Abraham Lincoln: A Play - LightNovelsOnl.com
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_Lincoln_: My compliments to them, and will they be prepared to see me here at once if necessary. Send the same message to any other ministers you can find.
_Clerk_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_.
_Lincoln_: We may have to decide now--now.
HAY _shows in a perspiring and dust-covered_
MESSENGER, _and retires_. From Major Anderson?
_The Messenger_: Yes, sir. Word of mouth, sir.
_Lincoln_: Your credentials?
_The Messenger (giving_ LINCOLN _a paper_): Here, sir.
_Lincoln (glancing at it_): Well?
_The Messenger_: Major Anderson presents his duty to the government.
He can hold the Fort three days more without provisions and reinforcements.
LINCOLN _rings the bell, and waits until a third_ CLERK _comes in_.
_Lincoln_: See if Mr. White and Mr. Jennings have had any answer yet.
Mr.--what's his name?
_Seward_: Hawkins.
_Lincoln_: Mr. Hawkins is attending to them. And ask Mr. Hay to come here.
_Clerk_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_. LINCOLN _sits at the table and writes_. HAY _comes in_.
_Lincoln (writing):_ Mr. Hay, do you know where General Scott is?
_Hay_: At headquarters, I think, sir.
_Lincoln_: Take this to him yourself and bring an answer back.
_Hay_: Yes, sir.
_He takes the note, and goes_.
_Lincoln:_ Are things very bad at the Fort?
_The Messenger_: The major says three days, sir. Most of us would have said twenty-four hours.
_A knock at the door_.
_Seward:_ Yes.
HAWKINS _comes in_.
_Hawkins_: Mr. White is just receiving a message across the wire, sir.
_Lincoln_: Ask him to come here directly he's finished.
_Hawkins_: Yes, sir.
_He goes_. LINCOLN _goes to a far door and opens it. He speaks to the_ MESSENGER.
_Lincoln_: Will you wait in here?
_The_ MESSENGER _goes through_.
_Seward_: Do you mind if I smoke?
_Lincoln_: Not at all, not at all.
SEWARD _lights a cigar_.
Three days. If White's message doesn't help us--three days.
_Seward_: But surely we must withdraw as a matter of military necessity now.
_Lincoln_: Why doesn't White come?
SEWARD _goes to the window and throws it up. He stands looking down into the street_. LINCOLN _stands at the table looking fixedly at the door. After a moment or two there is a knock._
Come in.
HAWKINS _shows in_ WHITE _and_ JENNINGS, _and goes out_. SEWARD _closes the window_.
Well?
_White_: I'm sorry. They won't give way.
_Lincoln_: You told them all I said?
_Jennings_: Everything.
_Lincoln_: It's critical.
_White_: They are definite.
LINCOLN _paces once or twice up and down the room, standing again at his place at the table_.
