His head down.l Tck! Tck! Tck! MRS. GREENBATJM [Softly.] After Rae left I watched him, and it was then I saw him look at Tillie so. It frightened me so I took her and went out in the park. I didn't want to say anything because I thought he would be here when we got back, and I didn't want to make mamma and papa feel bad again. RAE [From the bedroom.] Did he finish the letters he was writin'? MASHA No, the envelopes are here. GREENBAUM [Getting up and walking about.] Well, as I say, we don't know anything yet, posi- tively. He may not have done anything, even though 90 THE HAND OF THE POTTER a slipper was here and the child's missing. It does look pretty bad, I'll admit, but I can't see that there's anything to do about it except wait until he comes back, or until we hear something else, then see if we can keep him around here, or get hold of him. You'll have to be careful, though, if he does come back, and not say or do anything to let him know, otherwise he won't go. We'll have to fool him into it. J[He subsides.'] BERCHANSKY Rae, how long vuz you here mit Isadore.^ Ven did you leave.'' KAE About four. Why.? BERCHANSKY Veil, vot vuz he doing? Vot vuz it he said to you? Did he look queer to you? RAE He acted crazy, like he always does, I tell ya ! He tried to kiss me. He wouldn't let me alone till I gave him a good slap in the face. MRS. BERCHANSKY Ach, Rae! Vy did you do dat? He iss your brother. Maybe he vanted to be nice mit you again. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 91 RAE Say! Him? Cut that! He's dips, I tell ya. Look at what may have happened to-day. [^TJie others wince. '\ It wasn't because I'm his sister that he wanted to kiss me. He's crazy about girls, I tell ya. He can't let 'em alone. He can't help it. He can't let me alone, if ya wanta know. Don't take no chances with that hangin' around the house. He's dips, I tell ya. Put 'im away, an' then you can breathe easy. [^She begins to take off her shoes. ^ Afterwards we can move away from here, an' no- body'll know where we've gone. We can move up to the Bronx. MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi! 01! 01! BERCHANSKY Rae, you should not talk foolish. Ve vant to find out, don't you understand.'' GREENBATJM \^Seating himself again.l Was there anybody else here when you left.? I mean before Esther and Tillie came.^" RAE No. Joe had just gone, an' Esther came in after- wards, I thought once I better speak to her before 92 THE HAND OF THE POTTER I went. I was on the edge of comin' back after I got downstairs, but I didn't have time. I knew he wouldn't do anything to any grown-up person, though. He's too big a coward. He always is till you're alone and till it's some one he thinks he can handle. But if Kitty came in here — \^She shakes her head.^ I know him of old. He knows he can't pull it over me, an' so he don't try. That's why he quit. Believe me, I'd never trust a kid with him, though, anywhere. BERCHANSKY [Excitedly^ and touching his heart.'\ Rae! Rae! Stop! Ve know! It's bed enough! I ken't stend it! [He moves uneasily.^ KAS Well, when you all come to your senses an' put him away, I'll stop, an' not before. If you'd listened to me this wouldn't 'a' happened to-day — if anything has happened. For a cent, I'd have him put away myself. You'd thank me for it in the long run. You're just afraid of what people'U say, that's all. Believe me, you'd better act before sompin worse happens. GREENBATJM [Aimcahly/\ But we've agreed to do that now, Rae, THE HAND OF THE POTTER 93 RAE Well, it's time, that's all I've gotta say. BERCHANSKY [^SJidkmg his head.'] Yes. Yes. It's better. GREENBAUM [^Getting up."] Well, then, to-morrow I'll see if I can find some place, if you want me to. If he comes back, you'd better try and keep him here. Don't irritate him, and don't say anything. Just ask him to stay, and persuade him to, if you can. I'll talk to my lawyer, and let you know. J[He takes out his watch and begins to look around for his hat, as if he were ready to depart.^ We'd better be going, Esther. It's after eleven. [Mrs. Greene aum rises. As she does this, a noise is heard on the stair. It begins as a soft murmur, and increases in volume until it it more or less of an uproar. The shuffling of many feet is heard. As the noise begins and continues, the family stop all conversa^ tion, and listen. Joe, who is nearest the door, crosses and opens i^.] 94 THE HAND OF THE POTTER A VOICE Yes, this is where they live. ANOTHER VOICE Neafie! They live in here. \_A Tcnockmg is heard.'\ A THIRD VOICE Mr. Neafie ! Mr. Neafie ! SEVERAL VOICES \_In concert. 1 It's terrible, ain't it.? To think it should be their little girl I Poor Kitty ! Do they know who done it? No. [^ silence.'] [Suddenly the 'piercing scream of a woman is heard. As all this proceeds, the facial ex- pression of the various members of the family changes. They become concerned, strained.] BERCHANSKY [In a low voice and with a frightened air, com- ing near the door.] Vot's dat.? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 95 JOE {^Softly, m a troubled voice. ~\ It sounds as if something has happened to Kitty Neafie. [He half closes the door.'\ RAE [Who is standing near the bedroom door, speak- ing out loud.^ Gee! I wonder what's that, now? [Crosses to, Joe.] berchansky [With great i/niensity, clenching and wnclench- vng his hands. ~\ If it should be Isadore ! MRS. BERCHANSKY [Crossing to her husband and shahing his arm.^ Ssh ! [Shakes her head.'\ GREENBAUM [Stepping to the table.'] Listen to me. If it should be anything, no one of you must say anything. You hear? You haven't seen him. You don't know where he is. Put that shoe away ! Burn it ! [Mrs. Berchansky takes the shoe into the kitchen and returns.] He hasn't been 96 THE HAND OF THE POTTER here, do you see ! [^Thei/ all look at Mm wUhout a word.^ For goodness' sake, don't all look as if some- thing had happened ! That's a dead give-away. MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi ! Oi ! Vot ken ve do ? Vot ken ve do ? {She begins to cry.'[ MASHA \^Sternly.'\ Mamma! Don't cry! You mustn't! [More steps are heard on the stairs, as if they were coming up and to the Beechansky f,at. At the sound of them, Joe closes the door.'\ BEECHANSKY [Walking the floor and twisting his hands.^ Ach, Gott! Vot comes now? [A brisk knock is heard. No one offers to go to the door.'\ GEEENBAUM [Commandingly, to Joe.] Open it! [Joe opens the door. Enter in a crush fout neighbors, tenants of the building — an elderly red-faced woman, greasy, unkempt, fat; a younger, cleaner, but m^ore vacuous and curi- ous woman of thirty-three or four; a young boy of seventeen; a small girl of eleven.^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 97 THE ELDERLY FAT WOMAN [^Pushing before the others. 1 Oh, Mrs. Berchansky! Have you heard what's happened to Kitty Neafiei They've just took her away in the ambulance ! She's all cut up ! They just found her in the lot back here, right back of the house, an' she can't live. The policeman said so. Oh, it's terrible ! Poor Mrs. Neafie, she's just fainted an' they can't bring her to an' — [^She pauses for want of breath.'] BERCHANSKY [Strihing his hands.] Ach, Gott ! Ach, Gott ! MRS. BERCHANSKY Oi! Oi! Oi! MASHA [Heavily.'] Poor little Kitty ! RAE \With great presence of mind, coming forward and staring at the four.] Gee, that's terrible ! How long ago did it happen .'' THE YOUNGER WOMAN Just now they found her. Nobody knows who done it. She was in a box, an' there was a piece o' 98 THE HAND OF THE POTTER oilcloth over her. [Berchansky strikes Ms hands together. ~\ A man was comin' through the lot an' heard a noise. He went past, an' then he went back. She wasn't dead, but she was almost. She couldn't talk no more. He hurry up an' got the police. Gee, it's awful ! The crowd was sompin terrible ! Mr. Melka, on the ground floor, was out there, an' he told who she was. He knowed her. They told Mrs. Neafie just now, an' she's almost crazy — she's fainted, but she's come to, an' she's gone to the 'ospital, her an' Mr. Neafie. BERCHANSKY Don't talk no more! {He strikes his head with his hands, '\ MRS. BERCHANSKY Ach, Mrs. Neafie! {She strikes her hreast.l THE LITTLE GIRL {Her head between the elder and yownger women.'\ Yes, an' o-o-h, she looked terrible ! She was all marked up an' bloody. I saw her just when they was takin' her away. THE YOUNG BOY Gee, it's fierce! She'll never get well. If dey ever get d' fellow dat did dat, he'll get d' chair. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 99 The police're all around here now. They're lookin' everywhere. BERCHANSKY Don't talk! Don't talk! MRS. BERCHANSKY Nu, dat's enough! Don't say no more, please. Ve must go down MRS. GREENBAUM Tck! Tck! Tck! That poor little girl! THE ELDER WOMAN Yes, it's awful! The whole neighborhood's out. \More noises and voices are heard below. They turn and listen.'\ Maybe they've found sompin else. [The four depart. Joe, nearest the door, half closes it after them.l^ ^ JOE God! BERCHANSKY [Skiking mto a chair.'] Now, it's over. Vot could be verse.? Now, it vill all come out. Dis is de end ! MRS. BERCHANSKY Oh, if it only vuzn't him! Poor Isadore! Poor Kitty ! 100 THE HAND OF THE POTTER > GEEENBAUM [/w. a low, concerned, earnest voice. '\ Listen to me, all of you ! It's pretty bad, but it's best not to say anything — not yet, anyhow. We really don't know that he did it — not yet, anyhow. It looks that way, but don't talk ! Don't let oii that you know anything! [To Masha,] You've burned the shoe? \_She nods her head.Ji Don't ever say anything about it! MRS. BERCHANSKT \^Agonizedly.'\ Yes! Yes! GEEENBAUM It may not come out — not yet, anyhow. We can have him put away right off. If he's crazy, they can't do anything to him. They can't blame us, any- how. Some of you had better go down to see Mrs. Neafie when she comes back. Cover that table out there with something, and don't mention the box! As soon as you can, you'd better move away from here — but not too soon. You see \^As he talks, the curt am descends.'] CUETAIN ACT III ACT III Scene The grand jury room of New York County in the Criminal Courts Building, New York City, adjoin- ing the offices of the district attorney and his as- sistants. The right and rear walls of the stage contain each three and two large windows respec- tively, reaching nearly to the ceiling. Through them pours a flood of morning light, a pattern of which from the windows, right, marks the floor. The tops of other buildings in the vicinity are to be seen. The space between the two windows at the rear of the stage is broken by a large circular gilt clock, the hands of which stand at ten^forty- five. he left wall of the stage contains a door of good size which is standing open, showing an exterior office or ante-room of some sort, and some desks protected by a wire cage in which clerks are work- ing. In the center of the room, and facing the door, a semi-circular desk of great size, to the rear of which are twenty-two chairs of exactly the 103 104 THE HAND OF THE POTTER sa/me pattern, with the exception that the chair m the center is larger each occupied hy a grand juror. Between this desk and the door, a table at which is sitting the grand jury clerk, his back to the jury. A few feet from him, and facing the jury, another chair, in which is sitting a short, stout, very phlegmatic-looking German, of about fifty-five, plainly under a strain and nervous. To the right, but between him and the jury, a chair on which has been laid a child's light brown linen dress, soiled and torn, a light green straw hat, a pair of tan stockings, also soiled and torn, a child's slipper, and a suit of light reddish-brown hair, soft and silky, and tied about with a string. Behind the seated jurors, an Assistant District Attorney, standing and facing the witness over their heads. The room is very still. A juror or two coughs and stirs. The woodwork is yellow oak; the walls a pale cream. No pictures or or- namentation of any kind are visible. As the cur- tain rises, the Assistant District Attorney is just about to address a remark to the witness. In this act a pair of light curtains, the color of the walls of the juryroom, close or open on the remarks of the various witnesses, the while the regular stage curtain remains up. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 105 MILLER l^With the air of one mho has been talking for some little tvtne.^ Now, Mr. Daubenspeck, if you please, will you kindly tell the grand jury just what occurred on the night of July 17th last? I mean in connection with what you found in the lot back of 1727 First Avenue, this city. Tell it as simply and briefly as you can. DAUBENSPECK {Heamly, and arranging himself slowly. "l Ya, I do. Ess I say, ich bin, now, ein cabinet- maker by trait und als ich by Sixty-nint' Sthreet near Fairst Affenoo, vuss coming about zehn uhr, ich vuss by a liddle chob in Sixty-fift' Sthreet, und vuss going down troo der lot py Fairst Aifenoo back of mein house da, I hert a kynt of noiss or groan, als if some von might haf site a liddle — oder groant, und daraan I sthobbed und kynta looged arount me, so. [He illustrates.'