Page:Etta Block - One-act plays from the Yiddish (1923).pdf/32

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Mother and Son



Moshele
Yes, he did meet me. I asked him not to come back with me. I felt so—I didn’t want a stranger by on my home-coming. But what could have happened to her so suddenly? In your letter, just two days before, you mentioned nothing about mother being ill.

Gitele
One can never tell with her. You know her trouble—and at her age. The doctor says the slightest exertion, the least excitement, may prove fatal to her. And now, we can’t find out just how it all happened. Sunday morning when I arose, the maid told me that the bobbe’-she had gone away. Where? No one knew. I asked every member of the family. I ran over to Uncle David’s—no one knew anything. After a great deal of trouble and inquiry we finally found out that she had taken the train. It was impossible to find out anything further. She didn’t return until Tuesday and took immediately to her bed.

Moshele
And you do not know where she was those two days?

Gitele
No. When she returned her fever had already risen to thirty-nine degrees and it was impossible to find out anything from her. Afterwards, when she felt stronger, I tried several times asking her, but I noticed that she didn’t like being questioned, and so I did not force it. The doctor thinks something must have

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