ACT II
FIRST SCENE
The office of HERMAN ISRAEL. A large room, the walls of which are covered by cupboards. Door in the rear; doors in both side walls; few windows, and these very small. A fireplace on the left-hand side. A large table in the middle of the floor; armchairs about it. Above the rear door and the fireplace appears the coat of arms of Luebeck, in black, red, and silver.
At the right, a desk with writing material and a pair of scales. The room contains also several sets of shelves filled with goods in bundles.
One of the cupboard doors stands open, disclosing a number of altar vessels of gold and silver.
MARCUS is weighing some of the vessels at the desk, while DAVID is noting down the weights given him.
MARCUS. A crucifix of silver, gilded; weighs twelve ounces.
DAVID. [Writing] Twelve ounces....
MARCUS. Item: a monstrance of gold—a perfect thumper. Weighs.... Let me see now.... Oh, it's hollow—and the base is filled with lead.... Put down a question-mark.
DAVID. Question-mark it is.
MARCUS. A paten of silver—well, I don't know. [He tests the vessel with his teeth] It tastes like copper at least. Put it down as "white metallic substance."
DAVID. White metallic substance.—Do you think those rustics are cheating us?