^ Ich couldn't see nudding. Id vuss ganz dunkle. Darauf ich stharted to go on again, but yust as ich dat done ich heered vonce more anudder noiss, und darauf ich vonce more sthobbed again. Der vuss someding — ach, ich weiss nicht ve mann saght "veloren" [he moves his ha/nds to illustrate the sound'l in der sount, und darauf ich 106 THE HAND OF THE POTTER loogt all arount vonce more und vent back, so ve dreisig oder verizig fuess — [ich hab ess later ge- measured] — und daraan, because der vus a liddle light in a vintow ubstairs in von off der flats, ich saw a kiste — how you say? — box — oder someding, mit a piece off oil clawd offer it, yust as if it hat been coffered py some von, und from unten vuss stickin' aus dass kind's het und her hants und arms — so [he illustrates^, and she vuss lying on her site, so [he illii^trates^. MILLER Yes. [Several of the jurors place their elbows on their knees and their chins in their hands and contemplate him fixedly. '\ DAUBENSPECK Her face vuss very weiss, und der sleef off her tress vuss torn open at der haltz [he illustrates^, und her neck vuss cut a liddle right here [he indicates the place^. At fairst I toud she vuss todt, but I listened, und den I saw dat she vuss still breading. I took der coffer off, und den ich see dat she vuss in a box, yust als she hat herself darein gesezt, und ess hat uber gefallen. It vuss offer on von site, so [he illustrates^. She vuss so weiss ich haf gedacht she mide be todt, und I vuss so schkairt — ich vuss almosd THE HAND OF THE POTTER 107 afrait to pull at her, but ich did, but she couldn't speag no more — she vuss nearly todt. So ich hop am strasse — on der sthreet — py 1727 gerunt, und als ich ans eck da kaam dair vair sthanding sechs oder seben manner. Ich hop — I tolt dem dere vuss a liddle girl pack in der lot der gekilt, und dey stharted to run down dere. Daan hab ich nach einer politzei gerufen — ein policeman — und ich vuss say some von shoult on der telefone go. Ich couldn't einer find aber, so ich hab nach meiner frau gerufet [she vuss py der vintow ubstairs dere], und she vuss unten gekommen — down — und uns beiden haben zurick ge- gangen. Ven ve vuss pack gekommen, der vuss ol- retty dreisig oder vierzig people da und some von hat olretty einer policeman geholt. Dey vuss tele- foning noch der ambulance, und der vuss nudding more zu tuhen. MILLEE Yes. [^To the jury.l You understood most of what Mr. Daubenspeck said, didn't you, gentlemen? {The jurors nod their heads.'\ Anything more, Mr. Daubenspeck.? DAUBENSPECK [Slowly. '\ No. I didn't see nudding more. Der vair seferal mens benting offer her, und my vife tolt me after- 108 THE HAND OF THE POTTER wards dass she hat gesagt das einer mann hat ihr uber bekommen. Den ich vent mit der police to der station. MILLER [Addressing the jury.'] He says that his wife told him that Kitty Neafie had said to some one that a man had stabbed her. [The jurors nod their heads.] That's all you know, is it, Mr. Daubenspeck? DAUBENSPECK Ya, dass ist alles. MILLER Gentlemen, do any of you wish to question this witness further? We have a great many to hear. I'll have the clerk write out this testimony so that any of you can examine it at your leisure if you wish. The less time we take in the beginning, the better. You may not need all the testimony that will be offered [he looJcs around inquiringly]. THE FOREMAN [Tentatively.] Perhaps we'd better let him go for the present. JUROR SIXTEEN [A somher, heavy, taciturn-looking man.] Did he say who it was stabbed her^ or did she say? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 109 MILLER Did she say, Mr. Daubenspeck, who killed her? DAUBENSPECK Ich hab nicht — I didn't hear. My vife she tolt me afterwards dass she hat gevispered "a man, a man." Den she dies. JUROR THREE Was she lying on her face or on her back, did he say, when he first came up ? DAUBENSPECK On her site, so [he illustrates']. JUROR NINE [AddresskigMiLj.^B,.'] Did he notice or could he tell in that light what the color or pattern of that oilcloth was? [As he speaks the inner stage curtains close, then immediately open. As they do so, the clock stands at twelve-fifteen. The sun pat- tern on the floor has moved. In the zmtness chair, in the place of Mr. Daubenspeck, sits the elderly fat woman who appeared in the doorway of the Berchansky apartment on the night of the murder. She is speak- mg.'\ 110 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MRS. LERSCH An' as we went in they was all standin' up around the table, an' I says, "Oh, Mr. Berchantsky, did you Jiear the news.^^ Little Kitty Neafie's been killed!" And at that he throws up his hands like this, and he says, "My God, it's my son Isadore!" An' at that I didn't know wot to say. I felt sorry for 'im, an' I didn't say nothin'. MILLER But, Mrs. Lersch! Mrs. Lersch! One moment, please, one moment ! This won't do. You're not telling the same story you told me yesterday after- noon at all. I thought you told me that there were three others present beside yourself, and that Mr. Berchansky only exclaimed, "My God!" Isn't that what you told me.'' MRS. LERSCH [Pausing abstractedly.'] Did I say that? Well, maybe it was that-a-way, but it seems to me he did say something about his son Isadore. Leastways, it seems so to me. "He done it," or "Oh, my God, I'm sure he done it!" or something like that. [^TJie jurors stir impatiently, as though they had been annoyed by previous exaggerations. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 111 The foreman looJcs as though he would inter- ject a question.^ MILLER But, Mrs. Lersch! Mrs. Lersch! One moment, please ! This won't do at all ! You forget that you are on the witness stand and under oath. You have sworn on the Bible to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. A man's life is in jeop- ardy here. If you do not tell the truth, the exact facts only — just what you know to be so, not what you think somebody said or what somebody told you afterwards or what you read somewhere — you may send an innocent man to the electric chair, to death, do you understand.'^ An innocent man! THE FOREMAN l^Sternli/.li Tell only what you know, madam. [^He stares and whispers to a neighbor.^ MRS. LERSCH \^Wifh some show of uncertainty and distress, rolling her hands. ^ Well, of course, I didn't understand that. I wouldn't want to do anybody any harm, leastways not the Berchantskys. I ain't got a thing against 112 THE HAND OF THE POTTER Mr. Berchantsky. I wouldn't lay a straw in his way. He's a good man, so far as I know. Course, you gotta remember I was very much excited myself at the time, after hearin' the terrible news of poor little Kitty's death, an' I hardly knew what I was doin'. But you better not take my word for it alone. You better let me go, an' ast somebody else. I don't want to do nobody any harm. \_She half rises.'\ When I think of poor Kitty, though — \_s7ie begins to weep']. THE FOREMAN OF THE JURY One moment, please, madam, one moment! Just sit down, please. MILLER \Gently.'\ One moment, Mrs. Lersch. Keep your seat, please. Now, just calm yourself and try to recollect what it was you did hear and see. You needn't be afraid of these gentlemen. They are not here to prosecute you. Now, you have stated that you and several other people left the crowd that was knocking at the door of Mrs. Neafie on the fourth floor, and climbed to the fifth, where Mr. and Mrs. Berchansky lived, and that then you or some one knocked and that some one opened the door. And then what hap- pened .f* Remember, you're not here to say what you think happened, or what you imagined you saw or THE HAND OF THE POTTER 113 heard, or what some one told you they saw or heard, or what you read, or what somebody else read in the paper, but just what you yourself saw with your own eyes, and heard with your own ears. Now what was it that you saw or heard? MRS. LERSCH {^Suhdued, in a low voice. '\ Well, as I say, we all went in, an' there was Mr. Berchantsky an' Mrs. Berchantsky, an' Miss Rae Berchantsky, an' Joe, an' several other people stand- in' around, an' they all looked kind o' queer to me, as though they might be excited about something. An' I says to Mrs. Berchantsky, "Oh, Mrs. Berchantsky, have you heard the terrible news about Kitty Neafie ? She's been murdered — stabbed fifty times — an' there's a young man they think done it {the jury gives evi- dence of new astonishment^. At that they all gath- ered around, an' Mr. Berchantsky throws up his hands, or that's the way it seemed to me, an' says sompin — "Oh, my God!" or sompin like that, an' Mrs. Berchantsky, if I remember right — I'm not sure about Mrs. Berchantsky, I was that excited myself I begun to cry, an' then they all wanted to know who done it, an' how it all happened, an' between ex- plainin' an' other people talkin', I forget, kinda, just what did happen, but I know we went downstairs, an' 114. THE HAND OF THE POTTER Mrs. Droney, she says to me — now, I don't just re- member whether it was that night or the next day — but anyhow, she says MILIiER {Wearily, with the air of one desirous of ending this particular examination.'] Well, now, Mrs. Lersch, we're not interested in what Mrs. Droney or anybody else said to you at this or any other time. As a matter of fact, you didn't know then whether there had been one or fifty stab wounds found on the body, did you.'' MRS. LERSCH Well, now, Mrs. Droney was sayin' last Wednes- day MILLER [^With a show of irritation, in a loud voice.] You didn't know at that time whether there was one or seventy wounds on the body, did you.'' MRS. LERSCH [Humbly.] No, sir. MILLER So you couldn't have told the Berchansky family of those.'' THE HAND OF THE POTTER 115 MES. liEBSCH Well, Mrs. Droney MILLER [^Sonorousli^.^ Never mind Mrs. Droney. Could you."* MES. LERSCH No, sir. MILLEE And as for a young man having been suspected, you really never thought of that at that time, did you.? MES. LEESCH Well, Mrs. Droney r- MILLEE \_AngrUy.'\ Never mind Mrs. Droney. Forget her. Just stick to what you saw and heard in the Berchansky flat at the time you were in it. Did you, or did you not, see or hear anything which caused you to think that any one connected with that particular family was in any way connected with this crime? \_As he talks the inner curtains close, and im- mediately open again. This time they dis- close Mes. Beechansky seated vn the witness chair. She is very pale, her hands and face 116 THE HAND OF THE POTTER exceedmgly thin. She is dressed in a blacJe skirt, small bonnet, and black shawl. She sits with drooped head, staring at the floor. The hands of the clock now stand at twelve- forti/-five, and the sunlight has left the room. The gaze of the Assistant District Attorney, and that of all the jurors, is fixed intently on her.~[ MILLER Tell us, Mrs. Berchansky, why it was you made up your mind to move so quickly after this happened? [Mrs. Berchansky does not answer. '\ Why did you move two days after the crime? MRS. BERCHANSKY [After a long pause, and twisting her fingers.^ My family vunted it. MILLER Yes. Why? MRS. BERCHANSKY It vuz too hot. Ve didn't like de place. \_She lifts her hands slightly. '\ MILLER Yes. Well, how long before this was it that you or your family made up your minds that it was too hot? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 117 MRS. BEECHANSKY \_Sl0W[2/.'] Maybe's a month — maybe's two. MILLER Then it was some time in May or June that you did this? MRS. BERCHANSKY Yes. MILLER Can't you remember which month exactly.'' MRS. BERCHANSKY No. MILLER Well, now, it wasn't so very warm in May, was it."* MRS. BERCHANSKY [After a long pause.~\ It vuz vorm, yes. MILLER [^Restlessly, as though he had been examining a long time.~\ Mrs. Berchansky, how long before the night of the murder was it that you had last seen your son Isa- dore at your apartment, or anywhere — how long.'' 118 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MRS. BERCHANSKY \_Turmng and entwinrng her fingers. She does not look up.~\ Maybe's von month — maybe's two or three. MILLER {^SterrdyJ^ Look at me, Mrs. Berchansky. Look at the jury. Lift your head. \^Slowly the witness elevates a wan and haggard face — then lowers it agam.^ Are you telling the truth.? MRS. BERCHANSKY Yes. MILLER Well, Mrs. Berchansky, there was a newspaper re- porter in that chair not more than a half hour ago who testified that when he called on you at the apart- ment of your daughter, Mrs. Greenbaum, on the up- per west side, ten days after you had moved from 1727 First Avenue, you told him that you had not seen your son Isadore in two weeks. That would have been two days before the murder. Now, what did you mean by that.'' \^She does not answer. '\ Mrs. Berchansky, answer me! What did you mean by that.? