Girl with the Glass Heart by Daniel Stern

Author:Daniel Stern [Stern, Daniel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-4804-4413-3
Publisher: Open Road Media
Published: 2013-08-16T01:05:00+00:00

“There are some books here, if you want to read. I know you musicians don’t go to sleep as early as we business people. I told Justin to bring you a bottle of sherry. How’s that, all right? Unless you’d like something stronger?”

“No. Sherry would be very nice as a matter of fact,” Jay said, and left it at that.

But Max did not leave. “Speaking of sherry,” he said, “Alec tells me he was drunk tonight.”

Jay nodded.

“That worries me. He’s really in love with that … with her?”

“Yes, he really is, Mr. Kaufman.”

“Look, Jay, call me Max. Look, you’re a nice Jewish fellow, I could tell right away. Couldn’t you speak to Alec? Tell him how much better a nice Jewish girl would be. In Europe they kill off six million of us and here my brother wants to marry a gentile.”

Jay was repelled by this little man, by his too-quick intimacy (although the same facile warmth in his daughter was exciting) and by his immediate assumption that Jay was on his side against Alec.

“I’m afraid I couldn’t do that, Mr. Kaufman.” He carefully avoided the first name. “In the first place it would be presumptuous on my part to meddle in Alec’s personal life, and in the second place I don’t share your opinion of what would be best for Alec. He’s a very close friend of mine—”

“I know. That’s why I asked.”

Jay ignored the interruption,—“friend of mine, and I wouldn’t want to take advantage of that.”

“You’re frank and honest, Jay. I hope you’re not insulted by my asking.”

“No, of course not. I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

There was a knock on the door and Justin entered carrying a tray of crackers and cheese and a bottle of sherry. He placed the tray on the night table and was about to leave when Rose arrived, bearing a cheese knife and a wineglass.

“You took that glass from the left-hand cupboard. That’s for Passover, I told you,” she said to Justin, and then turning to Jay said, “and here’s a better knife for the cheese.”

“Thank you very much,” Jay said, observing the annoyed look on Justin’s face.

Justin left, followed by Rose. Max started to say good night when they heard Rose and Justin outside the door.

“Mrs. Kaufman,” Justin was saying, “I’ve asked you over and over to please let me do my job.”

“I’m only trying to help.”

“I’d rather you wouldn’t. If I make a mistake I’ll correct it. Please.”

“All right, I’m sorry. I’ll try.”

“Thank you. Just please don’t follow Mimi and me around.”

“All right. I said I’m sorry.”

Jay couldn’t help smiling, not knowing if Kaufman would be annoyed or not, for from the conversation one could hardly tell who was servant and who employer. Max did not appear to notice the smile, or else he chose to ignore it.

“Good night, Jay. Things will work out, I imagine. Forget about what I asked you. We’ll have a nice holiday season. Do you go to synagogue?”

“Sometimes,” Jay admitted.

“We have a beautiful new temple here in Colchester.

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