to give him a purse of money.
His father gave him such a large purse full!
And then he went away and left his home.
You see he did not love his father much.
Lily.
Oh! didn't he?—If he had, he wouldn't have gone!
Julian.
Away he went, far far away he went,
Until he could not even spy the top
Of the great mountain by his father's house.
And still he went away, away, as if
He tried how far his feet could go away;
Until he came to a city huge and wide,
Like London here.
Lily.
Perhaps it was London.
Julian.
Perhaps it was, my child. And there he spent
All, all his father's money, buying things
That he had always told him were not worth,
And not to buy them; but he would and did.
Lily.
How very naughty of him!
Julian.
Yes, my child.
And so when he had spent his last few pence,
He grew quite hungry. But he had none left
To buy a piece of bread. And bread was scarce;
Nobody gave him any. He had been
Always so idle, that he could not work.
But at last some one sent him to feed swine.
Lily.
Swine! Oh!
Julian.
Yes, swine: 'twas all that he could do;
And he was glad to eat some of their food.
[She stares at him.]
But at the last, hunger and waking love
Made him remember his old happy home.
"How many servants in my father's house
Have plenty, and to spare!" he said. "I'll go
And say, 'I have done very wrong, my father;
I am not worthy to be called your son;
Put me among your servants, father, please.'"
Then he rose up and went; but thought the road
So much, much farther to walk back again,
When he was tired and hungry. But at last
He saw the blue top of the great big hill
That stood beside his father's house; and then
He walked much faster. But a great way off,
His father saw him coming, lame and weary
With his long walk; and very different
From what he had been. All his clothes were hanging
In tatters, and his toes stuck through his shoes—
[She bursts into tears.]
Lily (sobbing). Like that poor beggar I saw yesterday?
Julian.
Yes, my dear child.
Lily.
And was he dirty too?
Julian.
Yes, very dirty; he had been so long
Among the swine.
Lily.
Is it all true though, father?
Julian.
Yes, my darling; all true, and truer far
Than you can think.
Lily.
What was his father like?
Julian.
A tall, grand, stately man.
Lily.
Like you, dear father?
Julian.
Like me, only much grander.
Lily.
I love you
The best though.
[Kissing him.]
Julian.
Well, all dirty as he was,
And thin, and pale, and torn, with staring eyes,
His father knew him, the first look, far off,
And ran so fast to meet him! put his arms
Around his neck and kissed him.
Lily.
Oh, how dear!
I