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 119 MRS. BERCHANSKY Maybe's von month — ^maybe's two. MILLER Listen to me, Mrs. Berchansky. Don't answer in a routine way, without thinking. You are now in the witness chair, before this grand jury, under oath. The newspaper man said that at that time you said to him that you had seen your son three days be- fore the murder. Now, whom are we to believe — you, or this reporter.'' \_He pauses and waits.^ MRS. BERCHANSKY \^Without looking up.^ Maybe's von month — maybe's two. MILLER \_Irritahl;^.'\ Don't make that stereotyped reply always! Did some one tell you to say that.'' MRS. BERCHANSKY l^After a time, folding and unfolding her hands. 1^ No. MILLER Mrs. Berchansky, you swore just now to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Is tliis the truth you are telling now.^ 120 THE HAND OF THE POTTElR MRS. BERCHANSKY \_Without looking up.^ Yes. MILLER You swear to that, do you — by all that you hold sacred.'' MRS. BERCHANSKY [After a pause.l^ Yes. MILLER Now, Mrs. Berchansky, isn't it true that your son was at your home the very day and evening that the crime was committed — that you and your husband had a quarrel with him, and that he ran out of the house, and that you or your husband called after him down the stairs .-* MRS. BERCHANSKY [Stirring, and then subsiding after a pause, ^ No. MILLER You deny that he was in your house the day or evening of the crime.? MRS. BERCHANSKY Yes. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 121 MILLER Or a day or two before? MES. BERCHANSKY ■ Yes. MILLER Or a day or two after? MRS. BERCHANSKY Yes. MILLER You swear on your sacred honor — by the life of your husband and your children, that this is true? MRS. BERCHANSKY [^Tightening her fingers for the least fraction of a second.^ Yes. [The inner curtains close. As they open again the clock stands at two-ten. The clerk is completing the roll call of the afternoon ses- sion. All hut three jurors are in their seats.^ MILLER [To the clerk. '\ Call Miss Rae Berchansky. [The clerk goes to the door, whispers the call to the doorkeeper, who in turn calls it out- 122 THE HAND OF THE POTTER side. In a moment or two Rae Berchansky appears, dressed in white linen sMrt — pearl buttons down the front — a white starched shirtwaist, black tie, black sailor hat with a white band, black slippers, white stockings, and carries a black bag in her hand. She seats herself in the witness chair, rises, then sinks back again — veri/ brisk and self- sufficient.'\ Name, please? Rae Berchansky. Address ? THE CLERK EAE THE CliEEK RAE 2221 Portchester Avenue, Bronx. CLERK Business ? RAE Manicuress. MILLER {^As the clerk writes.'\ Now, Miss Berchansky, the grand jury, through me, would like to ask you a few questions in regard THE HAND OF THE POTTER 123 to the death of Kitty Neafie on July 17th last. Will you kindly tell me, in your own way, what, if any- thing, you know about this case? KAB \^BrisJcl;i/.'] I don't know anything! MILLEE \_ArcMt/.'] Not anything? KAE Nothing except what I've seen in the papers — mostly lies. MILLEE Now, Miss Berchansky, will you kindly tell the jury where you were on the afternoon and evening of July 17th last? I was at Coney Island. MILLEE When did you leave your home to go to Coney Island? UAE Oh, about two in the afternoon. 124. THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER And when did jou return home again? RAE About eleven or twelve' at night. MILLER Can't you remember exactly at what hour? RAE No, sir. It was between eleven and twelve, I think. MILLER Now, Miss Berchansky, this is a very trying cascj and we're only anxious to find the perpetrator of this very heinous crime — not to throw unnecessary suspicion on any one, your family in particular — so will you be kind enough to tell this jury how long before the day or hour of this crime, or after, was it that you last saw your brother Isadore? RAE ICoolli/.'] It's been a little over two months, now, I think, MILLER You haven't seen him in all that time? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 1^5 KAE No, sir. MILLEE Nor heard from him? KAS No, sir. MILLER Has any member of your family, in so far as you know? RAE Not that I know of. MILLER Well, now, he usually came around the house once a week or so, didn't he, up to that time? RAE Up to what time? MILLER Up to the time you last saw him. Up to the night of the murder. RAE I just told you I didn't see him on the night of the murder, or the day, either. 126 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER Yes. ... I remember now. Up to the time you last saw him, I mean — two months ago. Oh, he came home whenever he felt like it — once in two or three weeks, I should say. MILLER And then suddenly he stopped coming.'* BAE Oh, I wouldn't call it sudden. We never knew when he was comin', or when he was goin' again. MILLEE Quite so! Quite so! Now, Miss Berchansky, it has been suggested here by one witness and another that your brother was not exactly right in his mind, that he had an aberration or delusion — an abnormal interest in little girls. Is that true.? RAE He's always been all right, so far as I know. MILLER You're positive as to that.? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 127 Yes, sir. MILLER Nothing wrong with him whatsoever in so far as you know? SAE So far as I know, no. MILLEK In so far as you can remember, you have never seen the least little thing wrong with him mentally? KAE No, sir. Not that I recall. MILLER Well, then, how do you explain that on March 15, 1914, he was sentenced to two years in a State peni- tentiary of this State for attempted — for assaulting — [^he pauses^ — a little girl? You knew of that, didn't you? RAE [Eyeing him fixedly. '\ Yes, sir. 128 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER Well, would you consider that the deed of an abso- lutely normal person, assuming, of course, that the jury did not err in its judgment? RAE Well, he never admitted that he did it, did he? A jury might be wrong once in a while, mightn't it? MILLER [With the shadow of a condescending smile, and rubbing his chin.^ Yes, a jury might be wrong once in a while. But, tell us. Miss Berchansky, your brother did suffer from a nervous affliction of the left arm, didn't he^ — a jerking like this [he illustrates^? RAE [With some hesitation and show of anger. '\ Yes, sir. MILLER Ever since he was born — is that not true? RAE [Snappishly.l Yes! THE HAND OF THE POTTER 1^9 MILLER Still you are convinced that there was absolutely nothing wrong with him mentally in any way? E.AE Yes, I am! MILLER ^ And also you are absolutely sure that he wasn't at home the afternoon or evening or night of the crime ? RAE Not that I know of. MILLER Nor at any time within forty-eight hours before or after the news of Kitty Neafie's death? RAE Not that I know of. MILLER Is this the absolute truth? Remember, you are under oath here. RAE Yes, sir. 180 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER Do you know for certain that he was not there? »AE No one told me that he was. No, sir. MILIiEE But you're not positive that he was not there.? EAE Well, if he had been, it seems to me I would have heard about it. MILLER But you're not positive? RAE No, sir. MILLER Miss Berchansky, do you know a Mrs. Margaret Lindstrora ? RAE Yes, sir. MILLER Where does she live? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 131 K.AE I don't know where she live^ now, but I know where she did live. MILLER Where was that? On the floor below us at 1727 First Avenue. MILLER You know her personally? RAE I've seen her. MILLER You don't know her to talk to? RAE Oh, I've said ^'Good morning," or nodded to her in the hall. MILLER Miss Berchansky, if there was a loud noise in the Lindstrom apartment, an angry argument of some kind, do you suppose you could hear it in your apartment upstairs? RAE I don't know whether I could or not. I never heard a loud argument down there. 132 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER So you couldn't say, supposing there was a loud argument or quarrel of some kind in your apartment, whether the Lindstroms or any other family imme- diately around you could hear it or not? RAE No ; I don't think they could. MILLER You mean they couldn't hear such a noise? RAE Yes. MILLER • Why not? RAE Because of the noise in the street up there. MILLER It's pretty bad, is it? RAE It was. It was sompin fierce ! MILLER Now, Miss Berchansky, isn't it a fact that your brother Isadore was home the very day of the death THE HAND OF THE POTTER 133 of Kitty Neafie, and that your father and mother had a quarrel with him, and that he ran downstairs about eight-thirty of the night of the crime, and that your father shouted his name after him? Isn't that true? RAE I don't know anything about it. I was at Coney Island. MILLER Well, you would have heard of it if he had been there, wouldn't you? RAE [Calmly. '\ Yes, I think so. MILLER But you never heard anything about it? RAE No, I didn't. MILLER {Suavely. "l Well, now. Miss Berchansky, will you explain to this jury why it was that on the evening of July 21st last, or thereabouts, about five days after this crime had been committed, and about two days after your family had moved from 1727 First Avenue, that 134. THE HAND OF THE POTTER you returned to the house of your friend, Miss Bertha Solomon, at 1711 First Avenue, and secured a picture of yourself, and one of your brother Joe which contained a portrait of your brother Isadore? BAB l^With considerable surprise and Jiesitation.'\ Well, I wanted them, that's why. [^She stirs u/n- easily. '\ MILLER Yes. . . . Why.? BAE Oh, I didn't want any old cheap pictures of mine floatin' around back there in that neighborhood, that's all. MILLER Yes — ^but why not in that neighborhood.'' Wasn't it good enough for you.** RAE {Hesitatingly . ] Well, it's a cheap neighborhood, that's all. I never liked it, and so long as we were goin' away, I thought I'd not leave anything of mine by which people could follow us up. MILLER That was the only reason, was it.'* THE HAND OF THE POTTER 135 Yes. MILLER You hadn't committed any crime, had you? No, of course not. MILLEE Nor any member of your family, let us say? RAE I said I didn't know anything about that. MILLER [Sweetly. '\ To be sure! To be sure! You just didn't think the neighborhood was good enough for you? Was that it? RAB Well, something like that. MILLER Miss Berchansky, do you know a girl by the name of Peterson — ^Zella Peters oft? RAE Yes, sir. 136 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER Where does she work? RAE At the same place I do. MILLER Where is that ? RAE At the Marie Manicure Parlors, in Sixth Avenue. MILLER She is a manicure, is she not.f* RAE Yes, sir. MILLER She's a rather good friend of yours, isn't she ? RAE Well, we've been friends, yes. MILLER Isn't she, any longer? RAE Well, I suppose so. I haven't seen her recently. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 137 MILLER Do you remember asking her, on the morning of the 22d of July last, what she thought of the Neafie case? RAE \^With some hesitatioii.'\ No, sir. MILLER You don't recall asking her if she thought in case the murderer of Kitty Neafie were found, and he had brothers and sisters, and a father and mother, whether his whole family, in her judgment, would be disgraced on account of it? RAE I saw she said I did, in the papers, but I didn't. No, sir. MILLER You didn't? RAE No, I didn't! MILLER Did you ask her anything at all about the case.^ What she thought of it, or anything like that.? 138 THE HAND OF THE POTTER No, sir. MILLER Not a word? Never even referred to it? No, sir. MILLER Well, it was a very startling case to you, wasn't it? RAE J^Hesitatijigli/.'] Yes. MILLER It must have shocked you a great deal at the time, being in your neighborhood — next door to you? BAE It certainly did. MILLER And it was on your mind a great deal at the time, wasn't it? RAE Well, not any more than on anybody else's, I guess, but it was, yes. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 139 MIIiLEIl Yet you didn't even mention it to Miss Peterson? RAE Not that I recall, no. MILLER Her manicure table is right next to yours, isn't it ? EAE Yes. MILLER And you used to walk home with her occasionally across Forty-second Street? RAE Yes. MILLER Frequently, since July 17th, haven't you? RAE I don't remember exactly whether I did or not. MILLER Oh, come now. You can remember that, I'm sure. 140 THE HAND OF THE POTTER RAE [Stiffly.] I say I don't remember exactly whether I did or not. MILLER Yet you never mentioned this case to her— not once ? RAE Well, I may have. I don't remember. Not that I recall. MILLER And yet it was in all the papers at the time.'' RAE Yes. MILLER And it occurred right next door to your home.? RAE Yes. MILLER And it was in your mind — some? RAE Yes, THE HAND OF THE POTTER 141 MILLER But yet you can't remember that you ever men- tioned it to your friend, the girl you used to walk home with — whose table was right next to yours in the manicure parlor? KAB No, sir. MILLER \_With considerable emphasis.