THE POEM
61
BRANDON.
And you for abducting my son. He’s
coming with me now or there’ll be a fuss.
Mark my words, you rascal !
[Enter two Footmen.
VAUGHAN.
Seize that man. [7Z<%ey seize and hold him
after a strugole.| Esmé! go away to your
room; this is no place for you. Now, sir,
say all you have to say !
[ESME wazts 71 the doorway.
BRANDON.
Give me my son, and be damned to you!
That’s all ; and it’s plain enough, I hope.
PERCY.
Father, Iam leaving Mr. Vaughan’s house,
as I shall only get him into trouble if I stay.
But I will not come home with you, you who
broke my mother’s heart, and turned me
from your doors penniless.
BRANDON,
Unnatural puppy !
PERCY.
My mother’s spirit forgives you, and in my
heart is no longer the desire for vengeance.
So far have I risen, but not far enough to
forget that you are the most abominable
villain that plagues God’s beautiful world
with his infesting life.
BRANDON [ze2¢h setdden calnness|.
This to his father!
say, you wretch?
PERCY
[to VAUGHAN].
I will go, my true new father. Kiss Esmé
for me a hundred times !
BRANDON [breaking from the Footmen].
Damn you; that’s your game, is it? No,
you go with me, Sir Poet.
[Rushing at his son, strikes. PERCY,
warding off the unexpected blow,
staggers. BRANDON, maddened by
the idea of fighting, snatches up a
knife and drives it into hts heart.
He falls with a lowcry. NAUGHAN
dashes forward and strikes BRAN-
DON heavily. Sle falls; footmen
drag hin off tnsenstbhle.
VAUGHAN [dbend7ng over PERCY].
Are you burt ?
PERCY.
Oh, hardly hurt at all! Only my head a
little, and [ wanted so to finish the poem
to-night,
EsMr.
Let me come to hin, father. Oh, Percy,
Percy, look at me, look at me3 you're not
hurt, are you?
PERCY,
Am T ever hurt with your arms round me?
EsME.
Oh, but you grow whiter; you must he
hurt.
VAUGHAN,
A knife! Te must have stabbed him.
What does the Bible, Fetch a doctor, one of you, sharp|
[five a man,