Abraham Lincoln: A Play Part 7

_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_.