^ Not even if I tell you that your friend Miss Peter- son was in here not more than an hour ago, and, sitting in that chair, testified under oath that you did ask her, and that you looked worried? Now, is that true, or isn't it? RAE It's not true. MILLER She lied, did she? RAE If she said that, she did. Yes, sir. MILLER Miss Berchansky, you say you have lived at home with your family right along, all your life? 142 THE HAND OF THE POTTER Yes, sir. MILLEE Well, now, tell the grand jury why it was that your family decided to move all of a sudden, on July 19th last. EAE We didn't decide to move all of a sudden. We'd been talkin' of it for months. MILLER Why? RAE Well, it was too hot up there under the roof, and too high up. MILLER You wanted a cooler apartment, did you, and one lower down.'' RAE The family did, yes, sir, and so did I. MILLER Well, can you tell the grand jury why it was that your father and mother, or whoever it was decided on this, chose to move in the middle rather than at THE HAND OF THE POTTER 143 the end of the month? People generally choose to move at the end of the month, don't they? RAE Oh, I don't know. We didn't. MILLER lGentl^/.'\ Well, I know, but people generally do, don't they? RAE Well, I don't know about other people. I only know about us. We moved in the middle of the month, the time before that. MILLER When was that? RAE February 19, 1916. MILLER Five months before this crime was committed? RAE Yes. 144 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER And you're sure this short stay of only five months had nothing to do with anything your brother Isa- dora did at this time? KAE No, — I mean yes. MILLER Incoming around in front, between the witness and the jury.^ If the jury pleases, I would like to excuse Miss Berchansky for the moment. We can recall her in a little while, if we choose. I have another witness I would like to present at this time. I believe it will throw a little extra light on this case, and may save your time and mine. [^The juri/men nod their heads. To Rae.] You are excused for the present, Miss Berchansky. Please don't leave the building. I may want you again. [Rae goes out. To the clerk.'\ Call Rufus Bush. THE CLERK {Going to the door and speaking to the at- tendant. '\ Rufus Bush! THE HAND OF THE POTTER 145 THE ATTENDANT \_Outside.^ Rufus Bush! Rufus Bush! \_The door opens, and a lank, slithery, hadly- washed man of about forty-three, in ohmowsly his best Swnday store clothes, enters. He has large red hands, large feet, a leathery, weather-tan/ned face, and a long strong nose and jaw. He walks briskly forward and starts to take the chair indicated, but is inter- rupted by the clerk, who holds out a Bible to him.]^ THE FOREMAN OF THE JURY Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? BUSH I do. \_He sits down, sees the little dress, hat and shoe on the chair, and stares. 1 MILLEK {^From his position behind the foreman once more.li Now, Mr. Bush, you moved the furniture and be- longings of one Aaron Berchansky from his apart- / 146 THE HAND OF THE POTTER ment or flat at 1727 First Avenue some time during the latter part of July, didn't you? EUFUS BUSH Yes, sir. MILLEE Just when was that? Do you recall? BTJSH [^With a great show of import ance.l It was the mornin' of July 19th, 1916. MILLER Well, now, Mr. Bush, where did you take that furniture? BUSH To the Central Union Storage house at Avenue A and East Twenty-third Street, New York City. MILLER Now, Mr. Bush, please tell the grand jury just as briefly as you can what were the circumstances under which you came to move this furniture — who came to see you about it, what they said, what you did, what you saw, how whoever you saw acted, and so on. Be as brief and direct as you can, now, please. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 147 BUSH [^Straightening hiinself in his chair, smoothing his hair, and wetting his lips.'\ Well, as I was sayin' to you yesterday, Mr. Miller, I was standin' at the corner of First Avenue and Sixty-seventh Street — ^I keep my wagon standin' there when I ain't got nothin' else to do — when who should come up to me but this here, now. Mis' Ber- chantsky. She's a little woman, kinda thin-like, with one of them black wigs the Jewish women wears, an' a white band or sompin around her head kinda tied over her ears like [several members of the jury stir impatiently/], an' she says to me — I can't give you her exack langwidge — but she says to me, "Could you come right over with me now to 1727 First Avenue an' git a load o' furniture out o' there for me, right away quick?" an' I says, "Sure, I could. Where is it you want it moved to, madam?" an' she says, *'I don't want it moved to no house — ^just to a storage warehouse, only, will you come right awayj if you're comin', because I gotta git out o' there before tJiree o'clock to-day," she says. An' I says to myself, "That's funny! She must be tryin' to make a get-a-way from 'er husband or the landlord, or sompin like that," an' bein' she was kinda nervous an' a-fidgitin' with 'er hands this-a-way [he iUus" 148 THE HAND OF THE POTTER trates'l, I felt sorry for 'er, so I jumps on my wagon an' drives right over there. I was thinkin' that may- be, since it was a hurry-up case, I might git a good tip extra, but I didn't. \_The jury laughs.'^ MILLER Yes — go on. BUSH Well, when I seen the place, I wuz a little su'prised again, because most people when they send for a mov- in' man only have part of their stuff ready to be took out, an' the rest we gotta git together ourselves, but she had everything done up as neat as a pin — you oughta seen it — an' there was an old man with one o' them there little kike caps on 'is head, an' he wuz a-bustlin' around an' a-tyin' up things, an' say- in' "Ga swind! Ga swind!" — or sompin like that. There was a girl there, too, a cripple-like, hobblin' around on a cane an' helpin' in one way an' another. MILLER Yes? BUSH Well, the old lady kep' sayin' "Hurry, hurry, please !" so much that I was sure there must be sompin up. I got the furniture out as quick as I THE HAND OF THE POTTER 149 could, an' got it down there to Twenty-third Street an' Avenue A, an' there she was, a-waitin' for me on the corner, an' she paid me, an' I give 'er the receipt, an' that's all I know. MILLER And you didn't get any tip? BUSH No, sir. MILLER Well, gentlemen, unless you can think of some- thing more to ask this witness, I should like to ex- cuse him also, and call some one else that we have waiting. We can recall him at any time, you know. \_A silence follows this.'\ We have quite a number of witnesses still, and it may be that we shall not need all their testimony '[the jury nod their heads in acquiescence.'^ You're excused, Mr. Bush. Please don't leave the building at present. BUSH No, sir. [Goes out.'\ MILLER \To the clerJcl Call Mr. Berchansky. [The cleric goes to the door.^ 150 THE HAND OF THE POTTER THE DOORMAN [^Outside.'] Aaroti Berchansky! Aaron Berchansky! [Enter Aaron Berchansky. He is very pale and nervous and careworn^ and is dressed in a plain, threadbare black suit, the sleeves and trouper legs of which are too long and morn at elbows and knees, a black ready-made bow tie, black derby hat, rather loose shoes. As he enters he observes the chair with the chUd^s clothes on it, stops, puts his hands before his eyes, falters, then walks lamely on to the wit- ness chair. His manner is that of one who is enduring intense suffering and strain. The clerk rises and holds out the Bible. THE FOREMAN OF THE JURY [Rising.^ Do you solemnly affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God? [Berchansky nods, looks at the chair, then looks away again.~\ THE CLERK Name, please? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 151 BEBCHANSKY Aaron Berchansky. CLERK Address ? BERCHANSKY 2221 Portchester Avenue. CLERK Business ? BERCHANSKY [^With some hesitation.^ Thread and needles. MILLER You have a store where you sell thread and nee- dles, have you, Mr. Berchansky .f* BERCHANSKY No. \^He looks at the chair again.^ MILLER Well, what kind of a business is it then, Mr. Ber- chansky.f* Will you kindly explain? 152 THE HAND OF THE POTTER BERCHANSKY ]_Veri/ softly. 1 I sell to my customers. I carry my goods in a bag. MILLER Yes. Who are your customers, Mr. Berchansky? BERCHANSKY Some shops, some that make shirts, cloaks, pants. {He glances at the chair. ^ I hev customers. MILLER {Overawed hy Ms sad presence and speaJcing in a soothing voice. ^ Mr. Berchansky, we are engaged in the very un- pleasant task of unraveling, or attempting to do so, the details of a terrible crime, with some of the details of which you are already fa- miliar. I shall have to ask you some very per- sonal questions, Mr. Berchansky, some very try- ing ones, I am sorry to say, but it will not be with any intention of injuring your feelings. I hope you will understand this, that it is a duty on my — on our — part — on the part of the law and the state which makes the law — not mere inquisitiveness. {As he speaks, Berchansky continues to stare at the chair.^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 153 Now, Mr. Berchansky, will you kindly tell the jury how many children you have? BERCHANSKY Two boys an' three girls, living. The rest are dead. \_He picks at his coat lapel.^ MILIiER And how old is your oldest boy — ^Isadore is his name, is it not? BERCHANSKY [^Starting, and with an effort.l Yes. Twenty-one. MILLER And the youngest? BERCHANSKY Seventeen. MILLER Were all your children born in this country? BERCHANSKY All but my oldest. She is dead now. [^He clenches and unclenches his finger s.^ 154 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER And where were you born? BERCHANSKY In Odessa. MILLER Russia? BERCHANSKY Yes. MILLER And your wifei^ BERCHANSKY The same place. \_As he talks, his glance constantli/ strays to the chair. He folds and tmfolds his hands. ^ MILLER \_Coming out from behind the foreman, picMng up Kitty Neafie's dress, hair and stockings, and placing himiself squarely in front of the witness. He half holds the articles before him, as if exhibiting them. As he does so, Berchansky shrinks back slightly.'] Mr. Berchansky, you knew little Kitty Neafie, didn't you? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 155 BERCHANSKY \^His voice rising to a thin, half-vibrant, half- smothered cry.'\ Yes. MILXER She came to your house fairly often, did she not? BERCHANSKY [In the same high, suppressed Jceif.^ Vunce in a vile. Yes. [He picks at his coat.'\ MILLER Now, Mr. Berchansky, this grand jury is greatly concerned to know who, if any one, connected with your family knows anything about the murder of this little girl, whose hair and torn clothes you see here. It has been alleged by one person and another • — newspaper reporters, the police and detectives, your neighbors — that your oldest boy is of such a disposition and character as to warrant the fear and the suspicion that he may have had something to do with it. He is not exactly of sound mind, is he? BERCHANSKY [Staring before him, as if meditati/ng some- thing.^ Nu . . . yes. He is all right. 156 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MILLER He is absolutely of sound mind — you are sure of that? BERCHANSKY Yes. MILLER But he did serve two years in a penitentiary, did he not, for an assault on a little girl? BERCHANSKY {Half -rising, then sinking back again.^ Yes. MILLER {Somewhat sympathetically.'^ And it is equally true, is it not, that he is, or was, still interested in little girls up to a very little while ago — in some of them, anyhow? Is not that true? BERCHANSKY {Stirring, with an effort to speak, hut unable to do so.] Nu. {He shakes his head negatively.