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.

Lincoln: They leave no opening?

White:  I regret to say, none.

Lincoln:  It’s a grave decision.  Terribly grave.  Thank you, gentlemen.  Good-morning.

White and Jennings:  Good-morning, gentlemen.

They go out.

Lincoln:  My God!  Seward, we need great courage, great faith.

He rings the bell.  The SECOND CLERK comes in.

Did you take my messages?

The Clerk:  Yes, sir.  Mr. Chase and Mr. Blair are here.  The other ministers are coming immediately.

Lincoln:  Ask them to come here at once.  And send Mr. Hay in directly he returns.

The Clerk:  Yes, sir.

He goes.