One night when I was seven he came home crazy drunk and hit my mother in the face. It was the first time he’d ever struck her. It made me blind mad. I hit at him with the poker and cut his head. My mother pulled me back and gave me a hiding. Then she cried over him. She’d never stopped loving him.

LAVINIA — Why do you tell me this? I told you once I don’t want to hear —

BRANT —(grimly ) You’ll see the point of it damned soon! (unheeding — as if the scene were still before his eyes ) For days after, he sat and stared at nothing. One time when we were alone he asked me to forgive him hitting her. But I hated him and I wouldn’t forgive him. Then one night he went out and he didn’t come back. The next morning they found him hanging in a barn!

LAVINIA —(with a shudder ) Oh!

BRANT —(savagely ) The only decent thing he ever did!

LAVINIA — You’re lying! No Mannon would ever —

BRANT — Oh, wouldn’t they? They are all fine, honorable gentlemen, you think! Then listen a bit and you’ll hear something about another of them! (then going on bitterly with his story ) My mother sewed for a living and sent me to school. She was very strict with me. She blamed me for his killing himself. But she was bound she’d make a gentleman of me — like he was!— if it took her last cent and her last strap! (with a grim smile ) She didn’t succeed, as you notice! At seventeen I ran away to sea — and forgot I had a mother, except I took part of her name — Brant was short and easy on ships — and I wouldn’t wear the name of Mannon. I forgot her until two years ago when I came back from the East. Oh, I’d written to her now and then and sent her money when I happened to have any. But I’d forgotten her just the same — and when I got to New York I found her dying — of sickness and starvation! And I found out that when she’d been laid up, not able to work, not knowing where to reach me, she’d sunk her last shred of pride and written to your father asking for a loan. He never answered her. And I came too late. She died in my arms. (with vindictive passion ) He could have saved her — and he deliberately let her die! He’s as guilty of murder as anyone he ever sent to the rope when he was a judge!

LAVINIA —(springing to her feet — furiously ) You dare say that about Father! If he were here —

BRANT — I wish to God he was! I’d tell him what I tell you now — that I swore on my mother’s body I’d revenge her death on him.

LAVINIA —(with cold deadly intensity ) And I suppose you boast that now you’ve done so, don’t you?— in the vilest, most cowardly way — like the son of a servant you are!

BRANT —(again thrown off guard — furiously ) Belay, I told you, with that kind of talk!

LAVINIA — She is only your means of revenge on Father, is that it?

BRANT —(stunned — stammers in guilty confusion ) What?— She?— Who?— I don’t know what you’re talking about!

LAVINIA — Then you soon will know! And so will she! I’ve found out all I wanted to from you. I’m going in to talk to her now. You wait here until I call you!

BRANT —(furious at her tone ) No! Be damned if you can order me about as if I was your servant!

LAVINIA —(icily ) If you have any consideration for her, you’ll do as I say and not force me to write my father. (She turns her back on him and walks to the steps woodenly erect and square-shouldered. )

BRANT —(desperately now — with a grotesque catching at his lover’s manner ) I don’t know what you mean, Lavinia. I swear before God it is only you I—(She turns at the top of the steps at this and stares at him with such a passion of hatred that he is silenced. Her lips move as if she were going to speak, but she fights back the words, turns stiffly and goes into the house and closes the door behind her. )

(Curtain )

ACT TWO

SCENE — In the house — Ezra Mannon’s study. No time has elapsed.

The study is a large room with a stiff, austere atmosphere. The furniture is old colonial. The walls are plain plastered surfaces tinted a dull gray with a flat white trim. At rear, right, is a door leading to the hall.