^ MILLER Mr. Berchansky, I do not want to make this exam- ination too difficult for you. We all realize how try- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 157 ing your position must be. We know you are a father. We know that you are fond of your boy and would like to protect him, but the law is the law, Mr. Berchansky, and the law compels us to seek out the slayer of this harmless little girl, whosoever he may be, and bring him before the bar of justice in order that he may be dealt with according to the law. It is only right, it is our duty to ourselves, to our fellow-men, to humanity, to the stricken parents of this poor little dead girl whose clothes you see here — \^He moves the dress from one arm to the other.'] Now, I shall have to ask you to tell me, on your sacred honor: Do you, or do you not, know whether your oldest boy Isadore had anything to do with the taking of this little girl's life? \_He pauses, looking earnestly at the mtness.] BERCHANSKY [Starinff at the dress, then suddenly rising. As he does so, he sways to and fro as if ill, moves his hands to his face, then beats them to- gether.'] Nu! Nu! Take dem avay! Take dem avay! I kent stend it! I kent stend it! It is too much! I hev lied ! My vife, she hes lied ! My daughter Rae, she hes lied! My son Joseph, he hes lied! Ve all hev lied! It is true. My son did it. He killed her I 158 THE HAND OF THE POTTER He is not right ! Since he vuz so small [he indicates with a gesture^, he vuz not right. I know it all de time! It vuz killing me! Here it hurts me, here, here! [He strikes his heart. ^ I hev vatched, I hev prayed. Ach, Gott I Since two veeks now already, I know. But he is my boy ! I could not speak. \He choTcesJl MILIiEB Mr. Berchansky BERCHANSKY Vait ! Vait I You shell hear me ! Now I shell tell all ! All ! I told him vot to do ! He should kill him- self, I told him! He wrote vun day I should meet him in Grend Street. I go to Grend Street. He vuz dere on de street. Even den he vuz not right, but he knew. He told me how it vuz — she come in vile ve vuz in de park, he choked an' smodered her, he car^- ried her up de stairs an' over de roof to de next house. I told him I could not forgive him, his mud- der an' sisters an' brudder could not forgive him — de best t'ing vuz for him to jump in de river an' drown himself. Den he lef me, an' I hevn't seen him since. [He pauses, shahing.'\ He is gone now. May- be he is dead. So, it is better, I pray he is, [He sohs.l^ I hev vatched, I hev verked, I hev tried to be a good fader — no vun knows how hard I hev tried. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 159 Ach ! Ve hev verked, all of us, ve hev saved. De ot'- ers are all good. Vy he should be so, I don't know. Since he vuz twelve he hes not been right, but he hes not alvays been bed. He hes been a good boy, too. He hes a good heart. He hes verked. He vuz not quite right here. \^He points to his forehead.^ May- be it vuz not all his fault. \^He breaks down com- pletely/ and sobs. His voice sinks to a low mur- mur. '\ Maybe I hev not done all dat I should. It is so hard. [^He ceases talking and sobs between his hands. Some of the jury take out their handker- chiefs, others lower their heads.J Dat dis should heppen to me, now dat I am old. \^He shakes his head in silence.^ MILLER Calm yourself, Mr. Berchansky. Calm yourself. This jury understands. It sympathizes with you completely. Most of the gentlemen here have chil- dren of their own. [^He lays a hand on Berchan- sky's arm.'] Sit down. You can tell us the rest of this when you are calmer. \He forces Berchansky back into his seat.'\ BERCHANSKY \Weeping, and yet speaking through his fingers.^ No. He could not help it ! He is not right. He is 160 THE HAND OF THE POTTER not a bed boy. He hes a good heart. If I bed been a better fader maybe dis vould not heppen. Maybe ve did not understand him. \_He weeps in silence.^ MILLER [After a pause, to the jury.'\ Gentlemen, I am sure that you will agree with me that the rest of Mr. Berchansky's testimony can be taken later. He is too much overcome to continue. There is no need, I think, for our examining any further into this case. {^As Miller speaks, the outer curtain is slowly descending. The foreman nods his head.^ CURTAIN ACT IV ACT IV Scene 1 A stufy, "mretchedly furnisJied hall bedroom on the top fioor of a fi'Be-stori/ tenement, the very ap- pearance and atmosphere of which suggests heat, odors, poverty. Time, about four-thirty of a late August afternoon. A door, left, gives onto a stair landing, the squeahy boards of which can be heard. A small window, bach center, shows chimneys, roofs, copings — a red, dry, colorless prospect. The windows are broken, patched and dirty. The wall-paper is a faded yellowish-gray, showing patches of paper of another color underneath. The bedstead of white iron enamel is slims y, has peeled, and is creaky. It is unmade and tousled, •with soiled sheets, a dirty pillow-case, and a soiled and torn bedspread. A more or less dilapidated chair stands at the foot of it. On the floor, a scrap of ragged carpet. Against the right wall, center, a cheap bureau or chest of drawers, above which hangs a small oblong mirror, the upper corners of which are curved, and the glass of which is cracked. A soiled and torn cover of some kind 163 164. THE HAND OF THE POTTER graces this bureau. From the ceiling in the center of the room descends a one-burner gas pipe. On the wall, over the bed, an old f^y-speched poster of a girl in red advertises a face cream. When the curtain rises the stage is empty. Enter IsADORE. He closes the door quickly, stands with his hand on the Jcnob, one ear to the crack above. Several copies of different evening papers are in his hands. He is haggard, shabby, a full week's growth of beard on his face. His suit is worn and soiled, his shoes dusty, and his hair, which is par- tially concealed by a broken straw hat, is tousled and frowzy. He looks pale, hungry, half-wUd. As he stands there his left shoulder jerks. ISADORE [Looking straight before him with a stiff, ex- pectant stare.Ji I thought he was followin' me. [Pauses and lis- tens a while longer, tries the key to be sure it is turned, listens once more, then locks it again. His shoulder jerks.^ They ain't got me yet! It's the red ones, that's it. [He listens once more, then goes over to the window and umfolds one of the papers^ which reveals his picture nearly quarter-page size. Type five inches high, and plainly visible to the audi- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 165 ence, reads: "FIND IS ADORE BERCHANSK^I" He stares at it, then speaJcs in a lew voice.l They're after me, all right, for fair. I ought to 'a' gone away in the first place. \_He strikes at something.^ G'wan away ! Well, I don't look like that now. \^He holds up the paper and examines his picture with care, then drops it and opens a second and a third, each one revealing a large picture and blazing with type. As he does so his shoulder jerk's. He studies the headlines. After each one he exclaims: "Gee!" then drops it. Wearily.^ I guess it ain't no use. They'll sure get me. It's the red ones. That's it. That's the trouble. They won't let me alone. [H^ strikes at something.'] G'wan! Tliis shoulder aii' arm'll give me away, if nothin' else does. [His shoul- der jerks.'] It's the red ones, that's the trouble. If they'd let me alone I'd be all right, but I can't work. They won't let me. \_Stares and strikes at something.] G'wan! It's that two thou- sand dollar reward makes everybody so anxious. l^His shoulder jerks.] But I'm sick now, an' dirty, an' they don't know me. [Pauses and reflects.] Poor mom ! How she must 'a' suffered ! An' pop ! [His shoulder jerks.] He couldn't stand it, he said. Well, I don't blame him. I can't, either, much longer. G'wan! [Strikes at something.] I'm crazy, all right, an' I'm afraid to die. [Pauses.] 166 THE HAND OF THE POTTER Sneakin' around this way! J[He wipes his eyes on Ms sleeve. His shoulder jerks.~\ If I had the nerve, I'd kill myself. I oughta. Pop said I should. I've been tryin' to do it for three days, now. G'wan! [^Strikes at something. '\ I ain't right, I tell you! An' I never was ! \^His shoulder jerks. ^ It's the red ones, that's it. They won't let me alone. These spells keep comin' quicker an' quicker. [^His shouh der jerks and his face contorts slightly. He goes before the mirror, stares at himself, then darkens savagely. A weird expression passes over his face. He strikes at something. ~\ G'wan! [He takes off his hat and coat and hangs them on a nail, then goes over to the window, picks up a paper and looks at it.'\ Gee, what liars newspapers are! G'wan! [Strikes at something. '\ Here it says I tried to lure little girls to my room four years ago, an' I never even thought of it then. [Strikes at something.'\ I didn't have the nerve, an' I wasn't as crazy then as I am now. [Strikes at something.'] An' this ar- restin' men all over the country for me — they make me sick. [He stirs irritably. His shoulder jerks."] G'wan! [Strikes at something.] Nineteen they've arrested so far, an' they ain't got me yet. [He smiles and examines a small item closely.] If they don't get me pretty soon they'll hang some other fellow for me. That's the way they do! These fly THE HAND OF THE POTTER 167 cops ! [His Up curls, his shoulder jerks. He strikes at something. He tears off a small corner of a newspaper and writes on it, then puts it on the wall above his bed. Talks as he does it.'\ GVan! [Strikes at something.]^ An' that parole officer! [Indignantly. '\ What a liar! He says I broke my parole. I never did! GVan! [Strikes at some- thing. '\ He said not to come no more unless he sent for me — the damned faker. [He pauses again, looks out the window, stares at some imaginary thing in the corner, goes over to the door and listens, then comes back to the bureau and looks at himself. His shoulder jerks. As he does so, his compression changes, he loses control of his normal self and makes qu£er faces at his likeness in the mirror. Sud- denly he crumples up the newspapers in his hand, hurls them at his image, then jumps back and seizes the one chair. As he does so he imagines he hears a noise, pauses, puts down the chair, goes over to the door and listens. There is no sound. He half- strikes at something, then straightens up. On^e more his mood appears to change. He goes over to the bed and lifts one corner of the mattress, extract- ing from under it a considerable length of rubber gas tubing. Surveying it, and looking at the gas jet.l It's the red ones, that's the trouble — the blacks ain't so bad. They wouldn't hurt me, no- 168 THE HAND OF THE POTTER how. What's the use, though? I'm crazy, an' they're sure to get me. I can't beat 'em. G'wan! \_Stri]ces at something.^ I might as well quit now. \_His shoulder jerJcs. He measures the distance from the gas jet to the bed to see if he has enough.'\ It's no use. \^His shoulder jerks.^ I'm hungry! An' I'm gettin' thinner an' chinner all the time. \_He goes to the mirror once more and examines himself, then looks about and strikes at something.^ An' the red ones won't let me alone. G'wan ! [^He stares at an invisible somethim,g.'\ Why won't you let me alone? Say? G'wan! {He strikes at something, turn^ and sits down on the bed. Meditatively/.'] An' I wanted to live just like other people, an' be happy. I wanted a girl an' a home too, an' now look at me ! {He pauses, then wipes his eyes with the back of his hand.] I'm not all bad. I've worked an' I've tried to be all right, too. {Strikes.] But they won't let me alone ! They won't ever do it. G'wan ! Get away, I tell you! {Strikes.] I ain't right. Look at 'em ! Look at 'em ! {He gets up, moves away as if from pursuers; his arm jerks. Stiffening, his ex- pression changing.] But it's their pretty mouths an' their hair — that's it! It's the way they wear their shirtwaists an' paint their faces ! I can't stand it ! It's the red ones. It ain't my fault — it's theirs ! I can't help myself no more. They make me do it. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 169 \_He grows savage, vigorous. His shoulder jer1cs.'\ Well, I won't die, either. [^Throws down the tuhing,'\ Why should I? It ain't my fault. I ain't done nothin' much, have I.'* I couldn't help it, could I? I didn't make myself, did I? [He stares sternly he- fore him. His shoulder jerJis.'] PU tell 'em that, I will! I'll write it. \He pities up one of the news- papers, tears off a small corn£r, fishes about in his coat for a lead pencil, and finding a small bit goes to the dresser and scribbles on the paper, pausing once as he does so to strike. Quotes:^ ''I didn't make myself, did I? G'wan!" [Reaches up and fastens it agaimst the wall alongside the mirror. His shoulder j erics. ^ Well, I won't quit yet, either. I'm not all in. G'wan ! G'wan ! [Strike^ at something.]^ They ain't got me. [He goes to the nail, takes down his hat and coat, and puts them on. As he does so, he hears a noise. He thinks some one is coming up the stairs, goes over and listens. A period of silence follows in which no noise is heard. His shoulder jerks. A newsboy^s voice is heard crying. 1 THE NEWSBOY Extro ! Extro ! All about Isadore Berchansky ! Extro ! Extro ! [The voice fades. 1 170 THE HAND OF THE POTTER ISADOBE J[Listenmgf.'] Huh! I wonder who it is now. I bet they've found somebody else. I better not go out, though. They might know me. [^His shoulder jerks. He goes back to the hed.'\ G'wan! {^Strikes at some- thing.^ It's the red ones all the time, not the blacks. They won't let me alone — always foUowin' me around. G'wan! {^Strikes.'] I gotta eat, though. I can't go on this way. I gotta eat or die. [His shoulder jerks. He moves toward the door.l I gotta get out o' New York an' get sompin to do, or I gotta quit. It ain't no use. \_Pauses.^ It's the red ones. That's it. They won't let me alone. G'wan! [Strikes at something.^ Nothin' but a cup o' coffee an' a sandwich since Wednesday! \H& sfdffs, reaches in his pocket and pulls out some change. His shoulder jerks. '\ Eighteen cents ! An' I ain't got the strength to earn any more. Look at me ! [He surveys himself in the Tnirror. His shoul- der jerks.