EX-PRES.  So ... that’s over!

TUMULTY.  It hasn’t tired you too much, I hope?

EX-PRES.  Too much for what, my dear Tumulty?  I’ve time to be tired now. 
What else, except to be tired, is there left for me to do?

TUMULTY.  Obey doctor’s orders.

EX-PRES.  He let me go.

TUMULTY (shrewdly).  You would have gone in any case.

EX-PRES.  Yes.

(Tumulty adjusts the cushions at his back.)

Thank you.

TUMULTY (seating himself).  Well, Governor, now you’ve seen him in place, what do you think of him?

EX-PRES.  Oh, I find him—­quite—­what I expected him to be.  I think he means well.

TUMULTY.  A new President always does.

EX-PRES. (slowly pondering his words).  Yes ... that’s true ... “means well.”

TUMULTY (tactfully providing diversion).  The big crowd outside was very friendly, I thought.

EX-PRES.  Yes ... couldn’t have been friendlier....It let me alone.

TUMULTY.  Well, of course, they’d come mainly to see the new President.

EX-PRES.  Of course.  So had I. Yes, I believe Harding’s a good man.  He was very kind, very considerate.  I feel grateful.

TUMULTY (with rich emotion).  That’s how a good many of us are feeling to you, Governor:  to-day very specially.  It’s what I’ve come back to say.

EX-PRES.  That’s very good of you.  We’ve had—­differences of opinion; but you’ve always been loyal.

TUMULTY.  I think, President—­Forgive me; the word slipped out.

EX-PRES.  No matter.

TUMULTY.  I think there’s been more loyalty—­at heart—­than you know.  Behind all our differences, in the party (as, with such big issues, couldn’t be avoided)—­well; they didn’t cut so deep as they seemed to.  They were all proud of you, even though we couldn’t always agree.  Of course there’ve been exceptions.

EX-PRES.  I don’t want to judge the exceptions now (as perhaps I have done in the past) more hardly than I judge myself ...  Tumulty, I’ve failed.

TUMULTY (extenuatingly.) In a way—­yes:  for a time, no doubt.

EX-PRES.  Absolutely.

TUMULTY.  I don’t agree.

EX-PRES.  Because you don’t know.

TUMULTY.  Governor, I know a good deal.

EX-PRES.  Oh, yes; you’ve been a right hand to me—­all through.  Others weren’t.  So I had to leave them alone, and—­be alone.  When I made that choice, it seemed not to matter:  my case was so strong—­and I had such faith in it!  It was that did for me!

TUMULTY.  Chief, I’m not out to argue with you—­to make you more tired than you are already.  But if I don’t say anything, please don’t think I’m agreeing with you.

EX-PRES.  I’m accustomed to people not agreeing with me, Tumulty....  Yes:  too much faith—­not in what I stood for, but in myself:  perhaps—­though there I’m not so sure—­perhaps too little in others.  To some I gave too much:  and the mischief was done before I knew.