[_Staggering, and
speaking
wearily.
Yeats
Who are you?
FIRST CRIPPLE.
Come out of this!
SECOND CRIPPLE.
Have pity on us, that must beg our bread
From table to table throughout the entire world,
And yet be hungry.
SEANCHAN.
But why were you born crooked?
What bad poet did your mothers listen to
That you were born so crooked?
CRIPPLE.
Come away!
Maybe he's cursed the food, and it might kill us.
OTHER CRIPPLE.
Yes, better come away.
[_They go out. _
SEANCHAN.
[_Staggering, and speaking wearily. _]
He has great strength
And great patience to hold his right hand there,
Uplifted, and not wavering about.
He is much stronger than I am, much stronger.
[_Sinks down on steps. Enter MAYOR and FEDELM. _
FEDELM.
[_Her finger on her lips. _]
Say nothing! I will get him out of this
Before I have said a word of food and drink;
For while he is on this threshold and can hear,
It may be, the voices that made mock of him,
He would not listen. I'd be alone with him.
[_MAYOR goes out. FEDELM goes to SEANCHAN and kneels
before him. _
Seanchan! Seanchan!
[_He remains looking into the sky. _
Can you not hear me, Seanchan?
FIRST CRIPPLE.
Come out of this!
SECOND CRIPPLE.
Have pity on us, that must beg our bread
From table to table throughout the entire world,
And yet be hungry.
SEANCHAN.
But why were you born crooked?
What bad poet did your mothers listen to
That you were born so crooked?
CRIPPLE.
Come away!
Maybe he's cursed the food, and it might kill us.
OTHER CRIPPLE.
Yes, better come away.
[_They go out. _
SEANCHAN.
[_Staggering, and speaking wearily. _]
He has great strength
And great patience to hold his right hand there,
Uplifted, and not wavering about.
He is much stronger than I am, much stronger.
[_Sinks down on steps. Enter MAYOR and FEDELM. _
FEDELM.
[_Her finger on her lips. _]
Say nothing! I will get him out of this
Before I have said a word of food and drink;
For while he is on this threshold and can hear,
It may be, the voices that made mock of him,
He would not listen. I'd be alone with him.
[_MAYOR goes out. FEDELM goes to SEANCHAN and kneels
before him. _
Seanchan! Seanchan!
[_He remains looking into the sky. _
Can you not hear me, Seanchan?