^ It's all up with me, I guess. G'wan! [He strikes at something.'\ These papers'U fix me. They're all talkin' about my arm. [Pauses. 1^ I wonder why Joe ain't answered my letter, an' Green- baum, the stiff! [He gulps. '\ G'wan! [He draws hack his arm threateningly.^ I guess he's afraid. Well, that's the way — ^when you ain't got nothin'. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 171 \_He stiffens and strikes at something. His shoulder jerks. 1 Gee, but it's tough, though! All the world goin' on an' happy, an' me [^He half sohs, then starts to pick up the gas tube. The sound of steps is heard on the stairs. Hastily he puts away the tube and papers, and straightens up, listenmg intently. His shoulder jerks. A knock sounds, then another.l^ A VOICE J[Outside.'\ Mr. Abrams ! Mr. Abrams ! [Isadobe does not answer. The door rattles.'] You are in there.'' I know you're in there! Vy don't you open the door.'* ISADOAE \_Stirring.] Wait a minute ! \^He goes to the door and opens it slightly. His shoulder jerks.] SAMUEL ELKAS [^ small, dark, restless, inquisitive, ferret-like Jew, clothed in a dirty shirt, open at the neck, and rolled up at the sleeves, a pair of baggy, messy trousers, the suspenders of which are hanging down, and the leg-ends of which 172 THE HAND OF THE POTTER gather in folds above Ms instep. He wears slippers. His hair is towsled, his face and hands are damp and dirty.'\ Good efternoon, Mr. Abrams. So, you are not yerking yet? Hev you my rent for me? ISADORE \TaTcvng off his hat and rubbmg his stomach and hair.l^ I've been sick to-day. I couldn't look, very well. But I've got a job, now, for to-morrow. \^His shoul- der jerks. He turns it away from Elkas.] A friend o' mine is goin' to give it to me. By to-mor- row night I'll have your rent for you. \IIe starts to strike at somethimg, hut pauses.'\ ELKAS \With a gesture. 1 To-morrow! To-morrow! Alvays to-morrow! Veil, if I don't get it by den, you vill haf to get out. You t'ink ve verk to give rooms free to people? [Isadore's shoulder jerks. ^, Vot is it vith your arm? Is it hurt? ISADORE \_Savagel2/.'] No, no, no! Nothin'! \^He starts to close the doorJ\ I'll get it for you to-morrow, sure. [His THE HAND OF THE POTTER 173 shoulder jerks. ^ Can't you trust me till then? I'll pay you, sure. [^His shoulder jerks. He pushes the door nearly #o.] I can get a dollar an' a half. It's only a week yesterday. [^As the two stand there speaking, a little girl of nine or ten, dark, elfish, pretty, appears and stands behind Elkas, who is evidently unaware of her presence. She peeps aroumd as if anxious to he neither heard nor seen. She has on a worn hhie gingham dress, sleeve- less and cut low at the neck, which is very soiled and torn. Her legs as well as her arms are hare and dirty, and her hair is disheveled and not very clean, hut she has the charm of sprightlimess and curiosity,^ ELKAS [Lifting his hands. '\ Veil, vy dontcha, den.? I kent, an' I need it bed enough. Ve haf to verk, too. \He gesticulates antagonistically.^ ISADORE {Crossly.'] Well, I'll have it for you by to-morrow, I tell you — by six o'clock. {His shoulder jerks. He looks to one side as if to strike at something.] Don't bother 174. THE HAND OF THE POTTER me no more to-day, will you! I'll pay you then, sure. \_He pushes at the door as if to close it.'\ ELKAS l^Piishmg at his side of the door to hold it open.^ By six o'clock ! By six o'clock ! Den, if you don't pay, I lose Sunday, too ! Vy not by noon? ISADOEE All right, by noon. I'll get it to you as soon as I get it — by noon I'll send it over. [^His shoulder jerhs.'\ You'll get it, all right. Please don't worry me now. \^Aside.'\ G'wan! ELKAS {Dovhtfully, moving back. The child dis- appears.^ Veil, if it vuz some von else, I vouldn't do it. Since you're sick, I'll let it go to-day as a favor to you. ' \_He goes out. Isadore closes the door, listens, then after a time looJcs up.'\ ISADORE [^His shoulder jerks.^ Yes, the pig! To-morrow I'll pay him — to-mor- row — ^huh ! — I won't be alive to-morrow ! G'wan ! THE HAND OF THE POTTER 175 [^Strikes at so7netlimg.'\ It's the red ones, that's it. They won't let me alone. A lot of difference it'll make by to-morrow! I might as well quit now. I gotta. It's the red ones. I can't get away. He saw my arm. [Goes over to the hed.^ Gee, it's a wonder he didn't connect me! G'wan away! [Strikes at something. With a frown.'] Maybe he did ! [Takes out the rubber tube, fastens one end of it over the gas jet and carries the other end to the head of the bed and rests it there. His shoulder jerks. He takes off his hat and coat, then gets out the pencil and begins feverishly to scribble on the wall at the head of the bed. As he writes h^ talks.] "Parole — officer — Gavan — is — a — damned — liar." G'wan! [Strikes.] "He — told — me — not — ■ to^ — call " G'wan ! [Strikes.] " — any — ^more. He — never — told — me — to^ — sign — any — papers " [Stops, frowns, and stares at something.] G'wan! [Strikes. Writes.] "It's — the — red — ones — ^not — ■ the — blacks. He — told — me — he'd — send — — ^" [Stops and frormis.] G'wan! " — them — to — me — in — a — blank — envelope " [Pauses and thinks. Frowns, then writes.] "Seven — is — right. Don't — cry " [Strikes.] G'wan! [A tap is heard at the door. Instantly^ he stif- fens, removes the tube from the gas jet, tip- toes to the bed and puts it u/nder, then drams 176 THE HAND OF THE POTTER a small knife from Ms pocket and listens. The tap is repeated. He does not answer. ll A SOFT LOW VOICE Mr. Ab'ams ! Mr. Ab'ams ! ISADORE [^Relaxing, and putting back the knife."] Yes.? THE VOICE Oh, Mr. Ab'ams ! It's Hagar ! ISADOBE IGrufjiy.] Yes ? Whaddy ya want ? [His shoidder jerks.] THE VOICE [Sweetly.] I've got sompin for you, Mr. Ab'ams. [He opens the door and looks out. The little girl is there. She has an apple and is holding it out to him.] Want this.? ISADORE [Starting. His shoulder jerks.] Oh, it's you» is it? What made you wanta bring it to me ? [His expression changes from one of fear THE HAND OF THE POTTER 177 and doubt to one of smiling sympathy. He forgets to strike. A weird smile passes over his face.^ Come on in. [^TaJces her by the arm and pulls her m] HAGAK, [^Uncertainly.'l I don't think I'd better. He'll scold if he ketches me up here. I'm not allowed. l^Looks about as if to see if any one is coming. She laughs.^ ISADORE [^Warmly.^ Aw, come on. [^His shoulder jerks. His face grimaces oddly. Over his shoulder.^ G'wan! HAGAK. {Looking at him ajid smilvng.'] I heard what you said. You said you ain't got no money, an' I felt sorry, so I thought I'd bring you this. {She holds up the apple-l Didn't you see me? I was behind papa. {She laughs. Isadore shakes his head. He looks at her greedily, staring at her arms and bare feet. His expression changes. He leers and smooths her arms and neck. His shoulder jerks. He shivers.^ Don't you know me.'' 178 THE HAND OF THE POTTER ISADOEE \_Darkli/.'] Sure. You're Hagar Elkas, ain't you? [She nods.^ You like me, Hagar, don't you? Somebody likes me, anyhow. [^To one side,^ G'wan! HAGAE \Nodding her head and simlmg.'\ Uh-huh! Who you talkin' to? [She looks aroimd behind him.'\ ISADORE Nobody ! Nobody ! [He controls an inclination to strike."] HAGAR I seen you goin' out this mornin'. [Looking at the papers on the floor. ~\ Wotcha doin' with all them papers — lookin' for a "ob? ISADORE [Looking about apprehensively, then stooping to gather up the papers from the floor and stuff them in a bureau drawer. He smiles wanly.] That's right! You've got it! I'm lookin' for a job. [His shoulder jerks.] Come on up here. [He THE HAND OF THE POTTER 179 pichs her up and seats her on the bureau and begins to trifle with her hair and feel her knees. His shoul- der jerJcs. Again his expression changes to a leer. His face contorts. He glances over her, then looks up, sees himself in the mirror. Pauses. Puts his hand to his head and begins to back away. As he does so, a noise is heard in the hall below, a voice calling "Hagab! HagarI" a door slams. Voices sound, then die away. The voice of a newsboy in the street is heard — "Extrol Extro! Isadore Berchansky — /" Silence. Isadore stares at Hagar, who stares back at him i/rb astonishment.'] Naw! Naw! That's right! I'd better not do that any more! I won't! I can't! It's the red ones, that's it ! They won't let me alone. [His shoidder jerks.] I'd better quit now before I do, though. I'm crazy, all right. [He goes to the door and listens, then returns and lifts Hagar down and pushes her toward the door, his shoulder jerk- ing. Roughly.] Get out, kid! Quick! Quick! Get out, I tell you, before I do sompin ! Get out ! You don't know me ! Can't you see ? Quick ! Quick ! Hurry ! [His manner is very rough. He pushes her out, and as she gives him a frightened glance, slams the door, locks it, and then stands with his back to it, and stares.] Naw! Naw! I'd better not do that no more! I better go, though, before I kill somebody else! I'm sure to! Poor lit- 180 THE HAND OF THE POTTER tie kid! [^His shoulder jerks. He goes to the hedy pulls off the coverlet and lays it along the crack at the bottom of the door, the while his shoulder jerks. He takes the newspapers out of the drawer and mak- ing twists of them, begins stuffing them into the cracks along the sides and between the window and in the keyhole. As he works he talks. ~\ Mom, you'll understand this. You know me. It's for the best. I couldn't help it. You'll understand. They won't let me alone. G'wan! [^Strikes at something.^ Don't cry! I'm no good, anyhow. I never was. l^His shoulder jerks. 1 You know that. \^He wipes his eyes.'] Be good to Masha. Tell her I always thought she was the best of 'em all. \^He pauses and stares at something, moves as if to strike, but sub- sides without doing it.] She knows I like her. [^His shoulder jerks.] An' pop! Poor old pop! \_He stops, picks up another bit of newspaper, writes on it and looks about for a suitable place to fasten it, finally sticking it in the mirror frame. His shoulder jerks. He stares curiously at something. Heavily.] I guess they'll see that, all right. [^His shoulder jerks.] G'wan! [^Strikes at something, goes over to the bed, takes out the gas tube, fastens one end over the gas jet and taking out his handkerchief stretches it by the corners and ties the tube to it. Looking over his shoulder.] G'wan! [Then he gets THE HAND OF THE POTTER 181 his coat, spreads it over the window with pins, and goes back to the bed, picks up the other end of the tube and stands there, his shoulder jerking from time to time. The curtain begins to descend.'^ Well, I guess it's all day for me, all right. They won't let me be. G'wan! [Strikes at something.'] I ain't all bad, an' I don't wanta die, but — oh \He sits down.^ CUETAIN Scene 2 The same as Scene 1, except that it is now about eleven in the morning of the next day. Every- thing is as before, except that the window and door are open, the gas tubing hanging straight from the jet to the floor. Isadore's hat and coat are lying on one corner of the bed. On the floor in different places are the twists of paper used in stuffing the window and keyhole. PlaiTdy outlined on the bed under a sheet is a body. A stout Irish policeman is standing in the doorway. Another is outside. Three reporters are grouped together near the window, examining a bit of paper. FIRST POLICEMAN Ye'll be tellin' thim to bring his father or some one, eh? SECOND POLICEMAN That's right. [Exit. The first policeman strolls over to where the three reporters stand, and looks over their shoulders. Ij^ 182 THE HAND OF THE POTTER 18S ARMSBY [^Reporter for the Herald. He is short and stout and florid, with hair growing over his coat collar. In one pocket are various news- papers.^ Say, this'U create a real row, this will! It's Ber- 'chansky, all right — no doubt of it. Look at what he says here [reads, the other two looking over his shoulder'\ — "I'm guilty, and I'm insane, caused by the beautiful make-ups of girls that has set me very passionate. Don't cry." [He looks up with a quiz- zical light in his eyes.~\ Whaddy ya know about that! [Smiles. '\ No one gets the two thousand re- ward, do they.f' That T/as for catching him alive, wasn't it.'' LEACH [Reporter for the Times. Young— ^about twenty-two — tall, slender, cynical, very neat, a pair of large gold-rimmed glasses on his nose.'] Yes, that was it. No one gets the two thousand now. Who found him.'' [He stares about the room, and at the bed.] THE POLICEMAN Sure, the landlord here. Elkas is his name. He's gone to the station now. But he don't know it's 184 THE HAND O? THE POTTER Berchansky yet. No i did I till that young felly from the American in. He took some of these papers away with , I'm thinkin'. I was standin' downstairs wait .er me partner to come up, when who should coi unnin' out but the land- lord here, a-yellin' at thf :op of his voice. Sure, I thot he was killed hims , I did. "What's ailin' ye?" I says. "A man's Dirdered in me house," he says ; "he's killed himself he says. So I blows me whistle an' beats me sth k, an' at that I runs up here, an' here he was, a-h n' there with that tube in 'is mouth, an' that pilly o> er 'is head. "Come, now," I says, shakin' 'im, "come out o' that !" but he was dead, all right. QUINN [^Reporter for the Sun. Irish, short, slen- der, red-headed, qu'ch, almost waspish in his speech, about thirty-five years of age, and with a slight hrogueJ^ He didn't know it was Berchansky, ye say.? THE POLICEMAN Divil a bit. It was the little felly from the Ameri- can that was in here just a'lead o' ye b'ys that told me that. He told me naht to say naathin', but since ye've found out fer yerselves, sure, there's no haarm in tellin' ye. \Grins.~[ Sure, ye'll be afther sayin' THE HAND OF ^lE POTTER 185 that Aafficer McKagg we Jed in, an' that I was here dooin' me dooty [he ^ Quinn on the elbozei] ? Sure, ye'U be afther know; , )w to fix it up. Sure! Sure! That's all %ht! What's the full name? [^He begins to wrh %t.'\ If that landlord had only known yesterday, might have had that two thousand. Say! ^ MC KAG*i iSolemnly.'] ''"i By God, you're right ! Tl?ink ave him losin' that ! [He looks over their shollders as they write. ^ Aafficer Thomas McKagg, twelfth precinct, liEACB arms:b^Y [Together, as they sh(m their papers to Mc- Kagg.] That's right, isn't it — ^M-c-K-a-g-g.f* MC KAGG Yes, that's it. - [He smiles gratefully.,^ QUINN I suppose the father'll be down here pretty soon, now. Have any detectives been here yet-f* 186 THE HAND OF THE POTTER MC KAGG Divil a waan. I'm doubtin' if they know it yet, This'll be afther makin' thim sorer still. QUINN J[JubUantli/.'] A fine lot of detectives they have in this town! Say! Two hundred of 'em on the job, and they haven't turned up a thing — not waan. We've turned up everything that's been turned up so far — the mother, the sister, and now this poor divil. J[He waves a ha/nd toward the bed.^ LEACH \^BrisJcli/.li Whaddy ya know! Isn't that a scream — the whole force looking for him — and we newspaper men find him! [^He laughs. '\ ARMSBY [Who is going about looking for other evidence ■'. — softly to Leach.] Sure, they're all no good, a lot of hoboes. [He sees something on the floor and picJes it up. Starts to conceal it, but sees Qtjinn and the officer looking at him, and opens it.'] Here's some writing. [He reads. As he does so, the other two come to his ?. ] "Tell — mother — I — should — ^ha ve — died — two THE HAND OF THE POTTER 18T — years — ago. So — let — her — forget — as — though — ^it's — two^ — ^years — already." [^He takes out his notebooJc and begins to jot it domn.^ QUINN [Approaching with his pencil and paper.~\ Not bad, that ! Not bad ! A nice bit o' sentiment. \_He begins to write. ^ The poor divil was crazy, all right. Sure enough! I begin to feel sorry for him. He couldn't help it, I suppose. LEACH You think not? Oh, I don't kfiow. Let me have that first paper, Armsby, will. you.? I want to copy it. [^A.^M&BY ^ives'it to himi.'[ ARMSBY [Goi/ng to the bed, picks up a paper containing Isadore's picture, turns back the sheet and compares the two. Leach follows.'\ It'sihim, all right. I see it now. The very fellow ! LEACH \_Ea:citedl2f, looking at the wall^above Isadore's head.]i Say, here's something else! He's written all over the place! [^Armsby looks up. '\ He must have been 188 THE HAND OF THE POTTER I clean crazy! \_Reads slowly. 1 "Parole — officer — Gavan — is — a — damned — liar. Go — 'way ! He — told — me — not — to — call — any — more. He — never, — told — ^me — to^ — sign — any — ^papers. It's — the — reds — ^not — the — blacks. He — told — me — ^he'd — send — ^'em — to — me — in — a — blank — envelope. Seven — is — right. Don't — cry. It's — no — use — much! Ha! Ha ! Yes. I'm — a — prize-fighter !" \_Takes out his pencil and paper, as does Abmsby. They begin to write. Quinn comes over.l QUINN What's this, now ? Let me see ! \_Reads the writ- mg over their shoulders.'] What d'ye think of that .J* What d'ye s'pose he means by those things, anyhow < — the reds and the blacks.'' [He writes also.'\ He ^ust have been crazy, sure enough. That's quairer than the last, that. We aaht to get his faather down [here to identify him. The papers are interested in |him. LEACH That's right. Only, the officer says he thinks some one from the American has gone for him. MC KAGG {Leaning against the door, his hands behind him.] Make yerselves aisy on that score. That little THE HAND OF THE POTTER 189 felly from the American has gaan, aal right. He told me naht to let any waaii else in till he come back with him, if I could help it. Of course, he's a nice little felly, but I couldn't do that. Aal the papers have a right here. '[He smiles.^ Vallally, that's me partner, has just been afther tellin' headquarters, an' they'll be gettin' him here in no time, too. They're sure to bring 'im, even if the little felly don't. [He straightens up and puts his thumbs 4m his belt.'] ARMSBY We'd better not be too sure of that. He might not bring him back until we're out of here. One of us ought to go, I'm thinking. [Then, as Leach picks up another bit of paper from the floor and unfolds it, and then attempts to slip it into his pocket.] What's that.? [He coTnes over.] X,EACH [A little shame-facedly.] Nothing much, I guess. [Takes it out and unfolds it.] ARMSBY Let's see it. [Quinn comes over.] It's fifty-fifty on all this, isn't it? 190 THE HAND OF THE POTTER QUINN Sure ! You're not goin' to hold anything out, are you? LEAdH \^Irritahli/.'\ Not at all ! Not at all ! Who's holding anything out? Can't I see it first if I find it? [Opens it.'\ Look at this! \^Reads.'\ "This is to my dear mother who I am always homesick for, and same to rest and pop, whose word I am taking by doing this. Go 'way ! Maybe you think it's easy. Well, maybe it is. I don't know. It's the reds, not the blacks. Mostly red. They won't let me alone. I figure easiest of my own. I want to say if I don't die this way I'll take my medicine just the same. Fields, carriages, four trees. Don't cry. My last job was in pants manafactor at 61 Norfolk. He owes me two days' work. I ain't et in three. Please secure pay and give to my dear mother who is very poor and for truth my mind ain't right. Go 'way! My old- est sister has lots of money and Greenbaum and don't help as she should, or Rae either. Eleven buttons — ' four seams — and the bottoms turned up. I'm sorry to cause all this trouble to my neighbor in particu- lar, but all he's gotta do is call a cop ! Go 'way ! Go 'way ! Gavan is a liar ! Tell mother I'm really guilty THE HAND OF THE POTTER 191 and she'll not cry her eyes out — ^heart. Poor mom! You think Fm innocent, even yet, don't you? Moth- ers is wonders ! Great ! I am, too, only I ain't made right. Red, not black. We ain't made right — not all of us — all wrong. It's their pretty mouths an' hair an' the way they walk an' them shirtwaists so fine — that's it ! Sorry. I got crazy like I often do, an' you can't blame me or nobody else. It don't ido things right always. Can you blame a man when he ain't right.'' "Isadore Berchansky." [Looking M.p] Tough, eh,'* ARMSBY QUINN You're right, it's tough. Ye never can tell about these poor divils, as [he pomts to the letter^ ye can see by that. Here's the whole city runnin' him down an' he may not have been as bad as the people have been thinkin'. Life's a pretty stiff thing at times. liEACH [Going to the bureau and smoothing out the paper he has found, preparatory to copying it.\ 192 THE HAND OF THE POTTER Oh, I don't know about that. I wonder sometimes just how crazy some of them are. I know a doctor who has made a study of these cases at Johns Hop- kins, and he isn't so sure that they deserve so much sympathy. I can't understand it myself, wanting to attack a little girl like that, especially when he might interest a grown girl. The public wouldn't feel one-fiftieth as terrible if he had tried to attack a grown one instead of this little kid. But a little girl! And to torture her! Hell, you might as well talk about having sympathy for a mad dog. What I can't understand, though, is how it comes that a man like that should be allowed to walk about the streets here in New York free — not a person to touch him. And he had tried to attack another little girl two years ago. Why shouldn't his parents have done something about him then? He himself says he should have been dead two years ago. Well, why didn't they lock him up then.-' What's the big idea, letting a fellow like that run at large.'' AEMSBY {ThoughtfiiMy and apologeticallyJ\ Oh, I know, but then you can't always tell, either. Everything isn't on the surface in this world. His parents might not have thought him as bad as he was, or they might have been sorry for him. Sup- THE HAND OF THE POTTER 193 posing you had a brother like that — then what? Would you want him locked up right away? People don't like to break up their own homes, especially parents. They feel too bad about it. At the same time, they're likely to think he'll get better. A single offense doesn't al'ways prove that a man's crazy, especially in a case like this. He might change. QUINN You're right there. The public doesn't under- stand them yet. I've been readin' up on these cases for some time, an' from what I can make out they're no more guilty than any other person with a disease. Did ye know, ayther ave ye, that there's something they've called harmones which the body manufac- tures an' which is poured into the blood streams of every waan ave us which excites us to the m'aning ave beauty an' thim things — "sensitizes" is the word they use. Now if a felly is so constituted that he has more ave that an' less ave somethin' else — some- thin' which balances him a little an' makes him less sensitive to the beauty of women or girls — he's likely to be like that. He can't help it. There's something in him that pushes him on in spite of himself. This felly's letter says so. I believe if the public knew more about these cases it might be able to catch some of these fellies earlier an' begin to treat 'em 194 THE HAND OF THE POTTER or put 'em away somewhere where they'd come out aal right. They're naht aal bad — that's one thing sure, as ye can see by this. [He points to the letter Leach has been reading and is still holding.^ LEACH [Superiorily.^ Oh, all right. Just the same, this business of sympathizing with these people can be carried too far, I tell you. When I was at Cornell we made a study of some of these fellows. They have a pretty fine psychiatric laboratory there. We studied doz- ens of such cases. In every one we found that how- ever feeble-minded a fellow like that might actually be, or queer, still, ordinarily, you couldn't tell it, you know, and often he was able to do better if he wanted to. They look just like other people. QUINN [Irritably, and yet lightly.^ Ave course ! Ave course ! What taalk have ye ? Man, ye don't mane to say ye went to Cornell to find that out, do ye.'' It's in a hundred books. Haven't ye ever read Havelock Ellis or Kraft-Eb- bing.'* They give thousands ave cases — thousands. [He takes the letter from Armsby and begvns to write. ^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 195 LEACH ITestUi/.'] ^Sure I've read 'em. Of course. What do you think? What makes me so tired, though, is your tak- ing up for these fellows as though they were de- serving of nothing but sympathy. I don't see that so much sympathy is to be wasted on 'em, really. How about the little girl he killed? Her life was as good to her as his was to him. And I notice that fellows like that are nearly always shrewd enough to take care of themselves and get what they want. Take this Berchansky, there, now. [He nods to- wards the bed.^ He was clever enough to lure that little girl to that empty apartment in some way. You can't say that that was so very fine. 'You can't have too much sympathy for them, I tell you. They ought to be watched, and at the first sign shut up for good — that's what I say. It's just as well that they are hounded in this way. It has to be so. [As he talks, Armshy, who has been prowlmg about loohmg for other things but now scenting an> argument, draws near.'\ QUINN [Stopping his writing and coining directly vmr der LeacWs chin, staring up at him, argu- ment atively.^ 196 THE HAND OF THE POTTER Who's denyin' it, I'd like to know? Me? What ye say is aal true enough, and I'm naht sayin' that he shouldn't have been locked up long ago if they could have caught him — I think he should have — but what makes me tired in you an' others an' the papers is all this shoutin' about human tigers lurkin' on the East Side an' everywhere else, men without a spark ave anything but evil in 'em — plain murderers — an' doin' naathin' aal day long but lie in wait for little girls, to kill 'em. Ye'd think there was only waan side to the story. Ye'd think from the papers ave the past six weeks that this felly was aal wolf, naathin' but murder an' rape in his mind, a sane, calculatin' villain turned to this sort ave thing for the fun of it only — naht a poor, crazy wastrel like this, without a place to go an' no way ave gettin' himself anything ave any kind. If he was such a divil, what was he doin' workin' for a dollar a day — an' naht gettin' his pay, at that ? Now, for aal ye've been to Cornell — an' I don't doubt ye learned a lot there — there's another side to this, an' ye're just the waan to know it if ye've been there. People judge these fellies solely by their acts, when as a, matter ave fact they aaht to take into account the things which make up their natures an' dispositions. This felly could no more help bein' what he was than a fly can help bein' a fly an' naht an elephant, an' THE HAND OF THE POTTER 197 that's naht at aal. Nature is deeper an' stronger than anything we know. An' by that I'm naht sayin' that the human race hasn't the right to defend itself from this sort ave felly. It has, an' does. What I'm taalkin' about is aal this palaver in the papers about wolves an' divils. Why, man, by the papers ave the last six weeks ye'd think the streets were full ave demons in the shape ave men. Ye've seen 'em arrest at least a hundred men for even smilin' at a child or ahfFerin' it a stick ave candy. And now look at 'im. There he is — ^hungry an' dirty an' thin an' hidden away in this pe-latial room, an' there's that letter to his mother tellin' her not to cry an' that he aaht to have been dead two years ago, an' that he's naht right. Ave course he wasn't right, the poor divil, an' perhaps no waan knew it better than his mother, ayther, an' that's why he writes to her. [Leach shakes his head argument ativeli/.'\ An', me boy, while we're on this subject, let me tell ye just waan thing more; I'm an older man than ye by fourteen years an' I've seen a little somethin' ave life that maybe ye haven't seen yet, anyhow. Don't be so cocksure in your judgments of who are the good an' who are the bad in this world. Facts an' proofs are naht aal on the surface, by any means, as Armsby here was aafter sayin'. Ye were sayin' a while ago that he aaht to have taken a grown woman 198 THE HAND OF THE POTTER or girl. How do ye know whether any girl or woman would give him a single look or no, let alone a second waan? But supposin' ye were like him — ^hungry an' tortured by their pretty mouths an' their hair an' the way they walk an' their shirtwaists so fine — I believe that's what he says here [he looks at the letter^ — then what? Are ye sure ye'd do so very different from what he did, driven by the things that were drivin' him? LEACH Oh, I don't know. I might not, of course. QUINN Ye're tootin', ye might naht, nor any other man in the same state an' place. Now, I wouldn't have a single word to say ave this case if it weren't for all the noble palaverin' that's been goin' on in an' out ave the papers, in the churches an' everywhere else. Everybody seems to know exactly just what a low, horrible scoundrel he was without a spark ave de- cency in him. Well, it just so happens that I've been studyin' these very kinds ave cases for years, an' I know what I'm taalkin' about. Aal men are naht balanced or normal be their own free will an' say-so, any more than they're free an' aqual in life, an' that's naht at aal. They're naht aal endowed with THE HAND OP THE POTTER 199 the power or the will to do an' select, aal the rules ave the copybooks to the contrary nahtwithstandin'. Some are so constituted mentally an' physically that they can't do otherwise than as they do, an' that's what ye never can get through the average felly's brain, nor through the average newspaper's, ayther. Most people have a few rules, a pattern, an' every- body's supposed to be like that. Well, they're naht. An' naathin' will ever make 'em exactly alike, ayther — ayther aal good or aal bad, or a little ave waan or the other, accordin' to anybody's theory. Nature don't work that way. An' nature makes people, me young friend, me an' you [he taps Mm on the chest^, an' every waan else, an' she don't aalways make us right ayther, by a damned sight. Some people don't aalways have aal they waant mentally or physically — if they did I'd be a millionaire to-day — ^nayther can they aalways do as they'd like to, or aaht to, aal theories to the contrary nahtwithstandin'. Some- times they're made to do things — ^lots ave thim — by forces over which they have no control. [Leach stirs arguTnentatively.l Man, ye're naht goin' to deny that? Sometimes I think we're naht unlike those formulae they give ye in a chemical laboratory — if ye're made up right, ye work right; if ye're naht, ye don't, an' that's aal there is to it — laa or no laa. An' another thing I'm tellin' ye, me young friend. 200 THE HAND OF THE POTTER an' I'd like ye to think it over from time to time, whether ye like it or naht — that Dennis Quinn said it — an' that is that laa is merely somethin' that forces people to do what they don't waant to do whether they will or no, naht somethin' that aalways shows 'em how to do it^ — ye get me ? Remember that, me young friend. I'm telKn' ye. If ye waant to come out exactly right in this world, which nobody ever does, ye waant to be pairfectly balanced, or nearly that — an' few are that. It's more luck than anythin' else, an' that's true, too. Now ye were say in' a while ago that ye can't understand why a man like that should be attackin' a little girl, unless he were a low, vile creature, even if he wasn't bal- anced quite right — ^but I can. If ye'd ever made a study ave the passion ave love in the sense that Freud an' some others have ye'd understand it well enough. It's a great force about which we know naathing as yet an' which we're just beginnin' to look into — ^what it manes, how it affects people. LEACH Oh, well, I'm ready to admit all that. Let's cut this, anyhow. We haven't got time. [The voice of a newshoy sounds: "Extro! Extro! All about Isadore BerchansJci/!'*^ THE HAND OF THE POTTER 201 ARMSBY {Energetically, ] Yes, fellows, you'd better cut the argument and make copies of this. Look around! Look around! The bull'U soon be here I Then they'll be wanting to shut everything off. l^He opens all the drawers and looks under the bureau. Qui/nn goes over to the body and feels m the pocJcets. He looJcs under the bed and picks up a collar, and starts to conceal it. Leach examines more of the walls. A step is heard on the stair. McKagg looks down.^ MC KAGG I dunno who this may be. It's the central men now, I'm thinkin', aal right. Yes, it's them. There's three ave thim^ Better put those things away if ye waant thim. [Enter Detectives McGranahan, Harsh and Skumm. They are typical sleuths — very wide-eyed, very dull, very suspicious, and very secretive. Detective-fashion, they keep their hats on, even while bending over the dead. They swagger into the room, look- ing about as if each detail might contain a secret. They look at Leach and Akmsby ^02 THE HAND OF THE POTTER copymg, then approach the bed. As they do, they greet the newspaper men familiarly, mho eye them askance, hut return the salutation genially. '[ MC GEANAHAN {Turning bach the sheet and eyeing the face of ISADORE.] Well, we've caught him at last, eh? So he quit, eh? The poor nut ! Crazy, I hear! {He looks around loftily at the newspaper 7nen.'\ SKUMM {Equally superior. '\ Gas! Whaddy ya know! [He looks at the gas jet and the rubber tube. QuiNN nudges Abmsby, who eyes him without smiling. 1 HARSH {As McGranahan pidls back the sheet."] Pretty tough-lookin' mug, eh? {They turn to the newspaper men, who are looking at the letter.] MC 6RANAHAN What's that ? Find anything much to identify him by, boys? THE HAND OF THE POTTER 203 QUINN [^Who has a paper m his hand.'\ It's a letter to his mother. We'll give it to you after. They're a dozen things about the place — letters on the walls, and everywhere. SKUMM [Sarcastically, with a crude attempt at humor.'\ I don't suppose there was any joolry or anything like that on him? [He smiles wisely.^ XEACH {IrritablyJ}^ Why don't you search him? There he is. HARSH We will, in a minute. Who was the first to find him, d'ye know? ARMSBY [Pleasantly. '\ The landlord, I think. We didn't get here first. He doesn't know it's Berchansky yet, though. [Aside, to QuiNN.] Wait'U he hears he's lost that two thousand reward ! [QuiNN lifts his hands. Harsh goes over to 204 THE HAND OF THE POTTER McKagg. Skumm goes to the head of the hed,^ SKUMM l^Surveykig the scrawl about Officer Gavan.] Knockin' even before he dies, eh? Whaddy ya know! A swell chance he had to get away, with all o' us after him! \^A new noise is heard on the stair. Enter an Inspector of Police ini uniform, a sergeant of detectives, Elkas, Hagar Elkas, a fourth reporter who shows his badge to McKagg, and after them various onlookers and curios- ity mongers from the building and the street, whom McKagg pushes bacJc. The Inspector and Sergeant make their way to the bedside.'^ elkas [Excitedly, to McKagg.] Vuz it Berchansky yet ? Oi ! Oi ! MC kagg Man, aare ye just findin' that out now? THE INSPECTOR {Brusquely, turning to the crowd.^ Don't let all these people in here, Officer. Only THE HAND OF THE POTTER 205 the ones who have business here. Drive them out! Drive them out ! \^He looks at the detectives, who salute Mm.] MC KAGG [^Vigorousli/.ll Get back! Get back! What'll ye be afther waantin' in here, anyhow.'' [^He admits Elkas, Hagar, and the fourth re- porter. The latter joins the three. '\ THE INSPECTOR {^Surrownded by detectives. 1[ This is the man, is it.? Well, that's one trouble over, anyhow. Who found him.'' MC GRANAHAN {Sycophantically. ] The landlord here, chief — ^Elkas is his name, I believe. ELKAS [Pushing forward.'\ Here I am. It is Berchansky, you say ? Vere do I get de reward .'' 206 THE HAND OF THE POTTER THE INSPECTOR Aw, don't get excited. There's no reward in this case. That was for catching him alive. Can't you see he's dead.'' [Elkas's face faUs,'\ EliEAS Ach, my house ! My gas ! He owes me for free veeks' rent! THE INSPECTOR [Paymg no attention to Elkas] Where's his old man? Anybody gone for him? We ought to get him here to identify him. [Turrir ing to McKagg.] When'd they find him. Officer? MC KAGG About nine this mornin', chief. The landlord caalled me in. THE INSPECTOR What about his old man? Anybody gone for him? MC KAGG Aafficer Vallally wint an hour ago. [^A noise is heard.^ I'm thinkin' he's comin' now, sir. THE HAND OF THE POTTER 207 MC GRAN AH AN [Ingratiatingly. ] Not a doubt in the world, chief. There are letters from him all over the place — on the walls, every- where. [He points to the writing at the head of the hed.'\ THE INSPECTOB Where are they.'* Let's see some of them. [Abmsby brings one forward. The Inspector takes it and reads. The noise at the head of the stairs increases. Berchansky, accom- panied hy an officer and several plain-clothes men, appears in the doorway. McKagg intakes way for them.'\ MC granahan [Softly.l Here's his old man, now, chief. [The Inspector turns to look. Berchansky, very pale, very worn, pauses at the door a moment, then, pushed and led hy the detec^ tives, comes forward. A hush falls over the room. McGranahan turns down the sheet, which has been pulled up, and Berchansky 208 THE HAND OF THE POTTER loolcs at the corpse in silence. A pause en- sues.'} BERCHANSKY [Heatnty and sadly, folding his hands over Ms breast.l Yes, dat's my son. Dat's ray boy. [^Pauses, and looks around.} Gas? Veil, it's better den de oder. {^Pauses agam, while the silence endures.} Dat he should end so! [^He wipes his eyes.} It is< too bed! \^He shakes his head and looks arou/nd, again.} It is strange. Four years ago ve lived next door. THE INSPECTOR OF POLICE [Coming alongside.} You're sure it's your son, are you, Mr. Ber- chansky ? BERCHANSKY Yes. Yes. I know. [^He turns as if to go.} ELKAS [ Who has crowded forward, speaking with irri- tation.} So he vuz your son, vuz he? Such a scoundrel! He owes me for free veeks' rent, yet. An' he should come by my house ! He tells me his name is Abrams. I should lose two t'ousand dollars! If I know, he THE HAND OF THE POTTER 209 vouldn't 'a' been here long. I fought he acted strange. BERCHANSKY I vill pay! I vill pay — only not to-day, please. I heven't so much. EliKAS [^Angrilif, while the police stare at Mm toler- antly. 1 An' you ! vy shouldn't you bring your children up right? If you should bring him up right — ^if you should keep him off de streets, den he vouldn't do such a t'ing ! BERCHANSKY [^Sloidy, with suppressed emotion, as the police push Elkas bacJc.'\ My friend, hev you children? ELKAS {^Defiantly.'] Yes! BERCHANSKY [/w a quavering voice.'] Den you should know. Vy pull at de walls of my house ? Dey are already down ! CURTAIN 3i^77-9 LIBRARY OF CONGRESS illliiiillllil 015 908 070 5 a'iU'i'li 'M^i ,i!<